text:
U.S. POLO ASSN. Kids Puffer Jacket with Jersey Fleece Hood (Big Kids)SKU: #8241574
Product Information
- Old Man Winter is huffing and puffing, but he'll run out of breath long before you get cold in this protective U.S. POLO ASSN.® jacket!
- Color block jacket boasts a cozy fleece hood.
- Stand collar extends coverage.
- Full-zip front closure.
- Long sleeves with hook-and-loop adjustable cuffs.
- Brand hits at left chest, left bicep, and right rear shoulder.
- Snap flap pocket at right chest.
- Zip hand warmer pockets.
- Straight hemline.
- Shell & Lining: 100% polyester.
- Machine wash cold, tumble dry low.
- Imported.
- Measurements:
- Length: 24 in
- Product measurements were taken using size SM (8 Big Kids). Please note that measurements may vary by size.


text:
Book your room at Aktivhotel Crystal
Double RoomMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
Triple Room, BalconyMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 2 children, 2 infants)
Quadruple Room, BalconyMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children, 3 infants)
Single RoomMax Occupancy: 1 guest
Family Room, BalconyMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
Family Room, BalconyMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 2 children, 2 infants)
Get an overview of this hotel4-star hotel with downhill skiing, near the slopes
Located near the slopes, this Sankt Johann in Tirol hotel is in the mountains, 0.7 mi (1.1 km) from Panorama Badewelt and close to winter activities such as cross-country skiing and snow tubing. Kitzbueheler Horn Cable Car and Kitzbueheler Horn Ski Area are also within 9 mi (15 km).
Hotel Features
The slopes await you at Aktivhotel Crystal, which features a bar/lounge and a full-service spa.
Room Amenities
All rooms are soundproofed and offer WiFi and hair dryers. For entertainment, flat-screen TVs come with cable channels, and guests can also appreciate comforts like premium bedding and pillow menus.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
Renovations & Closures
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Have fun with onsite winter activities, including downhill skiing and snowboarding and in warmer months, enjoy hiking/biking trails and mountain biking. After a day on the slopes, indulge in a treatment at the full-service spa or enjoy the other amenities, including a steam room and a sauna. Aktivhotel Crystal helps provide the perfect winter holiday with ski storage, skiing lessons, and ski equipment rentals. When the sun goes down, sip après-ski drinks in the hotel's bar.
A complimentary breakfast is offered each morning. Guests can use the indoor pool and outdoor pool at a partner hotel.
Aktivhotel Crystal is a smoke-free property.
- Total number of rooms - 40
- Bar/lounge
- Coffee/tea in lobby
- Free breakfast
- Elevator/lift
- Full-service spa
- Turkish bath/Hammam
- Billiards or pool table
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Laundry facilities
- Number of floors - 4
- Multilingual staff
- Terrace
- Luggage storage
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Free parking nearby
- Sauna
- Ski storage
- Ski passes available
- Smoke-free property
- Steam room
- Front desk (limited hours)
- Shopping on site
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
Family Friendly Amenities
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Soundproofed rooms
- Laundry facilities
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
Available in all rooms: Wireless internet access ( 5,00 EUR per week )
Free parking nearby
Room Amenities
- Soundproofed rooms
- Phone
- Hair dryer
- Bathtub or shower
- Desk
- Iron/ironing board (on request)
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- Premium bedding
- Furnished balcony
- Cable TV service
- Flat-panel TV
- WiFi (surcharge)
- Daily housekeeping
- Private bathroom
- Free toiletries
- Free cribs/infant beds
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Pillow menu
Where to Eat
A complimentary buffet breakfast is served each morning between 8 AM and 10 AM.
Nearby Things to Do
Recreational amenities at the hotel include a sauna and a steam room.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Golfing nearby
- Cross-country skiing nearby
- Snowmobiling nearby
- Snowshoeing nearby
- Rafting nearby
- Kayaking nearby
- Segway rental/tour on site
- Parasailing nearby
- Skydiving nearby
- Golf lessons available nearby
- Bicycle rentals on site
- Hiking/biking trails on site
- Mountain biking on site
- Ski equipment rentals on site
- Ski lessons on site
- Downhill skiing on site
- Snowboarding on site
- Sledding nearby
- Snow tubing nearby
- Rock climbing nearby
- Cave exploring/spelunking nearby
Spa Services
Guests can indulge in a pampering treatment at the hotel's full-service spa. The spa is equipped with a sauna and Turkish bath/hammam.
The spa is open select days.
- Sauna in spa
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Check-in time ends at 6 PM
Check-out time is 10 AM
Payment types
Pets allowed, Only dogs are allowed, Maximum number of pets per room 1, Pet maximum weight in kg is 15
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
- A tax is imposed by the city: EUR 1.20 per person, per night. This tax does not apply to children under 16 years of age.
- Fee for in-room wireless Internet: EUR 5,00 per week (rates may vary)
- Fee for wireless Internet in public areas: EUR 5,00 per week (rates may vary)
- Pet fee: EUR 15 per pet, per day
We should mention
Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms. Guests can arrange to bring pets by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation (surcharges apply and can be found in the Fees section).

subset: commoncrawl


text:
In the 1990s, Tracy Lawrence had a successful run of hit singles and albums.
Despite the occasional personal incident including being shot by a burglar in a robbery, Lawrence was able to capture a large audience of country music fans with his traditional style and unique vocals. His run of hits began in 1991 with the album Sticks & Stones and continued with even bigger hits with Alibis and Time Marches On.
As the nineties came to a close, label changes at the executive level forced Lawrence to be bounced around a bit as he struggled to find hits on the radio. Album sales slowed and momentum was lost.
In 2006, Lawrence started his own record label and released Find Out Who Your Friends Are. The track had two versions – one with Lawrence's vocals only and one with the help of Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney. The track with all three singles received strong radio play and the song eventually reached number one on the country charts.
Today, Tracy Lawrence continues to tour and release music.
Official Site: Tracy Lawrence
Top Albums
The Very Best of Tracy Lawrence
Hit Songs
Find Out Who Your Friends Are (feat. Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney)


text:
Programs are available at Blessed Savior for Children of all ages!
Blessed Savior Lutheran Early Childhood Center has earned a 5 STAR RATING with the Youngstar program. All children between the ages of two to six are welcomed into this caring environment. Along with learning skills for each age group, each child learns of God's love for them. To learn more visit the Preschool's website.
Sunday School
Sunday School classes meet on Sunday mornings, September-May, from 9:15am-10:15am. We have classes for ages 3 through 8th grade, as well as High School. Throughout the Sunday School year, the children will occasionally sing in church, as well as take part in leading the Sunday School Christmas Service. There is no need to officially register for a class, just stop by! Visitors and friends are always welcome!
Confirmation Classes
Confirmation Instruction prepares young adults to defend the faith that was given to them in their baptism. Through instruction, they learn the history of the Lutheran church, our church liturgy, and the Six Chief Parts of Luther's Small Catechism. Confirmation instruction meets on Monday nights, September-April, from 7-8pm for all 6-8th graders. In addition to our Wednesday evening instructional classes, the 7th and 8th grade classes also participate in a weekend-long retreat. The Rite of Confirmation is held at the 10:30am Worship Service on the first Sunday in May.
Vacation Bible School (VBS)
Our adventure this year is – WILDERNESS ESCAPE, WHERE GOD GUIDES & PROVIDES. We welcome all kids, ages 3 through completed 5th grade, to join us on a week-long Bible adventure. The program begins on Sunday, August 3rd through Thursday, August 7th from 6-8:30pm. See our 2014 Vacation Bible School Page for more information.
Youth Groups
At Blessed Savior, we have many opportunities for youth to get involved in fellowship with other Christians, service to those in need, and witness to those who don't yet know Christ. While our youth do many activities and events together, we do have three age-specific groups:
5/6th grade youth
The 5/6th grade youth group is the first opportunity for a young person to get involved with a youth group. This group meets roughly six times per year, and the focus is mainly on fellowship with other Christians and the opportunity for them to form lasting friendships with the youth that in their class. The 6th graders also are invited to attend Youth Encounter's Youth Quake.
7/8th grade youth
The 7/8th grade youth also has many different chances to grow in fellowship with one another. This group joins with the High School youth on many occassions, including monthly Sunday Night Fellowships and Secret Services projects during the summer. The 7/8th graders also attend the Youth Quake.
High School Youth
Our High School Youth Group has all of the same fellowship opportunities, as well as the chance to attend several large events, both as participants and as leaders. The High School youth serve as Junior Counselors for Youth Quake, participate in the Helpful Hearts Servant Event, and every three years attend the National Youth Gathering.
For photos from our previous events, please check out the Youth Group's Blog!


text:
Thanks For Supporting Dog Collar Boutique. They will receive 20% of the profits from your purchase.
Designer Dog Coats
Beautifully designed and elegantly made dog coats.
Puppy Pink Lynx Coat $62.00Chocolate With Black Fox Coat $90.00Black With Mink Coat $84.00Red With Mink Coat $84.00Bowzer Olive Jacket $48.00Grey Fur Black Coat $62.00Bailey Jaguar Coat $68.00Black Lynx Fur Coat $62.00Red With Black Fox Coat $90.00Bowzer Camel Jacket with BBW $70.00Bowzer Black Jacket with BBW $70.00Grey Fur Red Coat $68.00Red Lynx Coat $66.00Bowzer Black Jacket $48.00Black Tipped Silver Fox Coat $90.00


text:
Click Picture to Zoom
Crochet Patterns
Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Tunisian Crochet
Leisure Arts 5599
$12.95 $11.64 + $4.19 shipping within the U.S.
In Stock. Usually ships in 1-2 business days.
Item: LA5599 - Type: Crochet Patterns.
If you like the ease of working with a crochet hook, but admire the look and feel of knitted fabric, you'll love learning Tunisian crochet. Award-winning teacher Kim Guzman walks you through the basics and takes you through each step with clear photos and friendly instructions. Nine fresh projects for you to explore will help you develop the skills you need. Designed for a variety of yarns, the nine unique projects include Stockinette Scarf and Hat, Seed Stitch Ruana, Drop Stitch Cowl, Diagonal Hearts Crib Cover, Felted Duffel, Cabled Mitts, Hoodie Vest, and Mitered Vest.
123Stitch.com ships via the U.S. Postal Service to anywhere in the world. Orders to the U.S. typically arrive 3-5 days after we ship.
Shipping charges are shown in your shopping cart every time you add an item.
If you are not completely satisfied with any of our products, you can return it to us within 30 days for a full refund.
|More Items Like Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Tunisian Crochet
Click Picture to Zoom
|Tunisian Crochet Stitch Guide - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
With this handy and portable reference guide from Kim Guzman, you can choose from 61 pattern stitches to add texture and beauty to your Tunisian Crochet projects. A complete scarf pattern is included to show how to incorporate the pattern stitches in your fashion accessories, afghans, and other projects. In the first chapter, we introduce you to 14 stitches that are the building blocks of Tunisian Crochet stitch patterns. Spend a little time learning to read the charts and getting familiar with each stitch, and then you'll be ready to progress into more complex patterns, including color and lacework. You'll find the Master Symbol List indispensable, as well as the photos and explanations of all the basic stitches. 96 pages.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA75432 - See More Items Like This
|$9.99 $8.98
Click Picture to Zoom
|Fashion Accessories - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Offering beautiful textures and colors at affordable prices, Red Heart Boutique yarns make wonderful choices for the crochet designs in Fashion Accessories. The cowl, hat, scarves, and shawls are chic examples of the stylish creations that are possible with Red Heart Soft and the following Boutique yarns: Sashay, Sashay Sequins, Swanky, Treasure, Unforgettable, Midnight, and Sassy Fabric. Projects include Crescent Shawl, Sweetheart Ruffle Scarf, Mitered Square Shawl, Butterfly Wrap, Desiree's Ruffled Scarf, Gradient Strip Scarf, Slouchy Beanie, Classy Cowl, and Ruffled Rose Pin. The fashionista will love these! 48 pages.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA75522 - See More Items Like This
|$5.99 $5.62
Click Picture to Zoom
|Quick Styles For You - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Featuring the beautifully blended colorways of Homespun and Homespun Thick & Quick from Lion Brand Yarn Company, these 12 cozy accessories are fast to crochet and look absolutely stunning. The wash-and-wear quality of the lovely yarns makes the designs ideal for everyday wear, too. Projects in Quick Styles for You include a Poncho With Cowl, Two-Tone Shawl, Collared Capelet, V-Poncho, Hooded Shawl, Bordered Cowl, Infinity Cowl, Fresh Air Beret and Scarf Set, Simple Crochet Cowl, Drawstring Cowl/Hood, and Hooded Cowl. Skill level: easy.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA75486 - See More Items Like This
|$5.99 $5.62
Click Picture to Zoom
|Learn to Tunisian Crochet with Interactive DVD by Annie's Attic
This beginner-level Tunisian crochet class makes learning the basic Tunisian crochet techniques easy and fun. The class DVD also includes a booklet with instructions for three projects. Longtime Tunisian crochet instructor Kim Guzman, has taught thousands of crocheters from all over the world this exciting technique.
In this class, you'll learn:
The basics about Tunisian crochet hooks and how to hold them when working Tunisian stitches. How to work the Tunisian foundation row by opening and closing stitches. This foundation row is the basis from which all Tunisian projects are built. The basic Tunisian stitches - the Tunisian Simple Stitch, Tunisian Knit Stitch and the Tunisian Purl Stitch - you'll need to create the three fabulous crochet projects included in the booklet. How to bind off as well as all about ribbing, seaming, felting and more.
Supplies needed to complete class projects: bulky (5 BULKY) weight yarn, light weight yarn (3 LIGHT), worsted weight yarn (4 MEDIUM), crochet hooks sizes 5, 8, 10 1/2 and 11, tapestry needle and stitch markers.
Skill Level: Beginner, 16 pages. DVDs are both PC and MAC compatible, as well as US television/DVD-player compatible. Total Run Time: 72 minutes
Crochet Patterns - Item #CCV01B - See More Items Like This
|$24.99 $21.29
Click Picture to Zoom
|Learn Drop Stitch Crochet - Crochet Pattern by Annie's Attic
Explore the fascinating drop-stitch technique in this fabulous "learn-to" book by Kim Guzman. Drop-stitch crochet resembles broomstick lace in mechanics. All of the projects require a crochet hook as well as the use of a knitting needle to maintain consistency of the drop-stitch height. We've also included a great beginner step-by-step tutorial and eight projects to get you started. 36 pages. Skill level intermediate.
Crochet Patterns - Item #AA-871382 - See More Items Like This
|On Clearance!
$9.95 $4.96
Click Picture to Zoom
|Beginner's Guide to Crocodile Stitch - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
With its eye-catching layers of "scales," Crocodile Stitch is a fun way to add interest to crochet projects, from fashions to home decor. With Beginner's Guide to Crocodile Stitch by Lisa Gentry, you'll be surprised how easy it is to learn this gorgeous dimensional stitch using our clear photographs and step-by-step instructions, plus online technique videos. Start with the easy Scales Bracelet to learn how to make the individual Scales. Next, learn to make Scales in rounds for the Fanciful Mitts and in rows for the Bordered Scarf. Then practice all the techniques as you make the Plush Pillow, Luxurious Cowl, Embellished Bag, Sleek Shawl, and Perky Flower Motif. You're going to love the versatility of Crocodile Stitch! Pages: 48
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA6377 - See More Items Like This
|$12.99 $12.19
Click Picture to Zoom
|Beginner-Friendly Crochet - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Beginner-Friendly Crochet by Rita Weiss and Mary Ann Frits presents a wide assortment of crochet designs that a beginner can make with ease and confidence. Because inexperienced crocheters can become disillusioned if they dive into a complex pattern too soon, this book is filled with attractive projects that require only a minimum of skill, and the results are something any crocheter might want to use or give as a gift. Projects include a cup cozy, coaster, dishcloth, three throws, three scarves, a cowl, hooded scarf, checkerboard pocket scarf, ear warmer, women's mittens, tablet cozy, mini tote with shoulder strap, child's hat and scarf, teen's hat, wristers, and leg warmers. Basic crochet tips and stitch diagrams are included. Pages: 48
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA6463 - See More Items Like This
|$12.99 $12.19
Click Picture to Zoom
|Hats & Scarves - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Staying warm and looking stylish can be one and the same thing! These 14 scarves, hats, and cowls to crochet with various weights of yarn are fashionable accents, perfect for any wardrobe. The scarves offer beautiful shapes and textures, while the hats include must-have slouch designs, a chic brimmed cap, and a trendy chullo. When the chill wind of winter is blowing, the cowls are delightfully cozy. With most for Easy skill level and a few for Intermediate, they're all fabulous gifts for family and friends. Just don't forget to crochet a few for yourself! 48 pages.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA75431 - See More Items Like This
|$5.99 $5.38
Click Picture to Zoom
|Beginner's Guide to Thread Crochet - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Beginner's Guide to Thread Crochet by Rita Weiss is an illustrated book of step-by-step instructions devoted to one of the great joys of crochet: creating beautiful lace with a steel crochet hook and fine thread. Learn all about the stitches and techniques; then put your skills to practice with 15 lovely projects, from coasters to an elegant shawl. There also are special helps such as how to increase and decrease, read a pattern, achieve gauge, and starch and block a finished project. Designs include Elegant Edging, Quick Edging, Shells and Clusters, The Royal Edge, Lovely Lacy Scarf, Sea Shell Doily, Summertime Shawl, Lyric Shawl, Delightful Doily, Spring Coasters, Table Runner and Place Mat, Pinwheel Doily, Lacy Capelet, and Sachets. 48 pages
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA6354 - See More Items Like This
|$12.99 $12.20
Click Picture to Zoom
|Beginners Guide - 30 Easy-To-Crochet Stitches by Leisure Arts
Are you eager to broaden your horizons by learning more elegant yet easy crochet techniques? Then this Beginner's Guide is for you! Step-by-step instructions and detailed diagrams teach you 30 fast, fun stitches. Once you've mastered the basics, use these simple skills to fuel your creativity as your fashion your own designs. So let your imagination run free, and reach for this handy book any time you want to learn something new or add an exciting texture to a project. Little Book format presents basic crochet stitches plus 30 versatile pattern stitches: Lattice, Faggot Stitch, Web, Crosshatch, Vertical Scallop, 3-DC Shell Stitch, Acacia Stitch, Shadow Box, Crosses, Lacy V, Bow Ties, Granule Stitch, DC Diamonds, Diagonal Fence, Treble Cables, Alternate Stitch, Shells & Cords, Flying Shell, HDC Puffs, Picot Bricks, Fans & Clusters, Puff Shells, Exchange Stitch, Clusters & Crosses, Crunch Stitch, Garden Rows, Leaf Stitch, Herringbone, Honeycomb, and Sweet Pea.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA75071 - See More Items Like This
|$3.50 $3.28
Click Picture to Zoom
|Fashion Neckwear - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
In Fashion Neckwear, fabulous mesh and ribbon yarns are the key element in 11 impressive cowls, scarves, and neckwarmers. Clear photos and instructions explain how to work with these special yarns, and free online technique videos are available if you need additional help. Offering a wide variety of styles, the designs include Ruffle Scarf, Ribbon Scarf, Wavy Scarf, Buttoned Neck Warmer, Chevron Scarf, Scarf with Ruffle Ends, Long Ruffled Cowl, Short Cowl, Squares Neck Warmer, Flower Neck Warmer, and Flower Scarf.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA75497 - See More Items Like This
|$5.99 $5.62
Click Picture to Zoom
|Beginner's Guide to Crochet Motifs - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Have you admired traditional crocheted motifs but been afraid to give them a try? Here's your chance to add this fun and deceptively simple crochet technique to your skill set. With the Beginner's Guide to Crochet Motifs by Melissa Leapman, you'll learn to make several creative motifs and incorporate them into beautiful and useful projects ranging from afghans and throws to fashion accessories. Projects include Traditional Granny Afghan, Blooming Squares Baby Afghan, Frilly Circles Scarf, Amish Hexagon Afghan, Autumn Mums Shawl, and Posies Cowl. 48 pages. Easy.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA6218 - See More Items Like This
|$12.99 $12.20
Click Picture to Zoom
|Scarves & Cowls - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Reflect your personal style with crocheted scarves and cowls in custom widths and lengths! Complete instructions are provided for making the 12 photographed models in Scarves & Cowls, so you don't have to change a thing to come out with wonderful results. To give you more options, our easy-to-follow charts have already done the math for lots more sizes - 96 in all! You also can change up each design by choosing yarns with different textures or novelty effects or using solid versus variegated colors. Creating a scarf or cowl that is exactly what you want has never been easier. Just imagine all the possibilities! Made using a variety of yarn weights, the six designs by Karen Ratto-Whooley include Mary, Anna, Bessie, Maria, Martha, and Diane. 32 pages. Skill level: easy
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA6233 - See More Items Like This
|$9.99 $9.38
Click Picture to Zoom
|Hats and Scarves for the Family - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Great for gifts, the cozy designs in Hats and Scarves for the Family offer fashionable styles for kids, teens, and adults. Clear instructions are easy to follow, and bonus online technique videos offer extra help. All featuring medium weight yarn, the designs include Houndstooth Set (adult hat and scarf); Lattice Stitch Set (hat and scarf for child and adult sizes); Everyday Set (hat and scarf for child and adult sizes); Team Colors Set (teen hat and scarf to make in any two colors); and Child's Rainbow Ripple Set (scarf and two hat variations). For the classic adult patterns, a color change is all it takes to make them just right for men or women.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA75499 - See More Items Like This
|$5.99 $5.62
Click Picture to Zoom
|Simple Scarves Made With the Knook - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
These nine beginner-level scarves by Margret Willson are quick and easy to make using the Knook. This specialized crochet hook creates true knitted fabric, while the attached cord completely prevents dropped stitches! It's great for beginners or anyone who would like to learn to knit the easy way. Clear instructions on the basic technique are provided for both right-hand and left-hand stitching, while photos illustrate each step. All the scarves feature medium weight yarn worked with the Knook in classic rib knit patterns: 2 x 2 Rib Scarf, Beaded Rib Scarf, Cartridge Rib Scarf, Mistake Rib Scarf, Textured Rib Scarf, Twin Rib Scarf, Wavy Rib Scarf, Waffle Stitch Scarf, and Knit and Rib Scarf.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA5779 - See More Items Like This
|$9.95 $8.94
Click Picture to Zoom
|Beginners Guide to Ripple Afghans - Crochet Patterns by Leisure Arts
Beginners will love these 6 ripple designs! The little book is the perfect size for people on the go. Easy design instructions will make the process so much fun! Patterns included: Rainbow Ripple, Peaceful Ripple, Filet Ripples, Luxurious Ripple, Irresistible Ripples and Rustic Ripple.
(1 review)
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA75001 - See More Items Like This
|$3.50 $3.28
Click Picture to Zoom
|Crochet Beyond the Basics - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Ready to take your crochet to the next level? Crochet Beyond the Basics by Rita Weiss and Susan Lowman brings you a sampling of 10 time-honored crochet techniques, with beautiful projects to put your new skills to practice. Features include Bruges Lace Crochet (doily and heart centerpiece), Tunisian Crochet (bookmark and Christmas tree afghan), Broomstick Lace Crochet (hat and afghan), Symbol Crochet (doily and scarf), Hairpin Lace (stole and scarf), Irish Crochet (four edgings and doily), Filet Crochet (quilt block pillow and Home Sweet Home wall hanging), Polish Stars (poncho), Tapestry Crochet (ornaments and tote bag), and Mosaic Crochet (basketweave placemat). If you've been yearning to learn something new, this book is the perfect guide! 64 pages
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA6321 - See More Items Like This
|$14.99 $14.08
Click Picture to Zoom
|Quick Itty Bitties - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
The petite skeins of colorful Bonbons yarn from Lion Brand Yarn Company are just right for making this fun assortment of 10 quick little crochet designs. Perfect for any project requiring small amounts of multiple colors, each Bonbons collection includes 8 shades in an assortment of mercerized cotton, acrylic, or metallic. The possibilities are beautifully represented in Quick Itty Bitties with designs for a flower chain scarf, finger puppets, child's earflap hat, clutch, day bag, V-shaped shawl, striped wristers, floral collar, and granny scarf and hat. Skill level: easy.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA75485 - See More Items Like This
|$5.99 $5.62
Click Picture to Zoom
|Tunisian Shawls - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Featuring gorgeous yarns from fine weight to bulky, the eight diverse wraps in Tunisian Shawls will take you through the seasons in style and comfort. Their knit-look textures are created using Tunisian crochet patterns for skill levels from easy to intermediate. Designer Sharon H. Silverman says the variety of shapes and styles make shawls the perfect opportunity for crocheters to master Tunisian techniques while creating beautiful fashions. Designs include Autumn Embrace, Cables and Heart, Expanding Vees, Hot Pink Lace, Silver Shimmer, Popover Wedges, Red Hot Wrap, and Fair Isle Winter Capelets. Pages: 48
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA6378 - See More Items Like This
|$12.99 $12.19
Click Picture to Zoom
|Crochet With Love Knots - Crochet Pattern by Annie's Attic
This classic crochet openwork stitch goes by many names -- Solomon's knot, hail stone, love knot or lovers knot. The projects in this book include a Teal Scarf, Wrap in Noro, Poncho, Effervescence Cowl, Freia Cowl, Beret, Circle Wrap and a Crossover Cardigan. Sizes included are small, medium and large. We have also included symbol crochet for each design. Page Count: 24. Skill level: Intermediate
Crochet Patterns - Item #AA-871423 - See More Items Like This
|$9.95 $8.49
Click Picture to Zoom
|50+ Projects to Crochet in a Snap! Crochet Magazine by Crochet Magazine
Get more than 50 quick and easy crochet patterns that you'll be able to enjoy in relatively no time at all! You'll love the featured sections including Make It Tonight (projects to make in 4 hours or less), Designs in a Day (projects to make in 8 hours or less) and Weekend Specials (projects to make in 16 hours or less). Crochet designs include modern fashions, upscale accessories, trendy home accents and charming items for kids.
Crochet Patterns - Item #AA-871401 - See More Items Like This
|$9.99 $8.49
Click Picture to Zoom
|Crochet Fashions - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Kooler Design Studio presents young and trendy fashions to crochet by Mary Jane Hall. Featuring a variety of fun yarns, projects in Crochet Fashions include Pretty 'n Pink (fringed scarf), Scallop Shells (capelet and cap), Pink Pizazz (fringed shrug with furry trim), Linked Chain (scarf with floral end motifs), Lover's Knot (poncho), and All Curls (scarf with curlicues). 12 pages.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA6560 - See More Items Like This
|$6.99 $6.59
Click Picture to Zoom
|Celebrity Baby Fashion - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Celebrity babies are big news, and all eyes are on what they're wearing. These crochet fashions let you "get the look" seen when the stars ventured out on family days. Includes a cowl, newsboy hat, poncho, hooded scarf, leg warmers, fingerless mitts, slouchy beanie, hat with flower, and blanket. 40 pages. Designs by Lisa Gentry.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA75483 - See More Items Like This
|$4.99 $4.48
Click Picture to Zoom
|Beginner's Guide to Mile-A-Minute Afghans by Leisure Arts
This handy Little Book contains everything the beginner needs to know to crochet a mile-a-minute afghan. Clear instructions and illustrations guide the crocheter to make 5 beautiful afghans. Patterns included: Blue Skies, Country Fair, Peach Orchard, Tassled Ribbons, Sculptured Shells.
(1 review)
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA75010 - See More Items Like This
|$3.50 $3.28
Click Picture to Zoom
|Crochet Cowls - Crochet Patterns by Leisure Arts
Crocheted cowls are beautiful, easy-to-wear accessories. You'll find 10 stylish cowls in this warm collection by Lisa Gentry. They use a wide variety of yarns, ranging from light weight to super bulky weight. While scarves have loose ends that must be rewrapped or retied, cowls are buttoned, seamed, or crocheted into one continuous piece. This makes them a practical choice for your wardrobe and perfect for thoughtful gifts! Designs include Quick and Easy Button-up, Lace Scrunch, Shells with a Twist, Short but Sweet, Ruffles and Buttons, Casual Clusters, Diamond Twist, Quick and Easy Twist, Fringed Collar, and Buttons and Blooms. Pages: 32
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA5837 - See More Items Like This
|$9.95 $8.94
Click Picture to Zoom
|Noggins and Necks - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Noggins and Necks by Bonnie Barker features 5 stunning hat and scarf sets that can be crocheted in a weekend or less. Bonnie says, "My best friend's mom taught me to read fisherman crochet patterns from a Leisure Arts book. I based some of these new designs on that richly textured style, while all 5 sets are closely worked for warmth. They finish quickly and make beautiful gifts." All made using medium weight yarn, the 5 hat and scarf sets are named Basket Weave, Woven Stitch, Two Stitch, Fisherman, and Braided Hat and Scarf Set. All are for Easy skill level.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA4975 - See More Items Like This
|$9.95 $8.94
Click Picture to Zoom
|All for Baby! - Crochet Patterns by Leisure Arts
Gentle and satiny on Baby's tender skin, Caron Simply Soft yarn makes wonderful blankets, sweaters, and accessories to crochet for little ones. Wrap your baby in fluffy afghans or create a lace-edged christening blanket for a beautiful keepsake. Infants will stay cozy in colorful booties and a whimsical cap, while older babies will be ready for cool-weather travel in a warm hoodie. Why not combine Simply Soft yarn with your love of crochet to make these sweet designs? You'll keep a youngster warm and comfy this winter! 6 easy and intermediate projects for medium weight yarn: Striped Hoodie (size 12 months); Pinwheel Baby Blanket; Matching Hat and Baby Booties (size 6 months); Cloud Cover Baby Blanket; and Christening Blanket.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA75269 - See More Items Like This
|$3.95 $3.70
Click Picture to Zoom
|Tunisian Crochet Baby Blankets - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Tunisian Crochet Baby Blankets contains 8 original designs in contemporary colors by Sharon H. Silverman. Whether you're looking for classic cables, ripples, stripes, bobbles, or basket weave blocks, you'll find projects to suit your taste and become heirlooms for that special baby. The projects are all worked in Tunisian crochet, a technique that combines the look of knitting with the ease of crochet. If you are new to Tunisian crochet, or need a refresher on the basics, the Tunisian Crochet Skills section will help you get started. Free online technique videos are also available. Organized from Easy to Intermediate-Plus, the 8 designs include Basket Weave Blocks, Purple Garden, Frosted Stitch Stripes, Color Waves, Bubbling Bobbles, Telegram, Cables and Honeycomb, and Bright Strands.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA6198 - See More Items Like This
|$9.99 $8.98
Click Picture to Zoom
|The Cuffed Shawl and More - Crochet Patterns by Leisure Arts
So chic, so easy to make, and with flowing lines that flatter women of all shapes and sizes, these unique crocheted designs by Shelle Hendrix are today's must-have fashions! Optional features lend lots of versatility to the four basic wraps. The Ruffled Shawl has side buttons that can be fastened to create sleeves. The Hybrid Scarf can be worn as a scarf or a short shawl. The one-size Cuffed Shawl can be made with or without a hood. The Button-Up Poncho in sizes from Small/Medium to 2X/3X can be finished in a variety of ways, with a plain neckline, a collar, or a hood. 32 pages.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA6185 - See More Items Like This
|$9.99 $8.98
Click Picture to Zoom
|Prayer Shawl Ministry - Crochet Patterns by Leisure Arts
Join the thousands of knitters and crocheters of all faiths who are creating handmade shawls for people in need. Whatever your faith and wherever you live, your handiwork will be a gift of comfort, hope, and peace. Over the centuries, shawls have come to symbolize shelter, peace, and spiritual sustenance. What started as a grass-roots movement has quickly grown into an international cause, with countless numbers of shawls being given to grateful recipients around the globe. Book includes 8 prayer shawl patterns to knit and crochet, ideas for you prayer shawl ministry, letters of love, and stories of healing. Patterns included: "Crochet Rectangular Stole", "Crochet Small Throw", "Crochet Triangular Shawl", "Crochet Wide Scarf", "Knit Rectangular Stole", "Knit Small Throw", "Knit Triangular Shawl", and "Knit Wide Scarf"
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA4225 - See More Items Like This
|$11.95 $10.74
Click Picture to Zoom
|Simply Soft Crochet Accessories by Leisure Arts
These 8 colorful, cool, and comfy crochet designs are all fashioned using Simply Soft yarn from Caron International. There are two wraps, three scarves, a purse, a capelet, and a flower pin.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA4556 - See More Items Like This
|$6.95 $6.52
Click Picture to Zoom
|Learn to Fair Isle Crochet - Crochet Pattern by Annie's Attic
This book by Karen Ratto-Whooley will teach you the wonderful technique of color change. By using single crochet and carrying your yarn behind or working over the yarn, you will be able to follow the color charts easily. Included are 7 beautiful designs with easy-to-follow instructions, tips and charts. Projects are made using DK, chunky- and medium- (worsted) weight yarns. Skill level: intermediate.
Crochet Patterns - Item #AA-871230 - See More Items Like This
|$8.95 $7.59
Click Picture to Zoom
|Beginner's Guide to Crochet Colorwork - Crochet Pattern by Leisure Arts
Add excitement to your crochet with color! It's easier than you think, especially with this Beginner's Guide to Crochet Color Work using four popular techniques: Stripes, Mosaic, Intarsia, and Woven Fair Isle. Each section begins with an introduction to the technique, followed by a project or two to put your skills to use. Camera icons let you know when there are free online videos to help you learn the techniques. Get ready to color your world like never before! All made using medium weight yarn, the seven designs by Melissa Leapman include a striped Ripple Cowl; mosaic Baby Blanket; intarsia Kilim Pillow; woven Fair Isle Flower Hat and Ombre Throw; and Snowflake. 48 pages.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA6219 - See More Items Like This
|$12.99 $12.20
Click Picture to Zoom
|Beginner - More Crochet Stitches & Easy Projects by Leisure Arts
Teach yourself the fun art of crochet! In this follow-up guide to Crochet Stitches and Easy Projects, Leisure Arts presents 19 additional stitches for the beginning crocheter. Make a doll-size afghan, a half-circle rug, and a textured pillow.
Crochet Patterns - Item #LA75033 - See More Items Like This
|$3.50 $3.28
Don't miss any of our special sales or offers! Sign up for our Weekly Ad today!
Cross Stitch, Fabric, Floss, Thread, Rubber Stamps and Dies


text:
My own Cell Phone in Greece?
What a Great
Never be out of touch!
An English speaking operator is available for assistance 24 hours a day.
Thank you for your interest in our phones.
We offer a rather unique service to our customers. We rent cellular phones that will enable you to enjoy your holiday with greater peace of mind, security, and convenience.
Peace of mind, because your loved ones, business, and friends back home will always be able to find you by phone, should the need arise, no matter where you may be roaming throughout Greece, the Greek islands, and even beyond theborders of Greece, including Cyprus and Turkey.
because you will be able to place calls at almost any time and place to any
telephone number in the world (except for access to long distance calling card
providers such as AT&T, MCI, Sprint, etc.) in case of
an emergency or any other sudden need.
Convenience, because you wont need to wander off in search of a pay phone or need to try and figure out how to use it or any of the various phone cards that have flooded the market. All you will need to do is to pick up your own cell phone and dial the number you would like to reach.
Please carefully read the following text in order to get all the answers to all the questions you might have and to fully acquaint yourself with all the various features of our phones and service.
We rent to our customers a cellular
phone for a flat fee of Euros 135.00 for
a period of anywhere between 1 and up to 45 days. We charge an additional Euros 100.00 as a guarantee deposit for the safe return of the phone within
the standard 45 day rental period. We charge an additional Euros 60.00 for that corresponding amount of pre-installed calling credits. When the phone is returned in good working order, our customers receive a refund for the Euros 100.00 guarantee deposit and for whatever excess calling time credits are
left to the phone's credit. The phone comes with a fully charged battery and a standard AC outlet battery charger. 12 volt battery chargers for use on sailboats or cars are available if you need one. We will deliver and pick up your phone to and from any hotel in the Athens area for free! Otherwise, if you need the
phone to be delivered to a hotel or other place outside of Athens, then a small
delivery fee will need to be charged. Otherwise, if you prefer, you can pick up your phone from our centrally located office in downtown Athens at the following address:
Greece Travel
38 Voulis Street
Athens, 10557 Greece
Tel. 011-30-210-322-4932, Fax 011-30-210-324-9104
Our office operating
hours are as follows: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Mondays through Fridays
With our phones you can call anywhere
in the world as well as receive phone calls from anywhere in the world. While
calls you place are charged against your phone's pre-paid for calling credits,
all incoming calls are free to
you. Only the caller pays whatever his or her long distance telephone service provider charges for calls to Greece. This is probably the most important feature that our phone's offer. While you can always use the
phone to make your important calls, you can save a lot of money by having everyone "call you" instead of you calling them. Your calls are charged to you on a per second basis, therefore you can place very short calls to people in which you can ask them to call you back if you need to speak for more than a few moments. You can place a call to any number in the world with only one exception, you can't place "800" number phone calls to access long distance "Calling Card" telephone service providers such as AT&T, MCI, Sprint, and others.
Phone calls to the U.S., Canada, and Europe cost Euros 0.89 per minute.
Local calls (anywhere in Greece) cost Euros 0.59 per minute. The above amounts are deducted from your phone's pre-paid calling units. If you expect to need more calling time, then you can either get us to pre-program extra units to your phone's credit or you can add more yourself (see the section below entitled "Extra Talking Time Units" for details.)
To order a phone simply fill out the
order form that we have sent as an attachment to this email message and email
it back to us. For payment, due to the highcost ofcredit card transactions and
because of the high risk involved in sendingcredit card information over the
internet, we have decided to cease accepting credit
cards for payment. This leaves us with several other means of payment that are far
safer and much less costly to both us and you.
1. Payment in cash upon delivery of
the phone at your hotel in the Athens
area. (Note that cash payment is only possible for deliveries within the Athens area.)
2. Send us a money order or your personal
check through the mail. If you are going to pay in U.S. funds, we will advise
on what the dollar amount will bedepending on the prevailing exchange rate on
the day we receive your emailed order.
Please note that we must receive all personal checks within 10 days of delivery. Make
all money orders and checks payable to: Stamos Mazarakis
3. Send money through Western Union.
4. Send money through PayPal.
All refunds will either be made in cash or by bank draft.
We will deliver and pick up the phone from you at any hotel or other place within the Athens area for free, except for the Sofitel at the Airport, which is considered to be outside the Athens area for delivery and pickup purposes.
If you need to receive or to have the
phone picked up at the Sofitel or at any other hotel elsewhere in Greece then
an additional fee of Euros 15.00 will be required for "Courier Delivery
Service" for each delivery or pickup
including all the islands.
We can also make special arrangements to deliver or pick up the phone from you at the airport, but this service is rather expensive and costs Euros 25.00 for delivery and another Euros 25.00 to pick it up. This rather high delivery and pickup cost is due to the fact that Athens has a new airport, which is quite far outside of the city.
The standard cell phone comes with Euros 60.00 worth of telephone talking time units. If you need more calling units, you can either buy extra units from any of thousands of purchasing points all over Greece that display the logo "B-FREE" or you can order your particular phone to have as many extra units you feel
that you might need. Obviously the cell phone price will increase accordingly, but you will be refunded for any amount that is left over to your phone's credit when you return it.
Extra units are sold in the following increments and corresponding costs:
Euros 7.00
Euros 15.00
Euros 30.00
If you do run out and need to add more talking time to your phone, then you will need to purchase a "B-FREE" cell phone talking time recharge card from any of the thousands of sales points all over Greece and then you will need to install the units into your phone. To do so please follow these simple instructions:
1. Remove the card from the cellophane
2. Using a coin or key and scratch off the graphite on the back of the card in order to expose the hidden 16 digit card code.
3. Dial the number "1268" from your cell phone and listen for the automated operator to begin her little speech.
4. Punch in the first 4 digit group and check the number to be sure it corresponds with what the operator will repeat back at you.
5. If it is correct then press the "hash" or pound button " # ". If you made a mistake then press the asterisk button " * " and re-punch in the mistaken 4 digit number segment.
6. Now punch in the next group of 4 digits again checking the number against the number the automated operator will repeat back to you.
7. If it is correct then press the "hash" or pound button " # ". If you made a mistake then press the asterisk button " * " and re-punch in the mistaken 4 digit number segment.
8. Repeat the same procedure for the next 4 digit segment and again for the last 4 digit segment.
The automated operator will tell you
at the end if you successfully renewed your calling time units or not. If you
were successful then you may discard the now useless recharge card. If you were
not successful then hold on to
the card and go through the process again more carefully.
You can find out how many units you have left on your phone by simply dialing the number 1269 and then hit the "Dial" button. An English-speaking operator will tell you exactly how many credits you have left in Euros.
The phones feature a voice mail service so that when the phone is either turned off or when it is out of range a caller will be prompted to leave you a message. When the phone is turned back on or when it is again within reception range messages can be retrieved. You will know that you have a message when a tiny "envelope" appears on the screen of your phone. Simply dial "122" and you will here all your messages. After you've heard each message press the number "7" key to delete that message. The operator will then ask you to press the "7" key in order to "confirm deletion". If you don't press the "7" key twice, then the message you just heard will remain in your voice mailbox for up to 30 days. Please note that should you travel on a cruise ship, which might visit Turkey, or should you travel to any other foreign country outside the territorial area of Greece, then the phone will automatically disable the voice mail feature. This is due to the fact that while in "Roaming" mode, the phone can't place calls and therefore you can't access your Voice Mail-Box. If someone calls you about something important, it would be preferable that he or she try again later rather than he or she to leave an important message on a Voice Mail-Box that you can't access. Once you return to Greece, you can enable your voice mail feature again. Contact us and we will assist you.
Our clients can submit a list of up to 12 names and telephone numbers which we will pre-program into their phone's memory. This list should be submitted by email at least 1 week prior to the client's arrival.
An important added feature is that which we provide in the form of narratives given in 4 different languages (English, Italian, German, & Greek) that describe the points of interest within each particular geographical area the phone is located in. All you need to do is dial "1230" from your cell phone. First you will be asked which language you would like to hear the narration in. Press 2 for English. Then a pre-recorded narration will describe to you in 3 minute segments the important facts about the points of interest in that particular vicinity.
For example, if you call from the center of Athens you can hear narratives about the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora, the National Archaeological Museum, and 3 other sites of interest, on Crete you will here about the temple of Knossos, on Mykonos you will here about Delos, etc. Each 3 minute segment will deduct approximately US$2.00 from your phone's calling units.
Reception is excellent throughout Greece. Of course, because of the fact that Greece is a very mountainous country, there are a few areas where reception is weakened. Reception will be significantly weakened when the
phone is on a sailboat out to sea. There aren't any cell phone antennae out in the middle of the ocean, therefore the phone won't work out in the middle of the sea. As your boat approaches a populated island or mainland the
phone will search out and log onto the nearest antennae. During the time that your phone will be "out of range" your voice mail service will record any incoming messages for you and notify you of the number of messages you
have in your voice mailbox. Generally, though, the entire country is covered very well. In those instances where you don't have a good enough signal then your voice mail service will record any incoming calls you would have otherwise missed.
While outgoing calls can only be made within the boundaries of Greece and the Greek islands, incoming calls can be accepted anywhere in Europe, Turkey, Egypt, and Israel as well. Once the phone leaves the territorial
area of Greece it switches to "Roaming" mode and can only receive calls. Therefore while you are on a cruise ship visiting ports in Turkey such as Ephesseus or Istanbul you will be able to receive phone calls. The caller
pays the standard rate his "long distance" provider charges, and your phone consumes units at the prevailing "Roaming Charge" rate of the country you are in. Therefore, if you plan on using the phone outside of Greece, you should install sufficient "B-Free" pre-paid calling units into your phone so that you will be able to receive all the calls you expect to be receiving.(Whenever the cruise ship is within the territorial waters of
Greece and near enough to a land or island based antenna the phone returns to standard cell phone mode and you can again place calls yourself as well as receive calls, but note that you will have lost your voice mail feature. See the section on Voice Mail for details.)
In order to receive a refund on your deposit we must receive the phone within 45 days of delivery. If you need to keep the phone longer, your"guarantee deposit" will be adjusted at a rate of -10% per week beyond the
45 days. Otherwise, you may simply elect to keep the phone and thereby forfeit your deposit. Remember that the phone and charger must be in good working order upon their return. If your schedule does not leave you enough time to come to Athens and return the phone yourself then you can have us pick up the phone from your hotel, but that hotel must be located within the Athens Area. Another option is to simply mail it back to us in an
appropriately lined package. There is a post office in the Athens Airport Terminal. This
Post Office is open 7 days a week from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. There you can purchase an appropriate envelope and simply mail it back to our address as listed above at a nominal cost. Otherwise you can take it with you to your home country and you can send it as letter mail (the phone and battery charger are very light). For example, from the U.S. you can mail it to us for as little as $8.40. Please be certain to insure the phone and charger for ONLY Euros 100.00 when mailing it back. If you insure it for more, the Greek customs authorities will apply as much as Euros100.00 in import duties.
Obviously we would not pay that amount in order to accept the return of the phone and the phone would be returned to you. Therefore, please, insure it for only Euros 100.00.
If you have any further questions or
need further clarifications please feel
free to contact me directly.
Regards from sunny Athens,
Tom Mazarakis
Greece Travel-Phones


text:
Below is a list of upcoming web site content for today. We will list some of the content that is planned for the day so you know when to come back. Not all news is planned so there is sure to be more on the front page than what you see here.
Men's Basketball Host Auburn
Inside Georgia Women's Basketball with Coach Landers
Orson Charles Returns to Campus
Social Media: Goin to the Super Bowl
Dawgs in the NFL: Orson Charles
Inside Georgia Women's Basketball with Coach Landers
Men's Basketball Recap
Men's Basketball Highlights/Interviews
All times ET, unless noted.


text:
You are a fan of silkroad chinese ? Come to discover the best forums silkroad chinese on the internet and share your experience with a community fan of silkroad chinese . You can also build a forum silkroad chinese and create your online discussion.
华盛顿州立大学中国学生学者联谊会Chinese Students and Scholars Associationat Washington State UniversityCSSA @ WSU
cssa, washington, state, university, #chinese, students, scholars, association
SHIH TZU FORUM - For Shih Tzu Lovers - A place where shih tzu owners and enthusiasts can gather to chat and share their expertise. All Welcome
free, shih, tzus, shitsu, shidzoo, shiddy, sheehzoo, pooch, holy, leash, clubs, #chinese, dogs, shiddies, manchu, furbabies, crufts
Nanning China Information Forum. Marriage, Visa, Work, Settlement Info
nanning, guangxi, southern, china, information, europe, settlement, visa, marriage, work, employment, advice, flights, beijing, guangzhou, hong, kong, guilin, australia
For enthusiasts of modern and future MG cars. MGUK For enthusiasts of modern and future MG cars.
mguk, #chinese, news, thread, roewe, saic, nanjing, longbridge, cars
AkatomieMusic is a Chinese cover production Website.
#chinese, asian, instrumental, youtube, production, canto, mando, cantonese, mandarin, akatomie, kitkatworlds, cover, mixng, midi, 3rdheav3n


text:
Geek Speak
Geek Speak is where the world of Geekdom comes alive.
Posts filtered on Category
Avril Lavigne & other artists bellow for 'Alice in Wonderland'
"Alice," Avril Lavigne's song/video for Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland," is everything you'd expect from the pop grrl who gave us "Sk8er Boi" and "Girlfriend" — kind of edgy but accessible and really, really loud. And if that doesn't fit in with Burton's aesthetic for his Lewis Carroll adaptation, I don't know what does. The […] [Read More]
Camille Rose Garcia gives Alice and Wonderland her own Tim Burton treatment
With Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" looking like it tumbled out of an exploding Hot Topic shop, we might as well get that same dark, pop surrealism in print, too. Good thing Camille Rose Garcia more than delivers with her delightfully goth illustrations for "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," available Feb. 2. The hardcover features the […] [Read More]
UPDATED: Now SEE the new 'Alice in Wonderland' trailer and plot details HERE
(screen grab from YouTube) Disney has unveiled the second official "Alice in Wonderland" trailer with some illuminating visuals and illuminating plot details. Turns out Alice (Mia Wasikowska) is 19 and returns to Wonderland where she's needed to help the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) and his quirky comrades save their weird world from the Red Queen […] [Read More]
'Alice in Wonderland' posters reward Facebook, uh, disloyalty
(link) That most unconventional Mad Hatter has two "Alice in Wonderland" posters for your perusal and they're considerably less toxic to the eyes than said Mad Hatter's acidic visage. You'll find them courtesy the Disloyal Subjects of the Mad Hatter over at Facebook, where they're all quite mad with their poking and whatnot. (Spotted via […] [Read More]
Scary-cool Mad Hatter figure not like a raven or a writing desk
(Sideshow Collectibles) As we await Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" to soak our senses in delirium next year, here's something else we can look forward to simultaneously cringing and marveling at — a foot-tall, ridiculously-detailed Mad Hatter figure by Medicom Toy. Why, this 1:6 scale beauty(?) looks just like Johnny Depp's turn as the Hatter […] [Read More]
The 'Alice in Wonderland' trailer, because we're all mad here
Tim Burton's quirky creepy "Alice in Wonderland" doesn't rock our retinas until March 2010. In the meantime, the above trailer more than does the job. Just from this trailer alone I'm convinced it's exactly the way Lewis Carroll would have done it had he access to big-budget movie making — and ate a bunch of […] [Read More]
Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter is like eye poison
(RadarOnline.com) The ungodly heat almost burned this off my radar, so my apologies for posting so late that Marilyn Manson will play the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's upcoming "Alice in Wonderland." What's that? That's really Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter? Wow. Burton really dunked the dude in the Hot Topic vomit this time. […] [Read More]


text:
Bryn Mawr's Community Based Work Study Program is designed to give undergraduate students the opportunity to earn their financial aid awards (work-study funds) through employment at off-campus community service agencies such as local non-profit organizations and schools. The program provides students with the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to local organizations through their work while also learning about community issues and developing professional skills.
The Community Based Work Study program operates during the academic year only.
CONTACT: If you have questions about the Community Based Work Study program, please contact Vippy Yee at firstname.lastname@example.com or x7803.
If you are interested in participating in Community Based Work Study, you must submit an application to the Civic Engagement Office.
March 2015: Currently, we are not accepting applications for the Spring semester. Please see below for a sampling of the types of positions offered.
To review the open positions, please browse through them below.
WHAT: The Community-Based Work Study Program allows you to earn work study funds through working at an off-campus non-profit organization.
WHEN: 8-12 hours a week
HOW: In order to be part of the program, you must qualify for Federal Work Study funding and be a Sophomore, Junior or Senior. Students will earn $10.00 per hour. Most sites are accessible by public transportation and students in the program will receive 100% transportation reimbursement.
Available Community Based Work Study Positions:
Please check back for updates! New positions are still being developed!
Organization Name
(click to learn more about each organization)
Position Title & Description
(click on title to view job description)
|Philadelphia Global Water Initiative
Communications Assistant - filled
|Philadelphia Global Water Initiative
|Conference Assistant - filled
|Member Service Intern (3 openings)
|Nationalities Service Center
|Assistant Program Coordinator (2 openings, both filled)
|Youth Program Intern - filled
|Social Media Coordinator - filled
|Women's Medical Fund
|Access Counselor (all positions filled)
|PACT for Animals
|PACT for Animals
|Program Development Intern
|PACT for Animals
|Media & Outreach Intern
|Overbrook Elementary School
|Student Support Intern
|Financial Education Intern - filled
|Accounting & Operations Intern
|Program Evaluation Advocate - filled
|Development & Fundraising Assistant - filled
|ESOL Citizenship Instructor
|Youth Program Assistant
|Youth Program Intern
|Computer Literacy Instructor
|Program Development Intern (2 openings, both filled)
|ACLAMO Family Centers
|ACLAMO Family Centers
|Healthy NewsWorks
|Program Associate - filled
|South Asian American Digital Archive
|Program Assistant - filled
|William Way LGBT Community Center
|Development and Communications Associate - filled
|Research for Action
Research Intern - filled
Policy Intern - filled
|Spiral Q
Digital Production and Marketing Assistant
Digital Media and Photography Assistant
Development and Communications Assistant
WHAT: Bryn Mawr College's Community-Based Work Study Program can assist your organization by providing a creative solution to funding for part-time staff.
WHEN: Students are available to work between 8-12 hours/week at your agency on site.
HOW: In order to be eligible, your organization must:
In order to be considered as a host organization in the Community Based Work Study program, please complete the Community Partner's Questionnaire and return it to Quanisha Smith.


text:
Series description: Inspired by an infamous sculpture, a modern interpretation of a Danish fairy tale, and star performers in one of the oldest and most rigorous academies in dance history, this selection of films explores art, beauty, and obsession in the world of classical ballet.
Free; no reservations required.
Kahn Auditorium
Image caption: Degas: La Petite Danseuse de Degas
View all recent and upcoming Films.


text:
Residential fire closes part of East Lake Sammamish Parkway
June 11, 2015
NEW — 2:42 p.m. June 11, 2015
Due to a residential fire along the roadway, emergency workers have closed East Lake Sammamish Parkway in the 2900 block.
The closure went into effect at about 2 p.m., according to Tim Larson, Sammamish communications manager. The roadway will remain closed until Eastside Fire & Rescue crews get the fire under control and can begin clearing the roadway.
The fire is on the west side of the parkway, a bit more than a mile north of Inglewood Hill Road between Northeast 30th Court and Northeast 28th Place.
"It's still very active," EFR Chief Lee Soptich said of the fire at about 2:30 p.m.
Parkway traffic is being detoured to Inglewood Hill Road. In a press release, Larson said that street is likely to become congested fairly quickly. He suggested drivers try alternative routes such as 212th Way Southeast, Louis Thompson Road, Southeast 24th Way and Southeast 43rd Way.
Projects will add new housing to Issaquah and Sammamish
April 21, 2015
Presidio Residential Capital and Summit Homes of Washington announced that they have begun home model construction on four projects in King County that will add 106 new homes to the area.
New fire station dedication and open house is Jan. 24
January 20, 2015
Eastside Fire & Rescue will hold a dedication of Station 78, 20720 S.E. May Valley Road, at 10 a.m. Jan. 24, followed by an open house lasting until 1 p.m.
The free event is open to the public.
Fire commissioners from District 10, directors from EFR, fire administrators and firefighters will be on hand to greet those attending.
Station 78 was funded by a bond measure approved in 2012 by Fire District 10 voters. The new facility replaces a station that was located at S.E. 113th Street and state Route 900. Read more
Issaquah, Sammamish make NerdWallet's top 10 list for job seekers
November 12, 2013
The website NerdWallet has placed Issaquah and Sammamish in its top 10 best places for job seekers in Washington state. Issaquah came in second, while Sammamish was No. 5.
NerdWallet.com is a personal finance and credit card comparison website launched in March 2010. The site writes recommendations on credit cards, personal finance options, discounts and gas prices.
For its list of best places of job seekers, it looked at the following criteria:
Church to hold community meeting on Tent City 4
October 3, 2013
NEW — 10:19 a.m., Oct. 3, 2013
Mary, Queen of Peace Catholic Church will hold a meeting to provide information and gather input from the community about possibly hosting Tent City 4.
The church's pastoral council met Oct. 2 as part of the church community's "process of discernment," said Rich Shively, pastoral administrator. The council did not offer any formal recommendation that evening, Shively said, but discussions were generally positive.
Sammamish to survey Klahanie residents
July 16, 2013
Within the next few months, residents of Klahanie will get calls from pollsters wondering how much they like Sammamish.
The triangular wedge of unincorporated King County borders Sammamish on two sides and Issaquah on the third. State law assumes that at some point one city or the other will absorb the area, which is home to more than 10,000 people.
Under current standards, only Issaquah has the option to do so. The city may put it to a vote as soon as April 2014.
Macaroni Kid celebrates fourth anniversary
April 9, 2013
Started in April 2009, Macaroni Kid provides families in the Snoqualmie Valley, Issaquah and Sammamish areas a comprehensive listing of family-friendly events and activities to entertain, stimulate and exhaust their kids, according to a press release from Macaroni Kid.
Four years ago, Diana Reul-Shapiro, of Snoqualmie, was looking for activities to keep her kids busy when she had the idea to assist local parents doing the same thing. Today, another mom, Dana Verhoff, of Fall City, helps her.
Issaquah Sammamish Health and Safety Fair 2013
February 3, 2013
Register for next year's Health and Safety fair


text:
Now Foods, Real Food, Raw Sunflower Seeds, Unsalted, 16 oz (454 g)
Items 1-5 of 62 total
« Previous |
| Next »
Great bargain
2 people found the following review helpful
Posted by Reviewer3088434 on Nov 15, 2011
Better price than Trader Joes and arrives at your front door.
Was this review helpful to you?
Report Abuse
Note: iHerb does not imply any medical claims from this review. Disclaimer.
great for vit E
1 person found the following review helpful
Posted by happyfiddler on Sep 08, 2012
I like that these are not salted - I add these to my salads.
trully raw seeds. Click on my username for more reviews!
Posted by More-Special-Offers on Jul 30, 2013
They are really raw! Will sprout in a tray for 1-2 days, Germination rate about 95%. Great stuff.
Sunflower Seeds
Posted by ZlatinVal on Jul 04, 2013
2 stars
low quality product
Posted by Reviewer2273172 on Oct 05, 2011
I've been eating sunflower seeds for 2 years including regular Bob's mill and Swanson's organic. I have to say this Now Foods sunflower seeds has the lowest quality among all of them.


text:
Back to Her Best Life Ever Posted at 9:57PM EST
Megan leaves on a pretty blasé note. Do you think she's happy to go home? Should Brandi M., have been eliminated, too? And most importantly…
…can Brandi C., recover from this deep, deep loss?
——- Comment Now ——-
Hair Show Posted at 9:50PM EST
Heather kicks it Rock of Love 1 style by sporting a wild, never-before-seen-on-her 'do at judging. Hot or not?
——- Comment Now ——-
Here's the Kicker Posted at 9:47PM EST
A verbal argument quickly escalated into violence. Does Megan need to go home now that she kicked Brandi M.? Was her attack warranted?
——- Comment Now ——-
Camel Toe! Posted at 9:39PM EST
Cameltoecameltocameltoe! Ahhhh! Camel toe!
——- Comment Now ——-
Oh Brother Posted at 9:29PM EST
Megan and Brandi C., claim that Brandi M., was talking about their lead singer while she was in the bathroom. Are they telling the truth? Are they making this up, and if so, why?
——- Comment Now ——-
Who Chose Wisest? Posted at 9:16PM EST
Now that we've seen all the musicians in action, who's best suited to take this thing? Destiney's science project or Brandi C.'s man-meat heavy set?
——- Comment Now ——-
Who Rocks Hardest? Posted at 9:03PM EST
The ladies find out they're going to manage a rock band. Which of the remaining 10 has the smarts and business savvy to do well at this? Which of them is going to break a proverbial guitar string?


text:
A system and method for document retrieval is disclosed. The invention addresses a major problem in text-based document retrieval: rapidly finding a small subset of documents in a large document collection (e.g. Web pages on the Internet) that are relevant to a limited set of query terms supplied by the user. The invention is based on utilizing information contained in the document collection about the statistics of word relationships ("context") to facilitate the specification of search queries and document comparison. The method consists of first compiling word relationships into a context database that captures the statistics of word proximity and occurrence throughout the document collection. At retrieval time, a search matrix is computed from a set of user-supplied keywords and the context database. For each document in the collection, a similar matrix is computed using the contents of the document and the context database. Document relevance is determined by comparing the similarity of the search and document matrices. The disclosed system therefore retrieves documents with contextual similarity rather than word frequency similarity, simplifying search specification while allowing greater search precision.
1. A computer-implemented context-based document retrieval method comprising:
a) for each document, i, in a document collection, computing a word relationship matrix D(i) comprising proximity statistics of word pairs in the document; and calculating for each document a word frequency vector;
b) generating a context database comprising an N�N matrix C, wherein C is computed from the word relationship matrices D(i) of all the documents in the document collection, where N is a total number of unique words in the document collection;
c) computing a search matrix S from a search query and the matrix C;
d) for each document, i, computing a weight W(i) from the search matrix S and the word relationship matrix D(i) for the document; and
e) retrieving and ranting documents based on the weights W(i).
2. The method of
3. The method of
4. The method of
5. The method of
6. A computer-implemented context-based document retrieval method comprising:
a) for each document, i, in a document collection, computing a word-phrase relationship matrix D(i) comprising proximity statistics of word n-tuples in the document; wherein n is a number of words in each word-phrase relationship; and calculating for each document a word-phrase frequency vector;
b) generating a context database comprising an N�N matrix C, wherein C is computed from the word-phrase relationship matrices D(i) of all the documents in the document collection, where N is a total number of unique word-phrases in the document collection;
c) computing a search matrix S from a search query and the matrix C;
d) for each document, i, computing a weight W(i) from the search matrix S and the word-phrase relationship matrix D(i) for the document; and
e) retrieving and ranking documents based on the weights W(i).
7. The method of
8. The method of
9. The method of
10. The method of
11. A computer-implemented context-based document retrieval method comprising:
a) for each document, i, in a document collection, computing a word-phrase relationship tensor D(i) comprising proximity statistics of word-phrase n-tuples in the document, where n is at least two; wherein n is a number of words in each word-phrase relationship; and calculating for each document a word-phrase frequency vector;
b) generating a context database comprising a tensor C, wherein C is computed from the word-phrase relationship tensors D(i) of all the documents in the document collection;
c) computing a search tensor S from a search query and the tensor C;
d) for each document, i, computing a weight W(i) from the search tensor S and the word-phrase relationship tensor D(i) for the document, and
e) retrieving and ranking documents based on the weights W(i).
The present invention relates generally to computer-implemented techniques for information retrieval. More specifically, it relates to query-based search engines and methods for improved searching through the use of contextual information.
The basic goal of a query-based document retrieval system is to find documents that are relevant to the user's input query. Since a typical query comprises only a few words, prior art techniques are often unable to discriminate between documents that are actually relevant and others that simply happen to use the query terms.
Conventional search engines for unstructured text documents can be divided into two groups: keyword-based, in which documents are ranked on the incidence (i.e., the existence and frequency) of keywords provided by the user, and categorization-based, in which information within the documents to be searched, as well as the documents themselves, are pre-classified into "topics" that are used to augment the retrieval process. The basic keyword search is well-suited for queries in which the topic can be described by a unique set of search terms. This method selects documents based on exact matches to these terms and then refines searches using Boolean operators (and, not, or) that allow users to specify which words and phrases must and must not appear in the returned documents. Constructing Boolean search queries is considered laborious and difficult for most people to use effectively. Moreover, unless the user can find a combination of words appearing only in the desired documents, the results will generally contain too many unrelated documents to be of use.
Several improvements have been made to the basic keyword search. Query expansion is a general technique in which keywords are used in conjunction with a thesaurus to find a larger set of terms with which to perform the search. Query expansion can improve recall (i.e., results in fewer missed documents) but usually at the expense of precision (i.e., results in more unrelated documents) due in large part to the increased number of documents returned. Natural language parsing falls into the larger category of keyword pre-processing in which the search terms are first analyzed to determine how the search should proceed (e.g., Infoseek's Ultraseek Server). For example, the query "West Bank" comprises an adjective modifying a noun. Instead of treating all documents that include either "west" or "bank" with equal weight, keyword pre-processing techniques can instruct the search engine to rank documents that contain the phrase "west bank" more highly. IBM's TextMiner makes extensive use of query expansion and keyword pre-processing methods, recognizing ˜105 commonly used phrases. Even with these improvements, keyword searches may fail in many cases where word matches do not signify overall relevance of the document. For example, a document about experimental theater space is unrelated to the query "experiments in space" but may contain all of the search terms.
Categorization methods attempt to improve the relevance by inferring "topics" from the search terms and retrieving documents that have been predetermined to contain those topics. The general technique begins by analyzing the document collection for recognizable patterns using standard methods such as statistical analysis (e.g., Excite's Web Server) and neural network classification (e.g., Autonomy's Agentware). As with all such analyses, word frequency and proximity are the parameters being examined and/or compiled. Documents are then "tagged" with these patterns (often called "topics" or "concepts") and retrieved when a match with the search terms or their associated topics have been determined. In practice, this approach performs well when retrieving documents about prominent (i.e., statistically significant) subjects. Given the sheer number of possible patterns, however, only the strongest correlations can be discerned by a categorization method. Thus, for searches involving subjects that have not been pre-defined, the subsequent search typically relies solely upon the basic keyword matching method is susceptible to the same shortcomings.
It is appropriate to note here that many categorization techniques use the term "context" to describe their retrieval processes, even though the search itself does not use any contextual information (i.e., how collections of words appear relative to one another in order to define a context). U.S. Pat. No. 5,619,709 to Caid et. al. is an example of a categorization method that uses the term "context" to describes various aspects of their search. Caid's "context vectors" are essentially abstractions of categories identified by a neural network; searches are performed by first associating, if possible, keywords with topics (context vectors), or allowing the user to select one or more of these pre-determined topics, and then comparing the multidimensional directions of these vectors with the search vector via the mathematical dot product operation (i.e., a projection). In many respects, this process is identical to the keyword search in which word occurrence vectors are projected on a keyword vector.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,926,812 to Hilsenrath et. al. describes an improvement to the ranking schemes of conventional search engines using a technique similar to categorization. Hilsenrath's application is rather specialized in that the search relies upon first having a set of documents about the topic of interest in order to retrieve more like it, rather than the more difficult task of finding related documents using only a limited set of keywords provided by the user. Hilsenrath's method first analyzes a set of documents and extracts a "word cluster" which is analogous to the "topics" described above. The words defined by this word cluster are then fed to an existing keyword-based search engine, which returns a set of documents. These documents are then re-ranked by comparing the original word cluster with similar ones computed for each document. Although the comparison step does use context-like information (e.g., word pair proximities), the overall method is fundamentally limited by the fact that it requires already having local documents related to the topic of interest. The quality of the search is also limited by the quality and completeness of these local documents. In some sense, it is really an improvement to a 'more like this document' search feature than a complete query-based document retrieval method.
The disclosed invention provides a computer-implemented method for improving query-based document retrieval using the vast amount of contextual information (i.e., information about the relationships between words) within the document collection to be searched. The goals of a context-based search are 1) to take advantage of this wealth of information in order to automatically facilitate the specification of search topics from a limited set of search terms, and 2) to rank documents using a measure of contextual similarity that takes into an account the usage and relationship of all words within a each document. Essentially, words related to a particular topic tend to frequently occur in close proximity to one another. When the user specifies a query, the information compiled from the document collection can be enough to determine the desired topic and reconstruct the associated context (e.g., related words, usage proportions, etc.). Documents with the greatest contextual similarity are most likely to be relevant to the search topic.
As implied in the Background Art, categorization techniques also rely upon the fact that even without a "semantic" understanding of a text, highly useful contextual information can be read and compiled from a document collection by analyzing the statistics of word occurrence. But unlike categorization, context-based searching recognizes that in order to use this contextual information effectively, all of the statistics must be kept. Instead of analyzing the compiled data beforehand and extracting a limited set of correlations and patterns, the present invention stores all of the compiled contextual information for use at the time of the search. In other words, this technique is effective for queries about all topics. From just a few query terms supplied by the user, this technique is able to perform a true contextual search, that is, one in which word frequencies, word pair (and higher order) proximities, and proportions of word appearance are essential elements of the retrieval and ranking process.
The feature that fundamentally differentiates the present invention from all other search engines is its utilization of a context database ("C-db"), a repository of unfiltered (i.e., not pre-categorized) word frequency and proximity statistics compiled from the documents to be searched. Using the query terms supplied by the user, the context search method computes a search matrix to retrieve relevant documents. A search matrix is a set of numerical values that specify a topic of interest within a multidimensional word relationship space. This matrix contains information not only about words and phrases used to describe the desired subject matter but about how these words and phrases appear relative to each other. It is important to note that search matricies are not and cannot be pre-determined; they are computed at the time of the search using the query terms supplied by the user. The added word relationship information from this search matrix draws upon information from the entire document collection to be searched and thus allows the subsequent search to apply a much more rigorous set of criteria for determining the relevance of each document to the topic of interest.
The context-based search comprises five general steps, not necessarily performed in the following order. First, the C-db is generated by analyzing word usage at the same time the search engine indexes a document collection. At a minimum, parameters such as word frequency, occurrence counts, and proximities are compiled during this step. Next, for each query, one or more search matrices are computed from the query terms using the contents of the C-db. The third step involves generating (or retrieving) a word relationship matrix for each document, thus preparing for the fourth step, a matrix comparison calculation that produces the final weight used to rank the relevance of each document. An optional fifth step of refining the search may be performed by replacing the original search matrix (derived from the query terms) with the word relationship matrix from a particular document (i.e. a 'more like this document' function).
The present approach improves on prior art in several important ways. The additional information provided by the context database and, in turn, the search matrix narrows the description of the desired topic: the more specific the area of interest is defined, the more accurate the results. Since the search uses the contextual (i.e., word relationship) information contained in the search matrix, documents are ranked not on the simple occurrence of individual words but on how these words appear in relation to each other. That is, a document must not only use relevant words in proximity to each other, but these words must be used in the proper proportions as well. This feature is particularly important for searches about topics described by common words (i.e., words associated with numerous subjects) because it is precisely the subtleties within collections of words, rather than the individual words themselves, that distinguishes one topic from another.
Defining a search matrix also allows useful generalization because the search is not limited to the keywords provided by the user. Relevant documents are found even when the original search terms are not present. Moreover, this method is able to recognize and discard documents which use the original search terms but do not contain the proper context. In short, the context search method improves both precision and recall specifically in situations that are most troublesome for conventional keyword and categorization search engines: queries about less popular topics that are difficult to define with a limited number of search terms.
Typical Hardware Architecture
The disclosed invention may reside on any computer system containing one or more central processing units and one or more storage devices (e.g., physical memory or any other volatile or non-volatile medium). For document retrieval over multiple computers, the system may include networking hardware. The computer-implemented process for context-based document retrieval is described below.
Generating the C-db
The C-db contains word relationship statistics found in the document collection to be searched. The first enabling step for a context-based search is the design and use of the C-db within the constraints of today's computer technology. The current embodiment stores word pair relationships weights, appearance histograms, etc. and is thus a simplified version of the full form in which all higher order relationships (i.e., word triplets, n-tuplets) are calculated. The main portion of the C-db, C, is a list of N vectors, where N is the total number of unique words (or word units, such as phrases) in the document collection to be searched. Each vector corresponds to a particular word and contains a relationship weight with every other word in the list. C is therefore an N�N square matrix (in its full form). In the English language, N is on the order of 105; when common phrases are considered, N may increase to 106. Thus, 1010<N2<1012, so the non-compressed storage requirements for the C-db is estimated at 10-1000 Gb. In practice, the C-db, and all associated data, is several orders of magnitude smaller (the exact amount is determined by the size contents of the document collection). The rest of the C-db contains various information such as a word histogram, collection frequency weights, etc. All of these are well-known statistical values which may be easily calculated by anyone skilled in the art of document retrieval methods. If desired, a word pair incidence count matrix may be stored as well. This matrix keeps track of the number of times a particular word pair is encountered within the document collection (a value used for normalization purposes).
The values in C are computed on a per-document basis. A particular value within C represents the relationship between the two words (or word units or phrases) corresponding to the value's row and column. For each word in a document, a relationship weight is calculated for every surrounding word. The value of this weight is determined by a word relationship function based on separation (proximity); nearby words are assigned a larger weight than distant words (e.g., weight=1/s, where s is the word separation). Each appearance of a word pair updates the corresponding values within the C-db in an additive fashion. This allows easy parallelization of the code for execution on multiple processors, useful when indexing large document collections (e.g., the Internet).
The following is an example of a C-db calculation for the sentence "Cooked chicken tastes good," using the proximity function 1/s . The relationship weights of the first word, "cooked," with "chicken," "tastes," and "good" would be 1, 0.5, and 0.33, respectively. C would therefore be:
The relationship weights of the second word, "chicken," with "cooked," "tastes," and "good" would be 1, 1, and 0.5, respectively. These values are added to the present values in C:
Relationship weights for "tastes" and "good" are calculated in the same manner, resulting in the following values for C:
Notice that since word pair relationships are commutative, C is a symmetric matrix. The lower half of the matrix, therefore, does not need to be saved. In practice, this half of the matrix is used to store word pair incidence counts (e.g., the number of times a particular value within the upper half of C is updated—this information is for normalization procedures to be described below). The elements along the diagonal of C in theory represent the relationship of words with themselves. In practice, they are arbitrarily set to values that are convenient for the calculations being performed.
In order for the above procedure to be useful and practical, the process of indexing the document collection must be sufficiently fast to accommodate large databases, and results from searches should be generated in a timely manner (i.e., within a few seconds). Towards these ends, several aspects of the algorithm can be streamlined to reduce memory requirements and computation time. For a typical proximity function, contributions from word pairs with separations in excess of a few tens of words are insignificant and can be safely ignored. This reduces the number of computations and memory moves from M2, where M is the total number of words in the document collection, to C*M, where C is the maximum significant separation distance.
A second improvement exploits the fact that C is a sparse matrix (that is, it contains mostly zeros) and can be encoded as such using standard methods to minimize storage space. A sparse representation of C may be small enough to reside in physical memory, thereby greatly increasing indexing speed by reducing disk access. To further reduce the size of C, small values within C that are deemed at the level of "noise" (i.e., the value representing a random occurrence of a word pair) may be removed (i.e., set to zero). This noise level is a function of the document collection's size, number of unique words, etc., and can be determined empirically or estimated theoretically.
Computing the Search Matrix
For each keyword input by the user, the corresponding column vector in the C-db, vi, is retrieved and normalized by the appropriate factors (e.g., the collection frequency weight, term weight, incidence counts, etc.). Although these normalization factors play an important role in producing good results, their use is common throughout the prior art and will not be discussed in this disclosure. Using the example C-db in the last section, the vectors associated with the query "cooked chicken good" are:
Since each word only appears once in this example, normalization factors do not need to be applied.
These vectors are then combined to form a resultant vector, V, which contains the values that define the topic of interest. The current implementation is essentially an intersection function: the vectors are multiplied together on an element-by-element basis, after a threshold function (which sets values below a certain threshold to zero) is applied to each vector. Mathematically, the resultant vector can be expressed as V=v1�v2�v3, where v1, v2, and v3, represent the vectors within C that correspond to the two keywords, and the (�) operator represents an array (element-by-element) multiplication.
Once V is obtained, the search matrix, S, is simply VTV, where VT is the transpose of V. The size of S is n�n, where n is the number of nonzero terms of V.
The goal of the resultant vector calculation is to use the vectors associated with the keywords to find a set of relationships weights that uniquely define the topic of interest. Since each vector contains relationship weights derived from many topics, the assumption behind the intersection function is that words related to the desired topic are contained in all of the associated C-db vectors. For example, in a typical newspaper archive, the term "resuscitation" should appear prominently (i.e., have a large relationship weight) in the vectors associated with both "cardiac" and "arrest" and thus be included in the resultant vector derived from the query "cardiac arrest". "old age" and "hospital" should also appear in the resultant but their relationship values should be lower than that of "resuscitation" since they are less directly related to "cardiac arrest" (and presumably appear farther away in documents pertaining to cardiac arrest). There are many ways to generate a resultant vector, from simple array addition (V=v1+v2+v3) to a summation of vector combinations (V=v1�v2+v1�v3+v2�v3). The intersection function was chosen for the current implementation because of its simplicity and effectiveness.
Various resultant vectors with other desirable properties may also be computed. For example, V may be used to find the elements outside of the intersection, V′. V′ contains information regarding undesirable words and may therefore be used as an added mechanism for identifying documents with the improper context. Using the above example, "police" would be highly associated with "arrest" but not at all to "cardiac" and would thus be captured by V′ as an undesirable word.
Similarly, keyword modifiers analogous to the Boolean operators used in keywords searches may be used to affect how the resultant vector(s) and/or search matrix is(are) computed. For example, a minus sign (−) placed before a query term (or a set of query terms) may instruct the search algorithm to include the associated C-db vector(s) in the calculation of V′, thereby adding the capability for the search routine to exclude undesirable topics, as opposed to simply undesirable words, specified by the user.
Ranking the Documents
For each document, i, a matrix D(i) is calculated in the same manner as the C-db, C. That is, the elements of the square matrix are determined by the proximity and frequency of word pairs. (C is in fact the summation of all D(i) matrices; thus both the C and D(i) may be pre-computed to decrease retrieval times.) The elements on the diagonal may be set to zero so that only relationships between word pairs are taken into account. Normalization factors may also be applied to adjust for parameters such as document length, word pair frequency, etc. The matrix product of D(i) and S (that is, an element-by-element multiplication, followed by a summation of all elements to produce a scalar) computes a weight, W(i), that correlates with the number and proximity of relevant word pairs found in each document. The product should be limited to elements common to both matrices in order to minimize the total number of computations. The final document ranking, R, is a simple sorting of the weights from highest to lowest values: R=Sort{W}.
This calculation is essentially a cross correlation between two aligned sets; the highest value is produced when the two sets are identical. In other words, documents that generate high weights use relevant words in the proper proportion and in close proximity to each other. In general, high weights may be generated from documents that do not even contain any of the original search terms. This method thus provides a comprehensive yet forgiving measure of a document's relevance.
W(i) may also be used to generate a percentage, P, to be reported with each result as a confidence measure of a document's relevancy. For a given S, the largest possible weight, Wideal, may easily be computed and used as the normalization factor, thus ensuring the P is between 0 and 1. Since W(i) will be, for most documents, far from ideal, a nonlinear scale may be applied to redistribute P(i) more evenly between 0 and 1.
As mentioned above, the final weight assigned to each document can be modified in several ways to further improve its measure of relevance. For example, a dot product between V′ and a document's word frequency vector produces a measure of its undesirable word usage, U(i). Documents with high such values are lowered in rank (e.g., R=Sort{W(i)/U(i)}).
Refining Search Results
Once a set of documents have been retrieved, the user may find that several subjects are described by the original search terms. If a particular returned document, j, is found to embody the desired subtopic, a highly effective refinement search (i.e., a 'more like this document' function) may be performed by setting the search matrix, S, equal to D(j) and re-ranking the document collection.
The invention that enables a context-based search is the design and use of the C-db to generate the search matrix. The current implementation improves document retrieval results by calculating relationships of, and expanding searches to, word pairs rather than single words. This word pair approach may easily be generalized to groups of words and phrases of any size. As computer memory and processing speed improve, it may become possible to increase relationship calculations to word triplets (or higher permutations). The search matrix then becomes a search tensor.
While the current implementation is based on single words, the method can be readily improved by treating common short phrases (e.g. person and place names) as single word units during the C-db generation process and during the search. This addition will increase storage requirements by only a modest amount (i.e., linearly) but dramatically improve the results of searches using these phrases.
There are many variations to the exact contents of C. For example, the step of converting word separations into a relationship weight may be delayed until the time of the search. Instead, the sum of all word pair distances may be stored in C instead. The word relationship function would be applied after the word distances are normalized by the incidence count. If storage space is a concern, neither word distances nor incidence counts need to be stored. C would contain the relationship weights as described earlier and approximate normalizations derived from the word histogram could be used.
Calculating D(i) for each document at the time of the search may be impractical for large document collections. By limiting the calculation to only the portion of D(i) that contributes to the final weight of each document, D(i) may be determined at a greatly reduced computational cost during the search. Alternatively, as mentioned earlier, D(i) may be pre-calculated, increasing the speed of the search at the expense of storage cost.
There are several ways to use portions of the disclosed method to retrieve documents. If retrieval speed is a priority, a simple dot product between the resultant vector, V, and a document's word frequency vector, in place of calculation with the full matrix D(i), is an efficient method for producing the relevance weight. This results in a decrease in performance due to the elimination of word pair proximity information embedded in the disclosed search method. For certain applications, this loss may be acceptable.
As described in the Summary of the Invention section, the disclosed document retrieval technique is especially well-suited for a particular type of search, namely one in which the user is unable to generate a set of keywords which uniquely define the desired topic. This is often the case when the user is unfamiliar with the topic at hand (e.g., when performing research on a new subject), when the topic itself can be described in a number of ways (e.g., "laser ultrasonics" and "optical detection of waves"), or when the words that define the topic have frequent common uses (e.g., "gaming laws"). It is thus desirable to combine this technique with conventional methods that are well-suited for other types of searches. One such method already mentioned is the application of semantic analysis or natural language parsing techniques to define the word units (common phrases, proper names, etc.) that comprise the vectors stored in the C-db. Similar analysis may then be used on the query terms in order to retrieve the proper vectors necessary to compute the search matrix. Categorization and clustering algorithms may be applied after the search to the retrieved documents, sorting them to highlight the differences between similar documents.
Patent Citations
Non-Patent Citations
Referenced by
Legal Events
Original Image