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DIY Satellite Platforms
You can send a do-it-yourself satellite into space, one that piggybacks on a commercial rocket. This pico-satellite must conform to a set of dimensions about the size of a soda can. The minimum price of a launch is $12,000 and dropping. All the other rules, constraints, and questions you'll need to build are covered in this very basic intro. Author Sandy Antunes is writing a master guide one small booklet at a time so check out his other titles in this series.
First: where will your picosatellite go? It's nearly a given that your picosatellite will go to low earth orbit (LEO), a broad band ranging from about 150km up to perhaps 600km.
Above the ionosphere, the space environment can be hostile because of solar activity. Below it, the radiation risks are much lower. This is why the ISS is kept in LEO. LEO is, at heart, about as safe as space can get. It's also where your picosatellite is likely to live.
Your orbit is entirely determined by what your rocket provider has sold you. At the hobbyist level, you're going to most likely get a standard 250km or so nearly circular orbit, either equatorial or polar. Such an orbit lasts (because of drag by the tenuous ionosphere) from 3 to 16 weeks before the satellite will suffer a fiery reentry.
At picosatellite masses, this means your satellite will go up and not return. You have less than three months to gather data. The picosatellite will then, essentially, vaporize neatly upon reentry (no space junk risk!)
Let's close with the idea of flight spares. The idea here is twofold. First, it is good to have a second satellite ready in case a mishap occurs to the first. Mishaps can range from rocket blew up all the way down to a mundane dropped it while carrying it to the truck.
Conceptually and more important, you want to build two or three satellites simultaneously for two reasons. First, you may make a construction mistake with one. Having a spare means you can continue to work without having to wait for new parts or fabrication.
Second, you will build one better than the other. Statistically, one of your builds will have better performance than the other. This better one is the one you will fly. By creating multiple builds, you give yourself and your skills a chance to practice, hone, and ultimately create a better picosatellite.
So build two and fly the one that does best in tests.
The lowest fixed-price offering out there is InterOrbital Systems offering 1kg TubeSat launches for $8,000 (including a TubeSat kit) or a 1kg 1U CubeSat launch for $12,500. The company is still building toward its first launch, however.
Factual eBook Review
Download the Universe
The Science EBook Review
This is pretty good. A site that reviews original science-based long-form factuals on ebooks. OK, that means serious non-fiction that is shorter than a book, but longer than a normal magazine article, yet that is only available as an ebook, and not available on paper or previously published. In other words a true digitally native "book." These new things also colonize a middle duration between a blog post and a epic saga. They take a couple of hours to finish reading rather than days, and more than minutes. This emerging genre sports the marvelous compression and intense editing of a good magazine story, but gives the subject a bit more depth. And the e-booklets generally sell for $3 or less, download instantly, say as a Kindle Single. Amazon itself is publishing these at a rapid rate, dealing with authors directly. TED conference is publishing them. Scientific America is publishing them. And this website, a gang of science writers, is reviewing them. So far, the quality is great.
I am using it to find great writing about fascinating topics where I don't want or need a whole book. This is a bright spot in an industry that could use a bright spot.
Super sensitive digital scale
A reader in Ask Cool Tools was looking for a cheap digital scale that could weigh items to a precision of 0.01 gram. Most kitchen scales run on a precision a magnitude lower at 0.1 gram. You'll need a wind shield for scales this sensitive because air currents will disrupt the reading at this level.
Digital 0.01-gram resolution scales are plentiful and very inexpensive (< $20) on eBay and other online retailers. Most of them have a small, flat stainless steel pan, and tare for a container, making them convenient for use with small quantities of food. I used one from eBay identical to this unit and was satisfied with the performance. Note that I was using it for balancing motorcycle pistons, a less demanding task than some others.
Note that you can also obtain scale weight sets for calibration.
I believe that general-use precision weighing of small, light-weight objects is a problem solved by any one of these small,inexpensive digital scales.
American Weigh Scale Scalemate Sm-501 Digital Pocket Scale, Silver, 500 X 0.01 G
$25 from Amazon
Commenter Stefan Murphy notes that the above item has less than 2.5-star reviews on Amazon. He found a better option with all 5-star reviews, that is also 2/3 the price. However the max weight is only 100 grams, instead of 500. He says, " A little poking around, and based on reviews the below looks to be much better. I'm in the market for a product like this and will be purchasing the below."
American Weigh Scale Ac-100 Digital Pocket Gram Scale, Black, 100 G X 0.01 G, $11
The Scale of the Universe 2
This is a cool tool for comprehending, appreciating, and demonstrating the scale of our universe. I used to recommend Charles and Ray Eames' classic film, Powers of Ten, as the best way to get a sense of our cosmos. It's still effective, but two bothers have made an on-line portal that blows Powers of Ten away.
Check out The Scale of the Universe 2. It takes a minute to load. Once ready, be prepared to have your horizons stretched. I like the way they pile in the expected and unexpected size examples, which anchor the scale in a refreshing way. The continuous zoom is what makes this device work, rather than the quantum powers of ten of the film. (In fact you can read off the powers of ten in this model as well.) And the fact that you drive the slider. And like anytime you drive, you get a better sense of the place than you do as a mere passenger.
For the first time, I really got a visceral sense of our place in the universe. As many have noted before (but none have explained) we — our visible bodies — are located approximately in the middle of the universe's size range. The largest things we know and the smallest things we know are roughly the same magnitude away from us.
And BTW, this app is what electronic "publishing" is really about.
Belomo 10x Triplet Loupe
A few months ago I picked up a Belomo 10x Triplet Loupe to help out with mushroom identification in the field. As someone who has more experience with camera lenses than loupes, I didn't know what to expect. What arrived was an immaculately crafted magnifying device that I now carry on a daily basis.
Built by the Belarus Optical and Mechanical Enterprise Company (they once made high quality optics for the Soviet Union during the Cold War), the minuscule 10x loupe radiates a quality of craft and "thingness" that I've previously only seen in Leica glass. This comparison is in part owed to the superb optics, but also to the textured black enamel that coats the folding steel case coupled with its solid build quality.
The loupe itself is compact, quick to fold out, and easy to use. Between using it to identify mushrooms, to seeing the destruction I wreak on my fingernails, or the dulled edge of my kitchen knives, I have found the ability to easily magnify anything 10x (or more) has given me a renewed appreciation for the smaller things in life.
My decision to pick up the 10x magnification instead of the 15x or 20x was driven by cost and usability. Everyone I spoke to seemed to agree that 10x had the best balance between field of view, depth of field, and cost. Unlike other loupes where you can change magnification through opening up additional lenses, the Belomo relies on a single lens system that reduces the chance of breaking, while providing greater optical quality and increased light. The image quality is really fantastic.
One of the best features of the Belomo Loupe is the ability to incorporate it as an external macro lens with my iPhone camera. The small sensor size coupled with the Loupe means that it has enough depth of field to create photos I can use to identify when I get home. I've been blown away with the results.
The Belomo loupe is a fantastic EDC tool that provides a new way to look at the world. I can't recommend it enough.
ViTiny USB Digital Microscope
I have had this handheld USB digital microscope for a couple of months and have found it really handy for working with anything with small geometries, or whenever I want to see something really small. The optical magnification range is 1x to 80x, but is advertised as having even higher magnification through digital zoom (basically, just zooming in on the digital image).
The bang-for-buck is huge even if you don't need to look at high-resolution negatives from some spy-plane. It can be used at a broad range of magnifications, from microscopic (the fibers in paper look like a log-jam) to its alternate use as a webcam by just changing the distance and re-focusing. It really shines when you put it against something you need a close look at because of its built in light source, two magnification levels set by spinning the focus ring, and the Windows-only software that lets you do calibrated on-screen measurements and side-by-side comparisons with one side live.
The price is low enough you might suspect it's a toy instead of a tool, but it's serious hardware. It has a 2 mega-pixel sensor, with decent optics and enough configurable image control to satisfy the geekiest tool buff, but the defaults make it simple and practical to use right out of the box.
There are other USB microscopes out there, but this one is affordable and has so much utility that it's fun to use. Last time I loaned it out it took weeks to get back because everyone who tried it had to show someone else the snazzy little tool they'd just ordered for themselves.
Elemental Scientific
This is the best source for buying small quantities of chemicals — always a challenge in these days of chemical hysteria. Elemental Scientific will sell to individuals, online, with no paperwork or license needed. They have a very respectable selection of about 300 reagents and compounds. More than enough for most educational purposes, or for most basement experiments. You can purchase all kinds of acids, corrosives, poisons, explosives and dangerous stuff that you can not get elsewhere — but only in small quantities. That's fine, because a small amount is often all you want for doing experiments, and many chemical supply outfits will sell only larger quantities if they sell to you at all. Elemental also offers glassware, lab equipment, and general experimental paraphernalia. They cater to homeschoolers and hobby experimentalists. If you've ever tried to buy chemicals elsewhere you'll recognize what an incredible resource this place is. Most chemicals will be shipped UPS, but a short list of 18 especially hazardous chemicals need extra hazmat protection, which is an added charge.
Carson MicroBrite
We discovered this microscope while traveling in Paris, where it was recommended by a staffer at Nature & Decouvertes, who told us it was incredible for the price — about $10 at the time. Was he ever right.
It comes with a base and a slide with some cotton cloth as a sample, but in practice we never use the base or slide. We just place the microscope on anything we want to look at, and click the LED light on for a terrific view. There is a 20x-40x zoom, as well as adjustable focus. It's good enough that we end up fighting our kids to play with it. With it we've studied leaves, flowers, color printing (kids are surprised by the dot patterns), currency, rugs, even our own fingerprints.
Theo Gray's Mad Science
This is a rare home-chemistry book where the advice of "don't try this at home" is, for once, appropriate. I usually complain about the scare mongering of home chemistry, but half of the experiments in this how-to book really are extremely dangerous. But the other half are pretty cool. There are no explicit step-by-step instructions given for any of the experiments, just guidelines of what to do. Gray, whose column appears in Popular Science, wants you to do some research and not just be a "script kiddie." Stunning photos of what to expect from each project help. My son and I have done a few of these and they do work. The prime lesson engendered by this book is the sense that the material world is far more accessible to hacking than first appears.
[warning box near instructions for combing sodium and chlorine to make table salt]
Real Danger Alert: This is the most dangerous experiment in this book. Sodium burns skin and eyes on contact and explodes when exposed to water in any form, sending flaming liquid metal in all directions at high velocity. Chlorine gas kills painfully and spreads rapidly. Under no circumstances should either of these chemicals be handled outside the presence of an experienced chemist. Combining them borders on lunacy.
FULL OF HOT AIR The exhaust port on a vacuum blows air from below, turning an ordinary grill into a raging inferno, capable of melting glass, iron, even itself if left unchecked.
All the components of glass can be found in two places: the beach and the laundry room. It's possible to melt pure-white silica beach sand into glass, but only at temperatures of 3,000 to 3,500°F. Washing soda, lime or borax (a traditional laundry aid) added to the sand disrupts the quartz-crystal structure of silica and reduces the required temperatures to a more practical, though still dangerous 2,000 °F, which I achieved with a backyard grill and a vacuum cleaner.
A charcoal fire fed with air from the bottom is hot enough to melt the combination of those materials into glass but not hot enough to make it truly liquid, so bubbles tend to remain and make the glass cloudy. I mixed the finely ground ingredients together and heated them in a cast-iron pot, then poured the molten glass into a graphite mold and pressed it down with a graphite stamp.
Soda-lime glass has the lowest melting point but must be cooled slowly to avoid shattering from the thermal stress.
PEPSI PAINTING Tinfoil distributes the current to form a pattern through a stencil and a layer of paper towel moistened with Diet Pepsi.
Homemade Titanium: With lots of heat, some flowerpots and common chemicals, you can turn raw ore into shiny metal.
An iron crowbar costs about $8; one made of titanium, $80. Solid-titanium scissors start at $700, and don't even ask about the titanium socket wrench. Titanium must be a rare and precious substance, right?
Actually, as raw ore, titanium is 100 times as abundant as copper. … At temperatures high enough to melt it, titanium exposed to air catches fire. So it has to be refined, forged, welded, and cast in a vacuum or under inert gas–an expensive process.
Yet I was able to make titanium using equipment I had lying around. I did it with thermite reduction, a process commonly used to weld train tracks. In an iron thermite reaction, iron oxide reacts with aluminum and comes out as liquid iron. I just swapped in titanium dioxide instead. But that reaction, in which titanium dioxide transfers its oxygen atoms to aluminum, doesn't release enough heat to melt the materials.
So I mixed in drywall plaster (calcium sulfate) and more aluminum powder. They react to create huge amounts of extra heat, enough to melt the titanium and allow it to pool at the bottom of the container. Adding ground fluorite powder makes the molten metals more fluid and protects the titanium from air as it cools.
I used clay flowerpots, as suggested by Gert Meyer, who developed this procedure. When nested with sand between them, they last just long enough to let the titanium cool into beads of solid metal.
Many of the topics I write about are things I did when I was growing up, and I survived. Without those experiences I might have ended up as a stock broker, or worse.
Science is not something practiced only in labs and universities. It's a way of looking at the world and seeing truth and beauty everywhere. It's something you can do whether you are employed as a professional scientist or not. While I have a degree in chemistry from a fine university, I've never worked as a professional chemist. I do these demonstrations in my shop on a rural farmstead half a mile from the nearest neighbor. (This is handy when exploring the louder aspects of chemistry.) Mostly I use simple kitchen and shop supplies and chemicals from the hardware store or garden center. I do avoid working in a real lab, because I would much rather tinker in my shop and find a simpler (some might say cruder) way of making the experiment work. Amateur scientists, many of them self-taught, tinkering in their shops and basements have done great things. Using a spirit of making do with what they have and seeing just how far they can take it, they make real contributions to the advancement of science.
It makes me cringe when I see warnings to wear gloves and safety glasses while working with baking soda. It's called crying wolf, and it's deeply irresponsible, because it makes it that much harder to get through to people about real dangers.
Some other chemicals, however, are not your friends. Chlorine gas kills, and you hurt the whole time you're dying. Mix phosphorus and chlorates wrong and they blow up while you're mixing them. (I have a friend who still has tiny slivers of glass coming out of his hands twenty years after he made that particular mistake.)
Every chemical, every procedure, every experiment has its own unique set of dangers, and over the years people have learned (the hard way) how to deal with them. In many cases the only way to do an experiment safely is to find a more experienced person to help. This is not book-learning, it's your life at stake and you want someone by your side who knows what they are doing. There is an unbroken chain of these people leading right back to the first guy who survived, and you want to be part of that chain.
When I do an experiment that looks crazy I either have someone with me who's done it before, or it's something that I've worked my way up to slowly and carefully. I build in layers of safety, and I make sure that if all else fails I have a clear path to run like hell (and of course I wear glasses at all times).
Anchor Optics
Remember Edmund Scientific, the perennial advertiser in the back of science magazines? They sold lenses in addition to all kinds of scientific knick-knacks and basement experimenter supplies. Anchor Optics is a division of Edmund's upscale optics company, selling mostly to professionals, but at a discount. They've got loupes and microscopes, but also Fresnel lenses, commercial grade front-side mirrors, laser parts, optical bench gear, prisms, and advance fiber optic stuff — just about anything optical you can imagine at good prices, Anchor sells Edmund's surplus or "seconds" — but only second in some cosmetic or inessential way. If you need a lens or an optical flat mirror of a certain size, you'll probably end up here.


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How do you cite google in MLA format for a work cited page?
1 Answer | Add Yours
Google is a search engine, and many times you will need to cite the article that you find on Google, not Google itself. Some of those citations are found at the bottom of the article. In order to give you an accurate way to document, I would need to know what you are documenting.
However, if you will go to Google and look up "The Chicago Manual" and then scan down to "websites" you will find some models for documenting electronic sources. You may also look up "Columbia online style". This site will give you the MLA, APA, and Chicago versions on how to site an internet source. There are differences in these styles so you will need to know which one your instructor prefers.
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hotel info
Nearest Airport: ANU
Recommended Hotel Condé Nast Johansens
Best Hotel in Antigua World Travel Awards
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In a quintessentially Caribbean setting, Blue Waters Resort in Antigua brings you a relaxed yet refined tropical paradise. Located on the...
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In a quintessentially Caribbean setting, Blue Waters Resort in Antigua brings you a relaxed yet refined tropical paradise. Located on the northeast corner of the island, extended past one of its most exclusive residential neighborhoods, the resort's 17 verdant acres meet up with soft white beaches and crystal clear waters in an area offering unparalleled privacy. The natural bay created around blue Waters Resort makes for endlessly uncrowded sands and secluded coves, perfect for days spent unwinding under the sun. The rooms, suites, and villas are dreamy and bright, with everything from floor-to-ceiling windows framing azure Caribbean views, to wireless internet access and fluffy white linens. Outside your door, seven sparkling swimming pools await, surrounded by blooming gardens, towering palms, and the perfect vacation sanctuary. This is Antigua at its best.
Start off at Blue Waters Resort's blissful spa to ease yourself into island time, and savor an open-air massage or luxurious body treatment. From there, the world is your oyster. Play a game of tennis on the resort's court, workout in the fitness center, or head straight to the beach to take part in a bevy of water sports. Snorkeling, windsurfing, sailing, and kayaking are all offered to guests, including complimentary introductory lessons should you need a few pointers before getting your feet, literally, wet. Championship golf is a short distance away for those seeking a challenge, and the resort's tour desk will happily arrange additional off-site activities, including sunset cruises and deep sea fishing. With your appetite well worked up, enjoy the resort's array of dining options. Have an elegant dinner under the stars at The Palm Restaurant, an intimate date at the sensuous Bartleys Restaurant, or French-inspired cuisine at The Cove Restaurant. A trio of bars have the perfect spot no matter what time of day or night, and evening entertainment sets the mood to relax and imbibe. Find your piece of Caribbean paradise at Blue Waters Resort.
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Full detailed profile on Harley Davidson Cooper Played by Beth Ehlers on Guiding Light Daytime Soap Opera.
Beth Ehlers
Birthday: 1968-07-23
When Harley returns home, she finds the family sorting through all of Gus' belongings and deciding who gets what. Cyrus continues to get uncomfortable and starts to clean up while everyone ignores him. Zach finally asks if Cyrus wants any of it. Harley laughs. Cyrus picks up the box to take what's left to Natalia. He goes outside with the box and Daisy runs out, accusing him of trying to throw Gus' things away. Harley runs out after them and Cyrus explains that he just wants to help her so she isn't forced to constantly look at these things. Harley points out that they are only Gus' things and he is still gone. Daisy thinks that Cyrus still shouldn't be there and blames everything on him. She storms away and Harley tells Cyrus that she feels better when she is with him. Later, she and Cyrus eat ice cream in bed and try to decide on a color. She looks through the blueprints and notices that Gus wrote "creme" on them and, if Gus wanted that color, that is the color they will paint it. She sends him off to do the laundry. He stops and stares in the mirror, obviously disturbed by everything.
Harley remains at the church. She goes to the altar and picks up the portrait of Gus. Cyrus helps her take it down. They go over to Company and Harley seems annoyed that the cops are loudly getting drunk inside. Cyrus says Gus must have been wonderful if they are remembering him like this. She thanks him for his help. Blake arrives and hugs her before walking away. "Her husband also died...I mean, not husband," Harley corrects herself. Mallet and Marina poke their heads out and ask her to come in and tell some Gus stories. As she's pulled in, the funeral director grabs Cyrus and tells him that Harley's credit card was declined. Cyrus says that she's busy right now and he'll take care of it. He sends the man away and watches as Harley tells stories to the crowd. She and Marina share some awkward glances and she goes into the washroom. As she talks to herself, Gus appears. He tells her not to be sad. "I always thought it would be us in the end," she cries. Buzz interrupts and she takes another beer as they wander back to the party, stopping to cry on the steps along the way.
Harley finds Cyrus sitting alone outside. She swipes his beer and downs it before asking him to go to a bar somewhere where they don't know anyone. "I wish I could just be numb," she says. "Then you wouldn't be you," he reminds her, telling her that she's been great today and can do anything she sets her mind to. She kisses him and thanks him for reminding her that there is something she can do after all. They go back to her house and start doing construction work. He tells her that it's okay to let him kiss her; it doesn't mean that she's forgotten Gus. He goes to the basement to get nails and she starts to tear down some sheet rock, finding a heart painted behind it. "I'm a romantic, what can I say?" the ghost of Gus tells her. He suggests that finishing the house is a good way to move on. She writes "Harley loves Gus" on the heart before taping over it. Daisy surprises her and offers to help out but Harley asks her to go and do something fun instead. Daisy insists that she wants to help; she thinks Gus would expect it. They comfort each other before Cyrus returns. Daisy asks if the funeral director got in touch with her. Cyrus says that he took care of it. Harley leaves to get the power tools while Daisy tells Cyrus to pack up and leave, reminding him that he will never be Gus. He apologizes for shutting down her fake ID business and agrees to partner up with her. Meanwhile, Harley is upstairs when Gus' spirit surprises her and tells her he has to go. He wants her to promise to finish the house and tells her he will be waiting for her. "I love you y'know," he says before vanishing. She slumps onto the floor.
Harley wakes in bed and climbs out, picking up a picture of Gus as she runs the shower. She showers and cries before going downstairs where she finds Daisy making breakfast. She thanks her but walks to the door. "Gus would want you to take care of yourself," Daisy reminds her, suggesting that she eat something. Harley tells her daughter to be the mother today and asks her to look after the boys and Cyrus. She walks out.
Harley meets Natalia at her new house. Natalia admits that she hasn't been able to unpack or even to sleep in the bedroom. Everywhere she looks, she sees Gus. Harley asks her if she wants a funeral. Natalia doesn't want to think about it. Harley tells her that she can't keep Gus from the people who cared about him. They planned a funeral for him already, Harley tells her. She tells Natalia that she can come if she wants to or she can boycott it; she doesn't care. Natalia reminds her that she was his wife. "Don't tell me this is all about Gus," she says as Harley turns her back on her. Natalia goes to Cedars to finish paperwork for the insurance company. As she walks away, the nurse asks her if she needs to see a grief counselor. She shakes her head and wanders into Olivia's room for a moment. Later, her brother spontaneously appears at her bedside. "I don't come to visit you often enough so you rip your heart out to make me hop on plane?" Sam jokes, taking her hand. She barely looks at him.
Cyrus and Harley arrive at the church to go over the funeral arrangements. Cyrus explains that she is Gus' ex-wife. The funeral director says that divorce should never stop you from going first class. Looking at the bill, Cyrus is disturbed that she is spending this much on the service, but Harley insists that this is important. She goes home and puts on her funeral black. Cyrus puts his arms around her and she tells him to go and check on the boys. He takes the boys to the church. Harley arrives and cries on Frank's shoulder. He reminds her that Gus loved her. Alan arrives. "Did you have to—" she starts, but Alan stops her rant to ask her if she chose the flowers or Natalia did. Before they can argue, the bagpipes can be heard and all of the cops in town start to file in wearing their dress uniforms.
Alan tells Natalia that she should be in charge of the service; she's the widow after all. "Gosh, thanks for reminding me," she says, walking away from him. Meanwhile, Lizzie thanks Bill for coming to the funeral with her. Ava arrives and Lizzie starts taunting her. Ava says that she feels bad for Rafe and pointedly comments that she doesn't think any child should go without a father. Elsewhere, Harley finds her daughter watching Natalia and Rafe from a distance. "You hold onto me and I'll hold onto you," Harley offers as Daisy rests her head on her shoulder.
Alexandra arrives and comforts her brother. As she cries, he helps her to a pew and Reverend Ruthledge begins the service. After he says his piece, he lets Harley up to speak. She stutters incoherently about the "tornado that swept through town and turned everybody upside down." Before she becomes too distraught, Alan stops her and helps her down. He takes the pulpit and says that they are all in shock that someone so vibrant could now be out of their lives. "I've lost a lot recently, but I'll never recover from the loss of my son Gus...the son who wanted nothing from me...who was just content being who he was...I envy that. Sometimes people have to be taken away from you before you realize the blessing they were to you and your life. I'm honored to have him as my son," he says. He gets down and Rafe goes up next. "We are his sons: Zach and Jude are just as much his sons as I am," he says. They hold his badge and a flag. "He was a good dad," Rafe says and the boys say they miss him. Mallet goes up next, recalling how much Gus loved the Chicago Cubs and saying that the sounds of the game will always make them all remember him now. All the cops pull on Cubs caps.
Harley goes up again and recalls her first meeting with Gus and his "wonderful craziness". She wishes the best for Olivia and says that there are things that she wishes she could change, but she's happy that he got back his son Rafe and knows that Zach and Jude are happy to have a new big brother. She feels so blessed for knowing his love. Natalia stands up and says that, while she was against this, she was wrong. She shouldn't have been wrapped up in her own grief. Hearing them all speak of Gus gives her strength; not a day went by when she didn't love him, her first love and her last. She can't say goodbye anymore and hopes that Gus lives on in the, "one family he has created in so many separate lives." The Reverend finishes with a prayer as everyone files from the church into the rain outside.
Harley paces around her bedroom before pulling out some old pictures of Gus. She tears through her wardrobe before taking out her old wedding dress and collapsing in tears. She puts it on and goes out to the yard with a cup of coffee. Afterwards, she puts it back in the closet and takes out her black dress, laying it on the bed. Later, Marina arrives to offer her condolences. She offers to look after the boys and Daisy. The boys are with grandpa and Harley doesn't know where Daisy is. Harley is glad that Marina's there, however. "It means everything to me," she says, hugging her. When Cyrus walks through the door, Marina announces that she has to go; she's not able to deal with this. Apologizing, she walks out. Harley and Cyrus then go jogging and he stops to stretch. He tries to talk to her about Vanessa. She isn't in the mood to talk about it. She starts to worry that Natalia would have no idea what to do for Gus' funeral, but she's sure that she knows what he would want. She becomes short of breath so he holds onto her and promises to take care of her.
« Back to Harley Davidson Cooper profile


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MGM member sentenced to seven years
Tyrone "Whoadie" Yancey, another member of the criminal organization known as the Money Gang Mob, was sentenced Wednesday to more than seven years in prison.
Yancey, 33, of 815 Beckford Drive, Henderson, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing heroin. Charges for distributing heroin and marijuana were each dismissed.
District Judge Louise Wood Flanagan sentenced Yancey to 87 months, the equivalent of 7.25 years, and three years of supervised release.
Yancey was caught in July 2013 with the help of Virginia law enforcement at the same as Dwight Gooding.
Yancey's sentence is the 15th connected to MGM, which now have a combined total of a minimum of 15 years and five months.
Earlier sentences connected to MGM were given to Quatrail Pair (30 years), Tyshikkee Williams (20 years), Darnell Tyrece Hayes (17 years, six months), Herbert Artis Smith (15 years), Robert Earl Ross (12 years, nine months), Jasmine Sade Hargrove (10 years), Almonmonick "Shawn" Bullock (nine years), Gooding (seven years), Angela Wilkerson (five years, 10 months), Justin Williams (five years, 10 months), Patrick O'Neil Cooper (five years, three months), Mercedes Christmas-McKinnie (four years), La'trel Henderson (one to two years) and Markeith Hart (one to two years).


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Ginger, coriander and cinnamon add Indian flavour to this slow cooker dish. Requiring long marinating time in pungent spices, Indian foods are a natural for slow cookers. This slightly spicy, saucy pork recipe is wonderful served over rice.
1 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp clarified butter or ghee
1 onion, finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced ginger
1 2" piece cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 lb. stewing pork, cut into 1" cubes
4 bay leaves
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Step 1: In a skillet, over medium heat, cook cumin and coriander seeds, stirring constantly, until they release their aroma and just begin to turn golden. Remove pan from heat and transfer seeds to a mortar or a cutting board. Using a pestle or a rolling pin, crush seeds coarsely. Set aside.
Step 2: In a skillet, heat butter or ghee over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add cumin and coriander seeds, cinnamon, cloves, salt, mustard seeds and cayenne, and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Let cool.
Step 3: Place pork in a mixing bowl. Add bay leaves and contents of pan. Add vinegar and stir to combine. Cover and marinate overnight in refrigerator.
Step 4: The next day, transfer to slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until pork is tender. Discard bay leaves, cinnamon stick and whole cloves.
Reprinted with permission from Judith Finlayson's The 150 Best Slow Cooker Recipes (2001 Robert Rose).
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text: The heart or inner person is like the roots of a plant. Disease in the roots remains hidden until the plant produces growth above the ground. The nature of that growth reflects the diseased roots. What has occurred on the interior has affected the exterior. Problems in a person show in external behavior. The physical body reacts according to the problems in the inner person. A person may harbor certain responses to situations, and initially these responses are not seen. Over time though, as pressure mounts, these harbored responses are displayed through words and behavior.


text:
How to Make a No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
As it starts to get warmer and cherry season kicks into gear, you might yearn for the refreshing and enriching flavor of a cherry cheesecake but shudder (or sweat) at the thought of turning on the oven. With this recipe, all you need to do is mix the ingredients, chill, and savor this light dessert.
- 16 ounces cream cheese ([2] 8 ounce packages, 0.45 kg)
- 1 tablespoon (13g) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (5g) lemon juice
- 1 14 oz. can (415mL) of sweetened condensed milk
- 8 oz. (227g) cherry pie filling
- 1 pie crust (already baked)
1Soften the cream cheese by letting it stand for about 10 minutes at room temperature.Ad
2Chill lemon juice in refrigerator for 5 minutes.
3Mix together the softened cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Mix or beat until smooth.
4Add the lemon using a wooden spoon for stirring.
5Pour the batter into the pie crust.
6Spread the cheesecake filling evenly throughout the pie crust.
7Chill this cheesecake in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or until cold.
8Top the cheesecake with cherry pie filling.
9Chill the cheesecake for another 10 minutes.
We could really use your help!
- The cherry pie filling does not have to be cold, but can be if desired.
- Great for parties.
- Chocolate or other favorite topping may be used instead of cherries.
- Make a no bake Oreo pie crust instead of buying a pastry one if desired.
Things You'll Need
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Mixer
- Can opener
- Regular spoon
Article Info
Featured Article
Categories: Featured Articles | Cheesecake
In other languages:
Español: hacer un pie de cereza sin hornearlo, Русский: приготовить вишневый чизкейк без выпечки, Português: Fazer um Cheesecake de Cereja que Não Vai ao Forno, Italiano: Preparare una Cheesecake alla Ciliegia Senza Cottura in Forno
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 108,676 times.


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Risk Factors for Viral Upper Respiratory Infections (Colds and Influenza)
A risk factor is something that increases your likelihood of getting a disease or condition.
It is possible to develop a cold or influenza with or without the risk factors listed below. However, the more risk factors you have, the greater your likelihood of developing a cold or influenza. If you have a number of risk factors, ask your doctor what you can do to reduce your risk.
The vast majority of the population in any given area may get colds or influenza during the course of a year. The average rate for adults in the US is three or four infections per person per year. Children get even more.
Risk factors include:
Smoking greatly increases the frequency of colds in adults. Smokers are also at a higher risk for complications from colds and the flu.
Poor Hygiene
Colds and influenza are passed through person-to-person contact, so people who do not wash their hands are at higher risk of spreading and contracting colds or influenza. Also, touching your nose, mouth, and eyes with contaminated fingers can spread germs to yourself.
Crowded Populations
People in crowded living conditions are at an increased risk, as well.
Medical Conditions
People who have certain medical conditions are at a higher risk for complications. Examples include:
Children and the elderly are at increased risk for complications.
People with physical or mental disabilities may have trouble practicing preventive measures, and they may not be able to easily communicate their symptoms. These issues place them at an increased risk for getting sick and for complications.
Beers MH, Berkow R. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy . 17th ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons; 1999.
Facts and Comparisons. Drug Facts and Comparisons . 56th ed. St. Louis, MO: Wolters Kluwer; 2001.
Fauci AS, Braunwald E, et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine . 14th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2000.
Pandemic (H1N1) 2009. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://dynamed.ebscohost.com/about/about-us . Updated November 19, 2009. Accessed November 20, 2009.
3/5/2010 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance https://dynamed.ebscohost.com/about/about-us : Falagas ME, Karamanidou C, Kastoris AC, Karlis G, Rafailidis PI. Psychosocial factors and susceptibility to or outcome of acute respiratory tract infections. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2010;14(2):141-148.
2/3/2015 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed: Rantala A, Jaakkola JJ, et al. Respiratory infections in adults with atopic disease and IgE antibodies to common aeroallergens. PLoS One. 2013;8(7):e68582.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: David L. Horn, MD, FACP
- Review Date: 09/2014
- Update Date: 02/03/2015


text:
Jupiter, FL (Sports Network) - Danny Worth doubled in a run and scored another as the Detroit Tigers bested the Miami Marlins, 3-1, in Grapefruit League play.
Austin Jackson had two hits and an RBI for Detriot, which received two innings of one-hit ball from starter Rick Porcello (1-0).
Emilio Bonifacio scored Miami's lone run on Worth's throwing error. Marlins starter Alex Sanabia (0-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings, giving up two earned runs and six hits in the loss.


text:
An online game of chance and methods of conducting and playing the game on a virtual instant ticket are disclosed. The game is based on a map having multiple branches and nodes, where a desired path is selected by clicking on the branch or node as play progresses between a starting point and multiple finishing points. Each available branch or node that is selected results in a prize value being increased, decreased, or a token being awarded for later use in the game. In a single player mode, a final prize is awarded to the player. In multiple player modes, the final prize is divided among the players according to predetermined criteria.
1. An online game of chance that is played by at least one player, the game comprising:
a game screen including a map having a plurality of nodes connected by a plurality of branches arranged between a starting point and a plurality of finishing points, wherein game play progresses to a branch or node when selected by the player, the branch or node being selected from a plurality of branches or nodes available on the map, wherein the selection of the branch or node results in a prize increment, a prize decrement, or an award of a token; and
a computer means for tabulating prize and token information, the information being updated upon the selection of each branch or node, wherein after one of the finishing points is reached, a final prize is awarded to the player.
2. The game as recited in
3. The game as recited in
4. The game as recited in
5. The game as recited in
6. The game as recited in
7. The game as recited in
8. The game as recited in
9. An online game of chance that is played by a plurality of players, comprising:
a game screen viewable by each player, the game screen including a map having a plurality of nodes connected by a plurality of branches arranged between a starting point and a plurality of finishing points, wherein each of the players takes a turn in sequence selecting a branch or node from a plurality of branches or nodes available on the map, wherein the selection of the branch or node results in a prize increment, a prize decrement, or an award of a token; and
a computer means for tabulating prize and token information, the information being updated upon the selection of each branch or node, wherein after one of the finishing points is reached, a final prize is awarded to the plurality of players.
10. The game as recited in
11. The game as recited in
12. The game as recited in
13. The game as recited in
14. A method of conducting an online game of chance, comprising:
registering one or more players for a game;
issuing each of the players a virtual ticket including a game screen with a map having a plurality of nodes connected by a plurality of branches arranged between a starting point and a plurality of finishing points;
allowing each player to take a turn in sequence by selecting a branch or node from the plurality of branches or nodes available on the map, wherein the selection of the branch or node results in a prize increment, a prize decrement, or an award of a token;
updating and displaying prize and token information for each player after each turn; and
awarding a final prize after one of the finishing points is reached.
15. The method as recited in
16. The game as recited in
17. The game as recited in
18. The game as recited in
19. A system for facilitating the play of a game, comprising:
a game screen including a map having a plurality of nodes connected by a plurality of branches arranged between a starting point and plurality of finishing points;
an input device configured to receive a player's selection of one of the plurality of nodes or one of the plurality of branches on the map; and
a game server configured to receive the player's selection from the input device and to update prize and token information in response to the receipt of the player's selection of each branch or node.
20. The system of
a prize decrement is associated with a second one of the plurality of branches or nodes,
a token is associated with a third one of the plurality of branches or nodes.
21. The system of
22. The system of
23. The system of
24. A method of conducting a game, comprising:
issuing a player a virtual ticket including a plurality of nodes connected by a plurality of branches arranged between a starting point and a plurality of finishing points;
receiving a selection of a branch or node from the player;
updating prize and token information responsive to the selection of a branch or node by the player; and
awarding a final prize after one of the finishing points is reached.
25. The method of
receiving from the player a selection of a first branch or node associated with a token;
awarding the token to the player in response to the player's selection of the branch or node associated with the token;
receiving from the player a selection of a second branch or node associated with a prize decrement; and
negating the prize decrement with the token.
The present invention claims a right of priority to provisional application Ser. No. 60/209,111 entitled "Game of Chance," which was filed in the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Jun. 2, 2000.
The present invention relates to an online game of chance and a method of playing the game. More precisely, the invention relates to an instant-type ticket game that is played online by one or more players, the game having multiple paths which provide different outcomes depending on the path chosen.
As in many areas of commerce, the emergence and proliferation of the Internet has revolutionized gaming, making it possible for those who cannot physically access traditional "brick and mortar" type gaming facilities, e.g., Off-Track Betting or parimutuel offices, casinos, river boats, etc. to experience the thrill and excitement that can accompany games of chance "virtually", which is to say in cyber-space.
For example, patents have been issued for online gaming architecture, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,824 to Rothschild, et al. Architecture patents, such as the one to Rothschild, et al., typically disclose a networked computer system for online gaming that couples a plurality of client, or player, computers to a plurality of server computers. Further, patents have been issued for interactive game systems, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,974 to Eilat et al. Interactive game systems, such as the one to Eilat et al., typically enable a first player to compete against a second player via a communication link. Indeed, there are even patents covering online game playing with advertising, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,920 to Spaur et al., and patents for online gaming using integrated circuit "smart" cards for payment, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,666 to Bergeron.
In general, online games can be played individually or can be played by a plurality of players. Individual games pit the player against "the machine" or "the house," but the only real excitement created during play is that which accompanies winning the game. Moreover, only individual games do not necessarily require a network to play as players can play a game with their own personal computer. Multiple player games, on the other hand, can include (i) multiple players (but usually just two) playing the same game on the same computer; (ii) multiple players (but usually just two) playing the same game on remote computers using, e.g., modems and a telephone line; and (iii) multiple players (generally more than two) playing the same game on remote computers using, e.g., a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and/or the Internet. In each of these embodiments of multiple-player games, players vie against each other and "the machine," which adds an additional layer of excitement to the gaming experience.
One example of a networked, multiple-player game is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,713 to James et al. The James et al. patent discloses a turn-based, multiple-player, Internet game for a large number of players in which players can input moves sequentially, i.e., on their turn. A salient feature of the James et al. patent is that players are allowed to change moves during a turn. A problem with the James et al. patent is that the game is time-consuming; hence, some players may lose interest and abort playing the game, which may leave a "hole" in the game. Furthermore, the rules of the game are quite complex.
An online game of chance and methods of conducting and playing the game are disclosed, wherein the game is an online instant-type ticket game played by one or more players. The game is arranged in the form of a map having a plurality of branches and nodes corresponding to paths which can be selected between a starting point and a plurality of finishing points Game play occurs as each player takes a turn in sequence clicking on a branch or node corresponding to a desired path. Each selection from one or more available branches or nodes results in a prize increment, a prize decrement, or an award of a bypass token. Bypass tokens can be accumulated and later used during the game to avoid prize decrements. The object of the game is to maximize the final score by maximizing the value of prize increments and minimizing the value of prize decrements. When one of the finishing points is reached, a final prize is awarded to the one or more players.
Preferably the game of chance can be played in one of three modes: single player, cooperative multiple player, and competitive multiple player. In single player mode, the player selects available branches or nodes between the starting and finishing points. Once a finishing point is reached, the player is awarded a cash value or credit equivalent of the player's final score.
In the multiple player modes, group play is facilitated with additional features including a game room area appearing on a game screen viewable by each player. The game room area preferably includes an avatar and/or score associated with the other players in the game. As used herein, the term "avatar" refers to a graphical depiction of a character or object which serves as a token or game piece for a player. A player's avatar (e.g. a monkey eating a banana) can be displayed on the screen along with a player's screen name and score. A chat room area on the game screen allows the players to communicate during the course of game play. In the multiple player (group play) modes, each player in the group takes a turn in sequence. In a cooperative multiple player mode, the players share the same score, and the final prize is divided equally. In a competitive multiple player mode, a group score and bypass token count are maintained, but separate player scores are also maintained. Each player is encouraged either to be the high point player by maximizing his or her score, or instead sacrifice personal scoring for an award if the group score is sufficiently high.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and desired objects of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures wherein like reference character denote corresponding parts throughout the several views and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a screen printout of an instant ticket game of chance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 2A-2G are schematic depictions of a sample game sequence in a single player mode according to the present invention; and
FIG. 3 is a screen printout of an instant ticket game of chance according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
The present invention relates to an online game of chance and methods of conducting and playing the game. Preferably, the game provides single and multiple player options for an instant-type ticket game, both of which are played over a network. While a preferred embodiment of the game will be described as being played over the Internet, it should be noted that the game can be played equally as well over a LAN, WAN, wireless network, closed circuit network, and the like without violating the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The game can be played on any of the following devices, including but not limited to: a personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a video lottery terminal (VLT), a keno terminal, etc. The game also can be played using a printed instant "scratch" ticket.
FIG. 1 is a printout of a game screen 10 from a web page of an Internet version of the game herein described. The web page is accessed for playing an online game of chance, the game having a banner 11 indicating a title or other information, herein indicating the title of "Commuter." The game screen includes a game image 12, wherein the game image preferably includes a map with a plurality of branches 14, each of the branches corresponding to a path which can be followed during the course of game play. At selected path junctions are a plurality of nodes 16, wherein one node connects two or more branches at each of the selected path junctions. However, certain branches or paths can cross each other without being connected at a node.
In conjunction with the aforementioned layout of a preferred game image 12, game play proceeds as one or more player game piece(s) are advanced over the branches. As a player's game piece reaches a node, the game piece stops and a predetermined action occurs which affects the player's score and/or game status. Preferably, a node provides either a prize increment, prize decrement, or some other game action. In certain embodiments of the game of chance, this "other" game action comprises awarding a "bypass token" or other useful implement to a player. The bypass token can be held by the player to be used at the player's option during the course of the game. Preferably, a player score area 18 displays the score and bypass token count, and optionally any other information relevant to the player and/or group. The player's score and number of accumulated tokens are tabulated and stored in the server and updated during game play.
A node selection by the player produces a graphical and textual indication of a current game action 20 resulting from the particular selection. As seen in FIG. 1, after one particular move the node selection revealed a textual display of "The Train is Full . . . " along with a graphical indication to reinforce this negative result at the node. As shown textually, the score has been reduced by twenty points. If the node had resulted in a positive action, a score increment would be reported along with a positive graphical indication. If a token or other useful implement were uncovered at the node, a graphical and textual indication to this effect would be shown in the game action area 20.
As shown in FIG. 1, the game screen 10 includes an indication of the player's avatar 22 and account balance 24. Optionally displayed below the account balance is an indication 26 of the number of players currently playing the type of game indicated in the banner/title 11. Preferably provided to one side of the game image 12 is a high level menu selection comprising game-specific menu items 32 and additional menu selections 34. The game-specific items 32 can include a game identifier (e.g. "Scratch" as shown in FIG. 1) and, e.g., a listing of modes for playing the identified game. The identified game can be one selected from a plurality of games offered on a particular web site or by a particular provider. The additional menu selections 34 allow the player to obtain additional game-related information, e.g., by finding out more about another game, by participating in an online chat, or by accessing a "help" screen for information on the current game or other games available on the system.
The game screen 10 further includes a game room area 28 containing avatars of one or more players currently playing in a game with the player 22 or optionally including avatars which are part of a preselected group associated with the player 22. If one or more of the avatars are currently participating in the game, preferably adjacent each participating avatar is score and accumulated token information. The players can communicate with each other during the course of the game by typing messages in a chat area 30. Thus, players can provide real-time advice and commentary and thereby interact with other players in the game room.
Another preferred embodiment of a game of chance according to the present invention is depicted in FIG. 3. Like reference numerals from FIG. 1 are preceded by a "1" in FIG. 3; for example, reference numeral 110 refers to a game screen in the embodiment of FIG. 3 similar to the game screen 10 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a variation of the game of chance herein described, having a title 111 indicated as "Stagecoach" and a Western theme. A game image 112 includes a map having a plurality of branches, each appearing as a "dirt" path on the game image, and a plurality of nodes, wherein at each node a building, sign, or other structure is depicted. The game is played in the same manner as described with reference to FIG. 1. A current game action 120 is indicated along with a graphical and textual depiction of a result of landing on the particular node. A player score area 118 includes the player's avatar and/or score and token information. The other players' avatars are included in a game room area 128, herein depicted with updated scores 128 a and accumulated tokens 128 b. As in the embodiment of FIG. 1, players in a multiple player game can communicate with each other in a chat room area 130. FIG. 3 is a variation of a game of chance according to the present invention, and further details of the game are discussed in the description accompanying FIG. 1.
A method for accessing the game and selecting a game mode will now be described. To play the game, players need a computer system that includes a central processing unit, data memory, e.g., random access memory (RAM) and/or read only memory (ROM), one or more input/output (I/O) devices, e.g., a display screen, mouse, or trackball, and Web browser software. The computer system can be in the form of a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, or other device capable of accessing a network. The Web browser software permits players to communicate with a game server over the network, e.g., the Internet, in general, or the World Wide Web, specifically. For example, Web browser software enables player servers to transmit data to the game server; receive data, e.g., in hyper-text markup language (HTML), from the game server; and display that data in a human readable format on, e.g., a display screen. Alternatively, the game can be played on a closed circuit machine or dedicated device such as a video lottery terminal.
The game server, which can include a combination of one or more servers, includes data memory, e.g., RAM and/or ROM, and supporting software for hosting a plurality of games, e.g., providing each player with an option of participating in one of the game modes; providing each player with a game screen 10 corresponding to the selected game; combining a plurality of players into a playing group; recording the choices effected by players; and determining whether the player(s) have won a prize and the amount of that prize, and communicating with a plurality of player computer systems.
In an Internet version of the game, once a player has accessed, i.e., downloaded, the game server's Web site, software in the game server transmits data to the player's computer system that requests the player to register, if a first time (unknown) visitor, or to identify himself or herself, if a repeat visitor. To register, a player provides responses to queries for personal information about the player, e.g., name, address, email address, telephone number, credit card number, and the like. Typically, players respond to these queries using a keyboard, mouse, and/or trackball. Once a player has provided the requisite information, he or she is prompted to select a password/passphrase and an access code or personal identification number (PIN), which the game server will use on all subsequent visits to identify the player. Furthermore, prior to the start of play, the game server will provide players with the rules, regulations, and conditions of playing the game, including provisions on how wagers will be made and paid for, e.g., by debiting the player's credit card account. Players have to signify that they accept these conditions of play by clicking on the appropriate button.
Having accessed the game server's Web site and registered to play, players are then asked which of the game modes they would like to select Preferably, players can select from the following game modes: single player mode, cooperative multiple player mode, or competitive multiple player mode. If either of the multiple player modes is selected, the players are prompted as to whether they want to join a playing group, or, in the alternative, whether they want to join a particular group of players who also have logged on to the game server's Web site and registered. If a player indicates that he or she wants to play with a particular group of players, he or she is asked to provide a name of the group, which either creates an address in memory to which subsequent players will be directed or directs players to the playing group at that address.
For example, player A agrees to play a game with her friends B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I at a particular time, using a group name of FRIENDS. At the appointed time, player A logs on and registers as described above. She selects a cooperative multiple player mode and when prompted whether she wants to play with a particular group, player A clicks on the button for the affirmative and then either types the group name FRIENDS or clicks on FRIENDS when it appears in a window containing a list of group names. To preclude uninvited guests from entering a group, a password, which is known only to the affiliated players, can be used.
An illustrative embodiment of a computer screen display in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. Concurrent with providing a player with a screen display 10, the game server debits each player's, e.g., credit card, account the prescribed fee for playing the game. Preferably, to play a game, the game server draws one predetermined outcome ticket from a fixed prize pool. The prize value of the ticket is multiplied by the number of players participating in the game room. Alternatively, tickets can be drawn for the players in the room and their various prize amounts are combined to form one final prize amount, to be divided among the players.
In certain embodiments of the game, a ticket can be tagged with a "bonus" coin, token, or emblem which increases the player's odds of attaining a high score on the ticket. For example, after the player has entered the information required for a game play, the player can be notified that the game is a bonus game and his or her chances of scoring well by landing on branches with high prize values has been increased. The game as described with reference to FIGS. 1-3 does not include the "bonus" feature.
In single play mode, the player selects from among different branches to follow a selected path between the starting and finishing points. Preferably at each node, the player is awarded a prize increment, is penalized a prize decrement, or gains a bypass token. If the player lands on a prize decrement node, the player can decide whether to use a bypass token to thereby avoid a penalty. At the end of the game, the prize value remaining after all branch node increments and decrements becomes the player's final prize.
In group play, whether cooperative or competitive, the players take turns deciding which branch to follow as the game progresses from the starting to finishing points. Game play proceeds in a manner similar to single play mode, with the player receiving a prize increment, a prize decrement, or a bypass token at selected nodes. If the player lands on a prize decrement node, the player can decide whether to use a bypass token (if the group has one) to avoid the penalty. The chat function enables team members to discuss strategy before a player makes his/her decision.
In group play, the order of turns is preferably based on order of entry into the game room. Optionally, any other criteria can be used to select order of turns, including a randomly selected order. The avatar of the first player illuminates, indicating to all players in the game that the first player must make a move. The first player can select a starting path branch within an allotted time interval to initiate the game. Preferably, the game incrementally marks progress toward the next branch node using a path marker, which serves as a timer for the next player's turn. The next player's avatar illuminates, and the player must select the next branch before the path marker reaches the next node. Alternatively, a built-in counter or other timer can be used to cause the game to progress. Each turn results in a prize increment, prize decrement, or a bypass token for each branch (awarded at the corresponding node). The team's accumulated prize and number of bypass tokens are tallied adjacent the game image 12. Play continues until a final destination (i.e. end of a branch) is reached.
A sample game play sequence for a single player mode will now be discussed with reference to FIGS. 2A to 2G. After the player provides account and/or credit card information to confirm a game play purchase, the game server draws one predetermined outcome ticket from a fixed prize pool. FIG. 2A is a schematic depiction of a generic game image 50 represented on the ticket. In an actual game, the screen preferably contains one or more additional elements as shown in FIG. 1, and the game image 50 provides various graphical clues related to a particular game theme. In general, the game image 50 provides the player with a map having a plurality of branches 54 connected by a plurality of nodes 56. Nodes generally exist at the junction of two or more branches. However, certain junctions do not have nodes, indicating that the branches simply traverse one another. As seen in FIG. 2A, the nodes 56 can be numbered or can contain other information, such as the name of a geographical location, in accordance with the game theme. The player's score 58 and accumulated bypass tokens 59 are displayed adjacent the game image 50.
According to a sample game, the player's current position is marked using a marker (herein depicted as a star) at a starting point 52 (see FIG. 2A). From there, the player must choose between a first branch 62 and a second branch 64. In the illustrated game, as seen in FIG. 2B, the player has selected the second branch 64 by positioning an arrow 66 over the branch 64 or node 68 and clicking with a mouse or other input device. The node 68 reveals a result of the selection, in this case an award of 25 points. The player's score is incremented by 25 points, and the player can select the next branch/node.
As seen in FIG. 2C, the player's marker has advanced to the selected node, and now a further selection must be made. Preferably to keep the player moving in the proper direction, non-selected paths 70 are made unavailable and are depicted in a different shade or color than available paths. The player now must select between the branches represented by node 72 and node 74. In FIG. 2D, the player has selected the node 72, and the marker advances toward that node. The node 72 has revealed a bypass token, which is added to the player's token area 59.
After the node 72 has been selected, only one branch/node is available for the next move. The player can click on the node 76 or the server will automatically select it. As seen in FIG. 2E, the node 76 has revealed a prize decrement, in this case a "−15" indicating that 15 points are to be subtracted from the player's score. However, since the player has accumulated a bypass token, as indicated in the token area 59, the player can click on the bypass token to use the token and thereby avoid the penalty. Alternatively, the player can hold the bypass token in order to protect against a larger decrement which could be encountered later in the game. As indicated in FIG. 2E, the player has chosen to use the bypass token, thereby avoiding the penalty.
As seen in FIG. 2F, the player's next choice reveals a prize increment of 5 points, which is added to the player's score. The following choice, as indicated in FIG. 2G, leads to a finishing point and the selected node reveals a decrement of 10 points. The player's final score, as indicated in the score area 58, is 20 points, which is credited to the player's account. For example, the 20 points can represent 20 dollars, and the player's account balance would be credited by 20 dollars. Preferably, the player's account is never debited, except for the initial cost of the ticket. For example, if the final score were a negative number, the player's account would not be debited any additional amount.
The above sequence represents a sample game sequence in accordance with paths (i.e. branches or nodes) selected by a particular player. The paths followed during a game and any actions taken (e.g. the use of bypass tokens) will necessarily depend on an individual player's choices.
The second and third modes of playing the game are group play modes, namely a cooperative multiple player mode and a competitive multiple player mode. These modes use a game image and a game screen similar to that used for the single player mode. The game screen of FIG. 1 illustrates a typical arrangement appropriate for group play, including the game room area 28 which contains other players' avatars and their respective scores and token counts (not shown). The chat area 30 enables communications between the players to facilitate strategy discussions between group members, and to allow coordination, if desired, at game decision points.
In the second mode, i.e. cooperative multiple player mode, the cost to each player is the same as in the single player game (e.g. $10 for a ticket, or in this case $10 to participate on a ticket). The prize structure for an n-player game is a simple n multiplier of the single player prize structure, e.g., a $10 single player prize tier becomes a $40 prize tier in a 4-player game. A turn control mechanism and/or timer monitors the turns and allows an equal time interval for each player's turn. Preferably, if a player does not make a selection in the allotted time, the server makes a selection for the player, in order to keep the game moving in the event of an inattentive or disconnected player.
When team readiness meets pre-defined criteria, such as when all the players in a game room have confirmed game play purchases, the game server randomly selects and logs a predetermined outcome ticket for the game. A turn arbitrator (not shown) designates the first player's turn and a sequence of turns for the other players and notifies all players accordingly. Game play commences with the first player and then each other player taking a turn in sequence. If a player does not complete a move in an allotted time interval, the game server randomly selects one of the available options. Preferably, game play is similar to that discussed above with reference to the single player mode. However, group play provides multiple player involvement and the ability to communicate between the players. Further, each turn and the resulting game actions affect the entire group. For example, any bypass tokens accumulated by the group can be used by any player(s) at their option. Thus, one player can use a bypass token earned by another player, in order to maximize the group's final score. When a turn results in a finishing point being reached, the game is then completed, and the accumulated prize preferably is divided equally among all of the players in the group.
According to the third mode, i.e. competitive multiple player mode, game play proceeds in a manner similar to the second mode, with each player taking a turn in sequence. The prize structure is based on the number of participating players multiplied by the individual game play cost. Running totals of the group's overall score and accumulated bypass tokens are maintained. However, scores are also maintained separately for each player. Preferably, prizes can be awarded in a distribution favoring individual play but also encouraging high overall group scores. Prize distribution formulas are readily adjustable. One particular scheme is depicted below:
In the above scheme, players are encouraged to seek a high score for the group, as all players share in the highest prize totals. In particular, player(s) who have little chance of winning are encouraged to sacrifice their score in hopes of becoming the low point player and winning a 20% prize, but only if the overall group prize balance is sufficiently high. Such a scheme encourages wise use of bypass tokens for the group's benefit. However, in competitive multiple player mode, high point player(s) are permitted to keep a majority of their share of the winnings.
Although the invention has been described in detail including the preferred embodiments thereof, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations including improvements may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.
Patent Citations
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Negotiations between Iran and the P5+1, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany, wrapped up today in Baghdad and the best news from the meeting is that there will be another round of talks, in Moscow, next month. As long as the two sides keep talking, something good could transpire.
The third round of talks would hone in on a uranium enrichment freeze and a potential fuel swap, where Iran gets their enriched uranium for civilian nuclear energy from the outside:
The talks, according to U.S. and European officials, will be focused on freezing Iran's production of enriched uranium to 20% purity—a level deemed dangerously close to weapons grade—and shipping its stockpile of the nuclear fuel out of the country.
The diplomatic bloc negotiating with Iran, which is comprised of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, plus Germany, is offering Tehran economic and diplomatic inducements in a bid to constrain its nuclear program […]
In particular, Tehran has sought a scrapping or a delay of an EU oil embargo set to be imposed on July 1, according to Iranian officials. This action is expected to endanger as much as a third of the Iranian government's annual revenues.
"The Iranians were not wowed" by the P5+1's offers, a senior U.S. official said late Thursday. But the diplomat said negotiators had flexibility to come up with new inducements heading into the Moscow talks.
Under international law, Iran has the right to freely enrich uranium to 20% which is still considered low-enriched uranium. So they are clearly being pushed into this position by the financial sanctions, including the oil embargo.
I can see the P5+1 asking for the constraints on uranium enrichment for essentially nothing, and I can see the Iranians asking for not just the dropping of the oil embargo but far more inducements. Without being in the room, I cannot know. But at any rate, while there are differences, both sides are talking, which is an improvement over the shouting from earlier in the year.
Catherine Ashton, the lead negotiator for the European Union, who hilariously calls the negotiating team the "E3+3″ (i.e. Britain, France and Germany, representing Europe, along with the US, China and Russia) instead of the P5+1, made this statement upon the close of the negotiations: [cont'd.]
In line with our agreement in Istanbul, the E3+3 laid out clear proposals to address the Iranian nuclear issue and, in particular, all aspects of 20% enrichment.
We also put ideas on the table on reciprocal steps we would be prepared to take.
Iran declared its readiness to address the issue of 20% enrichment and came with its own five-point plan, including their assertion that we recognise their right to enrichment.
Having held in-depth discussions with our Iranian counterparts over two days – both in full plenary sessions and bilaterals – it is clear that we both want to make progress, and that there is some common ground. However, significant differences remain. Nonetheless, we do agree on the need for further discussion to expand that common ground.
This is generally where you would expect things to be in a legitimate negotiation. The proposals are serious and not a set of unreasonable demands.
Juan Cole believes that this round of diplomacy is having the beneficial impact of averting war:
The sanctions and threatened blockade have brought Iran to the negotiating table. But the Iranian state, as opposed to the Iranian people, is not terribly worried about the Western sanctions, since its petroleum income is sufficient to buffer the government from unrest at anything above $54 a barrel, well below the current price. The state, in short, is still getting rich even with the sanctions, and can evade the blockade by using soft currencies like the Indian rupee and by resorting to barter trades (oil for wheat, e.g.). The Iranian state probably is sufficiently cushioned from the sanctions that state actors will not be harmed by even the stringent US sanctions. Thus, Tehran doesn't absolutely need to make urgent concessions, though it does want to show some flexibility, in hopes of getting the sanctions dropped or at least softened (especially the UNSC sanctions, since Iran wants to separate out the uber-hawkish US government from its United Nations Security Council colleagues.
The main good thing about the talks is that as long as they continue, they make it hard for anyone to start a war.
And that's definitely the outcome the world should seek.


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Wednesday, July 2, 2014
The South Carolina Department of Public Safety is urging motorists to plan early and leave plenty of time for travel over the long July 4 weekend.
SCHP is increasing enforcement activity around the state already to assist travelers and prevent collisions, fatalities and injuries during the long holiday travel weekend.
AAA Carolinas is predicting that nearly half a million South Carolinians are expected to hit the road for the Independence Day holiday, the highest number in more than 13 years. Even though gas prices are the highest since 2008, South Carolinas are the lowest in the nation, prompting an increase in highway travel.
The official holiday travel period begins Thursday at 6 p.m. and runs through Sunday at midnight, a total of 78 hours. In 2013, the travel period was 102 hours and 10 people were killed on South Carolina highways during that time.
Motorists should anticipate heavier-than-normal traffic this Independence Day holiday since it is falling on a Friday and people will likely couple that with vacation time, said SCDPSs Leroy Smith. We urge motorists to reduce their speeds, leave plenty of room for a safe stopping distance and be aware of sharing the road with motorcyclists and other vulnerable roadway users.
As of July 1, 358 people have been killed on the highways compared to 365 people last year. Through midnight June 1, 42 pedestrians, 35 motorcyclists and five bicyclists have died on state roads and highways.
Of the 256 motor vehicle occupants who have died in 2014, 124 were not wearing seat belts.
South Carolina Highway Patrol Col. Mike Oliver said the Highway Patrol will begin a special enforcement effort for the month of July called Operation L.I.F.E. (Lower Interstate Fatalities Effort) focusing on DUI, speeding and safety belt violations on our interstates. Motorists will see more troopers around congested, high-collision interstate areas.
We cannot emphasize enough the importance of designating a driver and planning ahead if alcohol is part of your July 4 plans, Oliver said. Our troopers will be especially vigilant for signs of impaired driving over the holiday weekend.
Interstates are a particular focus this time of year because of the heavy summer vacation travel, which often causes increased congestion and collisions. Preliminary data from 2013 show the primary contributing factors to interstate collisions were speed, improper lane usage/change and DUI.
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