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US7710318B2 - Method of enhanced cold start and associated user interface for navigational receivers - Google Patents
Method of enhanced cold start and associated user interface for navigational receivers Download PDF
Henry Leung
CSR Technology Holdings Inc
CSR Technology Inc
2006-08-24 Application filed by CSR Technology Inc filed Critical CSR Technology Inc
2006-12-07 Assigned to CENTRALITY COMMUNICATIONS, INC. reassignment CENTRALITY COMMUNICATIONS, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: LEUNG, HENRY, WANG, DAVID
2008-03-25 Assigned to SIRF TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, INC. reassignment SIRF TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: CENTRALITY COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
2008-12-31 Assigned to SIRF TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, INC. reassignment SIRF TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, INC. CORRECTION OF APPLICATION NO. 11/466871 AT REEL/FRAME 020597/0367 ON PAGE 1-RECORDED ON 3/25/08 Assignors: CENTRALITY COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
2010-05-28 Assigned to SIRF TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, INC. reassignment SIRF TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, INC. CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORRECT THE TYPO IN THE SERIAL NUMBER 11466971 (SHOULD BE: 11466871) PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 020697 FRAME 0367. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Assignors: CENTRALITY COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
2011-12-20 Assigned to CSR Technology Holdings Inc. reassignment CSR Technology Holdings Inc. CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: SIRF TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS, INC.
G01—MEASURING; TESTING
G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
G01S19/00—Satellite radio beacon positioning systems; Determining position, velocity or attitude using signals transmitted by such systems
G01S19/01—Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
G01S19/13—Receivers
G01S19/24—Acquisition or tracking or demodulation of signals transmitted by the system
G01S19/25—Acquisition or tracking or demodulation of signals transmitted by the system involving aiding data received from a cooperating element, e.g. assisted GPS
G01S19/252—Employing an initial estimate of location in generating assistance data
The present invention provides systems and methods for reducing the 'cold start' TTFF of navigation receivers. The systems and methods receive geographical information from a user, such as the nearest city, state or country, and use this geographical information to approximate the position of the receiver. The systems and methods then make use of the approximate position to reduce the 'cold start' TTFF. In an embodiment, the approximate position of the receiver is determined from a co-ordinate database in the receiver based on the geographical information provided by the user. In another embodiment, a user provides geographical information to the receiver through a displayed map with several stages of zooming capability.
The present invention relates generally to navigational systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for faster cold start using approximate geographical location and associated techniques for providing the approximate geography location.
With the development of radio and space technologies, several satellites based navigation systems have already been built and more will be in use in the near future. One example of such satellites based navigation systems is Global Positioning System (GPS), which is built and operated by the United States Department of Defense. The system uses twenty-four or more satellites orbiting the earth at an altitude of about 11,000 miles with a period of about twelve hours. These satellites are placed in six different orbits such that at any time a minimum of six satellites are visible at any location on the surface of the earth except in the polar region. Each satellite transmits a time and position signal referenced to an atomic clock. A typical GPS receiver locks onto this signal and extracts the data contained in it. Using signals from a sufficient number of satellites, a GPS receiver can calculate its position, velocity, altitude, and time. The Russian built GLONASS and the European Union proposed Galileo are the two other important satellite based navigation systems.
A GPS receiver has to acquire and track at least four satellite signals before starting to compute the position which is also known as position fix. The time required to fix the position depends upon how fast the satellite signals can be acquired and tracked. This signal acquisition involves a search of the carrier frequency including the Doppler due to the motion between the satellite and the navigation receiver. In addition to this frequency search the receiver should also search for the actual code phase of the received signal. Thus the search is a two dimensional search and takes most of the Time-To-First-Fix (TTFF). It is always desirable to lower this TTFF so that a fast position estimation is possible. This resulted in the operation of the receiver in different modes such as 'hot start', 'warm start' and 'cold start'. In the 'hot start' mode the receiver has current ephemeris and the position and time, and therefore the list of the visible satellites and the Doppler associated with each satellite may be determined. Thus only the visible satellites are searched. Since the carrier frequency including the Doppler is known, the frequency search range or the number of frequency bins that need to be searched is also decreased. Thus the 'hot start' results in a shorter TTFF of usually around 7-10 seconds. In 'warm start' the receiver has non-current ephemeris but the initial position and time are known as accurately as in the case of 'hot start'. Thus the Doppler cannot be determined accurately as in the case of 'hot start' due to the higher number of frequency bins that need to be searched. Thus the 'warm start' TTFF has a typical value of 30-35 seconds. In the third mode, known as 'cold start', the receiver has no knowledge of position, time or ephemeris but may have almanac in the memory. Thus a search for all the satellites in the constellation is required. In addition to this the Doppler frequency is also not known. As a result the frequency search range in this case is far wider with a large number of frequency bins. Thus the receiver in the 'cold start' mode has the highest TTFF, which can be as large as 80-100 seconds.
It is not always possible to store the above information in the receiver at all times or the receiver might have moved over a long distance before the receiver is powered on. Under such conditions it is necessary to resort to 'cold start'.
Therefore, there is a need to reduce the 'cold start' TTFF of navigation receivers.
Accordingly, the present invention provides systems and methods for reducing the 'cold start' TTFF of navigation receivers.
The systems and methods receive geographical information from a user, such as the nearest city, state or country, and use this geographical information to approximate the position of the receiver. The systems and methods then make use of the approximate position to reduce the 'cold start' TTFF. This is possible because most of the visible satellites at the unknown location are the same as that of the nearest city or state or country (small state or country assumed). Further, the change in Doppler frequency at the unknown location with respect to the nearest city or within the state or country may be small or negligible. The navigation data bit edge ambiguity is also reduced thus reducing the time for data decode.
In an embodiment, the approximate position of the receiver is determined from a co-ordinate database in the receiver based on the geographical information provided by the user.
In another embodiment, a user provides geographical information to the receiver through a displayed map with several stages of zooming capability.
The above and other advantages of embodiments of this invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a GPS receiver according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 shows an exemplary database of cities and associated co-ordinates according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 shows an exemplary database of states and associated co-ordinates according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4 illustrates a dialog to select approximate geographical position on a map according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates possible divisions of states for a second "zoomed in" dialog.
FIG. 1 illustrates a receiver according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. An intermediate frequency (IF) signal input 101 enters a baseband section of the receiver from an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) output of a conventional RF front-end 100. The IF input is multiplied in IF mixers 102 and 103 in-phase and in quadrature, respectively, with a local frequency signal generated by a direct digital frequency synthesizer (DDFS) 106. This mixing involves multiplying the ADC output 101 by the local DDFS frequency in-phase which generates the in-phase component I 107. In a parallel path the same signal 101 is multiplied by the DDFS frequency in quadrature (i.e., with a phase shift of 90 degrees) to produce quadrature component Q 108. The DDFS 106 is driven by a carrier numerically controlled oscillator (NCO) 105. In addition, carrier NCO 105 receives phase and frequency corrections from a processor 113. Because of this correction, the DDFS frequency and phase is almost the same as that of the ADC output 101. Thus the I and Q signals produced by the IF mixers 102 and 103 are at near zero carrier frequency after being low-pass filtered to remove the high frequency components which are at twice the IF frequency band.
The I and Q components 107 and 108 are correlated in correlators 109 and 110, respectively, with a locally-generated PRN sequence generated by a PRN generator 111. The PRN-sequence corresponds to the satellite whose signal is being processed by the baseband section at that time. The PRN sequence generator is driven by code NCO 112. The local code frequency is made equal to the code rate of I and Q paths by corrective feedback from processor 113 to the code NCO 112. In addition, processor 113 sends a signal to PRN code generator 111 to set the starting phase of the locally generated code. The NCO 112 provides the correct clock signals to correlators 109 and 110. For example, NCO 112 provides a clock signal to generate two samples per PRN chip in the signal acquisition stage and three samples per chip during the tracking stage. SYS CLK 104 provides to NCO 105 and NCO 112 a common clock synchronization signal. The correlator outputs are then sent to processor 113 at every millisecond interval. The processor 113 is preferably a digital signal processor (DSP) core suitable for high speed arithmetic computations. Subsequent processing of the signals take place in the processor 113, as will be described in detail below. Additional details of the receiver baseband section described above are contained in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/123,861 filed on May 6, 2005, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The improvement in the TTFF or enhanced cold start due to the approximately known receiver location is described here. In the normal cold start mode the receiver searches for all the satellites in all possible frequency bins and then acquires the signal. Once the signal is acquired the receiver proceeds to detect the navigation data bit edge at one of the twenty possible one millisecond intervals. The systems and methods of the present invention may detect the first satellite data bit edge in a similar manner. In present day receivers, this procedure is repeated with each of the other satellites. However, in the systems and methods of the present invention, the timing is obtained from the first satellite signal. Using this timing, the approximate receiver location and the almanac, the receiver can determine the bit edges of all the other visible satellite signals with an accuracy of one millisecond. Thus the twenty millisecond second uncertainty reduces to +/−1 millisecond uncertainty with a corresponding reduction in the search time. In addition, the receiver can determine the visible satellites, thereby reducing the number of satellites that need to be searched. Thus this results in a reduction of the TTFF. The accuracy of the position can be +/−150 KMs as one millisecond corresponds to a distance of 300 KMs. If the approximate time is known, it is not necessary to determine the same from the first satellite signal, thereby further reducing the TTFF. This improvement increases with the accuracy of the predicted time.
FIG. 2 shows an exemplary form of database of cities with associated co-ordinates in latitude, longitude and optionally height. The database may also include locations or landmarks with associated co-ordinates in latitude, longitude and optionally height. The co-ordinates may be the co-ordinates of the geographical center of the cities and landmarks. The database may also include areas which are the states of a country with associated co-ordinates of the geographical center of the areas or states. FIG. 3 shows a database of states with co-ordinates of their geographical center points. The areas considered need not be constrained to states alone. The area may be a county, a district or even a small country. Further, it is possible to define custom made areas comprising several states or part of the states. The custom made areas may be defined by a rectangular or circular border on a map.
In the normal cold start mode of a typical navigation receiver the receiver memory contains no information on present or prior position, ephemeris and time. In some cases memory may contain a location which is far away from the present position. Under these conditions the receiver starts to search all the satellites with all search frequency bins. This takes a long time resulting in a long TTFF. However, in such instances the user may have some information regarding the new location, which can be used to reduce the acquisition time. For example, the user may know the nearest city but not its co-ordinates. In such cases the user can provide the location information by selecting the city name from a drop down list on the receiver display. The receiver uses the city name to find the center co-ordinates of the city from the database and uses the center co-ordinates as the initial position of the receiver.
In another embodiment the user may be aware of the area but not the nearby city. In such cases, the user can select the area which may be a state, a group of states, a county or a group of counties. In such cases, the list may include the names of states, counties or region, etc. The list may also even include the name of small countries. The user selects the appropriate area from the list. Under such cases the receiver takes the co-ordinates of the center of the area as the approximate position of the receiver and proceeds to compute the visible satellite list and associated Doppler values. The receiver then tries to acquire the signals.
In another embodiment the location provided by the user need not be a city or state but may be some landmark or any pre-defined location that is recognizable by the user and whose co-ordinates are known. In this embodiment, the database in the receiver may include a list of landmarks or pre-defined locations with associated co-ordinates, and the user selects a landmark or pre-defined location from the list. The locations may include airports, train stations, and other location where the receiver may be powered on after traveling a long distance.
In cases where the receiver has no timing information the time may be provided by the user. The user may estimate the time through his watch, by the position of the sun during the day or by the position of the stars during night time.
The receiver performance can further be improved by providing both the approximate position and the time as above.
Under certain circumstances, selecting items from a dropdown list can be somewhat tedious, such as while driving. Further, the accuracy of the location information may be limited. Therefore, an embodiment involving user interface through a map is also provided. In this embodiment, a map of a country or any suitable area is displayed on the receiver display as shown in FIG. 4. The user pinpoints the approximate position on this display. The display may be a touch screen with the user pinpointing the approximate position on the map by touching the screen. The user may also pinpoint the approximate position using a track ball. Any display selection tool may be used to pinpoint the location on the map. If the resulting accuracy is sufficient, the receiver computes the longitude and latitude of the location and sends it to the receiver computation engine for enhanced cold start. Various levels of zooming as shown in FIG. 5 may be employed to improve the positioning accuracy. FIG. 5 shows a possible division of states for a second "zoomed in" level. The user may zoom in a certain area by touching the area on a touch screen and activating a zooming function by, e.g., touching a "zoom" button on the screen. The screen may also have different "zoom" level buttons so that the user can immediately zoom to a desired "zoom" level.
Although the present invention has been described in terms of the presently preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be interpreted as limiting. Various alterations and modifications will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art after having read this disclosure. For example, although the above embodiments have been described using the GPS system as an example, the techniques and methods may be used for other global satellite navigational systems including GLONASS, Galileo, secondary systems such as WASS, EGNOS, and MSAS, as well as hybrids of the above systems and also to any type direct sequence spread spectrum receivers. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as covering all alterations and modifications as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.
1. A method for reducing the start time of a navigational receiver, comprising:
receiving approximate signal acquisition aiding parameters from a user; and
using the approximate signal acquisition aiding parameters to acquire navigation satellite signals.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters include an approximate geographical location of the receiver.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters include an approximate time of day.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameters include an approximate geographical location of the receiver and an approximate time of day.
receiving approximate signal acquisition aiding parameters from a user, wherein the receiver includes a database of geographical locations and corresponding co-ordinates;
using the approximate signal acquisition aiding parameters to acquire navigation satellite signals;
having the user select a geographical location from the database; and
using the co-ordinates in the database for the selected geographical location as an approximate location of the receiver to acquire the navigation satellite signals.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the geographical location is a city.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the geographical location is a state or province and the corresponding co-ordinates in the database is a geographic center of the state or province.
8. The method of claim 5, wherein the geographical location is a country and the corresponding co-ordinates in the database is a geographic center of the country.
9. The method of claim 5, wherein the geographical location is a point or area on the surface of the earth with associated co-ordinates.
10. The method of claim 2, wherein the user selects the approximate geographical location from a database.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the database includes a database of cities.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the database includes a database of states or provinces.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein the database includes a database of locations or areas on the surface of the earth.
14. The method of claim 2, wherein the user selects the approximate geographical location from a displayed map.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiver enables the user to zoom in a selected area of the map to improve accuracy of the location selection.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein the map is displayed on a touch screen and the user pinpoints the location on the map by touching the touch screen.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the user uses a track ball to pinpoint the location on the map.
18. A navigational receiver, comprising:
a user interface;
satellite signal receiver section; and
a processor coupled to the satellite signal receiving section and the user interface,
wherein the processor is configured to receive approximate signal acquisition aiding parameters from a user via the user interface, and use ifie approximate signal acquisition aiding parameters to acquire satellite signals from ihe satellite signal receiver section.
19. The navigational receiver of claim 18, wherein the parameters include an approximate geographical location of the receiver.
20. The navigational receiver of claim 18, wherein the parameters include an approximate time of day.
21. The navigational receiver of claim 18, wherein the parameters include an approximate geographical location of the receiver and an approximate time of day.
22. The navigational receiver of claim 18, further comprising a database of geographical locations and corresponding co-ordinates, wherein the processor is configure to receive a geographical location selected by a user from the database, and use the co-ordinates in the database for the selected geographical location as an approximate location of the receiver to acquire the satellite signals.
23. The navigational receiver of claim 22, wherein the geographical location is a city.
24. The navigational receiver of claim 22, wherein the geographical location is a state or province and the corresponding co-ordinates in the database is a geographic center of the state or province.
25. The navigational receiver of claim 22, wherein the geographical location is a country and the corresponding co-ordinates in the database is a geographic center of the country.
26. The navigational receiver of claim 22, wherein the geographical location is a point or area on the surface of the earth with associated co-ordinates.
27. The navigational receiver of claim 19, further comprises a database of geographic locations, wherein the user selects the approximate geographical location from the database.
28. The navigational receiver of claim 27, wherein the database includes a database of cities.
29. The navigational receiver of claim 27, wherein the database includes a database of states or provinces.
30. The navigational receiver of claim 27, wherein the database includes a database of locations or areas on the surface of the earth.
31. The navigational receiver of claim 19, wherein the user interface includes a display, and the receiver enables the user selects the approximate geographical location from a map on the display.
32. The navigational receiver of claim 31, wherein the receiver enables the user to zoom in a selected area of the map to improve accuracy of the location selection.
33. The navigational receiver of claim 31, wherein the user interface includes a touch screen, and the receiver enables the user to pinpoint the location on the map by touching the touch screen.
34. The navigational receiver of claim 31, wherein the user interface includes a track ball, and the receiver enables the user to pinpoint the location on the map using the track ball.
US11/466,871 2006-08-24 2006-08-24 Method of enhanced cold start and associated user interface for navigational receivers Active 2027-11-19 US7710318B2 (en)
US11/466,871 US7710318B2 (en) 2006-08-24 2006-08-24 Method of enhanced cold start and associated user interface for navigational receivers
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Around 45 years in the music industry has helped Olivia Newton-John to accumulate the fortune of $45 million. Her sources of income are music, film, and television.
Olivia-Newton's house in Malibu, CA.
Olivia formed a girl group, Sol Four when she was fourteen. At a very early age, she became a regular performer on radio and television shows.
She won a talent contest, Sing, Sing, Sing. And in 1966, Olivia recorded her first single, Till You Say You'll Be Mine. Then, Olivia and Patt Carroll formed a duo and called it Pat and Olivia.
In 1971, Olivia released her debut solo album, If Not For You. The title track of the album was written by Bob Dylan. A year later, she released her another album titled, Olivia.
Olivia has released altogether 30 albums out of which two albums peaked number one on Billboard 200 solo albums. Her ten singles were also peaked at number one on Billboard Hot 100 singles.
To start a career in acting, Olivia had a supporting role in the film, Funny Things Happen Down Here in 1965. In 1970, she starred in the film, Tomorrow.
Her other films as a lead actress include Grease(1978), Xanadu(1980), Two of a Kind(1983), A Mom for Christmas(1990), A Christmas Romance(1994), and The Wilde Girls(2001).
She has also appeared in other films as a supporting character which include It's My Party(1996), Sordid Lives(2000), 1 a Minute(2010), Score: A Hockey Musical(2010), A Few Best Men(2011), and Sharknado 5: Global Warming(2017).
Olivia Newton-John was born on September 26, 1948, in Cambridge, England, to the parents, Welshman Brinley Newton-John and Irene Helene. She has an older brother and sister.
To educate, Olivia went to Christ Chuch Grammar School. Later, he went to the University High School near to Ormond College.
In 1984, Olivia married an actor, Matt Lattanzi. The couple dated for a long time and married. They had one daughter together. And the couple divorced in 1995.
Only a year later after her divorce, Olivia started dating a gaffer/cameraman, Patrick McDermott. The couple had on and off relationship for nine years.
Then, in 2007, Olivia started dating John Easterling. They had met 15 years ago and they married in 2008.
Newton-John loves using social media as her Twitter account shows a total of 160K followers and she has tweeted 2,143 times till the date.
Similarly, on Instagram, she has got around 158K followers and she has posted 100 times over there so far.


Adikavi Nannaya University conducts AKNUCET every year for PG (M.A., M.Com., M.Sc., M.Ed., M.P.Ed) various courses admission 2019. The AKNUCET (NANNAYACET) 2019 exam will take place on May 07, 2019. Adikavi Nannaya University offers the following PG courses Subject wise M.A, M.Com, M.S.W, M.P.Ed, M.L.I.Sc , M.Sc, M.E/ M.Tech, M.Pharm Admissions Conduct through AKNUCET 2019. NANNAYACET 2019 (Adikavi Nannaya University PG Entrance Test) - NANNAYA PGCET: NANNAYACET 2019 Online Application form details. Nannayacet 2019, aknucet 2019, aknu pg entrance test 2019, How to apply, Last date for apply, Online application form, Entrance exam dates, Hall tickets, Results, Adikavi nannaya university pgcet 2019 more details given below.
1. Directorate of Admissions, Adikavi Nannaya University, Rajamahendravaram (erstwhile Rajahmundry) invites applications from eligible candidates for admission through Adikavi Nannaya University Common Entrance Test (NANNAYA CET-2019) into various Science and Arts Courses offered at Campus Colleges of Adikavi Nannaya University (AKNU), Post Graduate Centers at Kakinada & Tadepalligudem and Colleges affiliated to AKNU offering P.G. Courses in East and West Godavari Districts for the Academic year 2019-2020.
2. Candidates who have already passed their qualifying degree examination or who have appeared / are appearing for the final examination in 2019 only are eligible for NANNAYACET-2019. Candidates qualified in advanced supplementary examinations of 2019 are also eligible.
Go to Select AKNUCET-2019 link.
Select to online registration Tab.
Application Save and take print application form for future reference.
e) Caste in case of SC/ST/BC/EBC candidates.
01-SRIKAKULAM 02-VISAKHAPATNAM 03-AMALAPURAM 04-KAKINADA 05-RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM 06-RAMAPACHODAVARAM 07-ELURU 08-BHIMAVARAM 09-JANGAREDDY GUDEM 10-TADEPALLIGUDEM.
List of following original certificates and verification.
(i) NANNAYACET-2019 Rank Card & HallTicket.
(ii) Degree / Provisional Pass Certificate.
(vi) Date of Birth Certificate (SSC/Matriculation or equivalent Certificate).
(ix) Integrated Community Certificate issued by the competent authority in case of SC/ST/BC/EBC/ Minority candidates.
(x) Valid latest income certificate issued by M.R.O./ Thasildar if fee concession is claimed ( validity six months ).
(xi) 4 recent passport size Photos.
(xii) Candidates opting for admission under NCC/Sports/CAP/PH/NSS quota shall produce relevant original certificate, in addition to the above.
(xiii) Discharge certificate and service certificate of the parent in case of a child of armed person.
(xiv) Physical fitness certificate from an Asst. Civil Surgeon.
NANNAYACET PG Admission Notification 2019, Application Form, Exam Date, Eligibility Criteria for PG Admissions M.A, M.Com, M.Sc Adikavi Nannaya University www.aknudoa.in.


Book Review: The Wilderness Warrior – Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America by Douglas Brinkley – An interesting account of the birth of America's conservation movement and how it affects Colorado land today. Written by ranch broker, Ed Roberson.
It is a running joke among my close friends and family that I have a fanatic, somewhat obsessive, level of admiration for Theodore Roosevelt. Ever since I first read Edmund Morris's Pulitzer Prize winning The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, I've been completely enamored (okay… obsessed) with T.R. and his amazing life story.
Everyone knows that he was President of the United States, but, in my opinion, that is one of the least interesting parts of this man's life. He was a naturalist, a boxer, a historian, an author, a war hero, a big game hunter, a cowboy, a frontier town deputy sheriff, the New York City Police Commissioner, and a jungle explorer.
During a campaign appearance in 1912, he was shot in the chest by a lunatic anarchist. Luckily, T.R.'s steel glasses case and 50-page speech slowed the bullet enough so that it stopped when it hit his rib, just short of his lungs and heart. Although his life had been spared, he was left with a bloody, serious open chest wound, as well as a bullet lodged permanently in his rib.
I could go on and on, but more on Colorado land conservation and the book recommendation tomorrow in Part 2 of my 3-part series.


Do you want to improve your speaking and writing skills and reduce anxiety? Though, there are many ways to improve your speaking in English, you can check top 10 tips to improve speaking by clicking here. One of the best ways to give practice to the students in both modules speaking and writing is dialogue writing among the students in an English class.
A dialogue literally means "talk between two people" or a dialogue is a conversation or a set of words written then, spoken between two or more characters.
How to write a dialogue?
1) Carefully think about the subject given, and jot down briefly the arguments about it which might be expressed by the imaginary persons who are supposed to be talking.
2) Arrange these ideas in some logical order, so that one will arise naturally from another in the course of conversation.
3) Try to imagine what would be the way in which each character in the dialogue would express his views.
4) End your conversation in a real manner, complete your conversation.
1) Read the dialogue and eliminate the repeated words.
2) A dialogue scene should have a clear purpose.
3) Keep your dialogue scene as short as possible.
4) Pay attention to the degree of naturalism. Do people really talk that way?
5) It is useful to have one character interrupt another and keep the dialogue continue.
A conversation between two boys (Hussain and Ali), one of whom is habitually despondent and thinks that luck is against him, whereas the other is of a more practical turn of mind.
A) Come Hussain, you are taking your failure too much to your heart. I know it's a great disappointment; but you must not allow it to make you so unhappy.
B) It's all very well for a lucky chap like you, Ali. You have passed the first time, and this is my second failure. You would not feel so cheery if you were in my place.
A) I know; but you must pull yourself together, and make up your mind you will pass next time. Remember the old saying "if at first you don't succeed, try, try, again".
A) Oh, nonsense! You'll never do anything if you don't persevere. Now why do you think you failed?
B) All this year fate has been against me. First, I was ill, which lost me a whole term. Then just before my examination, my father died, and that so upset me that I could not prepare properly.
A) Well, you certainly did have bad luck, I am sorry. But I am sure you will succeed next time; so you must make up your mind to win through.
B) It's no use. I think I was born unlucky. I seem to fail in everything I touch. I tried several times to get a scholarship, but some other boy always got it instead. I shall give it up.
A) Indeed, you must not. Remember it's the darkest hour before the dawn. Often when things are at the worst, they begin to improve. I don't believe in all the talk about bad and good luck. A brave man makes his own luck. You have a year before you; you have brains, and if you will only pull yourself together and put your heart into your work, you will win through.
B) I wish I had feelings like you. Still, I will take your advice and have another try.
A) That's the style! And I am sure you will succeed and break your so-called "bad-luck" once for all.


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Safflower oil's potential as biodegradeable alternative to petroleum hailed by scientists
Published 24th June, 2020
Researchers are hailing an Australian high oleic safflower oil as a potential replacement for petroleum in industrial products ranging from fuels and lubricants to speciality chemicals and plastics, ABC News reported on 6 June.
Scientists at Australia's national science research agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), joined forces with the Australian Grains Research and Development Corporation to establish the Crop Biofactories Initiative (CBI) to engineer oilseeds with fatty acid compositions for specific industrial applications.
They succeeded in producing a safflower seed oil – called Super-High Oleic (SHO) safflower - containing over 92% oleic acid, CSIRO said on its website.
"SHO safflower has the highest level of purity of an individual fatty acid present in any currently available plant oil."
Initial studies showed the safflower oil to be a superior lubricant with lower emissions than conventional petroleum-based products, ABC News said. It also led to reduced friction and wear on engine parts.
Agronomist David Hudson, who oversaw the five years of field trials, believed the oil offered a range of sustainability benefits.
"We can take it back, add another additive into it and we can actually recycle it back into our motor mowers, chainsaws and those types of oils, which can then be broken down in the environment," he said."So you virtually have a net zero carbon cycle."
The SHO safflower was the culmination of 18 years of research by CSIRO plant scientists.
Conventional safflower, one of humanity's oldest crops which has been used to dye fabric for thousands of years, contains low levels of oleic acid, but Australian scientists re-engineered the oilseed using gene silencing. This switched off genes that control processes within the safflower seed that limit the level of oleic acid, causing a build-up of the highly desirable oil.
Safflower is a naturally hardy plant but the CSIRO variety is being developed to suit a range of growing conditions.
With its giant tap root, the plant's ability to find deep moisture gives it improved drought tolerance, giving it an advantage over crops like canola, wheat and lentils. It also thrives in salty and sodic soils, a problem across much of Australia's temperate cropping zone.
The commercial rights to the hybrid safflower variety developed by CBI has been licensed to Australian clean technology company GO Resources. The company operates in the industrial lubricant and oleochemical sectors and is also active in the deregulation of GM technologies and the development of supply chains for GM products.
Go Resources CEO Michael Klenig said the crop had great export potential.
CSIRO said safflower was currently a relatively minor crop in Australia grown on about 10,000ha, due to a small domestic market for its oil, but it expected to see significant areas of SHO safflower grown in Australia by 2023.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


By now you know how much I love marinières... but this time the blue and white stripes give way to some warmth!
What makes it extra-special? The eyelets on the neckline that add character and charm to our design.
Alison wears our Alix marinière in a size S.


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The European Parliament finally approves: one charger for all mobile devices
by admin | Posted on October 4, 2022
Today, Tuesday, the European Parliament gave its final approval to a decision requiring manufacturers of smartphones and other mobile devices to provide their products with a standardized type of charger.
After this vote by European MPs in Strasbourg, USB-C chargers will become the only portable electronic device charger sold in the EU from autumn 2024, despite strong opposition from Apple.
Members of Parliament approved the text by a majority of six hundred and two votes, against 13 votes in opposition, and eight abstentions.
"This is a great day for consumers and for our environment," said MEP Alex Agios Saliba, a Maltese Labor MP, who is the rapporteur of the text.
Saliba had appeared hours ago carrying a set of different similar charging devices, and said, "This matter has become a thing of the past."
This new requirement will be imposed on mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, helmets, digital cameras, wireless headphones, portable video game consoles, GPS devices, keyboards and computer mice, as well as portable home assistants, regardless of their manufacturer.
The decision will also include laptops, from 2026.
Through this vote, the European Parliament ratified an agreement reached in early June with member countries, after a decade of attempts to impose standardized chargers, in an effort that angers Apple, the main opposition to such pioneering legislation in the world.
Zain is a key partner of the Rafa Nadal Academy.
Zain Iraq sells its towers to Iraq TASC Tower for $180 million
"solutions by stc" hosts a virtual event on "Cisco" technology


ICG VP America Frank Viola interviewed on Fairways and Greens Radio. Frank promotes Clubfitting/Clubmaking. The quality of the interview reveals why Frank is the 2017 ICG Worldwide Clubmaker of the Year, and once again a Golf Digest Best 100 Clubfitter for 2017.


AJ Lee, Jan. 21, 2016, 3:30 p.m.
'We Got Married' couple Kim So Yeon and Kwak Si Yang have made a cameo in 'Happy Ending Once Again' as a divorced couple! The two played roles completely different from their personalities on the reality show, as they acted as a divorced couple who hate each other.
In behind-the-scenes stills released 'Happy Ending Once Again', you can catch the two looking away from each other in one shot, while looking affectionate once again in another as they pose for the camera. Despite the roles they play on the drama, we all know that Kwak Si Yang and Kim So Yeon could never hate each other!
Make sure to catch their cameo on 'Happy Ending Once Again'!


The First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream is a rich, emollient product that hydrates the skin with exceptional penetration.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream is a cult skincare favorite. is rich in colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, soothing eucalyptus oil and ceramides which provide immediate relief to distressed skin while its antioxidant booster defends skin from free radical damage. Use the Ultra Repair Cream all over the body and face for a visible improvement to distressed skin. The Ultra Repair Cream is ideal for treating dry skin conditions including: psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, irritant eczema, allergic eczema and Keratosis Pilaris.


Green chile with meat is defined as any kind of meat or combination of meats cooked with green chile peppers, various spices and other ingredients.
Meatless green chile is defined as a combination of green chile peppers, spices and any non-meat ingredients (such as pasta, beans, tofu, etc.). If a broth base is used it must be vegetarian!
Entry must come with a complete ingredient list. We don't need the recipe – just the ingredients.
Space for ingredient list located on the back of this form.
NO ENTRY WILL BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT CLEAR LIST OF INGREDIENTS!
Chile must be prepared ahead of time and arrive at serving temperature on site between 10:00 and 10:30 Saturday Sept, 22. It must be brought in a crock pot. NO CHAFING DISHES allowed.
We provide ladles. NO SIDES OR EXTRAS – ALL INGREDIENTS MUST BE IN THE POT. CROCK MUST BE LABELED ON THE BOTTOM TO MAINTAIN ANONYMITY.
Chile may be disqualified at the discretion of PAGCC if it does not meet quality standards.
Cooks are to prepare and cook their chile in as sanitary a manner as possible.
Best Commercial Entry selected by judges. First place meat or veggie lands a full-page ad in the Pagosa Springs Dining Guide, a $750 value.
The public will vote for the recipient of the overall "People's Choice" award (home cook and commercial entries).
Entrants must pick up their chile containers between 3:00 and 3:30 PM.PAGCC IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CROCKPOTS THAT ARE NOT PICKED UP!!
Home Cooks $10. Commercial $25. Includes commemorative baseball hat per entrant. One commercial entry per person.


Now with a snazy new interface!
And just in time for JK's 19th brithday.
PS. If JWB had a theme song, what would it be?
Last edited by Edward; 10-08-2016 at 07:06 AM.
I remember these. Good job with the sound effects/interactive comic features!
A new strip has been created! Also, there are now navigation shortcut keys: Comma/4 and Period/6.
Take that, Dalek! From the afterlife!
A new strip has been created!
JediWannaBe is now in Motion!


Join us this Tuesday, 21st October at 18.30 for our ALL Panel Discussion. Artists AnnaMaria Kardos, Carl Gent and Rebecca Ilett will introduce their work, followed by a discussion with panellists Dr Jane Partner, Dr Veronique Chance and ALL organiser Robert Good moderated by chair Mr Barry Phipps. Event takes place at the Winstanley Lecture Theatre, Trinity College as part of Cambridge Festival of Ideas.
The event promises to be a lively affair with opportunities for questions about all aspects of art, language and location, and indeed Art Language Location. Come along and join the debate!
To get the cogs whirring, Jane Partner has created a short new Photo Essay for ALL, introducing ideas of art, text and place and suggesting some possible lines of enquiry.
Booking requested: click here to reserve your seat.


Currently the Physical Education department is totally involved in the state mandated fitness testing. The test consists of five different areas of health related fitness. Unlike in past years students must pass 5 of the 6 areas or they will be required to complete four years of physical education instead of the required two. This has added a much higher level of importance to this year's testing.


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Calanais Standing Stones
Roam among the megaliths at one of Scotland's most magnificent Neolithic monuments.
Duff House
Unravel the story of how owner William Duff and architect William Adam clashed over the creation of this splendid Georgian mansion.
See the mighty hilltop castle built by Robert II in the 1370s, soon after he came to the Scottish throne.
March the length of this massive fort built in the wake of the Battle of Culloden to see why it's served the British Army so well for 250 years.
Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse and the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses
Explore a fine castle altered in 1787 to contain the first lighthouse built by the Northern Lighthouse Board.
Step back 5,000 years in time to explore the best-preserved Neolithic settlement in Western Europe.
Discover more than 1,000 years of stirring history in this grand castle on the shores of Loch Ness.


GDB - What is GDB?
GDB, short for GNU Debugger, is the most popular debugger for UNIX systems to debug C and C++ programs.
This tutorial provides a brief introduction on how to use GDB commands to ensure the programs are error-free.
A debugger is regarded as the best friend of a software programmer. Hence, this tutorial will be useful for all those programmers who would like to develop robust and error-free programs.
This tutorial assumes that you already know how to program in C and C++ and that you can compile and execute programs.


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Dangerous Driving Lawyer in Brampton
Often, people assume that driving offences are simple matters that could be resolved with paying a small fine. However, if you have been charged with "Dangerous Driving" under the Criminal Code of Canada, it is not that simple.
A Dangerous Driving charge can be laid in a wide range of situations, including those involving:
Excessive speeding
Abrupt lane changes
Accidents resulting in serious injury
Accidents resulting in death
Criminal Code of Canada – Definition of Dangerous Operation
Section 320.13(1) of the Criminal Code of Canada sets out the offence of Dangerous Operation:
320.13 (1) Everyone commits an offence who operates a conveyance in a manner that, having regard to all of the circumstances, is dangerous to the public.
A "conveyance" means a motor vehicle, a vessel, an aircraft or railway equipment. The word "operate" has different meanings depending on the type of conveyance. In respect of a motor vehicle, "operate" means to drive it or to have care or control of it; in respect of a vessel or aircraft, to navigate it, to assist in its navigation or to have care or control of it; and in respect of railway equipment, to participate in the direct control of its motion, or to have care or control of it as a member of the equipment's crew, as a person who acts in lieu of a member of the equipment's crew by remote control, or otherwise.
In most cases, charges of Dangerous Operation will fall on drivers of cars or motor vehicles. To be found guilty of the Dangerous Operation charge, the prosecutor must show that the car was being driven by the accused, or that the accused had "care or control" of the vehicle. If the accused is found in the driver's seat, there is a presumption that they had care or control.
Furthermore, the prosecutor does not need to show that the accused intended to drive dangerously. The courts assess whether somebody was driving dangerously using a marked departure standard: i.e. whether the accused's conduct was a marked departure from the standard expected of a reasonably prudent driver in the accused's circumstances. One's professional driving skill can be imputed into the reasonably prudent driver. For example, in R. v. Tabanao, [2020] O.J. No. 2591, the accused worked as a driver for a transportation company, and, while driving a tractor-trailer, caused a multiple-vehicle collision which led to several deaths and injuries. The Court recognized that truck drivers are held to a higher standard of care due to the higher risk posed by trucks, and the specialized training required to drive them. In terms of what constitutes a "marked departure", high rates of speed are often sufficient to satisfy this requirement. For example, in R. v. Galletta, [2020] O.J. No. 334, the accused was found guilty of Dangerous Operation when he lost control of his vehicle while driving 100km/h over the 80km/h speed limit. Even though the accused was driving at such speeds out of fear after being assaulted and chased, the Court found that a reasonably prudent driver would have listened to the numerous pleas from the passengers to slow down.
Why you should hire Passsi & Patel – Criminal Lawyers for your Dangerous Operation charge
Dangerous Driving is broadly defined in the Criminal Code, leaving police and law enforcement substantial discretion to apply the charge as they see fit. As a result of this, Dangerous Driving charges are quite common.
Penalties for Dangerous Driving include a one-year license suspension, even if there are no aggravating factors. Where a person suffers serious injury, you may be charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm, for which a conviction can result in jail time up to 10 years. The penalty will increase if a death results. It's important to remember that Dangerous Driving is a criminal conviction, meaning it will have detrimental effects on your ability to travel, secure employment and obtain citizenship. Finally, it will also result in your insurance premiums increasing dramatically upon conviction. For these reasons, it is important to hire skilled and effective Brampton Dangerous Driving lawyer. At Passi & Patel, our Brampton criminal lawyers have successfully defended a number of Dangerous Driving cases. We have the knowledge and skill required to get you results. Call us today at (905) 459-0004 if you, a friend or a loved one has been charged with Dangerous Driving.


Kilchoman distillery is located on Islay in Scotland. The distillery was established in 2005 which makes it the youngest distillery on the island.
I have tasted the 2013 Edition before. Today it is time to taste the 2015 Edition. The whisky has been matured in Oloroso sherry casks. It was distilled in 2010 and bottled March 2015 at 46 ABV, which makes it 5 YO. It is available in Norway at NOK 849,90.
Smoky ginger beer on the nose. Vanilla and raisins. A bit earthy maybe. Smoky and peaty on the palate. At the same time incredibly smooth. I find ginger, nutmeg and raisins, together with some salt, white pepper and cardamom. Smoke on the finish with the flavour from Coca Cola. Ashes and a hint of lemon. If I was served this whisky blind I would never have guessed sherry casks. The sherry notes are not obvious. I miss the typical (to me) meaty nose and taste on this Kilchoman. Still a very nice whisky!


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Hamilton Southeastern Schools (HSE) Hires a New Superintendent: Dr. Yvonne Stokes
April 22, 2021 April 22, 2021 Bradley JonesLeave a reply
One of the most important responsibilities that school board members are elected to do is to hire a districts superintendent. On April 22, 2021 the Hamilton Southeastern (HSE) Schools voted 5 to 2 to hire Dr. Yvonne Stokes as the next superintendent replacing current superintendent Dr. Allen Bourff who is retiring.
Dr. Stokes will be moving from the role of assistant superintendent for School Town of Muster in Munster Indiana where she has been since 2017. In addition to Munster schools, she brings experience from some of the largest districts in Indiana. Within her experience, she has also worked in Fort Wayne Community Schools as well as Indianapolis Public Schools where she was deputy superintendent. Dr. Stokes had previously served the role of "Director of Research, Assessment and Evaluation" at IPS as well.
In her experience, she has been a teacher as well as a principal, so she has worked within the front-lines of a school system. She has also been a director of special education and a director of curriculum and assessment with the state of Indian. Her PH.D. is in educational leadership from Purdue University in West Lafayette. Other degrees include an MS in K-12 Education Administrator, MS in Special Education and Teaching, and more.
As a special note, in 2018, Dr. Stokes received the 2018 Achievement in Education Award from Gov. Eric Holcomb.
Dr. Stokes enters HSE at a time when they are looking to reduce spending while student growth is expected to continue. In addition to running one of Indiana's largest district with over 21,500 kids, she will be overseeing a budget that is over quarter of a billion dollars. With growth continuing to push the limits of existing buildings and a large renewal of a referendum coming, Dr. Stokes will have her challenges in what is one of the premier districts in Indiana.
While the HSE School Board has approved the contract now, Dr. Stokes officially takes over the administration of the fourth largest district in Indiana starting on July 1st.
It is worth noting that the hiring of Dr. Stokes does not come without controversy. A number of people including multiple previous board members spoke out about the hire prior to official announcement. One previous board member stated, "Academic excellence has been set aside for social justice as the new top priority and the toughness and grit of academic and athletic competition has been replaced by social emotional coddling."
No hire at the level of superintendent comes into a district the size of HSE without some controversy. Whether Dr. Stokes was a good or bad hire will be seen by her actions over the coming months and years.
The community elected the seven HSE school board members over the past two elections. One of the most important responsibilities of the elected members is to determine the superintendent. If a majority feels the board made a poor hiring decision, then that can be addressed in the next election. In the meantime we welcome the new superintendent to Hamilton Southeastern Schools and for the sake of our district and our kids, we wish her the best. As a community, it is in our best interest to do what we can do help Dr. Stokes be as successful as possible.
HSE School Board members Suzanne Thomas and Brad Boyer vote against the contract for the new superintendent.
Rough Notes from Mayor Fadness' Virtual Twilight Town Hall
116th Closing: NPT Underpass Construction Starts Around June 1st


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VR Library
Acrophobia
Amaxophobia
Exam-related anxiety
Glossophobia
Nyctophobia
Trypanophobia
Zoophobia
26 Nov With virtual reality, the drop-out rate in therapies is reduced
Posted at 12:43h in Digital Therapeutics	by	flavia
With virtual reality, the drop-out rate in therapies is reduced
Together with the arrival of new technologies in mental health, doubts and questions about their effectiveness and contribution regarding traditional treatments increase.
Amanda A. Benbow & Page L. Anderson published this year in the Journal of Anxiety Disorder a meta-analysis that attempts to compare attrition in the psychological treatment of anxiety with in vivo exposure compared to the use of virtual reality.
With attrition, researchers refer to discontinuation of treatment before therapy has been completed (Swift & Greenberg, 2012; cited in Amanda A. Benbow & Page L. Anderson, 2019). The negative impact of dropouts in therapy is inevitable since the patient receives no benefit and may be discouraged from treatment-seeking (Björk, Björck, Clinton, Sohlberg, & Norring, 2009; Lampropoulos, 2010; cited in Amanda A. Benbow & Page L. Anderson, 2019).
Until now, the research by Opriş et al. (2012), is the only one confronting the dropout ratio between the two types of therapy, concluding that there is no significant difference. Besides, according to Amanda A. Benbow and Page L. Anderson (2019), the study by Opriş et al. (2012) has some limitations since it doesn't estimate any index. Research shows that there are demographic and socioeconomic factors that are associated with an increased risk of dropout in adult therapy (Swift & Greenberg, 2012; cited in Amanda A. Benbow & Page L. Anderson, 2019). It is possible that more factors specifically influence VRET (virtual reality exposure therapy) such as cybersickness, as well as between-session intervention (i.e., homework). In fact, this showed a significant reduction in abandonment, 17.1% compared to 25.2% in cases where it was not applied. Actually, attrition with RV has to be understood alongside its moderators.
In their research, Amanda A. Benbow & Page L. Anderson (2019) identified the failure to properly immerse themselves in the VRET environment, as well as cybersickness, and vision complications, and discomfort in speaking with the therapist without being able to see it, as the main reasons for dropout from VRET. In the case of in vivo therapy, it was revealed that the most common reason for dropout was the fear of direct exposure to the phobic stimulus.
It is favorable that in the case of being able to choose, more people would prefer virtual reality than in vivo exposure, and those who choose VRET are more likely to complete their treatment compared to those who had no choice. Previous research also suggests that, given the possibility to choose, most patients would choose VRET compared to in vivo exposure (Garcöa-Palacios, Hoffman, KwongSee, Tsai, & Botella, 2001; García-Palacios, Botella, Hoffman, & Fabregat, 2007; cited in Amanda A. Benbow & Page L. Anderson, 2019).
However, the researchers conclude that there is no significant difference in attrition between VRET and in vivo. Globally, the dropout rate for virtual reality for anxiety disorders is 16%, slightly lower than the rate of in vivo therapy that Fernandez, Salem, Swift, & Ramtahal (2015) and Swift & Greenberg (2012) respectively estimate as 19.6% and 19.7% (Amanda A. Benbow & Page L. Anderson, 2019).
It is undisputed that, although the difference in the dropout ratio between the two types of therapy seems insignificant, numerous investigations demonstrated a very consistent advantage of virtual reality: it allows exposure therapy without a realistic approach to the feared stimulus, a situation that may be too intense and intimidating for some patients (Meyerbröker & Emmelkamp, 2010; Opriş et al., 2012; Peñate Castro et al., 2014; cited in Amanda A. Benbow & Page L. Anderson, 2019). It is also worth knowing that – in VRET – between-session interventions reduce attrition, as well as improving the therapeutic engagement (Cronin, Lawrence, Taylor, Norton, & Kazantzis, 2015; cited in Amanda A. Benbow & Page L Anderson, 2019). Although the role of the working alliance as a moderator in the specific case of VRET has not yet been investigated, the therapeutic engagement is an important factor in reducing dropout in traditional therapy.
With the launch of Psious' 3.0 platform, we provide to mental health professionals more than 100 virtual reality scenes, and 2D and 360 videos, for the treatment of phobias, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, stress, OCD, PTSD, eating disorders, pain management, bullying, relaxation techniques, and mindfulness.
Other articles that might interest you:
The benefits of virtual reality applied to people with autism
Virtual reality exposure therapy for anxiety: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
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You want customers to add items to the ecommerce shopping cart on your site. It gets them that much closer to the sale. However, it is very important to remember that, just because they put the item into their cart, it does not mean they will actually go through with the transaction and buy it. One of the banes of online retailers everywhere is shopping cart abandonment. It happens to even the largest and most successful of retailers, and you can be sure it is happening on your site, as well. Even though it is impossible to stop all instances of this, you can do some things that will help to reduce the issue, and most of these tips have to do with giving more to your customers.
Always make your terms, costs, and policies for buying clear with your customers. Don't add any hidden charges that only show up when they add the item to their cart. This is a surefire way to get them to abandon it.
Some people want to buy, but they see the cost of shipping after they place their items in the cart, and they don't want to pay all of those extra fees. While you can't always eat the cost of shipping, it might be a good idea to offer free shipping in some cases, such as purchases that are above a certain dollar amount. If you can't offer entirely free shipping, it might help if you could at least offer flat rate shipping. This way, people will have an idea of what the total will be even before they add the item to their ecommerce shopping cart.
The shopping cart should always be easy to access from all pages of your site. This way, the customer can get into the cart easily, see what he or she has added, and get to the checkout. If they have to go back and forth between pages just to find the cart, this is going to frustrate them. What will they do when they feel that frustration? They will click off your site and head over to the competition where things are faster and easier.
You might even want to consider using an ecommerce shopping cart that shows the items it includes without the customer even having to click on it. Having it permanently viewable can make it even easier on the buyers.
When people are purchasing items, they want it to be fast. The Internet should make things faster and easier, so if they have to fill out a number of forms just to get through the checkout, or if you require them to provide an email address or to sign up for a newsletter, chances are good they will simply click away to another site instead. Keep it streamlined.
People want to have different ways to make their purchases. Having credit card and debit card options are naturally important, but you may want to go beyond that today. Consider adding some of the third party options such as PayPal and Google Wallet, just to make things easier on your customers. Doing so allows you to get customers who might not have been able to buy from you if you didn't offer those options.
When you implement these changes and additions to your site, you will find that your ecommerce shopping cart abandonment rate should start to drop. Continually find ways to make your site better and friendlier to customers and you will reap the rewards.


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NHL authorizes Bettman to seal Olympics deal
TORONTO (AP) — The NHL has not yet signed off on sending players to the 2002 Winter Olympics, but commissioner Gary Bettman was given permission Saturday by the Board of Governors to wrap up an agreement.
The board also extended through the 2000-01 season the aid program that helps the six heavily taxed Canada teams compensate for the weak Canadian dollar.
And, with goaltenders increasingly being bumped and pushed since the relaxation of the in-the-crease rule, referees are being instructed to make certain such contact isn't causing goals.
Meeting with the board a day before the NHL All-Star game, Bettman said there is strong but not unanimous sentiment to sending players to the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002.
"They authorized me to conclude the agreement that might have us go to the Olympics," Bettman said. "But it is not yet concluded, and we still might not go. But, if it is all worked out, I have the authority to take the league through the Olympic process."
The International Ice Hockey Federation is working with the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee to finalize a schedule acceptable to the NHL. The league does not want to shut down again for two weeks, as it did in Nagano in 1998, and instead is looking for a window of 12 days or so.
Also, the NHL wants television exposure for Olympic hockey, which, because of concerns over low ratings and time zone differences, was relegated in Nagano mostly to the early morning hours on the East Coast.
"I don't want to read headlines tomorrow saying we're going," Bettman said. "But, if we work this out, I don't have to go back to the board for us to go."
The Canadian assistance program was extended in December for five years in anticipation of a Canadian government bailout worth about $20 million annually. But, amid a public outcry over using tax dollars to support the privately owned franchises, the government pulled the plug on the program only a couple days after approving it last month.
The five-year extension of the NHL-backed plan was contingent upon the Canadian government program going forward. So, for now, the NHL will decide on a year-to-year basis whether to extend its own plan.
Canadian teams are at a distinct financial disadvantage because they collect their revenues mostly in Canadian dollars, but pay salaries in American dollars. The Calgary Flames currently reap about $3 million annually from the NHL aid plan.
The Ottawa Senators, the team expected to benefit most from the Canadian government bailout, say they must sell 12,500 season tickets next year and increase luxury box revenues to survive.
Bettman criticized the Canadian government pullout, saying, "Others might have abandoned the Canadian clubs, but we are not about to."
The greater emphasis on eliminating goaltender obstruction is not a tweaking of the rules, NHL operations chief Colin Campbell said.
But referees were instructed Wednesday in a conference call to make certain that contact around the goal mouth isn't giving an unintended advantage to the team with the puck.
Only days after the Stanley Cup playoffs ended on Brett Hull's disputed goal, the NHL altered the rule that wiped out goals when even part of a player's skate was in the crease.
But, Campbell said, "Players are finding ways to bump the goaltenders, and the referees understand the goaltenders need more protection.
"But we think the changes in the crease rule are great. We wanted to cut down on the use of video replays, and we have."


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THE EARTH PRIZE SUPERVISORS
2. General Provisions
2.1 Fundamental Principles
2.2 Appropriate Behavior
2.3 Safeguarding of Minors
3. Specific Provisions
3.1 The Earth Prize Supervisors
3.3.1 Professional Integrity
3.3.2 Commitment to Excellence
The Earth Prize is an international environmental sustainability competition organized by The Earth Foundation, a Swiss non-profit committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in its relationships with students, educators, academic institutions, affiliates, employees, suppliers, communities, and the environment. Therefore, The Earth Foundation expects all individuals involved in The Earth Prize to maintain equal standards of professional conduct and integrity in their dealings with The Earth Foundation and its partners, and with the environment. The Earth Prize Supervisors Code of Conduct (the "Code of Conduct") sets out the minimal requirements expected for The Earth Prize Supervisors regarding academic integrity, ethics, and compliance with laws, regulations, and internationally-recognized standards.
The Earth Prize prides itself in promoting values of respect, not only for the environment but also for others. It is thus one of The Earth Foundation's goals to create a nurturing and respectful learning community where Participants, Mentors, and Supervisors can work collaboratively. The provisions laid out in this section are meant to ensure a fair and safe competition, and the appropriate behavior of all individuals involved.
Observing basic ethical principles such as the spirit of respect for others, fair competition, and dignity for the Earth and the human beings living on it, is the essence of The Earth Foundation and The Earth Prize. These principles include respect for:
The Earth Foundation's zero tolerance position towards bribery and corruption, and demonstrating honesty and fairness in all its activities.
Good governance, in particular, transparency, accountability and responsibility.
Confidentiality by any person involved in the activities of The Earth Prize.
All individuals involved in The Earth Prize are expected to engage in responsible social conduct that reflects the values of The Earth Prize and The Earth Foundation. They are expected to refrain from degrading, insulting, and discriminating against any other individual, as well as from the use of offensive language and any other unethical, demeaning, or unlawful action.
Adult Participants in The Earth Prize must adhere to the highest standards of behavior when interacting with all students, but most especially minors. In line with its proper institutional policy and these aforementioned values, The Earth Foundation has a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse, in all its forms. The Earth Foundation and The Earth Prize support firmly the principle of accountability of all involved parties and their duty to report any case where the safeguarding of minors may be at risk.
The Earth Prize Supervisors recognize the responsibility that they accepted when choosing to supervise The Earth Prize Participants and agree to interact appropriately with them according to the highest ethical standards at all times. Being a Supervisor in The Earth Prize is a privilege. The quality of the initiative and the academic motivation of The Earth Prize Participants call for high-quality adult leadership.
All Supervisors in The Earth Prize must abide by general principles of academic integrity, which stipulate that students' submissions must be their own and not the work of their Supervisors. Supervisors will not contribute to their assigned teams' work beyond what their duties (described in The Earth Prize Official Rules) allow. Any kind of academic dishonesty is grounds for disqualification from The Earth Prize competition.
3.3.2 Commitment to Excellence:
Read and agree to abide by this Code of Conduct and other ancillary documents.
Abide by all rules (see The Earth Prize Official Rules and Terms and Conditions) as prescribed by The Earth Prize and The Earth Foundation;
Strive to assist each Participant to realize their potential throughout the contest, stimulating the spirit of inquiry, the acquisition of knowledge and understanding, and the thoughtful formulation of worthy objectives which they have envisioned, created and executed independently.
©TheEarthPrize 2021
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Department of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala
Department of Cultural Affairs
Heritage Monuments
Home » Kerala
Kerala, a state in the south-west region of the country, is a lush paradise of pretty mountains and valleys. It shares border with Karnataka to the north, north-east and Tamil Nadu to the south and south-east. To the west, 200-300 km away from its pristine coastline, are the Lakshadweep islands. Nature's bounty, vibrant culture and an exotic cuisine bespeak the land's tourist slogan "God's Own Country".
The Kerala State was formed on November 1, 1956 after the reorganisation of states on a linguistic basis. An eventful history and a rich heritage of arts and science make the state unique. The cultural heritage of the land paved way for the evolution of a progressive society.
The state has a reputation for communal harmony. Kerala was the first place in the Indian sub-continent to host Christianity and Islam. The country's first church and mosque are situated at Kodungallur in the state.
The state is noted for a serene waterscape comprising rivers, backwaters and ponds.Its another claim to fame are a variety of spices which attracted traders from various foreign countries since ancient times.Colourful festivals and classical art forms are another hallmark of the state.
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RTA School of Media Wall of Fame
by Rob - September 22nd, 2012.
Filed under: Awards, Milestones.
On Saturday, September 22, 2012, the RTA School of Media Wall of Fame was unveiled at my alma mater, Ryerson University in Toronto; I am thrilled to be one of the initial twelve inductees.
The Wall of Fame is sponsored by the RTA School of Media (formerly the School of Radio and Television Arts, the top-rated broadcasting school in Canada, established 1953) and the RTA Alumni Association.
The initial twelve honorees are:
Dave Devall, Guinness World Record holder for "longest career as a weather forecaster'"
Jocelyn Hamilton, Vice President, Original Programming, Kids, Comedy, Drama, at Corus Entertainment.
Bill Lawrence, CBC weather forecaster, host of Tiny Talent Time
Terry O'Reilly, co-founder Pirate Radio, author, CBC Radio host
Keith Pelley, President, Rogers Media Inc.
Valerie Pringle, television host and journalist
Robert J. Sawyer, science-fiction writer
Doug Sellars (deceased), former executive producer of CBC Sports, and former executive vice-president of Fox Sports in Los Angeles
Arthur Smith, Executive Producer of the reality show Hell's Kitchen
Steven H. Stern, film director, producer, and writer
Virginia Thompson, owner of Vérité Films and producer of Corner Gas
Kim Wilson, Creative Head, Children's and Youth Programming at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The citation beneath my photo on the Wall of Fame reads:
Robert J. Sawyer (class of 1982) is one of only eight writers in history — and the only Canadian — to win all three of the world's top awards for best science-fiction novel of the year: the Hugo (which he won for Hominids), the Nebula (for The Terminal Experiment), and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award (for Mindscan). According to the U.S. trade journal Locus, he has won more awards for his novels than anyone else in the history of the science-fiction and fantasy fields.
The 2009-2010 ABC TV series FlashForward was based on his novel of the same name, and he was one of the scriptwriters for that show. He is a member of both the Writers Guild of Canada and the Writers Guild of America, and has almost 700 radio and TV appearances to his credit.
Click above for larger photo
At the induction ceremony (left to right): Virginia Thompson, Jocelyn Hamilton, Kim Wilson, Robert J. Sawyer, Valerie Pringle, Terry O'Reilly, Arthur Smith, Keith Pelley, Dave Devall
Ten years prior, in September 2002, I received Ryerson's Alumni Award of Distinction; I am one of only eighty people so honoured in Ryerson's history. Of the initial twelve RTA Wall of Fame inductees, only Dave Devall, Valerie Pringle, and myself are also Alumni Award of Distinction recipients.
I very much enjoyed my time as a student at Ryerson — graduating 30 years ago, in 1982, with a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree in Radio and Television Arts. I also spent a year on staff in the School of Radio and Television Arts (the 1982-83 academic year), and returned to Ryerson in the 1996-1997 and 1997-1998 academic years to teach continuing-education courses in science-fiction writing. In 2008, for Ryerson's sixtieth anniversary, I was commissioned by the university to write this piece about the university's future.
Photo by Christina Molendyk
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2 Responses to RTA School of Media Wall of Fame
Congrats. In light of the other awards you've won, I'd think it might pale a little, but then, I'm not sure I'd ever tire of awards.
Chris Nolan.ca
Congratulations Rob.


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Philippines: Mount Kanlaon erupts again spewing ash 1.5km high in air
Since November, Kanlaon volcano in Negros Oriental has been more active than usual.
June 18, 2016 15:14 +08
Mount Kanlaon in Philippines' Negros Oriental erupted on Saturday morning, shooting a huge column of ash into the sky, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.
The eruption started at 9:19 a.m. and continued till 9:46 a.m. Phivolcs said that the rumbling volcano ejected whitish-grey ash about 1.5km into the air.
The civil aviation office issued a warning saying: "Flights operating in the vicinity of the volcano are advised to avoid flying close to the summit as airborne ash from a sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft".
Since November, Kanlaon has been more active than usual. The government had banned hikers from its slopes.
Kenn John Veracruz, an official from Phivolcs, said that till now the authorities have not detected any lava rising inside the 2.47km-high volcano. But they are also analyzing how far the ash was being scattered by the wind and whether it could affect any of the nearby communities.
"It has been raining in recent days so there was likely water that built up inside the volcano and since the crater is hot, it built up the steam pressure," he told AFP. He also said that there is possibility of another volcanic eruption.
Meanwhile, the civil defense office said they have not received any reports of damage or injury yet but they will remain on high alert.
The 2,345-meter Mount Kanlaon is one of the 23 active volcanoes in the country and it has had several eruptions in the past. Due to this nature of Kanlaon, the government has imposed a permanent four-kilometre "danger zone" around the volcano and people are not allowed to live in that area.
On March 29, Kanlaon erupted, affecting several residents by ash fall. The eruption destroyed hectares of grassland in Negros Occidental.
Philippines is positioned on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", which is quite active seismically. It has over 20 active volcanoes.
Last week, Mount Bulusan situated in the rural eastern province of Sorsogon had a similar eruption with an ash plume of more than 6,500 feet high (1.98 kilometers).


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For the Families
Aviation Combat Element (VMM-261)
Combat Logistics Element (CLB-24)
Ground Combat Element (BLT 1/8)
Unit HomeNewsArticle
24th Marine Expeditionary Unit wraps up Eager Lion 12
6 Jun 2012 | 2nd Lt. Joshua Larson
AQABA, Jordan -- The Gulf of Aqaba was busy again as ships from the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group shared the water and parked pier-side at the Royal Jordanian Naval Base May 28 to June 5.
Although the area around Aqaba is plush with sandy beaches, picturesque sunsets and some of the world's greatest scuba diving, the USS Iwo Jima, New York and Gunston Hall were not here to pick up tourists. They were here to embark approximately 1,000 Marines of the 2,300-strong 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which assembled at the port after a month of austere living conditions in the Kingdom of Jordan's interior desert region during Exercise Eager Lion 12.
The 24th MEU arrived in Jordan the first week of May to participate in Eager Lion, the largest exercise in the U.S. Central Command area of operations and worked with a number of nation's militaries throughout Jordan. The exercise focused on irregular-warfare-themed events designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships of over 19 participating nations and 11,000 personnel.
"Theater security events like Eager Lion give us a chance to get off the ship and use some training space, but more importantly it's a chance to partner with a nation and share capabilities," said Lt. Col. Aaron Adams, the executive officer of the 24th MEU. "Jordan is definitely one of our strongest allies in the region so, from that perspective, it's certainly important to continue to build ties."
Media headlines around the world continually attempted to tie the exercise to real-world events throughout the Middle East region, focusing on American strategic implications even though the exercise has been in the planning process for three years.
But the 24th MEU Marines concerned themselves with two things; realistic training and strengthening partnerships.
"The Jordanians were great to the Marines. They sat down together during breaks, drank chai with them, and traded stuff back and forth. They actually taught the Marines a lot of Arabic and had good times," said Staff Sgt. Derek Brossman, the 24th MEU Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense chief. "My Marines have no qualms about working with Jordanians at any given time."
Indeed, this is a large part of the mission of the North Carolina-based 24th MEU, currently on a scheduled eight-month deployment throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East. They travel the world's seaways as a theater reserve and crisis response force, capable of a wide array of missions from full-scale combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
And they can do it all in the same day.
True to form, the Marines took part in a vast range of events during Eager Lion. Some of the first bilateral training, as early as May 8, involved U.S. and Jordanian snipers and reconnaissance Marines firing suppressed rifles and .45 caliber pistols side-by-side. In another scenario, the 24th MEU's Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear response team worked hand-in-hand with Jordanian incident response forces during a chemical spill scenario. And one of the MEU's final missions consisted of evacuating personnel during a simulated noncombatant evacuation operation.
But the Marines didn't forget to bring plenty of conventional firepower to Jordan as well. The sounds of machine guns, tanks and artillery rattled the earth in the training area around Jabal Petra throughout the month, where Jordanians and Marines from the 24th MEU's ground combat element, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, teamed with several different nations including Lebanon, Italy and Saudi Arabia.
"On several occasions, we sent Marines from the battery over to the Jordan artillery unit to cross-train with them," said 1st Lt. Sean Sullivan, the executive officer of India Battery, BLT 1/2, the artillery attachment from 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment. "The Marines enjoyed working with another military and different weapons than they're used to. They traded patches and rank insignia and even attached a Jordanian and American flag to an expended mortar tail charge assembly and presented it to them as a gift."
The MEU also showcased firepower from above as its air combat element from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 (Reinforced) flew missions with MV-22 Ospreys, CH-53 Super Stallion helicopters, AH-1W Cobras and UH-1N Hueys. There were even partnered flights where Jordanian and Marine pilots flew next to each other in the skies above the Jordanian desert.
Another highlight of Eager Lion was a consequence management scenario, which not only consisted of Marines and Jordanians, but U.S. soldiers as well.
The purpose was for the Marines to learn how to use the Jordanians equipment, and vice-versa, so that both forces have a better chance at operability in potential future operations, explained Brossman.
As decision makers in the U.S. continue to highlight special operations capabilities, it is only fitting that those 24th MEU Marines designed for special missions were a significant part of the exercise.
Even at the BLT level, reconnaissance Marines used Eager Lion to maintain their own proficiency as well as partner with a new and upcoming reconnaissance unit from the Jordanian 77th Marine Battalion.
Reconnaissance Marines at the BLT level go forward of the unit and break down the battlefield, or area of operations, to send back information like enemy strengths, weaknesses and estimated firepower so that it can be turned into intelligence for the commander, explained Cpl. Jesse Kimble, a reconnaissance scout with BLT 1/2.
"With our Jordanian team, we covered basic equipment use, basic formations and patrols, security of patrols and observation posts. We also discussed hides – how to set them up and take pictures from them using various observation techniques," he said.
The 24th MEU's Maritime Raid Force, built around Force Reconnaissance Marines from 2nd Force Reconnaissance Battalion from Camp Lejeune, N.C., played a large role as well as they joined with Jordanians, Italians and Lebanese to talk sniper rifles, fast ropes, ship takedowns, ordnance disposal and even counterintelligence.
In fact, the MRF contains the assets to take on many of the same missions as other, perhaps better known, special operations forces operators from the Army and Navy. The difference is they do it specifically for a task force commander or in this case, the MEU commander, explained Staff Sgt. Zachary Burghart, an MRF team leader.
On top of that, having the 24th MEU and the Iwo Jima ARG nearby allows the Marines the necessary support to sustain indefinitely and provide a quick reaction force should the MRF need more fire in a fight.
Support from the sea and the ability to sustain itself ashore is not only essential to tactical operators like the MRF – it's essential to any operation and may be the 24th MEU's most unique capability of all.
While a MEU's ground and air components are usually highlighted in events such as these, none of it could happen without the hundreds of men and women behind the scenes as part of Combat Logistics Battalion 24, the 24th MEU's combat logistics element. These Marines, approximately 300 in all, spend most of their time just as tired, dirty and sweaty as any other, and while it's sometimes easy to forget them, their efforts are not unnoticed by their fellow Marines and sailors in the 24th MEU.
Indeed, a simple list of statistics during Eager Lion proves the importance of this warfighting asset.
The CLB's Motor Transport Platoon alone drove over 13,000 miles during the month-long exercise, transporting a total of 1,500 Marines and over 2.2 million pounds of cargo. Perhaps more amazing is that its engineer section produced all but a fraction of the entire 24th MEU's water supply – 65,000 gallons worth! – using their own tactical water purifying equipment.
The 24th MEU commander, Col. Frank Donovan, explained these types of exercises as key to the future success of the MEU if called on to participate in a real-world crisis.
"Executing Eager Lion from the sea gave us the opportunity to maximize our ship-to-objective maneuver, employ expeditionary logistics, and learn from our partnered forces. Our Marines and sailors learned how to work alongside other nation's militaries and how to fuse our efforts in support of coalition mission accomplishment. We sail better prepared for the missions ahead based on our time spent participating in Eager Lion," said Donovan.
Eager Lion is currently described as a recurring exercise to increase interoperability and strengthen military-to-military relationships through a joint, whole-of-government, multinational approach to future complex national security challenges. It was the second such event for the 24th MEU who, partnered with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of operations as a theater reserve and crisis response force.


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The content of science as an important research variable: A position paper
J. Stewart, Fred N. Finley
Stewart, J., & Finley, F. N. (1982). The content of science as an important research variable: A position paper. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 19, 425-432.
The content of science as an important research variable: A position paper. / Stewart, J.; Finley, Fred N.
In: Journal of Research in Science Teaching, Vol. 19, 1982, p. 425-432.
Stewart, J & Finley, FN 1982, 'The content of science as an important research variable: A position paper', Journal of Research in Science Teaching, vol. 19, pp. 425-432.
Stewart J, Finley FN. The content of science as an important research variable: A position paper. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. 1982;19:425-432.
Stewart, J. ; Finley, Fred N. / The content of science as an important research variable: A position paper. In: Journal of Research in Science Teaching. 1982 ; Vol. 19. pp. 425-432.
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T1 - The content of science as an important research variable: A position paper
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