text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Jun 23, 2009
|Filing date
|Jul 25, 2002
|Priority date
|Jul 25, 2002
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Judith Lee Gardner
|Original Assignee
|Temic Automotive Of North America, Inc.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (20), Non-Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (2), Classifications (12), Legal Events (4)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This disclosure relates generally to information systems and, more specifically, a smart owner's manual for providing information to a user.
The advent of microprocessor and microcontroller technology has allowed many products to include functionality and features that would not otherwise be possible. The compact and inexpensive nature of controller and controller technology and the ease with which the functionality of these devices may be changed or augmented has lead to a consumer marketplace inundated with products having subtle functional differences from one another. For example, two different models of cellular telephones, television remote controls, video tape recorders, ovens, or any other consumer products may operate, from a user perspective, in subtly different ways. In fact, many manufacturers differentiate their own products along subtle functional lines and distribute products having different model numbers that function in subtly different ways into different marketing channels. While the products are essentially the same, subtle operational aspects of the products are different.
One particularly noticeable area in which subtle functional differences has arisen is in the automotive industry. While the basic functionality of vehicles (i.e., transportation) has remained constant, the environment in which drivers operate vehicles has drastically changed. For example, fifteen years ago nearly all vehicles included radios having identical user interfaces including analog tuning and mechanical pushbuttons to set station presets. Today, however, vehicle sound systems may include compact disk (CD) players, CD changer controls, cassette tape players, digital tuners, various numbers of station presets for amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM) bands and clocks. Across vehicle manufacturers, sound systems operate is subtle, different ways.
These subtle differences are not limited only to car audio systems. In fact, the location and functionality of windshield wiper controls, electronic mirror adjustments, headlights, interior lights, trunk latches and fuel latches, and the operation of temperature controls, to name a few, have changed and continue to change. Additionally, new functions and features appear on vehicles with regularity.
Not only are functional differences present between different vehicle models and between different vehicle manufacturers, functional differences are also present temporally between identical models of identical vehicles. For example, a year 2002 Cadillac Eldorado may include subtle functional differences from a year 2001 Cadillac Eldorado.
As will be readily appreciated, subtle functional differences in consumer products such as electronics or vehicles may prove frustrating to consumers. For example, a consumer may be irritated at the fact that she knows how to drive her new vehicle, but must struggle to find the controls for the windshield wipers for the first time when it begins raining, because the controls on the new vehicle are located in a different place than they were located on a vehicle with which she was previously familiar. In some cases pertaining to, for example, safety features such as lights, windshield wipers, traction control system interfaces and the like, the consumer may not only become frustrated, but may actually be in danger while trying to figure out how the new vehicle is different from a vehicle with which they are already familiar.
In an effort to inform consumers of their new vehicle operation, vehicle dealers typically walk a purchaser through the vehicle operation when the vehicle is purchased. The shortcomings of the new vehicle walk through are two-fold. First, typically not everyone who will drive the vehicle is present through the walk through and walk through information is not usually passed on to those absent from the walk through. Second, walk through information is quickly forgotten in the excitement of a new vehicle purchase.
Additionally, every vehicle manufacturer includes a lengthy owner's manual with each vehicle sold. While these owner's manuals include protracted discussions and instructions on even the subtlest details of the vehicle, the instructions are quite lengthy and are rarely read by consumers because consumers feel that they "already know how to drive." For example, although an owner's manual would clearly indicate where windshield wiper controls are located in the vehicle, the driver does not typically read the manual and, therefore, has to figure out where the wiper control is while driving on a dark and stormy night. At least one of the reasons that owner's manuals are not effective in communicating subtle operational differences is that it is difficult to distill an entire owner's manual into a short list of functional differences of which the consumer should be made aware. Another reason that manuals are not completely effective is that no person will ask to review an owner's manual for another person's car when driving that person's car for the first time. Further, certain drivers may be unable to read the English language in which the owner's manual may be written.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding the disclosure. Additionally, those having ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the order of the blocks in the flow diagrams is merely exemplary and changes in the flow diagrams disclosed herein may be effected.
An information system is disclosed in detail below in conjunction with
While the following description carries forward a description of an information system used in a vehicle, it should be noted that such a description is merely exemplary and is presented to facilitate understanding of the concepts disclosed herein. Accordingly, nothing disclosed herein should be construed as limiting the disclosed concepts to vehicular applications.
Turning now to
The system 10 further includes a current system database 14, e.g. a first Database, that, as described below, stores information associated with features of a first vehicle in which the system 10 is disposed. A prior system database 16, e.g. a second database, stores information associated with features of a second vehicle with which the user is previously familiar. Information associated with features may include, for example, vehicle make, model and features. In practice, information pertaining to features of the current and prior vehicles is written into the databases 14, 16 by for example, a wireless connection, an Internet connection, a magnetic or optical disk read by a suitable drive or any other suitable technique. This information could be provided by a website, a vehicle dealer, the user herself or a third party.
The information and features stored in the databases 14, 16 may include, but are not limited to, operational features, component locations and operations and luxury item features. Operational features may include, for example, progressive steering, anti-lock brakes, traction control, transmission control, cruise control, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), Advanced Traveler's Information Systems (ATIS) and the like. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems may include, but are not limited to, lane exceedence alerts, roadway departure warnings, drowsy driver alerts, forward collision warnings, lane change support, parking support, side object (blind spot) detection and any other suitable assistance system. Advanced Traveler Information Systems may include, but are not limited to, route guidance, location based commercial services, real-time server based traffic information, automated toll payment and the like.
Component locations may include the locations of, for example, a spare tire, a jack, windshield wipers, a headlight switch, and the like, as well as an operational description thereof. Luxury item features may include location and operational descriptions of radio, CD changer, power windows, power locks, embodied or docked wireless devices, satellite radio and the like. The features may be embodied in single or multi-lingual textual descriptions of the features and their operation, as well as a verbal description that may be played as audio to the user at the request of the user or upon actuation of a component within the vehicle in which the system is disposed.
Each of the databases 14, 16 is coupled to a system comparison module 18. The system comparison module processes the information in the databases 14, 16 and determines the differences between the features of the first, or current vehicle, and the features of the second, or prior vehicle. The differences between the features of the vehicles are written to a comparison results database 20, e.g. a third database. Where the operational aspects or features of the vehicles are the same or similar, there is no need for the user to be informed of such features because the user is already aware of these features. However, when features differ, it is desirable to inform the user of such differences. The differences written into the database 20 may include audio or textual information that, as described in detail below, may be requested by the user or may be automatically provided to the user.
A user recognition block 30 identifies the user of the current vehicle based on an indication received from the interface 12. For example, different users may have different keys, key fobs, smart cards or the like having associated codes that link the user to the code. Alternatively, the user may flip a switch to a particular position to indicate the user's identity. As a further alternative, biometric information such as, for example, height, weight, fingerprints, retinal scans and the like may be used to recognize users.
Having recognized the user via the block 30, the system 10 may employ a user preferences block 32 to store preferences of the recognized user. Changes to the user preferences block 32 may be affected via the interface 12, which may receive user preferences via wireless communication, the Internet, voice information or via any other suitable manner.
The user recognition block 30, the user preferences block 32 and the database 20 may each be coupled to an information extractor 34. The information extractor 34 may also exchange information with the interface 12. In general, during operation, system activation information flows to the information extractor 34, which accesses the blocks 20, 30 and 32 to selectively provide relevant information to the user via the interface 12. The relevant information may be audio, video or any other suitable information that may be perceived by the user. The relevant information may be representative of the difference between features that are known and new.
System activation information may be at least two different types of information such as, for example, specific requests for information or outputs received from a feature that is new to the user or operates differently from features previously used by the user. For example, a user may request specific information by saying, "Where is my spare tire?" The audio generated by the user's query is processed by a voice recognition system (not shown) into information that is coupled to the interface 12. The information is coupled from the interface 12 to the information extractor 34, which accesses the database 20. Because the spare tire must be in a different location than previously familiar to the user (or the user would not be asking the whereabouts of the spare), the database 20 includes an audio response to the query. The audio response is coupled from the database 20 through the information extractor 34 and the interface 12 and is then manifest to the user as relevant information. For example, the audio response may be "The spare tire is below the panel in the bottom of the trunk." Upon hearing the response from the system 10, the user is now aware of the location of the spare tire. Optionally, the user may be able to instruct the system 10 not to provide the spare tire information again. Such an instruction would be a user preference. Because the system 10 knows the identity of the user, it can connect the user preference with the user and remember not to provide the user with this information in the future.
As a further example, a user may actuate the temperature control, which is new to the user based on the previous vehicle owned by the user. Upon actuating the control, a signal is coupled to the information extractor 34 from the temperature control unit (not shown). The information extractor 34 queries the database 20 and finds that the temperature control is different between the current system and the prior system. Accordingly, an audio or textual description may be provided to the user, via the information extractor 34 and the interface 12, as relevant information. This information is provided to the user without being specifically requested by the user. The user may be able to request not to receive the temperature control information again.
While the foregoing examples pertain to the provision of audio information to the user, it is contemplated that information may be provided via any other technique. For example, the information may be provided via text on a display screen or via any other suitable manner. Additionally, it will be readily appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the relevant art that the information (both textual and audio) presented to a user may be available in multiple languages or dialects.
The new human/machine interface (e.g., voice recognition and voice command systems, heads-up displays, etc.) will be as intuitive as their designers can make them, but may still require instructions so that users understand their full functionality. From a user's perspective, the least distracting function or interface is the one for which the user has the clearest and most complete mental model.
As eluded to previously, although features may differ between the current system and the prior system, such as, for example, the operation of the temperature controls, it may not be necessary to provide relevant information to the same user each time he or she accesses the temperature controls. Accordingly, the information extractor 34 has access to the user recognition and user preference blocks 30, 32. When the information extractor 34 receives a system activated request for information, the information extractor 34 may determine if this relevant information has been previously provided to the user by examining the user preferences block 32 and, if the information has been previously provided, may opt to suppress the relevant information. Additionally, if the user has previously indicated that he or she does not desire to receive relevant information from the system 10, this fact may be reflected in the user preferences 32 and, therefore, the information extractor 34 will not provide relevant information in response to system activated information.
While the foregoing description describes blocks 12-34 as being implemented on the vehicle, this is not necessarily the case. For example, the databases 14, 16 and the system comparator module 18 could be separate from the vehicle and the system 10. The comparison results could be generated remotely from the system 10 and simply downloaded to the database 20 via the interface. Accordingly, the databases 14, 16 and the module 18 could, conceivably, be portions of hardware and/or software resident at a website, a vehicle dealer or some other location.
Turning now to
In practice the controller 52 is embodied in any suitable microprocessor, microcontroller or digital signal controller. The controller 52 may include analog to digital (A/D) and digital to analog (D/A) converters for interfacing with analog devices such as the microphone 56 and the speaker 58. The memory 54 may be embodied in any suitable memory that may be large enough to accommodate the comparison results database 20, the current system database 14, the prior system database 16 or any other block of
Flow diagram representations of the instructions that may be stored in memory 54 and executed by the controller 52 are provided in connection with
A main routine 70, which may start every time the current vehicle is started or at any other suitable interval, begins execution at block 72 at which the user is identified. As noted previously, the user may be identified by a code from a key, a key fob, a smart card, by the state of a switch or by any relevant biometric information such as voice, fingerprints and the like obtained from the user. If the user is a new user, block 74 passes control to block 76, which adds the new user to a list of users and obtains the new users preferences.
If block 74 determines that the user is not new or after block 76 completes execution, control passes to block 78, which recalls the preferences of the user. User preferences may include not wanting to utilize the information system 50, which will be addressed below at block 84. Alternatively, the user preferences may include a list of messages previously provided to the user, so that such messages need not be duplicated. Accordingly, the user preferences may affect the information that is provided to the user.
Block 80 allows the user to change his or her preferences. If the user desires to change the user preferences, control passes from block 80 to block 82 where the system 50 gets new preferences from the user. The preferences may be input to the system 50 via the microphone 56 or by any of the other systems with which the controller 52 has communication.
If the user does not desire to change preferences or if the preferences have been changed at block 82, control passes to block 84, which determines if the user desires to disable the information system (i.e., the user does not desire to receive information from the system 50.) If the user desires to disable the system control passes from block 84 to block 86, which, if the user is a new user records the desire to disable the system as a user preference and ends execution of the main routine 70. If, however, the user is not a new user and the user preferences reflect the desire to disable the system 50, the block 86 does not make changes to the user preferences and merely ends execution of the main routine 70.
Alternatively, if block 84 determines that there is no desire to disable the system 50 for the user identified in block 72, control passes to block 88, which recalls information previously presented to the user. This information may be resident in, for example, the user preferences. After block 88 has completed execution, control passes to block 90, which determines if system setup is required and desired. System setup, which is described in detail below in conjunction with
After the setup routine 92 is complete or if setup is not desired and required, control passes to block 94, which determines if the user has activated the system. The user may activate the system by, for example, making a verbal request such as, "Where is my spare tire?" or by actuating vehicle features such as a temperature control. If block 94 determines that the user has not activated the system, control remains at block 94. However, if block 94 determines that the user has activated the system, control passes from block 94 to block 96.
Block 96 determines if relevant information should be communicated to the user. Block 96 may carry out this functionality out by checking user preferences to determine if such information has already been sent. If block 96 determines that information is not to be communicated to the user, control passes back to block 94. Alternatively, control passes to block 98.
Block 98 selects relevant information from the database 20, which may be stored in the memory 54, and communicates the relevant information to the user. As noted previously, the relevant information may be communicated to the user as audio via the speaker 58 or by any other system to which the controller 52 is coupled.
After relevant information is communicated to the user, control passes from block 98 to block 100, which records the relevant. information that was communicated to the user in, for example, the user preferences. The list of information previously communicated to the user may be used to ensure that a user does not receive redundant communication that is undesired. For example, once the user is informed about the temperature control system of the current vehicle, he or she may not want to receive that same communication again.
Block 102 gives the user the opportunity to have the system 50 repeat the information that was previously provided. If the user desires to have the message repeated, control passes back to block 98. Alternatively, if the user does not desire to have the message repeated by the system 50, control passes back to block 4, which awaits user activation of the system.
Details of the setup routine 92 are shown in
After block 120 completes execution, control passes to block 122, which receives and stores relevant information regarding a current system. For example, the current system may include vehicle information pertinent to the new vehicle that the user has purchased.
Block 124 compares the prior and current system information looking for differences therebetween. Differences are stored in a database that the system 10 may access to provide information to the user.
Blocks 120 and 122 may be carried out by reading information from a wireless network, an Internet connection, an optical or magnetic disk, a user input or any other suitable source of vehicle information. As noted previously, the setup routine 92 may be carried out by the system 10 or may be carried out by another system and the resulting comparison information may be provided to the system 10 for use thereby.
Again, while the foregoing description has been provided with regard to vehicle information, this is merely exemplary of one type of system that may benefit from the disclosed system.
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present invention.
Benefits, other advantages and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. As used herein, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Oct 22, 1992
|Jun 28, 1994
|Thomas L. Garrett
|Method of verifying insurance on registered vehicles
|May 19, 1993
|May 9, 1995
|Envirotest Systems Corp.
|Apparatus and method for capturing, storing, retrieving, and displaying the identification and location of motor vehicle emission control systems
|Nov 29, 1995
|Aug 11, 1998
|Microsoft Corporation
|Vehicle computer system
|Jul 22, 1996
|Jul 4, 2000
|Qualcomm Incorporated
|Method and apparatus for the remote monitoring and configuration of electronic control systems
|Sep 24, 1999
|Oct 3, 2000
|Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
|Automatic vehicle following control system
|Oct 15, 1998
|Nov 28, 2000
|Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
|Road data maintenance system and on-vehicle terminal apparatus compatible therewith
|May 30, 2000
|Nov 6, 2001
|Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
|Automatic following travel system
|Nov 23, 1998
|Jul 16, 2002
|Saab Automobile Ab
|Control panel
|Nov 20, 2001
|Mar 25, 2003
|International Truck Intellectual Property Company, L.L.C.
|Land vehicle communications system and process for providing information and coordinating vehicle activities
|Jun 26, 2001
|Mar 23, 2004
|Camstar Systems, Inc.
|System and method for live update of a manufacturing system
|Mar 29, 2001
|Dec 6, 2001
|Helmar-Steffen Gehrke
|Device for exchanging data with a motor vehicle
|Feb 28, 2001
|Feb 7, 2002
|Markus Weinlaender
|Dynamic help system for a data processing device
|Oct 30, 2001
|Jun 27, 2002
|American Calcar Inc.
|Multimedia information and control system for automobiles
|Dec 13, 2001
|Jul 4, 2002
|Tetsuya Miida
|System, apparatus, and method for providing customer apparatus information, and apparatus for collecting and managing such information
|Sep 10, 2001
|Jun 19, 2003
|Claude-Nicolas Fiechter
|Method and system for condition monitoring of vehicles
|Apr 12, 2004
|Feb 2, 2006
|Nnt, Inc.
|Vehicle-interactive system
|Jul 22, 1998
|Jan 27, 1999
|Kabushiki Kaisha Equos Research
|Device mounted in vehicle
|Apr 28, 2000
|Nov 8, 2000
|Xerox Corporation
|System for providing document change information for a community of users
|Title not available
|Mar 30, 2001
|Oct 11, 2001
|Autoweb.Com, Inc.
|System and method for dynamic product comparison
|European Search Report for Application No. 03015713.5, dated Jan. 17, 2005.
|Swihart et al., Integrated Collision Warning and Vehicle Information System for Heavy Vehicles, Monitoring of Driver and Vehicle Performance (Digest No. 1997/122), IEEE Colloquium on Apr. 10, 1997, pp. 2/1-2/7.
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Apr 15, 2010
|Feb 16, 2016
|Robert Bosch Gmbh
|Interactive manual, system and method for vehicles and other complex equipment
|Apr 15, 2010
|Sep 30, 2010
|Fuliang Weng
|Interactive manual, system and method for vehicles and other complex equipment
|U.S. Classification
|707/999.104, 707/999.107, 701/31.4, 701/29.1
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Jul 25, 2002
Owner name: MOTOROLA, INC., ILLINOIS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:GARDNER, JUDITH LEE;REEL/FRAME:013135/0128
Effective date: 20020724
|Sep 18, 2006
Owner name: TEMIC AUTOMOTIVE OF NORTH AMERICA, INC., ILLINOIS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MOTOROLA, INC.;REEL/FRAME:018430/0684
Effective date: 20060914
|Dec 13, 2012
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Jun 12, 2014
Owner name: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, INC., MICHIGAN
Free format text: MERGER;ASSIGNORS:CONTINENTAL TEVES, INC.;TEMIC AUTOMOTIVE OF NORTH AMERICA, INC,;REEL/FRAME:033135/0185
Effective date: 20091210


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The black 2TB Canvio Desktop External Hard Drive from Toshiba is easy to set up and ideal for expanding your storage needs. It offers high-capacity storage in a small compact design. A built-in USB 3.0 interface significantly improves file transfer performance for large media files and dramatically minimizes the wait time for backup.The Canvio External Hard Drive is preloaded with an easy-to-use backup software to enable fast and simple backup. The included NTI Backup Now EZ software scans your system and recommends the best coverage for your computer. The hard drive is capable of storing up to 571,000 digital photos, 526,000 digital music files or 1640 downloaded digital movies. A customizable backup routine allows you to select common file types such as word documents, pictures, movies and music, and change the frequency of backups such as hourly, daily or more. You can also change the Drive Space Alert threshold setting. The Canvio External Hard Drive thus offers a reliable add-on storage and backup solution with up-to-date USB 3.0 technology.
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USB 3.0: Up to 5 Gbps
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|Software Included
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Formatted NTFS for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8
Requires reformatting for Mac OS X Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard or Lion
Available USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 port
USB 3.0 port required for high speed tansfers
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|2.2 lb / 1 kg
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|3.15 lb
|Box Dimensions (LxWxH)
|10.9 x 8.4 x 4.4"

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Nothing adds life to your layout like modeling rivers, lakes and other bodies of water effectively. Expert modeler Joe Fugate shows you the ropes on how to add streams, rivers, and lakes to your layout using simple but clever techniques that yield breathtaking results. (1-2-3)
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Auction Stores Do EBay Selling for You
Your back room is bursting and your closets are crammed with last century's laptops, predigital camera equipment, or printers past their prime. In the back of your mind, you see yourself selling it all on EBay to get some coin back while clearing the clutter. But it takes so much effort to gather the stuff, photograph it, write descriptions, and ship it off. Why not let someone else do everything for you?
Enter drop-off stores, a fast-expanding specialty in the EBay economy. Their premise: Make EBay selling ultra-easy for busy people.
You simply drive your goods over and fill out a form; then at the end of the auction, you get a check if your item sells or the item returned to you if it doesn't. At your request some stores will even donate a nonselling item to charity for you or donate the proceeds of a sale. However, the ease of a drop-off store will definitely cost you: Most stores charge a hefty 35 to 40 percent of the eventual selling price of your goods, plus up-front fees for listing and handling. For a list of such stores around the country, go here.
Going National
Most stores are local, but several companies are now making a national push. AuctionDrop, which started with a few storefronts last year, recently made a deal with United Parcel Service, so you can now take items you want to sell to any of over 3400 UPS Stores. PostNet, which has 500 national franchises that provide copying and shipping services, has just added auction services; it expects 100 of its stores to be selling on EBay by year's end. And Circuit City is testing drop-offs in Atlanta and Pittsburgh with eight stores called Trading Circuit.
Do these services live up to their pain-free-selling promise? PC World put three to the test. We used an AuctionDrop storefront in California; a PostNet franchise in Georgia; and Sellers' Market, an independently owned store in Connecticut. We brought to each store a new, unopened $100 GoVideo DVD+VCR Dual Deck and a $60 Strait-Line Laser Tool System--all purchased at Costco. We also put the same items up on EBay ourselves (see the chart for our results, and read our selling tips).
Testing, Testing
We were impressed with our experiences at all three. Not counting drive time, we spent less than 15 minutes at each store. We lugged in our booty, and filled out a short form after staffers explained the process. That was it.
The stores showed us online how comparable items had sold recently on EBay. Along with commission, our stores also charged up-front fees per item: nothing to $8 for basic service, and up to $20 for premium service if we wanted control over the starting price of our goods (the default is $1 minimum). We chose premium service at AuctionDrop ($20) and PostNet ($15)--but at the latter, it backfired when we priced the player at $75 and the item became the only one that didn't sell. EBay analysts and users later told us that bidders hate auctions with high starting prices.
Our auctions began about a week after we delivered the items; two stores e-mailed us when the items went up and again when the auctions concluded successfully. But for Sellers' Market, we had to regularly check the site to know our auctions' status; we had to follow up with PostNet regarding our unsold item, too.
We found AuctionDrop, the big kahuna in this arena, to be the most efficient store. At its new warehouse in Fremont, California, people's precious ex-possessions--from PCs to china to items as unusual as mounted deer heads--move on a giant conveyor system. They're scanned and tracked as they're checked in, tested (electrical goods only), photographed, evaluated by a lister who writes up auction text, and boxed for final shipment.
However, AuctionDrop asks that your goods be expected to sell for at least $75, and it has size limits. The people at Sellers' Market who left a full-size glass-walled phone booth and a porcelain piggy bank as big as a real pig likely would have been rejected at AuctionDrop. Both Sellers' Market, founded as a drop-off store, and PostNet, for which auctions are a side business that's funneled through its Nevada headquarters, ask only that items be in good, salable condition.
DIY Drudgery
Our own auctions on EBay were far more cumbersome: They took us over 8 hours of work, from photographing to boxing and mailing the items.
Of course, we pocketed all the proceeds from our own auctions, minus only the EBay and PayPal fees (about 10 percent). In contrast, we ended up with less than half of the money from the stores' auctions after the initial fee, sales tax, and commission were taken out. If all you want is a more lucrative alternative to Goodwill, give these services a shot; if you want to maximize your profit, do it yourself.
Remember, though: However useful these drop-off stores are, EBay has no ownership of them, explains Hani Durzy, EBay spokesperson. That doesn't mean EBay isn't happy to have the stores in action (more auctions ultimately mean more fees for the company). But if you have a dispute with a particular store, it's between you and them. EBay is not involved. Also, you can't sell just anything on EBay. Go here for the company's list of restricted and prohibited items.
Stores Are Convenient but Costly (chart)
As expected, we made the most money from the pair of items we sold ourselves, but we also spent 8 hours on our auctions as opposed to 15 minutes at each drop-off store. AuctionDrop was most efficient, while Sellers' Market yielded the best return. (Because we auctioned new items, we ended up buying high and selling low; you'll probably get a better return on items you already own.)
A Survival Guide to Drop-Off Selling
Ina Steiner, editor of auction news site AuctionBytes.com, offers a few guidelines to keep in mind when choosing a drop-off store.
Check feedback ratings: Get the store's EBay user ID, which may not be the same as the store's name. Then, look at its rating, a sign of how buyers have liked that store's service. Also note how long it has been an EBay seller.
Look at the store's auctions: Do you like the presentation? Are the descriptions informative and persuasive? How good are the photos?
Research collectibles: If you know or suspect your item is rare or valuable, ask if the store has particular expertise in the subject--most won't. You will probably have to do a little legwork to get a good idea of a fair minimum selling price.
Get references: Follow up with a store's prior customers to learn about their experiences.
Hayden Spring and Arthur D. Thorsberg Jr. contributed to this report.


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|Key Info
Our luxury villa is ideal for families and couples alike. It is situated in the mature residential area of La Siesta. Within easy walking distance of bars and restaurants, yet less than 2 miles inland from the award winning beaches of Torrevieja, its International marina and modern shopping complex .
It has two bedrooms, one bedroom provides a double bed and the other has two single beds and an ensuite shower room.
It has fully walled and tiled gardens front and back, both include tables and chairs, sun or shade the choice is yours.
The private pool is kidney shaped (heated at an extra cost) when needed and 1 to 2 metres deep, ideal for all ages.
Bus services to Torrevieja leave La Siesta regularly. Information for airport transfers will be given. Local amenities include two bowling greens , one within a few minutes walk.
|Sleeps up to 6, 2 bedrooms
|2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms of which 1 en suite and 1 shower room, Solarium or roof terrace
|Nearest beach
|Car advised
|Nearest travel links
|Nearest airport: Alicante or Murcia 58 km, Nearest railway: Alicante
|Family friendly
|Great for children of all ages
|No pets allowed, No smoking at this property
|Private outdoor pool (heated), Internet access, DVD player
|Private outdoor pool (heated)
|Air conditioning, TV, Video player, CD player, Safe, Satellite TV, Wi-Fi available
|Kettle, Toaster, Iron, Hair dryer
|Clothes dryer, Cooker, Microwave, Fridge, Freezer, Washing machine
|Double Beds (1), Sofa Beds (1), Single Beds (2), Dining seats for 6, Lounge seats for 6
|Linen provided
|Private outdoor pool (heated), Balcony or terrace, Private garden, BBQ
|Secure parking, Not suitable for wheelchair users
|Further details outdoors
There are 6 Sun loungers around the pool, two large reclining chairs and lots of space to relax in . Parasols provide shade when required, On the top terrace a roller blind provides shade over the dining area. There is a large shaded area in the rear garden.There is a BBQ at side of front terrace..
|Further details
* Deposit £200 per week and balance eight weeks prior to your arrival day..
* Price includes cleaning.
MINIMUM CHARGE 3 days rental
Torrevieja is on the coast of Spain, known as the Costa Blanca. It lies between Alicante in the north and Cartagena in the south.
The temperature and salt concentration in the air gives Torrevieja a special health-bringing climate which has been recommended by health personnel all over the world.
Torrevieja has 320 sundays a year, and 18 degree of an average temperature. Torrevieja has the same average day temperature as the Canary Islands.
There are numerous glorious beaches, in the Torrevieja area. La Mata, La Zenia, Playa Flamenca, Los Locos, El Cura and Lo Ferris. These are some of the best (blue flag) beaches in the Mediterranean and most have entertainment area for children, volleyball nets, bars and restaurants.
The beaches lend themselves to a variety of water sports like windsurfing, surfing, water skiing and so on. The International Sports Marina also offers facilities for yachting and diving. The two Aqua Parks have lots of water slides suitable for all ages and are well worth a visit. On La Siesta (within 220 yards there is a small Family Aqua Park) open in main season.
Fiestas are held here most months of the year when tourists mingle with the locals to party in the streets in true Spanish-style.
Visit in August and you'll be able to enjoy the weeklong "Habaneras" festival - a major international music competition which attracts a live and television audience of hundreds of thousands of people.
Local Markets:-
Monday: Elche, Orihuela, Santa Pola, San Pedro del Pinatar
Tuesday: Alicante, Orihuela
Wednesday: Guardamar, La Mata, San Miguel de Salinas
Thursday: San Javier, Rojales, Alicante
Friday: Torrevieja, Pilar de la Horadada
Saturday: Almoradi, Playa Flamenca, Santa Pola, Elche, Alicante
Sunday: Elche, El Campo de Guardamar, El Zoco Benijofa.


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We see a future where every pet finds a lifelong, loving home. We are a nonprofit that saves the lives of homeless pets.
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Chicago developer Yiannis considers apartments for east side site
Chicago-area developer Yiannis Konstantinou is considering an apartment proposal for a parcel his investment group owns on Milwaukee's east side.
Konstantinou has proposed a four-story building with 40 one- and two-bedroom units and 40 underground and surface parking spaces for 1400-1430 E. Boylston St. »Read Full Blog Post(9)
Availability of Wisconsin's Family Care program could be decided soon
Madison - For 13 years - and quite possibly for two more years to come - taxpayers and communities in some Wisconsin counties have enjoyed a state program for the elderly and disabled while others who pay the same taxes have not.
The debate over Gov. Scott Walker's upcoming budget bill will likely determine whether Wisconsin makes progress this year or next in ending this two-tiered system in which 57 counties in Wisconsin have Family Care and 15 do not. »Read Full Article(28)
Engineers: Mining bill could slow approval process
The Army Corps of Engineers told Wisconsin lawmakers last week that new mining legislation could slow environmental reviews that Republican lawmakers are trying to speed up.
The agency said that some elements of a mining bill might force the Corps to conduct its own environmental impact statement of a mining project, instead of collaborating with the State of Wisconsin. »Read Full Article(72)
Walker announces investment in Hispanic loan fund
Gov. Scott Walker has announced that the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. had committed an additional $100,000 to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin's revolving loan fund.
Walker made the announcement Saturday at the Chamber of Commerce's annual gala in Milwaukee. »Read Full Article(37)


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Skip to Section Subnavigation Skip to Page Content
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Beginners: ages 18 months - 3 yearsChildren's House: ages 3 - 6 yearsLower Elementary: grades 1, 2 & 3Upper Elementary: grades 4, 5 & 6Middle School: grades 7 & 8
We are committed to providing a safe and stimulating learning environment for the social, emotional, intellectual, and creative growth of our students. We invite you to explore each of our program levels to learn more about daily classroom life and curriculum offered. Interested in seeing the Montessori education in action? Contact our Office of Admission today!
In addition to academics, Oak Meadow offers a variety of programs to supplement the school day including our After School Enrichment Program, athletics, the Oak Meadow Summer Program, and Before and After Care. From after school music lessons to soccer and basketball programs and summer fun, Oak Meadow is proud of its myriad offerings.
At the heart of Oak Meadow academics is our Montessori curriculum.
At the heart of Oak Meadow academics is our Montessori curriculum.


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The domain name ''OK Google Drive Dot Com'' which is simply the prompts to tell the no-steering wheel car to drive you to your destination is available for sale. Contact the blog owner for more information at email@example.com
Sunday, 31 May 2015
Californians are OK with Google self automated cars and are ready to ban automated cars
I just want to share some observations. Also, I don't work for Google or any other autonomous vehicle company - I just happen to live in Mountain View, CA and I've shared the road with cars that drive by themselves for the past year or so.
I see no less than 5 self-driving cars every day. 99% of the time they're the Google Lexuses, but I've also seen a few other unidentified ones (and one that said BOSCH on the side). I have never seen one of the new "Google-bugs" on the road, although I've heard they're coming soon. I also don't have a good way to tell if the cars were under human control or autonomous control during the stories I'm going to relate.
Anyway, here we go: Other drivers don't even blink when they see one. Neither do pedestrians - there's no "fear" from the general public about crashing or getting run over, at least not as far as I can tell.
Google cars drive like your grandma - they're never the first off the line at a stop light, they don't accelerate quickly, they don't speed, and they never take any chances with lane changes (cut people off, etc.).
Google cars are very polite to pedestrians. They leave plenty of space. A Google car would never do that rude thing where a driver inches impatiently into a crosswalk while people are crossing because he/she wants to make a right turn. However, this can also lead to some annoyance to drivers behind, as the Google car seems to wait for the pedestrian to be completely clear. On one occasion, I saw a pedestrian cross into a row of human-thickness trees and this seemed to throw the car for a loop for a few seconds. The person was a good 10 feet out of the crosswalk before the car made the turn.
It's safe to cut off a Google car. I ride a motorcycle to work and in California motorcycles are allowed to split lanes (i.e., drive in the gap between lanes of cars at a stoplight, slow traffic, etc.). Obviously I do this at every opportunity because it cuts my commute time in 1/3.
Once, I got a little caught out as the traffic transitioned from slow moving back to normal speed. I was in a lane between a Google automated car and some random truck and, partially out of experiment and partially out of impatience, I gunned it and cut off the Google car sort of harder than maybe I needed too... The car handled it perfectly (maybe too perfectly). It slowed down and let me in. However, it left a fairly significant gap between me and it. If I had been behind it, I probably would have found this gap excessive and the lengthy slowdown annoying. Honestly, I don't think it will take long for other drivers to realize that self-driving cars are "easy targets" in traffic.
Overall, I would say that I'm impressed with how these things operate. I actually do feel safer around a self-driving car than most other California drivers.
I think that, inevitably, non-self driving cars will eventually be banned from the roads to let SD cars operate at their full potential (which personally I'm not thrilled about as I'm a car-nut and I love to drive). Perhaps an aftermarket transmitter could be included in non-SD cars*? Something to warn SD cars of your location so they can anticipate you cutting them off or you having the right of way through an intersection with limited visibility.
The takeaway? I give SD cars 5 stars. Would buy. *You read it here first folks! Someday 5 years from now when you're mandated to buy one of these for your 2015 Camry you'll know where the idea came from.
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This impressive Il-18 was sitting in the platform when I was boarding my flight to SCU. The Il-18 was popular for its reliability and long life potential, and it is amazing that this machine, manu... (more)
Cabin view during flight CU984 from La Habana to Santiago de Cuba on this 1994-built Yakovlev. Taken at FL270 overflying Camagüey. Dedicated to Jordi, Tere and Danae for sharing this amazing trip ... (more)
Mi-4P executive transport helicopter which was used by Fidel Castro, it was a present from USSR president Nikita Kruschev. Displayed at the Museo del Aire, La Habana. Thanks to Heymar O. for the i... (more)
Around 20 An-26s were operated by the 'Fuerza Aerea Revolucionaria' in Cuba. This one was once CCCP-47412 with Aeroflot. Displayed at the Museo del Aire, La Habana.
The story of this Mustang is quite curious. In 1958, a group of cuban citizens exiled in the United States bought a pair of Mustangs and brought them to the Revolutionary guerrilla at Sierra Maest... (more)
Around 40 Mi-8s were operated by the Fuerza Aerea Revolucionaria, some of them being involved in the war in Angola, like this very unit that still has bullet holes in it. The Mi-8 first flew in 19... (more)
This one was the first of the 16 armed Mi-17 that the 'Fuerza Aerea Revolucionaria' has received from the Russian manufacturer Mil. The most relevant external difference vs. the Mi-8 is the more e... (more)
The first Mig-17 arrived to Cuba in 1964 and was based at Santa Clara. Since then, this type was the main fighter at the 'Fuerza Aerea Revolucionaria' during the 60s and 70s, being involved in the... (more)
This Mig-21 was an export version, equiped with a Tumansky R-13 engine of 64 kN with afterburner. The Mig-21 was capable of flying at Mach 2 and is the most produced jet fighter in aviation histor... (more)
This Il-14R, a variant of the transport Il-14P, had transport and maritime patrol roles. Check the rare fairings over the nose. This very plane was used as an executive transport for Fidel Castro,... (more)
Most of the old Cuba's military An-2 are now flying as cargo transport or for agricultural missions. This one is preserved, freshly painted and wearing a military instruction registration, at the ... (more)
The 'Fuerza Aerea Revolucionaria' operated some 4 Yak-40s and it is said that this one belonged to Fidel Castro. One of them was still flying when this picture was taken, as I could see it at La H... (more)
The T-33 was a two-seat version of the P-80 Shooting Star. Cuba's T-33 had a very important role, at first agains the guerrilla at Sierra Maestra in 1958-59 and later against the shameful operatio... (more)
The T-6 Texan has served in almost all Air Forces in the world, and Cuba was no exception. Apparently this very frame was captured in Angola and belonged to the Portuguese AF. Displayed at Museo d... (more)
Overflying the amazing beach of Varadero.


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October 3, 2016
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Grocery shopping
Posted by + Show Post
Do you do it alone or is it a family event?
Replies (21-22):
by Member on Jan. 31, 2013 at 9:08 AM
Its normally me and a friend and the baby or me dh and the baby.
Posted on the NEW CafeMom Mobile
by Gold Member on Feb. 1, 2013 at 4:44 PM
I usually take the girls, though we all or just DH and myself go if we are headed to Sam's, because I don't have a card. We put back enough food last summer and fall that I haven't needed to go to the grocery store since November beyond milk, produce, and specialty items.
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I was pawing through a shelf of books the other dayWhen out fell a note from my late brother in his tinyAdamant wry inarguable crisp half-cursive-half-not Handwriting, and just for an instant I saw and heardHim at his desk, in his study, his mustache bristling,Black coffee half-cold, the burl of his body wrappedIn the arms of the chair that held him for thirty years,A chair as big as a horse and twice as heavy. I heardHim, I tell you, I did, and I saw him, half-shadowed,Scribbling notes: his philatelic pursuits, notes for hisClass next week, notes on a book he was going to do About Benedictine spirituality . . . then I was only meBy the bookshelf again. But for a second I was in myBrother's study, watching him. It was late, everybodyWas in bed, but not him, as usual he was up late withCoffee. He was wearing a sweater. The scritch of hisPen. His shoulders like boulders. The dim processionOf his books, organized by genre and author. He diedThree years ago. But I saw him, absorbed, thoroughlyAttentive, scrawling notes. There's way more possibleThan we think possible; possible turns out to be a verb.I don't know how else to explain things like this. TheyHappen all the time to all of us and we hesitate to gapeAbout them publicly because the words sound like pap,Miracle and epiphany and vision, you come off as nuts,A religious goober who talks to owls and addled saints.But you know and I know that this happens. I guess weWill always understandably be hesitant to chat about it,Which is fine, as no one enjoys being labeled a goober;But once in a while, like here, we should admit that it'sReal, and it happens all the time, and it's scary and cool.That's all. Once in a while we should gently say what is.
By purest chance I was out in our street when the kindergartenBus mumbled past going slow and I looked up just as all sevenKids on my side of the bus looked at me and I grinned and theyLit up and all this crap about God being dead and where is GodAnd who owns God and who hears God better than whom is theMost egregiously stupid crap imaginable because if you want toSee God and have God see you and have this mutual perceptionBe completely untrammeled by blather and greed and comment,Go stand in the street as the kindergarten bus murmurs past. I'mNot kidding and this is not a metaphor. I am completely serious.Everyone babbles about God but I saw God this morning just asThe bus slowed down for the stop on Maple Street. God was sixGirls and one boy with a bright green and purple stegosaurus hat.Of course God would wear a brilliantly colored tall dinosaur hat!If you were the Imagination that dreamed up everything that everWas in this blistering perfect terrible world, wouldn't you wear aHat celebrating some of the wildest most amazing developments?
I board the airplane to see my parents. They live far away and long agoAnd some years into the future; you never met such wry time machinesIn your life. Sometimes they will be about to pass the marmalade whenSuddenly it is late 1941 and they are in college and kissing on the train;But then as you slather your toast it is 1967 and a war wants to eat theirSon or 2012 and they are at that son's wake or 1929 and a father comesHome without his job, or it is a week ago, and do you think that FedererIs the finest tennis player ever, or Laver, or Don Budge? It happens thatFast. It's unnerving and glorious and confusing and perfect and I wouldSit with them every afternoon, if I could, and say tell me tell me tell me,Tell me every moment of your whole lives, don't leave me here withoutYour grace and humor and the extraordinary gleaming jar of marmaladeFrom which come all your stories. Next year in Ireland . . . says my mother,And my dad grins, and I want to kneel and beg the Lord for this momentAgain and again always, the inarguable yes of their bodies, the resonanceOf their endurance, the hunch and hollow of their shoulders, the reverentGeography of their faces, the lean song of my father's hands on the table.
I gave a rambling talk recently and a long line of teenagers cameUp to speak to me afterward and it was instantly clear that everySingle one of them wanted to ask me something while ostensiblyAsking me something else, or say one thing while seeming to saySomething else. I was so instantly moved I could hardly stammerAny sort of answer. I tried hard to hear what they were not sayingAloud but were saying with remarkable courage. It takes startlingCourage to be a teenager, you know. There are so many theatricalPersonas to try, but masks and disguises can get stuck. Or you getTrapped behind walls that begin as protective but become prisons.One kid in particular stays with me. He's tall and shy and nervous.He says How do you deal with rejection? and somehow I instantlyGet it that he does not mean essays and stories and poems and howYou handle people saying steadily bluntly no to your insistent yes!He's asking me about hope and despair and lovers and heartbreaks.He's asking about the girl or boy he adores who does not love him.He's staring at me. The other kids wait politely. I want to reach upAnd cup his face in my hands as if he was my son, but you have toBe honest with kids, you cannot merely bloviate and issue arrogantPomposity, so I tell him you have to learn to be neighborly with no.You are going to see it every day and you might as well be friendlyWith the concept. Someone else's no doesn't actually kill your yes;It only means that someone else's yes is still out there waiting. YouSee where I am going here? There's more yes than no, is what I amTrying to say. I suppose that's what we mean by faith. Faith's a bigWord, bigger than any religion. It means yes where everything sureLooks like no as far as you can see. Am I making the slightest senseHere, son? I actually call him son. The other kids must have thoughtI was being avuncular but for a brief moment he was indeed my son,And yours too. We shook hands and he held only my hands just a bitLonger than the usual thing, which I took to be some sort of a prayer.
A hundred times I warned my kids about that stretch of road. A dozen times I inquired about streetlights, or reflectors, or anything in that tunnel.
My brother is nine and I am ten. Wood already obeys his hands when he asks it gently to work with him.
Called the cemetery this morning to begin to plotWhat happens to my mom and dad after they die.Yes, I just wrote plot. My parents would smile atThat. They are not afraid. They have lived so wryAnd well. They survived wars and four dead sonsAnd savage diseases, and they still reach for eachOther here and there. I have seen it. The cemeteryPeople are so very helpful. Discharge papers: thatIs the first thing. The cemetery will donate a headStone free of charge. And the casket liner. I admitThe casket liner was not on my list of stuff to talkTo the cemetery folks about. Plenty of room, saysThe cemetery lady. Yes, your mom will be buriedWith your dad, no charge. What do we engrave onThe stone? The specific words? In loving memory,Usually. That is standard. Can you edit the words?Well, I suppose so. Within reason. There are spaceConcerns, of course. I suggest you talk to your dadAnd mom and brothers and sisters, and agree uponWhat it is you would like the stone to say. I wouldLike the stone to say grace, and sinewy, and young.They were so young when they married. He did notExpect to survive the war. Their first son died—hisName was Seamus. Can you find room for SeamusOn the stone? Mom nearly died, too. But she is tooTough to die at thirty. A hundred and thirty, maybe.Can we say endurance, and prayerful, and composeA poem about how they like their tea, and who getsWhat section of the paper first, and how they neverEver forget a birthday or anniversary? Can we copyTheir meticulous undamaged handwriting? Can youShow the note of her laughter, and the way he neverMisses a day with the crossword and how he is rightNow bending over the tomato plants to be sure he isNot about to water the tiny shy frogs who live there?
I would sit between them, and every hour or so one would murmur a response to some moppet's question, and the other would smile at his garrulity.
Notes on three spiritual writers
A pet peeve of mine is the pigeonholing of authors—especially the label "nature writers" inflicted on certain writers of immense spiritual power.
I went to a meeting with a friend yesterday. Many of the speakers were wry and funny, but their stories were awful.
I was, no kidding, a visiting writer in a kindergarten recently,And the children asked me many wry and hilarious questions,Among them is that your real nose? and can you write a bookAbout a ruffed grouse, please? But the one that pops back intoMy mind this morning was what do poems do? Answers: swirlLeaves along sidewalks suddenly when there is no wind. OpenRecalcitrant jars of honey. Be huckleberries in earliest January,When berries are only a shivering idea on a bush. Be your dadFor a moment again, tall and amused and smelling like Sunday.Be the awful wheeze of a kid with the flu. Remind you of whatYou didn't ever forget but only mislaid or misfiled. Be badgers,Meteor showers, falcons, prayers, sneers, mayors, confessionals.They are built to slide into you sideways. You have poetry slotsWhere your gills used to be, when you lived inside your mother.If you hold a poem right you can go back there. Find the handle.Take a skitter of words and speak gently to them, and you'll see.
We had not one but two baptisms the other day. What absorbed me most was the way the little kids edged toward the event like wasps to a picnic.
You can snarl and rage and roar and snipe at thugs and liars,Sure you can, and right you are for doing so, and you maybeActually enjoy letting the lava soar out all righteously, right?But even so, there are lies inside you like viruses. You knowWhat I am talking about; we don't need to go into any detail.And we have been too familiar with a little thuggery, haven'tWe? Not battery: You'll say, rightfully, that you are innocent.No: I mean the times you knew about assault and battery, andDid zero. We just stood there. We pretend to be fascinatedBy something else that just happened to be happily elsewhere.We turned our heads, so it looked like we just hadn't noticed;We can surely be excused if we didn't see it, right? Right?
Every family has more people at the table than you can see. If we set the right number of plates, we would have to build way bigger tables.
I gobble books by musicians. Bruce Cockburn's memoir has more virtues than most.
Here's a story. My first job, at fifteen, was in a bakery,Cleaning the vast foul pots and kettles and baking pansAt night, for hours, alone, with horrifying chemicals, &Finally locking the shop and trudging home in the dark.I hated it from the first hour but I couldn't quit instantlyBecause I was afraid to be teased and be mortified. ThisWent on a week. The back door to the bakery was in anAlley that looked like a good place to get shot. One dayAs I shuffled sadly down the alley I saw a slumped manSitting by the back door, smoking. I didn't know him &Figured I was about to get rolled. I was sort of relieved,To be honest, because then I'd have a decent excuse forQuitting. But when I got there the man stood up, and heSaid boy, I run the shop next door, and I see you in hereWorking, and I bet you have not eaten, and that's awfulHard work, I know how that guy leaves his kitchenware,So here's a sandwich. Now, it's not from me exactly butFrom my wife who has a real sharp eye. So there you go.I quit a few days later, and at my dad's instruction I quitFace to face with the baker, who was furious, and it wasNo fun at all, but then I went and said thanks to the lady.Even now sometimes I see that man smoking in the alley,And standing up, and being kind to a kid he didn't know.Even now I'll be walking along and suddenly there he is,Waiting to be kind. We think we are alone but we aren't.
O the very fact that there are friends who write with their handsEven if just the forefingers hammering away on keyboards, andAlso then print out the resulting muddle and scrawl and scribbleAnd pop it in the postbox! The lickable areas on the envelopes!The Return Address Just in Case! The choice of stamps, and weAll blessedly have friends who carefully choose their stamps, &Stand in line at the post office asking for the ones with Authors,Or members of the Simpson family, or stamps with Polar Bears!And the fact that there are fifty addresses in your memory, someOf them no longer inhabited by the people you loved to write to;Much like your mind retains past phone numbers and exchanges,Like Mayfair and Ludlow and Allegheny and Cypress and Tulip!And the fact that you can draw all morning on an envelope or byGod paint it flagrantly with horses and angels, and your postmanWill deliver it anyway! Probably grinning at the nut who mailedIt to you! And you can put a few grains of sand inside your note,From the beach we went to as children, or a feather from a hawkWho glared in the window like an insurance adjuster with talons,Or a painting by a child, or a photograph of four of the names ofThat which we call God for lack of a better label. Even the foldsOf the paper, and the paperness of the paper, and the fact that it'sAll about miracles and affection, which is to say, of course, love!Sure it is. All the good parts are about love, in all its many masks.
Here's my question. What if there was a poemThat didn't know what it was about until it gotTo the end of itself? So that the poet's job isn'tTo play with imagery and cadence and metricalToys in order to make a point, but rather to justKeep going in order to find out that the poem isAbout how hard it is to watch your kids get hurtBy things they can't manage and you cannot fix.If I had been the boss of this poem I would haveMade it so they can manage things, or I could beThe quiet fixer I always wanted to be as a father;But that's not what the poem wanted to be about,It turns out. This poem is just like your daughter:No one knows what's going to happen, and thereWill be pain, and you can't fix everything, and itHurts to watch, and you are terrified even as youTry to stay calm and cool and pretend to manage.Some poems you can leave when they thrash tooMuch but kids are not those sorts of poems. TheyHave to keep writing themselves, and it turns outYou are not allowed to edit. You're not in chargeAt all—a major bummer. I guess there's a lessonHere about literature, about how you have to singWithout knowing the score . . . something like that.All you can do is sing wildly and hope it'll finishSo joyous and refreshing that you gape with awe.
The priest asked the thief why he would return a ruined tire. He said, with surprise, Because it wasn't mine, Father. Are you paying attention?
Just spent four days with my mom and dad,Who together are hundred and eighty-fourYears old, and there are so many wry funnyThings to report, and some saddening thingsAlso, like fragility, and the ravines that painCuts in faces after years of wincing. But I'llTell you just one: my dad at one point tossesA bag of bread from his seat at the oak tableOnto the thin counter to his right. Maybe sixFeet of air, and he didn't glance at the target.A little flick of the wrist, and the bread landsExactly right. This nailed me, but Pop didn'tLook up from the crossword puzzle. It couldEasily be explained: former excellent tennisPlayer, knows the spatial music of the houseIn his bones, probably made that throw sixtyTimes, but still . . . the silent casual easy grace,The deft of it! He's all bones now, he weighsLess than he did when he was a reed of a kidAway to the war they thought would kill himFor sure, but when I hug him he's still all tallThough some of the tall is bent. Look, I get itThat someday he won't be sitting at the table.I get it. Believe me, I have examined the idea.But that his deft won't be there, his sidewaysSmile when I gawp at something he says; I'mNot quite getting that. He says he'd like to beBuried in a military cemetery in a deep forestAbout an hour away. There's oak and cypressAnd pine. This will happen, I guess, and thenHe'll be a thin kid again somehow or the mostDeft of the falcon chicks or the willow branchThat finally figures out how to sip from a lakeAll easy and casual, l


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Jack Gladstone
Jack Gladstone
Jack Gladstone is from the Blackfeet Indian Nation of Montana and a "storysmith." Regarded as a cultural bridge builder, he delivers programs across the nation, on American Indian history.
Jack recently was honored with the CM Russel Heritage Award, and a Native American Music Award.
2013 marks the 29th year that Jack has been sharing insight about about Montana's Indigenous people at Glacier National Park.
Written by Landon Mattison.
Interviews conducted and edited by Landon Mattison.
Additional Link(s):
Native stories that represent the cultures, experiences, and values of American Indians and Alaska Natives for your station!
Current funding, job, and training opportunities that support the production of Native content. Plus, additional information for filmmakers.
Hands-on educational tools for middle school to college-aged students that increase the Impact of Native films in the classroom.


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Sherman News, August 18, 2010
Sherman Day will be Saturday, September 11, as we celebrate community, family, and friends. Join us for some or all of the events scheduled for the day. Events include the 3rd annual 5K Run, Fire House Poker Run, Bark in the Park, BBQ Dinner and Dinner Theater.
The 3rd annual 5K Run is sponsored by Bresee Outpatient Physical Therapy and directed by the Tupelo Running Club. The 5K course starts in front of the Sherman Park and Town Hall at 8 a.m. The loop course has a short out and back section and takes you through the center of Sherman. There are some rolling hills as well as a challenging climb back into town. There will be plenty of free parking, and bathroom facilities will be available at the Sherman Park. All entrants will receive a Sherman Day 5k t-shirt.
The entry fee is $15 if postmarked or received at Bresee Outpatient Physical Therapy office on or before September 3. Fee is $20 after September 3 and on race day. Awards will be given to males and females in several categories.
Register for the 5K Run in advance at active.com or stop by Bresee's on 3rd Avenue. For more information, please contact Bresee Outpatient Physical Therapy at 662.842.2100.
The Tri-County Baptist youth went to Hurricane Baptist August 14 for a youth rally.
Bro. Don Smith will be bringing the message at 11 a.m. at Tri-County Baptist Church Sunday, August 29, and the Williams family will be singing. Lunch will be served immediately after the morning service, and there will be no evening services.
About Chris Elkins
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The DOL rule from all angles. Fiduciary Focus is your one-stop resource for learning how the DOL's fiduciary rule is changing the advice business.
Track the latest teams of advisers and brokers changing firms and view recruiting activity at wirehouses, regional brokerages, RIAs and IBDs.
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This interactive, customizable tool allows you to view detailed data on compensation, staffing and financial performance practices from across the industry.
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Benchmark your business against the industry's best practices with the 2016 InvestmentNews Financial Performance Study of Advisory Firms.
Visit the InvestmentNews Data Store to purchase adviser tools, studies and data spreadsheets.
November 10 | The Women Adviser Summit is uniquely designed for the sophisticated female adviser who wants to take her personal and professional self to the next level.
Oct 18, 2016 | NYC. The 4th annual Best Practices Awards and Workshop will take a deep dive into the 2016 Financial Performance Study of Advisory Firm results and identify the most elite firms of the industry.
Nov. 15-16, 2016 | Miami. It's time to look beyond the traditional. Attend the 6th annual Alternative Investments Conference and get the education you need on the latest alternative products and strategies.
April 24-25, 2017 | Chicago. At the 11th annual Summit, learn the latest strategies to create a sustainable retirement for your clients.
Launch date: 4/3/2013
Ticker: SRLN
AUM: $378 million
Expense ratio: 0.9%
YTD performance: -0.48%
The lowdown: If you hear bond traders talking about sirloin, it may not be a conversation about steak. Instead they could be talking about the State Street Global Advisors and Blackstone actively managed bank loan ETF with a ticker symbol that sounds like a cut of beef. Floating rate loans have been incredibly popular with investors thanks to fears about interest rates rising. Mutual funds that invest in them have had more than $30 billion of net inflows during the first six months of the year, more than any other fund category, according to Morningstar Inc. So far, this fund's performance hasn't exactly been Grade A, but it's very early in the game.
(Story: Jason Kephart and Andrew Osterland. Fund data supplied by Lipper.)
To download the full contents of this week's issue, click here.
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Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior
Series Summary
Forest Whitaker stars in this "Criminal Minds" spinoff as Special Agent Sam Cooper, a fierce leader who is not afraid to risk his career in order to stand by his convictions and bring dangerous criminals to justice. Cooper tries to avoid political bureaucracy by handpicking an eclectic group of profilers to work outside the confines of Quantico. Former British soldier Mick Rawson is a highly skilled marksman with an undiluted eye for rooting out evil. Former convict John "Prophet" Sims has a calm, Zen-like presence and wants to make amends for past sins. Rounding out the team is Gina LaSalle, an attractive agent armed with a cunning sense of perception.
Air Dates: 2011 - Present
Genres: Crime drama, Mystery, Suspense
Network: CBS


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Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Adult & Graduate Studies
Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Adult & Graduate Studies
Enhance your counseling career.
In our Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, you can:
- Become a counselor practitioner while learning the history and development of the counseling profession, the theories and ethical practice of counseling, and the competencies necessary for working with a diversity of patients and clients.
- Prepare to deliver healing and health in the areas of developmental, behavioral, psychological, social, emotional, and career-based challenges and crises.
- Learn theory, ethics, and strategies are emphasized, in addition to a counseling practicum and two internships.
For over 20 years, the Montreat College School of Adult and Graduate Studies has been equipping adult students with the skills and tools they need to take the next step in their careers. And thanks to our four locations—Asheville, Charlotte, Morganton, and online—and our convenient scheduling options, getting your associate, bachelor's, or master's degree from Montreat College has never been easier.
Our Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program is offered in Asheville, Charlotte, and Morganton. Complete the form on this page for more information!
Admissions Requirements
Applicants must submit the following for admissions consideration:
- Montreat College Application for Admission
- Official, final transcripts of all college courses taken (All final transcripts must include graduation information)
- Talk with your admissions counselor for details on applying to your specific program.
- Submit any supplemental learning documents for your program to the Montreat College Office of Enrollment.
- Essay that outlines your professional goals
- Resume, including both academic and employment history
- Official GRE exam scores
- Background check completion
Request More Information
Or call us today at 1.800.806.2777
Sample Courses
CN 600 Professional Orientation to Counseling
This course will be an introductory exploration of the history of counseling as a profession as well as current trends in the practice of clinical mental health counseling. Students will begin to explore the various settings in which counseling can take place and the specialties within the profession, in addition to professional counseling licensure and credentialing. Additional topics covered in this course in an introductory way include counselor self-care, consultation, professional counseling organizations, advocacy, ethics, and multicultural competency.
CN 620 Spirituality & Religion in Counseling
This course will examine the role of spirituality and religious beliefs in the counseling relationship and process. Students will explore how different religious traditions that clients may participate in could influence the counseling process as well as examine their own religious and spiritual foundations for their counseling theory and practice. Ethical standards will be discussed.
CN 625 Counseling Across the Lifespan
This course will provide an overview of human development across the lifespan, from birth until death and explore critical considerations for counseling individuals across these stages of development.
Dr. Norèal Armstrong
Assistant Professor of
Counselor Education
Dr. Gregory Blanton
Professor of Psychology
and Human Services
Dr. Brad Faircloth
Associate Professor of
Psychology and
Human Services
Dr. Penny Hamblin
Assistant Professor of
Counselor Education
Dr. Lotes Nelson
Assistant Professor of
Counselor Education
Dr. John-Nelson Pope
Associate Professor of
Counselor Education
Dr. Jennifer Canfora
Dr. Donna Fletcher
Dr. Allison Bronwyn Ford
Dr. Michelle Gordon
Dr. David Graham
Dr. Janet Lutz
Dr. Joy Martin
Dr. Melissa Mullins
Dr. Cindy Peters
Dr. Debra Peters
Dr. Kirk Webb
Chi Sigma Iota » (Montreat College's chapter is Mu Chi)
Curriculum Writers: Jenny C. Barrow, Ph.D., LPC, NCC: Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from NC State University, and holds a Master's degree in School Counseling from East Carolina University. Dr. Barrow is a School Counselor serving high school students and families. Curriculum Written: Counseling Skills; Counseling Across the Lifespan
Montreat College is an Approved National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Continuing Education Provider: # 4576


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I know you try to keep your pipe lines balanced as I do. Would you mind advising the % you mite use for ur energy Port. and your Pipe line Port. also do you consider your P Lines to be of the energy sector. Tnx-- if you don't care to share this I understand
nsupper;I would prefer to answer this one privately. If you email me I will respond. My email address is Abter1 at yahoo dot com{sorry for writing my email like this, but in the past I've had my email "harvested" from bulletin boards, and then spammed to death. That is why I am Abter1 now instead of just Abter.}
Abter1 Sorry but I am not quick enough ..Re: your email address


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If You Missed USA Women's Rugby, Re-Think Your LifeForget the NFL in St. Louis, lets bring a women's sevens rugby league to this city in need of more bone crunching action.
Ackerman's NBA All-Time Starting 5LeBron delivered, and also put himself among the greatest players in the history of the NBA.
Lawmaker: Make Pro Sports Owners Who Skip Town PayBond payments on the Edward Jones Dome continue through 2021 -- a new legislative proposal would make a franchise's owner responsible for those payments if he or she leaves town.
Rams' Departure Will Leave $80 Million Hole In St. Louis EconomyRams will also take away tax base helping to pay for Jones Dome over next decade.
Mayor Slay Focuses on Keeping Rams in St. LouisMayor Francis Slay is putting a new emphasis on not just remaining an NFL town, but trying to keep the St. Louis Rams from leaving.
Celebrated Chess Player Leaves Italy Team to Play for U.S.St. Louis has landed one of the biggest names in chess with the move of 23-year-old Fabiano Caruana leaving the Italy team to play for the U.S.
Freeburg HS Alumni Want to Keep 'Midgets' MascotAuthorities with the Freeburg School District say the name originated in the 1930s, and was meant as an honor for a scrappy basketball team that played well despite having very few players who were tall.
Top 5 Blues Prospects at CampThis week the Blues hosted many of their prospects for a week long camp to establish their skills and work in front of team coaches and fans.
NFL Market Study Has Some Good News, Raises QuestionsThe NFL study, which included interviews with local Rams fans, estimates that Personal Seat Licenses, or PSLs, could raise $204 million, which is way above the $120-30 million the Stadium Task Force was counting on.
Learn to Curl in St. LouisYou've seen the sport on the Olympics, but did you know there's a St. Louis Curling Club?
Busch Stadium Ready to Host U.S. Women's Soccer TeamMore than 32K tickets already sold for Saturday's friendly against New Zealand.
Gov. Nixon Calls on County to Cover Jones Dome Refurb, But Will It?Gov. Nixon wants St. Louis city, the state, and private interests to fund a new NFL stadium. He says the county should fund rehabbing the Edward Jones Dome


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When we realized that Christmas had become commercialized in our home, it inspired us to start helping our kids give great gifts. Here's our story.... Read More
The Simplify Family Life Collection: $450 Worth of Ebooks for Only $47!by Stephanie Langford
This week I'm pleased to be a part of a fantastic group of bloggers and authors, including my books in the Simplify Family Life collection ebook sale. Corey from Simple Marriage and Mandi from Life...Your Way have brought together some of... Read More
Explore the Keeper of the Home CollectionHomemade Real Food Healthy Living Faith and Encouragement Keeping the Home Holidays Do It Yourself Natural Remedies Recipes
Have a Question? Ask Ann!


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Alex & Lance - DylanLucas
Models: Lance Alexander and Alex Waters
Studio: Dylan Lucas
Watch as Lance continues to explore his feelings towards men with a hot 69 session with Alex. Nervous at first as he realizes he is about to suck a cock, Lance decides to just do it. That was all he needed to start his journey getting down and off with guys. Keep watching for more scenes with Lance Alexander.


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Anybody managed to sign up for this yet?
Anybody managed to sign up for this yet?
Yip, just signed up now after seeing your post...Thanks
Is it available in SA?
1st time I clicked on the link it said USA only. When I clicked again it didn't give the warning.
Cats will amusingly tolerate humans only until someone comes up with a tin opener that can be operated with a paw.
― Terry Pratchett, Men at Arms
Have you read the info?
Credits appear when new subscribers successfully complete the registration process using your referral link and pay for their first month of service.
Good Luck with that


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NEW YORK No rent collection while in jail, double the dough for landing on Go and clean out Free Parking if your luck takes you there are among five made-up Monopoly rules Facebook fans voted in for future editions of the board game.
Several thousand people weighed in on house rules over 10 days of recent debate and a year after Hasbro Inc. added a cat token and retired the iron a stunt aimed to keep the 79yearold game fresh.
New means old all over again in this case since house rules are often passed on through generations. Some casual players may have thought a few of the 10 in the running before debate ended Thursday were already in the official rule book. And some, even regular players, might not have heard of others.
Hasbros house rules debate came after the company received results of a survey showing nearly 70 percent of 1,000 respondents reported never having read all Monopoly rules and 34 percent said they had made up rules more than once.
The winning house rule for landing on Go means players get 400 Monopoly dollars instead of the official 200. As for Free Parking, official rules call for absolutely nothing to happen when a player lands there. Under the house rule, any taxes and fees collected are thrown into the middle for a lucky someone who lands on that corner square.
Rounding out the five winners are players must travel around the board one full time before they can begin buying properties, and collecting 500 bucks for rolling double ones.
To appease hardcore players not interested in new rules, the Pawtucket, R.I., company will put the winners into a special House Rules Edition to be released in the fall and add them to classic Monopolys game guide next year as unofficial.
AP Photo/Steven Senne This photo shows a cat token, the newest Monopoly token on the game board at Hasbro Inc. headquarters, in Pawtucket, R.I. Hasbro has released a limited house rules edition of the popular board game.×
AP Photo/Hasbro This image provided by Hasbro, shows the board game Monopoly. Hasbro has released a limited house rules edition of the popular board game.×


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The Pittsburgh Steelers came out of Miami with a 23-22 win over the Dolphins but suffered several losses on the field.
LaMarr Woodley, Aaron Smith and Flozell Adams all left Sunday's game with injuries, with Smith's being the most significant. It is believed that Smith has a torn biceps muscle and he could miss the rest of the season.
Adams left the game with an ankle injury and Woodley with a hamstring. Both are less severe.
As the injuries mounted, so did the drama as Pittsburgh struggled to muster out a one-point win.
The win was not without controversy, either.
Instant replay overturned a last-minute touchdown by Ben Roethlisberger, who fumbled the ball just before crossing the plane of the goal line. However, the same replay did not determine who came up with the ball, allowing the Steelers to maintain possession.
This lead to the eventual game-winning field goal by Jeff Reed.
Though the Steelers did not want to win this way, they will take it and head to New Orleans with a 5-1 record.


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India Allows New Delhi to Become Asia's Amsterdam
So India's Supreme Court isn't going to stay the New Delhi court's ruling that decriminalized gay sex. In the meantime, the nation's highest court will hear arguments in September whether inserting penises into anuses is still worth anyone's time actually investigating.
2 Comments
Bangkok, Thailand is Asia's gay mecca. Gay Asians hop on cheap flights to spend the weekend at its many gay establishment. I have met the many gay Asians flocking there or for a long weekend.
Jul 22, 2009 at 1:08 am · @Reply ·


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Quite reliant on jazzy oak, but it's also quite rich and concentrated, with appealing currant, black cherry, anise, mineral and leathery notes, finishing with pretty coffee ground notes. Drink now through 2009. 88,858 cases made. –JL
Trying to find the best Cab savig for under $20...this is not one of them.
Technical Notes
Over three decades ago, Justin Meyer took over the winemaking at Franciscan with a highly meticulous approach. Dividing our Oakville Estate into sections, he fermented and aged each vineyard block separately to bring out the best expression of each lot, then blended the best lots together to create wines of distinction. Thus began our tradition of small lot winemaking, which I am proud to continue today. Each vintage we make over 200 separate lots of Bordeaux varietals, honing the blend during 18 months of barrel aging. Only the finest lots are included in each glass of Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon, to show the best of the vineyards, and the vintage.