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A network based computer implemented system for designing products is disclosed. The system comprises a network server, such as an Internet web server (30) operable to manage interaction of the system with external computers, and a product design module (204) communicating with the network server. The product design module (204) is operable to generate product designs. The system further comprises a live agent support system (44) communicating with the network server. The live agent support system (44) is operable to provide live assistance to a customer of the system. An agent (312) of the live agent support system (44) and a customer of the system simultaneously view a same page of the design tool. The customer and agent (312) also mutually communicate while collaboratively manipulating the page.
1. A network based computer implemented system for designing products, the system comprising:
a network server operable to manage interaction of the system with external computers;
a product design module communicating with said network server, said product design module operable to generate product designs via first and second product design applications that provide a same portion of information;
a live agent support system communicating with said network server and implementing the first product design application, said live agent support system operable to provide live assistance to a customer that is generating one of the product designs using the second product design application; and
a collaboration server that provides a first collaboration application that receives data from the first design application, and a second collaboration application that receives the data from the first collaboration application and sends the data to the customer to update the second design application while the customer is generating the one of the product designs.
2. The system of
3. The system of
4. The system of
5. The system of
6. The system of
7. The system of
a) the agent has an agent ability to substantially control a customer input device, wherein the customer input device corresponds at least in part to a customer pointer rendered on a customer active display, whereby the customer views the same page, and wherein the control corresponds at least in part to movement of the customer pointer; and
b) the customer has a customer ability to substantially control an agent input device, wherein the agent input device corresponds at least in part to an agent pointer rendered on an agent active display, whereby the agent views the same page, and wherein the control corresponds at least in part to movement of the agent pointer.
8. The system of
9. The system of
10. The system of
11. The system of
12. The system of
13. A network based computer implemented system for designing products, the system comprising:
a network server operable to manage interaction of the system with external computers;
a product design module communicating with said network server, said product design module operable to generate product designs;
a live agent support system communicating with said network server, said live agent support system operable to provide live assistance to a customer,
wherein the product design module provides a design applet to a client of the web server, the design applet operable for use with designing a product and adapted to communicate with other applications,
wherein the customer and an agent of the live agent support system view design applets of a same type, and wherein input to one of the design applets is communicated to another of the design applets; and
a collaboration tool connected to the network server for providing a collaboration applet to a client of the network server, the collaboration applet operable to receive information from a first application and relay said information to a second collaboration applet, said second collaboration applet operable to communicate the information to a second application,
wherein each design applet is adapted to communicate with a collaboration applet, and
wherein the input is communicated via use of collaboration applets.
14. A method of encoding data operable to assist a customer of a web-based design tool, the method comprising:
receiving information transmitted over a computer network, wherein the information relates at least in part to a request for live assistance from the customer;
viewing a page of the web-based design tool remote from the customer and using a first design application, wherein the page visually corresponds to a customer page of the web-based design tool, the customer page further defined as a page of the web-based design tool that is a page currently in use by the customer that views the page with a second design application;
encoding data operable to assist the customer based on a first collaboration applet that receives first data from the second design application that updates the page viewed by the live assistance, wherein the data is embeddable into a second collaboration applet for transmission over the computer network to the first design application, said encoding based on said receiving and said viewing,
wherein said receiving, said reviewing, and said encoding are performed by a live agent.
15. The method of
16. The method of
a) selecting text for communication to the customer, wherein said selecting is performed by the live agent; and
b) composing text for communication to the customer, wherein said composing is performed by the live agent, and
wherein said encoding is based on at least one of:
a) said selecting; and
b) said composing.
17. The method of
18. The method of
a) a page for pushing to the customer, and
b) an image for sending to a customer, and
wherein said encoding is based on said choosing, and
wherein said choosing is performed by the live agent.
19. The method of
20. The method of
21. The method of
22. A computer medium that executes a computer program, wherein the computer program implements a page of a web-based design tool that implements the method of
23. A method of providing live agent assistance for an internet based system designer, the method comprising:
providing a configurator tool to a user permitting the user to assemble a configuration of selections via a first design program, wherein the configuration includes at least two selections and a relationship correlating the selection;
establishing a common reference frame between the user and a live agent that is using a second design program, wherein the user and the live agent simultaneously view at least one common page using the first and second design programs, respectively,
wherein the live agent assists the user;
providing a first collaboration applet that receives data from the common page viewed by the user via the first design program; and
providing a second collaboration applet that receives the data from the first collaboration applet and sends the data to the second design program used by the live assistance to update the common page viewed by the live agent assistance.
24. The method of
25. The method of
26. The method of
27. The method of
28. The method of
29. The method of
30. The method of
31. The method of
32. The system designer of
33. The method of
34. The method of
determining at least one desirable skill required of a live agent;
determining an appropriate level of skill required of a live agent;
evaluating the cost of labor for at least one live agent; and
selecting a live agent based at least in part on the cost of labor for a live agent with the appropriate level of skill regarding the desirable skill.
35. A network based computer implemented system for designing products, the system comprising:
a network server that manages interaction between the system and external computers;
a product design module that communicates with the network server and that generates product designs via first and second design programs;
a live agent support system that communicates with the network server and that provides live assistance to a client, wherein the client views the first design program, and an agent of the live agent support system views the second design program; and
a collaboration tool that provides a first collaboration program that receives data from the first design program, and a second collaboration program that receives the data from the first collaboration program and sends the data to the live agent support system to update the second design program.
36. The network based computer implemented system of
37. The network based computer implemented system of
38. The network based computer implemented system of
The present invention relates generally to electronic commerce systems and electronic design systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a networked product configuration and design system having components to facilitate live agent support using network-based communications techniques. The invention will be described using an exemplary embodiment involving the design of custom storage closets. The invention may be utilized in numerous other applications as well.
Many companies have recognized the potential value of using the Internet to augment conventional marketing, sales, and support functions. In this regard, Internet web pages are now widely used to market products and the Internet shopping cart model is also widely used to handle the product sales function. Web-based customer support sites are also widely utilized, although typically such sites provide only answers to frequently asked questions or otherwise merely harvest email inquiries for a product support agent to answer by return email. These conventional marketing, sales, and support techniques work reasonably well for standardized, mass produced goods, such as computer software, books, pharmaceutical products, consumer electronic products, toys, and the like. These techniques work less well for products that are highly customized to a particular customer's needs. Heretofore, the intricate customer interaction needed to assist in the design of complex or highly customized systems has not been practical over the Internet.
The world wide web, and other information and communication facilities of the internet, have opened doors to a number of interesting business support applications. Initially, the internet served simply as a vehicle to disseminate information about a company's products and services, and to assist customers in selecting those products and services for purchase. Software systems, known as selection tools, evolved to support these simple selection functions.
However, more recently, sophisticated companies have begun using the internet to support complex products and services, and to assist customers in making complex purchasing and configuration decisions. Such functions go far beyond simple product selection. After items are selected, the relationships and interactions among those selected items are taken into account. Software systems known as configuration tools or "configurator" tools, have evolved to fulfill this purpose. In assessing relationships, configurator tools may employ both look-up and algorithmic processes.
By way of illustration, consider the product selection tool first. The typical product selection tool presents an on-screen catalog of products with an interactive interface through which the customer can add or subtract options. In shopping for a new computer, for example, the customer can make such option selections as adding or subtracting a modem, increasing or decreasing the memory and disk storage size, selecting a larger or smaller monitor, and the like.
In contrast, the configurator tool does considerably more. While it can be used to present on-screen information about products, services and selection options, the configurator tool also allows the user to alter parameters, combine components in user-defined ways, and to define the architecture and attributes of systems that may uniquely fit the user's needs.
For example, a configurator tool might be used to assist an engineer in designing the layout and components deployed in a petroleum refinery plant or an electric generating plant. Such applications would typically involve far more than simply selecting components. Complex physical, chemical, and electrical interactions also can be taken into account. Special attributes of individual components, such as their capacity, operating ratings, and physical characteristics also can be taken into account.
As the above example suggests, configurator tools can be quite complex. Often they may employ one or more expert systems or other artificial intelligence components to capture knowledge that is then presented to the user as needed. Unfortunately, there seems to be an inverse relationship between power and ease of use. The more powerful a configurator tool becomes, the more difficult it is to use.
As many web system designers have experienced, it is fairly easy to design an intuitive, self-directed tool when that tool must only access a shallow pool of knowledge. It becomes geometrically more difficult to retain the intuitive, self-directed properties as the knowledge pool deepens. Stated differently, as the body of knowledge encapsulated by the system grows, self-directed navigation through the system becomes increasingly more difficult.
The present invention tackles this problem with live agent technology. The expert system and other artificial intelligence components of the configurator tool are integrated with a live agent support system that places the user in communication with live agents (e.g. human assistants) as needed. While the user can navigate through and use the configurator tool alone, the user can also obtain on-the-spot assistance from a live agent simply by asking via on-screen selection. The live agent support system defines a common reference frame through which the user and agent communicate. While the common reference frame can take many forms, some of the presently preferred embodiments employ internet chat facilities for messaging and push technology to allow the agent to supply content to the user or to control what the user experiences at his or her web browser.
By solving the basic tool navigation problem, the invention makes complex configurator tools far easier to develop and use. In a typical implementation, the live agent works with the configurator tool every day, assisting users in solving ad hoc problems. Thus, while the agent may not necessarily be an expert in the underlying knowledge base for which the configurator tool was designed (e.g. instrumentation and control design, power system design, closet design), the agent does become an expert in using the tool. Thus when a user is blocked due to unfamiliarity with the tool, the live agent can step in to assist. This is a significant improvement that system users will readily appreciate.
However, from a business standpoint, the live agent support component of the invention offers an even more significant advantage. It places live agents in direct communication with customers, on the customers' own invitation. Direct marketing experts have long recognized the value of customer invitation. The potential customer who has given permission to be contacted directly represents a far better prospect than the one whose name simply appears on a purchased mailing list. The live agent support component of the invention thus places the live agent and potential customer (system user) in a permissive relationship that gives the live agent the opportunity to upsell, cross sell, and to establish a future relationship with that user as a customer.
In a first aspect, the present invention is a network based computer implemented system for designing products. The system comprises a network server operable to manage interaction of the system with external computers, and a product design module communicating with the network server. The product design module is operable to generate product designs. The system further comprises a live agent support system communicating with the network server. The live agent support system is operable to provide live assistant to a customer of the system.
In another aspect, the present invention is a method of encoding data operable to assist a customer of a web-based design tool. The method comprises receiving information transmitted over a computer network, wherein the information relates at least in part to a request for live assistance from the customer. The method further comprises viewing a page of the web-based design tool, wherein the page visually corresponds to a customer page of the web-based design tool. The customer page is further defined as a page of the web-based design tool that is a page currently in use by the customer. The method further comprises encoding data operable to assist the customer, wherein the data is embeddable into a propagating wave for transmission over the computer network to the customer. The encoding is based on the receiving and the viewing, wherein the receiving, the viewing, and the encoding are performed by a live agent.
In a further aspect, the present invention is a propagating wave for transmission over a computer network. The wave comprises a page of a web-based design tool, wherein the web-based design tool is operable to generate product designs, and wherein the page is operable to communicate customer use of said page to a live agent via the computer network. In a still further aspect, the present invention is a system designer comprising a configurator tool providing a range of relationships for correlating selections within a scope of a configuration and a common reference frame in communication with a configurator tool whereby a user of a configurator tool and a live agent simultaneously view at least one common page. In one respect, the configurator tool comprises an expert system and a live agent assists the user by helping the user to perform navigation of the expert system and/or use of the expert system. Live agent assistance is facilitated where the user and the live agent establish mutual communication. In one embodiment, the mutual communication occurs by means of Internet chat technology. In another respect, the live agent assists the user by means of modification of at least one of a selection, a relationship, a configuration, a configurator tool, the mutual communication, a common reference frame, and a common page. In a further aspect, the modification of the configuration may include expansion, limitation, and/or redefinition of a scope of the configuration. With regard to this further aspect, multiple configurator tools may be employed.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
The various advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art by reading the following specification and subjoined claims and by referencing the following drawings in which:
With reference to
To design a custom product, such as a custom storage closet, a user or customer establishes connection with the closet design system web server though the Internet, preferably using the personal computer and web browser. At an introductory web page, the customer chooses to initiate designing the closet. A live customer service agent introduces himself or herself, preferably using an Internet "chat" function, establishing two way live communication with the customer. A real time messenger component 47 is provided for this purpose. Alternatively, this communication can be through email, through audible messages, telephone contact or a combination of the above. For example, the customer could communicate with the agent through email, while the agent communicates with the customer through voice messages audible on the personal computer's speakers. The agent is preferably an expert trained in closet design and use of the closet design system.
In one mode of operation, the agent directs the interaction of the customer with the system. The agent asks a series of questions to focus the customer's interaction with the system. Typical questions may include the size and shape of the closet, locations of doors and windows, and other questions involving the requirements of the customer. Alternatively, the agent acquires some or all of this information from stored knowledge of the customer from previous transactions. The agent then creates an initial product model based on this information. The model is displayed on the web page and viewable by the customer. The agent then edits the model based on customer feedback. Alternatively, the customer edits the design using an interactive interface. The changes are visible to the customer on the web page. The above steps are repeated until the customer is satisfied with the closet design. After the model is initially designed, the agent requests additional information to help the customer select materials and other options, such as a storage arrangement for neckties. The model is modified, and shown to the customer on the web page.
In another mode of operation, at the introductory web page, the customer elects to design the closet himself, with the agent observing and providing guidance when requested. The customer provides basic information, such as the dimensions of the closet and location of doors and windows, from which an initial model is created. Alternatively, the customer can select from a list of pre-composed model templates. The initial model is then displayed on the web page. The customer adds objects, such as shelving, to the model using the interactive interface. The customer can add, remove, resize, or reposition the objects to achieve a satisfactory design. If the customer requests agent assistance, the agent requests appropriate information and modifies the model accordingly. Once the customer is satisfied with the initial design, he or she proceeds to a materials web page, where the bill of materials used to build the closet, along with other information necessary to finalize the design as specified. This information is incorporated into the model which is displayed to the user through the web page.
After the design of the closet is complete, the customer proceeds to a fabrication web page. The customer, at either at a web page prompt or live agent prompt, enters a zip code or other location information. Accessing vendor information stored in a vendors database 48, the system or agent identifies the location of a retail outlet proximately close to the location of the customer that can provide the materials necessary to build the custom closet. If desired the system can calculate a suggested retail price, which is displayed to the customer on the web page. In one mode of operation, the system provides the customer with a bill of materials 49, a cost, assembly directions, and a store location where the materials can be purchased. This information may be printed and taken to the store for item purchase. In another mode of operation, the customer initiates an electronic commerce (e-commerce) transaction to purchase the materials. E-commerce transaction components 50 are provided for this purpose. The purchased items can be shipped directly to the customer or made available at the retail outlet. Assembly directions are then provided by the system. According to a third mode of operation, the customer elects to have the custom closet materials installed. The customer initiates an e-commerce transaction to purchase the materials and arrange for installation.
In a presently preferred embodiment the customer initiates a product design session by making contact with the product design system's web server, preferably using an Internet browser. When the customer indicates that he or she wants to begin designing a custom product, such as the interior of a custom storage space or closet, the web server establishes contact with the live agent support system. The live agent begins viewing the session, preferably through a browser equipped computer connected to the live agent support system. With reference to
With reference to
The system, preferably through the live agent, requests information from the customer. The customer provides the requested information either by communicating with the agent using real time messaging or by filling out an online information request form. This information includes basic personal information and custom closet requirements. The personal information is used to create or access a customer information record, which is then stored in a customer database. The custom closet requirements may include information such as the dimensions of the closet, the type and amount of items it will be required to store, and the location of doors or windows.
The customer closet requirements are transmitted to the product designer, which creates a product model 38. The product model is preferably stored in the customer database in relation to the customer information record. The customer information record also includes data elements describing the customer's profile 80, including the customer's tastes and preferences 82 and identifying information 84. With reference to
Once the customer provides the initial set of custom requirements, the system builds an initial product model. A product model includes a plurality of design objects, representing product components stored in design object database 67. Typical product components in a storage closet would include shelves and drawers, for example. The design objects are stored in a database connected to the design and placement manager. In one mode of operation, the design and placement manager selects an initial arrangement of design objects consistent with the customer's requirements. The arrangement includes the position of each design object relative to the other design objects and the defined closet space. Other materials used in the design are furnished from a materials database 65.
Preferably the design and placement manager employs a design object integrator 68 to manage the interaction of individual design objects. The integrator includes software modules that decide how each design object is placed such that it fits with other design objects such as those adjacent to it based on a set of criteria. For example, if the customer has chosen to have several storage baskets or drawers, the integrator decides how to arrange and connect them together. The criteria used by the integrator in this case may be a minimization of volume or parts, or to fit in a designated space. Thus, for a set of design object that could be connected in a plurality of ways, the integrator would choose the optimum combination based on the criteria. The criteria can be pre-defined or can be requested from the customer.
The product designer preferably includes a volume optimizer 69 connected to the design and placement manager to manage the overall volume utilization of the storage space. The volume optimizer arranges groups of design objects in such a manner as to maximize the useable volume in the storage closet while still satisfying the customer requirements. For example, the volume optimizer would assure that shelves and storage baskets would not be arranged so as to box off a portion of the storage area and make it inaccessible or unusable. The volume optimizer works in conjunction with the design object integrator. The design object integrator generates combinations of grouped design objects, from which the volume optimizer chooses an optimal solution. The design objects and their configuration are incorporated into the product model.
The product designer may also include a templates database 70 connected to the design and placement manager. The templates database includes a plurality of pre-composed product models, including design object and placement information. The design and placement manager, when creating an initial model, chooses a template that most closely matches the requirements provided by the customer. Alternatively, the live agent can choose the template based on the customer requirements. The design and placement manager, independently or under the control of the live agent, can then customize the template to further meet the customer requirements.
In another mode of operation, the customer or live agent define the parameters of the storage area and interactively place the design objects in a visual representation of the storage area. The representation of the storage area is visible on the web page in the browser. Preferably, the customer and agent have access to a software toolkit enabling them to interactively place, delete, move, and reposition individual design objects. When the customer or agent places or modifies a design object on the browser screen, the design and placement manager translates the instructions and augments the product model. The integrator manages the interaction between individual design objects such that they are properly placed consistent with the integration criteria, and modifies the product model accordingly. The specific aspects of the product model design are conveniently stored on the bill of materials 49 and configuration 71 data structures associated with the product model 38.
Once a product model has been created, the model is translated into a visual image to be displayed on computer screens through browsers by a rendering engine. When the customer or agent creates the initial product model or acknowledges a change to the model, the rendering engine creates a two-dimensional or three-dimensional visual representation of the closet based on the product model. The image is simultaneously displayed, through the web server, on the computers of the agent and the customer. When the customer or the agent is modifying the model interactively, as with using the toolkit, the rendering engine dynamically renders the visual images.
After an initial product model has been created, the customer modifies the product model using the interactive toolkit and browser. Alternately, he can request through the real time messenger that the agent make the desired modifications. The agent then uses the interactive toolkit to modify the product model. The rendering engine dynamically translates the model into visual images which are displayed through the browser.
With reference to
The live agent support system further includes an expert resource database 95 connected to the agent manager. The expert resources database includes solutions to anticipated problems, design suggestions, and other information that allows the live agent to more quickly and accurately help the customer.
When the customer is satisfied that the custom storage closet design is complete, the product designer generates implementation information for the design. The design and placement manager constructs a bill of materials for the design based on the design object and configuration information in the product model. Representations of the available materials are stored in a materials database connected to the design and placement manager. The design and placement manager selects the appropriate materials that are required to build a physical implementation of the product model, compiles a list of these materials, and augments the product model with this bill of materials. The customer can elect to view this bill of materials. It will then be displayed through the customer's web browser as a list of physical parts. The list of parts may include pictures of the parts. The information presented to the customer may also include the configuration information from the product model. The design and placement manager formats the configuration information such that it can be used to direct construction of the custom product. A final representation of the model can be generated by the rendering engine and transmitted to the customer.
In another preferred embodiment, design objects can be implemented using more than one material choice. For example, drawers may be implemented using wood, plastic, or wireframe. Criteria for selecting among these implementation options can be collected during the initial interaction between the customer and the system (or agent). Alternatively, the system or agent can request criteria after the model has been completed. The agent is aided by information from the customer profiler and the expert resources database. The design and placement manager uses this criteria to select from the materials in the materials database and generate a final bill of materials and configuration information. Preferably, the design object integrator is used to generate information on how the design objects as implemented by the specified materials are configured relative to one another. This information and the bill of materials are stored in the product model. A final representation of the model can be generated by the rendering engine and transmitted to the customer for viewing through the browser.
When the product model is complete with materials information, the system provides pricing and purchase information. A vendors database connected to the web server includes information on which vendors carry the materials in the product model. The system obtains the address or zip code of the customer, either by requesting it from the customer or from the customer data record. For example, the agent could ask for this information when the system is preparing to generate pricing and purchase information. A list of vendors ranked by distance from the customer is generated from the vendors database. In another mode of operation, the vendors database is periodically updated with material availability information directly from vendor inventory information.
Although the system and method above were described in the context of designing custom storage closets, one skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not so limited. The system and method described above can be used for designing an array of custom products. The following list should be considered illustrative, and not exhaustive, of the possible uses for the system and method of the present invention:
Electric motors
computer and network power supplies
manufacturing processes
Industrial Automation
By way of further illustration,
Referring to
According to the system and method of the present invention, a customer may utilize customer browser 224 to access web site 200 via the internet 226 and download a design applet 228 a from design engine 210. The design applet constitutes a propagating wave for transmission over a computer network, the wave comprising a plurality of pages. At any time that an agent assist button of web site 200 is available during a customer's use of design applet 228 a, the customer may elect to seek live assistance by activating the agent assist, thereby initiating a request for a live agent. Presence or active status of an agent assist button is preferably dependent on agent availability, and requests go into a queue from which live agents select customers to receive assistance. Thus, requests may be directed to agents based on experience, special knowledge, responsibilities, and/or availability. A live agent then responds by using agent browser 230 to download a design applet 228 b from design engine 210 and a collaboration applet 232 a from collaboration tool 216. The agent further responds by causing the customer to download collaboration applet 232 b, and thereby establish communication with the customer via internet chat technology and co-browsing capability.
Consistent with the present invention, collaboration applet 232 a and collaboration applet 232 b are operable to send and receive information to and from other applications and are further operable to communicate information to one another via the collaboration server. Design applet 228 a and design applet 228 b are further adapted to communicate with collaboration applet 232 b and collaboration applet 232 a, respectively, thus permitting communication of information between design applet 228 a and design applet 228 b. As a result, the live agent may automatically view an agent page of design applet 228 b that is the same as a customer page of design applet 228 a, where the customer page is the page currently being viewed by the customer. Further, previous manipulation by the customer of the page, such as selections, input of information into form fields, a current image of the design, etc., may be reflected automatically in the agent page. Still further, future manipulation of the customer page may be automatically reflected in the agent page and vice versa as the displays are refreshed with each valid change made to the designer. In other words, the customer and agent may collaborate by simultaneously manipulating their own pages, where those manipulations are automatically reflected in each other's pages. Various alternative embodiments for implementing the present invention also exist.
Two alternative embodiments that permit the type of collaboration detailed above include peer to peer connections and direct server access. For example, with implementation of a peer to peer connection between design applet 228 a and design applet 228 b, the need for an intermediate server may be eliminated. The peer to peer connection may be established, for example, by adapting design applet 228 a and 228 b to communicate directly with one another. The peer to peer connection may also be established with a configuration applet 232 a and a configuration applet 232 b that communicate directly with one another, absent the need for an intermediate server. Furthermore, with direct server access, the customer browser 224 and agent browser 230 may access the page directly on the configurator tool server, and thus view and manipulate an identical page. Still further, in an additional alternative embodiment, either the agent or the customer can control the other's mouse pointer cursor and active display. Such cursor control may be implemented by a suitable plug-in module. The module would be downloaded onto the computer to allow one to take control of the other's machine. A suitable software package for implementing such cursor control capability is available from eGain Communications Corporation, Sunnyvale, Calif. Cursor control can also be provided using PCAnywhere, available form Symantec Corporation, Cupertino, Calif. The customer may take control of the agent's machine or vice versa. In either case, the customer and agent may simultaneously enter information into forms and drag and drop pieces into a design. Thus, the ability for customers and agents to view a common page may be accommodated in a number of ways, but a preferred embodiment includes the ability for agents to push pages and images at the customer.
There exist several advantages associated with providing an ability for an agent to push pages and images at a customer. For example, the live agent may push new pages at the customer, thus guiding the customer through the design process. Further, the live agent may also access customer data via service module 208 and push pages and images to up-sell and cross-sell products based on the customer data. This customer data may reflect customer profile, customer behavior, customer history, customer demographics, and customer contact information. Further examples of customer data include previous chat transcripts, previously pushed files or URLs, previously collected customer satisfaction surveys, and any previous bills of material generated in the design process. Thus a session may pick up where it left off, with knowledge of results from previous sessions readily available to an agent. Hence, an agent's ability to service a customer is greatly enhanced, particularly where page pushing ability is combined with knowledge of customer data; but the service center also proves useful in other ways.
Consistent with the system and method of the present invention, the service center has additional value. For example, the service center further aids the agent in assisting the customer by housing a knowledge base of product and installation information for use by agents. This knowledge base serves as a central repository where agents will be able to look up answers to frequently asked questions, search for current promotions and offers, and find any other kind of information made available. Content may include text, HTML, image files, video, graphics, hyperlinks, and file attachments. Agents may thus find images and additional pages to push to a customer, as well as predefined scripts for use in chat that may be entered instead of manually typing in a message. Some, or all of this information may also be housed on the agent's desktop as well, with updates being made available through the central knowledge base. Thus, the agent's ability to assist the customer is further enhanced. As disclosed above, as a result of receiving information relating to a request for assistance from a customer, and viewing the same page as the customer, the live agent is able to encode information operable to assist the customer, wherein the information is embeddable into a propagating wave for transmission over the computer network. This ability is enhanced where the agent has access to customer data and the knowledge base disclosed above, thus permitting the agent to encode the data based on the customer data and the contents of the knowledge base. In addition to aiding agents in assisting customers, the service center has still further value.
Further value may be found in the service center in the form of added features. An added feature of the service center is an exit survey to capture customer impressions of web chat experience. Further, the service center manages inbound and outbound e-mail interactions with customers based on the customer data, where the customer data includes the last bill of materials generated with live assistance along with data from the collaboration history 218 generated during the session. Hence, the added value stemming from the live assistance is propagated throughout future correspondence with customers. Follow-up e-mails may be implemented to service the customers, where customer data includes necessary contact information collected via web registration processes throughout web site 200. The follow-up email system generates follow-up email for any customer that generates a bill of material, thus checking on successful purchase and installation of materials. Additional use of follow-up email is for customer satisfaction surveys, offers of additional assistance, and demonstration of an interest in customers' overall satisfaction. Thus, customer data can be collected and used in a number of ways, including collecting more customer data.
A further added feature of the present invention is a design for fee capability. According to the present invention, a customer may elect for professional design of a product, and live assistance may also assist in determining a customer's special needs.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, an Internet based system designer with live agent assist focuses on helping a user navigate and use a configurator tool. Referring now to
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Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this invention has been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification and following claims.
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All first year students have the opportunity to select their math and English courses based on several activities that will guide them through the process. Please allow at least 45 minutes to complete the activities. If you do not complete these activities by July 1, your schedule will be prepared for you by the Registrar, and you will be assigned to an English and math course.
Self-Placement Activities
Contact Us
Office Hours
Monday - Friday: 8 am to 4:30 pm
Phone: 603.645.9611
Fax: 603.645.9693
Email: email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Robert G. Moser, Chair BAT 2.116, Mailcode A1800, Austin, TX 78712 • 512-471-5121
Twelfth Class Day
Fri, September 15, 2006
Last day an undergraduate student may add a course except for rare and extenuating circumstances. Payment due for added courses (add bill). Last day to drop a course for possible refund. Last day a graduate student or a law student may, with the required approvals, add a course.


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CR Blog
Ronald Searle: 'graphic satirist'
Posted by Patrick Burgoyne, 4 January 2012, 12:08 Permalink Comments (5)
Searle reports on Winston Churchill's last Commons speech for Life. Image: Perpetua
Before I even knew what illustration was, I loved the work of Ronald Searle, who has died aged 91. To call him a 'cartoonist' somehow doesn't do justice to one of our great satirists, artists and chroniclers of the best and very worst of life
Searle's figures, whether crusty old majors, devious schoolboys or famous names from the stage or politics, had a fantastic rumpled, inky quality to them. All pointy shoes and sharp elbows.
Famously, Searle had been a Japanese prisoner of war during World War Two. In 1942 he was captured in Singapore and suffered the horrors of incarceration in the infamous Changi jail and forced labour on the Burma railway. Summoning the last of his strength at the end of each day, Searle sketched his fellow prisoners, hiding his drawings at great personal risk: "I desperately wanted to put down what was happening, because I thought if by any chance there was a record, even if I died, someone might find it and know what went on," he told the Guardian in 2010. Searle saw himself as an 'unofficial' war artist but his drawings, now held by the Imperial War Museum (see here), are as powerful a portrayal of the horrors of conflict as any.
While a prisoner, Searle also worked on his St Trinian's cartoons - the anarchic and mischievous schoolgirls who, after the war, would become wildly popular first in print, then as a series of films for which Searle created title sequences. For Searle, the success of St Trinian's was double-edged: he came to loathe the cartoons and the films they spawned, fearing that they overshadowed everything else. For while in Britain he will always be linked with gymslips and hockey sticks, his work encompassed so much more.
Holiday cover, July 1959. Image: Perpetua
Portrait of Papa Doc Duvalier for Status magazine, New York, 1968. Image: Perpetua
Searle illustrated Punch's theatre column during the 1950s. Image: Perpetua
After moving to France in the early 60s to escape his new-found fame, Searle worked extensively for American magazines, illustrating almost 40 covers for The New Yorker, as well as contributing cartoons for Life and a number of portraits of political figures for various titles. Also for Life and for Holiday, he produced some superb reportage work, including commissions to record Churchill's last Commons speech, the trial of the Nazi Adolf Eichmann in Israel and JFK's 1960 presidential campaign. Searle also worked extensively in advertising, making full use of his gift for characterisation in campaigns including one long-running series of posters for Lemon Hart rum.
Image: Perpetua
Later in life, Searle produced acerbic cartoons for Le Monde as well as travel books, animation and film posters. Unfortunately, much of this work went unnoticed in the UK, St Trinian's, as Searle suspected, overshadowing everything else.
This 2000 piece from The Guardian explains far better than I could the breadth, depth and appeal of Searle's work. But on a personal level, when I think of Searle it will always be as the man who brought to life the self-styled 'gorilla of 3B', Nigel Molesworth. To a comprehensive schoolboy like me, large parts of Down With Skool!, How to be Topp, Whizz for Atomms and Back in the Jug Agane - the series of Molesworth books Searle produced with writer Geoffrey Willans in the 50s - were virtually incomprehensible. I'd never heard of 'prep', had no idea what a matron did and the idea of studying Latin was baffling. I had nothing in common with the world of St Custard's, Molesworth's boarding school, but I was enthralled and delighted by the characters that inhabited it. The teachers were psychopaths, the pupils a distinctly unhygienic mix of "oiks, wets and weeds" as Molesworth would say, and the whole place in danger of imminent collapse in great clouds of chalk dust and spiders. And I loved it.
As I said at the beginning of this piece, the word 'cartoonist' seems wholly inadequate to describe Searle - he preferred the term 'graphic satirist' which is more like it. If you know little of his work beyond naughty schoolgirls and scowling 'young Elizabethans' I'd recommend Russell Davies's biography, the Imperial War Museum site, the fantastic archive of almost all Searle's work on the Perpetua blog, his Illustrated Winespeak which pokes gentle fun at the arcane language of wine snobs and, doing the same for book collecting, Slightly Foxed but Still Desirable.
Plate featuring one of Searle's wine cartoons 'Fullish body but beginning to fade'. Available here
CR in Print
If you only read CR online, you're missing out. The January issue of Creative Review is a music special with features on festivals, the future of the music video and much much more. Plus it comes with its very own soundtrack for you to listen to while reading the magazine.
If you would like to buy this issue and are based in the UK,you can search for your nearest stockist here. Based outside the UK? Simply call +44(0)207 292 3703 to find your nearest stockist. Better yet, subscribe to CR for a year here and save yourself almost 30% on the printed magazine.
5 Comments
Great tribute Patrick and thanks especially for the Perpetua Blog link, amazing...
2012-01-05 11:38:46
Great piece, good to see a redefinition of Searle beyond that of a 'mere' cartoonist… he deserves that wider recognition
Dusted off my old copy of Searle's 'Something in the Cellar' on the news of his death, and really enjoyed looking at his darkly ascerbic vision of the world of wine…
2012-01-05 12:45:36
A defining talent in the world of illustration. Beautiful tribute.
2012-01-06 00:13:29
LOvely tribute - thanks for the links to teh Perpetua blog
2012-01-12 17:59:55
Bloomin' marvellous.
I've always been a fan of his dark humour, and Perpetua is a without doubt wonderful archive of his work.
2012-01-13 10:37:33
|New book documents Nike's running heritage (8)
|Jeremy Deller designs new banknote for the Brixton Pound (1)
|Introducing Huckle The Barber (8)
|Hudson-Powell to join Pentagram London (1)
|Is Apple redefining luxury? (11)
|Graphic Design
|Magazine / Newspaper
|Music Video / Film
|Type / Typography


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Dancing With The Stars
DWTS All-Stars: Was Len Too Harsh With Shawn, Derek, and Mark's Week 8 Trio Samba?
You can't say Shawn Johnson, Derek Hough, and Mark Ballas didn't create a very wild and memorable Trio Dance on the Dancing With the Stars All-Stars Week 8 Performance Show. Raw, sexy, shirtless and high impact. The judges all agreed it was a powerful dance. But the question at hand: Was it enough of a Samba?
Len Goodman said if he was sitting in the audience he'd be cheering along with the ecstatic crowd, but he's a judge and he has to judge a Samba. "It was very self-indulgent," Len said. "There was very little Samba content. It's a very critical week. Shawn, if you go home tomorrow, don't blame me. Blame those two." Wow!
Bruno Tonioli sort of agreed, in a less harsh way. He said even he had to admit that it wasn't really a Samba, or there was a very little of it, but it didn't take away from the many things he liked about the routine. Carrie Ann Inaba disagreed with the other judges. "Sometimes you have to take a risk," she said. "You can't disagree with the truth!" Len argued back. Carrie Ann said they didn't have a lot of Samba content, but what they did have was executed with perfection. Len and Carrie Ann stood up and got in each other's faces about it.
In the end, however, words are nothing without scores. Carrie Ann backed up her love with a 10. Bruno was softer, but still gave it a 9. Len, on the other hand, gave it a 7. A 7! For comparison's sake, we haven't seen a flat 7 for an individual routine since All-Stars Week 2.
Do you think Len was too harsh or do you agree that there simply wasn't enough Samba in that Samba?


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Harbaugh's big Michigan payday
Adam Allington
Dec 30, 2014 College gives coach a salary worthy of the pros. Expect more universities to follow.
Grading the political campaign manager
David Gura
Sep 25, 2014 The difficulty politicians have evaluating managers and consultants.
ABC is betting big on Shonda Rhimes
Queena Kim
Sep 4, 2014 The network is promoting the showrunner as a star in her own right.
The NFL wants artists to pay to perform at the Super Bowl
Sally Herships
Aug 20, 2014 The question now: Is it worth it for the artists - or the NFL?
We don't hate change, but sometimes change hates us
Sabri Ben-Achour
Jun 10, 2014 Economists put a small city in a test tube to study innovation and change.
Fire a failing manager and other lessons from sports
Sabri Ben-Achour
Apr 22, 2014 The soccer team Manchester United sacked its manager after less than a season. How does business operate?
You Hate My Job: Football referee (plus, a ref quiz!)
Kai Ryssdal
Interview by
Feb 3, 2014 In the latest in a series about jobs people have that other people hate, an NFL referee explains why death threats are often part of the job.
Peyton Manning's New Jersey tax bill
Kai Ryssdal
Jan 30, 2014 A financial incentive to win, courtesy of the Garden State
Cheap seats anything but at the Super Bowl
Lizzie O'Leary
Jan 20, 2014 Have $2500 to spare? Might we suggest sitting on the last row at the Super Bowl?
Michigan State Rose Bowl tickets too expensive? Take out a loan
Shea Huffman
Dec 13, 2013 Tickets for the Rose Bowl are the most expensive ever. One Michigan credit union is giving cash-strapped fans options.


text: Broomall-Newtown, PA won the Babe Ruth World Series with a 12-3 victory over Lumber River, NC last night. Scott Hahn pitched the victory and was named the tournament Most Outstanding Player. Yancy Bird of Kelso was a 1st team All World Series selection…..The Mariners return to action tonight as they host the Washington Nationals, KLOG 6:00 pm. Felix Hernandez pitches tonight…..The Seahawks closed out the pre-season with a 41-31 loss at Oakland…..The WSU football team dropped with season opener with a 41-38 loss to Rutgers. The Huskies open the season with a game at Hawaii tomorrow, 6:30 pm on 101.5 FM The Wave…..Football Jamborees tonight include Kelso at Yelm and R.A. Long at St. Helens…..The LCC soccer team hosts Whatcom at 12 pm Saturday.


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By Andy Choi
This new product is a 4W/cm² air-cooled offering designed with a small body frame. It is a suitable solution for customers and can be used for full cure applications across space limitations in printers. FireFly products are ideally used for adhesives, digital inkjet, and small area curing applications that entail rapid curing of heat-sensitive substrates.
The FireFly FF200, based on Phoseon's patented SLM technology, offers a number of benefits such as a single connector for data/power; low maintenance; air-cooled for seamless integration; small form factor with small footprint; and 4W/cm² peak irradiance. The FireFly FF200 therefore benefits customers greatly.
The three-tiered benefits of UV LED curing include new systems capability, eco-friendly features and cost-efficiency. Phoseon's products are complemented through additional features such as maximum UV energy, high performance, and excellent reliability, and serve as ideal solutions for complex curing environments.
Both 395nm and 365nm wavelengths of the new FireFly FF200 25x20mm and 50x20mm products will be available in the Q2 of 2012. Phoseon will showcase its newly improved products at the Drupa Trade Fair in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Phoseon Technology is a global supplier of UV LED solutions for industrial and commercial applications. All Phoseon's products are capable of generating maximum UV energy. With high performance and real-world reliability features, they can be used as UV LED curing of inks, adhesives and coatings.
Source: http://www.phoseon.com/
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Accounting Technical
ORSA opportunity: compliance and business value
Forward-looking insurers are moving beyond a strictly "check the box"/compliance-driven attitude regarding Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (ORSA) requirements.
For many, ORSA strategies drive business opportunities, such as boosting existing enterprise risk management (ERM) practices. Join our panel of ORSA and ERM professionals, moderated by Bill Spinard, Insurance Risk Advisory Services Practice Leader, Ernst & Young LLP, for an interactive discussion on approaches to ORSA compliance that are also effective business strategies.
The panel will take questions from the webcast audience, and real-time polling during the event will give you an opportunity to learn how your organization compares with others.
Topics include:
- Defining ORSA and what it means for your firm
- Assessing your firm's readiness and current ERM capabilities
- Addressing common implementation gaps and challenges
- Aligning ORSA compliance to long-term business value
James Collingwood
Ernst & Young LLP
James Collingwood is a Manager with Insurance and Actuarial Advisory Services, Ernst & Young LLP. He is based in the Chicago office and has been with the firm for over 8 years. James serves as an advisor to insurance and reinsurance companies located in the United States and Europe. He has experience in tracking domestic and international capital and solvency regulatory changes and advising clients on how to meet the challenges they pose.
Chad Runchey
Ernst & Young LLP
Chad Runchey is a Senior Manager with Insurance and Actuarial Advisory Services, Ernst & Young LLP. He is based in the firm's New York office. Chad has more than 9 years of experience serving the financial services industry. As a member of the firm's Retirement Income team, he is the product manager of its Retirement Analytics tool, a proprietary ruleset used to model retirement risks.
Chad is a frequent speaker at industry conferences on the topics of retirement income and economic capital, and has been quoted in national insurance publications.
Adam Walter
Ernst & Young LLP
Adam Walter is a Senior Manager with Insurance and Actuarial Advisory Services Ernst & Young LLP. He is based in the firm's Chicago office and has 15 years of advisory experience. Adam is a member of the Insurance Risk Management Practice that focuses on providing enterprise risk management, economic capital and performance measurement services to insurance enterprises. Since joining EY, Adam has been involved in a wide variety of projects with a focus on financial reporting and complex financial models for the financial services industry.
Adam has worked on ERM benchmarking projects and has developed a Risk Adjusted Return on Capital (RAROC) framework for a major global Financial Services and Insurance conglomerate. Adam has a BS in Actuarial Science from the University of Illinois and an MBA, with a concentration in Finance, from the University of Chicago.
Bill Spinard
Ernst & Young LLP
Bill Spinard leads Ernst & Young LLP's risk practice for insurance companies and is responsible for organizing the firm's internal risk advisory capabilities. Bill has over 25 years of experience in risk management, corporate governance, and risk analytics and reporting. He has deep experience assisting with the implementation of enterprise wide risk management functions for Fortune 500 companies, particularly financial services companies.
Bill works with large multiline insurance companies to help them design and build practical and sustainable risk management functions. He focuses on the end-to-end integration of a company's risk management processes that include corporate governance, risk reporting and enabling information systems. Bill is a frequent writer and speaker on risk management issues and has spoken at conferences sponsored by Risk & Insurance Management Society, the Federal Reserve and the American Bankers Association. Bill holds an MBA and a Ph.D. in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.


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Marie Atkinson
Marie L. (Nichols) Atkinson 82 of Portsmouth died Saturday October 6, 2012 at her residence. Surviving are her daughter Debra (Steve) Atkinson of Portsmouth, her sons James (Pat) Atkinson of Columbus and Thomas (Nancy) Atkinson of Portsmouth, three grandchildren and one great grandchild and one brother Dudley (Dolores) Nichols. of Portsmouth. Services were held Monday October 8, 2012 at Greenlawn Cemetery with The Rev. David Young officiating.
Lowell Bays
Lowell Elmo "Babe" Bays, age 92. He is survived by his wife, Jean; their daughter, Karen Vaughters Vukin and her husband David Vukin, M.D. of Kettering, Ohio; also by Drs. Matt and Beth Vukin, Joseph Vukin, and Anna Vukin; sisters Janet Risner, and Helen Archy. Services were held on Saturday October 6, 2012, at Friendship Cemetery.
Robert Collier
Robert Lowell Collier, 81, of Columbus, died Monday, Oct. 8, 2012 at his residence surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife, Leatha Ramey Collier, five sons, Eugene (Darlene) Collier, Alfred (Dobbie) Collier, Dale Collier, Mike (Liz) Collier, and Steve (Trina) Collier, all of Columbus; four step children, J.R. (Tracie) Chamblin, Darrell (Arienne) Chamblin, Cindi (Chester) Kirk, all of Columbus, and Ramey (Elaine) Chamblin of North Carolina; several grandchildren and great grandchildren. Services were held Friday, Oct. 12, 2012 in Lucasville Cemetery.
Oliver Collins Jr.
Oliver Collins Jr., 73, of McDermott, died Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012 at SOMC Hospice.
He is survived by his wife, Erma Lee Phipps Collins; three sons, Jeffrey (Debbie) Collins of McDermott, Sean (Wanda) Collins of West Portsmouth, and Matthew Collins of McDermott; two daughters Kayla and Ellie Collins at home; 12 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; two sisters Teresa Moore and Mary Ann Mueller both of California. A Native American Celebration of Life Ceremony was held Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012 in Kalanu Cemetery next to Earl Thomas Conley Park on US 52, in West Portsmouth.
Ruth Griffin
Ruth Elverda Griffin, 97, of Wheelersburg, a former Portsmouth resident, passed away at her daughter's home in Wheelersburg, Friday, October 5, 2012. Surviving are her two daughters; Fay Elizabeth (Richard) Jackson of Wheelersburg and Leona Ruth (William) Otis of Toledo; one son, Ralph Derling (Shirley) Griffin of Bradner; 11 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and 20 great-great-grandchildren. Services were held Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012 at the Ralph F. Scott Funeral Home in Portsmouth with Rev. Bradley Brandt officiating.
Catherine Hiles
Catherine Hiles, 88, of Portsmouth, formerly of Lucasville, died Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012 at SOMC Hospice. She is survived by three grandchildren, two grandsons, four great grandchildren; and two great great-grandchildren. Services were held on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2012 at the McKinley Funeral Home in Lucasville with Tim Throckmorton officiating.
Naomi Parker
Naomi Belvia Parker, 68, of Portsmouth, died Monday, October 8, 2012 at Southern Ohio Medical Center. She is survived by her husband Charles J. Parker; one son, Charles "Chuck" Parker of Portsmouth; two daughters, Belinda (Ronnie) Dingess of Wheelersburg, Jody (Robert) Payne of Portsmouth and three grandchildren.
Services were held Friday, October 12, 2012 at Erwin-Dodson-Allen Funeral Home in Minford with Brother George Grice officiating.
Walter Stamper, Sr.
Walter Ray "Bill" Stamper, Sr., age 60, of Wheelersburg, died Thursday, October 4, 2012 at home. In addition to his wife, Janice, Walter is survived by his daughter, Melissa (Barry) Snyder of Wheelersburg, three grandchildren, three brothers, Stanley Stamper of Flatwoods, KY, George Stamper of Pedro and James Stamper of Franklin Furnace; seven sisters, Bernice Stephenson of Cincinnati, Edith Norris of Oak Hill, Geraldine Tate of Zanesville, Loretta Martin of Wurtland, KY, Alfreda Tackett of Denton, KY, Beverly Stapleton of Ironton and Katherine Noel of Kitts Hill; his mother-in-law, Wanda Carr of Wellington; sisters-in-law, Carol (Don) Corbin, and Julie (Eddy) Landers. Services were held on Monday, Oct. 8 at the Brant Funeral Home in Sciotoville with Pastor Blaine Etterling officiating.


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Takoma Park Maryland Library · 101 Philadelphia Avenue · Takoma Park Maryland 20912 USA · 301.891.7259
This week's book trailer is for The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. In case you can't tell, I love him. So much. And I read this book this week, and then cried for about an hour. (That isn't a spoiler, as you know there won't be a happy ending: the book is about two teenage cancer patients who fall in love, so...) Super good!!!!Posted by at August 16, 2012 11:27 PM


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It seems to have not updated my Twitter app
Sent from the iMore App
Twitter for iOS has been updated, adding a new way to view conversations, along with other enhancements. The new conversation view makes it easier for people to browse through conversations between the people they follow. A blue line between two tweets in the timeline shows that those two people are in a conversation. The first tweet in a conversation will now appear on top of the reply. Tap the first tweet to see all of the replies.
The update also brings new notification settings, as well as bug fixes for issues with direct messages and login verification, among other things. The update is now available for free on the App Store, so go grab it. Then tell us - is the new conversation view helpful, or just more clutter on the once simple Twitter?
Have something to say about this story? Leave a comment! Need help with something else? Ask in our forums!
It seems to have not updated my Twitter app
Sent from the iMore App
I do not like it. It's too much. Now, I'm not sure what I'm looking at. I wish I could go back to the prior update.
Sent from the iMore App
i'll have to check this out just out of curiosity. Tweetbot is one of the few apps i've bought and the straw that broke the camel's back was that i couldn't intuitively get it to show conversations. There may have been a way but i couldn't find it. I bit the bullet and bought tweetbot. So i'll have to download it and test it out.


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Vice President Joe Biden on Sunday sharply criticized WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange, likening him to a "high-tech terrorist." Biden told NBC's Meet the Press that the Australian could be considered a criminal if he "conspired" to obtain classified documents from the government with a member of the U.S. military –- a reference to Army Private Bradley Manning, who has been accused of leaking thousands of classified government documents to Wikileaks.
"This guy has done things that have damaged and put in jeopardy the lives and occupations of people in other parts of the world," Biden said of Assange. The vice president added that the leaks have made it "more difficult for us to conduct our business with our allies and our friends." On Thursday, Assange was released from a London jail after posting bail following his arrest for alleged sexual assault crimes in Sweden, which is seeking his extradition.
Biden noted that world leaders often now insist on meeting with him alone, rather than having staffers in the room, because they fear additional leaks of classified information. "It makes things more cumbersome. It has done damage," he told NBC.


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Obituaries Nov. 13, 2013
Hazel Ivirinia Boyd
DURHAM -- Mrs. Hazel Ivirinia Boyd, was born February 3, 1941 in Louisburg, NC, to the late Eullis Brodie and Mary Alice Kearney. She quietly went home to be with the Lord on November 7, 2013 at UniHealth Nursing Home.
Hazel was united in marriage to the late Marion Boyd on July 3, 1959 in Paterson, NJ. They were blessed to celebrate their 54th wedding anniversary together this year.
She leaves to cherish her loving memory: three children, Kelvin (JoAnna) Brodie, Marion "Berry" Boyd and Quarron Boyd all of Durham, NC.
Services will take place on Thursday, November 14, 2013 at St. Joseph A.M.E. Church, 2521 Fayetteville Street, Durham, NC 27707 at 12 noon. The family will meet with friends one hour prior to the service.
Services are entrusted to Scarborough and Hargett Memorial Chapel and Gardens.
Gail Turner Burnette
DURHAM - Gail Turner Burnette, 59, daughter of the late Jasper and Lucille Peaks Turner, departed her life on November 10, 2013. She leaves to cherish her memory, her husband Charles Burnette and three daughters and one son: Charmin Burnette, Jazmina Burnette, Kelly Holloman and James Holloman and five grandchildren.
The family will receive friends at the Burnette family's residence at 503 Fanning Way in the Braggtown area of Durham, NC 27704. The wake will be held at noon and the funeral service at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, November 15, 2013 at Cameron Grove Baptist Church located at 816 Berwyn Avenue, Durham, NC 27704.
Arrangements are entrusted to Holloway Memorial Funeral Home.
Eleanor Crews Cannady
DURHAM - Eleanor Crews Cannady, 65, departed her life on November, 11, 2013. She is survived by her one sister Gwendolyn Headen and one brother Fred J. Crews.; two daughters Angela Cannady and Sherry Cannady; two sons Gregory Cannady and Frederick Cannady; twelve grandchildren, one special niece Claudette Belfield and a host of other relatives and friends.
Services will be held Friday at 1:00pm with visitation at 12 noon at Mount Zoar Missionary Baptist Church.
Services are entrusted to Holloway Memorial Funeral Home.
Jacqueline Ann Johnson Hancock
DURHAM —Jacqueline Ann Johnson (Jackie) Hancock , 67, of Durham, passed away on Sunday, November 10, 2013.
Jackie was a native and lifelong resident of Durham. She worked as Office Manager at Hillcrest Convalescent Center in Durham from 1964 to 2003. She was preceded in death by her father, Jack Ellis Johnson.
Surviving are her mother, Agatha Hurley Johnson; her husband, Donald Lee Hancock; brother, David Earl Johnson; children, Darryl Lee Hancock (Gail), Kimberly Hancock Oakley (David), and Donald Scott Hancock (Carrie); grandchildren, Emily Anne Hancock, Alan Michael Hancock, Bobby Oakley; two great-grandchildren, Kymberlee Oakley and Hunter Oakley.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday at 11 a.m. at Hudson Funeral Chapel. Rev. J. B. Ellis will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Grove Memorial Gardens. Active pallbearers will be Tony Hurley, Barry Oakley, Vic Oakley, Mickey Ashley, Ricky Ashley and Mike Byrd.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Hudson Funeral Home and other times at the home, 2015 Medallion Drive.
The family wishes to thank Dr. Leslie Foreman, Dr. Kombiz Kline, the 6th Floor MICU Staff and the staff of Duke Hospice.
Online condolences may be made at www.hudsonfuneralhome.com.
Johna Wagner Potts
DURHAM -- Mrs. Johna Wagner Potts, 41, passed away Monday, November 11, 2013 at Duke Regional Hospital. She was born in Durham County to Donald Allen Wagner, Sr. and Patricia Ann Wagner. Mrs. Potts was the owner/manager of Wagner's Auto Salvage.
In addition to her parents, Johna is survived her husband, John Curtis Potts; son, Kevin Curtis Potts; sister, Pam Wilson and husband, Eric; brothers, Donald Wagner, Jr., Mike Wagner; sister-in-laws, Renee Bouziden, Deborah McCrea, Susie McBroom, Robbi Badgett; nieces and nephews, Juily, Roger, Daniel, Gregory, Jacob and Joshua.
A funeral service will be held 2 p.m. Friday at Clements Funeral Chapel in Durham with Rev. Forest Gale, Jr. officiating. Burial will follow at Oak Grove Memorial Gardens. Pall bearers will be Kevin Curtis Potts, Mark Daley, Greg Jenkins, Roger Curtis McCrea, Ronnie Layell and Paulo Gonzalez. The family will receive friends 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Clements Funeral Home.
The family is being assisted by Clements Funeral Service, Inc. in Durham. Online condolences may be made at www.clementsfuneralservice.com.
Lois T. Shytle
DURHAM – Mrs. Lois T. Shytle died on November 11, 2013.
Lois made her home with her daughter, Lynda Lacy-Higgins and her son-in-law, Bruce W. Higgins at their home in Treyburn. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John D. Shytle, her infant daughter, Deborah, her son, John David Shytle, III, and her sisters, Jonne Bonner and Jeanne Shell.
Lois and John spent many years in Silver Spring, MD, he as Controller of the Veterans Administration while Lois served as Development Officer at Landon School for Boys, and later Assistant to the Guidance Director at Holton Arms School for Girls. While in Maryland, she actively held many offices in North Chevy Chase Christian Church. They came to Durham in 1974, where John served as an Administrator for Duke Medical Center and Lois served the Durham community as a volunteer in many social and civic organizations, including the Duke Garden Club, the Reserve Officers Association Wives' Auxiliary, Duke Hospital Auxiliary, Duke University Campus Club, Medical Wives Faculty Club, and the Nearly New Shoppe. She was also a very active member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church.
In addition to her daughter and son-in-law, Lois is survived by grandson, C. Dickson Faires, III, and his wife, Christine, of Newport Beach, CA, granddaughters, Kimberly L. Faires of San Francisco, CA, and Jacqueline Shytle of Elizabeth City, NC; great grandson, Jake Faires of Newport Beach, CA; brother, Dr. William B. Shell, and his wife, Delores, of Auburn, AL; and her sister, Millicent Hammett, and her husband, Dr. Jay Hammett, of Gafney, SC.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 15, 2013, at 3:00 pm at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 1737 Hillandale Avenue, Durham, NC 27705. Officiating will be the Reverend Joseph H. Hensley and the Reverend Stephanie Yancy. Burial will be in the church garden. The family will receive visitors immediately following the memorial service.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Luke's Episcopal Church.
The Shytle family is under the care of Howerton & Bryan Funeral Home. Online condolences may be submitted to www.howertonbryan.com, select obituaries.
Mirtie Ruth Conley Thompson
YOUNGSVILLE -- Mirtie Ruth Conley Thompson, 93, of Youngsville, peacefully passed away Monday, November 11, 2013 at Wake Medical Center in Raleigh surrounded by her family. The oldest daughter of nine children, she was born July 26, 1920 in Matoaka, West Virginia to the late John Gordon Conley and Eva Ratcliffe Conley. In 1942, she married Travis John Thompson.
Ruth was a longtime resident of Bluefield, West Virginia and Durham, North Carolina. In Durham, she was known as one of the affectionately called "Northgate Ladies" having worked in retail sales there for over forty years at Robbins, La Vogue, Tyler House and Carlyle and Company. She will also be remembered for her dedicated service as a member of the Dogwood Garden Club, Triangle Civitans and Glendale Heights United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Thompson is survived by two daughters, Toni Thompson Smith Kinder of Youngsville and Deborah Thompson Upchurch and her husband, Joel, of Durham. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Wendy Smith Riggs Brooks of Youngsville, Deborah Smith Sanford and her husband, Chad, of Roxboro, and Jody Upchurch of Durham, and four great-grandchildren, Hannah Victoria Riggs, Cade Sanford, Connor Sanford and Shelby Gayle Brooks.
The family will receive visitors Thursday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at Glendale Heights United Methodist Church to celebrate her love of life.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Glendale Heights UMC, 908 Leon Street, Durham, North Carolina 27704.
The family is being assisted in Durham by Clements Funeral Service, Inc. Online condolences may be made at www.clementsfuneralservice.com.
Victor Blacknell
HILLSBOROUGH -- Mr. Victor Blacknell, son of the late Mr. Frank Blacknell and the late Betty R. Blacknell and late Junior Byrd was born on August 2, 1942, and departed this life on Tuesday, November 5, 2013.
He attended Lincoln High School. He worked at the UNC Dental School for 38 years.
Victor was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses and dedicated his life to Jehovah. He served as an elder in the West Hillsborough Congregation. Victor loved working with the Regional Building Committee (RBC), assisting in food service.
Victor leaves to cherish his memory his devoted wife, Bettie Ann Blacknell, to whom he was married for 30 years; five daughters, Anna Williams, Cassandra Johnson (Milton), Cheryl Williams, Annette Williams, Quintina; and one son, Kelvine Thompson; three aunts, Clarene Harris, Erma Farrar, Laura Lee (Julius); six brothers, Teddy Byrd (Ivan), William Byrd (Prescious), Joe Byrd (Rhonda), Alvin Byrd (Christen), David Byrd, George Byrd; two sisters, Charlene Graham and Barbara Byrd; 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 16, 2013, at 1 p.m. at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, 635 Bon Air Ave., Durham.
Betty Hayes Sharpe
HILLSBOROUGH -– Betty Hayes Sharpe died October 20, 2013. She was born December 14, 1925 in Asheboro, NC to Moody T. and Glada Yow Hayes. She retired from the Orange County Tax Supervisor's Office in Hillsborough.
She is survived by a daughter, Ellen Sharpe Diana and husband Phil of Lakeland, FL; and son Hayes Sharpe and wife Marian of Matthews, NC; brother-in-law Malcom C. Parnell and sister-in-law Grace Sharpe Parnell of Raleigh, NC; one niece and four nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, C. Wayland Sharpe; her sister, Mary Ellen Pickard and brother-in-law Morris Glenn Pickard.
A graveside service will be held Saturday, November 16th at 11 a.m. at the Hillsborough Town Cemetery.
William "Reid" Proctor
CHAPEL HILL -– Reid died on Monday, November 11, 2013 at UNC Hospital. He was the son of the late Wallace Reid Proctor and Thelma Josephine Collier Proctor. Reid served in the US Air Force for 13 years and was a letter carrier in Chapel Hill for 23 years.
He is survived by his wife, Karen Ripley Proctor and daughter Kimberly Proctor-Kings and grandson, Landon Reid Proctor. He also has a sister who lives in Durham, Lynda Proctor Benson, niece, Michelle Norton, nephew R. Christopher Benson, nephew Joshua Reid Benson, and three great-nieces and two great-nephews.
Reid loved camping and Duke basketball and music. He will be missed by everyone because of his kind heart and willingness to do anything for anyone at any time.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, November 14, 2013 at Hall-Wynne Funeral Home in Durham at 2 PM with visitation at 1 PM.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Salvation Army. Share condolences at www.halwynne.com, select obituaries.
Peter Thomas Jacob
WILMINGTON -- Peter Thomas Jacob, age 61, of Wilmington, North Carolina, passed away late Saturday, November 9, 2013 at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill, NC.
He was born in Franklin, New Jersey, and traveled throughout the country before settling with his wife, Cathy Collins Jacob, and his three children, Benjamin Jacob, Jessica Jacob, and Thomas Jacob in Wilmington.
In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by his brother, Donald S. Jacob Jr. and wife Erin of Elmira, NY; sisters Elizabeth Gail of Charlotte, NC; Dian Bidwell and husband Bob of Rock Hill, SC; Clare Jacob of San Diego, CA; Catherine Moody and husband Dennis of Mooresville, NC; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Donald S. Jacob Sr. and Jane Jacob. Peter was a beloved husband, father, brother, friend, and mentor, whose good spirit and laughter were contagious.
A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, November 16th at 2:00pm at Andrews Mortuary Valley Chapel.


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Kevin Hart's Nerdiness Rescues Get Hard from Homophobia
By Amy Nicholson
By Stephanie Zacharek
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Interview: Garfield's Jim Davis
By Amy Nicholson
This is a recurring theme in the films of Christopher Nolan, possibly the 21st century's most skillful cinematic wool-puller. All of his films have spoilable elements, but it's his criminally under-seen 2006 thriller The Prestige, which follows a rivalry among 19th-century illusionists, that best expresses the narrative power of withholding. With typical Nolan symmetry, the story follows the three-part structure of the illusions its characters perform, giving us a "pledge," a "turn," and, finally, a "prestige." The audience's natural inclination is to try to deduce the rational explanation for the seemingly impossible thing the magician has just shown them. But: "You don't really want to work it out. You want to be fooled," Michael Caine warns us in narration that bookends the film.
It's the same when we read reviews. We read them because we think we want some context for the play or the film or whatever, but often we don't. I read them because I, like everyone else, am cursed to experience each piece of art I encounter filtered through the narrow view-slit of my own tastes, biases, education, and experience. I only see what I can see. But good critics can show me what they saw. Stick with that, why don't you.Follow @VoiceFilmClub
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Daniel Miller and Jason Robinson on Their Valuation Criteria
- Posted by Ivaylo Ivanhoff
- on August 2nd, 2011
502 Bad Gateway
The valuation criteria we use when selecting a stock investment with strong underlying fundamentals is based on a number of ratios (mostly price ratios).
These ratios and the benchmarks we use to screen them against are generally as follows:
1. Current P/E < 12
2. Current P/E < industry average
3. Forward P/E < 15
4. Price/Sales < 2
5. Price/Sales < ind. avg.
6. Price/Book < 2
7. Price/Book < ind. avg.
8. Price/Cash Flow < 10
9. Price/Cash Flow < ind. avg.
10. PEG (5 year) < 1
11. PEG (5 year) < ind. avg.
12. Book Value/Share > 5
13. Book Value/Share > ind. avg.
14. Enterprise Value/EBITDA < 10
15. Enterprise Value/Revenue < 2
If a stock passes most of these criteria, as well as exhibiting overall healthy
fundamentals in the BeanScreen, we will strongly consider taking a position (using
Buy Limits). In addition, we often ask the TA experts on the StockTwits stream
where they see long- and short-term support levels. This may help us in finding an
optimal entry point when placing our Buy Limit.
Source: Chapter 7 – The Bean Screen by Daniel Miller and Jason Robinson, @wallstreetbean
The information in this blog post represents my own opinions and does not contain a recommendation for any particular security or investment. I or my affiliates may hold positions or other interests in securities mentioned in the Blog, please see my Disclaimer page for my full disclaimer.blog comments powered by Disqus


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Photoshop CS5 One-on-One: Advanced, the second part of the popular and comprehensive series, updated for CS5, follows internationally renowned Photoshop guru Deke McClelland as he dives into the workings of Photoshop. He explores such digital-age wonders as the Levels and Curves commands, edge-detection filters, advanced compositing techniques, vector-based text, the Liquify filter, and Camera Raw. Deke also teaches tried-and-true methods for sharpening details, smoothing over wrinkles and imperfections, and enhancing colors without harming the original image. Exercise files accompany the course.
Recommended prerequisite: Photoshop CS5 One-on-One: Fundamentals.
In this exercise I'm going to provide a detailed analysis of what's going on with the Radius and Threshold options inside the Unsharp Mask dialog box. This is one case where it really pays to know what's going on under the hood. That way you'll get more effective results out of Unsharp Mask. So in addition to this Macro butterfly .jpg image here, I've gone ahead and created a stripped down version of the image called Simpli-fly.jpg, also found inside the 15_sharpen folder. In this case, I've gone ahead and distilled the image down into just a few interacting colors here.
That provides us with some very obvious edges inside the image, that the Radius value can glom onto. Notice also, if I zoom in on this image, that I've added a synthetic paper texture here using a couple of filters. We'll see how that works in the future chapter. That will allow us to examine what's going on with Threshold. So I'm going to go up to the Filter menu, choose the Sharpen command, and choose Unsharp Mask, or press Shift+ F5 if you've loaded dekeKeys. What I want to do is move my dialog box over a little bit, and click on this back portion of the wing right here in order to center it inside the in dialog box Preview, just so we can see what we're doing.
I'll raise the Amount value to 250%, which is half of your maximum value inside this dialog box. You can take it as high as 500. Then I'll tab down to the Radius value. I want you to see what's going on here inside the dialog box in particular. Notice as I raise this value here, I'm increasing the thickness of these halos. I'm actually drawing halos along the dark side of the edge, and the bright side of the edge. So this is an edge at this location, because it's an area of rapid luminance transition.
We're going from bright to dark very quickly over the course of the very few pixels. As I raise this Radius value, I'm drawing a bright halo on one side, and a dark halo on the other side, and the thickness of the halo is dictated by this Radius value. It also drops off very softly. Notice this, because the halo is actually produced by a filter called Gaussian Blur inside of Photoshop. So it is a true blur that's going on here. The larger your Radius value, the thicker that halo that you're drawing.
So as a result over time, you're distributing the sharpening effect. So it looks less sharp, and it looks more like you're just emphasizing the edges inside the image. So if you want to create a more volumetric image where you're really enhancing the shadows and the highlights and so on, a low Amount value combined with a high Radius value can really do the trick. I'll go ahead and reduce this Amount value down to 50% for example, and I'll send this Radius file you to 50 pixels. Now notice the difference.
If I turn off the Preview check box, so keep an eye on the image in the background here. If I turn off the Preview check box, this is the original version of the image. Turn on Preview; this is the punched up, higher clarity version of the image. Thanks to once again, a low Amount value, and a high Radius value. However, that doesn't really look all that sharp. If you want sharp edges, tactile edges that is to say. Then you go with the high Amount value, maybe not as high as 250%, but I'm trying to make a point here. Then dropdown to the Radius value and enter a low Radius value, something like 3 pixels or even lower, 3 pixels is pretty good for print work.
Lower values such as 0.5, you can go very low with this value, are useful for screen work. We'll discuss that in more detail. But for now, just know, low Amount, high Radius gives you lots of clarity. High Amount, low Radius gives you lots of sharpness. All right, I'm going to take this Radius value up to something like 20 pixels for now, something very high. So we're combining high Amount and high Radius, just so that we can see the difference that Threshold provides. The whole idea here with this Threshold value is that we're trying to eliminate any of the background junk.
So for example, we're trying to get Unsharp Mask to ignore the noise inside the image, or the paper texture, or this artificial texture that's going on in our case. What I would recommend that you do when you're using this value is just go ahead and click inside of it, and then press the Up Arrow key in order to nudge that value upward, until your background texture disappears. Now if you're trying to omit noise, you're trying to make sure that you don't sharpen noise inside of an image, then you want to keep this Threshold value very low, something like one to three levels.
This is luminance levels between neighboring pixels. Recall from the previous chapter, that you've got 256 luminance levels in all; 0 for black, 255 for white. So three luminance levels difference between two neighboring pixels is not very much. However, when you start to go higher than that, let's say, I take this value up to 40, so that I'm only sharpening pixels that are at least 40 luminance levels different from each other that is neighboring pixels. Then I end up getting this pockmarked effect that we're seeing right there.
Now I'll go ahead and click in the animal's head, so that we can see that some pixels are all of a sudden getting sharpened, and neighboring pixels are not getting sharpened. That's because this is an either/or proposition. Either two neighboring pixels are less than 40 luminance levels different from each other and they don't get sharpened, or they're 40 or more luminance levels different from each other and they do get sharpened, and there is no variance in between. So all of a sudden, out of the blue, you'll have a pixel that will get sharpened. That makes for pockmarks. Never use this option in order to omit sharpening details in somebody's face, because when you're working with portrait shots, high Threshold settings actually make the effect that much worse.
So watch out for that. Anyway, for most of my work, I keep this Threshold value set to 0. But as I say, if you want to avoid noise, then you can raise this value to something between one and three. So go ahead and experiment with that. Now after everything I've told you here, there is one big question mark I would have, if I were looking at this detail of this bug's head right here. The question I would have is, okay Deke, so we're drawing light halos on the light side of an edge, and we're drawing dark halos on the dark side of the edge.
Why in the world do we have blue halos inside of this bug's head? I'll explain what's going on there, and the solution to this problem in the next exercise.
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Drug Compare
1 2
- Basic Info
Generic: trimethoprim
It is used to treat certain kinds of bacterial infections
What is this medicine?TRIMETHOPRIM (trye METH oh prim) is an antibiotic. It is used to treat certain kinds of bacterial infections. It will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections.
What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
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Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. While this drug may be prescribed for selected conditions, precautions do apply.
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What may interact with this medicine?Do not take this medicine with any of the following medications:
This medicine may also interact with the following medications:
What should I watch for while using this medicine?Visit your doctor or health care professional as directed. Tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve.
This medicine can make you more sensitive to the sun. Keep out of the sun. If you cannot avoid being in the sun, wear protective clothing and use a sunscreen. Do not use sun lamps or tanning beds/ booths.
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