text:
Patent application title: Virtual Ticket Line in a Computer System
Scott C. Harris (Rancho Santa Fe, CA, US)
IPC8 Class:
USPC Class:
705 261
Class name: Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or cost/price determination automated electrical financial or business practice or management arrangement electronic shopping
Publication date: 2012-08-02
Patent application number: 20120197746
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A computer system forming a virtual line on a computer which includes a
number of different computer users in line to receive access to a first
resource on the server computer which allows users to purchase an item,
and providing feedback to the computer users confirming that said
computer users are still in line to purchase the item. The user can
purchase the item when they reach the front of the line. The user is not
allowed access to the first resource on said server computer to purchase
said item prior to reaching the front position in said virtual queue. The
information about position in line can be in a format that causes
information on computers of said users to automatically update
information indicating their place in line.
1. A method of forming a virtual line on a computer, comprising: from a
server computer, maintaining a virtual queue which includes a number of
different computer users in line to receive access to a first resource on
the server computer which allows users to purchase an item, and providing
feedback to said computer users confirming that said computer users are
still in line to receive said access to said first resource; said server
computer detecting when a user has reached a front position in line in
the virtual queue and providing access to said first resources of the
server computer to said user who has reached said front position, and
wherein said user is not allowed access to said first resource on said
server computer to purchase said item prior to reaching said front
position in said virtual queue.
2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said server computer sends information to multiple users indicating their place in line.
3. The method as in claim 1, wherein said server computer sends information to multiple users, and said information is in a format that causes information on computers of said users to automatically update information indicating their place in line.
4. The method as in claim 3, wherein said information includes at least both of a place in line and a time that the user has been waiting.
5. The method as in claim 3, wherein said information includes an image of a virtual line.
6. The method as in claim 3, further comprising, from the server computer, prompting the user to confirm that the user is near the user computer and maintaining the user's place in line only when the user confirms that they are near the user computer.
7. The method as in claim 6, wherein said prompting comprises requesting the user to enter information from the user computer, and verifying that information, and maintaining the persons place in line only when said verifying.
8. The method as in claim 1, wherein said item is a ticket to be purchased.
9. A method of forming a virtual line on a computer, comprising: on a client computer, viewing a position in a virtual queue which includes a computer user, and a number of other computer users in said virtual queue to receive access to a first resource which allows users to purchase an item; said viewing said position comprising viewing said position in line; obtaining access to said first resource from the client computer which allows users to purchase an item only when a user has reached a front position in line in the virtual queue and allowing the user has reached a front position in line to purchase said item, all users who have not reached the front position in line are not allowed access to said first resource and not allowed to purchase said item.
10. The method as in claim 9, wherein said client computer displays information to the user which is automatically updated indicating their place in line relative to multiple other users.
11. A method as in claim 9, wherein said client computer displays information to the user indicating at least both of a place in line and a time that the user has been waiting.
12. A method as in claim 9, wherein said client computer displays said information to the user including an image of a virtual line.
13. The method as in claim 3, wherein said client computer prompts the user to confirm that the user is near the user computer wherein the user's place in line is maintained only when the user confirms that they are near the user computer.
14. The method as in claim 13, wherein said prompts comprises requesting the user to enter information from the user computer, and verifying that information, and maintaining the person's place in line only based on said verifying.
15. The method as in claim 9, wherein said item is a ticket to be purchased.
16. A computer system forming a virtual line on a computer, comprising: a server computer, maintaining a virtual queue which includes a number of different computer users in line to receive access to a first resource on the server computer which allows users to purchase an item, said server computer providing feedback to said computer users confirming that said computer users are still in line to receive said access to said first resource; said server computer detecting when a user has reached a front position in line in the virtual queue and providing access to said first resources of the server computer to said user who has reached said front position, and wherein said server computer does not allow said user access to said first resource on said server computer to purchase said item prior to reaching said front position in said virtual queue.
17. The computer system as in claim 16, wherein said server computer sends information to multiple users, and said information is in a format that causes information on computers of said users to automatically update information indicating their place in line.
18. The computer system as in claim 17, wherein said information includes at least both of a place in line and a time that the user has been waiting.
19. The computer system as in claim 18, wherein said information includes an image of a virtual line.
20. The computer system as in claim 19, further comprising, from the server computer, prompting the user to confirm that the user is near the user computer and maintaining the user's place in line only when the user confirms that they are near the user computer, wherein said prompting comprises requesting the user to enter information from the user computer, and verifying that information, and maintaining the persons place in line only when said verifying.
[0001] This application claims priority from provisional application No.
61/432,572, filed Jan. 13, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is
herewith incorporated by reference.
[0002] Purchasing of tickets for events often is accompanied by more demand than there are tickets. When that happens, historically, lines formed to be the first in line for the ticket agent. This "first come first serve" line gave the first tickets to the first in line.
[0003] Purchasing of tickets on the Internet is one of the most common ways of purchasing tickets. However, when an internet based ticket office opens at a certain time, the server can be overwhelmed by the large number of commands. Rather than this being first-come first serve, this becomes in essence a de facto denial of service attack against the ticket seller because so many people try to access the website at once.
[0004] Different ticket agencies have attempted different techniques, however the simple matter remains that if many thousands of people want to access the website at the same time, it becomes difficult to provide an amount of resources that can properly address the problem.
[0005] The present application recognizes that the "waiting in line" in the real world does not properly transfer to the virtual computer world. Therefore, embodiments describe one or more of the following features: a virtual line where people can actually be waiting in line on a computer system, with not all of the people waiting in line using computer resources all at the same time.
[0006] As part of this, the present system describes ways to enforce that only some number of people, defined herein by the variable A, are allowed to login and obtain computer resources at any one time.
[0007] The different figures show different embodiments.
[0008] FIGS. 1 and 2 show flowcharts that are carried out on a computer.
[0009] The present application recognizes that a lottery system could be used to allocate tickets. However, it seems more fair to enforce a first-come, first-served basis. This in fact forms the basis of the wait-in-line system, that most people consider most fair.
[0010] One embodiment describes a system which at intervals and/or randomly requires the user respond at certain times.
[0011] The inventor recognizes a problem that websites become inoperative when they receive too many requests. Often if too many requests come in, none of them get properly served.
[0012] I recognized that a properly configured e-mail server can be used which only accepts messages a certain number at a time. For example, if an e-mail server receives 100,000 e-mails, the e-mails will eventually get through. According to one embodiment, the system chooses the time at which ticket sales will open, for example 6 AM. At exactly 6 AM according to the system clock, the system starts receiving e-mails of a specified format requesting access to the tickets. E-mails prior to the opening time may be discarded. For example, the e-mails which are received prior to the open time may be sent back with a bounce notification. In one embodiment, a website can be accessed for some period of time e.g. a month, prior to the receiving of the e-mails.
[0013] The overall operation of the obtaining of a ticket, start to finish, is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. These show an operation of the computers that interconnect and different parts may be carried out by one or more computers. All of these activities are carried out using a suitably programmed computer.
[0014] At 100, a user accesses a website that tells about the sale.
[0015] The website indicates when the tickets will go on sale, and provides a link for a template.
[0016] The website may provide a template of the type 110 shown in FIG. 1, which allows the user to fill in certain information and send that as part of an e-mail at the specified time. The template may be pop up, or may be sent via email, or retrieved via the link 101 as shown.
[0017] The template 110 may also include a unique ID 111, so that the website can keep track of what percentage of the templates are used, and also to force the user to use an authorized template. By numbering the templates in this way, each template becomes in essence an authorized and unique form. The numbers 111 can be, for example, consecutive serial numbers, that can be maintained within a file server. According to another embodiment, the numbers 111 can be hashed values, with each of a number of different values having both a numerical portion and a hashed portion and where the hashed portion represents the results of a cryptographic operation on the numerical portion to avoid counterfeiting.
[0018] In the embodiment, the templates are sent by e-mail, so that the e-mail server receives these in order. However, different ways of getting the templates to the server can also be used. The templates can be uploaded or otherwise filled out on the website. The templates can be uploaded via FTP. However, each of these has their own possibility of possible denial of service problems. In the embodiment, the server receiving these forms preferably only receives the templates, thus lessening the load on the server.
[0019] 120 shows how at the specified time, the e-mail server may receive e-mails or otherwise receives the forms and sort them by time or may receive them or take them in their received order. If messages are received prior to the appointed time, at 125, a "bounce" message is sent, e.g., from the e-mail client.
[0020] At the appointed time, the e-mail server or computer starts receiving at 130. At 135, the computer sorts the messages, putting all of the messages into a queue. 140 tests to see if the message is already in the queue, to avoid duplicates in the queue, as might otherwise happen as people send multiple emails to try and stay in the cue. This may use the return e-mail address as an identifying information. In one embodiment, the system may automatically determine if the e-mail address sending the e-mail is already in the queue, and if so, may reject the e-mail from being in the queue at 140. Any email already in the queue is bounced back at 125. This and other techniques may be used to reduce the number of duplicate entries that are in line.
[0021] At 150, the system may then send a return e-mail indicating that the request is in the queue.
[0022] During busy times, these return e-mails may be significantly delayed; especially if the number of requests being received is very high.
[0023] Other techniques may be used in order to populate the queue, for example this can be done by assigning random numbers, or by some other techniques such as lottery or the like.
[0024] The queue continues in FIG. 2 at 200, where users who have entered the queue are instructed to log in at specified times. For example, the system may tell one user to log in at some time over a time range, e.g., between 9:05 and 9:15. The login uses may tell the user to use their username, and gives a special password. Prior to sending the e-mail at 210, however, the system operates to determine and be sure that the time being given is not a time that has already passed or is likely to pass before the e-mail is completely sent. For example, the system may maintain an amount of time before the e-mail will be sent in view of the extraordinary amount of e-mail traffic, and they make sure that the time that is given is passed that. In one embodiment, for example, the login times and dates may be on a separate day from the queue formation.
[0025] The name and password becomes valid only for the specified time period. When the user logs in, they enter the queue.
[0026] Other ways can be used to form the queue. However formed, the queue is formed, causing, in FIG. 2, a number in the virtual "line".
[0027] The user then logs in at 210, which provides the screens shown therein. At 210, the system puts the user's name in the queue and updating the place in line. This may use techniques of forming objects that are automatically updated. One of these "objects" 215 provides the user's place in line. Another object 220 provides an estimated time for service, and another 225 tells the user how long they have been waiting. By continually auto updating the objects, the user is kept apprised of their position in line, much like in a real line.
[0028] In one embodiment, the status screen 210 may be facilitated by logging the IP that is asking for service, and keeping a queue of those IP addresses. The system sends back to that IP address an object that automatically updates with status updates.
[0029] According to another embodiment shown in 250, a page may be updated which has image portions thereon, that includes an object showing a line of a conventional type (here, in zigzags) and showing the user their position in the line. 250 shows the "you are here" 251 indication, showing people in front of and behind you, and the like. In essence, this object 250 shows an image of the simulated line from above.
[0030] A user can hover over their own icon, which may be shown in color or bold or differentiated from the background in some other way. The hovering shows statistics about the place in line--for example showing that you are 480th in line, and your estimated time for wait is 900 min.
[0031] The user may be periodically queried while they are in line, to determine if they are still online and in line as shown in 240. This prevents the user from simply getting online, and then leaving their computer. Like a real line, the user needs to stay in the line. That does not mean that the user cannot be doing other things, however the user cannot simply leave the line unattended. In this embodiment, the user may be given a unique sequence of alphanumerics to type, shown in 240 as "axte". This prevents the users from writing a program to keep them in line, and assures that essentially an observer is always in line when they are queried.
[0032] In one embodiment, the user may be allowed to switch the in-line computer. In this embodiment, the user makes a request to switch the computer 260, as they would do, for example, if they need to recharge their phone, or go into another room. The computer then returns a new registration number that can be used to login from another computer using a similar login screen to that of FIG. 2. For example, the computer may return a message saying "you can login from another computer using code X E4 DD1, along with your e-mail address and previously obtained password, so long as you do that with in the next 10 min."
[0033] In one embodiment, the user may lose the ability to move up in line while they are transitioning between computers, that is they stay still in line and others get in front of them. This may allow, however, for the users to take breaks.
[0034] According to another embodiment, the user is allowed certain numbers of breaks per unit time.
[0035] Because the system maintains the users in a virtual line, it does not apply significant resources to any to these users. For example, the system can cycle through each of the users who are in line, and ask the users for different inputs at different times. Only during the time when the user is being asked for input or during the time when the information is being automatically updated, does the computer expend resources.
[0036] Any number of people can therefore wait in line in this way, since the system just takes longer between updates and requests, as the line gets longer.
[0037] The system may maintain an average and median time that each user takes to carry out the registration, and use that as an estimate of the time it will take the user until they are served for example. For example it may take the user an average of 10 min. or median of 11 min. until they are served. Any technique of combining these this information can be used in this way.
[0038] After the user finally does reach the front of the line at 270, however, they receive the service screen. The system may limit for example 20 people per server to having a service screen at one time, to avoid overwhelming the computers. The number of people who have certain screens can of course be changed. Whenever one person finishes their service screen, the next person is allowed into the service screen.
[0039] Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way. This disclosure is intended to be exemplary, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art.
[0040] For example other ways can be used to form a queue, that is handled according to the techniques described herein. Other kinds of virtual lines, other than for tickets, are also contemplated.
[0041] Certain kinds of computers are disclosed, but other computers, both server and client, are contemplated to be within this disclosure.
[0042] Those of skill would further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the exemplary embodiments of the invention.
[0043] The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein, may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor can be part of a computer system that also has a user interface port that communicates with a user interface, and which receives commands entered by a user, has at least one memory (e.g., hard drive or other comparable storage, and random access memory) that stores electronic information including a program that operates under control of the processor and with communication via the user interface port, and a video output that produces its output via any kind of video output format, e.g., VGA, DVI, HDMI, displayport, or any other form.
[0044] When operated on a computer, the computer may include a processor that operates to accept user commands, execute instructions and produce output based on those instructions. The processor is preferably connected to a communication bus. The communication bus may include a data channel for facilitating information transfer between storage and other peripheral components of the computer system. The communication bus further may provide a set of signals used for communication with the processor, including a data bus, address bus, and/or control bus.
[0045] The communication bus may comprise any standard or non-standard bus architecture such as, for example, bus architectures compliant with industry standard architecture ("ISA"), extended industry standard architecture ("EISA"), Micro Channel Architecture ("MCA"), peripheral component interconnect ("PC1") local bus, or any old or new standard promulgated by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ("IEEE") including IEEE 488 general-purpose interface bus ("GPIB"), and the like.
[0046] A computer system used according to the present application preferably includes a main memory and may also include a secondary memory. The main memory provides storage of instructions and data for programs executing on the processor. The main memory is typically semiconductor-based memory such as dynamic random access memory ("DRAM") and/or static random access memory ("SRAM"). The secondary memory may optionally include a hard disk drive and/or a solid state memory and/or removable storage drive for example an external hard drive, thumb drive, a digital versatile disc ("DVD") drive, etc.
[0047] At least one possible storage medium is preferably a computer readable medium having stored thereon computer executable code (i.e., software) and/or data thereon in a non-transitory form. The computer software or data stored on the removable storage medium is read into the computer system as electrical communication signals.
The computer system may also include a communication interface. The communication interface allows' software and data to be transferred between computer system and external devices (e.g. printers), networks, or information sources. For example, computer software or executable code may be transferred to the computer to allow the computer to carry out the functions and operations described herein. The computer system can be a network-connected server with a communication interface. The communication interface may be a wired network card, or a Wireless, e.g., Wifi network card.
[0048] Software and data transferred via the communication interface are generally in the form of electrical communication signals.
[0049] Computer executable code (i.e., computer programs or software) are stored in the memory and/or received via communication interface and executed as received. The code can be compiled code or interpreted code or website code, or any other kind of code.
[0050] A "computer readable medium" can be any media used to provide computer executable code (e.g., software and computer programs and website pages), e.g., hard drive, USB drive or other. The software, when executed by the processor, preferably causes the processor to perform the inventive features and functions previously described herein.
[0051] A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. These devices may also be used to select values for devices as described herein.
[0052] The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. A software module may reside in Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, Read Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In the alternative, the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in a user terminal.
[0053] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the functions described may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A storage media may be any available media that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer. The memory storage can also be rotating magnetic hard disk drives, optical disk drives, or flash memory based storage drives or other such solid state, magnetic, or optical storage devices. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. The computer readable media can be an article comprising a machine-readable non-transitory tangible medium embodying information indicative of instructions that when performed by one or more machines result in computer implemented operations comprising the actions described throughout this specification.
[0054] Operations as described herein can be carried out on or over a website. The website can be operated on a server computer, or operated locally, e.g., by being downloaded to the client computer, or operated via a server farm. The website can be accessed over a mobile phone or a PDA, or on any other client. The website can use HTML code in any form, e.g., MHTML, or XML, and via any form such as cascading style sheets ("CSS") or other.
[0055] Also, the inventors intend that only those claims which use the words "means for" are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims. The computers described herein may be any kind of computer, either general purpose, or some specific purpose computer such as a workstation. The programs may be written in C, or Java, Brew or any other programming language. The programs may be resident on a storage medium, e.g., magnetic or optical, e.g. the computer hard drive, a removable disk or media such as a memory stick or SD media, or other removable medium. The programs may also be run over a network, for example, with a server or other machine sending signals to the local machine, which allows the local machine to carry out the operations described herein.
[0056] Where a specific numerical value is mentioned herein, it should be considered that the value may be increased or decreased by 20%, while still staying within the teachings of the present application, unless some different range is specifically mentioned. Where a specified logical sense is used, the opposite logical sense is also intended to be encompassed.
[0057] The previous description of the disclosed exemplary embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these exemplary embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
Patent applications by Scott C. Harris, Rancho Santa Fe, CA US
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Hundreds of Australian car enthusiasts have capitalised on the European financial crash by importing cut-price supercars from the UK.
Figures obtained by Fairfax Media reveal almost one in three Ferraris, Maseratis and Lamborghinis reaching Australia are "grey import" second-hand cars sourced from overseas.
More than 800 exotic cars worth nearly $100 million have come into Australia in the last five years under the Registered Automotive Workshop Scheme which operates outside conventional manufacturer and dealer networks.
The cars include 397 Ferraris, 151 Lamborghinis and 253 Maseratis imported by a handful of workshops spread across the country as well as private owners that have owned the vehicle in Europe for at least 12 months.
Imported cars undergo a local compliance procedure that involves minor changes, including swapping speedometers that read in miles per hour to ones that display kilometres.
They are often mechanically identical to the original cars sold through Australian dealerships at much higher cost.
Ross Pendergast imports exotic cars through GT Compliance in Sydney.
He said cheap European car imports were becoming less common as the continent continues to recovers from the 2008 recession.
"In January 2009 the cars started to filter out into the market in the UK at a good price," he said.
"It took that long [for people] to realise 'my bonuses aren't coming, I better sell the Ferrari'. The peak was in 2011 or 2010."
Pendergast said Ferraris "were pretty bloody cheap" at the height of the recession, and that the most popular grey import exotic, Ferrari's V8-powered F360, a model that cost $370,000 in Ferrari dealers in 2005, could be had for less than $100,000 on the grey market by 2010.
Tony Geha imported a Ferrari 360 from the UK before trading it in for another model.
He said the appeal of grey imports was simple.
"If you can't afford a new one, to get into the market at $100,000 to $150,000 is quite achievable," he said.
"Most guys that buy these cars are enthusiasts, they don't really care where it's from. It's brilliant value for money motoring.
"A lot of local people were saying 'don't touch an import', [but] the car comes out of the same factory in Italy - it doesn't matter where it lands, it's still coming from the one factory."
Ferrari Australasia spokeswoman Narine Salmasi said buyers should be careful when considering imported cars.
"We cannot guarantee the standard of vehicles that are not imported and/or serviced by the official network and buyers should beware accordingly," she said.
"You would expect the prices of these unofficial Ferrari to be proportionate of the risks associated with not dealing with the official Ferrari network."
Sebastien Henry, regional head for Lamborghini, said manufacturers were protected by current laws as today's models such as the Lamborghini Aventador could not be imported outside of the manufacturer's approved dealers and would not be grandfathered into RAWS.
Maserati spokesman Glen Sealey said current import laws provided an ideal balance for manufacturers and enthusiasts.
"We believe the rules as they stand offer the best compromise between providing safe vehicles for the Australian car buyer and allowing collectors to import rare or unusual vehicles to the Australian market for personal use and ownership," he said.
"To change the rules to allow many more cars into the market as a grey import could open the door to unsafe cars, vehicles that have been re-birthed or worse, botched repair jobs and so on to be sold to unsuspecting car buyers."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The world desperately needs innovation in energy technologies but those innovations are unlikely to happen by themselves. A three-year study by a team of researchers based at MIT has now identified a suite of policy and investment strategies that could accelerate innovation in the United States, helping to meet our growing energy needs affordably and reliably, reducing carbon emissions and alleviating insecurity over energy supplies.
The conclusions of that study are detailed in a new book Unlocking Energy Innovation (MIT Press, 2012) by Richard Lester, the Japan Steel Industry Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT, and David Hart, a professor of public policy at George Mason University. The project was supported by a grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
The study, carried out at the MIT Industrial Performance Center and involving faculty and students from nine MIT departments, concluded that fundamental changes are needed in the U.S. energy-innovation system. Without systematic, transformative changes, Lester says, we are unlikely to succeed either in averting the worst economic and environmental consequences of climate change or in achieving a secure, affordable and reliable energy supply.
Innovation doesnt just emerge out of thin air, Lester says, but requires a productive ecosystem, including public and private research laboratories; small and large firms; financial intermediaries ranging from huge banks to individual angel investors; schools, community colleges and universities; and local, state and federal agencies.
We face a very big innovation challenge over the next few decades, Lester says, bigger than most people recognize. And the system as a whole isnt close to being up to the task. While the focus of this analysis was U.S. institutions for energy research and development, financing, regulations, standards, and markets, he says, U.S. leadership in energy innovation will be essential to world success in affordable mitigation of climate change.
But the urgency isnt solely related to climate change, Lester says: The worlds recent energy shocks have included last years massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, this years Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan, and oil-price volatility and supply uncertainty resulting from revolutions in the Arab world. Still, he says, achieving large-scale reductions in carbon emissions is the biggest and most difficult problem to solve, and if we solve that, we will probably make a number of other problems better.
Lester and Hart identify four stages through which an innovative technology becomes an established part of the energy infrastructure. Of those, the first stage the discovery of new technological options and the final stage fine-tuning of technologies already in commercial use are relatively well-managed, he says, though both will require more investment.
But the two middle stages, Lester says, are less well-managed. These stages, spanning what is often referred to as the valley of death, include the development of prototypes to demonstrate viability in the marketplace and the initial implementation of the first full-scale systems by early adopters in the marketplace. These intermediate stages are costly and pose high investment risks, and a modest carbon price will do little to accelerate them.
Lester and Harts analysis of past advances reveals several steps that tend to foster energy innovation: encouraging competition (and always leaving space for new market entrants), making rigorous and timely selections of promising concepts, and matching the scale of the system to the scale of the need. The current system satisfies none of these, Lester says.
He adds that its essential to pursue parallel innovation strategies aimed at different timescales: changes over the next decade focused on efficiency improvements such as building insulation and gas mileage; midrange efforts to reduce the costs and risks of known low-carbon energy-supply and electricity-storage technologies; and, from about 2050 on, a third wave of technological deployments drawing on fundamentally new developments in fields such as materials and catalysis. All three waves of innovation must be pursued in parallel, immediately, Lester says.
Since coal and natural gas represent about 70 percent of all electricity generation nationally, finding cost-effective ways of replacing those fuels and mitigating their emissions will be critical, the book says. One specific idea the team advocates is a regional approach to managing and financing the intermediate stages of innovation. Lester suggests that such a regionally based system, with decisions made by innovation users, would be more effective than the present system where decision making often rests with the federal government, a system that so far has proved only partly successful.
The federal government is structurally unable to play this role effectively, Lester says. This proposed approach would expand the scale of the energy-innovation system considerably, but reduce the federal role.
Bringing about such radical changes will not be easy, he concedes, especially given the current gridlock in Congress. But in fact the current difficulties in Washington only add to the case for regionalization. Implementation will probably have to happen from the bottom up, he says. It will have to be an organic process.
William Madia, vice president of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center at Stanford University, says Lester and Hart advance bold ideas for both public and private sector approaches that will undoubtedly spark controversy but represent the kind of new thinking that is needed to change the fundamental dynamics of the energy sector [they] offer us a blueprint for transformation of the energy sector.
And Ralph Izzo, chairman, president and CEO of the Public Service Enterprise Group of New Jersey, a major gas and electric utility, says the book provides powerful and innovative approaches to fostering greater innovation in how energy is produced, delivered and used. He adds, The emphasis on energy efficiency recognizes that this area is not only low-hanging fruit, but apples on the ground ready to be collected.
Explore further: A national push for energy innovation


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Start Slideshow
- snow-pumpkin-537x402 60 million people on the East Coast are bracing themselves against the upcoming wrath of Hurricane Sandy. High winds, torrential downpour, power outages and major flooding are just a few of the monstrosities Sandy may leave in her wake. If Sandy doesn't veer from her current track, she is poised to make landfall in the U....

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Every week, our friends across the border at Metro Canada send us some of their most intriguing stories. Read on – and click through – to hear about the most sharable news from the Great White North.
1. Good Samaritan returns $13,000 found on side of road
To Halifax, where the streets are paved with loonies: 13,000 of them to be precise. An anonymous man returned a satchel full of bills to the police, lost by a man on the way to purchase a tractor. "Perhaps the most surprising part of this story is that it doesn't seem to be surprising at all. In fact, it seems as though people in Halifax are especially honest," writes reporter Braedon Clark. It's unclear whether they were all dollar coins.
2. Vancouver bride wants 'not too attractive' bridesmaids
Meanwhile, on the exact opposite site of the country, an ad on Vancouver Craigslist is looking to pay you to be a bridesmaid. "Must be a good liar and actor" is one of the requirements, as well as "Must be attractive, but not too attractive." There's a perfectly valid, although odd, reason why in the story. And if you're counting, $13,000 pay for a bridesmaid for over 21 months.
3. Send in the clowns: It's time for Rob Ford
Finally, if you want the perfect soundtrack to all the news on Mayor of Toronto Rob Ford, there's a new browser extension you can download that plays circus music whenever you read about him. The plugin "becomes grating after a while." And, speaking as a Torontonian, so does the mayor. Here's a preview:


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The STORY OF LOVERS ROCK is a feature length documentary that tells the story of a genre of reggae that was created in the UK. It was influential and very successful in the 70s and 80s and still lives on today. Along with the music came the dancing and fashion that created a unique brand of lifestyle. Inspired by female artists Lovers Rock was the first 'girl power' music in the UK at a time of heightened political tension and racial unrest. Menelik Shabazz, (director of Burning An Illusion) charts the rise of Lover's Rock, often dubbed 'romantic reggae'. Through live performances from the leading exponents of the genre along with humorous reflections and interviews the film brings back to life the era when the music was at a highpoint. Lovers Rock gave a voice to many first generation black British young people but not exclusively. Along with the music came a unique fashion style and 'scrubbing' an intimate dance between male and female that defined the Lovers Rock brand.
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Suitable only for 15 years and over
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1 hour 36 minutes
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Game Thread: Clippers Hosting Warriors
I'd appreciate it if people would post in that thread as the Clippers forum needs some sort of traffic so the members I try to get over here that are Clipper fans will join instead of not due to there being no traffic in the Clippers forum.
BUMPing it up as Clips might be able to force a forfeit :rockon:
You have to admit that there a lot more interesting games to see tonight (from an unbiased point of view)
Nothing against the Clipps.
They should win this one by the away.
Interesting, sure, but historical? Have to say no as the Clippers can potentially force a forfeit, when's the last time that's happaned in basketball?
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Samsung is going to be adding more color to their device lineup. The two devices getting a color session include the Galaxy S III Mini and the Galaxy Note II. The new colors are to be available in the beginning of 2013 for Note II and next month for the Galaxy S III Mini.
The Galaxy Note II colors are Amber Brown, Topaz Blue and Ruby Wine, not to be confused with brown, blue and red. The colors for the Galaxy S III Mini are Titan Gray, Garnet Red or Onyx Black.


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As good as Huston Street is, and he has been nearly invincible for four years, he is not perfect, as the Angels were so painfully reminded of in the ninth inning of Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Texas Rangers in Globe Life Park.
Street, acquired in a July 18 trade from San Diego, gave up no runs and five hits in 12 innings of his first 12 games with the Angels, converting all nine save opportunities and boosting the team's confidence in the bullpen.
That gave the veteran right-hander 33 saves in 34 opportunities this season and 118 saves in 126 opportunities since 2011, a 94% success rate that was the best among all relievers with a minimum of 50 save opportunities in that span.
But appearing in three consecutive games for the first time since May 4-6, Street failed to record an out Sunday. Alex Rios and Adrian Beltre led off the ninth inning with hard-hit singles, and Mike Carp flared a run-scoring single to center field that tied the score, 2-2, and advanced Beltre to third base.
Adam Rosales, with the Angels employing a five-man infield and a shallow two-man outfield, drove a single over left fielder Collin Cowgill's head to give the injury-ravaged Rangers, who have the worst record in the American League, their first victory when trailing after eight innings since April 24 against Oakland.
"It's always a strange feeling when you don't get your job done," Street said. "It's frustrating, but it happens. I didn't make very good pitches out there. That's the bottom line."
Manager Mike Scioscia refused to pin the blame on Street, and with good reason. The Angels failed to score after putting runners on first base and third base with no outs in the fourth inning and after loading the bases with no outs in the eighth.
And a two-run rally in the second inning could have been bigger had the Angels, who had the bases loaded with no outs after Efren Navarro's run-scoring single and Cowgill's infield single, come up with a clutch hit. They were two for 10 with runners in scoring position.
"This game was by no means lost in the ninth inning," Scioscia said. "This game was lost on the offensive side through a bunch of situations, where we needed to either score some runs with outs or get a key hit. And we weren't able to do it."
Hank Conger popped out to shortstop for the first out of the second inning, with the bases loaded, and of the fourth, with runners on first and third.
"If I hit a soft ground ball or a sacrifice fly, I could have done the job," Conger said. "I just got under a couple of balls in those situations."
Kole Calhoun followed Conger's fourth-inning popup with a wicked low liner that pitcher Nick Tepesch caught and turned into an inning-ending double play.
"I hit it right into his glove," Calhoun said.
Mike Trout, who ended a skid at 0 for 18 with a fifth-inning single, walked to open the eighth inning and took off for second base as Albert Pujols doubled to left field. But Trout didn't pick up the ball off the bat and slid into second as Pujols' drive caromed off the wall.
The speedy Trout had to stop at third base. Howie Kendrick was walked intentionally to load the bases, but reliever Shawn Tolleson struck out Erick Aybar and David Freese, and left-hander Neal Cotts struck out Navarro to end the inning, the Angels failing to pad a 2-1 lead.
"When I heard the ball hit, I tried looking for it, but I probably should have looked at DiSar," Trout said, referring to third base coach Gary DiSarcina. "Once I did find the ball, I was able to get to third, but I should have scored, for sure."
It was that kind of game for the Angels.
"Looking back, we had a bunch of opportunities to score some runs, where all we had to do was put the ball in play," Trout said. "It was one of those games where we just didn't get that big hit."
Even with the defeat, the Angels remained tied for first in the AL West because Oakland also lost.


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Events for the Family]
|The Department of Student Activities presents more than 40 program with numerous student organizations, as well as university and academic departments. Whether hosting a community-wide event like Christmas on 5th Street or a more scholarly program like Intersections: an exploration of faith and culture, Student Activities strives to create meaningful experiences for the organizers, participants, and audience.
[EVENTS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY]The Department of Student Activities offers Baylor Faculty and Staff and their families numerous opportunities throughout the year to connect to campus life. The following events and programs are open and free to Baylor Faculty and Staff:


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Get a free shipping quote.
AWR Training and Sales is excited to offer "Ima Fancy Captain" for sale. This 2006 AQHA Red Dun Gelding is athletic, agile, and extremely handy. Captain is a true 16 hands, approximately 1300 pounds, and a striking red dun. He is a BIG mover and has a ground covering stride. He has been used to sort and gather and ridden extensively in the National Forrest. He handles rough terrain with ease and crosses the deepest of water willingly.( Which can be seen in his video) He is an amazing arena horse:round, supple, and willing.... (read more)
Husband & wife team specializing in colt starting, ranch horses, and rope horses.
Avoid Scams and Fraud - Potential areas of fraud: wire transfer, moneygrams, money orders, cashier checks, shipping, escrow, "transaction protection", "guarantee". Check out the Buyer Safety section for more info.
Bakersfield, CA


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With more than 1,400 people dead as a result of contracting the Ebola virus in West Africa, a top U.S. health official said that the virus has had the "upper hand" thus far but expressed optimism that there's still hope to control the outbreak.
Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was in Liberia on Tuesday, and plans to stop in Sierra Leone and Guinea, two other countries severely impacted by the historic Ebola outbreak.
While there, he said "lots of good things are happening" to curb its spread but noted that the "virus still has the upper hand."
To NPR, Frieden said that the outbreak is "definitely not at the peak" yet. But in his remarks in Liberia, he was hopeful in being able to help stop it.
"Ebola doesn't spread by mysterious means, we know how it spreads," Frieden said in his remarks, which were broadcast on Liberian TV. "So we have the means to stop it from spreading, but it requires tremendous attention to every detail."
In other Ebola news:
- WHO scientist infected: A scientist working for the World Health Organization in Sierra Leone who became infected with Ebola was evacuated to Germany Wednesday for treatment at a hospital in Hamburg. "Hamburg has the capabilities to carry out this kind of treatment," Hamburg health department spokesman Roland Ahrendt said.
- Ebola gets political: Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor used the Ebola outbreak in a new TV add to attack his Republican rival Rep. Tom Cotton, who voted last year against legislation to reauthorize programs that respond to pandemic situations.
Watch the ad:
- Twist on the "Ice Bucket Challenge": Instead of showing a man dump a bucket of ice water on his head to raise awareness for ALS, a current initiative that has gone viral within the last month, on the Ivory Coast a man dumps a bucket of soapy water on himself in the "Lather Against Ebola" campaign. Those who accept the "Lather Against Ebola" challenge are expected douse themselves with soapy water and hand out three bottles of hand sanitizer. Those who don't want to get drenched are expected to distribute nine bottles of sanitizer. Since it launched on Aug. 18, dozens of participants have posted soap-soaking clips to social media.
- How a 14th century outbreak might help: Looking back to how Venice, Italy, dealt with a 14th century outbreak of the plague might help officials better understand how to deal with current threats, including other disease outbreaks and also climate change or terrorism, a researcher said. "Resilience management can be a guide to dealing with the current Ebola outbreak in Africa, and others like it, as well as other issues like population growth and the impacts of global climate change," Dr. Igor Linkov with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Linkov said in a statement. "Similar to what the officials of Venice did centuries ago, approaching resilience at the system level provides a way to deal with the unknown and unquantifiable threats we are facing at an increasing frequency."
According to the latest numbers put out by WHO Friday, 2,615 people have been confirmed infected with the Ebola virus and 1,427 have died.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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Orioles manager Buck Showalter joined The Norris & Davis Show after a 'fast sleep night' for the team. The Orioles were 2-1 winners in Minnesota last night. They take on the Twins again today in a matinee game. The 2nd half of the season is underway: 'The challenge ahead of the us is 20 games-in-a-row with no off-days,' noted Mr. Showalter. He also chimed in on the play of Mark Reynolds, Jim Thome & Jim Johnson.
Also now that the finish line of the season is in sight, Buck was asked if the buyers? 'I'm trying to keep our 25 guys in line. The last thing a player needs to here is a manager pontificating about another team's players…It's not healthy.'


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There is a singlw sim version of the 500 with 4.2.2 her in Holland
You're sure they've got 4.2.2? We've got a Desire 500 system dump here on xda, but I think it's 4.1.2 so it won't help us...
Can you upload the dump, then I will port it.. also have a runnable kernel for it.-..
If you need a system dump from Desire 601 with 4.4.2, I can get it from a colleague on school owning this phone. That should work. As soon as he gets the OTA of course.
XDA Developers was founded by developers, for developers. It is now a valuable resource for people who want to make the most of their mobile devices, from customizing the look and feel to adding new functionality.
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Yesterday's staff wellness programs have transformed into today's health and wealth campaigns. HSA accounts and the correlation between health and finances keep credit unions relevant.
With about week left in the campaign, the NCUA had already quadrupled last year's Feds Feed Families food drive results, collecting more than 8,000 pounds of food as of Aug. 20.
Addison Avenue Federal Credit Union, Sacramento, Calif., helped raise more than $14,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association at the annual Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon.


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As summer draws to a close (*sniff*) and New York Fashion Week kicks off just after Labor Day, I've asked a few of my favorite designers for a sneak peek at what they'll be sending down the runway for Spring 2013. (Part two of my NYFW Preview will run next week.)
"I was inspired by the work of fellow Venezuelan Rafael Barrios. This collection, "Flowers & Satellites," deals with the creative battle between my linear, architectural tendencies and my romantic and ethereal side."
"The provocative voice of Egon Schiele's work was the jumping-off point for the Spring/Summer 2013 Collection. His way with composition, line, and color were nothing short of exquisite, but shocking the bourgeoisie was a theme too rich in inspiration for me to ignore. For years, I've been yearning to create something like this, and I feel the time was finally right. Expect collapsible structure and soft angles with variations of translucency and texture in neutral shades with swipes of chartreuse and blood orange."
"This season I went with the concept of 'Frank Stella meets Marilyn Monroe.' I was really into this idea of taking two iconic American artists, having them meet, and play off of one another. The era I focused on was the late 1950s, when things started to get really bold, a little quirky, but sharp and clean. This is when we see Marilyn becoming a bit of an intellectual and Frank exploring optic, labyrinth-like shapes. The mix becomes a bit architectural but with this softness to it."
"It started when I was reading about the Amish. It was refreshing to learn how simple their lives are compared to ours. I was also fascinated with their dependence on, and closeness to, nature. That led me to study the nature surrounding my farm upstate, and ideas for Spring 2013 Collection came out of my backyard. Colors are from a sunny day in the country: blue like the color of the sky, pink and yellow as in flowers, and lots of green."
"This season, I was inspired by the Bloomsbury Group artists and writers: Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, and Vanessa Bell. There is a strong sense of folly, whimsy, and riotous color in diaphanous fabrics – done with Libertine's spirit of humor and lightheartedness."
"With 2013 coming up, we are obsessed with the 1950s optimism about the future. Expect galactic navy, optimistic peaches, scarlets, crepes de Chine, organzas, sheer jacquards, A-line coating, pinch-waist dresses, full skirts, and narrow shoulders."
"Spring was inspired by travel to Mexico: colors, prints, techniques, and textures that make the eye travel and the mind wander south of the border. Colors are earthy, sultry, and bold: chocolate browns, deep navy, red, purple. Materials are light and airy. Polished nods to the Americas with hand-painted Otomi prints, silk knots, fringe knits, and lace."
"I was inspired by the magical landscape of the American Southwest and traveling cross-country to the West side of Baja California. Think classic muscle and low-rider cars, paisleys, stripes, and disco ball-glass tiles framed by cannabis leaves. Colors are reflected in distinctive palettes: metallic car paints, grass greens, bamboo, and fuchsia. Shapes are a mix of proportions – from voluminous jackets layered with streamlined capris to halter dresses topped with paisley-print featherweight raincoats."
"I was captivated by the images of the structured yet fluid synchronized swimmers that were popular in the 1920s and 1930s. Neoprene fabrics with original prints were created from reinvented themes of the ocean – starfish, reefs, fish scales, and water reflection. Touches of lace exhibit remnants of the sea. Stingrays also play a part, while beading has an oyster-like effect. We used the colors of the ocean – pale blues and coral pinks along with complementary pastels."
Lauren David Peden writes for Rue La La as a Contributing Editor.


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Credit Advice
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The easy awnser is YES. So long as the card you applied for is approved. Keep in mind that wither you get the card or not, your credit will take an initial hit because of the hard inquiry on your credit. within a few months it will rebound back to where was so long as you are responsible and make all payment in full by the due date. Next thing to remember, (Although it could happen, because everyones credit is different) it takes years for good credit history to build up and start reflecting in the higher scores.
Keep reading all articles here on CK to continue with your education. In no time you should have an upper hand. Good Luck :)
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Mutagene have released Mukoco v0.5, a comb filter VST effect for Windows based on the core code from MutantKoto.
The algorithm is an abstraction of a simple plucked string physical model; it is used as an effect on a stereo input stream. The left channel is fed into string polarization A and the right channel is fed into string polarization B. The MutantKoto model acts as an optionally non-linear comb filter on both channels.


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Charitable Regions
Donate your car in Missouri
Donate your old clunker to benefit a worthy cause of your choice in Missouri. Let the Vehicle Donation Processing Center help you find the right non-profit in your area to accept your vehicle donation. The proceeds of the sale will benefit others, and you'll avoid the bother of trying to sell the vehicle on your own. It's an easy way to give back to your community!
Known as the gateway to America's west, Missouri is famed for its historic river towns, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the Lake of the Ozarks recreational area and much more. Wherever you live in the "Show Me State" the VDPC can take your unwanted vehicle off your hands and get the proceeds to the non-profit of your choice.
From the many attractions of St. Louis, including the its zoo, the number one in the nation, to the outdoor recreation haven of the Branson/Lakes region, Missouri residents have places to go and things to do. Let the VDPC save you time and energy by taking care of selling your unwanted vehicle. We will handle the pick up and all the processing.
Call our toll-free number from Springfield, the birthplace of Route 66, or from the capitol city of Jefferson City to talk to a real person about your donation. Or, you can fill out an online donation form for the non-profit of your choice. Your benefits include free pick-up, no paperwork to do, and a tax deduction. Call or click today!
Gospel For Haiti
Gospel for Haiti exists to serve the Lord through sharing the Gospel, providing Bibles, and strengthening churches in Haiti and the uttermost parts of the world.
Infant Loss Resources
The mission of Infant Loss Resources, Inc. is to promote safe practices which reduce the risk of infant death and to provide grief support for families who have lost babies.
National Children's Cancer Society, Inc.
The mission of National Children's Cancer Society, Inc. is to improve the quality of life for children with cancer and to reduce the risk of cancer by promoting children's health, through financial and in-kind assistance, advocacy, support services, education and prevention programs.
Pediatric Orthopedic Project
The Pediatric Orthopedic Project is dedicated to improving the lives of children with orthopedic deformities in the developing world through surgical mission trips and the education of local medical staff.
Suggested Charities
Animals Asia
Children, Human Servicesdonate car
Northeast Animal Shelter
Children, Human Servicesdonate car
North and South Rivers Watershed Association
Children, Human Servicesdonate car


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Happy new year all!
The local dealer's parts dept has informed me that Toyota has ceased supply/production of all workshop manuals to Joe Public, forthwith! PERIOD! Access to electronic manuals by Toyota internal network only.
I guess they want to protect us from ourselves; Toyota "technicians" being the only people qualified to screw up the repair and service of your vehicle.
Does anyone know where I can get a copy, electronic or otherwise, of a genuine manual for KZJ95? I have the aftermarket manuals and the 1KZTE pdf manual, but as you know the genuine manuals have got that little bit extra detail that is often very useful!


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As tales of sadistic criminal behavior go, the French picture "Mesrine: Killer Instinct" is one of more vividly paced offerings I've seen in recent memory. Crisply assembled by director Jean-Francois Richet, the feature is a sprawling tale of violence, audacity, and desperation, funneled through an electrifying performance from star Vincent Cassel, who plugs directly into the sickness of the titular character, communicating his rage and quest for infamy with some of the most impressive acting of Cassel's career.
Returning home to France after time spent in the military inside Algeria, Jacques Mesrine (Vincent Cassel) isn't interested in a daily job or a structured life, preferring to join a criminal organization led by kingpin Guido (Gerard Depardieu). Rising in the ranks due to his loyalty and criminal skills, Mesrine quickly becomes a force to be reckoned with, electing a life of danger over the needs of his family, including wife Sofia (Elena Anaya). Soon taking a like-minded mistress (Cecile de France) and moving to Quebec, Mesrine searches for a simpler life after a few foul stints in prison cool his ambition. However, with his survival instincts impossible to contain, Mesrine escalates his troublemaking, thus turning the crook into a media sensation.
"Killer Instinct" is actually the first half of a two-part motion picture (the second film, "Public Enemy #1," is due for release soon) from Richet (2005's "Assault on Precinct 13" remake), detailing the life and times of this notorious gangster, who stole plenty of headlines during his reign in the 1970s. Overflowing with sex and violence, it's easy to see why Mesrine's life would make proper cinematic fodder, allowing the filmmaker to broadly depict the turbulent rise and fall of a villain -- pure catnip to most directors working today. Yet, Mesrine's life doesn't stop at guns and glares, it continues on into a complex psychological framework of deliberation, isolating a raw nerve of a brute who, try as he might, couldn't play by the world's simple rules for domestic happiness.
Thankfully, "Killer Instinct" doesn't make Mesrine out to be a hero, spending more time observing his criminal enlightenment, where acts of abuse and theft filled the enforcer with a grotesque lust he never had the opportunity to fully explore before. It's a miracle piece of acting from Cassel, who makes Mesrine into a dimensional figure when so many of his acts are incredibly repellent and destructive, with nary a concern for the well-being of others. Mesrine is a feral beast, yet Cassel finds degrees of eye-twitching introspection, infusing the role with a captivating aura of purpose, helping to balance out the bloodshed. Cassel doesn't shape a sympathetic character out of Mesrine, but he does humanize the ghoul through his remarkable performance, showing the impulses that take Mesrine on a ride through underworld glory and prison torture. Wisely, Richet keeps his camera trained on Cassel for as long as he can.
With another film on the way, "Killer Instinct" shuts down rather abruptly in the end, leaving viewers stranded in the middle of this extraordinary story. Cinemus interruptus, for sure, but there's an assured bright side: two more hours with Cassel and his victorious performance as the eponymous bastard.


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Steamboat Springs City Council to review proposed apartment building
January 5, 2013
If you go
What: Steamboat Springs City Council considers permit for Skyview Apartments and other matters. The issue is on the consent agenda for Steamboat Springs Planning Commission referrals and could be approved without discussion unless a council member calls up the matter.
When: 5 p.m. Jan. 8
Where: Citizens Hall at Centennial Hall, 124 10th St.
Steamboat Springs — The Steamboat Springs City Council will meet for the first time in the New Year on Tuesday and consider approving a new 42-apartment building at Whistler Road and Sky View Terrace.
The Steamboat Springs Planning Commission voted unanimously Dec. 20 to recommend approval of Skyview Apartments being developed by Brinkman Partners. However, the approval is conditional on developer Paul Brinkman returning to the city with more specific information about exterior building materials and a plan to meet the requirements of the community housing plan by offering reduced rents on several apartments in collaboration with the Yampa Valley Housing Authority.
"We hope to break ground this spring," Brinkman said. "We have two buildings, and ideally we would finish the first by the end of the year, but more realistically, it will be the first quarter of 2014."
Brinkman, who lives in Steamboat Springs and does most of his development work along the northern Front Range, said Brinkman Partners has developed or is in the process of developing 1,000 apartment homes in the past 12 months.
Mountain Village Apartments, one of the most recent big projects of its kind developed in Steamboat, was built in the late 1990s.
Brinkman's company purchased the site for Skyview Apartments in 2011. It has been occupied for many years by a red brick building originally intended for a neighborhood convenience store but has been used for most of the past 15 years as offices for construction companies. It is across Skyview Terrace from Whistler Village Townhomes and a couple of blocks from Whistler Park.
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Brinkman originally planned to build 36 apartments at the project. Since 2011, he has decided to build more one-bedroom apartments than two-bedroom units. That decision is based upon rental vacancy rates reported by the Colorado Division of Housing.
At the end of September, the vacancy rate for one-bedroom apartments here was 2 percent compared with 15 percent for two-bedroom units with two baths and 10 percent for two-bedroom apartments with a single bath.
"On the Front Range, we're at 13-year lows in vacancy and the highest market rents in history," Brinkman said. "We're getting higher rents in Fort Collins and Boulder than we're seeing here" in Steamboat.
He tentatively expects his new one-bedroom apartments with high trim levels to rent for $950 to $1,050. Documents on file with the city show the one-bedroom units will measure 690 square feet and the two-bedroom units will comprise 979 square feet.
The net residential square footage of the two buildings will total 31,557 square feet. Elevation drawings by OZ Architecture, of Boulder, consulting with Becker Architecture in Steamboat reflect that the apartments will have decks or patios.
Planning Commission Vice Chairwoman Kathi Meyer said Friday that discussion during the Dec. 20 hearing on Skyview Apartments centered on some aspects of the architecture of the buildings and the plan to meet community housing requirements.
The developers did not bring actual samples of the exterior building materials to the hearing, but showed images of previous projects instead. Planning Commission made its approval contingent on seeing the actual materials before the development permit is issued.
Similarly, Planning Commission wants to see a formal document describing how Brinkman Partners would make two or three units available at lower rent for tenants approved by the Housing Authority. The intent is for the reduced rents to add up to an amount corresponding to a fee the developer might have paid in lieu of providing community housing.
The developers came to Planning Commission seeking a variance in the form of a 10 percent increase in allowable floor area ratio (size of the building relative to the lot). Despite the objections of a couple of neighbors, Planning Commission decided the additional units implied by the variance did not represent a significant impact.
To reach Tom Ross, call 970-871-4205 or email firstname.lastname@example.com
If you go
What: Steamboat Springs City Council considers permit for Skyview Apartments and other matters. The issue is on the consent agenda for Steamboat Springs Planning Commission referrals and could be approved without discussion unless a council member calls up the matter.
When: 5 p.m. Jan. 8
Where: Citizens Hall at Centennial Hall, 124 10th St.


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Precision nutrition for niche market swine producers
A new study may allow niche market swine producers with data to precisely match the nutrients in feed to what their pigs need -- and cut down on feed costs.
Iowa State University animal science professor, John Mabry, along with the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPAA), are studying the nutritional needs of pigs raised in niche markets. In the past few years, the market has seen a consumer demand despite being a new development in agriculture. "In these value-added markets, the primary cost of producing a pig is the same as in the regular, commodity market; it's the cost of the feed. Feed costs have gone up so much that it compromises about 65% of the cost of the production of any animal," Mabry said.
Niche pig producers can't feed their animals the same series of rations that commodity pigs are fed. "Niche pig producers are dealing with genetics that are nontraditional. The animals don't have the same intake patterns as commodity pigs, and they don't deposit the same amount of lean vs. fat," Mabry said.
By the means of a grant, the IPPA is helping the Iowa State team study Berkshire pigs to find the correct feeding formula. In addition, there are researchers at the ISU Western Research and Demonstration Farm near Castana. Results have shown that cost savings outweigh the cost of additional work needed to grind, mix, and deliver the rations. " We think utilizing these feed budgets on intake, specifically for Berkshire pigs, is an important opportunity to save anywhere from $10 to $20 a pig. If a producer finishes 18 groups of 200 pigs each year, it could add up to an annual savings of $72,000," Mabry said.
Steve Kerns, a Berkshire producer near Clearfield, Iowa, and an Iowa State graduate, agrees that niche market pig producers need assistance with record keeping and understanding the needs of their pigs. Kerns is a cofounder of Heritage Berkshire international, one of only five Berkshire farmer groups in the U.S. "Once the results of the study are out, we can fine-tune our operations. There's nothing out there currently, and there's a great demand for Berkshire pork – we can't keep up with the demand," Kerns said.
IPPA plans to find a producer willing to try the new feed protocols, and Iowa State will monitor the implementation to analyze ease of application and cost savings. IPPA will allocate educational time to the niche market production at the Iowa Pork Congress in January as well as publish a case study in its magazine.


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News on The 700 Club: February 4, 2011
As seen on The 700 Club's nationally televised broadcast for Feb. 4, the top headlines from CBN News include...
285 results for 'ohio'. Showing results 217 - 234
As seen on The 700 Club's nationally televised broadcast for Feb. 4, the top headlines from CBN News include...
Pro-life, Anti-Union Laws Rejected in Ohio, Miss.
Pro-Life Supporters Split on 'Personhood' Bill
Violent Flash Mob Epidemic a Spiritual Issue?
Unlikely Foes: Ohio Heartbeat Bill Splits Pro-Lifers
Cops Successfully Hunt Down Escaped Animals
Escaped Exotic Animals Threaten Eastern Ohio Town
US Losing the Battle against Sex Trafficking?
Rob Portman: 'Can Do' Lawmaker a Pivotal Player
E. Coli Scare Prompts Tyson Beef Recall
Obama Highlights Ohio Bridge to Sell Jobs Plan
Obama Ratchets Up Pitch for $450B Jobs Plan
Ohio Appeals Court: Health Law Constitutional
America Heading for a Double-Dip Recession?
Miss., Ohio Rivers Rising, More Flooding Possible
Intentional Levee Break Destroys Farmland
State of Emergencies Declared Over Brutal Storms
FAA Suspends Controller for Watching Movie


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Related quotes
"When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realised that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me."
"I don't think I would've been drafted had it not been for my stolen bases last year. I had 78 steals in my high school career."
"I think it's great. You hear of skis being stolen. I just have my name on a sticker, but if you see 'police' on a sticker, maybe they'll leave them alone."
"I think this is a larger number of items than normal (stolen), but it has happened before. It's basically a container that goes commercial carrier, not necessarily military people."
"I think you've got to feel that way. But we got one stolen from us earlier this year. So we got one back."


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WINNIPEG - The Winnipeg Jets finally got their first win on Monday night, so they no doubt showed up to practice on Tuesday morning with some pep in their step for practice before heading out on a two-game road trip to Ontario.
Not really, head coach Claude Noel said when asked if he liked his teams workout before it departed for Toronto in advance of Wednesday nights clash against the Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre.
It was more (lack of) execution and other things, but it takes a while to break people of some habits, Noel said. I do get that, too.
In the famous words of Allen Iverson, were talking about practice, so no big deal. The players can put smiles back on their coaches faces with a win over the Leafs, who have yet to lose in regulation this season.
The Jets will then meet the Senators in Ottawa on Thursday night before coming back home to face the Carolina Hurricanes on Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday.
We gotta get ourselves back on the positive side of the ledger, said Noel, whose squad is 1-3. If were going to be a 96-point team, we gotta get over .500. So theres going to be urgency. Were going on the road, and both are teams that are in the East that if were going to be one of the top eight teams, they end up being four-point games.
So you gotta take em. You gotta take em, but you cant take them giving up a point. You gotta take em clean. Thats going to be important.
Fourth-line spark plug Chris Thorburn believes now is not the time for the Jets to rest on their laurels. Hes got that right.
Weve got to be better than we were against Pittsburgh, Thorburn said. Although it was a good game, there are some things we can clean up and sharpen up. Were going to have to do that against Toronto, because theyre doing really well right now. Theyve got a great lineup. Its going to be a good test for us.
Even though theyre coming off a big win that had the crowd roaring on Monday night, the Jets still needed a strong performance from goaltender Ondrej Pavelec, who needed support from his posts a couple of times.
Toss in the fact the power play has yet to score a goal this season and there is still plenty for Jets fans to fret about.
Another loss or two on this road trip would have the team in even greater depths of despair than it was in after the first three debacles.
And any time the top line wants to produce more than one goal, the coaching staff and the fans probably wouldnt mind.
Maybe playing on the big stage in Toronto will bring out their best.
Its a little more business class than here, but its always fun to go there and play, Jets captain Andrew Ladd said. Its the hockey hotbed, and its fun to be around there.
Theres such a big following for the Leafs wherever you go, so its always fun to go back there. And weve got a few guys from that area, so itll be exciting for them, too.
The Leafs, meanwhile, are looking forward to facing a new team and are expecting their best.
I was six years old (when the Jets left for Phoenix), defenceman Luke Schenn said. No memories for me. Its cool. Im looking forward to it. They had a big win (Monday) night, and they will be coming out hard.


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Posted by David Elpern in Cartoons, Drugs | Permalink
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"The Dangers of 'Polypharmacy,' the Ever-Mounting Pile of Pills"By Paula Span, NY Times, April 23, 2016
Although geriatricians and researchers have warned for years about the potential hazards of polypharmacy, usually defined as taking five or more drugs concurrently; it continues to rise in all age groups, and has reached disturbingly high levels among older adults. A recent study showed that 39% of people over age 65 in the U.S. take 5 or more different prescription medications a day (not yo mention other over-the-counter meds and supplements).
This is a concise, lucid and useful article by one of the Times best health reporters. It might pay to read it and remember its warnings.
See: Dangers of Polypharmacy.
Posted by David Elpern in Ageing, Drugs | Permalink
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Ask Your Doctor if This Ad Is Right for You How advertising promotes expensive drugs and treatments you may not need.by Elisabeth Rosenthal New York Times, 2.28.16
This is an extraordinarily important article that all should closely read. Here are some excerpts:
The health care industry spent $14 billion on advertising in 2014.
[It] encourages patients to seek out more expensive and, often, inappropriate treatment.
"Direct-to-consumer advertising also inflates demand for new and more expensive drugs, even when these drugs may not be appropriate."
Worried patients are, of course, a great captive audience.
There is too much here to summarize. Hats off to Elisabeth Rosenthal for a necessary review. It's a keeper.
(Some years ago an entertaining video on this topic appeared on the web. See: Progenitorivox)
Posted by David Elpern in advertising, Drugs, PHRMA | Permalink
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by Kasia Lipskafeb, Feb. 20, 2016
NY Times Op-Ed Piece: Break Up the Insulin Racket
In the United States, just three pharmaceutical giants hold patents that allow them to manufacture insulin: Eli Lilly, Sanofi and Novo Nordisk. Put together, the "big three" made more than $12 billion in profits in 2014, with insulin accounting for a large portion.
What makes this so worrisome is that the big three have simultaneously hiked their prices. From 2010 to 2015, the price of Lantus (made by Sanofi) went up by 168 percent; the price of Levemir (made by Novo Nordisk) rose by 169 percent; and the price of Humulin R U-500 (made by Eli Lilly) soared by 325 percent.
Besides these pharmaceutical companies, [s]omething else is most likely contributing to the rising price of insulin: a very powerful and largely invisible group of middlemen, known as pharmacy benefit managers, or P.B.M.s.
The biggest P.B.M.s are out to make a buck. They get "rebates" from drug manufacturers — payments based on sales or other criteria, which look suspiciously similar to kickbacks. The rebates are not publicly disclosed, but they are sizable. Industry analysts estimate that those payments, and other back-room deals, amount to as much as 50 percent of the list price of insulin.
The three biggest P.B.M. — Express Scripts, CVS Health and OptumRx — bring in more than $200 billion a year in revenue. They control over 80 percent of the P.B.M. market.
In much of Europe, insulin costs about a sixth of what it does here. That's because the governments play the role of pharmacy benefit managers. They negotiate with the manufacturer directly and have been very effective at driving down prices.
PhRMA and the P.B.M.s care making a killing while many patients have a hard time with co-pays for their insulin.
See Full NY Times article.
Posted by David Elpern in Big Pharma, Drugs, PHRMA | Permalink
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I saw a patient today with no drug insurance today who needed a cream for skin lesions. His pharmacy quoted him a price of $297. I had told him about GoodRx and he went to their website. The price there varied between $103 and $214. He wound up getting it for $154 at Walmart.
There are two websites that can help patients without drug coverage save significant sums on generic medications.
We wrote about Good Rx in 2013. The new kid on the block is BlinkHealth.
For more background on these see "Entrepreneurs Pull Back Curtain on Drug Prices" (NY Times, February 9, 2016).
A few entrepreneurs are aiming to fundamentally change the way people buy drugs, bringing the industry into the digital age by disclosing the lowest prices for generic prescriptions to allow comparison-shopping.
The spotlight on drug prices could not come at a better time for at least two online ventures. One company, GoodRx, collects drug prices at pharmacies around the country and connects consumers to coupons to help them pay. Another, Blink Health, takes the process a step further by allowing customers to pay for their drugs online, then pick up the prescription at nearly any pharmacy.
Many uninsured consumers do not know that the price pharmacies charge them is far higher than the rate that insurers pay the pharmacies for the same drug, health care experts said. And even insured customers are not always getting the best deal. Many people have insurance plans that require them to pay a flat rate of $10 or higher for generic drugs, even though the rate the insurers pay the pharmacy is often less.
Becoming familiar with GoodRx and BlinkHealth can save you, a family member or BFF a considerable amount on generic prescriptions. If you need a drug that presents a significant expense, it would be wise to check both of these sites for the cheapest price.
Posted by David Elpern in Drugs | Permalink
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These commandments appeared in the British Journal of General Practice. While they refer mostly to therapeutics, they are applicable to most doctor-patient interactions. We have edited the BJGP article as it was too verbose. Please feel free to edit what we provide as it can still be improved.
Download Ten Commandments for Patient Centered Care
Posted by David Elpern in Drugs, patient-centered care, Patient-Centered Care | Permalink
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Would you like to try some of theover-the-counter drugs while you wait for your prescription?
Posted by David Elpern in Cartoons, Drugs | Permalink
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In the U.S. today, drugs prescribed by doctors (myself included) kill more people than street drugs. This sobering fact was brought home by a recent article in the NY Times (reported widely elsewhere, too).
"In 2008, for the first time in nearly 30 years, more people died of poisoning than in car crashes. Poisoning is now the leading cause of injury death, and 90 percent of poisonings were caused by drugs. Opioid painkillers like morphine, hydrocodone (sold as Vicodin and other brands) and oxycodone (Percocet and other brands) were involved in more than 40 percent of drug poisonings in 2008. These drugs were implicated in more poisoning deaths than heroin or cocaine. Opioid analgesics accounted for 14,800 of the 36,500 fatal drug poisonings in 2008. For full article see: Download Poisoning Kills
If you are a doctor, read this and weep. If you are a patient, digest this. If you are a family member of a patient, be vocal.
Posted by David Elpern in Big Pharma, Drugs | Permalink
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Posted by David Elpern in Cartoons, Drugs | Permalink
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An amazing NY Times article describes sleazy narcotic "clinics" in Florida.
"Florida has long been the nation's center of the illegal sale of prescription drugs: Doctors here bought 89 percent of all the Oxycodone sold in the country last year. At its peak, so many out-of-staters flocked to Florida to buy drugs at more than 1,000 pain clinics that the state earned the nickname "Oxy Express." One clinic alone, prosecutors say, was responsible for 56 overdose deaths.
If you want your mind blown, read about Florida's 'Pill Mill' Clinics.
Posted by David Elpern in Drugs | Permalink
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October 19th: Dual Duel and Local Legends with Derrick "Blakheart" Goodwin
8:00PM – Dual Duel: Competitive Improv Games ($5)
This Friday's 8pm show is Alchemy Comedy's players in Dual Duel. Two duos in a head-to-head comedy competition for points and your laughs. There will be a few familiar games like those featured on the show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, as well as some Alchemy favorites. In this week's show it's and Ron on Jenn the Blue Team vs Craig and Travis on the Red Team. Come out and help decide who walks away a victor, and who simply walks away. You may have seen improv games before, but you probably haven't seen it like this!
9:30PM – Local Legends with stories from Derrick "Blakheart" Goodwin ($8)
At 9:30 stories from a guest inspire scenes from the all-star cast of Local Legends. This week, see scenes based on the stories from photographer, composer, founder, and CEO of Blak Fokused Media, Derrick "Blakheart" Goodwin. Derrick and his Greenville-based company provide professional but affordable media services to artists, producers, and models around the globe including videography, photography, and graphic design. This Friday, Goodwin's stories will help to create the scenes for Alchemy's Local Legends.
This week, Jenn Newsome to guest spot with Local Legends.