text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Jan 25, 2000
|Filing date
|Apr 10, 1998
|Priority date
|Sep 26, 1996
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|John R. Devecka
|Original Assignee
|Devecka; John R.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (27), Referenced by (72), Classifications (35), Legal Events (8)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This is a continuation application Ser. No. 08/720,295 filed on Sep. 26, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,739,457.
The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for providing an exciting interactive audio visual musical experience which may readily be enjoyed by a wide range of users having a range of experience from little or none to those having extensive musical training. More particularly, the present invention relates to an interactive electronic drum and music training method which are suitable for use in a home video game or a coin-operated environment such as an arcade to simulate the excitement of a live jam session for a user.
A wide variety of learning and teaching aids for musical instruments have been known for some time. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,919,030 "Visual Indication of Temporal Accuracy of Compared Percussive Transmit Signals," 5,036,742 "Tempo Monitoring Device and Associated Method," 5,945,786 "Method and Apparatus for Controlling Scale Practice of Electronic Musical Instrument," and 5,214,231 "Apparatus for Electronic Teaching Accompaniment and Practice of Music, Which is Independent of a Played Musical Instrument." These and like approaches may suffer from a variety of drawbacks. By way of example, they may only be used by experienced musicians or those with a significant knowledge of music theory. Alternatively, they may not be readily intuitive in their operation, or they are not designed to be fun and provide a positive experience which helps keep the user eager to learn.
For years, electronic drum pads have been available through music stores. Many patents describe a variety of aspects of such drum pads. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,781,097, 4,947,725, 4,932,303, 5,009,146, 5,177,313 and 5,233,658, all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. A first time user would have to purchase these relatively expensive pads and determine at a later date if he or she enjoyed playing drum pads, what is involved, and what the final outcome of their efforts would produce. After buying the pads, the user was typically left without guidance as to how to play them. Thus, the novice user did not have any formatted learning structure or any positive feedback to encourage continued learning. Further, typical musical instruction exercises are typically renowned for being dull and repetitious.
Further, a variety of coin-operated audio visual musical devices are presently known. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,990,710 "Coin-Operated Recording Machine," 4,695,903 "Audio Video Entertainment Module," and 4,965,673 "Apparatus for a Video Recording Booth." Additionally, a wide variety of action and adventure type video arcade games, such as auto race and various war or battle games in which the player fights against the machine or another player are known. None of these approaches provides a musical learning experience that is like a game or adventure encouraging a positive learning experience of a musical skill.
Standard video arcade games are very popular but often are violent in nature and involve a complex combination of button activations and joystick movements that may be daunting to the novice. As a result, a need exists for a non-violent game which provides a positive experience for the novice and the expert alike, and which is exciting enough to replace the standard beat-em-up, shoot-em-up fare that many adults find unacceptable.
The present invention addresses needs, such as those outlined above, by providing a unique combination of features and suitably packaging them so they may be appropriately enjoyed in an arcade setting. Home use can also be envisioned.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a money operated electronic drum system is provided in conjunction with audio-visual inputs to both help a user learn to jam on or play the drums and to enjoy the jamming experience. In this context, "jamming" may suitably be defined as free playing over music. That is to say not reading music, but rather intuitively and naturally playing and reacting to create music as the music proceeds. For example, a drum player may create suitable drum beats to match accompanying instruments such as a guitar or keyboard.
In one aspect, the present invention provides an interactive series of menus to guide a user to select a desired mode of operation. A series of cuing LEDs or other light indicia on or associated with the drum pads, or alternatively a video representation on a display may guide the user in the correct sequence and striking of the drum pads, and a control system controlling audio and video devices will provide appropriate feedback to both encourage the user and to make the experience enjoyable.
In one mode of the present invention, the user chooses to play along with his or her favorite type of music with the system including a source of music, such as a compact disk ("CD") player which may be of a jukebox format, a tape player, a radio or the like. In another mode of operation, the user tries to play along with drum progression which increase in difficulty. The control system monitors and scores the user's play, and also provides feedback to encourage the user.
Other features and advantages of the present invention are described further below and will be readily apparent by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of drum apparatus in accordance with the present invention suitable for use in a money-operated arcade embodiment;
FIG. 2 illustrates in block diagram form further details of control and processing circuitry suitable for use in conjunction with the apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 illustrates one overall flowchart of the operation of the drum apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 4-4C are more detailed flowcharts illustrating detail s of various possible play modes in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 5 illustrates a menu selection technique in accordance with the present invention which assists a user in learning the various drum pads and how to strike those pads; and
FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a suitable mounting arrangement for the mounting of drum pads of a drum apparatus, as in FIG. 1, in a small footprint cabinet suitable for use in an arcade environment.
FIG. 1 shows an overall view of an audio-visual interactive drum studio system 100 in accordance with the present invention. System 100 preferably includes a cabinet 10 for housing, enclosing and mounting the various components of the system. The cabinet 10 will preferably consist of a sound and fire resistant frame which may be painted to emphasize the effectiveness of the system's lighting as further described below. The system 100 also includes a drum set layout 20 which may preferably include electronic drum pads for snare 21, hi-hat cymbal 22, crash cymbal 23, ride cymbal 24, and toms one through four 25-28, as well as a bass drum foot activator or pedal 29, a foot pedal or activator 30 for controlling the opening and closing of the hi-hat 22, and an additional foot pedal or activator 32 which may be included to add a variety of additional sound effects, such as a "wa--wa" or the like. While it is presently preferred to utilize a standard electronic drum pad employing sensors, such as piezoelectric sensors, to produce an output indicative of the occurrence of a pad strike, as well as the force of the strike, it will be recognized that a simpler and less expensive arrangement may employ a user input sensor which merely senses a touch, strike, or any switch closure causing event initiated by the user. It will also be recognized that while a device looking like a drum pad is presently preferred, other form factors such as a device looking like a guitar, a keyboard or a simple switch arrangement may also be employed. By way of example, a joystick or other activator 33 and a button or buttons 34 may be employed to allow a second user or a younger, less coordinated user to enjoy the system. For example, a left to right or back and forth movement of the joystick 33 may allow a second user to make other sounds such as hi-hat, maraca, tambourine, or other sounds. The button or buttons 34 may allow the second user or a less advanced user to activate a sequence of drum rhythms or the like.
Each of the drum pads or pedals preferably has one or more associated LEDs or other indicia 21A and 21B, 22A-C, 23A and 23B, 24A and 24B, 25A and 25B, 26A and 26B, 27A and 27B, 28A and 28B, and 29A, respectively, to guide the beginning user in learning how to use the system by cuing the user to strike the appropriate pads or pedals of the drum set layout at the appropriate time as more fully described below.
The system 100 further includes an adjustable stool or seat 40 for the user to sit comfortably in front of the drum set layout 20, a money validation unit 50, such as a coin changer, bill validator or the like, and a series of audio speakers 60, which may suitably include left and right midrange speakers 61 and 62, and a subwoofer 63. Additional speakers may be added as desired to improve the audio quality of the system.
The system 100 as further illustrated in FIG. 2 also preferably includes a central processing unit or control system 70, suitable lighting 80 which may include colored stage lights 81, overhead white and black lighting 82 and 83 respectively which will preferably be variably controlled by the control system 70 as described further below. A strobe light 84 which will preferably be mounted in the ceiling of the cabinet 10 may also be provided.
The user may enter data and select modes of play using a control panel 85 with selection buttons 86. A multi-disk CD player 90, preferably of the jukebox type, or other music source will also preferably be employed to allow a user to select musical accompaniment allowing the user to play along with a favorite musical selection as more fully described below. A camera 92 and a VCR 94 may also be provided. The camera 92 may be used to record a part or parts of the user's session to be displayed on a screen or display 105. By way of example, the user who achieves a high score may be allowed to choose to have his or her play sequence run on the screen 105 when the system 100 is not in use. As another alternative, the user's performance could be cut and pasted into a video of a live band playing the music that the user is playing. Many exciting possibilities exist.
The display screen 105 may suitably be a CRT display, and this display will preferably be utilized to provide user cues and instructional information. As discussed further below, screen 105 may also be employed to show the user video images, such as video of a rock concert audience positively reacting to the music being played. Such video may be provided from memory in the control system 70 or alternatively from a videotape in the VCR 94. Such a videotape may include, by way of example, instructional video of how to play the system with a variety of lessons which can be selected by the user or video of a professional drummer utilizing the system 100.
Finally, the control system 70 and other components such as the multi-disk CD player, the VCR 94 and the like will preferably be housed in a satellite cabinet 110 as shown in FIG. 1. This cabinet will be accessible by lock and key to the operator or service personnel.
While the above described components are shown in the drawings and discussed in the context of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be recognized that similar and other components may be added to enhance the system or that certain of these components may be subtracted to reduce the cost of the system. As one example, while a money-operated arcade system is presently preferred, it will be recognized that the present invention may be readily adapted to the home environment in a system in which electronic drum pads would be suitably interfaced with a home computer or a video game controller and a television without the need for a money validation unit, such as a coin or bill validator, or special cabinets. Additionally, a CD or radio might be connected in such a home system to provide player accompaniment. Further, while the present specific disclosure is made in the context of electronic drum pads and pedals which are presently preferred, it will be recognized that the present invention may be adapted to other formats in which button presses or switch closures are used by a user to perform or play. For example, a guitar-like device having a number of buttons could be utilized as the user's input device. Alternatively, a simple keypad or keyboard could be employed. Preferably, the aspects of the inventive arrangement described further below would be employed therewith to continue to make the unit accessible to the novice user.
FIG. 2 illustrates further details of one suitable control system 70 for use in conjunction with the various devices to be monitored and controlled in system 100 of FIG. 1. While the control system 70 is presently preferred because it can be readily implemented with off the shelf components, it will be recognized that custom designed and different components may be readily used to achieve the desired functionality of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 2, the control system 70 may comprise a suitably programmed PC computer having a central processing unit 71 in a cabinet 72 which also may include a built in CD ROM drive 73, which may be employed as an alternative to or in addition to the player 90. The control system 70 will also include a standard or custom MIDI ("Musical Instrument Digital Interface") driver 74 which may be an internal card or an external component. Driver 74 allows the system 70 to be readily programmed to drive sound speakers, such as the speakers 61-63 to provide appropriate sounds.
The control system 70 will also typically be connected to various additional components such as the pads and pedals of drum set layout 20, cuing LEDs 21A-29A, joystick 34, sound button or buttons 35, a mixing board 75, a power amplifier 76, drum pad controller 77, lighting system 80, control panel 85 and control buttons 86, multi-disk CD player 90, camera 92, VCR 94, a monitor 102 whose CRT screen may be suitably employed as the display 105 and a keyboard 120. The monitor 102 may be part of an integrated unit also including a microphone 107 for audio pickup and speakers 111 and 112. These speakers may be utilized as the previously mentioned speakers 61 and 62, or as speakers supplementing the audio outputs of the speakers 61-63, or to provide software driven instructions to the user. It will be recognized, however, that larger and higher quality microphones or audio speakers may be desired to provide a superior experience for the user. This will be particularly true in the arcade environment. For example, a better microphone may be desired to provide a karaoke mode or to record the user's singing along with the user's playing.
The keyboard 120 will preferably be a standard keyboard, and may be employed to allow a user to make selections or preferably to allow a service person to diagnose any malfunctions of and to perform routine maintenance on the system 100. For example, keyboard 120 may be mounted on the cabinet 10 within easy reach of a user sitting on the stool 40. It may have a protective cover that covers most of the keypad allowing user access to only a limited number of keys to make program selections as described below. A service person could be given a key to open the cover and gain access to the keyboard 120 to service the system 100.
While shown in FIG. 2 without any protective casing other than the standard cabinet 72 for ease of illustration, the control system 70 will preferably be housed in a protective casing such as the satellite cabinet 110 of FIG. 1 to prevent any damage to the unit in the somewhat rough and tumble environment of the typical arcade. This casing will limit system access to the owner or operator and authorized service personnel. Similarly, drumsticks 11 and 12 will be preferably connected to the cabinet 10 by strong, light and flexible cables 13 and 14, such as steel stranded cable. When not in use, drumsticks 11 and 12 will preferably be placed in holders 15 and 16 mounted so that the drumsticks 11 and 12 will be readily seen and reached by users. In a home environment, such a protective casing and drumstick cable mounts should not be necessary.
Turning to the operation of the system 100, the system utilizes the cuing LEDs or other indicia 21A-29A which are associated with their drum pads and pedals to provide visual guidance on which drum pad or pedal to play, which hand or foot to play it with, and when to play it. The speakers 60 may also be driven to provide audio cues to correct play. As described further below, this cuing or instruction is subject to suitable program control by the control system 70 which drives both the cuing LEDs and the speakers. Data on the users performance which is collected by the control system 70 may be fedback and displayed on the screen 105 to the user. Similarly, the correct order or rhythms of striking the drums and graduated steps of rhythmical sequences may also be displayed on the screen 105. The user will thus be guided by visual and audio stimuli to use his or her hands and feet for certain repetitive drum sequences generated by the CPU of system 70. Preferably, left and right lights, such as light 21A (Left) and light 21B (Right) for snare 21 indicate when the left and right hands should be playing. Similarly, the light 22C indicates when the user's foot should activate foot pedal 30 to raise hi-hat 22. As addressed further below, different sequences can be selected by the user via computer menu selection. Thus, as further described below, the inventive system provides an enjoyable opportunity to learn how to play an electronic drum set.
A first level of play is to master certain basic skills, the user will then be able to move on to several more advanced playing scenarios. By way of example, one level or mode of play of the present invention is to play the electronic drums with visual indications of the rhythmical sequence provided to guide the user. In this option, the visual LEDs or indicia are illuminated to cue the appropriate rhythm and teach the desired audio sounds of the various pads. A second level of play is playing the electronic drum pads with the visual indicators along with an actual sequence of music, such as a prewritten song of the user's favorite type of music. A further level of play is to play against the visual indicators where the performance, may be rated. For example, the accuracy of the user's rhythm of play may be measured, and feedback in the form of scores or otherwise may be given. Another level of play is playing along with music generated from compact disks or the like where the user can try to play along with his or her preferred music. Another option is free play, giving the user the opportunity to hit the electronic drum pads 20 freely to get accustomed to the sounds and feel of the system. This mode also allows the player the chance to test the abilities that were learned via the illuminated displays without any guidance. Free play without any feedback is the normal and only mode of play with standard acoustic drums. As discussed in greater detail below, a variety of feedbacks are possible to enhance the learning or game experience to make it truly enjoyable.
FIG. 3 shows a first overall flowchart of one method or process 300 in accordance with the present invention. FIGS. 4-4C illustrate in greater detail various presently preferred modes of play. In step 301 of FIG. 3, a user may watch a display which displays the capabilities of the game, such as the display 105 of FIG. 1, to determine if the game is one which he or she chooses to play out of the many in an arcade. To this end, a control system such as the control system 70 should preferably be programmed to cause display 105 to engagingly display the capabilities of the system. Additionally, the control system 70 may also drive the speakers 60 to audibly explain the system capabilities, play music, drum jams, or otherwise attract potential users' attention.
In step 302, a potential user decides whether to play the game. In step 303, the user decides to try the game and activates the system. For example, the user inserts the necessary amount of money. To this end, the user may insert a dollar in coins or currency ($1) into a coin mechanism or bill validator 50 as shown in FIG. 1.
Next, in step 304, the display 105 displays a list or menu of play mode options. At the same time, audio instructions may be provided by the speakers 60. In step 305, a user selects a mode of play. The user preferably selects from a menu of options displayed on the display 105. As addressed further below, a wide variety of other play type selections may also be made. For example, the user may enter a level of skill, select a choice of lights and sequenced music, the level of difficulty, the tempo and the like.
In step 306, play begins and lasts for a predetermined time period, such as three minutes. Alternatively, play time may vary. For example, if the user chooses to play along with a favorite song, the play time may last for the duration of the selected song. During this period, the user plays the drums in accordance with the mode selected as described in greater detail below. As the drumming session ends, feedback is provided to the user in step 307. For example, a crowd may cheer, a score may be displayed, or the like.
FIGS. 4-4C illustrate further details of presently preferred modes of operation in accordance with the present invention. In step 401 of FIG. 4, the system, such as system 100, is in a rest or demonstration mode waiting for a user to choose to use the system. In one presently preferred rest mode, a demonstration song is played. In this demonstration song, the drums are playing. As the drums play, the learning or cuing lights, such as the LEDs 21A-29A associated with the drum pads 21-29 corresponding to the drum sounds heard by the user, are flashing in accordance with what is being played. The demonstration song may switch themes from a drum based demonstration to an instrument based demonstration, such as for example, keyboard sounds, orchestra sounds, or various other instruments. The demonstration mode illustrates the flexibility of the playing modes of the machine. Also, it may help to show how the instruments are played on the pads, and is intended to attract the interest of people wanting to play with the system 100. A videotape of a professional drummer playing the system 100 or giving a quick lesson on how to use the system may also be played. To this end, a suitable videotape may be played on the VCR 94 and displayed on the display screen 105.
In step 402, a person has decided that he or she wants to play. As a result, the person sits down, picks up the drum sticks and inserts money into a money validation unit, such as the coin or bill validator 50 of FIG. 1. A credit card, debit card, smart card or token reader might also be employed to provide the user with additional flexibility in making the required payment.
In the FIG. 4 embodiment, each insertion of money preferably triggers a sound type, for example, a bass drum sound. Alternatively or additionally, a crowd scene may be displayed on a video display, such as the display 105, and the sound of the crowd starting to clap and cheer just as it occurs before the beginning of an actual concert may be produced by audio speakers, such as speakers 60.
To this end, the money validation unit 50 detects each insertion of money and produces an output indicative of the recognition of valid money in step 403. In step 404, the control system 70 receives the output from the money validation unit 50 and drives the display 105 and speakers 60 as described above.
In step 405, a variety of playing modes may be displayed on a display such as the display 105. For example, the following five modes may be displayed: "Jam to CD", "Jam Against the Machine", "Jamming Music", "Jam Lessons" and "Jam Alone" for selection by the user. The user may make a selection in a variety of ways. For example, the display 105 may be a touch screen and the user may make a selection by touching the appropriate part of the screen. Alternatively, the display 105 may display five of the drum pads 20 as shown in FIG. 5 as well as the instruction to strike the appropriate pad to make a selection. Upon a pad being struck, the control system 70 will then drive the speakers to audibly give the same instruction. As shown in FIG. 5, pads 21, 22, 23, 25 and 26 are shown in solid lines and pads 24, 27 and 28 and foot pedals 29 and 30 are shown in dotted lines as only five pads are needed to select from the five menu items. A similar approach may be employed to respond "yes" or "no" or to enter other data. The user makes the selection by striking the appropriate pad. This approach has the advantage of immediately starting the learning process of the pad names, their function and their feel. Alternatively, the series of selection buttons 86 provided on the control panel 85 may be employed to make this selection.
If in step 406 the user selects the Jam to CD mode, the system 70 enters that mode in step 407. Both the display and speakers may be utilized to request further user input in step 408. For example, the speakers 61-63 may be used to say: "Enter your choice of CD" or "Enter CD Jam Number" which corresponds to the CD and music which the user wishes to play along with. By way example, the CD selection information may be provided by a simple selection list or displayed on the display 105. After that choice is made, the user may next be asked "Would you like a quick lesson?" with the user being given the option to select "Yes" or "No". The same information will preferably be displayed on the display 105. Next, the user may be cued through a warm-up in step 409. For example, the user is told to "Hold your sticks like this" and a picture illustrating the proper way to hold the drumsticks is displayed on the screen 105. Next, the unit may say "Let's do a sound check." At this point, the lights 21A-29A indicate and a voice says through speakers 61-63: "Hit the snare, hi-hat, hi-hat pedal, bass pedal, tom 1, tom 2, tom 3, tom 4, ride cymbal, and crash cymbal." On the display, as shown in FIG. 5, both the name of the pad or pedal and the shape and location of the drum pad or pedal with relation to the other pads may be displayed in the correct sequence to illustrate the desired warm up sequence. If during the sound check 409 the user is hitting the drum too lightly, a signal measuring device in drum pad controller 77 will produce an output signal which is then provided as an input to the system control 70 which will drive the speakers to say "Strike the drum harder." Next, a standard 4/4 beat may be played by the system 100 with lights 21A-29A flashing on and off in the correct sequence to illustrate the correct timing and the correct striking hand or foot to the user. A voice may also say "Most beats are played using the snare, hi-hat and kick pedal. Basic fill is played. Fills are usually played on the toms and end with a cymbal crash. Relax, listen to the music and try to play along or bang around and just have fun. You can't make a mistake. If you want more lessons choose the `jam lessons` mode from the menu next jam. It's time now to begin." As such a warmup may take a moderate amount of time, an operator may choose to leave out the quick lesson to increase the turnover of the system. Leaving out the warm up may be particularly appealing to an operator where potential users are often lined up waiting to play the game.
At this point, the beginning of actual play is cued in step 410. For example, a screaming, foot-stomping, hand-clapping crowd may be heard on the speakers 61-63. Normal room white lights 82 may be lowered. Colored stage lights 81 may be turned on to appropriate levels and begin syncopating to simulate a live concert atmosphere. Also, black lights 83 may be pulsed on and off. Also, strobe 84 may begin flashing with all the above lights preferably controlled by the controller 70. The display 105 may show an enthusiastic crowd. It will be recognized that the lights 81, 82, 83 and 84 may be controlled in a variety of manners. One presently preferred control option is to control them in response to the user's activity. For example, if a user plays faster, the strobe may flash more quickly.
In step 411 the selected CD song is cued by the control system 70. In step 412, the user plays along to the song. As the song plays, the user can change to any one of several different pad sounds during the song that are preprogrammed when the CD is programmed. For this mode, the operator will code the music, Rock 01, Rap 02, Jazz 03 and the like, and the control system 70 will generate the drum sets that match the music style.
The user can also preferably change the volume levels of the drums or music to be louder or softer. For example, song volume may be varied via a volume knob on the control panel 85. Alternatively, the unit 100 may ask the user "Do you want to play louder?" and if the user shouts above a certain threshold as detected by microphone 107, the system control 70 will crank up the volume. Alternatively, the operator may preset a fixed level or the user may select the level as part of a setup menu.
When the song is over, the control system 70 detects that the song is over by sensing the lack of DC signals coming from the output of the CD unit 90 in step 413 and shuts the game down. In step 414, positive user feedback is provided. For example, a long crowd roar may be triggered and a voice may announce "great jam" loudly!
If the user selects the "jam against the machine" mode in step 406 as illustrated in FIG. 4 then that mode is entered in step 407A as further illustrated in FIG. 4A. A second menu is preferably displayed in step 408A to allow the user to select a jamming level matched to his or her level of skill, for example, beginner 1, advanced beginner 2, intermediate 3 or expert 4. Next, a warmup is cued in step 409A. For example, a voice may say "let's warm up, give me a drum roll, come on speed it up". Simultaneously, on screen 105, the user's speed of striking the pads, for example, a speed level of 0-100 beats per a predetermined time interval, such as fifteen seconds, shows the user the speed of the drum roll. Next, the voice may say, "not bad, not bad at all." It will be recognized that different warmup exercises may be employed, as well as, different measures of the user's proficiency. For example, the user's proficiency in correctly following the correct rhythm or tempo may be measured.
In step 411A, the user is cued to follow the machine. For example, the machine may start to play a steady bass drum beat indicative of the proper tempo. Next, the user may be told "Now play what I play." For example, two hand drum riffs or rhythms. In this context, a "riff" may be defined as a set of notes or rhythms in a pattern. In step 412A, play begins with an announcement, "We're ready to go", for example. In step 413A, a sequenced drum track starts with cuing lights indicating what the user should play over the music. Alternatively or additionally, a videotape of an instruction lesson of similar content may be displayed. The user then may initiate the actions of a videotape instructor. A display such as that discussed in the context of FIG. 5 may also be used to highlight the correct pad or pedal and striking had or foot. As time passes, the level of difficulty increases in step 414A. At the lower difficulty level, the unit desirably has more flexibility in scoring. In the present example, the user's score is preferably based on repetition, accuracy and speed. Scoring may be based on a point system with a value for each correct strike and increasing points for each advancement in difficulty. The display 105 may show a constantly updated jam score as the jam proceeds. In step 416A, a timer allows play to proceed for a predetermined time, such as 3 minutes, and a final score is given at the end of play. In step 417A, the game end sequence begins. The song ends. The game is over, the crowd cheers, and the unit says "great jam."
If the "jamming music" mode is selected as illustrated in FIG. 4B, a specially written track of background music, written for drum and instrument soloing is preprogrammed in the control system 70. After entering the jamming music mode, the user is provided the options of selecting a preferred style of music and selecting a light indicia, display or videotape cued mode of play or a free play mode in step 409B. Then the specially written track is retrieved and begun in step 409B. When the cuing lights have been chosen and activated, the lights will illustrate to the player what, when and how to play the pads. If jamming with lights, a slow stage light progression of the stage lights 81 is activated to dim the lights 81 prior to the beginning of the specially written track to allow better clarity of viewing of the cuing lights. Crowd cheers also accompany the start of the special jam music track. An enhanced drum set is activated and basic fill progressions synchronized with the cuing lights are started. "Enhanced drum set" as used herein may be defined as a specially programmed drum set to provide special effects, such as echoing or accenting by combining bass drum activation with cymbal activation, or the like for the purpose of improving the sound of inexperienced players. The first part of the song ends, and part two begins. The pads are now activated to become music pads, and cuing lights are activated. Finally, the song ends, and the crowd cheers.
If no visual indicia is selected in step 408B, the user intuitively plays with the unit. In both non-light cued and light cued modes, drum pads and pedals 20 will change to different instruments as the song proceeds in step 410B. First, the control system 70 will activate the standard enhanced drum set 20. As the song theme proceeds and changes, instrument sounds will be sent to the pads by the control system 70. Riffs, progressions, chords and other sounds are contained on a particular pad, step 411B. A variety of programmable variations of the progression or alternate progressions may be employed. For example, a five note bass progression in the key of the music may be assigned to a particular pad. By playing this particular pad at a particular rate, step 412B, the progression is played in the order it was written, with the player's strikes of pads and pedals determining the output or outcome in step 413B. For example, if the player stops at any time during the sequence, step 412B' the progression may begin over in step 413B'. If the particular pad is played for a predetermined time in step 412B", the progression of sound may change order and length in step 413B". Other methods may be employed to keep the pad sounds appealing or unpredictable to the user. To this end, the control system can readily be set up to vary the pad set up.
If the "jam lesson" mode is selected in step 406 as illustrated in step 407C of FIG. 4C, a menu is displayed cuing the user to enter a playing level ranging from Beginner 1 to Expert 4 in step 408C. The user next enters a style of music, for example, 1 Rock, 2 Dance/Rap, 3 Country, 4 Heavy Metal, 5 Jazz in step 409C. Next, in step 410C, a voice gives a short explanation of the style of music and the basics of how it is played. In step 411C, if the user selected 1 Rock, then he or she is encouraged to "Try a simple example, this is a basic rock beat." The light indicia 22A-C, 21A and 21B, and 29A cue the proper activation for the hi-hat 22, snare 21 and base drum, respectively. The control system 70 next switches the hi-hat rhythm 24 to the ride cymbal and then snare 21: "Beats can be played on the ride cymbal 24 and snare drum 21 also. The base drum 29 will be added later, for now we will play it for you. The system 70 then activates the bass drum rhythm. System 70 then activates a short background rock style music piece saying "Notice how the beat keeps the music in time." The user practices for a predetermined time, step 413C. "Practice these beats over and over and it will be automatic." When the lesson is over, positive feedback is provided in step 414C, for example, the voice says, "Good job". Subsequent levels may provide more advanced lesson plans building on previous lessons. While the above discussion describes an exemplary lesson, it will be understood many other lessons may be readily programmed.
Finally, in the "jam alone" mode, the user can play the drums with no instruction or cuing. This mode allows the user to test his or ability to play what he or she has learned in previous lessons or on his or her own.
Turning to FIG. 6, this figure shows a presently preferred embodiment for constructing cabinet 10 and mounting drum pads 21-28 in a compact manner particularly well-suited to the tight space requirements of the typical arcade. The presently preferred depth of cabinet 10 is 31 inches, the preferred width is 42 inches and the preferred height is 72 inches. Cabinet 10 as shown in FIG. 6 comprises a base 17, sidewalls 18 and 19, top 117 and left and right front side panels 118 and 119. The front side panels 118 and 119 are shown cutaway in FIG. 6 to better illustrate the presently preferred mounting of the drum pads 21-28. The open space between the side panels 118 and 119 may be filled with a sliding, sound-dampening curtain which may be drawn closed when the unit 100 is in use and opened when the unit is not in use. The curtain may be simply manually opened or shut, or an automatic control arrangement may be employed to sense whether a user is sitting in seat 40 or not, or to sense the begin or end of play, and then to automatically open and shut the curtain.
The cabinet 10 also includes a desk or counter top 120 on which drum pads 22-28 are mounted. In the presently preferred mounting technique these pads 22-28 are mounted on top of varying lengths of hollow plastic pipe 122-128 respectively. The tops of the plastic pipes 122-128 are preferably beveled at an angle to allow their corresponding pads to be readily mounted at a desired angle for playing. The opposite ends of pipes 122-128 extend through cutouts in the counter top 120 and are secured to the counter top 120. The pad 21 is preferably mounted using three pieces 121A-C, two straight lengths 121A and 121C, and an elbow joint 121B. One end of the piece 121A is secured to side 19 of cabinet 10. One end of piece 121C is beveled at an angle to properly support the pad 21.
While the above discussion has been made in the context of presently preferred constructions, components, modes of operation and the like, it will be recognized that the teachings of the present invention may be widely modified to include larger or smaller physical embodiments, greater or smaller numbers of components, different components, and different modes subject only to the limitations of the claims. By way of example, while specific user lessons and specific user feedbacks are described, it will be recognized that such lessons and feedback may vary widely consistent with the present teachings which provide the impetus to provide such functions in the context of a highly user friendly drum jamming system.
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|Randy Lawrence Canis
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|U.S. Classification
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Jul 22, 2003
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Oct 18, 2006
Owner name: ACTIVISION PUBLISHING, INC., CALIFORNIA
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Effective date: 20060824
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|Apr 7, 2009
|Request for reexamination filed
Effective date: 20090203
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|Jul 13, 2011
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 12
|Oct 17, 2013
Owner name: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., WASHINGTON
Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:ACTIVISION BLIZZARD, INC.;REEL/FRAME:031435/0138
Effective date: 20131011
|Oct 17, 2016
Owner name: ACTIVISION ENTERTAINMENT HOLDINGS, INC., CALIFORNI
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text: Running a g60 in my mk1 rabbit and ran into a problem recently. I did a head job and after reassembly I can't get the engine to start. I have the timing set and have exhaust pressure like usual, I checked and am getting spark Aswell as fuel. I did screw up while putting the exhaust manifold back on and my o2 sensor came unplugged and the wires were not labeled. I tried many different combinations of the 3 wires and it still just cranks. It's not back fireing or having any other wierd symptoms... Any suggestions? I checked over the engine a bunch to make sure it wasent anything super obvious

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Ancient Aramaic inscribed Incantation Bowl C.400 AD.
- Sold for: Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth.
- Item Category: Antiquities
- Source: eBay
- Sold Date: Jul 24, 2008
- Channel: Auction House
Ancient Aramaic inscribed Incantation Bowl C.400 AD.Syria. 7 1/4 inches diameter. 2 1/4 inches high.(18 x 6 cm)
Pottery Bowl with clear readable black ink inscription . Condition.minor chips by the side . these were suposed to protect its owner from the evil spirit or sikness. they would normaly put them upside down. "Superstious Guaranteed Authenticity. Shipping and handling $5.00 US and Canada $10.00 International. Combined shipping accepted for multiple lots .
We accept checks and M/O made to Windsor Antiques
1050 Second Avenue Gallery 16., New York, NY 10022 Tel077


text:
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Forums: Admins | Moderators
Lacrosse news straight to your inbox.
Monday July 23rd, 2012 4:22pm
Manchester, England - Garrett Billings led the way with five goals as 11 Canadian players scored in a 19-5 victory over Australia at the world field lacrosse championships Sunday.
Canada (3-0) can clinch first place in the six-country elite pool with a win over Germany (0-3) on Monday.
Jordan Hall, John Grant, Rhys Duch and Dan Dawson contributed two goals each and Kevin Huntley, Zack Greer, Kevin Crowley, Mark Steenhuis, Corey Small and Shawn Williams added one each.
"Our guys were terrific,'' said head coach David Huntley. "If anything, I thought we might have a letdown after last night but, once again, they continued to pleasantly surprise me. It was great."
Canada edged the United States 10-9 Saturday, handing the Americans their first-ever defeat in preliminary-round play at the world championships.
It should be an easy win Monday and a good chance for Canada's team to work on offensive plays and defensive schemes.
"We've got to keep getting better,'' said Huntley. "Germany plays a zone defence, which should be a good challenge for us. We're focusing on us trying to be better and not really worrying too much about the other teams."
Billings was a constant threat around the Aussie crease.
"That's what we're good at _ handling the ball and finding open guys,'' he said. "We did a good job of that and ended up burying a bunch."
Chris Sanderson and Evan Kirk each played one half to share the goaltending win, and Billings lauded the players on Canada's back end.
"Our defence played great and kept them out of the middle in front of the net where you've got to go to score,'' he said.
Aussie coach John Denic wasn't expecting his team to win but might have hoped for a closer score.
"The Canadians were very sharp and clinical,'' said Denic. "We learned more from the game than we ever thought we would. We've got such a young team. I think it's the first time for some of them playing against skills the Canadians possess. We were a little bit over-awed in patches but having said that I thought our defence stuck at it really well. We'll learn from it. We'll get better."
The United States defeated Germany 22-4 and remains second in the pool. England edged Japan 13-12 in the pool's other game.


text:
The Best B School For Gays: HarvardBy
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL IS at the top of one list--as the most gay-friendly of the leading MBA schools. That's something, given its slide lately in the B-school ratings game. In 1994's BUSINESS WEEK poll, Harvard fell two places to No.5, its lowest ranking ever.
The gay study, the first of its kind, ranks and grades the 22 best B-schools on eight criteria, such as: Do they have written nondiscrimination policies explicitly mentioning sexual orientation? The study is authored by Jason Lorber, an MBA student at Stanford University, which funded the six-month research effort.
While Stanford and Harvard both get As, Harvard ranks slightly ahead. Purdue's Krannert School is the only top business school to flunk. Reason: It lacks, among other things, domestic-partner benefits for students and faculty members. Dean Dennis Weidenaar says that doesn't mean the school is antigay: "We don't discriminate against anybody."


text:
From Hinkley, this solid copper adjustable landscape spotlight is ideal for path lighting or for illuminating walls and garden details. It features solid copper construction and a natural copper finish. Works with existing low voltage landscape lighting systems.
Hinkley takes a unique approach to lighting design, recognizing that your home is a pure reflection of your personality. With this in mind, they invite you to "design, illuminate, enjoy" your environment with the gorgeous, stylish, and innovative fixtures Hinkley offers. For four generations, Hinkley has combined great design with superior materials to create excellent lighting solutions. Within their broad catalog of collections, you're sure to find the contemporary look that fits your personality.
Our team has over 100 years combined experience with contemporary lighting.
Every EuroStyleLighting.com order is backed by our 100% Satisfaction Pledge.
Shipping and Delivery Information - For item EU52819 if ordered by 1 pm Pacific Time


text:
One home that has a wine cellar that holds 12,000 bottles in Martha's Vineyard is listed for $118 million.
The wine cellar—one of the best in the world—survived World War II and is guarded around the clock.
He also has a sauna, wine cellar and fireplace, not to mention specially commissioned religious statues.
In addition, he had made prudent investments and, except for his wine cellar, did not live lavishly.
Enotecca Pinchiorri in Florence has amazing food and a wine cellar that is one of the best in the world.
And he rose with unsure joints and offered to lead the way to the wine cellar.
That touch about the wine cellar is characteristically Ardmoresque.
Was he not the master of the house, and had he not the key of the wine cellar?
Some one opened the door to the wine cellar and I heard Maren's voice.
Never mind the art gallery, but make sure there is a wine cellar.


text:
- 4 total posts
- 1 review
- 2 comments
- 1 question
Reviews & Stories
Hairline Lowering, Glad I Chose the Best -Oakland, CA
I had a hairline lowering surgery (scalp/forehead reduction) with Dr. Kabaker 7 weeks ago. My scar is very thin and healing nicely. I was so nervous about flying across the country ALONE, to have surgery, recover, and fly home within 3 days. The end result is about 2.7 cm lower. The procedure over all was painless, and afterwards some scalp tightness and tings. Felt sunburned on my scalp, and... READ MORE
Questions from roxygrl2
Cheek Implant Caused Nerve Tingling for 3 Years
Cheek implant cause nerve tingling for 3 years? My doctor says to leave it if it isn't "killing me. Can this be swelling/scar tissue? Could an injection of steroid... READ MORE
Recent comments from roxygrl2
I too went to Dr. Kabaker 7 weeks ago, and I am long my results. Saneez, it depends on the size and scalp laxivity before surgery to if he does one step or 2 step, my surgery was a 1 step and I have a 2.7 cm reduction READ COMMENT
Hi this is a long story... 1 year ago I got juvederm injected into my cheeks, it migrated to my tear throughs and turned blue purple, it has been there for over a year. I was assured it would go away, but hasn't. In an attempt to... READ COMMENT


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Holy crap!
Much stupid there. The permit for rifles with a pistol grip stands out as particularly inane to me.
This is a discussion on CT: Bipartisan Task Force Testimony within the The Second Amendment & Gun Legislation Discussion forums, part of the Related Topics category; This may be your only chance to voice your opinion about the upcoming legislation in CT. The hearing is next Monday. If you can make ...
This may be your only chance to voice your opinion about the upcoming legislation in CT. The hearing is next Monday. If you can make it in person, fantastic. If not, please take a minute and submit an email testimonial to email@example.com
Just some of the nonsense we're up against...
Connecticut Legislators Eye Long List of Gun-Control Measures; Public Hearing Set for Monday, Jan. 28
- To require firearm owners to maintain liability insurance
- Establish a sales tax on the sale of ammunition at a rate of 50 percent and require all ammunition to be purchased in person.
- An outright ban on ALL modern sporting rifles classifying them as "Assault Weapons."
- Restricting your ability to defend yourself and family by arbitrarily restricting the magazine size to 10 rounds.
- Confiscating ALL magazines holding more than 10 rounds, pistols included.
- Statewide gun registration for ALL firearms; knowing full well criminals won't ever register their guns.
- Re-registration every 2 years with ever increasing fees.
- Requires permit for any rifle with a pistol grip.
- Limiting how much ammunition you can purchase AND possess.
- Registration of all ammunition purchases.
- Bans internet sales of ammo in Connecticut.
- Mandatory gun storage laws, like the one the U.S. Supreme Court struck down in the Heller decision.
A Safer Connecticut | Connecticut General Assembly
January 28, 2013 10:00 a.m.
Gun Violence Prevention Working Group
Legislative Office Bldg. Room 2C
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the outcome of the vote." ~ Benjamin Franklin
Holy crap!
Much stupid there. The permit for rifles with a pistol grip stands out as particularly inane to me.
Fancy name that..."Gun Violence Prevention Working Group" but the people who have firearms for sport and defense are not violent...people who are won't be affected. We know this, they probably do too but don't care. They want to be famous and have their name published. With the headline "Senator signs bill to reduce gun violence".
Sounds great doesn't it?
No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.
-Thomas Jefferson
Laws are restrictive but sometimes necessary to maintain a civil society. Rights are nonrestrictive but are always necessary to maintain a free society.
I emailed them a copy of the report from Unv of Chicago. Maybe they will read it and be sheep.


text:
did Whole Foods 365 conditioner change their formula?
did anyone else notice Whole Foods 365 conditioner suddenly acting completely different the past month or so? I wonder if they changed their formula.
It used to always leave my hair squeaky clean but now it leaves a lot more slip in my hair (and I actually can't use it for co-washing any more because my hair just doesn't get clean enough). Now I'm using it to dilute low poo and also to dilute heavier conditioner... that seems to work well.
I have a bottle that I've had for quite awhile (maybe 6-8 months) and it's almost empty so I bought a new bottle a few weeks ago. I just checked the ingredients and both bottles are identical. I guess the difference is all in your head! :laughing2:
I like the idea of using it to dilute a heavier conditioner...I may have to try that!
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So this is the note from YouTube API Reference page stating that AS2 will no long work on October 14, 2012. That's cool and I understand that AS2 is dying.https://developers.google.com/youtube/flash_api_reference_as2
Well yesterday Chrome released an update (v21.0.1180.79) which has flash player version 126.96.36.199. It doesn't seem it likes AS2 YouTube API . Could they have done this before October 14th?
I even checked out some AS2 YouTube flash players on here (activeden) Does't seem like it wants to load the YouTube Chromeless Player.
Just wondering if anyone else is having this issue? I tried it on 4 different machines with the same Chrome v21.0.1180.79.
Finally, its great on my part,not that it's really matter (who work with new AS2 this day any way ?)…but I just hope AS2 will be gone from this face of earth by now
tsafi saidlol I hear you.
Finally, its great on my part,not that it's really matter (who work with new AS2 this day any way ?)…but I just hope AS2 will be gone from this face of earth by now
Well the problem is Chrome's pepper flash player causing the issue. http://chromeoszone.blogspot.com/2011/10/pepper-flash-player.html
If anyone has issues with flash in Chrome, you can disable Chrome's pepper flash player by going to chrome:plugins then disable pepflashplayer.dll. This will bring you back to the standard flash player (Adobe).
Just a heads up. Chrome pepper flash is buggy.
tsafi said
Finally, its great on my part,not that it's really matter (who work with new AS2 this day any way ?)…but I just hope AS2 will be gone from this face of earth by now
There are a lot of people who still using AS2 . Its way simplier and easy to use for small and simple applications. Also for web banners its still a common format. For me AS2 is way to go (because I'm more as designer, not a coder) and I can make simple games and apps in AS2 very fast while some other AS3 coders say that it would take a lot of time and code for them in AS3 … It is very annoying, that Chrome have problems (or do not support) with showing embeded YouTube videos in flash…
^I start my way with flash 13+ years ago from AS1 so i can compare as1/as2/as3 .
First of all you are wrong cos` making animation banners if its as3 or as2 its still animation just the compiling is different from fp9 + .
No matter how you look at this from fp9+ using AS3 syntax is faster in performance then AS2 . My philosophy regarding flash was always; it doesn't matter how you do but what is the final result,but as a coder the possibility with A3 is endless + you have the advantage with 3D.
AS2 is not a even a proper language ,i always state AS2 it's a mambo jumbo syntax that was glue base on Java script .. Bottom line ActionScript 3 is much faster, more efficient, and just all around better and not like AS2 you can recycle class and cut your work coding in 1/3 of the time and any coder that claim differently can give me a call .
I do agree if you are just animator AS2 or AS3 is not even relevant but if you want to work with mobile today better forget all you know about AS2 and move up to the big boys world .
Also Since it's really a matter of time before all you flash web animator will be gone since no mobile will support flash from any new mobile from android 4.2+ that will be out form today and forever and if you can't see it on mobile you become e-relevant ,so the only option you have right now is Air base AS3 if not next year(1+2 years) you will only be a web flash animator in our history of the fade memory from the good old flash days .
Regarding the YouTube Chromeless if its AS3 or AS2 despite it's an easy code it's one of the worst API `s Adobe released mainly due to security issue and bottom line there won't be any update from Adobe part on any topic regarding AS2 so it's a waste of time !


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Sucker Punch
Just because your face takes a beating doesn't mean it's down for the count.
Face Scrub with Tahitian Volcanic Black Sand
3 oz / 88 ml
Just because your face takes a beating doesn't mean it's down for the count. Dislodge dirt, dead surface skin cells and other impurities with Sucker Punch Face Scrub, a powerful combination of Tahitian Volcanic Black Sand, crushed walnut shells, vitamins and essential oils. Sucker Punch will give you the edge you need to go all the way, champ.
Exfoliate to scrub away dirt, blackheads and dead surface skin cells
Herbal cleanser and skin conditioner
Antioxidants, help protect the skin from environmental and endogenous damages
Antioxidants, nourish the skin while improving luminosity and elasticity
Apply a nickel-sized amount to wet face and message in a circular motion. Rinse well. For best results, use 2-3 times per week before shaving.
Dark green with specs of Tahitian Volcanic Black Sand
Lavender, rosemary, mint
Water (Aqua)(Eau), Bentonite, Alumina, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Shell, Glycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Polysorbate 80, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Oil, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Menthol, Citric Acid, Limonene, Linalool, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, DMDM Hydantoin, Chlorophyllin-Copper Complex
Tahitian Volcanic Black Sand
The Polynesian archipelagos were formed millions of years ago with the emergence of volcanos. Rain and wind leads to the natural erosion process of these volcanos which creates the black sand on some of the beaches of Tahiti. This black sand is then crushed and riddled to obtain perfect granulometry. Lastly, it is ionized to gurantee perfect quality without bacteria. Black Tahitian Sand is an excellent, natural exfoliator.
Using Sucker Punch Before Shaving
Using Sucker Punch before shaving will lift hairs, open up pores and prep the beard. The invigorating formula efficiently exfoliates dead skin cells, creating a smooth canvas to ensure a trouble-free shaving experience.
Why is it important to exfoliate?
Exfoliating unveils fresher, smoother skin. It keeps pores clean and removes oily buildup. It also allows for greater penetration of moisturizers and serums by removing the surface layer of dead skin cells. Sloughing away dead skin cells maintains the look and texture of your skin as you get older. As you age dead skin cells can stick around your skin for up to 6 weeks. Exfoliating removes these dead cells much quicker to reveal healthier, more radiant skin.
How often should I exfoliate with Sucker Punch?
At least once a week but not more than three times a week. If you prefer exfoliating three times a week, follow a schedule like this: Monday, Thursday and Sunday; repeating on the following Wednesday.
When should I exfoliate?
Exfoliate in the morning after you cleanse your face.
How penetrating is Sucker Punch Face Scrub?
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being very light exfoliation and 10 being deep exfoliation, Sucker Punch ranks about a 7.
Should I use Sucker Punch or LiquidSand Exfoliating Facial Cleanser?
Sucker Punch is best for deep exfoliation and less sensitive skin. If you have dry and/or sensitive skin, use LiquidSand. LiquidSand is more hydrating and may be used every other day.
When should I not exfoliate?
If you have severe acne, do not exfoliate as this can irritate your skin even more.
What should I do following exfoliating?
Always end by applying a moisturizer. This can follow shaving.
"Sucker Punch Face Scrub is ideal for deeper exfoliation, best used a couple of times a week. The combination of citrus oils and Menthol produce an invigorating sensation in the morning."
- Pat, Founder, Billy Jealousy


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View File ldns.changes of Package ldns (Project home:jluce2:DNSSEC)
------------------------------------------------------------------- Mon Dec 3 15:20:36 UTC 2012 - firstname.lastname@example.com - Upgrade to 1.6.16 1.6.16 2012-11-13 * Fix Makefile to build pyldns with BSD make * Fix typo in exporting b32_* symbols to make pyldns load again * Allow leaving the RR owner name empty in ldns-testns datafiles. * Fix fail to create NSEC3 bitmap for empty non-terminal (bug introduced in 1.6.14). 1.6.15 2012-10-25 * Remove LDNS_STATUS_EXISTS_ERR from ldns/error.h to make ldns binary compatible with earlier releases again. 1.6.14 2012-10-23 * DANE support (RFC6698), including ldns-dane example tool. * Configurable default CA certificate repository for ldns-dane with --with-ca-file=CAFILE and --with-ca-path=CAPATH * Configurable default trust anchor with --with-trust-anchor=FILE for drill, ldns-verify-zone and ldns-dane * bugfix #474: Define socklen_t when undefined (like in Win32) * bugfix #473: Dead code removal and resource leak fix in drill * bugfix #471: Let ldns_resolver_push_dnssec_anchor accept DS RR's too. * Various bugfixes from code reviews from CZ.NIC and Paul Wouters * ldns-notify TSIG option argument checking * Let ldns_resolver_nameservers_randomize keep nameservers and rtt's in sync. * Let ldns_pkt_push_rr now return false on (memory) errors. * Make buffer_export comply to documentation and fix buffer2str * Various improvements and fixes of pyldns from Katel Slany now documented in their own Changelog. * bugfix: Make ldns_resolver_pop_nameserver clear the array when there was only one. * bugfix #459: Remove ldns_symbols and export symbols based on regex * bugfix #458: Track all newly created signatures when signing. * bugfix #454: Only set -g and -O2 CFLAGS when no CFLAGS was given. * bugfix #457: Memory leak fix for ldns_key_new_frm_algorithm. * pyldns memory handling fixes and the python3/ldns-signzone.py examples script contribution from Karel Slany. * bugfix #450: Base # bytes for P, G and Y (T) on the guaranteed to be bigger (or equal) P in ldns_key_dsa2bin. * bugfix #449: Deep free cloned rdf's in ldns_tsig_mac_new. * bugfix #448: Copy nameserver value (in stead of reference) of the answering nameserver to the answer packet in ldns_send_buffer, so the original value may be deep freed with the ldns_resolver struct. * New -0 option for ldns-read-zone to replace inception, expiration and signature rdata fields with (null). Thanks Paul Wouters. * New -p option for ldns-read-zone to prepend-pad SOA serial to take up ten characters. * Return error if printing RR fails due to unknown/null RDATA. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Sun Jun 10 20:33:18 UTC 2012 - firstname.lastname@example.com - Upgrade to 1.6.13 * New -S option for ldns-verify-zone to chase signatures online. * New -k option for ldns-verify-zone to validate using a trusted key. * New inception and expiration margin options (-i and -e) to ldns-verify-zone. * New ldns_dnssec_zone_new_frm_fp and ldns_dnssec_zone_new_frm_fp_l functions. * New ldns_duration* functions (copied from OpenDNSSEC source) * fix ldns-verify-zone to allow NSEC3 signatures to come before the NSEC3 RR in all cases. Thanks Wolfgang Nagele. * Zero the correct flag (opt-out) when creating NSEC3PARAMS. Thanks Peter van Dijk. * Canonicalize RRSIG's Signer's name too when validating, because bind and unbound do that too. Thanks Peter van Dijk. * bugfix #433: Allocate rdf using ldns_rdf_new in ldns_dname_label * bugfix #432: Use LDNS_MALLOC & LDNS_FREE i.s.o. malloc & free * bugfix #431: Added error message for LDNS_STATUS_INVALID_B32_EXT * bugfix #427: Explicitely link ssl with the programs that use it. * Fix reading \DDD: Error on values that are outside range (>255). * bugfix #429: fix doxyparse.pl fails on NetBSD because specified path to perl. * New ECDSA support (RFC 6605), use --disable-ecdsa for older openssl. * fix verifying denial of existence for DS's in NSEC3 Opt-Out zones. Thanks John Barnitz ------------------------------------------------------------------- Thu Apr 19 14:05:39 UTC 2012 - firstname.lastname@example.com - Upgrade in 1.6.12 * bugfix #413: Fix manpage source for srcdir != builddir * Canonicalize the signers name rdata field in RRSIGs when signing * Ignore minor version of Private-key-format (so v1.3 may be used) * Allow a check_time to be given in stead of always checking against the current time. With ldns-verify-zone the check_time can be set with the -t option. * Added functions for updating and manipulating SOA serial numbers. ldns-read-zone has an option -S for updating and manipulating the serial numbers. * The library Makefile is now GNU and BSD make compatible. * bugfix #419: NSEC3 validation of a name covered by a wildcard with no data. * Two new options (--with-drill and --with-examples) to the main configure script (in the root of the source tree) to build drill and examples too. * Fix days_since_epoch to year_yday calculation on 32bits systems. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Tue Jan 10 11:21:38 UTC 2012 - firstname.lastname@example.com - Add openssl-devel Requires to -devel package: dnssec.h includes ssl.h, which in turn is provided by openssl-devel. Without this Requires, depending packages need to be aware of underlying implementations of ldns. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mon Oct 17 15:17:12 UTC 2011 - firstname.lastname@example.com - new version 1.6.11 * new ldnsx python module * fix heap overflow (bnc#720277, CVE-2011-3581) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Wed May 25 13:38:43 UTC 2011 - email@example.com - new version 1.6.9 - enable python bindings, used by sshfp's dane tool - merge with Factory version ------------------------------------------------------------------- Mon Apr 27 15:34:10 CEST 2009 - firstname.lastname@example.com - initial version, required by unbound ------------------------------------------------------------------- Wed May 21 17:59:04 CEST 2008 - firstname.lastname@example.com - fix the rpmlint warnings ------------------------------------------------------------------- Wed May 21 05:53:12 CEST 2008 - firstname.lastname@example.com - update to 1.3.0.pre20080229 (taken from unbound-1.0.0 tarball) required version update to make it work with unbound ------------------------------------------------------------------- Wed May 21 04:43:07 CEST 2008 - email@example.com - initial package


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Hey there.
First up, i'm using 3DS Max 2011.
I've got an idea that i want to put into practice. It consists of various rectangles laid out next to each other in an orderly fashion. Imagine a 6x6 layout.
I want to have the camera animate over the grid and then after a while have the rectangles rotate around 180 degrees so we see the other side of them. For this rotation, i want it to happen in a random order and with a slight delay so say over the course of 1-2 secs they are all rotated but some happen quicker than others and some start sooner than others but at the 2sec stage they are all rotated.
Any ideas would be welcome.


text: A lot of modern gun have firing pin blocks that move out of the way when the trigger is pulled. That prevents anything else like a worn or broken sear that's jolted loose from letting it fire. A dropped gun that fires had some part of the fire control group move because the inertia of the fall was greater than the spring(s) or other tension holding the part where it was.


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The current M isn't ugly, but it isn't a benchmark for style either. It has the stuff that counts though: A strong engine, a great chassis, and a beautiful interior.
Its not ugly at all, but it doesn't look purposeful. The design lacks strength and intent.
It's not ugly. It's not anything. It blends in to the crowd, looks just like any regular toyota or nissan or honda econo-sedan out there. That's the problem. Premium cars need premium styling. They need to be eye-catching and distinctive. This is a big part of why Cadillac is able to compete with BMW and MB presently. They don't have the status level or reputation of the german automakers, but they have equivalent or even better styling. There are plenty of people out there who will tell you that they find the current CTS more eye-catching than the 5-series or E-class. NO ONE is going to be saying that about the Infiniti M. Most of them won't be able to tell it apart from a Camry.
The point is most folks don't know the difference between models by their looks if the automaker is using some of the same design cues in their line of cars. Be it Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Cadillac, or Infiniti. Now if they have models that are noticeably different they do. Unless of course you're dealing with owners who examine all the little details and differences and know what they are looking for, but that certainly isn't the majority of people out there driving cars.
Again though, this wasn't intended to be a thread to get into the M's looks. It was about the performance the new hybrid was offering and still maintaining a respectable mileage rating.
I'm fine with the technology and what they've achieved mechanically here, but it's an incomplete achievement since while they've leaped forward in technology, they've fallen back in styling.
That and Hybrid's, even powerful ones, don't interest me in the least. From an engineer's perspective, we are basically looking at a slight evolution of the same thing that rail locomotives have been running on for decades.
While I'm not a fan of any M's styling except 03-04, I prefer the current body to this Altima-like one that preceded it. This one looked too Nissan corporate. The current one at least tries to carve out its own identity.
The 05 M was supposed to take after the Fuga concept but lost all the details that made it look interesting like the two strips of silver trim that flowed over the roof.
Looks like InsideLine got one and tested its performance.
V8 power with four-cylinder efficiency. It's the alchemy of the driving world. Nobody likes paying $4/gallon for gas, but for some of us, the cost of losing our performance cars is greater than the price of fuel.
And that's where the 2012 Infiniti M35h hybrid comes in. On one hand, it's a refined sedan with a world-class interior; on the other hand it's a competent sport sedan with 369 combined horsepower; and on the third hand, it returns a Versa-like 27 mpg city and 32 mpg highway. That's a lot of hands to keep track of.
On paper, it should be the best of all worlds. For $53,000, it better be. And while fuel economy will vary based on driving habits, we were more concerned with the promise of V8 performance. So how does the 2012 Infiniti M35h do when fuel economy is ignored in favor of flat-footed fun?
Test Results:
0-30 (sec): 2.2 (2.3 with TC on)
0-45 (sec): 3.6 (3.7 with TC on)
0-60 (sec): 5.2 (5.4 with TC on)
0-60 with 1-ft Rollout (sec): 4.9 (5.0 with TC on)
0-75 (sec): 7.6 (7.8 with TC on)
1/4-Mile (sec @ mph): 13.5 @ 102.9 (13.6 @ 102.8 with TC on)
30-0 (ft): 30
60-0 (ft): 119
Slalom (mph): 63.7 (61.6 with TC on)
Skid Pad Lateral acceleration (g): 0.84 (0.78 with TC on)
Db @ Idle: 42.5
Db @ Full Throttle: 76.4
Db @ 70 mph Cruise: 64.4
Acceleration: Holy crap! This car is fast. (All accel runs in Sport.) I could feel the torque immediately from launch and it maintains it throughout the run. Upshifts are quick and smooth. Turning off traction control only works up to a point and it intervenes with too much wheelspin. For the best run, I "woke up" the engine prior to releasing the brake.
Braking: Very effective brakes, especially from 30-0. Distances grew shorter for the later stops, but then the brakes began pulling to the right. Overall, very good performance aside from the pulling/drifting.
Handling: Skid pad: With ESC off, this car has good balance between understeer and oversteer where the rear steps out slightly just before the front understeers. Good setup with ESC on: a combo of throttle and brakes limits speed and disallows the rear from slipping at all. Either way, the steering is springy and only slightly informative. Slalom: ESC off, just as on the skid pad, the rear slides just enough for confident rotation but now the steering remains effective to catch it. Very good balance and precision in transition. With ESC on, corrections occurred before the rear could rotate, but returned control to driver readily.
Wouldn't buy a new one, but it sure will make a great used car buy.


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'A survey of 150 women undergoing IVF at St George Private Hospital found that half approved of sex selection for their second or third unborn child.' Photo: Getty images
Over the past decade, surveys have consistently shown that most Australians—80 per cent in fact—are against using IVF to choose a baby's sex.
But the times, as they say, might well be changing. Earlier this month, a survey of 150 women undergoing IVF at Sydney's St George Private Hospital found that half approved of sex selection for their second or third unborn child.
And then there's the growing popularity of overseas IVF 'sex-selection tours' in which plucky Australian couples fork out anything from $12,000 to $30,000 to undergo treatment in Thailand, the United States or Cyprus, where gender selection is legal.
The technology is available here to couples hoping to avoid a gender-linked genetic disorder, such as haemophilia and muscular dystrophy (that affect only boys), but that's as far as it goes. As The National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines states: 'The Australian Health Ethics Committee believes that admission to life should not be conditional upon a child being a particular sex.'
Having jumped onboard the IVF express myself, and welcomed two healthy sons into the world, I admit to having a keen interest in the topic. Fertility treatment in Australia has come such a long way since Candice Reed—Australia's first IVF baby—was born more than 30 years ago, and it stands to reason that IVF would move outside of the controlled environment of a laboratory to the anything-but-controlled setting of the family unit itself.
From fears of it leading to a bias towards one gender, to the argument that it's a 'slippery slope' towards eugenics (for record, ticking the gender box doesn't feel to me to be on par with decisions over hair colour, height and intelligence)—sex selection provokes one heck of a knee-jerk reaction.
But, as many well-regarded IVF practioners will quickly tell you, there's nothing more insidious at work here than couples who already have two or three children of the same sex wishing to simply 'balance' their family.
That sounds true enough, and yet somehow making a baby's gender the…well…agenda leaves me uneasy. Exchange the word 'balance' for 'control', for instance, and the emotional charge suddenly ramps up, as was exemplified by the aforementioned Sydney hospital study, which also found that 75 per cent of the women surveyed remained opposed to using IVF to select the sex of first-borns.
Of course, natural methods that supposedly favour one gender over another, such as eating specific foods, sexual positions and even timing intercourse to the cycles of the moon, have been around since time immemorial.
But for those of us who believe that parenthood should be based on acceptance of the child for who they are—and are haunted by the fate of those unwanted embryos—social sex selection creates problems both elementary and alarming.
As for me, I always thought that one day I'd have a daughter. I mean, what woman dreaming of motherhood doesn't imagine having a daughter to either emulate or right the wrongs of the relationship she has or had with her own mother?
This… what can I call it? …feeling? grew stronger while carrying my second child. But soon after welcoming (gratefully, after a fairly quick labour, I might add) my second son into the world I lost track of the commiserating looks and comments that went something like: "Well, you'll just have to go back and try again".
Call me hyper-sensitive, but every fibre of my being (or was it each frayed nerve end?) railed against the assumption that an error had been made.
Perhaps that's why I find reports of mothers of sons weeping uncontrollably when presented with another healthy, male newborn so disturbing. Such stories fill me with a profound sadness—for the child, naturally—but also for the woman, whose love for her child must surely buckle under the weight of so much gender bias.
If sex selection had been available to my husband and I would we have taken it up? Maybe. And, yes, today we may well have had that daughter I'd once dreamed of. But when I look into those lively blue eyes of my second-born son, and observe (or moreover referee) the burgeoning relationship between him and his big brother—one underscored by a bold, muscular, mysterious bond—that thought quickly and inexorably fades away.
In our household, gender balance just doesn't come into the equation. Yes, I'm well and truly outnumbered. And I wouldn't have it any other way.


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Results 16 to 20 of 21
Thread: Irish American Baby Girl Name
July 2nd, 2013 02:29 AM #16
I love both Niamh Maire and and Keira Mae! Niamh Maire doesn't flow as well since both names are one syllable- have you considered Niamh Mary? I like that you're using Irish names to honour your heritage. Niamh is one of my favourite Irish names (I also love Orflaith and Roisin) and I like the sleek, modern sound of Keira (I do think of Keira Knightley right away, but I've probably seen Pride and Prejudice dozens of times).~Love names, literature, royals and horses~ <3
Favourite names:
Girls: Azalea, Cordelia, Elizabeth, Rosalind, Scarlett, Felicity, Juliet
Boys: Fitzwilliam, Sebastian, Percival, Oliver, Darcy, Orlando
July 2nd, 2013 10:55 AM #18Senior Member
- Join Date
- Apr 2013
- Posts
- 782
July 2nd, 2013 11:24 AM #20
July 2nd, 2013 11:40 AM #22
I love Siobhan, but it isn't pronounced 'shavon', it's pronouned 'Shivawn'.
You can hear it here...
http://www.babynamesofireland.com/siobhan⋆ Margaret Mary ⋆
Elisabeth Mary ⋆ Josephine Sarah ⋆ Iris Christabel ⋆ Beatrice Helena ⋆ Harriet Cordelia
Asher Benedict ⋆ Jude Raphael ⋆ Gabriel John ⋆ August Samuel ⋆ Joah Francis
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
July 2nd, 2013 01:59 PM #24Junior Member
- Join Date
- Jun 2013
- Posts
- 11


text:
I was thinking about this and wondered if we could come up with the starting lineup for the Indians in the movie Major League. Off the top of my head I have:
Catcher - Jake Taylor, Rube Baker, and Jack Parkman
1st -
2nd -
3rd - Roger Dorn
Short -
LF - Taka Tanaka
CF - Wily Mayes Hayes
RF - Pedro Cerrano
Rick Vaugn
Eddie Harris
??? Schup


text:
Your Cat, Your Life
The Scoop
Cat News, Politics
Meow-Out-Loud Humor
Cat Chic
Gear and Glam
Your cat loves a clean toilet -- don't we all? Catster's singing Cat Lady, Sarah Donner, explains why.
Cat Breeds
Foods & Treats
Health & Care
Behavior & Training
Cats & Cleaning
Cat of the Day
Other pets in your family: Raymond Maxpower Nelson Festa | Busby Renee Graham | Toot Suite (The Angel)
Copyright © I-5 Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
Visit Dogster


text:
Picsaloo's software….
- Is free when you print at Picsaloo.com
- Allows you to create an photobook or album in minutes using the wizard.
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- Download our free Picsaloo software to your desktop
- Have fun creating your photo products in minutes
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text:
In order to get Evan Gattis some at-bats, the Atlanta Braves have optioned El Oso Blanco to Triple-A Gwinnett.
The slumping rookie catcher was hitless in his last 17 at-bats and has hit just .188 with three homers and 15 RBIs in 36 games since June 1.
"We forget that he's a rookie," Fredi Gonzalez said on ajc.com. "The way he started, rookies don't start that way. Usually they start struggling and then they kind of catch up for a little bit, maybe get sent down for a week or a month or so and come back up and do well. But he started like 'man, oh man,' he couldn't do anything wrong. And sometimes you forget because he's a little bit older than most rookies that he's a rookie and he's going to go through some of these things."
The Braves announced the move after El Oso Blanco Night at Turner Field, during which Gattis didn't start but was issued an intentional walk in a pinch-hit appearance.
Gattis will still be eligible for the playoffs, and Atlanta will bring him back when the minor league season is over.
The Braves have yet to announce a corresponding move.
- Be sure to "like" Braves 101 on Facebook and follow Braves 101 on Twitter.
Your man cave is your home field advantage for every game. When the game is on the line, you should be able to look around and be reminded of the great moments you've watched unfold in that very room! MJR Sports Integrityoffers a wide range or team and player-specific memorabilia that can do just that and take your game day room to the next level. Find your inspiration at MJR Sports Integrity and will your team to victory!Tags: Atlanta, Atlanta Braves, Baseball, El Oso Blanco, Evan Gattis, Fredi Gonzalez, MLB


text:
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
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|All Bernie and Trump lovers unite!
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From the award winning screenprinters The Yetee, comes another Mitch O'Connell creation designed to show how 'out of this world' the election process is!
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text:
The CatTime.com Cat Breed Center features several different types of cats — pure- and mixed-breeds — and examines a variety of their characteristics. One of a cat's most distinctive traits is the amount of fur she sheds. Almost all cats that have fur shed it — some more than others — and 12 felines from the Breed Center received a rating of four stars or higher, meaning they shed more than the average amount of fur. Here they are — in alphabetical order:
4. Cymric Cats
9. Ragdoll Cats
11. Selkirk Rex Cats
12. Siberian Cats
Also take a look at a the Top 21 Dogs that Shed the Most.
Do you have a cat that sheds a lot? Tell us about her in the Comments below!


text:
The .327 looks interesting.
The concept, as far as I can tell, is to pack 6 shots into a small sized revolver that would traditionally hold 5 shots, without sacrificing *too* much power due to the higher pressure of the new .327 cartridge.
Calling it the "327 Magnum" is obviously trying to play on the reputation of the famous .357 Magnum, but we'll let the marketing department's dumb ideas slide.
I guess what it really comes down to is: would you like to trade a few hundred ft/lb of muzzle energy for 1 more round in the cylinder?
(The hottest .327 load I could find was around 440 ft/lb. The hottest "safe" .357 load I could find was pushing 750ft/lb.)
For those that don't like the recoil of a .357 Mag in a lightweight revolver, it seems like an attractive alternative to .38 Special +P.
But given the scarcity and high price of .327 Mag ammo (at least until it gains more popularity) I won't be considering one. Maybe if more manufacturers start making them and ammo prices start dropping....
Pete Zaria.


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Design Day - del 1 Metro the Foundation
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Design Day Stockholm 18 november 2011
Del 1 med Arturo Toledo
metro - the foundation
influence. inspiration.
metro principles.
metro design language.
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Celebrate 13 years of business with a children's temporary
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Model trains will wind their way through a miniature village set
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Includes Gingerbread Story-time, Tree Lighting Ceremony,
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Two new unknown lenses announced at CES for 2013
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