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Candidate profile: Ken Hicks
The 2014 W.Va. primary election is Tuesday, May 13.
We are running brief profiles from candidates who have filled out our questionnaire. For answers to more questions from this candidate and others, visit Herald-Dispatch.com. Click Elections 2014, then "West Virginia candidates and profiles." If a candidate has submitted his or her profile information and questions, the candidate's name will link to that information. Candidates' replies appear as they were submitted and have not been edited.
NAME: Ken Hicks
CANDIDATE FOR: W.Va. House 19 (which covers Wayne County)
DUTIES OF THE OFFICE: While lawmakers are elected by the people to serve as their representative voice in government, they are also professionals in other occupations. This is known as a part-time Legislature. All 100 House of Delegates seats are up for election every two years. The salary is $20,000 per calendar year.
PARTY: Democrat
CITY: Kenova
EDUCATION: Buffalo High School (Wayne County); Marshall University, Bachelor's Degree; University of Toledo College of Law, Juris Doctor of Law.
CURRENT OFFICE OR OCCUPATION: Attorney in a general law practice. I have been a small business owner for the last 26 years and past president of the Cabell County Bar Association.
OTHER WORK HISTORY: Former attorney for the Wayne County Commission; former attorney and legal advisor for Berea Oil and gas Corporation and Peco Resources Corporation. I worked in real estate acquisition and development of oil, gas and coal properties. I also worked as a licensed real estate agent in the states of West Virginia and Ohio.
CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS: Cabell-Wayne Association of the Blind Board of Directors for the last 20 years; Board of Directors for the Huntington City Mission. Member of the First Baptist Church of Kenova.
FAMILY: I have been married for over twenty-one years to Tonya Kiser Hicks. We have three children, Kenny Hicks Jr., Bethany Hatfield (Jason Hatfield) and Jared "Boo" Hicks. Grandchild, Jase Hatfield.
QUESTION & ANSWER: What more should the state do to battle the prescription drug crisis?
"The state needs to coordinate a team approach with the physicians, pharmacies & law enforcement agencies to combat this problem. The treating physicians and pharmacies need to identify those patients and customers they suspect may be abusing drugs. Law Enforcement agencies need to increase their efforts to prosecute those individuals involved in prescription abuse."
OTHER CANDIDATES: Hicks faces Don C. Perdue and Tim Kinsey in the Democratic primary for two open seats.
CANDIDATES: To add your information to our Election site, email your contact information to Online Editor Andrea Copley-Smith at firstname.lastname@example.com.
The Herald-Dispatch welcomes your comments on this article, but please be civil. Avoid profanity, obscenity, personal attacks, accusations of criminal activity, name-calling or insults to the other posters. Herald-dispatch.com does not control or monitor comments as they are posted, but if you find a comment offensive or uncivil, hover your mouse over the comment and click the X that appears in the upper right of the comment. If you do not want your comment to post to your personal Facebook page, uncheck the box below the comment.


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Laura Lee Designs
Laura Lee Designs provides highest quality wrought iron lighting. The expert craftsmen and artisans in our Los Angeles studio have perfected the art and our distinctive chandeliers, sconces, lamps and outdoor lighting pieces have adorned a wide range of homes, hotels, and restaurants. Our new line, Laura Luna, specializes in handwoven Guatemalan textiles created from indigenous Mayan clothing using Fair Trade practices.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Pudge Report: Obsessive Entertainment Disorder
Bringing you musings and information about some of the shows and movies that we just can't live with out, including Game of Thrones, Grimm, True Blood, Once Upon A Time, Revolution, New Girl, Marvel, DC, Star Trek, Star Wars.
Posts filtered on Tag
Star Trek looking at 100 million domestic opening, Iron Man 3 near One Billion
The Summer blockbuster is in full swing, with Iron Man 3 already doing gang busters. According to the The Guardian UK Iron Man 3 has passed the one billion mark, being only the 2nd comic book movie to pass that threshold. It has passed the Dark Knight which had previously held the number two spot. […] [Read More]
Summer 2013 Box Office Predictions: Top 5
1. – 364 Million Domestic – Iron Man 3 will be the number one summer blockbuster in regards to Domestic Box Office. There are several reasons, one Iron Man 3 builds upon a Marvel Universe that just saw The Avengers blow up over 640 million dollars last summer, one of the main stars? Iron man. […] [Read More]


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Vinnie Colaiuta
View Single Post
Junior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 19
Re: Vinnie Colauita
Originally Posted by
Wow - you seem to know a whole lot about Vinne. Actually, you sound like a Vinnie-professional! You've already checked out at least 5 Vids with Vinnie - thats amazing. I am blown away by the amount of research you've put into that one post. Great. Keep it up!
Hey - you're not only a Vinnie-listening professional, but also a professional drummer! How else would you be able to analize Vinnies solos so deeply just by watching them a few times?? Maybe you should give Vinnie your number so that he will be able to take a lesson with you. I'm sure that you can tell him interesting things about Groove and Feel. But I have to warn you: You will not succeed in turning him into a creative person. He is just not it, but who am I telling this to? You knew about this already for sure!
Yeah.... It is a real pitty that you were not there. You would have showed these ignorant fools in the audience!
I'm asking myself: Why the hell do I even bother about your post? It is just so amazingly wrong and plain arrogant.... wow! I've said this in a few other threads before, but it is actually people like you that make me hate this board and that make me want to leave it.
Look, this could be such a cool place: People sharing their knowledge and their passion for drumming and and for drummers. People sharing. People getting into positive discussions. But what happens way too often is, that people who have nothing to say or to add to threads just throw in their nonsense to start off discussions or to provoke other people. Why cannot everybody just accept it, when people - like Vinnie or any other great drummer - do great things on the drums?? Is your self-esteem really that low that your afraid to admit that other people are actually better than yourself or your personal heroes??
I just don't get it. There is so much greatness in this world. Why not just enjoy it, maybe - if you like - learn from it and be real happy about it?
Maybe some people just have to get a few years older.
First of all i'm not critisizing Vinnie drumming as a whole, I am critisizing his solo's which I find boring and uncreativive compared to the other great drummer in the world (Gadd, Weckl). And those videos that ive watched quite a few times now obviously represent how Vinnie solos, if I am missing somthing than please enlighten me.
I'm sure of Vinnie can lay down a variety of grooves, just like any drummer who been playing for so many years. In fact I have heard them with my own ears. Vinnie is a very good drummer, but I do not like his style of soloing...that's all i'm saying. If I sounded overly negative than thats my bad.
I'm sorry that you take other peoples opinions and critisisms as a personal attack, and I feel sorry for you that you can only respond with sarcastiuc comments without trying to refute my opinion with a debate. I'm not making an effort to piss people off, i'm just stating how and why i'm not fond of vinnie's style of playing. I still dont see how I am wrong and arrogant. Maybe I come across as very negative, but I am not a negative person at all, if you look outside this thread i've been nothing but positive sinse ive been here.
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Bulger to Be on Popular Golf Channel Show
Former West Virginia University quarterback Marc Bulger is going to help some aspiring young golfer get their "Big Break" this fall.
The NFL and the Golf Channel are teaming up to add a new twist to the popular Golf Channel series by featuring ex-pro football stars Jerry Rice, Chris Doleman, Tim Brown, Al Del Greco, Mark Rypien and Bulger in a threesome with two Big Break competitors (male and female).
The former pros will be playing for $50,000 designated to their favorite charity, while the competitors are playing for pro tour exemptions, cash and other prizes.
Bulger, a 4-handicapper, played eight years for the St. Louis Rams before retiring after the 2009 season. He made two Pro Bowl appearances (2003 and 2006) and was named MVP of the 2003 game.
Bulger's best season with the Rams came in 2006 when he completed 370 of 588 passes for 4,301 yards and 24 touchdowns. Bulger passed for 22,814 yards and 122 touchdowns during his NFL career, all with the Rams.
While at WVU, Bulger held 25 school passing records when his career ended in 1999, although Geno Smith has since eclipsed most of those. Bulger's best season came in 1998 when he passed for 3,607 yards and 31 touchdowns in leading West Virginia to an eight-win season and a meeting against Missouri in the Insight.com Bowl.
Bulger passed for 8,153 yards and 59 touchdowns during his four-year career at West Virginia. Bulger was inducted into the West Virginia University Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.
The show will be taped at Dorado Beach Resort in Puerto Rico and will premiere on Tuesday, Oct. 8 at 9 p.m. on the Golf Channel. It will air on Tuesdays.
Marc Bulger, The Golf Channel, NFL, Big Break, West Virginia University Mountaineers
Big 12 Media Days: Dave Wannstedt
Big 12 Media Days: Karl Joseph
Men's Basketball: Bahamas Preview
Womens Soccer: Kadeisha Buchanan Press Conference
Big 12 Media Days: Dana Holgorsen
Women's Soccer: Amanda Hill and Mocha


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Bully: Scholarship Edition
Third party DRM: SteamThis game requires a free Steam account to play.
"And what's the best way to gain power and prestige at a new school? Pranks and violence, of course!" - ign.com
"Bully is one of the better gameplay experiences in recent years, letting you break a drunken schoolteacher out of an asylum, help the lunch lady drug her date, steal panties from the girls' dorm, and take pictures of snotty kids sitting on the lap of a homeless Santa." - gamespot.com
Bully: Scholarship Edition takes place at the fictional New England boarding school, Bullworth Academy and tells the story of mischievous 15-year-old Jimmy Hopkins as he goes through the hilarity and awkwardness of adolescence. Beat the jocks at dodge ball, play pranks on the preppies, save the nerds, kiss the girl and ultimately navigate the social hierarchy in the worst school around.
Key Features:
Story – Scholarship Edition brings together all of the clichés surrounding school, the cliques, the teachers, the pranks and creates an environment which is hilarious to play and interesting to explore.
Variety – With 82 missions, 45 lessons, loads of mini games and collectibles, Bully provides over 30 hours of entertainment.
Pranks – Spread the mischief. Use your slingshot to annoy the school mascot, give the preppies wedgies, leave a stink bomb in the cheerleader's locker, trip the prefects on well placed marbles, drop firecrackers in the toilets and own the school.
Characters – Over 100 voiced characters to socially interact with among several social groups; jocks, nerds, preppies, greasers, teachers, townies, carnies and of course girls.
Choice – You're in charge. Decide whether you have a positive or negative effect when interacting or accepting missions; you can say hello to fellow classmates or deliver mean wedgies. Even decide which girls you want to kiss or what classes to skip.
Music – Original score creates a dynamic atmosphere that compliments the schoolyard experience seamlessly.
Customer reviews
Boarding School Simulatormrgreen9705 | June 17, 2015 | See all mrgreen9705's reviews »
Jimmy's trouble making has seen him kicked out of several schools, thus he ends up at Bullworth Academy boarding school. It is up to you to climb the hierarchy of the school while maintaining your grades. The game is an open world sandbox with similar mechanics to the GTA-series with missions and side activities. There is plenty of pranks and fun activities to be done and the story is compelling and humorous.
Great Game!JacobDucote328 | May 1, 2015 | See all JacobDucote328's reviews »
Rockstar delivers yet another classic game. The game is basically Grand Theft Auto at a private school. You play as Jimmy Hopkins doing acts of violence around school. What's interesting is that you actually have to go to class! It is much more hilarious and entertaining than Grand Theft Auto, I must say. The controls are weird for a mouse and a keyboard. I would recommend using a controller. The gameplay is great on the computer. If you had this game on a console, I would recommend getting it for PC. The game produced hours of fun and laughter, and will be a keeper in anyone's book!
GTA: Kids Editionemptyhaven | March 21, 2015 | See all emptyhaven's reviews »
This game is the equally as violent, but less gruesome version of another of Rockstar's franchises, GTA. But while the violence seems a bit toned down (Q: how could you ever get away with a kid holding a gun?), the brutality is still strong here (A: make it a BB gun!), with pretty much the same mechanics of beating people up, stealing their stuff, later, rinse, repeat. The story isn't a slouch either, holding the gameplay together, tighter than a wedgied nerd. Playing the factions for their alliance is a lot of fun, and sometimes it's interesting watching the dynamics of each clique interact with each other, with or without your influence. The game itself is a progression of open world mechanics. I like that it was open world, but introduced as a piece meal. We only get parts at a time, but once it's unlocked, it's unlocked for good (unless the plot calls for otherwise). This is a great game for GTA fans like myself. It has the same feel as GTA, but it's a whole different ride itself.
Worth every penny.JiinCarlo | Jan. 2, 2015 | See all JiinCarlo's reviews »
I bought this game around the time when it first came out on PS2 and as a kid I had no idea what I was getting into. I played the hell out of it for years and then I found out they were making an HD version for the Xbox 360 and I just had to buy it again. The game is really fun, there are so many things to do and so many places to explore, a lot of collectibles, I honestly don't know what to write because the game is just overall good and in my opinion far better than GTA only because there's not much to do in GTA when compared to Bully. If you have the money to spare buy it! If you're looking for a game and not sure what to get then get this without doubt.
Schoolyard Mayhembibboorton | Sept. 9, 2014 | See all bibboorton's reviews »
Bully is an open world sandbox game where you play as Jimmy Hopkins, a 15-year-old troublemaker with a silver heart who has been expelled from multiple schools and is coming from a somewhat broken family. The game begins with Jimmy's mother and her new husband dropping him off at Bullworth Academy, where a struggle for power immediately surfaces. Jimmy would strive to be the king of a peaceful campus with no bullies and every student from multiple factions all getting along in beautiful harmony. It's your standard open-world game set in a high school setting. Remove the guns and replace it with bottle rockets. Take away the grenades and bring in the itching powder. Get rid of the SWAT team and welcome the prefects. It's a very refreshing take on a very standard formula, and the execution is well-done. You wouldn't expect anything less, though, as the title has been developed by Rockstar Games. The environment in Bully is well-constructed, and there are quite a few enjoyable distractions and side missions that you can interact with. Being an open-world game, you can of course race using bikes and even a go-kart inside the fairgrounds. You can also ride rides and play carnival games in the circus. Being set in a school, you can also attend classes, which actually tests your knowledge and/or patience in subjects such as English, Biology, Gym and even Shop class. It's hard to find fault in a game as well-constructed game as this. The only criticism I have is the game's lack of auto-save or even checkpoints. You don't realize how badly those systems are needed in games until they have been blatantly and shamelessly taken away.


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10 Suggested Jobs For Mitt Romney Now That He Is Unemployed
10 Jobs For Mitt Romney Now That He Is Unemployed
1 of 11
Listen, my guy may have won on Election Day, but I am not without sympathy for the presidential race's loser, Mitt Romney. It totally sucks to be out of work, especially when you're not sure what profession you're going to pursue next. (Mitt has said that if he didn't become president, he would be done with politics.) Because I really care about Mitt, and know those millions of dollars in the Cayman Islands won't last forever, I thought I would help him out with some suggestions...


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Whatever scribblers and their editors in greater foodlandia may maintain, there is a built-in bias against reviewing chain restaurants, especially those involving counter ordering.Comments ()
There's nothing more reassuring at a restaurant than hearing the telltale sounds of your meal being prepared fresh from scratch in the kitchen mere minutes after placing your order.
While it's not a new idea, the farm-to-fork/pasture-to-plate/tract-to-table movement is still a worthy, sustainable and potentially delicious one.
One of the dirty little secrets about our otherwise mostly lovable town is the bizarre dearth of independent seafood restaurants.
Charming stalwarts of the downtown dining scene, co-owners Christian Mena and chef Lino Oliviera of Sabor Restaurant and Bodega Tapas and Wine Bar, have something special in the oven. It's a pizza! Located right next door to their other eateries in the Boardwalk building, Urbano has been sparked by a growing craze. Super-fast pizza ovens are trending across North America, delivering personal...
Edmonton has its share of Korean restaurants, but none is quite like its newest addition, NongBu Korean Eatery.
Psst … Wanna buy an awesome hotdog? It'll be our little secret.
Here's a phrase that will likely sound counter-intuitive to many Edmontonians: "Let's go out to the airport for some fine dining in a beautiful space."
The local restaurant landscape is an ever-changing scene, more flighty and unpredictable than spring in Edmonton.
The link between Christianity and fast food — not to mention the rest of the corporate milieu — is nothing new and much like the faith, reflects different takes.
If you haven't heard of the arrival of Max's Restaurant in Edmonton yet, you clearly haven't been talking to anyone in the local Filipino community.
It's a bit of a stretch to label Kaengthai Bistro a university hangout, considering its location on Whyte just east of the former Strathcona tracks.
The new Nosh Café on 124th Street has its work cut out for it.
Seasonal cuisine is an ambitious goal in a place where the dominant season is the one in which nothing grows.
Perhaps there is something mystical about this otherwise prosaic, if high-traffic, location on Whyte Avenue that inspires unusual-unto- unfathomable naming choices among the hospitality players. For some years, this spot around the corner from the Varscona Hotel went by the moniker Murrietta's, apparently the handle of a totally obscure California bandit. This seemed to have nothing whatsoever...
After being closed for more than three months this fall for a major expansion and facelift, Whyte Avenue's Cafe Mosaics came back on the scene last month almost unrecognizable.
There is now a reason to go to the Grand Hotel that doesn't involve watery draft, liquor off-sales or a spectacular view of the back of the Greyhound station.
Opening a new restaurant in premises long occupied by a departed, much-loved café is a tricky business.
There are your standard sushi restaurants, and then there the type that offer a modern and reimagined take on traditional dishes. Food that surprises and inspires. Japonais Bistro falls with the latter.
Ratatouille is luscious and colourful, with plenty of texture and a rich cloak of a sauce intense with... »
There are two generally accepted truths when it comes to yogurt: first, it is the subject of some of... »


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Nghe VOV5 radio
VOV5 radio 105.5 is an english radiostation playing vietnamese talkshows and news. It is called: Radio the voice of Vietnam. Check it out for yourself.
This station uses an external player. Please click here if it did not open, or open the station in a new window.


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Main News Page
Thursday, January 12, 2012
More items for
Health & Safety
A Texas contractor failed to test atmospheric conditions, provide sufficient ventilation, or have rescue equipment ready before sending a worker into a sewer line, where he then died, federal safety authorities say.
U.S. Chemical Safety Board
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Granbury Contracting and Utilities Inc., of Tolar, TX, for two willful and two serious safety and health violations in the death of Eliseo Ramirez Rodriguez. OSHA is proposing $118,580 in fines in the case.
Rodriguez suffocated June 28 at a city Sanitary Lift Station in Gordon, TX, while conducting an inspection of a sewer line.
Authorities said Rodriguez fell back into the line while trying to climb a ladder to get out. That prompted another worker, Raphael Morales, to enter the line and try to rescue him, authorities said.
Morales was then overcome by the gas and also fell from the ladder, authorities said. A third employee, who was not identified, then was able to pull Morales out. The third worker was not injured, but Morales was hospitalized for the exposure.
Willful, Serious Violations
The willful violations—OSHA's highest level of infraction—allege failure to test for atmospheric conditions, failure to provide adequate ventilation, and failure to provide emergency retrieval equipment before allowing Rodriguez to enter the hazardous atmosphere in a confined space, where employees risked exposure to hydrogen sulfide, methane or drowning.
A willful violation assumes "intentional knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements" or "plain indifference to worker safety and health."
The serious violations allege failure to:
• Provide or require the use of respirators; and
• Determine the potential for a hazardous atmosphere where oxygen deficiency, methane and/or hydrogen sulfide were present or likely to be present.
• Provide or require the use of respirators; and
• Determine the potential for a hazardous atmosphere where oxygen deficiency, methane and/or hydrogen sulfide were present or likely to be present.
Serious violations reflect "substantial probability" of death or serious physical harm from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
'Tragic Incident'
"The company failed to ensure that proper confined space entry procedures were followed," said Jack Rector, OSHA's area director in Fort Worth. "If it had followed OSHA's safety standards, it is possible that this tragic incident could have been prevented."
Granbury, which employs about 30 people at the Gordon location, was cited by OSHA in 2008 for one serious violation of fire prevention standards and in 2007 for two serious excavation and respiratory violations. The company did not respond Thursday to a request for comment.
Granbury has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA, or contest the citations.
Other Manhole Deaths
The Granbury incident came just two weeks after a nearly identical incident claimed the lives of two workers in North Carolina.
There, one worker perished while trying to rescue another who had suffocated while laying water lines. The victims were employees of Triangle Grading and Paving, a Burlington NC-based utility contractor that has been cited dozens of times for federal health and safety violations. In 1997, a company employee burned to death on a job.
OSHA has not yet completed its investigation in the North Carolina case.
And in September, two workers were overcome by toxic gases while working in a sewage pump tank in Kennebunkport, ME.
In that case, OSHA issued four serious citations and proposed $16,800 in fines against the men's employer, Stevens Electric & Pump Service, of Monmouth, ME.
Toxic Exposure Regulations
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a colorless, flammable, poisonous gas commonly found in sewer systems. It is produced by bacterial breakdown of organic materials and human and animal wastes.
Although notorious for its "rotten egg" smell, high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide can instantaneously kill a person's ability to smell the gas at all and cause chemical asphyxiation with a few breaths, according to an OSHA Fact Sheet.
OSHA protocols and regulations detail safeguards for identifying, monitoring, entering and working in H2S environments. In general, respiratory protection and ventilation are required. Emergency responders to areas that may contain hydrogen sulfide require special training and respiratory protection.
Comment from mark wileczek, (1/13/2012, 9:42 AM)
these stories of confined space work fatalities appear with such regularity that you would think that employers would know by now to properly train their employees and make them aware of these hazards. very sad for the families of these workers that have lost their love ones needlessly.
Join the Conversation:
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text: Violin, Viola Charles Hogue serves as Principal Violist with the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra and is the founder and Musical Director of the Hogue Sinfonietta, a chamber orchestra based at UAHuntsville. The Hogue Sinfonietta performs several varied concerts each year, many with guest artists. Mr. Hogue is a highly- sought- after violist in this region and maintains a large private studio in addition to his students at the university. Hired: 1999 Credentials Research/Creative Activity Performance Conducting Email: firstname.lastname@example.com: 256-824-6436


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if i hide myself wherever i go, am i ever really there?
I know I say this a lot, but seriously, if you know where that title came from I want to buy you a tasty beverage. And give you a punch in the arm.
This is a most-unusual early morning blog. I feel like I slept for about an hour last night and finally gave up around 4:15. I feel crabby about a great many things right now, however, I also feel grateful for quite a few things.
I forgot to mention this here, but did you happen to know that last Thursday marked 18 months since my surgery? Well, it totally was. Someone told me that 18 months is "the angry phase" and even though I have never bought into any of the "ohhh... this is the (whatever) phase" talk, I'm starting to believe it this time. I think I would also characterize it as the "tired of whiny bullshit phase." But that could just be me.
Lest you think I'm a total crabbypants, I will reveal just a few things I'm grateful for today. Plus, I feel like making a list.
Things That I'm Grateful For And/Or Do Not Suck:
- my kitteh
- my job and even a few of the people I work with (NB: I did not say "all"!)
- my ability to kick ass at the gym
- the monthly lunches out I now have with some high-school friends (had one yesterday, woot!)
- coffee
- music, especially when I can find music that fits my mood
- my friends, especially the ones I am going to visit very very soon!
That's enough grateful for now. I don't want to go all Oprah on your asses.


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More Resources
Breast reduction costs
Breast reduction costs can vary widely.
A surgeon's cost for breast reduction surgery may vary based on factors such as his or her level of experience and the geographic location of the office.
Many plastic surgeons offer patient financing plans, so be sure to ask.
Breast reduction costs may include:
- Surgeon's fee
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- Prescriptions for medication
- Post-surgery garments
- Medical tests
When choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon for breast reduction, remember that the surgeon's experience and your comfort with him or her are just as important as the final breast reduction costs.
Breast Reduction and Insurance Coverage
Breast reduction surgery is generally considered a reconstructive procedure and may be covered by health insurance when it is performed to relieve medical symptoms.
Many insurers determine whether to categorize breast reduction surgery as reconstructive surgery based on the amount of tissue that will be removed.
In any case, pre-certification is required for reimbursement or coverage. Insurance policies vary greatly. Carefully review your policy to determine coverage.


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Educators across Ohio will team up to ensure that more high school graduates are ready for college-level work, instead of taking remedial math and English when they arrive on campus.
Currently, 41 percent of students who graduate from a public high school in Ohio take at least one remedial course when they enroll in one of the state's two- or four-year public institutions, according to the Ohio Board of Regents. The courses cost the same as general college classes but don't count toward a degree.
"Remedial education is not only expensive but it is a big discouragement to the student," said Kim Norris, spokeswoman for the Ohio Board of Regents. Only 26 percent of students who take a remedial course get an associate's or bachelor's degree, the regents said.
A new statewide initiative is aimed at aligning the high school curriculum with what students are expected to know by the time they reach college. Public high schools and colleges will work together on the Ohio High School and Higher Education Alignment Initiative, created by the Regents and the Ohio Department of Education.


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12 Shouts - 21,105 Scrobbles
Vic Sadot is a singer-songwriter in Berkeley, California who delivers a diverse selection of original songs in his solo repertoire act or with his Crazy Planet band. The topics range from the kind of subjects you would expect from one who celebrates the folk tradition of Phil Ochs, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, and Tom Paxton. On 9/11/11 Vic Sadot released a 16 song CD titled "9/11 Truth & Justice Songs" that is available as his third CD at CD Baby. His new official web site was launched on the same day as vicsadot.com
Read more about Vic Sadot on Last.fm.
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Palringo - Group messenger: chat, share and play games with like-minded people
Find your world on Palringo. Connect with people all over the world who love the things you love. With over 350,000 different social groups, you can meet new people who share your interests - be they games, films, football, tv, or anything else - chat one-on-one or in groups and play games with your community.
Some people follow, some people lead. Create your own Palringo Group to chat, make friends, and build a community.
Games are best played with others. We have some interesting announcements coming soon. Watch this space.
* GROUP CHAT: Chat and share pictures with your friends and groups
* VOICE MESSAGING: Palringo's VM service lets you record and send audio clips
* ADD-ONS: Liven up your groups with Bots and Message Packs. Send a personal note bursting with hearts to the one you love, create your own memes or set the mischief bot loose in your group!
* SHARE: We value your privacy and won't ask for lengthy, unnecessary details. Share only the information you want others to see.
Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/Palringo
Follow us on Twitter: @Palringo
Terms of Use: http://palringo.com/terms-and-conditions
What's New
Version 7.2.5 (Jul 20, 2015)
Thousands of unread messages clogging up your chat view resulting in the red notification dot of doom? 'Clear All' now cleans the slate without any annoying lag. Hooray!
A few extra bug fixes also included.
Version 7.2.4 (Jul 08, 2015)
- Say goodbye to a laggy side menu and hello to a new speedy navigation experience! We've overhauled the side menu
to decrease transition time so you can get to where you want as quick as a flash.
- Also includes some bug fixes.
Version 7.2.3 (Jun 15, 2015)
Palringo makes mobile games! Didn't know that? Well now we're bringing them into the spotlight with 'Games Discovery:
- New 'Games' button in the side menu
- Displays full list of Palringo games
- Option to download (or open them if already installed)
- Update, check it out and get playing some games! And, of course, new update = more bugs ironed out.
Version 7.2.2 (May 20, 2015)
Wouldn't it be great if you could choose your favourite groups and have them somewhere handy so you don't have to
go searching and scrolling for them every time?
Well, just as well that we've added a brand new feature that 'pins' your favourite groups to the top of your Groups tab then. Handy, eh?
We've also included the long press feature to make it easier to copy messages so you can chat, send, copy and repeat to your heart's content!
A number of bugs have also been evicted.
Version 7.2.1 (Apr 27, 2015)
This little update includes a few requested features, including:
• the reintroduction of long pressing to copy text
• tapping on avatars in profiles to show a full screen version
• correct orientation on iPad & iPhone 6 Plus
• other miscellaneous bugs squashed
Version 7.2 (Mar 25, 2015)
• Themes: You asked for it and we listened!
Now offering a selection of app-wide themes including 'Eclipse,' 'Fresh' and 'Ice-cream'
Available to all users in the display settings
• Wallpaper Blur: Use the new blur slider to customise the level of blur on your chat wallpaper
• Other general improvements and bug fixes
Version 7.1.1 (Feb 26, 2015)
• The online availability option is back! We've streamlined the options to 'online' or 'invisible' to make it
quicker and easier to show your current status.
• Those with animated avatars will see that they have been brought back to life.
• Other updates include pesky bug fixes and general improvements.
Version 7.1 (Jan 29, 2015)
• We've overhauled Group Discovery to make it easier to find the groups you love.
• Group and User profiles have also had a lick of paint.
• Hunted down and squashed a swarm of bugs.
Version 7.0.3 (Nov 26, 2014)
• iPhone 6 and 6 Plus support.
• You can now login with Facebook using the button on the initial welcome screen.
• Updated translations.
Version 7.0.2 (Nov 04, 2014)
We've listened to your feedback and have a quick update for you all.
• We'll have full themes for you soon, but for now there's a dark theme for use in chat.
• Your password is now remembered even when you logout (you can still clear it for those concerned about privacy).
• In-chat text size can be controlled via the device settings.
• The app is now available in German.
• A bunch of other bug and crash fixes.
Version 7.0.1 (Oct 24, 2014)
We've fixed an iPad issue that prevented users from sending images. We have also improved general stability of the chat view and other minor bug fixes based on feedback!
Version 7.0 (Oct 20, 2014)
We've completely redesigned and modernised the app's interface, everything is new, beautiful, and teal!
Version 6.8.3 (May 28, 2014)
* We've removed ads for all accounts! \o/
* Fixed bug that would cause the chat panel to disappear on iPad.
* Fixed bug that would cause crashes when rapidly tapping on messages/groups/contacts.
* Fixed rotation bug on iPad when picking photos from an album.
* Fixed conversation list showing Jan 1 timestamp for missed messages.
* Fixed "mark all as read" button appearance on iPad running iOS 7.
* Fixed invisible status bar on iPad running iOS 7.
Version 220.127.116.11 (Mar 25, 2014)
• Improvements for usage on iOS 7.
• A range of stability and performance improvements.
Version 6.8 (Mar 24, 2014)
Misc fixes and improvements, as well as the new iOS 7 SDK.
Version 6.6 (Nov 05, 2013)
• Even more improvements for iOS 7
• Misc fixes and minor tweaks
Version 6.4.2 (Sep 19, 2013)
• Improved iOS 7 support!
• Some improvements to the 'Messages' tab
• Misc bug fixes and improvements
Version 6.4 (Sep 02, 2013)
• This release (6.4) fixes a number of stability issues present in 6.2 and is highly recommended for new users and those with light to moderate usage.
• There is a bug which causes the message tab to blank, requiring the following workaround;
This is caused by memory issues and is most likely to be experienced by intensive users (in particular those in many groups) and those on older devices (pre iPhone 4). Such users are advised not to upgrade at this time. A bug-fix release will be made available at the earliest opportunity.
نحن على علم بأن هناك مشاكل في تحديث الآيفون الحالي – الرجاء قرائة مايلي قبل التحديث
الإصدار الحالي 6.4 يحل العديد من المشاكل السابقة و التي ظهرت في الإصدار 6.2. ينصح بإستخدام الإصدار الحالي للمستخدمين الجدد و القدمى من من لديهم عدد قليل من الغرف
هناك بعض المشاكل ضمن مكان عرض الرسائل و التي تنشأ عن بعض مشاكل الذواكر و غالباً ما تحدث مع المستخدمين من ذووي الغرف الكبيرة أو من يستخدم إصدار آيفون قديم. ندعو هؤلاء المستخدمين إلى عدم التحديث إلى حين إصدار النسخة الأحدث
What's New!
• The Palringo Invite Centre! In the next few weeks, you will be able to start inviting your friends to Palringo, and
earn bonus reputation!
• Improved iOS 7 compatibility
• Dismissible Ads for non-Premium Users
• Improved info for Blocked Contacts
• Misc bug fixes - this is an on-going process, we always aim to improve Palringo with every release.
Version 6.2.1 (Jul 29, 2013)
• Updated unread message count tracking system.
• Fixed a crash when receiving a message after deleting the associated conversation in the Messages tab.
• Fixed some crashes relating to voice messages.
• Fixed incoming voice message streaming support.
• Major optimisation when logging out.
• Fixed bug that would show the wrong preview for if the Messages tab reloads after pulling history.
• Fixed bug that would incorrectly show a conversation with ourselves in the Messages tab.
• Optimisations to Messages, Contacts, and Group lists.
• Optimisations to incoming message processing.
• Optimised first load of the Messages tab.
• Fixed possible duplicate messages when pulling history.
• Fixed in-chat [group name] links always failing stating group cannot be found when the group name contains certain characters.
• Fixed group entry level showing "None" when editing group details.
• Fixed bug preventing certain URLs from loading.
• Fixed bug preventing the Terms of Service page from loading during registration.
Version 6.2 (Jul 22, 2013)
-- New Features / Changes --
• Avatars for everyone!!!
• A new message indicator bubble on the chat screen.
• Massive speed improvements to Group Search, with more accurate results.
• Chat screens now display your reputation.
• Updated Facebook Connect for iOS 6 and other general bug fixes.
• We have also had a major upgrade of how we store messages in-app. We hope we've got all the bugs, but apologise if any have slipped through!
• Due to this transition, you will need to retrieve history to read any messages saved to your device before the update.
-- Bug Fixes --
• Fixed crash when trying to open the Groups Gallery with an unknown profile language.
• Fixed Message Packs not showing user/group tags.
• Fixed inability to remove an expired Message Pack from the Media Tray.
• Fixed potential crash when loading Store listings.
• Fixed some memory leaks.
Version 6.0.2 (May 21, 2013)
-- New Features / Changes --
• Added Leaderboard; see how you rate compared to your contacts / group contacts.
• Added Extended Group stats for Premium Groups.
• We have updated our terminology for group maturity ratings. In line with our Terms and Conditions, Groups can now only be set to "Listed" or "Unlisted" (this is the old "Ex-Directory" setting) as well as "Questionable" which is set by our Support Team if a group is under content review.
• Improved avatar loading times.
• Major internal changes to the Store.
• Purchase History is now separated into sections for easier viewing.
• Added Gift History to see what other people have bought for you.
• Updated photo editor with new tools.
• Improved loading time of Group Profile screens.
• Improved colour of admin actions & Staff badges on Dark theme.
• Changed connecting status bar style, as required by Apple.
• Updated translations.
-- Bug Fixes --
• Fixed multiple crashes crash.
• Fixed chat message history related memory leak.
• Fixed chat notifications appearing on iPad even if the chat is visible.
• Fixed network activity spinner showing whenever a Group Profile screen is loaded.
• Fixed "far-past" purchase history expiry dates i.e. 1970.
• Group searches now return results in all languages
Version 5.8.3 (Apr 04, 2013)
We're very sorry to all of our iOS 4 users who would have had a crash-on-startup in the last release.
Please remember that this will be the last version of Palringo to support iOS 4 - so please update as quickly as possible.
Version 5.8.2 (Apr 02, 2013)
!!!ATTENTION iOS 4.3.x USERS - DO NOT UPDATE!!!
انتباه: لجميع مستخدمي نسخة بالرينغو رقم 4 بكل اصداراتها
الرجاء عدم استخدام التحديث الحالي لتفادي الوقوع في بعض المشاكل التقنية, حيث من الممكن حدوث مشاكل اثناء فتح البرنامج. تم حل المشكلة و ارسال الاصدار الجديد الى آبل و سوف يتم طرحه حال الحصول على الموافقة.
الرجاء تحميل اصدار 5.8.3 فقط.
We have found a bug that will cause Palringo to crash while starting. Please do not update. We have implemented a fix and have submitted a new version to Apple to approve. Please wait for Palringo v5.8.3.
• Hollow, filled, and spinning stars to reward users at Level 8, 10, and 12 respectively.
• Updated translations.
• Lots of crash and bug fixes.
Please note this will be the last update to support iOS version 4. Future updates will require at least iOS 5.
Version 5.8.1 (Feb 25, 2013)
Bug Fix release containing;
• Optimisations to session resuming.
• Fixed avatars incorrectly appearing on other users' cells.
• Fixed avatars not getting fetched correctly.
• Fix for disappearing chat titles.
• Improved performance of avatar rendering.
Version 5.8 (Feb 13, 2013)
• Group Chat Push Messaging - get updates about how the chat in a group is going, choose from a selection of durations from 15 minutes to 8 hours.
• Push Privacy - hide the content of a message in a Push notification.
• Chat Alerts - never miss a message with our brand new in-app chat alerts.
• Contact Online Alerts - get an alert when one of your contacts signs on - a great way to keep up to date.
• Custom Message Tones - choose your favourite from a selection of message tones
• Many, many more smaller tweaks and usability improvements.
• Bug Fixes - All apps have bugs, it's inevitable, but we always work hard to squash as many as possible to bring you the best possible experience.
Version 5.6.1 (Dec 17, 2012)
• Themes on iPad
We know our loyal iPad users felt left out when we released the app without support for themes, but we've fixed that and you can now use the themes you know and love from the iPhone/iPod touch on your iPad!
• Text Size Selector
Having trouble reading? We added the option to increase the size of the text to make your life a little bit easier :)
• Many, many more smaller tweaks and usability improvements.
• Bug Fixes - All apps have bugs, it's inevitable, but we always work hard to squash as many as possible to bring you the best possible experience.
Version 5.4.1 (Nov 14, 2012)
• iPad support
Palringo now looks amazing running full-screen on your iPad, with benefits such as a bigger keyboard and split panels for chat and contact lists.
• Updated Themes
We've thrown in a new "Dark" theme for free, and another for Premium Account holders. What's more is they've been expanded to many more screens around the app!
• As always, we've been improving stability and performance with over 90 fixes and tweaks.
Version 5.2 (Oct 10, 2012)
We really love the iPhone 5 so we added support into Palringo :)
The ability to edit groups in-app has been well received, we've listened to your feedback and now admins can also edit group details without leaving the app.
The Messages tab now includes a filter bar so you can choose to see all messages, only private messages (PMs) or only group messages.
We like the image editor so much that you can now use it when uploading an avatar.
Other features/changes include:-
• The connection issues were annoying us too. We've made some changes so connection stability should be much better.
• Added ability to toggle whether or not to appear in search results.
• Various usability/experience improvements.
• Fixed various visual issues when running on iOS 6.
• As always we've hunted down and squashed some more bugs.
Version 5.0 (Sep 17, 2012)
* Redesigned "P" tab now focuses more on your own profile; shows your avatar and reputation progress.
* Group owners can now make changes to their groups from within the app; set avatars, change description, and more.
* Image Editor is now FREE.
* Again, we've spent a lot of time hunting and squashing bugs so you can have the best Palringo experience.
Version 4.12 (Aug 06, 2012)
* Improved reliability of receiving image messages.
* Increased image message size/quality.
* Added ability to sign on as a specific state (i.e. away, busy, invisible).
* Group search results are now tailored to the language setting of your Palringo profile.
We've listened to your feedback and spent a lot of time fixing various bugs and crashes :)
Version 4.10.2 (Jul 18, 2012)
* The Palringo Image Editor - fun, simple, fast - the best way to share pics on Palringo. Edit on-the-fly with
Effects, Layers, Stickers and much, much more!
* Improved performance of User Notifications list.
* Fixed some visual glitches with notifications bar and the Edit Account screen.
* Updated translations.
Version 4.8 (Jun 08, 2012)
* NEW: In-app Notifications - stay up-to-date with important changes to your account or the service.
* NEW: (Premium Accounts Only) Contact Discovery - find your friends or other users near your location.
* NEW: (Premium Accounts Only) Location Messages - share your location on demand in private or group chats.
* NEW: Multiple subscription periods - buy your favorite bots for 1, 3, 6, or 12 months.
* NEW: Featured Products screen.
* NEW: Gift Message Packs to people on your Contacts List.
* NEW: Image messages are now downloaded only when they are needed, reducing your mobile data usage and improving performance.
* NEW: Added ability to extend a Group's Premium subscription.
* NEW: A popup will now display when a new update is available.
* NEW: Added in-chat display of Staff and Group tags (Admin, Mod etc).
* Updated translations.
* Various bug fixes and performance improvements.
Version 4.6.9 (May 14, 2012)
* NEW: Gift Premium Accounts to your friends, or upgrade your favourite groups with Premium and Bots simply and
quickly from the Palringo Store!
* NEW: Invite your friends directly from your Groups' profile!
* Doubled VM length for Premium Users to 60 seconds!
* Added User Strap-line to 'Friend Requests'
* Improvements to Message Pack Purchasing via IAPs
* Improvements to general Purchasing experience
* Various other bugs fixes
Version 4.6.8 (Apr 25, 2012)
* NEW: It's now easier than ever to buy bots, Message Packs and more using new In App Purchases.
* NEW: Manage your Palringo Purchase History for greater control.
* NEW: Sign up with your Facebook account for one-tap registration.
* NEW: Earn reputation to stand out from the crowd and compare your reputation against friends.
* IMPROVED: Lots of bug fixes, tweaks and optimisations.
Version 4.2 (Dec 01, 2011)
Palringo Message Packs
Add more personality, humor, and fun to your conversations. Send a personal love note bursting with hearts to your girlfriend. Liven up your group conversations with an animated Frank-enstein Message Pack. Or send cartoon effects to add more punch to your group conversations.
Redesigned chat screen
We've refreshed the chat window - it's now easier than ever to send smileys, voice messages, pictures, or the new message packs.
Dedicated Voice Message Mode
Do you prefer to talk than type? A new voice messaging panel lets you easily push-to-talk for hassle-free voice messaging.
Improvements All Round
We continually subject Palringo to heavy testing, and continually improve performance and stability to ensure a problem-free Palringo experience and this version builds on this significantly.
Version 4.0.1 (Sep 29, 2011)
• Updated Facebook SDK.
• Fixed crash when tapping on + button on group screen and contact screen on iOS 3.1.3
• Fixed crash when sending voice messages on iOS 5.
• Various fixes and tweaks to in-app purchasing.
• Fixed Store group selection screen "No eligible groups" issue.
• Fixed connection status spinner size on iOS 5.
• Added hi-res emoticons.
• Various bug fixes and performance tweaks.
Version 4.0 (Aug 03, 2011)
✔ Palringo store - purchase features and bots
✔ Support for [groupname] links for joining groups
✔ Improvements to group stats - 14 day trends
✔ Improved avatar loading time and reliability
✔ Improved indication of premium groups
✔ Improved usability, stability and performance
Version 3.8 (May 19, 2011)
We've been hard at work adding some awesome new functionality to Palringo!
Group Discovery
We've created a cool new experience for discovering Palringo groups.
✔ See which Palringo groups are most popular on Palringo
✔ Browse through over 250,000 groups by topic of interest.
✔ Shiny new interface for joining groups, now with group search
If you're creating a group, you can now list it in the gallery - right from your iPhone.
Group Properties
The new group properties screen lets you see key group info - at a glance
✔ See a full-size group avatar, and read more about the group
✔ See the all-new "Stats" tab, showing who talks most in your groups
✔ Look at group stats of groups in the gallery - to see which are worth joining
Profile Editing
Catch attention by tweaking your profile…
✔ You may now update your vitals, relationship status, and profile text - right from your phone.
Regain Control
We've made it easier to protect yourself from nuisance users, or find the ones you seek
✔ Filter your contact list by particular service
✔ See a list of everyone you've blocked
✔ Banned group users get moved to a separate section below the rest
✔ Purge messages from anyone not on your contact list
More refined and intuitive
We've worked hard to eliminate the little niggles and annoyances of previous versions…
✔ New icons for 3rd-party services - easily tell which service your contacts are on
✔ More Retina graphics - stunning detail for users of newer devices
✔ Improved quality and completeness of translations for our international users
✔ Fixed problems with audible clicks on voice messages
✔ Worked around a Facebook change which sometimes caused you to appear off-line
✔ The Passcode Lock feature now works as intended on multitasking-capable devices
✔ More polish on performance, stability and security
Also, as an existing user you'll probably not see this - but we've made the "Getting Started" experience for new users drastically cooler and this will be further improved over time :)
We're just getting started! Stay tuned for some other cool things we've got in the pipeline.
If you like what you see, please take a moment to review us in the App Store - it'll be much appreciated!
Version 3.6 (Jan 30, 2011)
We're working on some majorly cool new additions to Palringo, which will be rolling out in the near future.
In the meantime this refresh improves performance and resolves any instability associated with multitasking and reconnection.
Version 3.4.1 (Nov 20, 2010)
Palringo is pleased to bring you a bumper refresh for the festive season :)
Visual Improvements
We've increased the size of pictures in user's profile views, and made group avatars update instantly after changes are made.
Also - Group avatars, display pictures, and photo messages now appear in high definition on newer devices that feature Retina displays.
To celebrate the festive season, we're also bundling two 'cool' themes: Festivity and Frosty!
Facebook Connect
We've changed the way we connect to Facebook, taking advantage of Facebook's updated recommendations. This will improve the reliability of our Facebook connection, and allow us to bring you some cool Facebook-specific functionality in upcoming releases.
Other Enhancements
We've also made over 50 improvements and bug fixes which will dramatically increase the reliability of our app, making your experience more enjoyable.
Version 3.4 (Oct 11, 2010)
More Beautiful...
* High resolution artwork to take advantage of Retina displays.
* New location settings screens, with a brand-new look.
More Functional...
* Set your display pictures from within Palringo
* Smarter message history, filling gaps in conversations
More Reliable...
* Fixed all known crashes from the previous release (3.2.1)
* Instant updating of contact's display pictures and locations
* Improved reliability of in-app Premium Account purchases
* Fixed display glitches after failed logon attempts.
* Behind-the-scenes changes that improve overall performance.
We hope you'll enjoy the new functionality and increased polish in this build. Stay tuned for a further update in the near future, while we realise some exciting visions around location sharing and user discovery.
Version 3.2.1 (Jul 28, 2010)
* New premium theme - Mulberry
* Collapsable contact list sections (eg. Hide Offline Contacts)
* Landscape rotation lock popup is now optional
* Fixed unexpected contacts and blank contacts
* Fixed disappearing services
* Updated translations
Version 22.214.171.124 (Jul 17, 2010)
Fixed stability issues encountered by some users.
Version 3.2 (Jul 07, 2010)
Support for OS 4.0
- Faster switching between Palringo and other apps
- Larger messages continue to send in the background
- Fixed text pasting under iOS 4.0
Support for iPhone 4
- High-resolution display of contact's avatars
- Some higher quality icons (more to come!)
Visible Changes
- Improved profile views with DOB, Relationship info, and time zone
- New and improved screens for adding services
- Improved appearance of text entry boxes
- Darker keyboard used in the Terminal theme
- Improved transitions when deleting contacts/services
Multilingual Enhancements
- Added Arabic translation
- Updated French/Spanish/Chinese/Russian translations
General Tweaks
- Improved overall stability
- Improved password encryption for additional security
- Made the rotation lock less annoying
Version 3.0.1 (Jun 02, 2010)
New in 3.0.1
This version improves overall reliability, and re-brands "Palringo Lite" to simply "Palringo" to reflect the recent explosion in functionality.
- NEW: Review picked photos before they are sent
- NEW: One-touch rotation lock
- FIX: Temporarily blank contact lists after logging in
- FIX: Disappearing keyboard bug
- Improved compatibility with newer devices
- Refined themes with extra polish
- New icons for a more consistent look and feel
- Fixed a few visual glitches, and improved some screens
- Performance improvements
- Updated translations
New in 3.0
- Premium accounts can now be obtained via an in-app purchase, instantly unlocking extra features:
• Seven beautiful new themes
• Showing of display pictures for your contacts
• Support for landscape mode
• No advertising
• Chat history for all services
• Longer background connection times
• Passcode locking
• The ability to stay in more groups
• Exclusive access to bonus features
- In 3.0, premium users can now enjoy two new themes - Urban Decay and Zebra Print. All users can enjoy a new iPhone theme with familiar design elements. Theme changes are now reflected instantly, so a restart is no longer necessary.
- Numerous tweaks have been made to existing visuals, including better looking buttons and fixes to a few visual glitches ensuring that the text entry bar always shows up correctly, the send button is always enabled after pasting text, etc.
- We've made Palringo easier to use by providing better guidance in the event of problems joining groups or adding contacts.
- We've improved overall stability, and addressed a few bugs that our users had reported.
- We've improved all the above while actually making the application smaller for faster downloading and better performance.
Version 3.0 (May 19, 2010)
- Premium accounts can now be obtained via an in-app purchase, instantly unlocking extra features:
• Seven beautiful new themes
• Showing of display pictures for your contacts
• Support for landscape mode
• No advertising
• Chat history for all services
• Longer background connection times
• Passcode locking
• The ability to stay in more groups
• Exclusive access to bonus features
- In 3.0, premium users can now enjoy two new themes - Urban Decay and Zebra Print. All users can enjoy a new iPhone theme with familiar design elements. Theme changes are now reflected instantly, so a restart is no longer necessary.
- Numerous tweaks have been made to existing visuals, including better looking buttons and fixes to a few visual glitches ensuring that the text entry bar always shows up correctly, the send button is always enabled after pasting text, etc.
- We've made Palringo easier to use by providing better guidance in the event of problems joining groups or adding contacts.
- We've improved overall stability, and addressed a few bugs that our users had reported.
- We've improved all the above while actually making the application smaller for faster downloading and better performance.
Version 2.9 (Mar 11, 2010)
New Features:
- Passcode Lock (Premium only)
- Bleep effect before voice messages
- Option to show icon (free) or display picture (premium) beside chat messages.
- Major optimizations. Should be smoother and more responsive.
Language Translations:
- Korean (new)
- Polish (updated)
- Spanish (updated)
- German (updated)
- French (updated)
- Italian (updated)
- Russian (updated)
- The ending of voice messages was sometimes cut off
- Fixed pasting text when sending messages.
- Major improvements to stability. Faster startup time. Eliminated freezes. Faster photo gallery.
- Reduced network usage.
Version 2.8 (Feb 05, 2010)
- New languages: Spanish, French, German, Polish, Italian, Russian
- New tabbed contact profile screens with tabs for "General", "About" and "Location"
- Vastly improved location maps with indication of accuracy
- "Nearby" section to shows local contacts prominently
- Countless visual, performance, stability and reliability tweaks
Version 2.6
- Two exciting new themes for Premium users: Spectral and Flora
- New overview screen with at-a-glance indication of per-service state
- New emoticon panel for quick and easy browsing and selection of smileys
- Re-introduced disable auto-lock setting
- Re-designed settings, login, and service editing screens
- Stability, performance, and UI improvements all round
Version 2.5
Chat Windows: Re-designed and improved
They're sleeker, more robust, and more usable. A progress indicator makes it clear when messages have finished sending. Sending picture and voice messages is faster and more convenient. Voice messages sound better. The entire chatting experience has been dramatically updated.
Photo messaging: An entirely new experience
Photo previews update in real-time as photos are received revealing the image as it downloads. Clicking photos opens a new photo viewer from which you can browse through other photos sent to a group with a swipe of your finger, or see a gallery of all other images in the same chat window.
Notifications: More control
We've updated the settings screen to allow finer-grained control over new message alerts. Choose to have voice messages play automatically, or select between different alert types for group and private messages. Furthermore, we will alert you when group messages have been missed while in the background, and when users join/leave your groups.
Privacy and Control
We've added the ability to block contacts if they're bothering you. Items in the contact list now show a clear overview of the user's permission inside groups and on the Palringo network. Administering users in your groups is now easier than ever, with revised context menus and admin options.


text:
Apparatus and method for storing and retrieving audio data simultaneously. A digital audio logger is provided with a digital audio tape (DAT) for permanent storage of audio data and with a random access storage (RAS) device that provides fast retrieval of audio. Both the DAT and RAS devices have audio written from a buffer that initially stores audio data temporarily. Two pointers are provided for the RAS device. Because of the randomness characteristic of the RAS device, data can be retrieved rapidly with a first one of the pointers and for this reason has advantages in fast retrieval. The RAS device communicates with a supervisor whereby data can be retrieved therefrom through the first pointer while the RAS device is receiving data from the buffer through the second pointer.
1. In a method of storing and retrieving audio from a digital audio logger, the steps comprising:
monitoring an audio source,
storing audio data from the audio source in a buffer,
writing the audio data from the buffer onto a digital audio tape and a random access storage device, and
retrieving audio from the random access storage device while audio data is written into the digital audio tape and the random access storage device.
2. The method of claim 1 including the further steps of providing the random storage device with a primary partition and writing voice data onto the primary partition in time defined manner.
3. The method of claim 2 further including the further steps of providing the random access device with a secondary partition and writing an index table in the secondary partition to indicate location of audio data in the primary partition.
4. The method of claim 3 further including the step of providing the secondary partition with a record session table, storing start and end times of recording session, and index start and end entries of the index table to indicate location in the index table of selected audio.
5. In a system for processing audio having an interface for receiving audio from an audio source, a digital signal processor in communication with the interface for compressing the audio signals, a controller in communication with the digital signal processor for receiving audio therefrom and arranging data in a prescribed order, a supervisor in communication with said controller accessing data from said system, and a buffer in communication with the controller for receiving arranged audio from the controller, the improvement comprising:
a digital audio tape drive unit in communication with the buffer for receiving arranged audio data from the buffer,
a random access storage device, and
a pair of pointers providing communication between said buffer and random storage device, the first of said pointers operative for transmitting audio data to said random access storage device from said buffer and the second of said pointers being operative to send audio data from said random access storage device to said controller.
6. The system of claim 5 further including a speaker in communication with said controller for playing audio retrieved from said random access storage device.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein said random access storage device has a primary partition for storing recorded audio data and a secondary partition for storing means for locating selected audio data stored on said primary partition, said second pointer being alternately in communication with said first partition and said second partition.
8. An audio data storage device, comprising:
a random access storage device having a primary partition for storing audio data and a secondary partition for storing means for locating data on said primary partition and a pair of pointers in communication with said random access memory, a first of said pointers being operated to transmit data to said random access storage device and the second of said pointers being operative to retrieve audio data from said random access storage device.
Audio loggers are well known devices that are used for the purpose of obtaining records of voice communication by recording audio on a tape. They have particular use in police stations, hospitals, prisons, brokerage houses and other locations where there is a need to record a conversation or other audio and the time and date thereof. Upon completion of recording, the tapes upon which audio is written are stored for archival purposes. The tapes can be either digital tapes or analog tapes, depending upon whether a digital audio logger or analog audio logger is used.
One requirement for a logger is that there be an ability to have audio retrieved even though a tape is still having audio written thereon. Clearly, if a tape had to be repositioned in order to obtain audio, there would be an interruption and data would be lost. In order to avoid such an occurrence, prior loggers have provided redundant tapes. One tape would act as a primary tape that receives data on a continuous basis while the second tape receives the same data simultaneously, except that the second tape could be removed when audio had to be retrieved. Upon removal of the secondary tape, another secondary tape would be installed in the logger and the redundancy is continued.
Although the redundancy scheme provides a way for obtaining data without interrupting recording, there clearly are disadvantages. One disadvantage is that an audio tape is a slow responding medium and searching for information on a tape is time consuming. This is a disadvantage during the time of emergencies. Another disadvantage is that a lapse in written data could occur during exchange of the secondary tapes. Clearly, it would be advantageous to be able to have continuous recording of audio without the disadvantages of using redundant tapes.
Apparatus and method have been devised wherein information can be retrieved from a digital audio logger as the logger continues to receive audio. The audio logger is provided with a buffer that receives audio in real time and temporarily stores the same in the buffer. A digital audio tape (DAT) and a random access storage (RAS) device are in communication with the buffer to simultaneously receive data when the buffer down loads data. This occurs after the buffer has stored a prescribed amount of data.
A supervisor is in communication with the logger, and a data retrieving pointer is connected to the RAS device so that data can be retrieved from the RAS device while data is also being written thereto by a second pointer. The data retrieving pointer first goes to the header of the RAS device for determining the location of data stored at a particular time. After the printer reads the location of data from the header, it will then contact the location at which the desired information is written. The recording will be played back so that the sought after information can be retrieved. As such retrieving is taking place, the second pointer allows the RAS device to continuously receive data at the same time as the DAT.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a digital audio logger system in which the instant invention can be practiced;
FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the random access storage device shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the data sections thereof;
FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the manner in which data is retrieved from the RAS device illustrated in FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is a system table structure that describes the format for the data.
With reference to FIG. 1, a digital audio logger system is shown generally at 10, in which the instant invention can be practiced. A plurality of audio sources 12, such as telephones, are able to transmit audio to an interface 14 of a digital logger 13 which monitors the telephones. Although the invention will be described with the use of telephones 12, it will be appreciated the invention can be used with other sources of audio, such as police radios. The interface 14 is in communication with a speaker 17 and with an analog/digital (A/D), digital/analog (D/A) converter 16 that will convert analog signals received from the telephones 12 to digital signals when data is flowing in one direction and digital to analog signals when data flows in the opposite direction. A digital signal processor 18 is in communication with the converter 16 and performs the function of compressing the digital voice signals by use of a voice compressing algorithm as is known in the art. Any of a number of commercially commercially available signal processors can be used for the purpose, such as a Texas Instrument TMS 320C25 processor available from Texas Instruments Inc. The compressed data is received by a controller 20 that arranges the data in a prescribed order and controls the flow of the data. In with the controller 20, is a clock 19 that provides the time and data, a buffer 22 that temporarily stores data, a random access storage device 23 and a supervisor 21 that provides access to the logger 13.
The buffer 22 is a memory that communicates with a digital audio tape (DAT) drive 24 and a random access storage (RAS) device 23. The DAT drive 24 is adapted to receive a DAT tape 26. A pointer 30 provides communication from the buffer 22 to the RAS device for the purpose of transferring data to the RAS device that is temporarily stored in the buffer. A second pointer 34 is also in communication with the RAS device 23 and is under control of the controller 20 in response to input from the supervisor 21 as will be explained hereinafter.
With reference now to FIG. 2, the random access storage device 23 is shown in schematic form and is composed of two portions, or partitions, a primary partition 40 and a secondary partition 42. The primary partition 40 is divided into physical locations identified by SCSI record numbers and representing dynamic time slots, with each time slot corresponding to 6 seconds of audio.
The term dynamic time is used to accent the fact that time represented by a time slot changes as audio is written. Data for a given time thereof will first be written into slot 1, and this process will progress until the last slot is filled. Thereafter, the sequence will start from the beginning again with the new data being written into slot 1 to for another given time replace the original data. The pointer 30 initially writes data into the top of the primary partition and continues writing data until the primary partition is full. Thereafter, the pointer 30 will again be located at the top of the primary partition and it will erase prior data while writing incoming data. It will be appreciated that an RAS memory can be of variable capacity so that it can be provided with more memory than the DAT, so as to be able to store more data than a DAT. Thus, an RAS device will store all the data storable in a tape thereby inhibiting the loss of data.
The secondary partition has two tables, a record session table 45 and an index table 46. The record session table 45 keeps track of the time when the logger 13 is recording and the index table 46 stores SCSI record numbers which is the location data in the primary partition 40.
With reference now to FIG. 3, a block diagram representation of the RAS device 23 is shown with the record session table 45, index table 46 and the primary partition 40 shown separately to enhance explanation of the recording and retrieving of data. The record session table 45 contains the start time, and end time columns of a recording session and columns for the location can be found in the index table for the beginning and end of message. In short, the record session table acts as a pointer for the index table 46. The index table 46 acts as a pointer for the primary partition and has a column of implied time slots, each representing 6.0 seconds, and a SCSI record number location column indicating where audio for a particular time slot is located on the primary partition 40. Although the time is shown only in terms of hours and minutes for convenience, it will be appreciated that the date will also be included.
With reference to FIG. 4, the audio is divided into a plurality of frames, each frame including a header and a plurality of audio blocks, as for example 5. Each frame will be allocated a period for recording, such as 6 seconds of time, as opposed to an amount of audio. The index table entry format is made up of a plurality of SCSI record numbers and determines the location of a frame within the primary partition 40 by assigning a SCSI record number to the same. It will be appreciated that even though a frame is allocated six seconds, the time of recording can be less or greater depending on the activity of the telephone and the number of telephones (channels) being monitored.
The RST entry format, as implemented in the record session table is made up of a start time, an end time, an index start entry, an index end entry and the recorded channels for the purpose of furnishing a selected frame or combination of the frames in the primary partition.
In operation, audio will be entered through the telephones 12, be received by the interface 14 and converted from analog to digital by the converter 16. Thereafter, the digital signals are received by the digital signal processor 18 that will compress the signals. These compressed signals will be received by the controller and the time of receipt will be correlated with the clock 19. What has been shown and described heretofore are known components of a digital logger system and will not be described in detail. The controller 20 sends the audio to the buffer 22 and the buffer 22 temporarily stores the audio. Thereafter, the buffer 22 transmits the data to a tape 26 that is housed in the DAT drive unit 24 and also transmits the data to a RAS device 23, the data being received simultaneously by these two units 23, 24.
The supervisor 21 can communicate with the controller 20 for the purpose of obtaining data from the RAS device 23. Upon input of the time and date of the data to be retrieved, the controller will locate the pointer 34 first at the appropriate location on the record session table 45 in the secondary partition to determine the location on the index table 46 of the SCSI record number. Upon such SCSI record number being located in the index table 46, the pointer 34 will seek such location to determine the SCSI record number where the sought after audio is found on the primary partition 40. The pointer 34 will go to such location so that the data can be played back through the speaker 17. The request for the retrieving of data has no affect on the pointer 30 which continues to transmit data to the RAS device first by supplying audio on the primary partition, then communicating with the secondary partition to write data for the tables 45, 46. Because of the separation of the primary partition into SCSI records, the voice data can be retrieved within 6 seconds of recording.
With reference now to FIG. 1, as the the first pointer 30 advances along the primary partition of the RAS device 23, it will continue to write data into the primary partition of RAS 23 until it reaches the last available memory slot. Thereafter, it will shift and start again at the beginning of the primary partition, replacing prior data with newly received audio, thus forming an endless loop. As stated previously, the pointer will shift from the primary partition to the secondary and back to refresh the data in the tables 45, 46 and record audio in the primary partition.
Thus what has been shown and described is an apparatus and method whereby audio can be retrieved from a digital audio logger while audio is still being recorded therein. This is accomplished by the use of a random access storage device that has two pointers, a first pointer for receiving data and the second pointer for retrieving data.
The above embodiments have been given by way of illustration only, and other embodiments of the instant invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the detailed description. Accordingly, limitations on the instant invention are to be found only in the claims.
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