text:
SEARCH QUERY SCORING AND POPULARITY MONITORING AND SYSTEMS AND METHODS THEREFOR
A method of indicating the popularity of the subject of a search query comprising receiving a search query from a user, the search query being received by a search server; determining whether the search query is likely to be related to a particular thing; obtaining popularity information for the particular thing; and, transmitting an indicator of the popularity information to a user computer for display. Some embodiments may also include targeted information about the search query subject, including a map showing the search query subject's location, the location of similar things in the same region as the search query subject, one or more advertisements, and the like. The targeted information and/or the popularity information indicator may be displayed with, or separate from search results associated with the search query.
Channell, Brian Paul (Redondo Beach, CA, US)
Yahoo! Inc. (Sunnyvale, CA)
707/999.003, 707/E17.108
G06F7/06
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BIBBEE, JARED M
SLACK TECHNOLOGIES INC c/o MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP (MCLEAN, VA, US)
1. Computer program process code, tangibly stored on a computer readable medium, the computer program process code comprising instructions interpretable by a processor, the instructions comprising: receiving a search query from a user computing device; determining whether the search query relates to a particular thing about which popularity information can be obtained; obtaining the popularity information for the particular thing; and communicating to the user computing device an indicator reflective of the popularity information to be displayed along with results of the search query.
2. The computer program process code of claim 1, the thing comprising one of a restaurant, a make of automobile, a motion picture, a motion picture theater, a retail store, and a hotel.
3. The computer program process code of claim 1, the popularity information comprising a relative popularity score.
4. The computer program process code of claim 3, the popularity information indicator comprising a graphic reflective of the relative popularity score.
5. The computer program process code of claim 3, the relative popularity score reflecting a difference in a number of search queries related to the particular thing received over a first period of time compared to the number of search queries related to the particular thing received over a second period of time.
6. The computer program process code of claim 3, the relative popularity score reflecting a difference in sales of the particular thing as measured over a first period of time compared to sales of the particular thing as measured over to a second period of time.
7. The computer program process code of claim 3, the relative popularity score reflecting a difference in the revenues from sales of the particular thing over a first period of time compared to a second period of time.
8. The computer program process code of claim 3, the relative popularity score reflecting a difference in the popularity of the particular thing compared to the popularity of similar things.
9. The computer program process code of claim 3, the popularity information indicator comprising a graphic, the graphic indicative of the relative popularity score.
10. The computer program process code of claim 3 further comprising: obtaining targeted information about the thing; and, communicating the targeted information to be displayed for the user.
11. The computer program process code of claim 10, the targeted information being displayed along with the search results.
12. The computer program process code of claim 10, the targeted information being displayed only when the relative popularity score exceeds a given threshold.
13. The computer program process code of claim 10, the popularity information indicator being displayed as part of the targeted information.
14. The computer program process code of claim 10, the targeted information comprising at least one advertisement.
15. The computer program process code of claim 10, the targeted information comprising a map on which the location of the thing is displayed.
16. The computer program process code of claim 15, the map further comprising indicators of similar things that are geographically proximate to the thing.
17. The computer program process code of claim 16, the indicators comprising representations of relative popularity scores for each of the similar things displayed on the map.
18. The computer program process code of claim 16, each indicator comprising a link to information about the respective similar thing.
19. The computer program process code of claim 1, the search query being received from a browser running on the user computing device.
20. The computer program process code of claim 1, the popularity information indicator being displayed in a browser running on the user computing device.
21. A method comprising: receiving a search query from a user computing device; determining whether the search query relates to a particular thing about which popularity information can be obtained; obtaining the popularity information for the particular thing; and, transmitting to the user computing device an indicator reflective of the popularity information to be displayed along with the results of the search query.
22. The method of claim 21, the thing comprising one of a restaurant, a make of automobile, a motion picture, a motion picture theater, a retail store, and a hotel.
23. The method of claim 21, the popularity information comprising a relative popularity score.
24. The method of claim 23, the popularity information indicator comprising a graphic reflective of the relative popularity score.
25. The method of claim 23, the relative popularity score reflecting a difference in the number of search queries related to the particular thing received over a first period of time compared to a second period of time.
26. The method of claim 23, the relative popularity score reflecting a difference in the sales of the particular thing over a first period of time compared to sales of the particular thing as measured over a second period of time.
27. The method of claim 23, the relative popularity score reflecting a difference in the revenues from sales of the particular thing as measured over a first period of time compared to a revenues from sales of the particular thing as measured over a second period of time.
28. The method of claim 23, the relative popularity score reflecting a difference in the popularity of the particular thing compared to the popularity of similar things.
29. The method of claim 23, the popularity information indicator comprising a graphic, the graphic indicative of the relative popularity score.
30. The method of claim 23 further comprising: obtaining targeted information about the thing; and, transmitting the targeted information to the user computer for display to the user.
31. The method of claim 30, the targeted information being displayed only when the relative popularity score exceeds a given threshold.
32. The method of claim 30, the targeted information comprising at least one advertisement.
33. The method of claim 30, the targeted information comprising a map on which the location of the thing is displayed.
34. The method of claim 33, the map further comprising indicators of similar things that are geographically proximate to the thing.
35. The method of claim 34, the indicators comprising representations of relative popularity scores for each of the similar things displayed on the map.
36. The method of claim 34, each indicator comprising a link to information about the respective similar thing.
37. The method of claim 23, the search query being received from a browser running on a user computer.
38. A computer system comprising: a plurality of processors; a query engine implemented on one of the processors for receiving a search query from a user computing device; an availability engine implemented on one of the processors for determining whether the search query relates to a particular thing about which popularity information can be obtained; a popularity engine implemented on one of the processors for obtaining the popularity information for the particular thing; and a response engine implemented on one of the processors for communicating to the user computing device an indicator reflective of the popularity information to be displayed along with results of the search query.
39. The system of claim 38, the thing comprising one of a restaurant, a make of automobile, a motion picture, a motion picture theater, a retail store, and a hotel.
40. The system of claim 38, the popularity information comprising a relative popularity score.
41. The system of claim 40, the popularity information indicator comprising a graphic reflective of the relative popularity score.
42. The system of claim 40, the relative popularity score reflecting a difference in a number of search queries related to the particular thing received over a first period of time compared to the number of search queries related to the particular thing received over a second period of time.
43. The system of claim 40, the relative popularity score reflecting a difference in sales of the particular thing as measured over a first period of time compared to sales of the particular thing as measured over to a second period of time.
44. The system of claim 40, the relative popularity score reflecting a difference in the revenues from sales of the particular thing over a first period of time compared to a second period of time.
45. The system of claim 40, the relative popularity score reflecting a difference in the popularity of the particular thing compared to the popularity of similar things.
46. The system of claim 40, the popularity information indicator comprising a graphic, the graphic indicative of the relative popularity score.
47. The system of claim 40 further comprising: a targeted information engine implemented on one of the processors for obtaining targeted information about the thing; and, a targeted information communication engine implemented on one of the processors for communicating the targeted information for display by the user computing device.
48. The system of claim 47, the targeted information being displayed along with the search results.
49. The system of claim 47, the targeted information being displayed only when the relative popularity score exceeds a given threshold.
50. The system of claim 47, the popularity information indicator being displayed as part of the targeted information.
51. The system of claim 47, the targeted information comprising at least one advertisement.
52. The system of claim 47, the targeted information comprising a map on which the location of the thing is displayed.
53. The system of claim 52, the map further comprising indicators of similar things that are geographically proximate to the thing.
54. The system of claim 53, the indicators comprising representations of relative popularity scores for each of the similar things displayed on the map.
55. The system of claim 53, each indicator comprising a link to information about the respective similar thing.
56. The system code of claim 38, the search query being received from a browser running on the user computing device.
57. The system of claim 38, the popularity information indicator being displayed in a browser running on the user computing device.
This application includes material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The instant disclosure relates to the field of information technology, and more specifically provides a system and methods through which search queries can be assigned a score based on a variety of factors, including, without limitation, the requestor's location, the frequency with which others are entering similar queries, and the like.
In some instances, it can be advantageous for a user to see how many other users are searching for or viewing the same information, and how that behavior changes over time. By way of example, without limitation, a restaurant may be recommended to a visitor to a city. Although many reviews of the restaurant may be available, the reviews may not have been written recently. However, if the user can gain access to behavior trends, such as the number of times for which the restaurant has been searched recently compared to some historical information, that may allow the user to better gauge the validity or relevance of the review/recommendation and the popularity of the restaurant. Similarly, a user wishing to attend a movie can use the instant system and method to see how popular a particular movie is at a given theater, and thereby discern the likelihood of obtaining tickets to that movie. Still further, the instant system and method can be used by a user to determine the popularity of a particular automobile make and model, thereby giving the user more information when negotiating the price of the vehicle.
In a similar context, a service provider, such as, without limitation, an advertising service provider, can utilize the instant system and method to derive rates for displaying an advertisement as part of or in association with a particular search query.
Some embodiments comprise computer program process code, tangibly stored on a computer readable medium, the computer program process code comprising instructions interpretable by a processor, the instructions comprising receiving a search query from a user; determining whether the search query is likely to be targeted at a particular thing; obtaining popularity information for the particular thing; and causing an indicator of the popularity information to be displayed along with results of the search query. In some embodiments, the thing may comprise one of a restaurant, a make of automobile, a motion picture, a motion picture theater, a retail store, and a hotel. In some embodiments, the popularity information comprises a relative popularity score, and may also include a graphic reflective of the relative popularity score. By way of example, without limitation, the relative popularity score may reflect a difference in the number of search queries targeted at the particular thing received over a first period of time compared to a second period of time, a difference in the sales of the particular thing over a first period of time compared to a second period of time, a difference in the revenues of the particular thing over a first period of time compared to a second period of time, a difference in the popularity of the particular thing compared to the popularity of similar things, or the like.
In some embodiments, targeted information about the thing may be obtained, the targeted information may be caused to be displayed for the user. In such embodiments, the targeted information may be displayed along with the search results, and/or may be displayed only when the relative popularity score exceeds a given threshold. In some embodiments, the popularity information indicator may be displayed as part of the targeted information. The targeted information may further comprise at least one advertisement, a map on which the location of the thing is displayed, and other such information. In embodiments incorporating a map, the map may comprise indicators of similar things that are geographically proximate to the thing (i.e., the subject of the search query), representations of relative popularity scores for each of the similar things displayed on the map, and the like. In some embodiments, each indicator may comprise a link to information about the respective similar thing.
In some embodiments, the user enters the search query via a browser running on a user computer, and the popularity information and/or targeted information can be displayed in the browser.
Some embodiments include a method comprising receiving a search query from a user, the search query being received by a search server; determining whether the search query is likely to be targeted at a particular thing; obtaining popularity information for the particular thing; and, transmitting an indicator of the popularity information to a user computer for display. In some embodiments, the thing may comprise one of a restaurant, a make of automobile, a motion picture, a motion picture theater, a retail store, and a hotel. The popularity information may comprise a relative popularity score, the relative popularity score reflecting a difference in the number of search queries targeted at the particular thing received over a first period of time compared to a second period of time, a difference in the sales of the particular thing over a first period of time compared to a second period of time, a difference in the revenues of the particular thing over a first period of time compared to a second period of time, a difference in the popularity of the particular thing compared to the popularity of similar things, or the like. The popularity information indicator may comprise a graphic, the graphic indicative of the relative popularity score.
In some embodiments the method further comprises obtaining targeted information about the thing and transmitting the targeted information to the user computer for display to the user. In some embodiments, the targeted information is displayed only when the relative popularity score exceeds a given threshold. The targeted information may comprise at least one advertisement and/or a map on which the location of the thing is displayed. In embodiments employing a map, the map may further comprise indicators of similar things that are geographically proximate to the thing, including representations of relative popularity scores for each of the similar things displayed on the map. Each indicator may also comprise a link to information about the respective similar thing.
Additional features and advantages will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from this disclosure, or may be learned by practice of the disclosed search query scoring and popularity monitoring and method. The objectives and other advantages will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in this written description, including any claims contained herein and the appended drawings.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the disclosed search query scoring and popularity monitoring system and method.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosed search query scoring and popularity monitoring system and method and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various embodiments and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of at least one embodiment of the disclosed search query scoring and popularity monitoring system and method.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a user computing device.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a network architecture facilitating the disclosed search query scoring and popularity monitoring system.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary search query scoring and popularity monitoring method.
FIG. 4 is a screen capture illustrating an exemplary search entry page displayed in a network browsing application.
FIG. 5 is a screen capture illustrating an exemplary search results page displayed in a network browsing application.
FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary user interface through which popularity information about a particular item can be viewed.
FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary user interface through which the popularity of one item can be compared to the popularity of another item.
FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative user interface through which popularity information can be displayed.
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the disclosed search query scoring and popularity monitoring system and methods, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
For the purposes of this disclosure, a computing device (also referred to herein as a "computer") includes a processor and memory for storing and executing program code, data and software. Computing devices may be provided with operating systems that allow the execution of software applications in order to manipulate data. Personal computers, PDAs, wireless devices, cell phones, internet appliances, media players, home theater systems, and media centers are several non-limiting examples of computing devices.
For the purposes of this disclosure, a server comprises software and/or hardware running on one or more computing devices which receives information requests from other servers, user computers, or other computing devices, and responds to such requests. A number of program modules and data files may be stored on a computer readable medium of the server. They may include an operating system suitable for controlling the operation of a networked server computer, such as the WINDOWS VISTA, WINDOWS XP, or WINDOWS 2003 operating systems published by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., the Ubuntu operating system distributed by Canonical Ldt. of Douglas, Isle of Mann.
For the purposes of this disclosure a search server is software, hardware, or firmware (or combinations thereof) capable of storing data in a database and searching the database or other repository to find relevant content to be served to users. A search server may be a single server or a group of servers acting together. A search server selects content to serve based on algorithms meant to direct to the user that content which is most relevant to the user's search terms or likely to be of interest to the user given the search terms. Such search servers may be implemented by a search engine provider (e.g. YAHOO! Inc., Google Inc., and the like), or other service provider. In some embodiments, the search results are served in the form of, or in a form that can be easily incorporated into, a Hypertext Markup Language ("HTML") document using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol ("HTTP").
For the purposes of this disclosure an advertising server is software, hardware, or firmware (or combinations thereof) capable of storing data in a database and searching the database or other repository to find relevant advertisements to be served to users. An advertising server may be a single server or a group of servers acting together. An advertising server selects advertisements to serve based on algorithms meant to direct to the user those advertisements which are most relevant to the user or likely to be of interest to the user. Such advertising servers may be implemented by an advertising service provider (e.g. YAHOO! Inc., Google Inc., and the like), or other service provider. In some embodiments, the advertisements are served in the form of, or in a form that can be easily incorporated into, a Hypertext Markup Language ("HTML") document using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol ("HTTP").
For the purposes of this disclosure the terms "network browsing application" and "browser" are intended to be synonymous and are intended to encompass application software, running on a computing device, which is at least capable of interpreting information stored using Hypertext Markup Language ("HTML"), Extensible Markup Language ("XML"), or other language derived from the Standardized Generalized Markup Language. Examples of such browsers include, but are not limited to, Internet Explorer distributed by Microsoft Corporation; Firefox distributed by the Mozilla Foundation of Mountain View, Calif.; Camino distributed by the Camino Project; and Opera distributed by Apple Computer, Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.
For the purposes of this disclosure a computer readable medium stores computer data in machine readable form. By way of example, and not limitation, a computer readable medium may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes volatile and non-volatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other solid state memory technology; CD-ROM, DVD, or other optical storage; cassettes, tape, disk, or other magnetic storage devices; or any other medium which can be used to store the desired information and which can be accessed by the computer.
For the purposes of this disclosure, the term item comprises a plurality of things about which a user might search. By way of non-limiting example, items may include restaurants, sports complexes, motion pictures, television shows, actors, musical artists, sculptures, movie theaters, fashion designers, automobiles, retailers, companies, cities, states, countries, other geographic regions, and the like.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating components of an exemplary user computing device 100. In some embodiments, user computing device 100 comprises an inter-connect 108 (e.g., bus, system core logic, or the like), which facilitates communication between the various components of user computing device 100 such as, without limitation, processor(s) 104 and memory 106. Furthermore, interconnect 108 can allow processor 104 and/or memory 106 to communicate with peripheral devices, including those connected via input ports 112 and output ports 110. Input ports 112 and output ports 110 can communicate with I/O devices such as mice, keyboards, modems, network interfaces, printers, scanners, video cameras and other devices. In addition, output port 110 can further communicate with a display.
Interconnect 108 may also comprise one or more buses connected to one another through various bridges, controllers and/or adapters. In some embodiments, input ports 112 and output ports 110 can include a USB (Universal Serial Bus) adapter for controlling USB peripherals, and/or an IEEE-1394 bus adapter for controlling IEEE-1394 peripherals. Inter-connect 108 can also include one or more network ports 114, through which the user computing device can be communicatively coupled with a communication network.
In some embodiments, memory 106 may include ROM (Read Only Memory), and volatile RAM (Random Access Memory) and non-volatile memory, such as hard drive, flash memory, computer-readable media, or the like. Volatile RAM is typically implemented as dynamic RAM (DRAM), which requires continuous power to refresh or maintain the data in the memory. Non-volatile memory is typically a magnetic hard drive, flash memory, a magneto-optical drive, or an optical drive (e.g., a DVD RAM), or other type of memory system which maintains data even after power is removed from the system. Computer-readable media can include, without limitation, recordable and non-recordable type media such as volatile and non-volatile memory devices, read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), flash memory devices, floppy and other removable disks, magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media (e.g., Compact Disk Read-Only Memory (CD ROMS), Digital Versatile Disks, (DVDs), etc.), or the like.
In some embodiments, memory 106 can be a local device coupled directly to the other components or modules in the data processing system. A non-volatile memory that is remote from the system, such as a network storage device coupled to the data processing system through a network interface such as a modem or Ethernet interface, can also be used.
In some embodiments, routines executed to implement one or more embodiments may be implemented as part of an operating system 118 or a specific application, component, program, object, module or sequence of instructions, collectively referred to herein as application software 116. Application software 116 typically comprises one or more instruction sets that can be executed by microprocessor 104 to perform operations necessary to execute elements involving the various aspects of the methods and systems described herein.
FIG. 2 illustrates a network architecture supporting the disclosed search query scoring system. In FIG. 2, user computing device 210 comprises one or more computer readable media, on which browser 212 is stored. A user causes user computing device 210 to load browser 212, thereby allowing the user to access search services provided by search server 220. In some embodiments, search server 220 provides a browser interpretable document, such as, without limitation, a document comprising HTML code, to browser 212 via network 250 when browser 212 initiates communications with server 220. The browser interpretable document can allow browser 212 to generate a user interface through which the user can enter one or more search queries.
FIG. 4 illustrates a browser 400 interpreting an exemplary browser interpretable document to provide such a user interface 410. Search queries entered through user interface 410 may be simple keyword type queries, natural language queries, Boolean queries, or the like. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the user is entering a search for a restaurant ("Spago") in a particular city ("Beverly Hills") in search query entry field 420.
Referring again to FIG. 2, when the user submits the search query, search server 220 receives the query and searches database 221 or other such repository for information relevant to the search query. The relevant information may be determined using any conventional search engine search technique or combinations thereof. The search results may include, but are not limited to, links, Uniform Resource Locators ("URL's"), or other pointers to relevant information accessible via network 250 or other communications means and summaries of the content available therefrom. In some embodiments, the search results may also comprise content related to the search query, such as, without limitation photographs, drawings, maps, videos, or other media representative of one or more search results, or the like. In some embodiments, the search results may be formatted as one or more HTML documents and transmitted to browser 212 for display to the user.
In addition to providing traditional search results, search server 220 can also return information indicative of the popularity of one or more search results. By way of example, without limitation, the search results returned by search server 220 may include indirect links, or URL's which refer back to search server 220 to access the corresponding content, thereby allowing server 220 to monitor the search results viewed by the user. In some embodiments, the search results page may include browser interpretable instructions, such as, without limitation, those written in JavaScript, VisualBasic Script, JAVA, or the like, which allow the browser interpretable document to monitor the user's interactions with the search results without necessitating the use of indirect links. In some embodiments, browser 212 may comprise one or more browser helper applications that facilitate the monitoring of user interactions with the search results without necessitating the use of indirect links.
In some embodiments, in addition to retrieving search results, search server 220 can also allow one or more advertisements to be incorporated into or otherwise associated with the search results. Search server 220 can obtain the relevant advertisement from advertisement server 230, which can select the appropriate advertisement from an advertisement database. The advertisement may be selected based on a number of criteria, including relevancy to the user's search query, relevancy to one or more search results, information derived from the user's social networking information, or the like. In some embodiments, advertisement server 230 may select an advertisement based solely on the popularity of the advertisement, with little or no regard to the actual relevance of the advertisement to the subject matter searched or to the search results. This can allow advertisers to promote trendy products or services to potential consumers (e.g., users) based on the fact that the consumer is looking for other, similarly trendy information. By contrast, in some embodiments, server 230 may select the advertisement based on demographic and/or behavioral information associated with the user's friends. Such friends may be determined through a variety of means, including, without limitation, by analyzing the persons appearing on the user's instant messenger "buddy" list, the user's inbox, or by associations between the user and the person(s) in one or more social networking services, such as, without limitation, the services provided by Yahoo! Inc. of Santa Monica, Calif.; LinkedIn Corporation of Mountain View, Calif.; Facebook, Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif.; and MySpace, Inc. of Los Angeles, Calif.
In some embodiments, in addition to passing a relevant search query and/or search results to advertisement server 230, search server 220 may also pass information indicative of the popularity of the particular search query. By way of example, without limitation, such information may include a relative popularity weight or rank. Advertisement server 230 can then utilize such information in charging the clients thereof (i.e. the advertisers) for having placed the advertisement on more popular searches.
FIG. 5 is a screen capture illustrating an exemplary browser interpretable document 505 comprising search results 520, 530 and advertisement 527, when the browser interpretable document is rendered by browser 500. In FIG. 5, the search results comprise both traditional search results 530 and targeted search results 520, as well as an advertisement 527. In providing targeted search results 520, the search server has determined that there is a high likelihood that the user is searching for a particular thing, such as a restaurant, hotel, motion picture, movie theater, automobile make or model, a retail store or brands carried therein, or the like. For example, FIG. 5 illustrates the results of the user's search from FIG. 4, which was for "Spago, Beverly Hills". Because the search server has identified that there is a Spago restaurant in Beverly Hills, the search server has inferred that there is a high likelihood that the user is interested in information about the restaurant itself, rather than other information which merely refers to the restaurant.
In some embodiments, because the restaurant has a popularity rating in excess of a certain threshold level, advertisement 527 is also displayed. Although in some embodiments advertisement 527 may correspond to information relevant to the user's search for a restaurant (e.g., taxi services, etc.), advertisement 527 may also be selected merely based on the fact that the restaurant is popular or that it has a popularity rating in excess of a certain threshold level. This allows advertisers to direct advertisements to users based purely on a perception that the user is interested in popular things. By way of example, without limitation, advertisement 527 may correspond to an advertisement for a fashion magazine, web site that focuses on celebrity gossip, a competing restaurant, or the like.
In addition to optional advertisements, when a search server determines that a search is directed to a particular item, the search server may include targeted search results 520 as part of the search results page. Targeted search results 520 may comprise a variety of information about the restaurant, including, without limitation, the address and telephone number of the restaurant, user ratings or reviews of the restaurant, links to additional ratings and reviews, and the like. Targeted search results 520 may also comprise a popularity indicator 525. By way of example, without limitation, a restaurant that has not received significant search engine or other traffic, or whose traffic has decreased over a certain period, may have a blue thermometer illustrated as popularity indicator 525. By contrast, a restaurant receiving consistently significant traffic or whose traffic has remained constant over a certain period of time may have an exploding red thermometer illustrated as popularity indicator 525. It should be apparent to one skilled in the art that alternative textual, graphical, video, or other content may be substituted for the above-described popularity indicators without departing from the spirit or the scope of the disclosed search query scoring system.
The popularity indicator chosen for a particular item may be based on computed popularity/scoring information about that item. The popularity/scoring information may be derived from a variety of sources, depending on preferences corresponding to a category with which the item is associated. By way of example, without limitation, in some embodiments motion picture popularity/scoring information may be based on the number of movie theaters in which the motion picture is being displayed, the number of tickets sold, the income generated by the motion picture, and comparisons to similar motion pictures from the previous year. By way of example, without limitation, a limited release motion picture released on May 25, 2007 might be compared to other limited release motion pictures released in May, 2007 and those released in May and June, 2006. The popularity/scoring information may be weighted such that the comparisons to similar, contemporary motion pictures are given more weight than those from the previous year. The popularity/scoring information can also allow the frequency with which the motion picture is the subject of a search engine query to influence the popularity of that motion picture. The relative weight of such factors can be associated with the category to which the particular thing (e.g., motion pictures) is assigned.
In some embodiments, the popularity/scoring information may be derived based on user interactions with the search results. By way of example, without limitation, a user may visit a motion picture related site, such as, without limitation, the Yahoo! Movies web site, and can type in a zipcode to find what motion pictures are playing at local movie theaters. In some embodiments, a zipcode may not be needed as geographic information, such as, without limitation, the location of the cellular tower at which the search query originated, the location of the router at which the search query originated, or the like may be determinable. Still further, the user's location may be determined based on historical search information, where a geographic region or location can be determined for the search results. Once the geographic information is known, the total number of moviegoers in that geographic region can then be computed, or at least approximated, based on the number of other moviegoers visiting the site that day. The instant system can assume that the user is likely to be going to the last movie theater whose site the user visits. Similarly, if the user clicks on a particular motion picture during the course of the current browser session, it can be assumed that the user is likely to be going to that theater to watch that motion picture. With such information, the number of potential moviegoers who are likely to visit a particular movie theater and watch a particular motion picture can be inferentially determined. Where the motion picture related site facilitates the purchase of tickets to a given theater, the statistical information can be more directly determined.
By way of further example, without limitation, for businesses such as restaurants, popularity/scoring information can be derived from publicly available revenue information, information from one or more reservation sites, the frequency with which the restaurant is the subject of a search query, and the like. In some embodiments, the popularity indicator for such a business may be determined by comparing the number of searches on the same day the previous week, the number of searches the same date/day of the year the previous month and year, and the like, and may be adjusted for seasonality. Table 1 provides pseudocode for determining a popularity indicator for a restaurant:
If # of searches in the last hour > 30% the # of searches this day last week
Then display "Very popular"
If > 10% then display "Average"
If < average # of searchers then display "Low popularity"
In the pseudocode of Table 1, if the number of searches for that particular restaurant in the last hour is greater than 30% of the number of searches for the same day and timeframe last week, then a "very popular" popularity indicator should be associated with the restaurant. If the number of searches in the last hour is greater than 10% of the number of searches for the same day and timeframe last week, then an "average" popularity indicator should be associated with the restaurant. If the number of searches in the last hour is less than the average number of searches for the corresponding time for the last 6 months, then a "low popularity" indicator should be associated with the restaurant.
In still other embodiments, the popularity information may be based, at least in part, on feedback received from users. By way of example, without limitation, users may manually submit the popularity of a location via a user interface provided by a browser running on a computing device, such as a browser running on a cellular telephone. This data may be cached for a period of time, or a set number of reviews may be cached, and newer entries in the cache may be given more weight than older entries, thereby allowing the popularity information to be relatively current. Similarly, when such manually entered information is used in combination with derived information, the manually entered information may be given a higher weight than the derived information, because the users are actually there to verify the information. Still further, where a user frequently supplies information and the information is generally believed to be accurate (e.g., based on a comparison of information from the user against contemporaneously provided information from other users, positive feedback received about the user, the frequency with which the user contributes content and other information to related web sites, and the like), the known reliable user's information may be weighted more heavily than information from users who are unknown. Similarly, where a user is identified as frequently providing incorrect information, any additional information provided by that user may be discarded or given a lower weight.
In still other embodiments, the popularity information may be derived from indirect information provided by users. By way of example, without limitation, when a user accesses search functionality from his or her cellular telephone, the current location of the cellular telephone may be provided as part of the search query. The current location information can then be aggregated to determine how crowded a location is, in near real time. By way of illustration, as users at a shopping mall, restaurant, movie theater, or the like use their cellular telephones to search for information, the instant system can capture the current location of the cellular phone. The aggregated information can then be used to determine how crowded the location is likely to be.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method by which scoring and popularity information can be determined for a given item. In block 300, the search server receives a search query from a user computing device. In block 305, the search server determines whether the search query is likely to correspond to a specific item or thing. For example, an index of popular search items or subjects may be maintained in a database that is queried in response to receipt of a search term, or a database of search items or subjects may be developed and modified over time that are known to relate to entities, people, places or things about which "popularity" is a relevant concept (i.e. "things"). If the query is likely to be of a more general nature, for example, a search for song lyrics or for instructions on how to configure new drivers in an operating system, some embodiments of the instant method may forego the inclusion of any popularity information and simply send the search results to the user computing device (illustrated by block 310 of FIG. 3).
Where the search is likely to correspond to an item, some embodiments of the instant method may determine whether popularity/scoring information is currently being tracked for that item (block 315). If popularity/scoring information exists, the popularity/scoring information is retrieved for the item. The popularity/scoring information can then be integrated into the search results (block 320), and the integrated search results sent to the user computing device (block 310).
If popularity/scoring information does not exist for the item, the instant method can begin recording popularity/scoring information for the item. Given that the popularity/scoring information did not previously exist, the search results are simply returned to the user computing device without the inclusion of any popularity/scoring information. The search server can then attempt to determine a category for the item that was the subject of the search (block 330). If the category can be determined with some level of confidence, a category may be automatically assigned to the item. If the category cannot be determined with confidence, then the item is flagged for manual categorization (block 335). Categorization allows certain preferences to be assigned to the popularity/scoring information.
By way of example, without limitation, when the first user performs a search for "Planet ZZZX, Will Smith" the instant method may determine, based on the inclusion of Will Smith in the search query, that the search query corresponds to a motion picture or musical work (i.e., an item) called "Planet ZZZX". Since no popularity/scoring information exists, any corresponding search results are simply returned to the user computing device. For the purposes of this example, even though some embodiments may treat motion pictures and musical works (e.g., albums, compact discs, music singles, and the like) similarly with respect to the preference information associated with items in those categories, the instant method may flag "Planet ZZZX" for manual categorization.
Once an appropriate category is assigned, corresponding preferences can be applied to the popularity/scoring information. Such preference information may include, without limitation, the historical period over which popularity/scoring information is to be determined, weighting to be applied to newer versus older historical information, icons or other indicia to be used when presenting popularity/scoring information, and the like. For example, a motion picture category may have a relatively short historical period (e.g., 2 weeks) associated therewith, and newer information may be more heavily weighted than older information. By contrast, restaurant popularity/scoring preferences may based on longer historical periods (e.g., 3 months), with even weight given to older and newer information, thereby not allowing short-term unusual occurrences (e.g., parades, water main breaks, acts of God, and the like) to unfairly influence the popularity information.
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate exemplary user interfaces 600, 700 through which popularity information can be viewed. In some embodiments, user interface 600 of FIG. 6 can allow the user to view popularity information for a specific item. To use the interface illustrated in FIG. 6, the user can enter or select a location of interest (e.g., Roanoke, Va.) from location drop-down list 605, and selects a category from one of the pre-defined categories provided in category drop-down list 610. The user then enters one or more keywords in keyword field 620, or selects from previously-used keywords using the drop-down features of keyword field 620. For the purposes of this search, the search server recognizes that the search is being performed for a specific item, such as a motion picture, restaurant, product, or the like. Thus, the search server can return historical popularity information, which may be presented by one or more graphs 640, 650, 660. By way of example, without limitation, graph 640 may illustrate hourly, semi-hourly, or other such detailed popularity trend information, including a weighted average indicator 645, covering one or more days. Graph 650 may illustrate weekly popularity trend information covering one or more weeks, and including weighted average indicator 655. Graphs 660 may illustrate the corresponding popularity trend information for one or more months.
The user interface of FIG. 7 allows the user to compare the popularity of two or more items. To use the interface for such comparisons, where location-specific popularity is desired, the location can be entered or selected from location drop-down 705. The user can also select a category from category drop-down 710, and enter appropriate keywords in keyword field 720 and compare field 730, then click an appropriate button, press the enter key or other key on the keyboard, or otherwise indicate that the search should be submitted. The search server can then return a comparison of the popularity between the two different items for which the user searched. By way of example, without limitation, the user may compare the popularity of two contestants on the American Idol television show as a means to predict who will be the next contestant to leave the show. The historical popularity information may be illustrated by one or more graphs 740, 750, 760. By way of example, without limitation, graph 740 may illustrate hourly, semi-hourly, or other such detailed popularity trend information, including a weighted average indicator 745, covering one or more days. Graph 750 may illustrate weekly popularity trend information covering one or more weeks, and including weighted average indicator 755. Graphs 760 may illustrate the corresponding popularity trend information for one or more months.
FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative user interface 800 through which popularity information can be displayed. In FIG. 8, the user has performed a search similar to that described above for the Spago restaurant in Beverly Hills. In addition to showing the location of the restaurant on the map (illustrated by large circle 810), the map may also indicate the five most popular restaurants or other attractions closest to Spago's. In some embodiments, the user can control the types of other attractions returned. By way of example, without limitation, the user may request that popular movie theaters be shown in connection with the Spago search results. In addition to identifying the location of the popular movie theaters (indicated by small circles 820), the search results may also provide a numeric, textual, or other indicator of the popularity of each theater, thereby allowing the user to easily identify those theaters that are likely to be showing popular motion pictures that are in close proximity to the restaurant. In some embodiments, the user can click on a corresponding one of small circles 820 to see movie listings and other information about the theater. Similarly, a user interface similar to that of user interface 800 can be used to display results from a query such as "Chinese restaurants within 1 mile" of the user's current position. The instant system can utilize location information obtained from the browser or other software to deliver appropriate, targeted search results to the user. As described above, such location information may be derived from one or more sources, including, without limitation, the location of the cellular telephone tower with which the device is currently associated, information received from the user, or information received from a global positioning system ("GPS") device embedded in, attached to, or otherwise associated with the cellular telephone.
Referring again to FIG. 8, in some embodiments small circles 820 may correspond to one or more advertised items. By way of example, without limitation, when a user searches for a particular item that is determined to be popular (e.g., "Spago"), an advertiser may make certain demographic or other assumptions about the user, and wish to direct an advertisement for a product or service that is available geographically proximate to the particular item in the search results. Thus, small circles 820 may correspond to a variety of different product and/or service providers. For example, one of small circles 820 may correspond to a jewelry store that carries trendy jewelry, another may correspond to a day spa offering new and popular treatments, etc.
The rates charged by the advertising server for placing the corresponding advertisements may vary based on the popularity of the item being searched. By way of example, without limitation, an advertiser might charge $0.10 per impression (i.e. per time the advertisement is displayed) for the top 100 most popular search queries, or most popular search queries in a particular geographic region, on a given day. Advertisers whose advertisements are displayed with the next 150 most popular search queries might be billed at a rate of $0.08 per impression, and those corresponding to the next 500 most popular might be billed at a rate of $0.05 per impression. The example provided is intended for illustrative purposes only, and should not be construed as limiting the instant system and method to a particular method for calculating advertising-related bills.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that the methods and systems of the present disclosure may be implemented in many manners and as such are not to be limited by the foregoing exemplary embodiments and examples. In other words, functional elements being performed by single or multiple components, in various combinations of hardware and software or firmware, and individual functions, may be distributed among software applications at either the client or server or both. In this regard, any number of the features of the different embodiments described herein may be combined into single or multiple embodiments, and alternate embodiments having fewer than, or more than, all of the features described herein are possible. Functionality may also be, in whole or in part, distributed among multiple components, in manners now known or to become known. Thus, myriad software/hardware/firmware combinations are possible in achieving the functions, features, interfaces and preferences described herein. Moreover, the scope of the present disclosure covers conventionally known manners for carrying out the described features and functions and interfaces, as well as those variations and modifications that may be made to the hardware or software or firmware components described herein as would be understood by those skilled in the art now and hereafter.
While various embodiments have been described for purposes of this disclosure, such embodiments should not be deemed to limit the teaching of this disclosure to those embodiments. Various changes and modifications may be made to the elements and operations described above to obtain a result that remains within the scope of the systems and processes described in this disclosure.
Numerous other changes may be made that will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are encompassed in the spirit of the invention disclosed and as defined in the appended claims.
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text:
'Worn Stories' Is a Charming Book About Clothes and Meaning
It's interesting — one thing that the internet has been good for is a sort of "single-serving" hit of an emotion, or a feeling, capturing a funny little moment in time. That style flourishes on Tumblr, for better or worse, with sites like Humans of New York and Last Night's Reading. Worn Stories, the handsome new book adapted from artist, writer, and editor Emily Spivack's reliably smart blog of the same name, does come from that single-serving blog style, where a garment is photographed on a stark white background and a story about its origin and meaning sits beside it, but it's the very simplicity of the concept that makes it sing.
There's a lot of high-profile names in Worn Stories, New York scenester types, artists, writers, actors, and regular joes, too — Frances Ha's Greta Gerwig has a button-down shirt from a lost love, The New York Times' Jenna Worthman has a shirt that's made up of sequins and San Francisco, and writer Ariel Shrag (we loved this summer's Adam) and filmmaker Matt Wolf have a magical, shared story about one perfectly-faded Puma T-shirt. And yet even though there's a lot of "names" in the book, the "style" of photographing the piece of clothing out of context, just on a hanger, with the words sitting next to it, takes fashion, clothes, and the meaning loaded within into another place.
Writing devoted to fashion can, despite the best intentions, devolve into loaded, aspirational lies. Spivack's view of fashion feels much more charming and intimate. By taking the bodies away from the clothes, you, the reader, have the freedom to imagine the life of that garment, to put on Gerwig's oversized men's button-down shirt in a hippie stage camp in Vermont, or to take The New York Times' David Carr's "New York" shirt with upside-down letters (picked up on Canal Street) out for a spin.
Worn Stories is small and personal, filled with lots of people talking about a lot of different journeys regarding clothes, but the net result is that you, the reader, start thinking about the roles that garments have played in your life. Where's the dress that you got that kiss in? What about those shoes with the hole worn through on the toe? What role are clothes playing when we're becoming the people that we're meant to be? This short, lovely book doesn't offer the answers, but it raises the right questions.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The titer database (TDB) is used to store titer measurements in an organized schema. This allows easy storage and downloading of all measurements in the database.
Titer measurements from WHO Collaborating Centers can be uploaded from csv files that are in a standard format.
Each document in the database represents an HI test between a virus and serum from a specific ferret. Multiple titer measurements are stored if the test is repeated.
virus: strain name of virus tested.
serum: strain name serum was raised against.
ferret_id: id of the ferret the serum was raised in.
source: List of document names from which titer measurements were added.
passage: Passage history of the virus.
index: Used as compound index in rethinkdb. Array with virus, serum, ferret_id, source, passage, subtype, host.
titer: List of all titer measurements for this test.
date_modified: Last modification date for document in YYYY-MM-DD format.
date: Collection date of virus in YYYY-MM-DD format, for example, 2016-02-28.
ref: Boolean for whether the virus is a reference virus. True if reference virus.
Tests with null values for required attributes will be filtered out of those uploaded. Viruses with missing optional attributes will still be uploaded.
This upload converts a VIDRL titer table to the eLife document format, then calls elife_upload on the generated file.
The script upload_all.py calls uploads for all upload files in the data/ from multiple sources with files of both flat and tabular formats.
The Francis Crick Institute releases biannual reports that include antigenic analyses of the different subtypes of seasonal flu. These tables are in pdf format and must be converted to csv format using a pdf converter like tabular or okular. The reports are not consistent with their column labels and formatting, serum strain names are difficult to parse, and the pdf converters are not perfect. This required manual curation/fixing of the csv files and expansion of the parse_HI_matrix function to try to catch common mistakes.
Serum strain names were parsed from the first and second rows of the matrix, abbreviations for locations had to be added to name_abbrev.
Some strain names included extra information before the actual name (NYMCX-263BA/HK/4801/2014, IVR-159 (A/Victoria/502/2010), 1,3B/FLORIDA/4/2006). Used regex to match these but other patterns may arise when only the actual strain name is needed.
Some serum names included date information that needed to be reformatted (B/SHANDONG/JUL-97, A/CALIFORNIA/9-APR). Again used regex to reformat, but other patterns may arise.
check_strain_names looks for serum strain names that are potentially not parsed correctly by looking for a matching reference or test virus strain name. This helped me spot patterns of incorrectly parsed serum names.
The HI assay uses two fold dilutions to measure antigenic similarity between viruses. So each titer measurement can only be certain values. I manually changed some values like '160' was most likely incorrectly entered and should be '180'. This can cause issues for non-HI assay types.
The pdf converter sometimes made mistakes like combining two columns into one, half of one column into another (80 | 160 would become 8 | 0 160), regex handled some of these mistakes but others may arise, the function check_titer_values tries to spot these.
Many report tables contain upper-bound values (i.e. <10) which may cause issues in downstream applications.
The HI tables have included more columns over time. They seems to always include viruses, collection date and passage history, but have added genetic group and other information columns.
determine_columns looks for field names from self.table_column_names in the first row of the HI table to label data parsed from that column. Some of the February 2016 column names were parsed to second row and this method didn't work in that case, need to manually move column names up in the csv files. Removed other information and blank columns from the HI matrix.
Measurements can be downloaded from tdb.
Prints result to designated .tsv or .json file.
Both sequence and titer information can be download at once using flu/download_all.py.
TDB tables can be backed up to S3 or locally.


text:
My Least Favorite Way To Open a Novel
May 17, 2013 by amberskyef
I think action is a horrible way to open a book, even in prologues. The prologue, first chapter, first whatever, needs to be spent on developing whatever character/characters are being focused on–not developing the plot through action, which readers are likely to not care about so soon anyway.
I read the first few pages of a book on Amazon and was immediately turned away because, for one, it opens up the book with a weather description, which I found really pointless. I get the author was trying to establish an ominous tone, but weather is just the most trite, weakest way to do it. It's a shortcut, basically, when you have no idea how to convey that something horrible is about to occur. Plus, I don't care about the weather. I care about the character and what the character is doing/the character's current problems. Bring in the weather description after you've established character because that is who I care about first and foremost.
Then after the weather description, action immediately happens, a fight breaks out, and I suddenly find I don't care anymore. I don't really know the characters, so why am I supposed to care about this fight they're engaging in? Not to mention the action was just confusing period. And where is the character the prologue is focusing on? Who is the antagonist, or even the protagonist? The whole prologue was essentially pointless. It would have better served as background information later.
In any case, if there is no character or plot already established, I think action is a dreadful way to start a book. No one is going care that Character B died because we barely knew Character B. We barely know any of these characters and you as the writer expect us to care already? I don't think so. This is a book, not a movie, and even in movies I hate when they start with action. It's just way too fast and I am all about focusing on that blasted character for the prologue or first chapter.
Prologue – Necessity or Frivolity? (jasonstclairwriter.wordpress.com)
action scenesamazonbookscharactersprologuetardar sauce catwritingwriting action scenes
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12 thoughts on "My Least Favorite Way To Open a Novel"
katemsparkes says:
Agreed. I can see where the confusion comes in for writers; all we ever hear if we're reading "how to" lists or agents' blogs is "You have to GRAB THE READER in the first paragraph! Have something HAPPENING!" The problem is that most people assume that this means that someone needs to be diffusing a bomb in the first sentence, when there are other ways to build tension and reader curiosity without shoving them into the middle of a confusing scene.
I don't think I've ever enjoyed a book (yet) that started with an explosion/car accident/fight/etc. Yes, have something happen fairly quickly (action or otherwise), but give me someone to care about, first.
Lilee says:
I can't say that I completely agree. Sometimes it is a great technique to start with an action that results in a death, especially in the prologue if it references the death of a critical character. Sure, maybe you don't care about the character at that time but as the story unfolds and you connect more and more with them all the while knowing that they end up dead. It intensifies the book for me. I like when books open with action or behavior.
As for the weather descriptions, I hate them.
amberskyef says:
It doesn't work for me. I have to care about the character or else I'm not really going to care to read the rest of the book. For one, I know the character dies, so by then I don't really care how the character dies because, well, the character dies regardless of what happens. I feel like there are no surprises left, even if the book is somehow chock full of them. I'll never know because the writer didn't bother building up the character in the first chapter. I'm just a very character-oriented person. I want to care about the character before anything else.
I can understand that. You might like a book called Gibbin House by Carola Perla. I read it recently and it's all about character development. The prologue is a letter from the protaganist to another character you meet later.
rmactsc says:
Fiction is such a subjective thing. I've found with my books for example you can't please everyone. some people really like them and others don't. I find it best to write the way that suits your own personal style and let the chips fall where they may 🙂
This is true. You really CAN'T please everyone, and obviously there are a lot of readers out there who go nuts for immediate action (because there are bestsellers that start that way, right?). I think it's a personal choice for a reader. Not my thing as a reader or a writer, but that doesn't make it wrong. Just not my favourite thing. 🙂
Agreed. Write in a manner that feels authentic, even if it isn't consistent with conventional wisdom. Behind the majority of success stories in writing, or any field, is someone who dared to challenge the rules.
safia says:
Yes, it's a very personal choice. I don't like being thrown headlong into some OTT action scene, and for that reason, I usually dislike prologues. I like books which establish the location, time period and introduce the main character/s in the first chapter. I agree, you have to 'care' about a character before you can empathise with their trials and tribulations. Although Elmore Leonard agrees with you on weather as an opener, one of my favourite books, "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy starts with, "May in Ayemenem is a hot, brooding month. The days are long and humid. The river shrinks and black crows gorge on bright mangoes in still, dustgreen trees….." Strictly speaking, I guess that's climate and setting, rather than weather!
Daniel Budiarto says:
I've seen this problem highlighted by some famous author somewhere, but I can't remember… We writers seem to be getting contradictory advices from everywhere: some suggest starting with an action sequence, some with dialogue. But I think we can all agree that starting a novel with a weather forecast is just plain tasteless. I say stricter editing!
nancyotoole says:
I think it depends on the genre you are writing in. If you're writing a thriller for example, people are going to expect lots of action, so starting with an action sequence makes sense. If you're writing a more character focused novel, it might not work as well. A love story, for example, would be completely ridiculous if it started with an action sequence.
As far as weather forecasts, I guess it depends on how you describe it. The opening sentence of Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (The early summer sky was the color of cat vomit.) has always stuck with me as it completely contradicts what you'd expect from a normal romanticized sunrise/sunset description, which would be boring and bland.
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Welcome to Media Technology Systems. We are a developer, manufacturer and provider of CobraNet® based commercial audio products. Please feel free to browse our website and contact us with any questions you may have about our products.
A new stage box with CobraNet and dual inputs will be introduced in 2016 as part of the lineup. This will be called the STAGE2.2.
MTS has been busy the last few of years with updated installation news found on our News and Events Pages. Please check it out. See the latest installations up to December 2018 here. Click Here.
MTS has licensed Dante Technology from Audinate and will deliver low channel count in-wall products. As newly release 4 channel products from Audinate have been announced, we have included these into our future product development plans.
CobraNet is designed to eliminate the huge bundles of wire associated with large scale installations of audio systems. These systems may be installed in shopping centers, entertainment venues, airports, etc. The system allows for multi-channel audio to be directed over LAN infrastructures using 100 base-T wired systems.


I entered the crazy wagon again! I have made my own personal 30/30. And it's great cause I am SO in the hooping mood. I just can feel myself being so close! Nan hasn't seen me hoop in a month and she's amazed at my development. Remember that little girl who can do those things that I struggle with? She's jealous! Jealous of me! OF ME! Yes, I am yelling. You should see me in person. I told her, "Why are you jealous of me? You can do things that I had to work hard on?" She mumbled something about me just being better. Hmm. Kids are crazy, yo.
I didn't even realize it was a new month until today. I did hit my goal when I realized I hooped in the parking lot of church for 30 minutes. Go me. I need to make a new work hoop though. It makes 30/30 so much easier.
PS: Late edit: If you have facebook, scroll on down to LIKE the new Whole Lot of Hoop Love page. Then, you can get my updates and all that. Maybe this has to do with me talking about hooping too much on FB. Or if you are lazy, here is a link!
30/30 is the best! I honestly miss not doing it - even though I hoop a lot most days there was something so nice about KNOWING that it was going to be a consistent part of my day! Gooood luck!


Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser at the Gulf Region Organization for Women (GROW) Forum.
Celebrating the second year since its inception, the event marked the organization's 10th meeting in partnership with 27 different and related entities. It promoted dialogue on important policy shifts underway in the Kingdom which are underlying moves towards improving female professional development.
Saudi Aramco President and CEO, Amin H. Nasser, opened the forum with a keynote address reaffirming Saudi Aramco's unwavering support of female professional development and celebrating the company's robust policies in this area.
In addition, H.E. Dr. Tamader Al-Rammah, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Development, participated in the "Ministry's Call to Action" session which preceded a speech given by Saudi Aramco Human Resources Executive Director, Nabil Al-Dabal's entitled "Cultivating the Seeds of Collaboration".
While highlighting the industries and sectors where females can play a leading role, Nasser noted that Saudi Aramco is hiring more qualified females and developing talent to take on diverse roles and responsibilities across its business segments, adding that Saudi Aramco has entered into partnerships across the Kingdom with national training institutes which will improve the quality of professional and vocational training in the Kingdom, such as the first all-female Business Process Services Center in Riyadh, led by GROW.


Two little girls play at home in the evening to build a camping tent to read books with a flashlight and sleep inside. Concept of: game, magic, creativity, alarm systems.
View of the colorful ethnic wigwam in the yard. Small indian house outdoors in the city park in summer.
Lovely ETHNOGRAPHIC, old wooden village with few houses, wigwam and fence.
One baby crawls away from another child, but then comes back to him. A little boy studies the garland when his little friend crawls away from him.
Two cute baby boy eat cookies on the background of a children's tent. A child is trying to take another baby's cookie.
One happy cute baby jerking a garland in a children's tent. The child has played enough.
Cute baby claps his hands and falls to the floor. The second child creeps past him.
Two kids playing with a garland in a children's tent. One boy crawls away from another. The kid is left alone.
Little girl playing with teddy bear in tent under the table.
Very beautiful and little girl playing in a tepee.
1960s: Low angle close up, boy wearing headdress. Long shot, boys by tipis. Kids at table watch man stamp on paper.
1960s: Close up, hands sew headdress. Boy in headdress walks from camera, toward boys making tipi. Boy watches boys construct tipi.
Playful young parents and adorable baby in small wigwam playing hide-and-seek game having fun.
Caring father and his toddler daughter are sitting inside tent at home. Father reading to his daughter and asking to find things in the book then hugging and kissing her.
Caring father and his toddler daughter are sitting inside tent at home. Father reading to his daughter and asking to find things in the book.
Small boy in suit of native American playing with toy ax near wigwam having fun at home.


Talvera bridal gown by Roz la Klein. Ivory sequinned tulle strapless mermaid gown. Zip & Button back. Long train with French bustle included. Clip on ivory crepe sleeves.
Such a stunning gown, the beading work is incredible. It's a timeless gown with a modern touch. It truly does wonders for your figure.
Bridal size 18, normal size 14. I'm 167cm (5'6) and wore 6cm heels (low).
Would suit someone shorter than 5'6 as there are a few marks on the hemline/train area. Has been professional cleaned.
Optional ivory crepe sleeves can be clipped on.


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Comp Pro® compression connectors, coax cable assemblies for harsh environments, new low PIM 4.3-10 adapters, Basics of Medical Cable Design white paper, flexible cable assembly alternative to 1/2 inch corrugated, RF Industries Overview and upcoming trade show information.
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Precision 26.5 GHz phase stable cables offer accurate RF and microwave measurements. Easy daylight viewing possible with high brightness mobile display. N female connector now available for LMR®-400-LLPL cable. Ultrasonic welding—choice for durability and economy. Wire harnesses reduce fire hazard. Custom SMB adapter created for equipment manufacturer.
Test Grade 7-16 DIN adapters have stainless steel coupling nuts for harsh test environments. Semi-rigid coax assemblies for critical applications. HDMI cables for home entertainment necessity. Connectors for favorite low-loss cables. Obsolete parts not a problem with custom manufacture ability.
Unidapt™ adapter kit now available in White Bronze. Coupler offers hard to find interfaces. Test cable use up to 26.5 GHz. Mobile data computer—modular system infinitely upgradable.
Custom RF coaxial products make to order. MCT 8500 vehicle computer configurable for custom needs. NL-AUX-RLY solves need for remote application On/Off switching. Precision test grade SMA adapters rugged and versatile.
Precision grade cable assemblies, connectors and adapters. Universal 3G embedded system links all networks. Pinch leads now available at economical price. With Unidapt™ create hundreds of adapters in seconds. Custom cables eliminate wire cutter. Modems optimize efficiency of irrigation systems. Wide variety of low loss assemblies available with quick turn-around times.
Broad selection for LMR™-400 available. Colorful networking cables keep you organized. Correct connection reinforced with molded snap leads. Semi-Rigid coax cable assemblies work for critical applications. Custom blind mate coaxial connector/adapter mitigates mechanical miss-alignment.
Broad selection for LMR™-400 available. Colorful networking cables keep you organized. Correct connection reinforced with molded snap leads. Authority for Mobile Data Management. Semi-Rigid coax cable assemblies work for critical applications. Custom blind mate coaxial connector/adapter mitigates mechanical miss-alignment.
RF Connector Catalog available. Now carrying single-mode fiber optical cables. IQ Mobile software upgrade increases fleet efficiency. Our RF cable assemblies conform to MIL Spec. LC and LT connectors available in standard and custom configurations. Santoprene® Thermal plastics offers advantages for molded cables assemblies in medical applications.
Design and fabricate small space-saving connectors in various series. Right-angle QMA connectors reduces installation time. High performance, low-loss, custom fabricated cable assembly. An expanded line of shielded atrial catheter cables.
Long-range, high-speed, industrial wireless IP/Ethernet modem. Design and fabricate small space-saving connectors in various series. Right-angle QMA connectors reduces installation time. High performance, low-loss, custom fabricated cable assembly. An expanded line of shielded atrial catheter cables.
RFA-4511 kits provide everything for LMR®-400 N connector installation. RFA-4420 Cable Devil preparation tool. RFA-4400 cable stripper. Quick disconnect connectors with Lanyard release. Assembly to be with Holter type event recorder.
7-16 Din connectors available for LMR®-600 cable. Neuroleads with disc electrodes are designed for non-invasive neurological assessment. Cable testers save time for technicians.
Save time with solderless two-piece N connectors. Conduit ready VGA cables. Expanded Unidapt™ kit RFA-4023-01. Easy mate connectors for quick jobs. Plenum rated coax cable assemblies.
Custom cable assemblies. Labeling and other value added services for cable assembly. Shielded patient cables with pinch grabbers for ER and ICU. Fabricate crystal and diode holders to your specifications. Connectors eliminates contact crimp.


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USA: GIANT to invest $114 million in Pennsylvania
The company unveiled a strategic growth plan that includes two new stores and over 30 remodels, as well as the creation of a new ecommerce fulfillment center.
GIANT Food Stores announced that it expects to invest $114 million in capital expenditures in Pennsylvania over the next 18 months, building on the recent success of its two new brands, GIANT Heirloom Market and GIANT DIRECT.
The company unveiled plans to create an ecommerce fulfillment center (GIANT DIRECT), open two new stores, and remodel 35 existing stores in 2020 and 2021. With this investment, GIANT will expand its presence in Philadelphia, its home market in Central Pennsylvania, and Monroe County.
"The accelerated growth of GIANT DIRECT has set the stage for additional investment opportunities that extend our ecommerce geographic reach. At the same time, our GIANT Heirloom Market format has enabled us to reach an entirely new demographic in Philadelphia," said Nicholas Bertram, president, GIANT Food Stores.
2019 was a year of unprecedented growth for the Company, as GIANT opened 17 new stores and launched two new brands. In over just 10 months, the company's number of GIANT DIRECT grocery pick-up locations climbed from zero to 125. GIANT also introduced PA Preferred shelf tags, a first of its kind program by a Pennsylvania retailer, designed to help customers identify the more than 1,200 Pennsylvania products available in its stores year-round. For these achievements and more, GIANT was named Retailer of the Year by Supermarket News.


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Home Biotech News WHO Rolls Out Ebola Vaccination Campaign in Congo
WHO Rolls Out Ebola Vaccination Campaign in Congo
An Ebola vaccine, technical name rVSVΔG-ZEBOV-GP, has now been dispatched in the Democratic Republic of Congo as the World Health Organization (WHO) prepares for the "worst-case scenario" as it continues to respond to the Ebola outbreak in the region.
Ebola virus disease, which most commonly affects humans and non-human primates such as monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees, is caused by one of five Ebola viruses. Normally, about 50 percent of individuals who become sick with Ebola perish.
The disease is endemic to the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is the country's ninth outbreak since the discovery of the virus from the nation in 1976.
Early last week, the World Health Organization, together with local and global partners, started administering Ebola vaccinations at the area, where at 49 suspected instances have been reported as early April and 26 people are thought to have died.
Over 7,500 doses of the vaccine are currently available in the nation and 8,000 additional doses will be available shortly, WHO says in a statement. Health employees at the bustling port town of Mbandaka and also the distant village of Bikoro, and have already started to get their vaccines.
"WHO is in discussions with the government and, if pertinent, will seek approval from the national regulatory authority and the Ethics Review committee to use vaccines against Ebola as part of the response," spokesman Tarik Jasarevik said.
The current vaccine against Ebola is experimental and is not a licensed product. The WHO also acknowledges the various challenges associated with this, as the vaccine needs to be stored long-term at temperatures between minus 60 and minus 80 degrees Celsius (minus 76 to minus 112 Fahrenheit).
"This is not a simple logistical effort; it's not like doing a polio campaign with oral polio vaccines, where we get it immediately out to the field. This is a highly complex sophisticated operation in one of the most difficult terrains on Earth," Peter Salama, deputy director-general of emergency preparedness and response at the WHO, said in Geneva, Switzerland.
"We need to act fast to stop the spread of Ebola by protecting people at risk of being infected with the Ebola virus, identifying and ending all transmission chains and ensuring that all patients have rapid access to safe, high-quality care."
"The estimated budget for the international response is US $18 million for a three-month operation," the WHO said Friday.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo over the weekend "to take stock of the situation and direct the continuing response in support of the national health authorities," according to a statement from the WHO.
COVID-19 Vaccines In India - Complete List
Additionally, nine other neighboring countries are on high alert, Salama said, but the WHO says the current risk of disease spreading to them is low.
Disha Padmanabha
In search of the perfect burger. Serial eater. In her spare time, practises her "Vader Voice". Passionate about dance. Real Weird.


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Q: How to search multiple files in folder for a string with a minimum number of characters? On Windows in Powershell, how would I search multiple files in a folder for lines with a minimum of 16 characters? Further, is there a way to specify that the string should only be numerical?
I have been looking at Select-String, but I don't see an option for min characters.
Thanks!
Alex

A: Using the current directory (.) and a pattern matching all .txt files as an example:
To output all lines in matching files with at least 16 characters:
Get-Content .\*.txt | Where-Object Length -ge 16

To additionally ensure that all such lines are composed of decimal digits[1] only:
Get-Content .\*.txt | Where-Object { $_.Length -ge 16 -and $_ -match '^\d+$' }

Note:

*

*Each output line is decorated with metadata by Get-Content, notably: property .PSPath contains the line's originating file path, and .ReadCount contains the 1-based line number inside the file of origin.

The following command uses output formatting via Format-Table to make these properties visible:
Get-Content .\*.txt | Where-Object { $_.Length -ge 16 -and $_ -match '^\d+$' } |
  Format-Table -Force @{ Name='Line'; Expression={ $_ } }, PSPath, ReadCount

*

*-Force is required to override the default output formatting for [string] instances (which is to print just the string itself)

*The hashtable (@{ ... }) is used to define a calculated property that outputs the line itself, i.e. the string's content; note that you could use the same technique to rename properties, such as renaming PSPath to FilePath, and ReadCount to LineNumber.
Sample output:
Line              PSPath                            ReadCount
----              ------                            ---------
1111111111111111  C:\Users\jdoe\foo.txt                    10
22222222222222222 C:\Users\jdoe\bar.txt                    12

[1] Strictly speaking, \d matches all Unicode characters considered digits, which includes digits from different writing systems; you can use [0-9] to limit matching to the ASCII-range digits.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Nigerian woman flogs lady she caught sleeping with her husband – A video currently making rounds on social media shows the moment a woman caught another lady sleeping with her husband.
In the video, the said lady was mercilessly flogged by the wife for not just cheating with her husband, but for tying her expensive wrapper on her body.
The furious wife who was heard ranting in her native language (Igbo Language), asked the woman what gave her the guts to tie her wrapper and still cheat with her husband, before she started dealing with her mercilessly despite neighbours intervention.
The said husband was no where to be found around the vicinity, as at the time of making this post, as some claimed he ran away.
Queen Ella Glows in New Viral Photos, Check it out.


text:
Notifies your users about EU Cookie Law.

## How to use

1. Download archive of this repository.
2. Extract all contents of the repository to your /packages folder within a package folder named `free_cookies_disclosure`.
3. Make sure you have [Composer](https://getcomposer.org/) installed.
4. Open your console and navigate to the package folder.
5. Install the composer packages by running `composer install`.
6. Navigate to your site's dashboard and install this package

## License

Licensed under the MIT license. See LICENSE for more information.

Copyright (c) 2015 Mainio Tech Ltd.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


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1.35 million premises added to NBN construction timetable
NBN Co has unveiled the names of the communities that are next in line to receive high-speed fibre optic broadband.
More than 1.35 million premises have been added to the rollout in the updated three-year plan. The plan adds almost 190 new towns and groups of suburbs, as well as more homes and businesses in areas covered by the previous plan.
View our interactive NBN map
This brings to 4.85 million the number of premises that will have construction commenced or where services can be ordered by June 2016.
For more detailed information about the rollout footprint visit When do I get it?".
NBN Co CEO, Mike Quigley, said, in a statement: "We're getting on with the job of rolling out the NBN in every state and territory. Our plan is to deliver better broadband to every Australian over the remaining 8 years of this 10-year build."
In areas where the fibre network has been up and running for more than 12 months, about one-third of eligible families have already purchased an NBN package.
"Furthermore, a third of people with an NBN fibre connection have subscribed to the fastest speeds available,"Quigley said. And households in the NBN fibre footprint are downloading around 50 per cent more data than the average Australian broadband user every month. According to a recent study of the first release site in Brunswick, Melbourne, nearly half of existing NBN users polled said household Internet costs were roughly the same since switching to the NBN, and 14 per cent were paying less by using an internet phone service instead of a separate land line.
Generally, those paying more were willing to do so to get higher speeds or larger download allowances.
The new locations were announced at an event in Blacktown, NSW, to mark the connection of the first area of metropolitan Sydney to the NBN.
Posted In Business, GeneralTagged In Business
SiteMaster Building & Mobile CAD Software
The Stig helps shift GAI awards into top gear
Unveiling a new DWG-compatible CAD engine: ARES
New house gives hope to students
What was he thinking?


text:
Leader of "DNR" tells that "people's militia" suddenly get new heavy weapons from somewhere	12/03/2021 12:46:21. Total views 280. Views today — 0.
Leader of the "DNR" Denis Pushilin has actually admitted that the illegal armed formations of the CADO were receiving weapons from outside, including heavy ones. He told about substantial replenishment of the arsenal of the so-called "people's militia" (self-name of the illegal armed formations of the "DNR") on the air of one of the Russian propaganda channels.
Telling about the alleged accumulation of the JFO personnel on the contact line in the Donbas, the head of the occupation administration assured that the "people's militia" had something to answer.
"We have not sat still for these years, we have something to oppose to aggressive actions on the part of Kyiv, including heavy weapons", - he boasted without specifying the source of supplies of military equipment to the occupied territory.
As previously reported, since 2014, the "DNR" militants have been claiming that they were fighting solely with weapons captured from the AFU. The Russian leadership categorically denies that it is supplying weapons and ammunition to CADLO through the uncontrolled section of the Ukrainian-Russian border.


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East African states discuss regional policy on drugs
East Africa has embarked on an ambitious process to formulate a joint draft policy on harm reduction services for people who use drugs. If successful, East Africa will be the first region on the continent to formulate such a policy.
Experts drawn from member states of the regional economic bloc, the East African Community (EAC), met in Entebbe, Uganda, from 11 to 15 December 2017 to deliberate on the draft policy, ahead of further consideration and validation by the EAC technical working group on health.
Out of the region's population of about 150 million inhabitants, some 260 000 people are reported to use drugs. Though it is home to about 20% of drug users on the continent, East Africa still lacks reliable data to inform programming and service delivery to this vulnerable group.
East Africa needs reliable data to inform programming for drug users
The EAC policy will guide national policy and practice by policymakers, health workers, law enforcement officials, development partners and others in responding to drug use as a public health problem. This response includes research, domestic policy on harm reduction, capacity building to support programming and creating an enabling environment for successful harm reduction initiatives.
'This initiative is a two-prong approach from both health and policy perspectives to dealing with the problem of drugs,' says Bernice Apondi, Policy Manager of the Regional HIV and Harm Reduction Programme of the Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium (KANCO). According to regional experts, harm-reduction initiatives account for 40% of the multi-dimensional responses to drug-related crime.
KANCO, in partnership with the EAC, is also leading moves to establish a regional drug policy network. Apondi is confident that such an initiative will lead to a regional mechanism similar to the high-level West African Commission on Drugs (WADC). In a report released in 2014, the WACD called for the decriminalisation and treatment of drug use 'as a matter of public health'. This has led to a policy shift in Ghana, a country that is 'poised to become the first African country to decriminalise the personal possession and use of all illegal drugs'.
African states are increasingly turning into key transit hubs for drug traffickers
Ghana's legislative initiative under the Narcotics Control Commission Bill, 2017 (the Narcotics Bill) seeks to address drug use as a 'public health issue'. Its implementation would be a major drug policy shift in Africa, where punitive sentencing has not yielded much success in the so-called war on drugs. Various parts of the continent are increasingly turning into key transit hubs for drug traffickers, leading to a spike in domestic drug use. The shift in Ghana and East Africa is a recognition of the failure of the punitive justice system to effectively counter the drug problem.
A comprehensive regional policy, such as the EAC framework, would encourage member states to review and update their national laws and create an enabling environment for harm-reduction interventions, complementing the criminal-justice approach to drug use. Such measures would go a long way to improve and harmonise drug laws in East Africa and boost the awareness, commitment and data required for more effective responses to this problem.
Deo Gumba, ENACT Regional organised crime observatory coordinator – East and Horn of Africa, ISS