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Unlocking the Key to Deep Sleep
By Sarah Fenske
Making the Ferguson Commission Matter
By Danny Wicentowski
My Fake Boyfriend Became a Real-Life Crush
By Lindsay Toler
Rep. Jeffrey Pogue Bill Would Ban Unisex Bathrooms
By Danny Wicentowski
Darren Wilson Gives Speech to Nonprofit
By Danny Wicentowski
Angel Stewart and Other Victims of Violence Ask for Mercy
By Jessica Lussenhop
Obama Praises St. Louis' LaunchCode
By Lindsay Toler
By Lindsay Toler
"Some people have the ability to deny its effects and, believe me, denial takes a tremendous amount of energy in our life," she says. "But the reality is that a human being who takes the life of another innocent human being is going to be affected by that."
Klausner, the Project Joseph director in Kansas City, says that when a man comes to her, she goes through the list of post-abortion syndrome symptoms and asks him if he can identify with them. He usually does.
But Claire Keyes, director of the Allegheny Reproductive Health Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, says that abortion doesn't cause mental illness. "It's not really a syndrome. But that doesn't mean there aren't women who regret their abortions," she says. "There are also women who regret having given birth.
"Most women who regret their abortions, or get fixated on abortion as having ruined their lives, are often people who have had many other difficulties in their lives, and somehow abortion gets picked as the reason that everything went awry or that everything went askew. That loss isn't worse than any other loss and in fact could be less so on its face, because you're not dealing with a known human being — it's more a potential life.
"Sad things happen. And then the question is: And then what do you do?"
If the abortion war has a geographic frontline, it's the Midwest. Last summer, the media fixated on the murder of Kansas abortion doctor George Tiller, who was shot in the face as he entered his Wichita church. In 1976, the Supreme Court heard Planned Parenthood of Central Missouri v. Danforth, which struck down the state's requirement of spousal notification and consent for an abortion.
Even so, these days, Missouri has some of the country's most onerous restrictions on abortion; many werepassed in the last legislative session. In addition to mandatory pre-abortion counseling, state law now requires abortion providers to supply extensive information about adoption alternatives, as well as literature stating that "the life of each human being begins at conception. Abortion will terminate the life of a separate, unique, living human being." The first Men's Summit, hosted in 2005 by the pro-life Men and Abortion Network, took place in Kansas City, and Project Joseph's first chapter sprung forth there as well.
Rickie Solinger, a historian and curator who specializes in reproductive rights, says that the focus of the abortion debate shifts with time and culture. Before abortion was legalized, Solinger says, no one was talking about killing babies, but rather about rejecting motherhood.
"It was a woman's responsibility and role to become a mother," Solinger says. "People did not talk about and were not concerned about the fetus. 'Why would she have sex if she wasn't willing to be a mother?' They were questioning her about her sexuality, not about this fetus."
"There was never ever in the courtroom, or in any other venue, a concern for the sperm [or] for the man who produced the sperm," she says. "The father is a social role."
The focus on the father, Solinger says, is the newest strategy of anti-abortion activists in a time when strictly religious arguments rarely sway opinions and "our Oprah-addict culture" laps up personal stories of suffering.
"It's not to say that there aren't men who wish their sex partners would have a baby when they get pregnant, would love the person who got pregnant, would want to make a family with them," she says. "Men have their hearts broken, too."
Solinger says the pro-life strategy of extending post-abortion syndrome to men is clever in this cultural moment, when many people spend most of their time on couches, either in therapists' offices talking about their problems, or in their own living rooms, peering at others' tragedies on TV.
"It's a natural progression from claiming that all women who get abortions suffer post-abortion trauma to saying, 'By the way, the men who are their sex partners also suffer.' This is a domain where claiming suffering is a very important claim for getting popular and legislative support."
Whether this new strategy of male victimhood will work, however, is anyone's guess.
"Historians don't predict the future. Or, we shouldn't, anyway," she says.
Since 2004, long before pro-lifers turned their focus on men, Claire Keyes has used her website, www.menandabortion.com, to fight back against pro-life scare tactics with statistics and straight answers to men's frequently asked questions.
On pro-life sites, she says, men "could be reading all kinds of scary things and thinking, 'Should I stop her from doing this because she could get breast cancer?' Because that still appears on various websites, even on some states' websites, even though it's totally wrong."
Today, however, Google reveals a few new results for a "men and abortion" search, just below Keyes' site — www.menandabortion.info and www.menandabortion.net — registered on back-to-back days in 2006. The organization behind these sites, the National Office of Post-Abortion Reconciliation and Healing, was a consultant in the formation of Project Rachel and its fraternal twin, Project Joseph. The pro-life sites link to shaky research about couvade, or sympathetic pregnancy, as more evidence that men inevitably suffer after their partner has an abortion — exactly the misinformation Keyes worries about.
Sponsor Content


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First of all, Metamorphosis will no longer replace a summoned demon -- a no-brainer feature that should have been there from the start considering that most talents in the tree buff up the Warlock's demon! It will also now increase armor by 600%, up from 360%, a coefficient that scales better with a Warlock's base armor of... cloth. Significantly, the demon form will now also increases all damage by 40%, after players realized that turning into a demon with many melee abilities and being cut off from normal spells actually reduced their DPS. Speaking of normal spells, Warlocks in demon form can now cast those, too. These changes come in addition to a few others that Blizzard is working on such as a few demon form-exclusive abilities -- and it seems like Demonology will finally be truly, diabolically fun. [EDIT: In my excitement I forgot to mention that the spell was reverted to a 5-minute cooldown and the form lasts 45 seconds. Still awesome!]
I griped about this on the last Blood Pact along with a throng of other Warlocks, and it seems like Blizzard has heard us -- Corruption will now be baseline instant cast! It's a change that has been a long time coming, and it's finally turning real. Improved Corruption will instead increase the damage of Corruption by up to 20%, effectively negating Empowered Corruption and hopefully freeing up space for a new, exciting talent or at least more points to use in an already bloated tree.
Lastly, the highly desirable DPS talent Ruin will be moved higher in the trees, making it more accessible to other specs. It will take the place of Devastation and become a 5-point talent to grant the same bonus while Devastation will move deeper into the tree and become a 1-point talent for 5% spell crit. This change allows players to take Ruin without having to sacrifice their 51st talent point in another tree. Koraa also mentions that Pandemic animation and some of its spell mechanics will change. I'm quite certain these aren't everything that will change for Warlocks this build... will we finally see Fire and Brimstone and Chaos Bolt in action?

subset: commoncrawl


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Squeeze in those extra servings of fruits and veggies with fresh squeezed juices made by the Omega Vert 370 Juicer in Silver!
Omega Vert 370 Juicer Silver
Enjoy your daily dose of vitamins and minerals, sip after sip, with a little help from Omega! Trying to pack more servings of fruits and vegetables into our diets can be difficult when you're schedule is busy. But the new Omega Vert 370 Juicer in Silver makes it easy to sip your way to a healthier diet. The easy-to-use Omega Vert 370 Juicer in Silver operates at a low speed and features a powerful masticating style juicing system which grinds and presses the produce to squeeze out the juice while minimizing heat build-up and lessening oxidation. This unique method of juicing helps retain the key vitamins and nutrients in your juices, so you receive all the health benefits minus the effort! This powerful juicer also features a new built-in handle for easy transport and a Heavy Duty Ultem Juicing Screen to help you create delicious juices with ease. It also juices continuously and features automatic pulp ejection for maxiumum yield and efficiency. So whether you're juicing wheat grass and leafy greens, or other fruits and veggies, the Omega Vert 370 Juicer in Silver can tackle the task with ease!
Features of the Omega Vert 370 Juicer in Silver include:
- Powerful low speed, dual-stage masticating extraction juicing system
- Operates at just 80 rpm for retention of key vitamins and phytonutrients and maximum yield
- Elegant silver housing with black accents
- Built-in handle for easy trasnport
- Continuous juicing with Automatic Pulp Ejection
- Heavy Duty Ultem juicing screen for pulp control
- UL listed for home and commercial use
- Measures 15.5" h x 7" w x 8.5" d.
- Weighs 11 lbs.
- Carries Omega's full 10 Year Warranty.
The Omega Vert 370 Juicer in Silver available from KitchenKapers.com is the US 110 volt model only. hide...
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Register now for free, or sign in with any of these services:
Want to set your local edition?
Select an edition for more focused local news coverage when you visit mlive.
Don't worry. You can change this setting at any time to another local edition.
The is a meaningless story about gas prices on this site every day. You have no idea what is going to happen.
The media does not report DUI deaths that are attributable to marijuana or other illegal drugs. You can wonder all you want.
The stories about gas prices are worthless. Why are they always so prominent?
Did this cause the outage in Climax as well?
Thumbs down on the bad pun.
Agreed! These articles are a waste of space.
Shell game.
Who is paying for this? Traditional students can not afford electrical vehicles but a portion of their tuition or fees are being used to fund this nonsense. At least make the users pay for the privlidge.
The justification for the increased speed was reducing the time for travel from Chicago to Detroit. It is silly that the track condition wasn't evaluated over the whole route.
So the speeds are increased but it takes an hour longer. Sounds like a government project.
Thought police.
Stories like these are nothing but a SWAG. Predictions like this happen all the time and are most often incorrect. What garbage.
GM only regained its position because of the Japan earthquakes and tsunami.
A fine example of Pfizer's "risk based" quality standards.
This is sanctioned discrimination. How about getting the best people to fill the jobs?
Blah, blah blah. Nothing to see here.
Surely, you jest.
These stories stink. Its all speculation. Anyone can look at gasbuddy.com.
Since new drivers are given permissions gradually, maybe elderly drivers should be restricted gradually.


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- Capitol Quickies - http://blogs.app.com/capitolquickies -
Pay-to-play law upheld by federal court
Posted By Michael Symons On December 23, 2008 @ 6:38 am In Uncategorized | Comments Disabled
A federal judge has upheld the state of Connecticut's pay-to-play reform law, which bans certain campaign contributions from state contractors and lobbyists. It was crafted in response to the 2005 guilty plea of Gov. John Rowland to corruption charges; Rowland admitted taking bribes from contractors in return for awarding them state contracts.
U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill wrote: "In light of Connecticut's recent history of corruption scandals involving high-ranking state politicians, I conclude that the legislature had a constitutional, sufficiently important interest in combating actual and perceived corruption by eliminating contributions from individuals with the means and motive to exercise undue influence over elected officials. Because the law does not materially undermine the plaintiffs' core First Amendment rights to engage in meaningful expressions of political belief and support or to freely associate with candidates and political parties, the bans are narrowly tailored to pass constitutional muster."
Ruling is here [1] (if you've got time for a 98-page legal decision).
The New Jersey-based Citizens' Campaign says the law is modeled in large part on New Jersey's pay-to-play law, which restricts donations from contractors though isn't a top-to-bottom ban on the practice. Harry Pozycki, the campaign's chairman, says the ruling "sets the table for pay to play reform at the local, state and national levels."
Below the jump is an outline of Corzine's current proposal to expand pay-to-play limits, announced three months and so far stalled in the Legislature.
State government and authorities
County and municipal governments and authorities
School Districts
Regional Utility Authorities
Article printed from Capitol Quickies: http://blogs.app.com/capitolquickies
URL to article: http://blogs.app.com/capitolquickies/2008/12/23/pay-to-play-law-upheld-by-federal-court/
URLs in this post:
[1] here: http://brennan.3cdn.net/481733bad90e9ea7b1_hsm6i2k8a.pdf
Click here to print.
Copyright © 2008 Capitol Quickies. All rights reserved.


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As expected, the Academy Award for Best Actress went to Gwyneth Paltrow for "Shakespeare in Love". Meryl, in a dress made for her by Valentino, attended the ceremony with her husband and her daughter Mary Willa.
Posted on March 21st, 1999 by Frederik | filed under Awards, One True Thing
Comments are closed


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Download the 2012-2013 Scorecard Report PDF
or view the 2012-2013 Scorecard FlipBook
You can use the Climate Counts Company Scorecard to see how serious companies are about stopping climate change - and how they compare to their sector competitors. The annually updated scorecard reflects the self-reported efforts of companies to address climate change - or avoid it altogether.
The higher the score, the greater the company's commitment to fighting global warming.
Climate Counts use a 0-to-100 point scale and 22 criteria to determine if companies have:
GreenOrder, a leading sustainability strategy firm, provided strategic guidance on the Climate Counts program, assisted in the development of the scoring system, and provided insights on the scoring implications.
Corporate climate leadership matters!
Business has the power to change the world - and you have the power to change business. Is your favorite company STUCK, STARTING, STRIDING, or SOARING? The race is on to address climate change. Look for our simple icons to help you support companies that reflect your values.
Click to download a full-color or printer-friendly, pocket-sized shopping guide.


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G4 OSx10.3.9 via ethernet to OS9
Used to be able to connect my G4 (OSX 10.3.9) via ethernet to my PowerMac (OS 9). However, ever since I re-formatted my G4, i.e. a fresh install of OSX 10.3.9, the G4 can only make the ethernet connection to the PowerMac, but can not see any of the potential hard disks that are open to file sharing and exchange.
So, effectively the G4 can no longer retrieve the PowerMac's files.
Anyone encounter this type of a situation and knows how to remedy it?
If there is a thread about the above, a link to it would be appreciated.
Thank you.
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|The stupid question is the question not asked
Comment on
|( #3333=superdoc: print w/ replies, xml )
|Need Help??
Coffee or mocha in the morning coffee when you arrive to work mt. dew mid day mt. dew at lunch mt. dew mid afternoon beer when you get home i'd say 5, unless i'm very thirsty, than increase the mt. dew consumtion.
In reply to Re: Average number of caffeinated beverages per work day
by Anonymous Monk


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The applicant, Brooklyn Classic, filed to get a liquor license for 319 Frost St.
Residents said they have faced mounting problems with trucks by Cooper Park.
The city denied a group that has fought decades for the vacant property.
McCarren and other parks are about to be packed with mainly free events.
Neighbors spoke up at Tuesday's Community Board meeting.
Neighbors are protesting the barbecues that the Parks Department began installing this week.
Williamsburg residents are warring over barbecues in Cooper Park.
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Intermediate Ronald Kauffmann Choir Sheet Music: 1 items found
The Spirit of the Lord
Composed by Florence Simons. Arranged by Ronald Kauffmann. For SATB choir, keyboard, optional flute. Medium. Octavo. Scripture: Psalms 91. Published by MorningStar Music Publishers (MN.50-9071)
Usually leaves our warehouse: Within 2 to 3 weeks
(Minimum order: 6)
Ronald Kauffmann


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Kids & Teen
Coaster Pepper Collection Full Bed in White
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Newport Cottages Ricki Hutch$695.00
Legacy Classic Kids Summer Breeze Twin Size Low Poster Bed$693.00
Legacy Classic Kids Summer Breeze Twin Size Scroll Top Poster Bed$693.00
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Out of stock
Coaster Transitional Twin/Full Bunk Bed in Cappuccino
Regular Price: $773.91
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Atlantic Manhattan Bed with Raised Panel Bed Drawers in White: Twin Size
Regular Price: $715.01
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Smart Stuff Genevieve Cheval Mirror in French White
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Smart Stuff Bellamy Cheval Storage Mirror in Daisy White
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Smart Stuff Paula Deen Kids - Gals Cheval Mirror in Linen
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Kids & Teen
Kids Bedroom Furniture, Kids Furniture Brands– Bambi Baby
Bambi Baby offers kids bedroom furniture and caters to all of your family's needs. While we mainly specialize in baby furniture, we carry cribs that convert into twin, and, eventually, full sized beds. Moreover, we provide you with a wide variety of bedroom furniture brands so that you have options as you can furnish your kids' rooms all in one place.
The beds we carry for your child's bedroom are all durable and long lasting. Some began as cribs, the convertible kind, which change and grow along with your child. All you need to change the bed are conversion rails, which we can equip you with. In addition to convertibles, we carry bunk beds, loft beds, twin sized beds, and full sized ones. What are you looking to do with your kids' room? Is it space optimization you're looking for? If so, some of our beds are space savers, with drawers underneath. Are you looking for a fun-filled whimsical atmosphere for your child to grow in? We carry bunk bed palaces with optional slides coming down. If you're looking to keep it classic, we have what you need. Our beds come in traditional, modern, classic, and contemporary styles, in addition to a variety of colors, to suit your kids' room needs.
Your child is no longer a baby - while you can hold on to the dresser he or she had when younger, that little one has grown older, attends school, and needs a bookcase, a desk, and a chair for that desk. We understand the dynamics of your growing family, which is why we carry all of the things you need under one roof. Some of the most popular brands we carry are Atlantic, Bolton, Coaster, Dutailer, Legacy Kids Classic, Smart Stuff, and many more and please reach out to us for further details.


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Pullman, WA (SportsNetwork.com) - D.J. Shelton led the way with 20 points and 18 rebounds as the Washington State Cougars downed the Washington Huskies, 72-67, in Pac-12 Conference action at Beasley Coliseum.
Que Johnson added 15 points and DaVonte Lacy chipped in with 10 for the Cougars (9-12, 2-7 Pac-12), who snapped a four-game losing streak.
For the Huskies (13-9, 5-4), C.J. Wilcox finished with a game-high 24 points, while Perris Blackwell added a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds, Nigel Williams-Goss scored 11, Andrew Andrews scored 10 and Mike Anderson pulled down 10 rebounds.
Washington shot 52.4 percent from the field in the first, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range, as the Huskies took a 27-25 lead into the intermission. Washington State made 40 percent of its shots from the field in the first half, including 2-of-9 from beyond the arc.
After the break, the Cougars heated up from deep, connecting on 5-of-11 from 3-point range, part of a 42.9 percent shooting performance. The Huskies struggled from the field in the second, shooting just 38.9 percent but did manage to knock down 6-of-16 from 3-point distance. Trailing 42-34 with just over 13 minutes to play, the Cougars used a 22-3 run over the next eight and a half minutes to take control of the game, as they held on down the stretch to snag the victory over their intra-state rivals.
Washington State had the advantage at the charity stripe, 21-9. The Cougars outrebounded the Huskies, 39-36.
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The page you requested requires Essential access
Australia GFS Snow Forecast +48 hour Chart
About GFS
Global Forecast System. The operational numerical weather forecasting model run by NCEP. The GFS superceded the AVN and MRF models, on which it is largely based. Forecast data from the GFS is available out to 180 hours at full resolution and 16 days at a reduced resolution.
Weather News
Rain and thunderstorms saturate southern NSW
Areas of rain rolled across southern New South Wales yesterday and into early this morning, bringing some of the best August rainfall in several years for some places.
Tsunamis in Australia?
With another earthquake of 5.7 magnitude being recorded today near off the southern Queensland coast, meteorologists and oceanographers are keeping a wary eye on the potential for tsunamis.
Hobart hopes for snow on Monday.
A series of strong cold fronts which are moving in quick succession over southeastern parts of Australia threaten to bring low level snow over the coming days to parts of Tasmania.


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Crystal Lawrence shares Pro Bono efforts.October 26, 2009
In June of 2007, while she was a law student at Liberty University School of Law, Crystal Lawrence began volunteering as a disposition team member and a defendant evaluator for the Lynchburg Commonwealth's Attorney's Community Court Program. Ms. Lawrence helped with both the adult and juvenile Community Court hearings each month. Beginning in September of 2007, the Community Prosecutor asked her to write the summaries for each of the cases before each hearing. She excitedly accepted the opportunity and continued to work with the Community Court Program through February 2009. Ms. Lawrence said, "The greatest part of this experience was the opportunity to reach out to the youth of the community who have been dealt a tough hand and are acting out as a result of it. Despite my similar past circumstances, I was able to go to college and I graduated from law school in May 2009. I used everything in my background and my current place in life to show young people that they do not have to become one of the usual statistics. I challenge them to rise above their circumstances, break the stereotypes, and become productive members of society."
In addition her service to the Commonwealth's Attorneys, Ms. Lawrence also spent several hours teaching Street Law to youth at the Lynchburg Juvenile Detention Center. She encourages current students to take advantage of the myriad opportunities to volunteer, saying, "Students should engage in pro bono work throughout law school because it is Christ-like and because the Bible commands us to contribute to the needs of others and to practice hospitality (Romans 12:13). Secondly, the relationships that are created and the experience that is gained are invaluable to the future law career of each student."


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Roger Pope
Anybody else familiar with him? Did some drumming with Elton John before he hired Nigel Olsson, (on the album "Empty Sky) and worked on the "Tumbleweed Connection" and "Madman Across the Water" albums, then took over for Nigel in 1975-76 when Elton overhauled the band, replacing him and Dee Murray with Kenny Passarelli. He worked on the "Rock of the Westies" and "Blue Moves" albums during this time as well. After this he went on to play drums for Hall and Oates from 1977-78.
Roger with Elton, 1976: He has some flashy hi-hat work, I will tell you.
Re: Roger Pope
Have recently discovered Hookfoot, a band he was in with Caleb Quaye while doing session work with Elton, from 1970-74.
Hookfoot- If I Had The Words- live 1972
Hookfoot- Just a Little Communication-1973
As the saying goes... he's deep in the pocket.
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Hollywood Movies, Trailers, Pictures, News & DVDs
Movie Description(Click Here To Hide)
A priceless statue known as "The Maltese Falcon" is the central piece in this noir about a private detective named Sam Spade who must find the murderer of his partner before he is pinned for the crime. Three interesting characters keep Sam on his toes as he investigates the crime around him.
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Got some unexpected spending loot for the holidays? Insulation, Thermopane windows or a new roof in your future? Act fast to take maximum advantage of federal tax credits. There are 4 days left to enjoy 30% tax credit on qualifying energy efficiency equipment and building materials. This incentive has a $1,500 dollar cap (total for 2009 and 2010) As of January 1st 2011 you can still enjoy the 30% credit and the cap will be reduced to $500. Bundle this incentive with New York incentives and local Power Authority incentives for more bang for your buck.
Whether you have your homework done, including figuring your return on investment, or you are in need of a new door and just can't get away with out it, this might be a great opportunity to save money on your new equipment.
Water Heaters, Furnaces , Boilers, Heat pumps, Central Air conditioners, Building Insulation, Windows, Doors, Roofs, Circulating fans used in a qualifying furnace, Biomass, Stoves that use qualified biomass fuel are all eligible.
Check with the experts, DSIRE for more details.


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It's Your Future
"The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter."
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
Register to VOTE!
The Government Information Department has Oklahoma Voter Registration forms available. Come see us to get registered to vote or to update your registration information!
Dates to Remember
Election Day - November 4
See a list of upcoming elections in Oklahoma by county.
Below is a list of dates you will need to know to vote in these county elections. (Request an absentee ballot here)
Am I Eligible to Vote?
If you are a U.S. Citizen and over the age of 18, you can vote! You just need to register if you have not before.
I'm not registered to vote yet. How do I register?
You are in luck! Forms are available in the Government Documents Department on the 2nd floor of the Library. To vote in Oklahoma, the deadline to register is October 10.
I forgot if I am already registered. How do I check?
For Oklahoma, contact your county election board, or use the Oklahoma Voter Tool. If you registered in another state, click HERE and scroll to your state.
I don't know the county where I am registered?
Don't worry. Just type your city or zip code HERE to find your county name.
I'm registered to vote in OKC, but will be in Edmond all day. Can I just vote in Edmond?
No. You must vote at your own polling place where you are registered. For Oklahoma, check this Polling Locator.
I'm on campus and won't be able to make it home to vote. Can I vote with an absentee ballot?
YES! First, make sure you are registered. Then go HERE and select your state to apply. Note that you will still be required to print off and mail your ballot BEFORE any deadlines. Check HERE for deadline details.
Do I have to show an ID to vote?
In Oklahoma, yes you do. A valid Oklahoma driver's licesnse, a state identification card, a passport, or a military ID are all accepted. Check with the State Election Board for more information.
Government Information/Assistant Archivist
Contact Info
Send Email
UCO's American Democracy Project
The American Democracy Project at UCO is dedicated to preparing engaged and informed citizens. Learn more about the ADP and their activities on their website.


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Nightly base rates vary from season to season and range from NZ$350-NZ$550 per night for 3 guests.
Add NZ$40 per night for each additional guest thereafter. (ie base rate is for 3 pax with additional pax charged at $40)
Children under 3 years are free.
Prices include GST (15% New Zealand Government Sales Tax)
Last minute and internet specials applySimply click through to our bookings page to see up to date pricing and internet specials for your preferred dates.
If the availability and bookings calendar shows sold please send us an email via the Contact page.
We manage other centrally located luxury Queenstown apartments, Esplanade Queenstown Queenstown Apartments and it's highly likely we can accommodate your preferred dates.
Please note
- We have a 2 night minimum for off peak periods and 5-7 nights minimum for peak periods.
- Dates are inclusive as opposed to checkout dates.
- The rates above are for three guests. Add NZ$40 per night for each additional guest.
- Each apartment accommodates a maximum of 7 guests
- FREE Internet Access via Wireless Network - 1GB per apartment per day.
- Check in time is 3pm and check out time is 10am.
Booking Procedure
- To secure your reservation we require a 50% deposit. The deposit is refundable up to 30 days prior to your arrival with a cancellation fee of 25% of your total booking (this equates to 50% of your deposit)
- The deposit is non refundable if cancellation is less than 30 days prior to the first night of the booking
- Payment in full is required 30 days prior to arrival.
- Payment can be made either via bank transfer into our NZ bank account, Visa,
Mastercard or in cash. All credit card payments will incur a 3% surcharge.
- A credit card number (Visa or Mastercard) is required along with all booking
confirmations. This is to cover any miscellaneous charges including damage to the property.
- Prices and information are subject to availability at the actual time of booking and are valid for 7 days.
- A booking is deemed to be Confirmed once the deposit payment is made and or a credit
card number is received.
- Your confirmed booking acknowledges acceptance of these conditions.


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While I was expecting to spend the final moments of 2013 in the Florida Keys, per my family's usual NYE plans, the weather in the area wasn't exactly in keeping with a celebratory mood. Can't have fun in the sun when there is none! So, in a last minute change of plans, I was able to head back to school to ring in the new year. But before scurrying back to the 30 degree temperatures up north, I took full advantage of the warmth and rocked some new spring gear I received for Christmas
I'm sure this isn't the first time you've seen this Zara skort surface on a fashion blog, and there's a reason for that– it's possibly my new favorite staple piece. It's different, classy, and can be styled for almost any occasion. You'll be seeing quite a lot of it on the pages of my blog, especially as spring approaches!
Zara skort, faux leather vest top from Nordstrom Rack, Rebecca Minkoff bag, H&M sweater, Reefs sandals


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Discuss your requirements with your designer and your plumber early in the project. You plumber can advise you on things like how to manage water pressure to give you a satisfactory shower but not damage your appliances; the best way of dealing with the locations of assorted items like taps and basins and reducing the lag time between turning on the hot tap and getting hot water.
- Are the hot water pipes too far away from the hot water source?
- To ensure your kitchen tap gets hot water quickly, do you need an undersink hot water cylinder?
- Are the correct filters in place and what impacts will this have on your water pressure?
- Have you worked with your plumber to ensure you will have adequate water pressure?
- Are the gas pipes all installed in the correct position?
- Do you have sufficient outdoor taps for hoses wherever you may need them?
- Is the bathroom plumbing correctly positioned?
- Have you worked with your plumber to ensure the pipes will not be heard?
- Discuss water saving devices with your plumber before installation.
- Solar water heating installation and water conservation systems should be considered here and discussed with your plumber.
Suppliers - Click on those you would like to find out more about…
- Master Plumbers, Gasfitters, Drainlayers
- Master Plumbers are the people you can trust. The control of water and waste water in your house is vital to get right - we're the ones guaranteed to get it right or make it right.
- LEAP Australasia Ltd
- LEAP Australasia provide quality infloor heating, grey water recycling and sprinkler systems, among other things - these products will save you money and help protect the environment. Have a look at what LEAP can do for you today!


text: Fred Armisen of Saturday Night Live and Portlandia fame came to my hometown to do a Portlandia promo (apparently showing on a Swedish channel I didn't even know existed). Luckily for him — and us — his profession is not in travel guides; he gets everything wrong in this short guide. That's the point, I guess.


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Most Recent Articles
1259 North Rio Vista Boulevard
Went to Open House today in Fort Lauderdale. We viewed this home located at 1259 North Rio Vista Boulevard. This classic "Old Florida" home was very charming. This home has one of the largest fireplaces along with 4 bedrooms and 4.5 full baths. You will love your backyard with a large pool, spa and brick pavered deck. Park your boats at the 165 foot dock. There is also a 3-car garage for all your toys. All this for only $3,500,000. For more information, call us. 954-868-2681.
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1700 Las Olas Blvd Suite 103 Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33301 USA
email@example.com • 954-868-2681
1700 Las Olas Blvd Suite 103 Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33301 USA
email@example.com • 954-868-2681
Recommend Us!
South Florida residential/commercial Realtors serving the Fort Lauderdale and surrounding areas. We specialize in Condos and Homes for Sale Fort Lauderdale and surrounding areas. Waterfront Condos and Luxury condos are plentiful here in South Florida. Contact Andrea Harrington, Realtor, with EWM Realty. Our customer service is high on our priority and is what makes our business special.


text:
ITERNOVA SL is a provider of innovative technology solutions for businesses, citizens and administrations that allows them to improve their way of doing business and compete in their markets, taking advantage associated with new technologies.
Our work is based on individual attention and focused on the needs of each client, providing the tools that best suit their environment. Our professional team is composed byf experts of different technical background allows us to carry out any project in the field of Informatics and Telecommunications. We also have professionals in other fields, from graphic designers to analysts and consultants


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This mistress went to the loo but there was no water and no tissue. But her slave was around so she used him as a human toilet and shit in his mouth and he licked her butt
Get a little bit closer you loser shit slave. Watch my asshole open up as I squeeze out turd after turd right in your face. My asshole gets dirty and I know how much you want to stick your tongue right in it and get it full of my smelly shit. I bet you would eat my shit just to be close to me and I would really enjoy humiliating you.
Mistress Michelle, Lady Sandy and their friend take their slave outdoors to give him some humiliating punishment. They step on food and crush it into the dirt then make their slave eat it off the bottom of their shoes. This is extreme and dominating shoelicking because the girls stand around laughing at him because nasty dirt is all over the food and he has to chew it and swallow it.
Super sexy Mistress Gaja tortures and humiliates her masked slave by sitting on his face. That is not enough domination for her so she starts shitting in his mouth. When this brutal and cruel hottie is done with her shit eating slave, his entire face is filled with Mistress Gaja's smelly shit and warm yellow piss. Facesitting is humiliating, but shit eating is an even worse punishment for this slave.
These cruel bitches are so brutal to their slave you would think he abused one of them. He is the one who gets all the abuse when they tie him up and drag him with their car. They laugh at his humiliation as they make him their human toilet and piss and shit right in his mouth. Shit eating is an everyday normal thing for this toilet slave, but this is just brutal.


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PRISM, the latest surveillance program leaked to the press, makes the collection of metadata from the three major phone companies seem quaintly old-fashioned. Its Big Brother implications are stunning from the standpoints of both technology and audacity.
I've written twice this week on how presidents routinely overstep the bounds when they are facing urgent security threats like war or al-Qaida, and how that should not be shocking, given the stakes. But PRISM, which reportedly allows the government to track people's Internet activities as they occur, does come as a shock.
The metadata collected by the National Security Agency from Verizon and other phone companies is an aggregation of phone numbers and lengths of calls, and does not harvest the content of the calls. PRISM, first disclosed Thursday night by The Washington Post and The Guardian, is different. According to the intelligence official who leaked the information to The Post: "They quite literally can watch your ideas form as you type."
James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, says PRISM is "important and entirely legal" and "cannot be used to intentionally target any U.S. citizen, any other U.S. person, or anyone located within the United States." Obama himself said Friday that he was skeptical about NSA surveillance programs when he took office, but he and his team concluded after assessing them that "they help us prevent terrorist attacks."
Both the phone and Internet programs are "under very strict supervision" by all three branches of government, Obama said, and added that he has put in place new safeguards and audits. He called the encroachment on privacy modest. "Nobody is listening to your telephone calls," he said, or reading the email of U.S. citizens.
Still, the stew of threats, technology, and government authority seems like a scandal waiting to happen. The potential for invasion of privacy is as enormous as the scale of the program. PRISM reportedly involves nine giant Internet companies: Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, PalTalk, AOL, Skype, YouTube, and Apple. Some are denying they participate.
PRISM dates from the George W. Bush administration and, according to Clapper, has been overseen by Congress and the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. That means some insiders wouldn't have been surprised by the revelations and may explain why former Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer stood by it last night when I asked him about it. "I support it, just as I support detecting patterns that can lead us to terrorists," he told me on Twitter.
The leaked information makes clear that the PRISM program is central to U.S. intelligence gathering. Clapper called the unauthorized disclosure of its existence "reprehensible" and said it "risks important protections for the security of Americans."
In fact the twin leaks of PRISM and the phone data-collection program appear more serious and consequential than the leaks that led the Justice Department to investigate the Associated Press and Fox News' James Rosen.
Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have all but admitted overzealousness in those two investigations, in which Rosen was labeled a coconspirator and so many AP phone records were subpoenaed that one member of Congress called it a constitutionally questionable dragnet. Obama and Holder have been trying to dial back and reassure the media that reporters won't be prosecuted for doing their jobs.
Investigations of these latest leaks will be a stiff test of their restraint, and their ability to explain why PRISM in particular is not something that should worry people who use the Internet. In other words, almost everyone in America.


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San Diego County
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
San Diego County is a large county in the southwest area of California. The county borders Mexico. The population of San Diego County was about 3,095,313 in 2010, which makes San Diego County the second most populated county in California
San Diego County has about 70 miles (110 km) of coastline.
Also in this county are 16 military locations of the United States Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Coast Guard, including Naval Base San Diego, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, and Naval Air Station North Island.


text:
Blogging TV, one show at a time
Posts filtered on Tag
Tune In | 05.10.13
Randy Jackson will dawg us no longer, NBC and The CW announce some new shows, and Jack Bauer might be saving us all again soon. AND KRISTEN WIIG. [Read More]
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Moles and JT.[Read More]
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Here are those deleted Game of Thrones scenes you wanted to see.[Read More]
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Doctor Who in 3-D, the return of Dina Manzo and The Killing makes a casting decision that might just make you give it another shot.[Read More]
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Classic Notes: Robinson feathers nest with rare double eagle
It was so quiet on Hillandale Golf Course's 14th hole early Thursday afternoon that Jay Robinson heard history in the making 170 yards away.
Robinson, of Raleigh, hit 7-iron on his second shot on the 440-yard, par 5. The ball sailed toward the hole, ticked off the flag stick and fell into the hole for a rare double-eagle during play at the 67th Herald-Sun Golf Classic.
"It was so quiet I heard it hit the flag," Robinson said. "Real lightly. And pretty much saw it disappear. My brother and dad were right behind me. I looked back and for some reason I didn't get excited right away. But I looked back and said, `Guys, it just went in the hole.' And they said, `Nah it bounced over the green.'"
About to tee off on No. 15 during her Championship Flight match-play battle with John Gaddy, Meghan Moore saw the ball bounce into the hole on 14. She signaled as such to Robinson and Stephen Kuenzli, who was playing against Abe Lewis in a President's Flight match, checked the hole and found the ball.
A few whoops and hollers were heard. A double eagle is considered about nine times more rare than a hole-in-one.
"I was trying to stay cool because when you have more golf to play you need to keep your composure and not let it get away from you," Robinson said.
Robinson parred No. 15 and won his match 4 and 2 over Jonathan Price to advance to today's quarterfinals against Dalton Rich.
It's the second career double eagle for Robinson. His other came at River Hills Country Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
On Thursday's shot, he was simply plotting strategy when he came up with a surprise.
"I was trying to aim five yards to the left," Robinson said. "If it fades, good. If not, I'm in the middle of the green. It kind of faded just enough and it hit just into the bank and…"
There really must be something to all of the talk about muscle memory being such a critical component of golf.
"Monday was the first time I've touched a club in a month," Durham's Newt Barringer said Thursday.
Barringer's golf muscles must have done some good memorizing. He's still hanging around in the Herald-Sun Golf Classic, beating Creedmoor's Gary Newcomb 5 and 4 on the second day of match play.
Barringer, who just graduated from Riverside, said his short game is making all of the difference.
"Definitely my chipping. Chipping's awesome, right now, because I'm never hitting the green, so I'm chipping a lot," Barringer said. "I've been hitting 3-wood off every tee, because my driver's going everywhere."
In April's Durham County High School Invitational at Treyburn Country Club, Barringer battled a bad back that he would later tweak while swinging his clubs in state high school competition.
"The more I've been playing, the more I've been getting back to it," Barringer said. "It just took a few days to get it back, and I'll be where I was where I left off, soon."
Barringer said he is headed to N.C. State to focus on electrical engineering — and, maybe, some golf, too.
"I'll try to walk on, at least the club team," Barringer said.
Hillandale golf director Karl Kimball somehow is managing to zip all over the course without looking frazzled as he works to keep things running smoothly at the Herald-Sun Golf Classic.
Today is Day 5 of the tournament, and he's had to fight Mother Nature for sending rain that tossed a wrench in scheduling and threw in some wrinkles on his good-looking course.
But Kimball just keeps zipping around in a golf cart, pulling up to the leader board to update scores, pulling over to engage folks in conversation, and he does it with a smile.
Yet nothing puts delightful creases in Kimball's face like the work he does with Hillandale's H.E.A.R.T.S. Club, which allows sick kids from around the world at Duke Hospital's Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Program and their families to hang out at the golf course at no charge. Whether the families are out there relieving stress by pounding golf balls at the driving range or just goofing off in golf carts as if Hillandale were a NASCAR track, Kimball would tell you that it's the least he and his staff could do for some special children whose time might be cut short due to life-threatening illnesses.
So that's why Kimball, despite Mother Nature, was so determined to pull off Hillandale's annual golf fundraiser on Wednesday for H.E.A.R.T.S., short for Hillandale Embracing A Really Tough Situation.
The Herald-Sun is the lead sponsor for the H.E.A.R.T.S fundraiser, which last year generated $6,975. That number should get eclipsed this time, Herald-Sun advertising director Thomas Tuttle said.


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How to Keep a Dog From Ripping Furnitureby Stephanie Dube Dwilson
Your dog may rip up furniture because he is bored, lonely, has too much energy or is anxious. Regardless of the reason, ripping up furniture is an expensive habit that requires effort to stop. Disciplining him after the fact for tearing up the furniture will not work -- he won't understand why he's in trouble, and you will only make him more anxious. The key is to redirect his energy and give him something else to do.
Confine your dog when you aren't around. A crate is the best choice, as your dog won't be able to get into any trouble. If you don't crate your dog, a laundry room or bathroom will work, but your dog may dig or scratch at the baseboards or door. As your dog becomes more trustworthy, you can start leaving him unconfined for short periods of time.
Exercise your dog daily. A dog who gets plenty of exercise acts better than a dog with excess energy. Don't make the mistake of thinking a large backyard is a substitute for daily walks or games of fetch. If you're already exercising your dog daily, increase the intensity.
Provide mental stimulation, such as puzzle toys. You stuff the toy with food or treats and the dog has to work to free them. Keep the puzzle toys put away and only bring them out when you are leaving the house, to give your dog a positive association with being left alone.
Use a taste deterrent. Before you begin to leave your dog unattended for periods of time, spray any furniture he has access to with a taste deterrent. This won't keep him off the couch or chair, but it will keep him from chewing on it.
Continue to extend the period of time your dog is left loose in the house while you are away. You may also want to block some doorways with baby gates while he learns to leave the furniture alone. For example, you can block the doorway to the living room, so he has free access to the kitchen, bathroom and dining room, but cannot get to the couch.
Items You Will Need
- Crate
- Baby gate
- Puzzle toys
- Taste deterrent spray
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images


text:
COMMENTARY contributor Jamie Kirchick, observing NPR's ever-so-helpful effort to assist in the Obami's Fox vendetta by pressuring Mara Liasson to stay off its news programs, spots the double standard at play. He writes:
"By appearing on Fox, reporters validate its propaganda values and help to undermine the role of legitimate news organizations," declared Jacob Weisberg in a Newsweek column titled "Why Fox News Is Un-American" (remember that title the next time a liberal accuses a conservative of "questioning my patriotism"). "Respectable journalists — I'm talking to you, Mara Liasson — should stop appearing on its programs," Weisberg insisted.
Kirchick wants to know why Weisberg hasn't spotted the "violators of the Fourth Estate's vaunted ethical standards" in his own shop — those who regularly turn up on the netroot network, MSNBC. Yes, it seems that Newsweek's supposedly impartial newsmen — Richard Wolffe, Howard Fineman, and Jonathan Alter — all have visited Keith Olbermann's Countdown. Unlike Liasson, who confines herself to news programs, this trio has offered themselves up as bit players in Olbermann's rant-athon and cogs in the Obama hype-machine. And, as Kirchick notes, Wolffe wrote a slobbering account of the Obama campaign. And then there was this embarrassing episode:
This year, Fineman went beyond the bounds of journalistic propriety by introducing Olbermann at a political fund-raiser. "He's not a liberal," Fineman gushed. "What Keith is is an anti-establishment character who doesn't want people in power to get away with things." Fineman added that Olbermann "rediscovered the role of journalism and that role is deeply informed judgment about people in power and about the morality of our country."
Yikes. But perhaps the Newsweek vs. NPR journalist comparison isn't precisely accurate. Liasson actually is a neutral newsperson who makes some effort to cover events fairly and to leave hyper-partisan invectives to others. She might be cheerily susceptible to liberal spin, but she's not in the business of spinning for the Obami herself or gratuitously throwing jabs at the Right.
By contrast, the new Newsweek gang gave up "news" reporting a while ago. The entire publication is now devoted to Obama-hype and slams against the usual conservative suspects, those in biking shorts and with talk-radio shows in particular. Newsweek is, in effect, the MSNBC of the weekly "news" magazine world, minus the more extreme Republicans = Nazis formulations one hears on Countdown. So the real hypocrisy here is not only that the media elites see Liasson alone as violating some code of journalistic purity; it is that they accept the pretense that Newsweek is a news outlet rather than a liberal opinion journal in search of an audience.


text:
The administration of Mary Queen of Peace School has sent a letter to parents saying that "attire with a logo the opposite of North Face" is considered "inappropriate at school." Principal Gerry Ke... More >>
Saw this near the corner of California Ave. and Cherokee. I'm not quite sure what else to say.Other than: INCREDIBLE.... More >>
They called him "Mr. Hockey." When 72-year-old Ronald H. Schmidt of Mehlville died in his sleep early Tuesday morning, the St. Louis Blues lost not just a fan. They lost a fan who attended the fran... More >>
A very sad story in north-central Missouri of two worlds colliding (literally and figuratively): A 29-year-old Amish man who was steering his horse-and-buggy south on Highway 63 near Moberly, Misso... More >>
Who knew? To keep our roads and highways from gettin' too icy, state crews use a salty solution containing sugar beet juice, according to MoDOT. No, like lots of it. Like at least 78,000 gall... More >>
Here are the folks who'll get to decide how the Arch grounds will look in 2015 (the year the monument turns 50). Commenters at stltoday.com are grumbling about one of them. Can you guess which one... More >>
Or so say the folks over at Coupons.com, who've tallied up their 2009 numbers. Here are the top five:And like some of you, Daily RFT didn't really give a hoot about coupons until we read a couple o... More >>
The website of the Washington University Consortium for Clean Coal Utilization openly admits to "perpetuating the myth that coal can be used in a clean and sustainable manner," to being a "public r... More >>
Quoth KSDK Channel 5's Ryan Dean this morning: "I don't wanna make people here feel bad of course but...."Whoa stop, Ryan. You're probably about to make people feel bad. On television. His point: thre... More >>
It was supposed to be an exchange between city officials and downtown's homeless. By 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, about 50 people had filled up room 306 of the St. Louis Public Library's central branch. ... More >>
In explaining his decision to move the headquarters of the publicly-traded IT firm Perficient Inc. from Texas to St. Louis, CEO Jeffrey Davis told the Post-Dispatch that "the Midwest work ethic" wa... More >>
Each week, we scour the local Missed Connections section of Craigslist, in search of the best posts. Here are some that caught our eye recently.blue toyota - m4w -saw you driving the other day and ... More >>
If ever a defendant mooned a plaintiff with a court filing, this was it. South Butt LLC, the local apparel company being sued by North Face, has responded to the latter's lawsuit and request for un... More >>
Another year, another push-back against the Interweb's free-for-all ethos: the Pantagraph over in Bloomington, Illinois just executed a weekend cooling-off period during which comments on local sto... More >>


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Be sure to join us as all eleven Bryant Schools come together for the 4th Annual Dash for a Difference 5K Fun Run/Walk and Kid's 1 Mile on April 20 at 8am! Thanks to Arkansas Bone & Joint and our other wonderful sponsors, we expect 100% of your entry fees to go directly to the Boys and Girls Club of Bryant.
Each day, the Club provides high-impact, affordable programs, and caring mentors to keep kids on the path to great futures, emphasizing academic success, good character and citizenship and healthy lifestyles. With almost half of the 500 students (grades K-8) attending on scholarship, our young people need your support! Will you Do the Dash?
Be sure to turn in your form to any Bryant School or register ONLINE now to skips the lines on Race Day.
All participants registered by April 12 will be guaranteed a t-shirt. Additional t‐shirts will be available on a first come basis after the April 12th deadline. Race Day registration will be available for an additional $5 per participant.
Want to Do the Dash as a family? We think that's a great idea! We offer a Family Maximum Registration fee, meaning a single family's total registration fee will max at $50. Complete a form for each family member and submit as a group with a single $50 payment.
Race Details: The professionally measured course will begin and end at the main Bryant campus (in the large parking lot between Bryant Middle School and Hornet Stadium). The race will start at 8am, with check-in at 7am. The event is a fun run/walk, and ALL ages and abilities are encouraged to participate. Strollers and wheelchairs are also welcome.
Timing and Awards: Arkansas Runner will be electronically timing both races. Awards will be given to each gender in the follow categories: Overall, 0-9, 10-14, 15-19, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60+. Every child who participates in the Kid's 1 Mile Event will receive a medal! The coveted Spirit in Sole trophy will also be presented to the school with the highest percentage of participants, and the Spirit Stick will be given to the most spirited team.
We look forward to seeing you all there!


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A method and apparatus are disclosed within a DVD player that allows multiple view angles to be displayed on a common display with one view angle designated as a primary view and the remaining view angles being subordinated to the primary view angle. The system and method also provide that any Modifications to the primary view similarly affect the secondary views. Any of the secondary views may be selected at any time to become the primary view whereupon the remaining viewing angles are subordinated and synchronized with the newly selected primary view.
1. In a DVD playback system, an apparatus for retrieving multiple views from a DVD content source and displaying the views on a display, the apparatus comprising:
a parser responsive to a data stream retrieved from the DVD content source for extracting multimedia data therefrom, the multimedia data comprising at least a video data portion, an audio data portion and a subpicture data portion for each of the multiple views, at least one of the multiple views being selectable as a primary view;
a video decoder, coupled to the parser, to display each of the multiple views based on the video data portion corresponding to each of the multiple views;
an audio decoder, coupled to the parser, to play the audio data portion of the primary view; and
a subpicture decoder, coupled to the parser, to display selected menu information for the primary view based upon the subpicture data portion of the primary view based upon the subpicture data portion received from the parser.
2. The apparatus according to
3. The apparatus according to
4. The apparatus according to
5. The apparatus according to
6. The apparatus according to
7. In a DVD playback system a method for retrieving multiple views from a DVD content source and displaying the views on a display, the method comprising:
responsive to a data stream retrieved from the DVD content source, extracting multimedia data therefrom, the multimedia data comprising at least a video data portion, an audio data portion and a subpicture data portion for each of the multiple views, at least one of the multiple views being selectable as a primary view;
displaying each of the multiple views based on the video data portion corresponding to each of the multiple views;
playing the audio data portion of the primary view; and
displaying selected menu information for the primary view based upon the subpicture data portion of the primary view based upon the subpicture data portion received from the parser.
8. The method according to
displaying the primary view video data in a first window; and,
displaying each remaining view of the multiple views in corresponding secondary windows.
9. The method according to
in response to a user request, modifying the primary view during playback and each of the multiple views being displayed.
10. The method according to
synchronizing the primary view to a master clock with each of the multiple views being synchronized to the primary view.
11. The method according to
12. The method according to
13. A computer program product for use with a DVD playback system having a display, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer useable code thereon for retrieving multiple views from a DVD content source and displaying the views on a display, the computer program product comprising:
program code for extracting multimedia data from a DVD content source, the multimedia data comprising at least a video data portion, an audio data portion and a subpicture data portion for each of multiple views, at least one of the multiple views being selectable as a primary view;
program code for displaying each of the multiple views based on the video data portion corresponding to each of the multiple views;
program code for playing the audio data portion of the primary view; and
program code for displaying selected menu information for the primary view based upon the subpicture data portion of the primary view based upon the subpicture data portion received from the parser.
14. The computer program product according to
program code for displaying the primary view video data in a first window; and,
program code for displaying each remaining view of the multiple views in corresponding secondary windows.
15. The computer program product according to
program code for modifying the primary view during playback and each of the multiple views being displayed.
16. The computer program product according to
program code for synchronizing the primary view to a master clock with each of the multiple views being synchronized to the primary view.
17. The computer program product according to
program code for changing the primary view to a newly selected primary view while maintaining the remaining multiple views.
18. The computer program product according to
program code for synchronizing the newly selected primary view with the remaining multiple views.
This application is one of a number of related applications filed on an even date herewith and commonly assigned, the subject matters of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, including U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/122,812, entitled METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CACHING A SELECTED VIEWING ANGLE IN A DVD ENVIRONMENT, by Linden A. deCarmo.
This invention relates generally to improvements in digital versatile disc systems and, more particularly, to a system for selecting and defining a primary viewing angle and secondary viewing angles and synchronizing the assorted angles for display.
Digital versatile discs (DVDs) are information storage devices used for storing prerecorded audio information, movies and computer software. The storage and playback mechanism used in DVDs closely resembles the mechanism used in compact discs (CDs) and DVD players and software use the same laser technology as CD players. Briefly, both DVDs and CDs store information as a pattern of pits formed in a metallic substrate. The pit patterns form digital words and can be read by shining a laser beam on the disc surface and detecting the reflected beam. However, the information storage capacity of a typical DVD is much higher than a CD. Presently available DVDs have a variety of capacities which depend on the technology used to manufacture the discs. Single-layer technologies can be either single or double-sided with capacities of 4.7 gigabytes and 9.4 gigabytes, respectively. Dual layer technologies will soon be available which use single or double sided capacities that hold approximately 8.5 gigabytes per side. This high information storage capacity makes DVDs suitable for storing not only audio information, but also video information and large amounts of computer data as well.
DVD players have many CD player features, such as the ability to play selections in any order desired and the ability to read information from any point on the disc. However, DVDs can store information in several formats. For example, DVDs which are used to store video information, hereinafter called DVD-VIDEO discs, may use various known information compression algorithms, such as MPEG-2 for video compression/decompression. A DVD may also include high fidelity sound in the form of pulse code modulated data streams which may have varying sample rate. Still other DVD versions (hereinafter called DVD-ROM discs) can store digital data for computer use, and the data may also be compressed on these discs.
With the improved storage capability of DVD content discs, multiple versions of the same subject matter may be stored and interleaved upon the storage disc. Current DVD specifications allows each DVD title to store up to nine viewing angles of the same subject matter. These nine viewing angles may be composed of different subject matter, but when they are the same subject matter, it is advantageous to be able to display multiple views of the same subject matter at the same time. For example, a football coach may wish to see both first and third person views of a play or game in order to see how players perform as individuals and also as a team. Likewise, an instructor may desire to show a group performance and isolate several individual performances within the group in order to compare and contrast the different styles. Unfortunately, all known and currently available DVD players can only display a single angle at a time. As a result, the user(s) must play each angle individually in order to review.
Accordingly, a need exists for a DVD system and method that allows multiple viewing angles from the same content disc to be displayed on a common display. Further, a need exists for a way of selecting a primary viewing angle and then subordinating any additional viewing angles to the primary viewing angle.
According to the present invention, a method and apparatus are disclosed within a DVD player that allows multiple view angles to be displayed on a common display with one view angle designated as a primary view and the remaining view angles being subordinated to the primary view angle. The system and method also provide that any Modifications to the primary view similarly affect the secondary views. Any of the secondary views may be selected at any time to become the primary view whereupon the remaining viewing angles are subordinated and synchronized with the newly selected primary view.
The DVD apparatus is capable of retrieving multiple views from a DVD content source and displaying these views on a video display connected to the apparatus. The display apparatus includes a parser that is responsive to a data stream retrieved from the DVD content source. The parser extracts multimedia data from the source. The multimedia data includes at least a video data portion, an audio data portion and a subpicture data portion for each of the multiple views. The user selects one of the multiple views to be a primary or a first view. The user then also selects additional views anywhere from one to however many views are possible in the angle block supplied on DVD content. The video decoder is coupled to the parser and is used to display each of the multiple views based on the video data portion parsed out of the data stream. An audio decoder is coupled to the parser and it plays the audio data portion of the primary view only. A subpicture decoder is also coupled to the parser and it is used to display selected menu information for the primary view based on subpicture data portion of the primary view as it is parsed from the data stream. The video decoder displays the primary view in a first window and the successive depending views are displayed in subwindows within the video field. These windows may either be inside the primary window or outside the first window depending upon the selection of the user. In response to any user request, the system modifies the primary view during play and this modification is translated to each of the multiple views also being displayed. In order to have each view play at the same time, the parser synchronizes the primary view to a master clock and then each subsequent secondary view is synchronized to the primary view in time and playback. At any time, the user may select to change the primary view to a new view. During this change, all remaining multiple views and the current primary view becomes subordinated to the newly selected primary view. Additionally, the user may select additional secondary views to display simultaneously with the first primary view if so desired. Each time a secondary view is selected, it is synchronized to the primary view and the remaining multiple views.
The present invention further includes a method for retrieving multiple views from a DVD content source and displaying these views on a video display. The method comprises the steps as follows. Initially, in response to a data stream retrieved from the DVD content source, the parser extracts multimedia data therefrom. Next, the system displays each of the multiple views based on the video data portion corresponding to each of the multiple views. Additionally, the method provides for playing the audio portion of the primary view and for displaying selected menu information for the primary view based upon subpicture data retrieved from the data stream. The method provides that the primary view is displayed in a first window while the remaining views are displayed in secondary windows. These windows for the secondary views may be inside the primary window or outside the primary window depending upon the choice of the user. Anytime a user requests modification of the primary view, the method provides that the primary view be so modified and that each multiple view also be modified in a like manner. The method may be reduced as computer program code for implementation on a computer system capable of operating in a DVD environment. The computer code modifies the system to perform the various methods best described in a newly configured computer environment as directed by the code.
The above and other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be better understood by referring to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system suitable for use with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of the elements comprising the DVD system of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a conceptual block diagram of a video screen depicting angles-in-angle display according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram of additional elements of the DVD system of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the parsing of data from angle blocks to display the multiple views of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the method of selecting a primary angle and additional secondary angles;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the method of streaming the primary angle data and subordinating the secondary views thereto; and
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the method of monitoring and displaying the secondary views within the domain of the primary view.
FIG. 1 illustrates the system architecture for a computer system 100 such as an IBM PS/2�, on which the invention may be implemented. The exemplary computer system of FIG. 1 is for descriptive purposes only. Although the description may refer to terms commonly used in describing particular computer systems, such as in IBM PS/2 computer, the description and concepts equally apply to other systems, including systems having architectures dissimilar to FIG. 1.
Computer system 100 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 105, which may be implemented with a conventional microprocessor, a random access memory (RAM) 110 for temporary storage of information, and a read only memory (ROM) 115 for permanent storage of information. A memory controller 120 is provided for controlling RAM 110.
A bus 130 interconnects the components of computer system 100. A bus controller 125 is provided for controlling bus 130. An interrupt controller 135 is used for receiving and processing various interrupt signals from the system components.
Mass storage may be provided by diskette 142, CD ROM 147, or hard drive 152. Data and software may be exchanged with computer system 100 via removable media such as diskette 142 and CD ROM 147. Diskette 142 is insertable into diskette drive 141 which is, in turn, connected to bus 30 by a controller 140. Similarly, CD ROM 147 is insertable into CD ROM drive 146 which is, in turn, connected to bus 130 by controller 145. Hard disk 152 is part of a fixed disk drive 151 which is connected to bus 130 by controller 150.
User input to computer system 100 may be provided by a number of devices. For example, a keyboard 156 and mouse 157 are connected to bus 130 by controller 155. An audio transducer 196, which may act as both a microphone and a speaker, is connected to bus 130 by audio controller 197, as illustrated. It will be obvious to those reasonably skilled in the art that other input devices, such as a pen and/or tabloid may be connected to bus 130 and an appropriate controller and software, as required. DMA controller 160 is provided for performing direct memory access to RAM 110. A visual display is generated by video controller 165 which controls video display 170. Computer system 100 also includes a communications adapter 190 which allows the system to be interconnected to a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), schematically illustrated by bus 191 and network 195.
Operation of computer system 100 is generally controlled and coordinated by operating system software, such as the OS/2� operating system, commercially available from International Business Machines Corporation, Boca Raton, Fla., or Windows NT�, commercially available from MicroSoft Corp., Redmond, Wash. The operating system controls allocation of system resources and performs tasks such as processing scheduling, memory management, networking, and I/O services, among things. In particular, an operating system resident in system memory and running on CPU 105 coordinates the operation of the other elements of computer system 100. The present invention may be implemented with any number of commercially available operating systems including OS/2, UNIX, DOS, and WINDOWS, among others. One or more applications such as Lotus NOTES™, commercially available from Lotus Development Corp., Cambridge, Mass. may execute under the control of the operating system. If the operating system 200 is a true multitasking operating system, such as OS/2, multiple applications may execute simultaneously.
FIG. 2 illustrates conceptually the main components of a system 200 in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a DVD-ROM drive 204 connected to a computer 206. Use of the DVD-ROM drive 204 with the computer 206 should not be construed as a limitation of the invention, however, since other DVD systems, such as a DVD-VIDEO systems, may be used with many other types of multimedia devices, including television systems. In addition, the DVD-ROM drive 204 may also be a drive suitable for internal mounting in computer 206.
The DVD drive 204 receives a disc 202 containing compressed and encoded information which has been coded in accordance with the DVD 1.0 Specification for Read-Only Disc and disk 202 preferably contains up to seventeen gigabytes of information. The computer 206 includes a driver (not shown) for enabling the operating system in the computer 206 to control and exchange information with the drive 204. It also includes one or more input devices 212 which receive input from a user.
The computer 206 also includes a control and playback program shown schematically in FIG. 2 as having a navigation object 208 with logic for reading data from the drive. A presentation engine 210 includes decompressing and decoding routines for decoding the information on the disc 202 and routines for formatting the information for display. For example, the audio information may be compressed by means of conventional compression technique known as Dolby� AC-3� compression (also known as "Dolby� Digital" decompression), and video information may be compressed using a compression technique known as MPEG-2 (Moving Picture Experts Group-2).
In the illustrative embodiment, the software elements of system 200 are implemented using object-oriented programming techniques. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) techniques involve the definition, creation, use and destruction of "objects". These objects are software entities comprising data elements, or attributes, and methods, or functions, which manipulate the data elements. The attributes and related methods are treated by the software as an entity and can be created, used and deleted as if they were a single item. Together, the attributes and methods enable objects to model virtually any real-world entity in terms of its characteristics, which can be represented by the data elements, and its behavior, which can be represented by its data manipulation functions. In this way, objects can model concrete things like people and computers, and they can also model abstract concepts like numbers or geometrical designs.
Objects are defined by creating "classes" which are not objects themselves, but which act as templates that instruct the compiler how to construct the actual object. A class may, for example, specify the number and type of data variables and the steps involved in the methods which manipulate the data. When an object-oriented program is compiled, the class code is compiled into the program, but no objects exist. Therefore, none of the variables or data structures in the compiled program exist or have any memory allotted to them. An object is actually created by the program at runtime by means of a special function called a constructor which uses the corresponding class definition and additional information, such as arguments provided during object creation, to construct the object. Likewise objects are destroyed by a special function called a destructor. Objects may be used by using their data and invoking their functions. When an object is created at runtime memory is allotted and data structures are created.
The principle benefits of object-oriented programming techniques arise out of three basic principles; encapsulation, polymorphism and inheritance. More specifically, objects can be designed to hide, or encapsulate, all, or a portion of, the internal data structure and the internal functions. More particularly, during program design, a program developer can define objects in which all or some of the attributes and all or some of the related functions are considered "private" or for use only by the object itself. Other data or functions can be declared "public" or available for use by other programs. Access to the private variables by other programs can be controlled by defining public functions for an object which access the object's private data. The public functions form a controlled and consistent interface between the private data and the "outside" world. Any attempt to write program code which directly accesses the private variables causes the compiler to generate an error during program compilation which error stops the compilation process and prevents the program from being run.
Polymorphism is a concept which allows objects and functions which have the same overall format, but which work with different data, to function differently in order to produce consistent results. For example, an addition function may be defined as variable A plus variable B (A+B) and this same format can be used whether the A and B are numbers, characters or dollars and cents. However, the actual program code which performs the addition may differ widely depending on the type of variables that comprise A and B. Polymorphism allows three separate function definitions to be written, one for each type of variable (numbers, characters and dollars). After the functions have been defined, a program can later refer to the addition function by its common format (A+B) and, at runtime, the program will determine which of the three functions is actually called by examining the variable types. Polymorphism allows similar functions which produce analogous results to be "grouped" in the program source code to produce a more logical and clear program flow.
The third principle which underlies object-oriented programming is inheritance, which allows program developers to easily reuse pre-existing programs and to avoid creating software from scratch. The principle of inheritance allows a software developer to declare classes (and the objects which are later created from them) as related. Specifically, classes may be designated as subclasses of other base classes. A subclass "inherits" and has access to all of the public functions of its base classes just as if these function appeared in the subclass. Alternatively, a subclass can override some or all of its inherited functions or may modify some or all of its inherited functions merely by defining a new function with the same form (overriding or modification does not alter the function in the base class, but merely modifies the use of the function in the subclass). The creation of a new subclass which has some of the functionality (with selective modification) of another class allows software developers to easily customize existing code to meet their particular needs.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the DVD system is enabled to display simultaneously two or more angles from a single DVD content source on a video display. A data stream is read from the DVD content source by the DVD player. A main video picture is selected by the user and parsed out for display. This main video picture is defined as the primary angle or the primary view. It may also be defined as a first view. The remaining angles are referred to as secondary angles or secondary views. At least one secondary angle is maintained and as many as N minus 1 secondary angles may be displayed where N is the total number of angles stored in the DVD content.
An example of a display showing both a primary angle and a secondary angle is shown in FIG. 3. Primary angle 302 is the main angle and within primary angle 302 is located a secondary angle 304, also known as angle-in-angle viewing. The size of secondary angle 304 may be adjusted or relocated within primary angle 302 in order to minimize the disturbance that secondary angle 304 has on primary angle 302. Additional viewing angles 304 may also be supplied and with their size and location within primary angle 302 adjusted to allow for reasonable view of the primary angle 302 and the other secondary views 304. Each of secondary viewing angle 2 through N is viewed in a separate logical window.
When establishing the angle-in-angle display, the data is selected from the DVD content source as the data stream is read by the DVD player. The manipulation of the DVD stream is further described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/926,883 entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DYNAMICALLY CONSTRUCTING A GRAPHIC USER INTERFACE FROM A DVD DATA STREAM," commonly assigned with the present invention and herein incorporated by reference for all purposes. Furthermore, the manipulation and control of the various viewing angles may be implemented using multiple independent threads, which are further defined in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/014,480 entitled "DVD NAVIGATION SYSTEM WITH MULTIPLE INDEPENDENT THREADS," commonly assigned with the present invention and incorporated by referenced herein for all purposes.
When utilizing a DVD stream containing multiple angles, certain observations are necessary. First, although the stream may contain, under current DVD specifications, a maximum of nine viewing angles, the illustrative embodiment has no restriction on the maximum number of viewable angles and therefore the system is capable of handling N angle views. Further, each angle block group of cells with each cell containing data for different angle, must contain the same number of cells as all other angle blocks in the title. Furthermore, each cell in an angle block indicates if it supports seamless or nonseamless angle changes. Seamless angle changes are those that are responded to instantly upon request while nonseamless angle changes require a wait period before implementation can occur.
The DVD player includes additional processing and decoding elements as shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a partial block diagram of DVD player 204. DVD player 204 further comprises a navigator-parser unit 402 that receives the DVD stream, parses the DVD stream and routes compressed multimedia information for each viewing angle to the appropriate system target decoder (STD). These STDs include a video decoder, an audio decoder and a subpicture decoder, as well as other decoders that may be supplied for various functions. A video stream parsed from the DVD stream is sent to video decoder 404, which is responsible for decompressing the MPEG video stream for each angle. The system may use a single physical video decoder that is able to emulate multiple logic video decoders where one logical video decoder is defined for each angle selected. Audio decoder 406 is responsible for decompressing the audio portion of the data stream associated with the primary angle parsed from the data stream. The audio may be encoded in either AC-3 audio, MPEG audio, or Pulse Code Modulation—uncompressed audio streams. A subpicture decoder 408 is provided and is responsible for decompressing the subpicture data and displaying the subpicture data on the screen. Subpicture data defines the icons and buttons that allow the user to manipulate the video screen such as either slow the display, stop the display, fast forward the display, or other manipulation of the screen. In the illustrative embodiment, the primary viewing angle may be still manipulated. Whenever the primary angle is manipulated, the same action is performed for each of the viewing angles displayed on the video display.
FIG. 5 depicts in block diagram form an overview of how angles are retrieved from the DVD ROM player and then displayed with the angle-in-angle structure. Primary angle 302 has one or more secondary angles 304, designated 1 through N, within its borders. As illustrated, N angles 504 are interleaved throughout the content stream 502. The primary angle 302 fills most of the display while the secondary angles 304 located within the primary angle. In order to simplify and eliminate conflicts in viewing multiple angles, certain restrictions may be imposed. First, only the primary angle may execute a navigational command. Second, only the primary viewing angle is allowed to play the audio. Third, only the subpicture information, i.e., icons and interface buttons, for the primary angle is supplied to the video display and available for manipulation. Each secondary view is displayed in a separate window, which may be independently moved or resized, or both. In the illustrative embodiment, the user has no controls over the secondary angles, but each secondary angle responds to the manipulation of the primary angle. Secondary angles may be created or destroyed at any point in time. Fourth, the user may select a new primary angle from any of the currently displayed secondary angles or other secondary angle with the remaining angles being subordinated to the newly selected primary angle. This newly selected primary angle will have the same advantages as the original primary angle, i.e., the manipulation of the primary angle controls the secondary angles, audio is selected from this new primary angle, and the subpicture controls are presented only for this new primary angle.
The implementation and processing of the multiple viewing angles is described in the flow charts of FIGS. 6-8. FIG. 6 illustrates the process of the initial request to show a primary angle and to select various secondary angles. FIG. 7 illustrates the process of management of the data stream and the processing of the content to display the primary viewing angle. FIG. 8 illustrates the process of the selection and manipulation of the content to display the secondary angle blocks.
In FIG. 6, the process begins in step 600 and proceeds to step 602 where the user enables the angle-in-angle system by selecting a primary angle for view. Next, in step 604, the navigator-parser unit 402 reviews the stream information for processing. Next, in step 606, the navigator-parser unit 402 determines the number of angle blocks that exists before proceeding to step 608 where the user selects the desired number of secondary views. Once the total number of views are selected, the system proceeds to FIG. 7 for processing the primary viewing angle content.
In FIG. 7, the system begins at step 700 and proceeds to step 702 where navigator-parser unit 402 reads from the content the audio, video and subpicture data within the primary angle block or first view. Next, in step 704, the navigator-parser unit 402, i.e., the system for purposes of FIGS. 6-8, routes this data to the appropriate audio decoder 408, video decoder 406 and subpicture decoder 410. Next, in step 706, the system synchronizes each angle within a view based on a master clock within the DVD system. The master clock may be selected from any of the primary views and decoders of FIG. 4. Proceeding to step 708, the system determines whether the last cell of data for the primary angle view has been displayed. If so, the system stops the video display for not only the primary angle, but for all secondary angles. If the last primary cell has not been displayed, then the system continues the display mode until the last cell has been reached. At any time, in step 710, the system determines whether the user has requested modification of the primary view in any manner. These modifications may include such actions as pausing the display, stopping the display, rewinding or fast forwarding the display, or other modifications. Upon detection of a view modification, the system, in step 712, carries out the modification requested and performs the same modification not only on the primary view, but on each secondary view as well. Additionally, at any time during the viewing, the system, in step 714, monitors the users input to determine whether the user has requested a change in the primary view. If a change has been noted, the system proceeds to step 716 where the system subordinates the original primary view to the newly selected primary view and synchronizes all the remaining secondary views to the newly selected primary view. If the primary view is not one of the originally selected secondary views, the system then retrieves the DVD content per step 702 and the system follows the remaining steps in FIG. 7.
FIG. 8 describes the process for managing the secondary views. Beginning in step 800, the system proceeds to step 802 where the system reads the video data for each secondary angle within the secondary angle blocks. In step 804, this information is routed to the video decoder 406 associated with the particular view. Next, in step 806, the system defines the information sent to the appropriate secondary video decoder to require that the secondary video decoder present this angle information in a secondary window 304 of the primary viewing window 302. Next, in step 808, the system determines that each secondary view will not respond to any navigational commands or audio or subpicture packets associated with the secondary angle. These features are reserved solely for the primary view. Next, in step 810, the system maintains proper synchronization of all views to the master clock selected in FIG. 7. In step 812, the system determines whether the primary stream has been modified by a user request. If such a modification has been requested, the system, in step 814, performs the modification not only on the primary view but on each secondary view currently being displayed. At any time during the display, the system determines, in step 816, whether the user has requested a change in the number of secondary views. If secondary view change has been requested, the system proceeds to step 818 to perform the change requested. Such change may be either to move the secondary window to a different location on the primary window field, to close the window, or to open a newly-selected secondary view.
If a single physical video decoder is being used within the DVD playback system for the angle-in-angle support, then all views must be presented in I frame mode and no audio or subpicture will be presented for any of these views. I frame refers to intracoded frames that are reference frames that have no dependency on other frames for decoding and displaying. If multiple physical decoders are used, or if the decoder is capable of simultaneously decoding multiple streams, then the requirement that each view be presented in I frame mode is not required. Additionally, it is desirable that each logical video decoder be able to adjust dynamically its frame rate to accommodate multiple views under different bandwidth conditions or display I frames only for all views in order that synchronization may be maintained.
The above-described invention may be implemented in either all software, all hardware, or a combination of hardware and software, including program code stored in firmware format to support dedicated hardware. A software application suitable for implementing the present invention in is the Interactive DVD Browser (IDB), Version 1.0 and thereafter, commercially available from Oak Technology, Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif.
A software implementation of the above described embodiment(s) may comprise a series of computer instructions either fixed on a tangible medium, such as a computer readable media, e.g. diskette 142, CD-ROM 147, ROM 115, or fixed disk 152 of FIG. 1, or transmittable to a computer system, via a modem or other interface device, such as communications adapter 190 connected to the network 195 over a medium 191. Medium 191 can be either a tangible medium, including but not limited to optical or analog communications lines, or may be implemented with wireless techniques, including but not limited to microwave, infrared or other transmission techniques. The series of computer instructions embodies all or part of the functionality previously described herein with respect to the invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that such computer instructions can be written in a number of programming languages for use with many computer architectures or operating systems. Further, such instructions may be stored using any memory technology, present or future, including, but not limited to, semiconductor, magnetic, optical or other memory devices, or transmitted using any communications technology, present or future, including but not limited to optical, infrared, microwave, or other transmission technologies. It is contemplated that such a computer program product may be distributed as a removable media with accompanying printed or electronic documentation, e.g., shrink wrapped software, preloaded with a computer system, e.g., on system ROM or fixed disk, or distributed from a server or electronic bulletin board over a network, e.g., the Internet or World Wide Web.
Although various exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made which will achieve some of the advantages of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It will be obvious to those reasonably skilled in the art that other components performing the same functions may be suitably substituted. Further, the methods of the invention may be achieved in either all software implementations, using the appropriate processor instructions, or in hybrid implementations which utilize a combination of hardware logic and software logic to achieve the same results. Further, aspects such as the size of memory, number of bits utilized to represent datum or a signal, data word size, the number of clock cycles necessary to execute an instruction, and the specific configuration of logic and/or instructions utilized to achieve a particular function, as well as other modifications to the inventive concept are intended to be covered by the appended claims.
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