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Opinion: Vietnam's Legacy: Overlawyered Wars
Wonder Land Columnist Dan Henninger on how America's global superpower status will be limited by the over lawyering of our military pursuits. Photo credit: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... they will support Iraqi forces on the ground ... as they fight ... for their own country against these terrorists ... as your commander in chief I will not commit you and the rest of our armed forces ... to fighting in other ground war in Iraq ... if we reached a point where I believe are AdvisorShares company Iraq troops on attacks against Pacific ISIL targets I'll recommend that to the president ... welcome to Opinion Journal I'm Mary Kissel ... the Obama administration is sending very mixed messages ... about how we're going to prosecute the fight against the terror group ISIS Wonderland Columnist and Henninger joins me now D and ... why it is so rhetorical confusion ... well it won't ... happen so the throne because the president himself is ... confused on an reluctant to take the steps that he is taken to go into ... Iraq and perhaps into Syria though is not clear you know I initially thought that the present announcement to commit to getting Isis was a good thing because he was ... basically green leading the military ... to ... start building the steps the strategy but I think they've been doing pretty good job of the year strikes along the Iraqi army and the Peshmerga from Kurdistan to come in and push back against ISIS ... and all the Wall Street Journal reports today ... that the White House's has decided ... that the president himself is going to have to be able to personally sign off ... on airstrikes inside Syria ... and then he's gonna be running ... the air war in Syria not the military and warm my mentor then maybe even Jimmy Carter AG Daniel column today ... talked about this kind of micro management said that that ... that's also part of prosecuting a war in today's America as ... well it's become a reality I mean most people would be gone to discover that the Department of Defense has ... ten thousand lawyers ... ten thousand is about the number of soldiers in a division ... okay so we of a division of lawyers and the Pentagon ... and Mary these are not merely paper pushers they are active players because since Vietnam ... an entire body of law has built up around ... the rules of engagement ... about for instance the arguments we've had over the National Security Agency in its collection amended data ... of the pilot was drones and how and when they can target people ... on the ground ... all these things have to be first cleared with the lawyers to sort of draw the parameters around what the military can and cannot do when I am arguing that since Vietnam ... we have done this over and over again to the point where the military by now was essentially fighting with one hand tied behind its back ... held by lawyers with this will be a problem and and if we had a different kind of President ... are they would be less of a problem ... of personnel is policy of the saying goes and if the president were to put in place ... of attorneys who understand the difference between common sense ... and paper legal in some it would make a different spot ... recall that during the Bush administration that ... he and the Vice President Cheney ... try to ... prosecute the war in Iraq as aggressively as they could ... this precipitated ... endless lawsuits by outside attorneys which then go into the courts handle going now in other developments is Vietnam you have judges making declarations and determinations about the extent to which the United States can go to war cannot stop the ... president has threatened to prosecute C I a interrogators after the fact the band right that's right and of you know that threat on over their heads that criminal prosecution for several years until Attorney General holder finally decided to set it aside ... but we go through the same thing with the National Security Agency now having to decide in fine detail what they can do what they cannot do ... there is legislation proposed in Congress by Sen Leahy can greatly restrict the amount of of telephone ... conversations that they can monitor ... so ... yes we can an individual arguments or these things but in total you'll end up with a body of rulemaking ... that simply ... restricts the United States when it's trying to play a barbaric enemy why crisis in Iraq the most likely thinking about everything except the yen


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Edna Eva Shroy, 88
Edna Eva Shroy
of Bremerton
March 29, 1925
to April 19, 2013
Edna Shroy passed away on April 19, 2013, at Belmont Terrace, Bremerton. She was born in Billings, Mont., on March 29, 1925, to Harry and Myrtle Edna Eastwood. She moved to Bremerton with her parents in 1940, and graduated from Bremerton High School in 1943 and then attended Bremerton Business College. She was Secretary to the Treasurer of the W. Division of Puget Power, a talented homemaker, gardener, seamstress, artist, mother, member of Olympic Chapter OES - Hatasn Temple #1, Daughters of the Nile, and member of Sons of Norway, Oslo 35.
She married Harold Shroy in 1945 and had two children, Janel and Brent. Edna and Harold spent six years in the Philippines before Harold retired from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in 1976. After retiring they moved back to Bremerton, where Harold passed away in 1980.
Edna had many dear friends and lived a remarkable life traveling to many countries and visiting her grandchildren, Keri, Brendan and Ryan Shroy and Angela and Jennifer Johnson. She spent the last 29 years with her dear friend, Ed Zrout.
She was preceded in death by her mother and father; her husband, Harold; and her son, Brent. Your family and friends miss you and love you.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sunday, May 22, 2016
Overview of urban agriculture
Here is a pretty extensive, rather cheerleaderish analysis of the major urban agriculture initiatives in the US. I'm glad to report that Chicago figures prominently on the list.
Posted by chicagron at 8:09 AM
Labels: Chicago, current events and politics, eating and other intellectual pursuits, food and farming systems and agronomy, urban farming, urban social and labor issues
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From Fashion royalty last week to Rock & Roll royalty this week, after Mick Jagger's daughter Jade Jagger's Wedding to DJ boyfriend Adrian Fillary at the weekend.
Just like BFF Kate Moss, bride Jade opted for a Cotswolds countryside location for her big day – Aynhoe Park Hotel. The house is owned by music industry big wig James Perkins and describes itself as "a living museum of adventures." Just look at this place, can you get more Rock & Roll?
Bride Jade Sheena Jezebel Jagger (brilliant middle names) is pretty design savvy being a luxury jewellery designer so it was only natural that she would want to design her own Wedding dress. Jade Jagger's Wedding dress was bright white, setting off her famous tan, with crystal-embellished straps.
Nicknamed 'Jadefest' by her pals in keeping with the bohemian vibe, Jade opted for a flower headdress and her signature tousled hairstyle.
Entertainment was easy to come by with Jade's dad Sir Mick Jagger taking to the mic to get the dancefloor rocking before husband DJ Adrian Fillary's mix. The 150 guests including Kate Moss, Jamie Hince, Christian Louboutin, Lizzie Jagger and Jerry Hall, rested their heads after the raucous celebrations in tepee tents pitched around the Wedding venue, in keeping with the bohemian festival theme.
Congratulations to Adrian & Jade.


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We have been planning for a few days that we are going to visit The West Coast National Park. My boyfriend said he wanted to have a braai next to the ocean and that sounded just as grand to me.
On our way we some some (tame) wild and a little bit of flowers. This is quite sad because of the draught.
We arrived way to early for the spot where we wanted to be so we snoozed in the car a bit in front of the closed gate.
We found a spot close enough to the ocean and secluded enough to be on our own. We had some visitors of course.
We were both paste as we were unpacking boxes the previous day. I fell asleep on my chair and my boyfriend woke me up asking a favor. Here is the conversation.
BF: Don't you want to add some wood to the fire? (he gets down on both his knees to grab a piece and hands it to me)
Me: Saying nothing, just trying to get the piece of wood from him.
BF: Stand closer
Me: Why?
BF: And remove your hat and sunglasses
Me: But why?
BF: I want to see your eyes
BF: It is a pretty piece of wood hey?
Me: (laughing) Yes, it is.
BF: Will you burn in my life like this piece of wood will burn in the fire?
Me: (Still not knowing what is happening) I start laughing, answering off course.
BF: You still don't realise what is happening?
Me: A bit confused..Noooo
BF: Okay, so we played 20 questions earlier and on your own you asked me some questions, right?
Me: Hmmm
BF: Well, I only have 1 questions to ask.
Me: Hmmm
BF: Elré Hugo, will you please marry me?
Me: What?! Really? Like really?
BF: Yes, really (kind of like what silly question is that?
Me: Yes! Totally blown over. (giggling and smiling and laughing and hugging and going all girly on him)
At this point he opens the wood and this is what I see
Me: WOW! Where did you this made? And when did you have this made?
BF: I will tel you everything. But first get your ring.
Me: I am still squealing with joy.
BF: Let me ask again, Will you marry me?
Me: YES!
I did not expect anything. Not even a hint. Nothing. I was totally taken by surprise and I absolutely loved it. My family knew and they were all keeping the secret and here I though we were just going to have a braai.
It was a wonderful day.
We laughed and had a wonderful lunch and then made our way to his brother to celebrate.
Our day was perfect and we had the most beautiful sunset to stare at. My favourite!
This is my surprise engagement story.
Till next time!


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I have walked from house to house in little towns in Iowa with my hands feeling like they would fall off in the cold.
I met a young pregnant woman with a husband who couldn't vote because he was a felon. I met an old man with hardly any teeth who believed that voting doesn't count anymore. I stumbled over trash on people's porches to get to their plastic-wrapped front doors. I was invited inside by a warm, friendly old woman who didn't understand a word i was saying. I met an enthusiastic Dean supporter who said, "You're one of those Dean people, aren't you? God bless you for coming all the way out here!" I had a door slammed in my face by Republicans who said that Howard Dean was the "most immoral man on the face of the earth" and had no business running for president.
I got up at 5:15 this morning to stand on the median of an intersection in Des Moines for over an hour in zero-Fahrenheit temperatures, jumping and hooting and waving a Dean sign and shouting at the cars to go vote.
I met Neil Drumm, the core of the DeanSpace project, Aaron Welch, the creator of the Storm Center tool, and dozens of coordinators and volunteers. And this afternoon, i shook hands with Howard Dean himself as he strolled through the phone-banking hangar where i joined an army of volunteers, calling Iowans all day long.
Why didn't Dean win? I definitely have some thoughts on that, but i'll save them for later.
I'm back in Berkeley. I will post some pictures from the weekend here when i have more time. I'm headed to HP Labs to give a talk tomorrow, and i'm not yet sure how i'm going to get there without a car.
I am so tired and so discouraged.


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Dry Cleaning Facility Assessment and Closure
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~ 2018: Schrack Environmental Consulting is the #1 trusted leader for Phase 1 and Phase 2 Environmental Reports in the Chicagoland area. ~


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Violence Breaks Out at Tijuana Border as Migrant Caravan Arrives
During a confrontation that lasted more than three hours, area residents sang the Mexican national anthem and waved Mexican flags. They chanted "Mexico! Mexico!" each time a bus transporting migrants left the beach for the temporary shelter. Mostly women and children went to the shelters, while young men from the caravan said they were determined to stay together at the beach and await the estimated 2,000 more caravan members on their way to Tijuana.
Mexican residents of Playas De Tijuana confronted Honduran migrants who had set up a makeshift camp at "Friendship Park" in Playas De Tijuana. The Mexican residents demanded that the the migrants leave the area and threaten the migrants if they did not leave. Federal and Municipal Mexican police kept both groups separated and some incidents of violence broke out throughout the night.
Pushing, shoving, kicking and a couple of blows broke out between masses of residents and migrants, illuminated by the crescent moon and mobile light towers, set up by authorities on the beach on the U.S. side of the border. More than three dozen municipal and federal police watched, separating people and trying to prevent the situation from devolving into fistfights and chaos.
After midnight, residents assaulted journalists, injuring at least three, according to reporters on the scene.
By Thursday, the migrants had left the beach and joined hundreds of caravan members at a temporary shelter at the Benito Juarez sports complex. The complex has room for 3,000 people to sleep on thin mattresses on the floor of an indoor basketball court, in large, communal tents and in individual camping tents, according to a local official.
"The message to the migrant population is very clear," said Francisco Rueda Gómez, secretary-general of the state of Baja California. "We are providing them with humanitarian support, health care and food, however the need to take into consideration the rules of the shelters so they can coexist in harmony with the local population."
Rueda Gómez said it will cost about $4 million to care for the migrants for two months, including providing food and medical care. He said the state government can only afford to fund this work for 10 days at the most, so he has asked the federal government for support.
The violent night Wednesday marks the latest in rising tensions, as waves of migrants arrive in the border town south of San Diego, culminating a month-long journey across Mexico.
The conflict was foreshadowed earlier in the day at the beach. By the afternoon, two large groups of migrants – a total of about 750 people – had arrived in Tijuana. The city's migrant shelters had limited space when the caravan arrived. A large portion of the migrants said they didn't want to be separated, opting instead to sleep at the beach.
On Wednesday evening, city and state officials announced they were opening a temporary shelter at the Benito Juarez sports complex, where 360 migrants could sleep on thin mattresses in an indoor basketball court. They started offering buses from the beach to the shelter around 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, Playas de Tijuana residents marched through the neighborhood to call for security and demand the migrants go to the shelters.
By 8:30 p.m., hundreds of residents and migrants had congregated by the beach, with local residents demanding the immigrants leave the public space at the beach.
"This is not an appropriate place for them," one local resident said. "There are appropriate places for them."
Political Power for European Americans!
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European-Americans should push back! European-Americans should abandon the Republicans and Democrats. Change your party allegiance to the American Freedom Party. A Nationalist Party that shares the customs and heritage of the European American people. We need a Nationalist Party interested in defending our borders, preserving our language and promoting our culture. The American Freedom Party is not beholden to foreign governments, special interest groups, nor Wall Street. The American Freedom Party is for America First!
Category: American Voice, Establishment News


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My question of identity revolves around multiple aspects of my life. Sexual, financial, professional, life goals, death, and possibly others. Each one could end up being several paragraphs long so I'm not going to try to shove them all into one entry. This is just the topic starter, and in a way the most depressing of them all.
There has also been a lot of morbid trends in my life recently that have further affected my mood. Two of my normal sources of humor, web comics, have turned extremely violent, morbid, and with very dark humor (if any). My niece, who has had major health problems most of her life, is "not doing well" (I'm the last to find out these things, and often with little or no detail). There have been a number of celebrity/etc deaths that get posted to Facebook, LiveJournal, etc. To top it off a huge percentage of things posted into my news feed on Facebook are also morbid, largely to do with one person's struggle with MS (I understand it's hard for you, and that it consumes a huge portion of your life, but you post so much, and almost all of it is about MS or politics, or both; it's depressing. Just because it's painful and depressing for you doesn't mean it should be depressing for everyone else as well, otherwise everyone is going to be too consumed with depression to get anything done).
Today I called my brother to inquire about our niece's condition. He actually didn't know much more than I did, and in fact had even more morbid news (though, thankfully, not about him). Maybe 5-10 minutes after I got off the phone with him my oldest sister called, the mother of the niece with the health problems. I was on the phone with her for over an hour, and maybe 20 minutes into the call I broke down. I got choked up, cried a bit, and explained some of my thoughts on life, death, and the various things going on that I'm questioning now. It was during this I made one realization: That as long as I can use my skills to improve someones quality of life then I want to live. If that means programming on education systems, or disaster recovery systems, or whatever can contribute to making the world a better place then I want to live.
I still have to come to terms with death, though. I have been at peace with it for a long time, but something has brought it back up and left me disturbed. When I think about death, how I'll feel about it, and realize that that's the big kicker: once I'm dead I won't feel about it, and that frightens me. It frightens me to realize that I'll stop thinking. How do I know I'm not already dead and everything is just in my head, so to speak. I still wish for voluntary immortality, but I need to accept it's probably not happening within my lifetime given the way our political environment and science and medical advancements are going. Instead I need to kindle an enthusiasm for life as much as possible. There's nothing wrong with being realistic, or facing facts, but whenever possible I want to put energy into the things I do, and not do them just because. I want to enjoy them, to revel in the novelty of whatever I'm doing. I don't want a 9-to-5 desk job where I mentally checkout and do things on automation. I want to think as much as possible about everything I can while I can, and not regret anything. Anything could happen tomorrow.


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January 26, 1987
The followup meeting of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE) resumes its important work tomorrow in Vienna. It is charged with taking stock of developments in the "Helsinki process'' and with charting the path ahead. The United States has worked energetically and in concert with our NATO allies to support full implementation of the Helsinki Final Act. All CSCE states must fulfill their commitments if we are to realize the promise of a more secure peace with respect for human rights and with greater cooperation among all the peoples of Europe and North America.
Progress has been achieved in some areas, but the human rights situation within the Soviet Union and other nations of Eastern Europe remains tragic. The resolution of some prominent individual cases is welcome, and we hope it will continue. However, sporadic gestures must be expanded into universal practice. Our attention must not be diverted from the severe abuses of human rights that persist. During the last round of the Vienna meeting, the United States and other allied delegations documented in detail failures by the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies to keep their Helsinki promises, particularly on human rights.
Looking ahead, the United States continues to believe that the credibility of the CSCE process depends on fulfillment of commitments already undertaken. We seek signs that the East is prepared to take actions -- and not just offer words -- to solve such problems as the treatment of Helsinki monitors and other political prisoners, divided families and spouses, persecution of religious believers, denial of the right of emigration, and radio jamming. Significant progress on these issues would establish the basis for a constructive and balanced outcome at Vienna. Such an outcome would not only give renewed impetus to the Helsinki process but also mark a welcomed step forward in overall East-West relations. I have instructed Ambassador Warren Zimmermann, Chairman of the United States delegation, to work toward these important goals.


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First Step Recovery Center Can Help
Next to smoking, nothing causes more disease and death in this country than alcohol abuse. Although the word "alcoholism" is rarely listed on a death certificate, alcohol causes or contributes to dozens of fatal illnesses — not to mention the alcohol-caused deaths from drunk driving, suicide, accidents, and violence. Then, of course, there is the path of devastation carved daily through jobs, school grades, driving records, and of most of all through families and children.
Detox and withdrawal treatment from alcoholism and alcohol use disorder can sometimes become very dangerous due to the alcohol detox symptoms of delirium tremens or "the DTs," which can cause severe seizures and other severe complications. It becomes even more complicated when alcohol use is combined with pill addiction or other drug use. In these cases, it is extremely important to have proper medical consultation and supervision when you make your decision to get help in Victorville and surrounding areas.
Graduates of our therapeutic program are strongly encouraged to continue their introduction to this new abstinence-based lifestyle change by participating in our Continuing Care Program for relapse prevention and recovery enhancement. We will also introduce the principles of 12-Step Recovery and strongly encourage all of our clients from Lancaster to Apple Valley and more to engage with community recovery resources, including Alcoholics Anonymous and others when appropriate.


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New line of Disc Black has many improvements in technology that was stored data even safer and available higher speed in a variety of applications. Maximize the performance of the system enjoy more time doing what you love most. Hand in hand receive a generous capacity . The perfect solution for busy computer. Disk is suitable for the most demanding tasks such as working with multimedia, graphics or gaming.
New High Resolution Controller and advanced algorithms to take care of faster issuance header exactly to the desired location. Improvements were also VR StableTrac and joined Vibration Control technonology for unwavering stability. WD Black is equipped Corruption Protection Technology (CPT), which protects data integrity when a sudden power failure and eliminates potential data loss. Like previous models, the Black dual processor for rapid processing requirements of a large buffer so that the disk filed a maximum power even when the crowd demands.
This product is not an independently functional unit and may require professional installation.
Information about the displayed capacity in Windows.
Specifications can be changed without notice. Images are for illustrative purposes only. Retail Price (MSRP) means the manufacturer's/supplier's suggested retail price.
Link to Manufacturer's Website: Enter link to the external review


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Article content
BALTIMORE — After a key witness failed to show up in court, a judge has acquitted an ex-maintenance worker of charges that he demanded sex from a woman in exchange for repairs at a public housing unit in Baltimore.
News outlets report the state's attorney's office abandoned the case against 62-year-old Doug Hussy after a woman who had accused Hussy did not appear in court Thursday to testify.
The accusations against Hussy were among several raised by female public housing tenants in 2015 that led to a class-action lawsuit. The city housing authority settled the lawsuit last year for up to US$8 million.
Hussy had been charged with second-degree assault, fourth-degree sex offence, harassment and misconduct in office.
A second housing worker, Charles Coleman, faces trial on similar charges March 29.
tap here to see other videos from our team.


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JP Kuehlwein
Strategy Expert & Global Brand Builder
JP Kuehlwein Bio
Jan-Patrick (JP) Kuehlwein is a recognized strategy expert, global brand builder and accomplished marketing leader. JP has a 20 plus year track record of successfully translating consumer and branding insights into transformational propositions that win in the market. His broad experience spans from introducing a new-to-the-world food wrap to the US or disposable diapers to developing markets in Asia, to developing a global communication strategy for the world's leading detergent and portfolio strategies for in the Beauty- and Lifestyle categories for the world's largest advertiser.
JP currently serves as Managing Director of Global Strategy & Innovation at Procter & Gamble and was, until January 2016, Executive Vice President of Frederic Fekkai, a global prestige brand and fully owned subsidiary of Procter and Gamble. He is also an External Director of Smith & Norbu, a Hong Kong-based luxury optical frame maker.
JP has co-authored the bestselling "Rethinking Prestige Branding - Secrets of the Ueber-Brands" (Kogan Page, 2015), which is quickly becoming a marketers reference book. It analyses the success drivers behind some one hundred premium brands across industries. With his co-author Wolf Schaefer, JP advocates to put 'myth back into marketing' to 'seduce rather than sell' for a brand to be esteemed beyond size, price or performance. JP is regularly involved in public speaking and teaching across industries and markets in English, French or German language. His blog and podcast 'Ueber-Brands' and related events are sought-after by brand builders and marketing leaders around the world.
Based out of New York City, JP is on the advisory board and a guest lecturer at the Masters Program in Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management at the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT, NY), an advisory board member of the CMO Council and a trustee of the Marketing Science Institute (MSI, Boston).


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Apparatus and method for characterizing movement of a mass within a defined space
Apparatus and methods for resolving presence, orientation and activity of a person within a defined space utilizes at least one electrode proximate to the space to be observed. An AC signal is applied to the electrode, and the current measured from that electrode and also to any other electrodes included in the system, and which are effectively connected to the ground return of the AC-coupled electrode. A person (or object) to be sensed intercepts a part of the electric field extending beween the AC-coupled "sending" electrode and the other "receiving" electrodes, the amount of the field intercepted depending on the size and orientation of the sensed person, whether or not the person provides a grounding path, and the geometry of the distributed electrodes. Given the nonlinear spatial dependence of the field, multiple electrodes can reliably distinguish among a set of expected cases. The invention can be configured to detect not only static positions and orientations, but also motion through a defined space. This is accomplished by taking sequential measurements at different times and utilizing the time variation in signal magnitudes as well as the absolute magnitudes themselves.
Latest Massachusetts Institute of Technology Patents:
- Applications of Engineered Streptococcus Canis Cas9 Variants on Single-Base PAM Targets
The present invention relates generally to the sensing of position and the distribution of mass within a spatial reference frame, and in particular to a sensing system that resolves the presence, orientation and salient characteristics of a person in a defined space based on variations in a displacement current.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Determining the position, orientation or mere presence of a person within a defined space is important in applications ranging from medical treatment to safety and security. For example, prior to initiating operation of a tomographic scanning device, it is essential to ensure that the patient is not only within the device, but also oriented properly with respect to the scanning elements. While direct visual monitoring by trained personnel is obviously ideal, the nature of the equipment may make this impossible.
Of even greater concern are devices that operate automatically but rely on an assumption of proper orientation. For example, airbags are now employed as standard equipment on new automobiles, and have substantially reduced accident-related injury by cushioning the driver and passenger. However, because of their explosive deployment, airbags can themselves cause injury or even death of an infant improperly oriented in the passenger seat. They are also expensive to repack, so that passenger-side deployment into an empty seat is wasteful. Thus, although visual monitoring is simple and unimpeded in an automobile, it is not necessarily reliable; consumers may be unaware of proper airbag operation, and the routine character of operating an automobile invites inattentiveness: a driver might easily fail to disable the airbag after his passenger departs, or may orient a child improperly.
For such applications, where proper orientation is critical but difficult to monitor visually with adequate reliability, sensor arrays have been developed to obviate the need for human attention. These arrays typically contain a large number of sensing devices arranged to surround the space of interest; the sensors are often utilized in a binary fashion--detecting or not detecting presence within an operating range--so that numerous devices typically are necessary to resolve the different orientations of interest with a tolerable level of ambiguity. But the number of sensors is not chosen in any systematic or rigorous fashion; there is no methodology for minimizing the number of sensors, nor any test (other than experimentation) to ensure that the number chosen will resolve all necessary cases.
In order to ensure reliability, current systems may also require multiple sensing modalities (e.g., some combination of infrared, ultrasound, force and capacitance sensing). Once again, the reason for this stems from a "brute force" approach to distinguishing ambiguous cases.
For example, a common type of binary electrostatic sensor is a capacitive button switch, which is activated when the user places a finger thereon; in so doing, the user effectively increases the capacitance of a capacitor, with the resulting increase in capacitive current indicating actuation of the button. A more advanced version of this type of sensor is described in published PCT application WO 90/16045 (Tait), which describes an array of receiver electrodes arranged about a central transmitting electrode. Even this type of configuration, however, is only slightly more advanced than a purely binary system, since what is measured is variation in weighting among the arrayed electrodes. Arrangements such as this do not meaningfully reduce the number of devices (i.e., electrodes) necessary to characterize position and orientation, nor provide an approach to obtaining an optimum number of devices. Moreover, the Tait device is not employed in a manner that is even capable of resolving a three-dimensional mass distribution, much less distinguishing among different orientation/position cases. It is expected that contact will be complete in all cases--that is, the user's finger will actually touch the transmitting and receiving electrodes--rendering the approach unsuitable where such contact is not possible.DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention dispenses entirely with the need for contact between the person under observation and the sensor, and substantially reduces the number of necessary sensing devices by multiplying the functions that each performs.
In accordance with the invention, a set of electrodes is arranged about the space to be observed. An AC signal is applied to a first of these electrodes, and measurements taken of the current exiting that electrode and also the currents into all of the other electrodes, which are effectively connected to the ground return of the AC-coupled electrode. A person (or object) to be sensed intercepts a part of the electric field extending beween the AC-coupled "sending" electrode and the other "receiving" electrodes, the amount of the field intercepted depending on the size and orientation of the sensed person, whether or not the person provides a grounding path, and the geometry of the distributed electrodes.
For example, in a simple case, such as that contemplated in the Tait application, a person is so close to a sending/receiving electrode pair that she effectively bridges the electrodes, increasing their capacitive coupling and, therefore, the current through the receiving electrode as compared with the current that would flow in the person's absence. If, however, the person is standing on the ground and is somewhat distant from the electrodes, her body provides a grounding path in addition to increasing the capacitive coupling. These two effects are opposed: the path to ground diverts some of the current, reducing the output at the receiving electrode, while enhanced capacitive coupling increases output current. (The grounding path is insignificant in the simple case where the person touches both electrodes, since the capacitive-coupling effect predominates.)
Also relevant is the absolute amount of current through the person, regardless of whether it reaches a receiving electrode or is shunted to ground. Indeed, if the person is close to the sending electrode but distant from the receiving electrodes, this will be the only relevant parameter.
All of these measurements, in combination with knowledge of electrode geometry, help to resolve the position and orientation of the person within the space. Because the response of the field to mass distribution is a complex nonlinear function, adding electrodes can always distinguish among more cases. In other words, each electrode represents an independent weighting of the mass within the field; adding an electrode provides information regarding that mass that is not redundant to the information provided by the other electrodes.
Yet perfect resolution is frequently unnecessary as a practical matter. The present invention is primarily intended not to fully resolve position and orientation, but to distinguish among a discrete set of allowed characteristics, positions and orientations. The geometry and number of electrodes are chosen so as to be capable of distinguishing among these allowed possibilities with a desired degree of reliability.
To increase this reliability--that is, to reduce ambiguity--the invention preferably includes means for switchably designating each electrode as either a transmitting or a receiving electrode. Making a set of measurements with the source and receivers located at different positions substantially increases the resolution capability of the system without increasing the number of sensors.
The invention also comprises a search methodology wherein sets of measurements are represented as points in a multidimensional "measurement space"; with proper electrode orientation and a sufficient number of measurements in each set (i.e., a sufficient number of spatial dimensions), the spatial regions occupied by measurements taken at different ones of the allowed positions and orientations will be discrete and separable. In other words, despite some variation in position and orientation within an allowed state, as well as in extraneous variables such as a person's mass, measurements will still tend to cluster in spatial regions characteristic of the allowed states.
By maintaining a pattern characterizing the cluster regions and their extents (generated, for example, by measuring different individuals in the various allowed states), a new measurement can be unambiguously associated with a cluster region and, therefore, a single one of the allowed states can be inferred.
The invention is usefully employed in any application where distinguishing among various positions and/or orientations, or the presence or absence of an occupant, is important. Representative applications include airbag-deployment control systems; systems used to control electrical devices (e.g., a reading chair with a lamp that turns on or brightens when a person is seated, or an office chair that actuates a desktop computer when the chair becomes occupied); alert systems (e.g., a seat for airplane pilots, automobile drivers and truck drivers that issues an alert signal when the operator's head droops); intermittently active advertising systems (e.g., a multimedia kiosk or video-arcade game that senses passersby and signals them to attract their attention); and appliances or toys that "know" when they are being held.
The invention can be configured to detect not only static positions and orientations, but also motion through a defined space. This is accomplished by taking sequential measurements at different times and measuring differences (if any) in the time-shifted signal magnitudes as well as the absolute magnitudes themselves. In effect, time becomes another measurement parameter, in the same way that adding an electrode provides a further spatial measurement parameter.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing discussion will be understood more readily from the following detailed description of the invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of a sensor incorporating the invention;
FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of an alternative sensor design that can be employed as a receiver or a transmitter;
FIG. 2 illustrates the manner in which a sensed object or person affects the parameters measured by the invention;
FIGS. 3A and 3B are elevational, partially schematic views of an application of the invention involving airbag deployment;
FIGS. 4A-4E schematically depict the measurement patterns corresponding to various different cases involving an automobile seat;
FIG. 5 illustrates the measurement space for three matrix positions and clusters formed by repeated measurements of the various cases illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4E;
FIG. 6A schematically illustrates a sensor configuration for recognizing gestures;
FIG. 6B depicts measurement patterns corresponding to various different gestures as measured by the configuration shown in FIG. 6A; and
FIG. 7 illustrates the measurement space for the measurement patterns shown in FIG. 6B.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Refer first to FIG. 1A, which illustrates a multi-electrode circuit suitable for practice of the present invention. The circuit is arranged to sense a characteristic of a mass 12 by detecting changes in the electric field involving three electrodes variously employed as receiving and transmitting electrodes as described below, it being understood that the number of electrodes actually employed in a given implementation depends on the nature of the application. In the representative mode of operation shown in the figure, the electrodes include a sending or transmitting electrode T and a pair of receiving electrodes R.sub.1, R.sub.2. The object 12 may be, for example, a human body or portion thereof; the characteristic to be sensed depends on the relative positions of the three electrodes (with respect to each other and to object 12), and the manner in which they are used.
The circuit includes components defining a transmitter stage, switchably coupled to transmitting electrode T, and a pair of receiver stages switchably coupled to receiving electrodes R.sub.1, R.sub.2. The transmission stage includes an alternating-current (AC) source 18 connected, by means of a switching logic circuit 20, between the electrode T and a reference point, i.e., ground, with a shielded cable 22 being used for the connections between source 18 and electrode T. Electrodes R.sub.1, R.sub.2 are also connected to the output side of switch logic 20 (by means of shielded cable 19), and the other two inputs to switch logic 20 originate with a pair of receiver stages switchably connected to electrodes R.sub.1, R.sub.2. Each receiver stage includes an operational amplifier 25.sub.1, 25.sub.2 connected in a negative feedback circuit. Thus, each of the two receiver input terminals is connected to the inverting input terminal of one of the amplifiers 25.sub.1, 25.sub.2. The inverting input terminals are thus essentially at ground potential and the output voltage of each of the amplifiers corresponds to the current from electrode T to ground.
A resistor 27.sub.1, 27.sub.2 and a capacitor 28.sub.1, 28.sub.2 bridge the non-inverting input terminal and the output terminal of each amplifier 25.sub.1, 25.sub.2, which are, in turn, each connected to a synchronous detector 29.sub.1, 29.sub.2, whose other input is a signal from source 18. Accordingly, the output of the detectors 29.sub.1, 29.sub.2 is the component in the output of amplifier 25.sub.1, 25.sub.2 that has the frequency and phase of the source 18. It is thus free of interfering signals and noise that may be picked up by the electrodes R.sub.1, R.sub.2.
The receiving stages each also include a low pass filter 31.sub.1, 31.sub.2 which smooth the output of detectors 29.sub.1, 29.sub.2. The signals from filters 31.sub.1, 31.sub.2 are applied to a computer processor 33, which includes an analog-to-digital converter (not shown) that converts the voltage from the filter to a digital value. The computer 33 controls switch logic 10, and utilizes the signals from filters 31.sub.1, 31.sub.2, as described below.
A resistor 34 is connected between the output of source 18 and one input terminal of a voltage detector 36, the other input terminal being connected directly to the output of source 18. In this way, detector 36 can be calibrated to measure the current output of source 18, and its output is provided to computer 33.
The frequency f.sub.1 of source 18 may be 100 kHz, and the relative spacing of the electrodes depends on the characteristics being sensed. In any case, the length of the electrodes and the spacing between them are substantially less than a wavelength at the frequency f.sub.1. Accordingly, there is minimal radiation from electrode T and the coupling to electrodes R.sub.1, R.sub.2 is essentially capacitive.
FIG. 1B illustrates an alternative arrangement that avoids the need for switch logic and separate receiver and transmitter stages. The circuit includes an electrode E, which can be a transmitting or receiving electrode; an AC source 18; a transimpedance amplifier 41 measuring current; a differential amplifier 43; a synchronous detector 29 whose input terminals are connected to the output of amplifier stage 43 and source 18; and a low-pass filter stage 46. A switch 48, controlled by computer 33, determines whether electrode E is a transmitting or receiving electrode.
In operation, closing switch 48 applies the signal from AC source 18 to electrode E (via feedback) causing the circuit to operate as a transmitter. The input to the second gain stage 43 is a voltage proportional to the current into electrode E, so the ultimate signal reaching computer 33 reflects a loading measurement.
Opening switch 48 decouples electrode E (but not detector 29) from AC source 18, so the signal into electrode E, which the other circuit components amplify and filter, originates externally (i.e., with a similar circuit behaving as a transmitter). The introduction of a person (or a person's limb or feature) into the electric field extending between, e.g., electrode T and electrodes R.sub.1, R.sub.2 may be understood with reference to FIG. 2, which models the various interactions in terms of an equivalent, hypothetical circuit. In the figure, the person P is represented as a three-terminal network, and current from AC source 18 (transmitted through a transmitting electrode T) can reach ground via any of three current paths: through a first variable capacitor 50 connected to a receiving electrode R (spaced some distance from electrode T and connected to ground); through a pair of variable capacitors 52, 54 on either side of network P and then to electrode R; or directly through network P and a fourth variable capacitor 56. The values of the various hypothetical capacitors in the circuit depends on the relative distances between the electrodes R, T and the person P, and the circuit assumes that person P is positioned within the space defined by the electrodes.
The capacitor 50 represents capacitive coupling solely between the electrodes, as if they were the two plates of a single capacitor. Without the person P, this capacitance would predominate; when introduced, however, person P, who is electrically conductive, "steals" flux from the electric field between the two electrodes and conducts it to ground via capacitor 56, but also increases the capacitive coupling between the electrodes by changing both the effective geometry and the dielectric constant; this increase in capacitive coupling is represented by the capacitors 52, 54.
In "loading" mode, current into receiver electrode R is inconsequential or ignored for measurement purposes; the only relevant current is that exiting electrode T, regardless of how it reaches ground. For example, if electrode R is very far from both electrode T and person P, which are proximate to one another, the dominant capacitances will be those at 52, 56, and the current exiting T--as measured, in FIG. 1A, by detector 36--will essentially equal the current through person P.
If, however, the electrodes are spaced more closely, the electric field between them is stronger, and the other capacitances become more significant; their relative significances, of course, depend on the length scale and position of person P with respect to the electrodes. If person P is very close to electrode T, the person's body is effectively clamped to the AC source, so it oscillates at the transmission voltage. In this "transmit" mode, capacitance 52 is therefore very large relative to capacitances 54, 56. Because AC source 18 is configured to deliver a constant voltage, the increase in capacitance 52 as person P approaches electrode T forces AC source 18 to put out more current (which can be detected by a "loading mode" measurement) in order to maintain the constant voltage. This results in greater current at electrode R, the amount of the increase depending on the ratio of capacitance 56 to capacitance 54 (the magnitude of capacitance 54, in turn, depending on the distance between the person P and electrode R).
When there is some distance between person P and both electrodes, capacitance 56 is overwhelmed neither by capacitance 52 nor capacitance 54, and therefore contributes to the current detected. In this "shunt" mode, some of the field is shunted to ground, and the effect of capacitance 56 is to reduce the current at electrode R. The shunted current is maximized when the person is situated halfway between electrodes T and R, since capacitances 52, 54 are thereby minimized (and capacitance 56 is assumed not to vary significantly with position); if the person P moves closer to either electrode, one of capacitances 52 and 54 will increase and the other will decrease, but the net effect is greater current into electrode R. Naturally, the shunting effect is increased to the extent person P's coupling to ground is improved (the limiting case occurring, for example, when person P touches a grounded wire).
These three cases represent the most extreme situations that may be encountered, and are therefore most easily interpreted in terms of signal measurements. For example, a high current out of electrode T and virtually no current into electrode R unambiguously locates person P proximate to or touching electrode T and far from electrode R. But most cases are intermediate, resulting in degeneracy. That is, the signal values cannot unambiguously characterize the location and orientation of person P, because those values can be produced by more than one unique location and orientation.
Rather than attempt to resolve degeneracies by increasing the number of electrodes, the present invention increases the number of measurements. By selectively connecting the AC source 18 to different ones of a set of electrodes, and measuring the current exiting the AC-coupled electrode and into the other electrodes, a matrix of measurements can be obtained. If each of n electrodes is employed as a transmitting electrode with current readings taken both from the transmitting and other electrodes, the matrix is square ##EQU1## for i=j=n electrodes. The diagonal terms m.sub.11, . . . m.sub.ij refer to measurements made in loading mode, i.e., the current out of the transmitting electrode; the entry m.sub.21 refers to the current into electrode 2 when electrode 1 is the transmitter; and the entry m.sub.12 refers to the current into electrode 1 when electrode 2 is the transmitter.
Even if this measurement matrix is insufficient to fully characterize the location and orientation of person P, it can still be used to place the person within a defined range of possible locations and orientations based on known, characteristic measurement patterns. For example, suppose the person is constrained to a fixed number of orientations within the measured field. While different people in slight variations of the allowed orientations will produce different measurement patterns, these patterns will still tend to cluster. So long as the different clusters can be mathematically resolved and are distinct from one another--that is, the electrode arrangement is judiciously chosen to avoid measurement degeneracy among allowed orientations--new measurements can broadly be said to belong to one of the clusters and an orientation among the allowed orientations thereby assigned.
To characterize these clusters, one can, for n electrodes, define a measurement space of n.sup.2 dimensions, with each matrix of measurements for a particular person in a given orientation constituting a single point in this space. It is these points that will tend to cluster within a given spatial region for each allowed orientation, and so long as the cluster regions are separable (i.e., classifiable by decision boundaries in the measurement space), it will be possible to unambiguously infer orientation by locating the cluster to which a new measurement belongs.
Importantly, because each additional electrode represents a weighting of the mass in the field that is independent (due to the nonlinearity of the response of the field to mass distribution), n electrodes provides enough information to distinguish among roughly n.sup.2 different cases (the n.sup.2 figure being limited only by symmetry and insufficient measurement variation among the different cases to permit their reliable resolution). Thus, adding even one electrode substantially increases the number of cases that can be resolved. As a practical matter, this means that an initial configuration capable of distinguishing among many cases and failing only for a few can usually be extended to resolve the ambiguous cases through addition of a single electrode.
The manner in which the invention is practiced may be understood with renewed reference to FIGS. 1A and 1B. Computer 33 is associated with a memory 33m that stores both data and executable programming instructions. In the simplest approach, these instructions cause computer 33 to operate switch logic 20 so as to couple AC source 18 sequentially to the three illustrated electrodes. Each time source 18 is so coupled, computer 33 reads signals from filters 31.sub.1, 31.sub.2 and from detector 36, thereby making a row of measurements, and stores these in memory 33m. Memory 33m also includes pattern information concerning cluster locations in n.sup.2 space. This information can consist simply of large numbers of previous measurements which, when represented as points in n.sup.2 space, naturally cluster in characteristic regions. Preferably, however, it includes a more precise mathematical characterization (e.g., in the form of templates) of the cluster patterns and their boundaries, which thereby serve as decision boundaries. These boundaries are determined using linear or nonlinear clustering algorithms well known to those of skill in the art. So long as the boundaries are discrete and separable, assessing the location in n.sup.2 -space of a new n.sup.2 -dimensional measurement most likely places it within a boundary, unambiguously designating the characteristics associated with that bounded region; or places it outside a boundary, indicating that the characteristics do not match any of the known (or allowed) cases upon which the boundaries are based.
Obviously, memory 33m may be configured to include permanent storage containing several different cluster patterns corresponding to different allowed orientation sets or electrode arrangements, with computer 33 including a suitable user interface to facilitate selection thereamong.
Depending on the cluster distribution, it may not be necessary to complete the full matrix of measurements in order to characterize presence or orientation. The system can be designed along a hierarchy, proceeding only as far as is necessary to characterize the parameter of interest. As a trivial example, a single loading-mode measurement may be sufficient to resolve presence; more generally, the following measurement hierarchy is useful in the design of a variety of implementations:
1. Loading-mode measurement with a single electrode;
2. Two electrodes, one a fixed transmitter, the other a fixed receiver;
3. Two electrodes each switchably operable as a transmitter or a receiver, facilitating a full 2.times.2 measurement matrix;
4. Add further electrodes and measurements according to guidelines 1-3.
As is obvious from the measurement matrix, the different measurement modes are not mutually exclusive; instead, they each contribute different information toward characterizing the mass and distinguishing among cases. For example, "loading mode" measurements are by no means useful only where current into receiving electrodes is negligible; instead, they are utilized in conjunction with other measurements that are by themselves inadequate; each measurement contributes independent, non-redundant information. (For ease of presentation, the terms "shunt mode" and "transmit mode" are sometimes used herein to designate the dominant mode of a particular measurement, rather than in an exclusive sense.)
Another strategy for resolving degeneracy is the use of multiple transmission frequencies, since the output voltage of the sensor 10 is a function of the frequency f.sub.1 of source 18 in addition to the configuration and spacing of the various electrodes and the orientation of the person with respect thereto. Multiple AC sources, each operating at a characteristic frequency, can simultaneously operate through a single transmitting electrode; or, instead, each of the electrodes, when used as a transmitting electrode, can be energized at one or more frequencies different from those at which the other electrodes operate.
Thus, again with reference to FIG. 1A, the electrode T can be connected to receive signals from both the source 18 and a second source 18.sub.a having a frequency f.sub.2. The sources 18 and 18.sub.a are coupled to the receiving electrodes R.sub.1, R.sub.2 through isolation filters 40 and 40.sub.a, tuned to the frequencies f.sub.1 and f.sub.2, respectively. The output of the amplifier 20 is applied to a second synchronous demodulator 29.sub.1a connected to the source 18.sub.a. The output of the demodulator 22.sub.1a is passed through a low-pass filter 24.sub.1a, whose output in turn is fed to the processor 33. Since the output currents from the electrodes R.sub.1, R.sub.2 are, in part, a function of frequency, the use of multiple frequency sources provides, in essence, multiple sending and receiving electrodes sharing common physical electrodes.
A highly advantageous application of the present invention is detection of presence and orientation in automobile seats designed for infants and small children. The need for this type of measurement has taken on special urgency with the introduction into automobiles of airbag safety devices, which inflate explosively upon the automobile's impact. If the child seat is installed in the front passenger side of the automobile, it is critical to the safety of the infant that the seat 75 face backward, as shown in FIG. 3B, opposing the back rest 77 of the automobile seat 79; in this way, should the automobile decelerate rapidly, the infant's head will be supported by the upright portion of the seat and not snap forward. However, the infant's head is then in dangerously close proximity to the explosive airbag. In this orientation, the airbag must be disabled.
If, on the other hand, the child seat 75 is oriented forward, toward the windshield as shown in FIG. 3A, the explosive deployment of the airbag is not a threat because the seat retains the infant an adequate distance from the airbag.
At the same time, replacement and repackaging of the airbag following deployment entails considerable expense. Accordingly, the airbag should deploy only if the passenger seat is occupied, and if occupied by an infant, only if the child seat is oriented such that the infant faces forward.
All of the relevant possibilities can be resolved using four electrodes 82, 84, 86, 88 as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B; in fact, for this application reliable results can be obtained with only three electrodes, as discussed further below, so that either of electrodes 84, 86 (both shown in phantom) can be omitted from the design. As shown in FIG. 3B, the electrodes are connected to the circuitry and processor arrangement shown in FIG. 1A or 1B (and indicated generically at 95); the processor, in turn, is connected to a circuit 97 that controls operation of the automobile airbag.
Refer now to FIGS. 4A-4E, which descriptively illustrate the effects of various cases on the 3.times.3 measurement matrix obtainable with three electrodes generically labeled E.sub.1, E.sub.2, E.sub.3 that may be switchably employed as transmitting or receiving electrodes in accordance with FIGS. 1A and 1B. The coarsest relevant measurement is whether the seat is occupied by a person at all. This measurement is not trivial, since the driver may load groceries or other items onto the seat, and any useful sensor array must be capable of distinguishing persons from inanimate objects. Although food or merchandise tend to exhibit conductivities different from that of a person (plastic and glass-packaged items will tend to be poor conductors, for example, while metal items conduct much better), the average or aggregate conductivity may not differ significantly. On the other hand, the conductivity distribution probably will not match that of a person, so that a full matrix of measurements will easily distinguish person from object.
Thus, in FIG. 4A, seat 77 is empty. Table 100.sub.a represents the measurement matrix, with the height of each tabular entry graphically depicting the amount of current into a receiving electrode. The sensors have all been calibrated so that all current levels are the same and scaled to the halfway point.
By contrast, because an adult spans all three electrodes, as shown in FIG. 4B, transmission-mode coupling is characteristically large and relatively uniform through the measurement matrix as illustrated in table 100.sub.b. The effect is similar but diminished in the case of a forward-facing infant, as shown in FIG. 4D. Transmission-mode coupling between all electrodes, while substantial and uniform, is not as large as in the case of the adult.
In the case of a rearwardly oriented infant, as shown in FIG. 4C, transmission-mode coupling between electrodes E.sub.3 and the other two electrodes is quite small, while coupling between electrodes E.sub.1 and E.sub.2 is similar to that produced by a forward-facing infant.
The measurement pattern produced by an object such as a bag of groceries, as shown in FIG. 4E, is easily distinguished from the others. It is explained by the fact that when the electrode beneath the groceries (i.e., electrode E.sub.1) is the transmitter, it puts out a relatively large current, resulting in large loading-mode and transmit-mode readings; when either of the other electrodes transmits, the effect of the groceries is insubstantial.
These various cases produce measurement clusters that are separable and readily resolved, as illustrated in FIG. 5. For ease of presentation a three-dimensional measurement space is shown, reflecting measurements m.sub.21, m.sub.31, m.sub.32 only; obviously, the 9-dimensional space incorporating all measurements would produce even better results (i.e., greater separability among measurement clusters). A first axis 110 plots m.sub.21 (transmitter=E.sub.1, receiver=E.sub.2); a second orthogonal axis 112 plots m.sub.31 (transmitter=E.sub.1, receiver=E.sub.3); and a third orthogonal axis 114 plots m.sub.32 (transmitter=E.sub.2, receiver=E.sub.3).
Multiple measurements for each of the various cases are represented by points, which cluster as illustrated; each point represents a separate set of m.sub.21, m.sub.31, m.sub.32 measurements, and was generated to simulate an actual case by perturbing a representative measurement point with noise. The cluster 120.sub.a corresponds to variations of the measurements shown in table 100.sub.a, the cluster 120.sub.b corresponds to table 100.sub.b, and so on. The three-dimensional construct 125 depicts the decision boundary between the clusters, which are discrete and well-separated.
In another embodiment, the invention is configured to resolve gestures by plotting redundant measurements separated in time. In other words, what is measured is not only the magnitudes of the transmitted and/or received current, but also their changed values at a different time. The original and "lagged" measurements represent separate parameters for purposes of measurement space.
A representative configuration appears in FIG. 6A, where, for purposes of simplicity, the transmitter T and the receiving electrodes R.sub.1, R.sub.2 are fixed; this is ordinarily desirable, since the mass to be measured is in motion, but in principle there is no reason why transmitting/receiving identities cannot be exchanged among electrodes. A hand H is free to move left, right, up and down relative to the electrode array, and the measurements taken, as shown in FIG. 6B, include essentially simultaneous measurements at R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, and a previous or "lagging" measurement R.sub.1 '. In general, the simultaneous measurements at R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are taken periodically, and R.sub.1 ' is retained in memory 33m from the previous measurement set.
In FIG. 6B, the illustrated position of the hand H is moved (R)ight, (L)eft, (U)p or (D)own from an initial position, and the results graphically depicted in table 130. Leftward movement begins with hand H in the illustrated position; shunt-mode coupling to R.sub.1 is initially small, as illustrated by the large R.sub.1 ' measurement, but increases when the hand has moved to a point (not illustrated) between R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 (as shown by the R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 measurements). The upward and downward movements assume that the hand is situated over the T electrode.
Because the electrodes do not change in function, three measurements are taken for each case, and therefore can be represented by a three-dimensional measurement space as shown in FIG. 7. The space is characterized by orthogonal axes 132 (corresponding to measurements at R.sub.1), 134 (corresponding to time-lagged measurements at R.sub.1), 136 (corresponding to measurements at R.sub.2). Numerous instances of the four cases shown in table 130, each perturbed with noise to simulate slight variations, cluster into four distinct regions corresponding to upward movement (cluster 140.sub.U), downward movement (cluster 140.sub.D), leftward movement (cluster 140.sub.L) and rightward movement (cluster 140.sub.R) as described above.
It should be understood that the foregoing configuration is representative only; as few as one electrode (multiple time-separated loading-mode measurements) or two electrodes can resolve numerous movement modes as well.
It will therefore be seen that the foregoing represents a highly extensible and reliable approach to characterizing presence, position and orientation within a defined space. The terms and expressions employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.
1. Apparatus for characterizing movement of a mass within a defined space, the apparatus comprising:
- a. a plurality of electrodes proximate to the space, the electrodes having fixed positions relative to each other;
- b. an AC source;
- c. means for momentarily connecting at least a first electrode to the AC source a plurality of times so as to produce a plurality of electric fields;
- d. means for measuring current into the unconnected electrodes each time the field-producing electrode is connected to the AC source, thereby producing a plurality of measurements through the unconnected electrodes, at least some of the electrodes being switchably connectable to the AC source or to the current-measuring means to thereby serve as field-producing electrodes or as measurement electrodes; and
- e. means for characterizing movement of the mass within the space based on the plurality of measurements.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising at least three electrodes, the connection means being configured to connect a first of the electrodes to the AC source, and the measurement means being configured to make at least two measurements of current into a second of the electrodes and at least one measurement of current into a third of the electrodes.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising at least three electrodes, the connection means being configured to sequentially connect each of the electrodes to the AC source, and the measurement means being configured to make at least two measurements of current into one of the unconnected electrodes and at least one measurement of current into another of the unconnected electrodes.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
- a. a computer memory for storing the (i) the measurements and (ii) a pattern of measurement clusters each associated with a movement; and
- b. a processor for comparing the measurements against the pattern to thereby characterize movement of the mass.
5. A method of characterizing movement of a mass within a defined space, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. providing at least two electrodes proximate to the space;
- b. sequentially sending an AC signal out each of the at least two electrodes at fixed intervals so as to produce a plurality of electric fields;
- c. measuring current out of the electrode as the AC is sent; and
- d. characterizing movement of the mass within the space based on the measurements by (i) providing a pattern of measurement clusters each associated with a movement, (ii) comparing the measurements against the pattern, and (iii) based on the comparison, characterizing the movement.
6. A method of characterizing movement of a mass within a defined space, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. providing at least two electrodes proximate to the space, the electrodes having fixed positions relative to each other;
- b. momentarily sending an AC signal out a first electrode a plurality of times so as to produce a plurality of electric fields;
- c. measuring current into at least one unconnected electrode each time the signal is sent out the first electrode, thereby producing a plurality of measurements; and
- d. characterizing movement of the mass within the space based on the plurality of measurements by (i) providing a pattern of measurement clusters each associated with a movement, (ii) comparing the measurements against the pattern to thereby characterize movement, and (iii) based on the comparison, characterizing the movement.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the mass is a person.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the mass is a person.
Type: Grant
Filed: Apr 2, 1997
Date of Patent: Jun 22, 1999
Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
Inventors: Neil Gershenfeld (Somerville, MA), Joshua R. Smith (Cambridge, MA)
Primary Examiner: Josie Ballato
Assistant Examiner: Thomas Valone
Law Firm: Cesari and McKenna, LLP
Application Number: 8/831,196
International Classification: G01R 2726;


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In which Brandon and Danica can't remember your names. We're looking at you, Sarah Jessica Miller.
On ths week's show, Danica fixes another broken part of Brandon, as he finally finishes his exploration of series one with "Bad Wolf" (Episode Twelve) and "The Parting of The Ways" (Episode Thirteen) and finds it to be quite fantastic. Then, they talk about "Age of Steel" (Series Two, Episode Six… or Seven if you count the Christmas Special) and they don't get distracted by James Wolk at all. At. ALL.
Outro music is "Hey Mickey" by The Riplets
Podcast picture is by GIRL NAMED SHIRL PHOTOGRAPHY.
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As a fence, the kernel prevents programs from accidentally overwriting each other's data and from accessing files and devices that they don't have permission to. It limits the amount of harm a poorly-written program can do to different operating applications.
If the simulated version of the AI says that the program $A$ is ok (will never freeze on any enter), then Excellent Simulator goes on to run it with enter $(A, B)$, otherwise it stops. The Affiliate of Science Degree in Laptop Science permits students to transfer easily to the third year of Pc Science applications at main BC universities.
The way we speak in regards to the worth of a bit within the electical engineering and computer science communities is first as a logical value (true if on, false if off) and secondly as a binary number (1 if the bit is on and zero if it is off).
You hook it as much as a keyboard, mouse and monitor and turn it on. It boots up a version of Linux and you can begin programming. Within every danger category, the proportion of defendants who reoffend is approximately the same regardless of race; that is Northpointe's definition of fairness. Simply to give you something to have a look at, simply to compare, Table 1.5 shows what the assembler language program in Table 1.1 might appear to be assuming that the machine directions are loaded into reminiscence at addresses a hundred through 107. The pc industry has traditionally been a rewarding place for ladies and minorities. Primarily based largely on the Algol 60 programming language, Simula grouped data and directions into blocks known as objects, every representing one side of a system supposed for simulation. Promotions are generally tied to superior degrees (an M.B.A. or an M.S. in computer science).


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Self-inking stamp orders placed before 12:00 will be manufactured and shipped the same day.
Prices incl. VAT excl. shipping costs
Order in the next 4 hours, 41 minutes an 2 seconds for same day shipping.
Royal Mail delivery: free above £20.00
(within UK)
Matte 4 oz Multi Medium. Rangers Multi-Medium is an artist quality acrylic gel medium that can be used as a super strong adhesive, acrylic paint extender or sealer. Use it in many mixed-media techniques including image transfers or resist. Multi Medium is non-yellowing and dries clear. Available in 3 sizes - .5 oz. bottle with needle tip applicator, 1 oz. jars with a convenient built-in brush and 4 oz. jars for larger projects. All sizes are available in Matte and Gloss finishes. Acid-Free, Non-Toxic & Archival. Non-yellowing, dries clear.
Essential Products and Tools for Art Craft Scrapbooking and Card Making
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As one of the first companies, we already had an Internet presence in 1999 with our broad selection of individually designable stamps and accessories. Today we deliver our products to thousands of satisfied customers all over Europe. Selected solid components and state-of-the-art, high-resolution laser technology ensure that our stamps perform their work for a very long time and with precise quality. This is why private customers like them just as much as large companies or authorities that require large quantities.
Ordering via Internet not only allows particularly favourable pricing, but also unrivalled convenience and flexibility. From your home or office, you can design your desired stamp(s) exactly according to your ideas. Designing a stamp in our shop is very easy, regardless if you want to create a simple text stamp or a stamp with a multi-coloured company logo. This also applies to address labels and company-specific T-shirt embroidery. Our free hotline will be happy to answer any questions you may have quickly and competently.
Individual orders are usually delivered to the customer within 48 hours at the latest. We also offer impressive delivery speed for large orders. We deliver on account, insist on low shipping fees and offer a money-back guarantee if you are not satisfied.
In addition to over 450 different stamp models, you will also find many related, useful things in our shop that you can permanently mark with your sign. This includes individually designable embossers, signs, address labels, textiles and gift ideas for advertising purposes.


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Allen Lumber Company is one of the oldest family owned businesses in the state of Vermont, getting its start during the building boom of the late nineteenth century, brought on by the flood of immigrants drawn to Central Vermont by Barre's fledgling granite industry.
It was 1888 when Stillman Allen, along with a cousin, founded the Allen Lumber Company in an old general store in Barre. It was six short years later when according to Barre's Historical Souvenir, Allen Lumber had in the last three years-without doubt sold more lumber than any other retailer in the state. Stillman Allen would take his company into the next century, until his retirement in 1918, where for a short time the company was owned by his nephew, Claron Allen.
However, it was destined to be Claron's son, Loren who would be the next important figure in the company's history. After his father's death, 19 year old Loren took control of the company, and would be in the thick of running it for the next 60 years.
It was during Loren Allen's control that the company relocated to its present site on 502 North Main Street in Barre, and managed its way through its first real setback -- the flood of 1927. The next year, in 1928, Allen Lumber's first expansion took place with the opening of the Montpelier Branch.
Bob Allen became president of the company in 1970, and took complete control when his father retired in 1978, and guided the company through its next expansion... the Waitsfield Lumberyard in 1983, and the building boom of the early eighties. In 1984 Bob turned the operation of the company to the next generation of Allens -- his five sons.
All five brothers have an active role in today's Allen Lumber Company. Gary Allen serves as president, Burnie as treasurer, Paul and Tom as vice-presidents, and Steven as the company's secretary. In addition to being officers of the company, each brother handles a different segment of the company's day-to-day operation.
The five brothers have taken the company through the remainder of the eighties, through the nineties, and into the next century. The business has grown significantly, with the company serving homeowners as well as contractors. The number of employees has increased considerably, and the company's truck fleet has multiplied dramatically including the acquisition of three boom trucks, which allow Allen Lumber to put materials on the job site and in place.
The brothers have brought the company to the cutting edge of the industry's technology in areas such as inventory software and computer-aided designing. When doors, windows, kitchen and bath cabinetry, countertops, and plumbing fixtures became an important part of the business, it was necessary to open the Home Showcase showrooms upstairs in all the stores to display the products. As the kitchen and bath portion of the business began to grow, it was necessary to open Allen's Kitchen & Bath Showroom in St. Johnsbury, which is a 4,000 square foot showroom with over 20 exquisite kitchen and bath displays.
So the Allen Lumber Company continues to grow, with its fifth generation of Allens at the helm, and sixth generation Allens working alongside their fathers, all following Stillman's original philosophy of quality, service, and value. Allen Lumber Company remains a vital and active member of the communities we serve. We support countless projects and activities of non-profit and community service organizations and charities, in addition to municipal projects like libraries and schools, and recreational and civic programs.


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Oh, the Bachelor… such a terrible, guilty pleasure. Especially this season. Juan Pablo? Ugh!
However, what has made it more tolerable is the fantasy draft that Michael and I have created with my best friend, Liz, and her husband, Patrick. It's so fantastic that I encourage everyone to do this for next season – it's just too much fun! And, the bachelor trophy that I created for the victor is definitely something to covet! (See below how I created the bachelor fantasy draft trophy. Note: I found all the materials at Scrap PDX, a great second-hand arts store in Portland. I'm sure the Goodwill or similar type store would have the same materials for a low cost!)
Michael and I love the added a personal competitive reality to reality TV so much that we've established a similar draft for the shows Amazing Race and Project Runway.
To create your own Bachelor Fantasy Draft game, here's what you do:
- Pick your team: after the first episode of the season, when the show has introduced the contestants but no one yet has been eliminated, you select your team! We simply drew names out of hat as to who would get to pick first, and drafted our teams until all contestants were picked.
- Pick a team name: oh this is fun! Be creative! For this season's bachelor, team names included: "What Was Your Name Again?" "Nice Girls Finish Last" "Hot Girls Are Hot" and "I Hate Your Dad's".
- Select the point system: for our fantasy draft we developed a point system and then additional "prop bet" points. The system we followed is below and week by week score your points. There are definitely more categories you could create, we kept ours fairly simple so we could track it easily.
- 1 Point: Girl receives a rose
- 2 Points: Girl makes it to the "Hometown Date"
- 3 Points: Girl makes it to final three
- 5 Points: Girl makes it to final two
- 10 Points: Girl wins
- 1 Point: Girl cries in the bathroom
- 1 Point: Girl leaves show unexpectedly
- 1 Point: Girl's parents give bachelor a hard time
- 2 Points: Girl receives that "First Impression Rose"
- Award the trophy to the winner and get ready for next season!


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Linkage 10/15: Fetal PTSD and Goldilocks Doubt
Yesterday we talked about how Kathleen Cagney's research appeared to reveal an effect of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the body mass index of people more than a thousand miles away in Dallas. By coincidence, Discover magazine published a book excerpt (from "Origins: How the Nine Months Before Birth Shape the Rest of Our Lives" by Annie Murphy Paul) yesterday that touches on how the fall of the World Trade Center might have caused post-traumatic stress disorder not just in people near the towers that morning, but also the fetuses being carried by pregnant women near the towers. Can PTSD be transmitted from mother to unborn child? And did 9/11 leave a wide swath of medical impact across the country? Fascinating research.
Oh cruel search for alien habitable worlds: new data released at an astronomy symposium this week appears to refute the existence of Gliese 581g, the "Goldilocks" planet that had everyone daydreaming of intergalactic travel two weeks ago. Though the debate over the planet's existence is far from settled, it's a quick, nasty reminder that leaping from a handful of data points to bold claims of Earth-like planets and alien life is a dangerous gamble. (Also, Google News hits for original Gliese 581g story = 1407 articles. For the "Gliese 581g may not exist" story = 91.)
As part of the "It Gets Better" campaign reacting to the recent run of tragic suicides by homosexual teenagers, Scientific American's psychology blogger Jesse Bering begins a long, detailed look at the evolutionary history of suicide. Why would an organism evolve the capacity to kill itself? Bering dials down to insects that are cannibalized after copulation and explains a mathematical equation for suicidal motivation in the first part of his series.
If University of Chicago evolutionary biologist Jerry Coyne is too prolific for you on his blog, Why Evolution is True, you can get a primer on his views regarding the incompatibility of science and religion from his USA Today editorial this week. There were, of course, letters, and a blog response from Albert Mohler of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
An in-depth Reuters article about the increasing use of cardiac assist devices and the end-of-life ethics questions they raise talks to our chief of cardiac and thoracic surgery Valluvan Jeevanandam, among other experts. For more on the topic, see our post on ethicist Daniel Sulmasy, who has written about when it is ethical for physicians to turn off a person's cardiac device, knowing that it may hasten death.


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LONDON - The eurozone's sovereign debt crisis took a turn for the worse Monday as Cyprus said it would seek aid from the eurozone's bailout funds.
Earlier in the day, the ratings agency Fitch downgraded the island nation's government debt to junk status. Cyprus last year received a three-year, 2.5 billion euro loan from Russia.
Greece, Portugal and Ireland have already received bailouts.
In addition, the new Greek finance minister, Vassilis Rapanos, tendered his resignation on Monday. Rapanos was hospitalized Friday after being treated for intense abdominal pain, nausea, sweating and dizziness.
Greece's new prime minister, Antonis Samaras, will also miss a crucial summit meeting of European Union leaders scheduled for Thursday and Friday in Brussels.
Samaras left the hospital Monday and is recovering from eye surgery. Greece will be represented by a ministerial delegation at the summit meeting, where EU officials are expected to debate relaxing the terms of Greece's bailout.
Even before Cyprus made its request for a bailout, stock markets plunged in Europe and the euro dropped amid doubts that EU leaders will achieve the far-reaching breakthrough needed to resolve the debt crisis.
"This will be a decisive week for Europe," the German foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, said Monday at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
On Monday, Spain made a formal request for up to $124 billion in aid for its banks, but how the money is to be disbursed is still the subject of negotiation. The Spanish government wants the aid to go directly from European bailout funds to the banks. Eurozone rules now require that the aid be funneled through the government in Madrid, which would add to Spain's sovereign debt.
Moody's Investor Service late Monday downgraded its credit ratings on 28 Spanish banks. Moody's said the weakening condition of the country's finances is making it more difficult for the government to support the country's lenders. The rating agency also said the banks are vulnerable to losses from Spain's busted real estate bubble.


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Adelaide, a young girl who has spent her whole life in a monastery, suddenly finds herself catapulted into an adventure, an adventure like the ones she has always imagined. But real life is nothing like her imagination and soon the fairy tale becomes a nightmare.
Armed with a surprisingly powerful amethyst and aided by Dom, a boy she doesn't fully understand, Adelaide is chased around the country. Finding out she can release and control the most powerful magic in the world is only one of the surprises she is in store for.
Revelations about her true origins and her destiny since the day she was born mean that life will never be the same again. She has one job to do and as reluctant as she is to be a real life heroine she must do it, or let the rest of the world perish.
As a first novel from an unheard of author I found this book surprisingly interesting. Although I am not the intended audience, as the book is aimed at young teens, I was interested in the life of Adelaide and her friends and I wanted to know what would happen to them. The element of magic will, I am sure, attract the attention of it's target audience. I choose to read this book because of my interest in the Lake District, especially Castlerigg Stone Circle, where the dramatic events of this novel are set.
It being a first novel, there are obviously some flaws. The writing at times is a little juvenile and there are moments in the plot which may not be essential. However, the enjoyment of reading about Adelaide's journey overtakes this. It's not a serious book, it's a fun, easy way to pass the time. It does focus slightly on the issues young people face when growing up and coming to terms with themselves which makes parts of the story easy to relate to.
If you like books in a similar vein (Philip Pullman or any other young teen authors) then you will find something to enjoy in this book.
Buy It Now
Amazon Price: Buy Now
(price as of Oct 1, 2014)


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The Bravio delle Botti of Montepulciano Il Bravio delle Botti is the Palio delle Contrade di Montepulciano which takes place in the famous town of Siena, on the last Sunday in August. The word "Bravìo" derives from the vernacular "Bravium" and refers to the prize awarded to the winning Contrada, comprising a painted cloth bearing the image of the city's patron saint, San Giovanni Decollato, in honor of which held the Bravio delle Botti. The event is grafted onto a chapter of history dating back to 1372. In those days the race between the districts was disputed on horseback, a tradition that was shut down shortly after, on grounds of public policy. Of the eight districts began to talk about it earlier, but it is from 1407 that were established and with the same names have arrived to date: Cagnano, Collazzi, Rib, Gracciano, Poggiolo, San Donato, Talosa and Voltaia. Each district has its "Societas", with a Chief named "Rector". The ancient history of the districts of Montepulciano was is all modern symbolism, which, inspired by the past, maintained until today the same nomenclature, colors, emblems, territoriality, and above all the same pattern of ceremonial. In 1974 he was Don Marcello Del Balio, Pastor so loved by Montepulciano, who rediscovered the contrade, riconsegnandole to the city that had somehow forgotten. From that moment they were introduced the "Pushers ', two for each district, which pushing along a cask of 80 Kg, fighting for the bristling 1650 meters of the course of Montepulciano, the" Bravìo "cloth every last Sunday of August. In modern times the insertion of casks has wanted to be a strong appeal to one of the main typical territory of Montepulciano: the Vino Nobile.
Here are the descriptions and colors of the districts:
Cagnano: green and blue; lactating dog coat of arms;
Collazzi: yellow and green colours; Armorial Orcas cavalcade;
Rib: yellow and blue colors; six oblique bands Crest;
Gracciano: green and black; dominant lion coat of arms in gold field;
Poggiolo: white and blue colors; Crest three Parker;
San Donato: white and red colors; coat of arms the Episcopal insignia;
Talosa: yellow and Red; Crest three roses;
Voltaia: red and black; stylized shield Crest time hooked up.
On the last Sunday in August is the day when you dispute the Bravìo delle Botti: the morning from 10:00 in Piazza Grande takes the starting order of the barrels, the branding, the heralded of Alfieri, delivery by the municipality to the magistrate of Contrade of "cloth of Bravìo", the offering of votive candles in s. Giovanni in the Cathedral. In the afternoon at 15:00 begins the parade of impressive historic procession along the streets of downtown. Finally, at 19.00 the barrels begin to roll the stone from the Marzocco column: the first district to arrive on the Parvis of the Cathedral, Piazza Grande, awarded the victory and celebrates all Montepulciano.
The week before the race was eventful and fascinating events, such as the proclamation of the Gonfaloniere and the procession of candles. Every evening the districts are open and ready to welcome with parties, dinners, games, music and wine, in addition to the tests at night of the pushers. The event annually attracts thousands of tourists throughout the week of events, strengthening the spirit of the whole community of Montepulciano.


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Living in Nobility
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Summer Fun in the Summer Sun!
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How do you fill your summer time with summer fun? Here are just a few tips to try before summer passes you by.
Pick one field trip to take your children on a week. It doesn't have to be expensive. It can be as simple as a visit to a new park or to fish at a local pond.
Find a splash park to visit at least twice this summer. Don't forget sun screen and towels.
Pick at least one week-long activity to enroll your children in such as a church summer camp, Vacation Bible School, or Back Yard Bible Clubs. This is the week you can get a lot of house cleaning done while they are away or maybe just read the books you've been struggling to finish.
Pick at least one community or mission project to do together. Check out your churches mission projects or contact
Habitat for Humanity.
They are always looking for volunteers.
Plan at least one long hike or bike ride through the wilderness or a mountain range to get back in touch with nature.
Come up with one summer project that everyone in the family will work on together over the summer. Name the goals and the date that you won't to see it completed.
Summer is a great time to reground your children and remind them and yourself of what's really important. Most of all have fun and focus on the special time you have without the responsibility of school and homework. This is valuable time. Don't waste it!
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The second section, Cell Electronics, includes 2,500 booths and runs from October 18 to 21 with the deal with smartphones, tablets, wearable devices and cellular accessories. Whether or not you are in search of something easy so as to add to your automotive, or if you want to go extremely tricked out, Abt's Cellular Audio Department has simply what you might be searching for. Shopify is the simple and professional strategy to take the leap into self managed ecommerce with a platform that allows you to create your individual retailer entrance.
Android affords you an choice to preserve a monitor of your cell or cellular knowledge utilization. Gore's first entered the cell electronics business with options for 2-manner radios. It has built-in Bluetooth, so printing, scanning, or copying is de facto simple while on the highway with a laptop or cell phone/machine.
As far as I know, this could work for any mannequin, as long as the provider is Virgin Cellular. Your sensible phone connects you to an enchanting world of cell web surfing, listening to music and watching movies – unless the bounds of your internal memory put a spoke in your wheel.
All kinds of finish consumer units (i.e. radios, tablets, laptops) and peripheral appliances (i.e. Satellite tv for pc terminals, video encoder/decoder) might be built-in with our cell communication kits to increase your community. In the case of a CTE program area the place there are potentially a number of certifications, the trainer should be licensed in at the very least one business certification that's related to the course and/or course sequence.


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Chinese Opera
Chinese Opera costumes are incredible!
【京剧】贵妃醉酒 Peking Opera — Drunken Concubine Oriental Princess 楊貴妃
Somehow her unblinking eyes and unflinching smile strike me as being broken hearted and very sad.
Thank you reggieobster for uploading this beautiful piece on youtube.com!
Thank you Tchineseopera for uploading this on youtube.com
貴妃醉酒 – 梁淑卿 The Beauty Yang Guifei Druken with Wine. This one is in cantonese.
Thank you frannix2 for uploading this on youtube.com
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