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The gastric sleeve, also known as a sleeve gastrectomy, is a bariatric surgery in which your stomach is reduced to 15% to 25% of its original size in order to restrict the amount of food intake and aid weight loss.
The content has been reviewed for quality and accuracy to the best of our knowledge by Qunomedical and its Medical Board of Experts.
The cost of a gastric sleeve depends on where you choose to have surgery and your individual needs. The pricing differential depends on many factors, such as cost of living, exchange rates, practicing costs or regulatory conditions, which may differ greatly from country to country.
The gastric sleeve, also known as a sleeve gastrectomy, or plainly, the sleeve, is a bariatric surgery that works by restricting the amount of food intake and regulating hormone production in the gut. During a gastric sleeve surgery, a patient's stomach is reduced to 15%-25% of its original size.
Although qualification guidelines vary by country, generally, bariatric surgery can be recommended for any adult under the supervision of a medical professional who meets one of the following criteria:
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a globally accepted measure of body fat based on the relationship between height and weight. While BMI is an effective screening tool to determine whether an individual is in a weight category that may lead to health problems, BMI alone is not a diagnostic of body fatness or the health of an individual. BMI is universally expressed in kg/m^2.
This is the formula used to calculate the BMI: Weight in Kilograms / Height squared in Centimeters or weight (kg) ÷ height^2 (m^2)
The BMI weight categories are as follows:
Gastric sleeve surgery is performed as a laparoscopic procedure. Laparoscopic surgery (also known as keyhole surgery or bandaid surgery) is a modern surgical technique in which a surgeon can conduct an entire procedure through a few small incisions (usually 0.5-1.5cm in diameter), using a laparoscope (a long, fiber-optic cable) inserted through a needle-like tube.
Here is what a gastric sleeve procedure entails step by step:
A gastric sleeve surgery requires some preparation before the actual procedure, and your commitment to follow all pre-op and post-op guidelines. This includes a pre-op diet that your doctor or surgeon will ask you to follow. A pre-op diet will help you lose weight and reduce the dimensions of your liver, which, if overweight, can pose some risks during surgery. A pre-op diet usually includes increasing protein consumption (lean meats), reducing carbohydrate intake (pasta, bread, and rice), and eliminate sugars (candy, desserts, juices or sodas).
With the gastric sleeve procedure, food is digested and absorbed as it normally would be, just in much smaller quantities. The main advantages of this particular type of bariatric surgery is that it induces rapid and significant weight loss and involves a relatively short hospital stay (usually around 2 days). The gastric sleeve is a non-reversible procedure and does have potential for vitamin deficiencies if a proper diet is not maintained in the long term.
Many factors contribute to successful weight loss with gastric sleeve, including the patient's ability to make lifestyle changes and maintain them in the long term. Patients will receive a nutrition and lifestyle plan from their doctors with diet and post-operative guidelines that they are strongly encouraged to follow.
The right bariatric diet after surgery typically includes a high-protein, low-carb diet, with a slow transition from pureed to solid foods. Vitamins and protein supplements will also be included in the diet to allow the body to function at its full potential, help avoid malnutrition and vitamin deficiency. Patients are also recommended to drink extra water (2 liters per day) and avoid high-calorie beverages. Patients may expect a moderate or sometimes dramatic change in their eating habits: snacking should be minimal, portion sizes small and food needs to be chewed thoroughly and slowly. The new way of eating may seem overwhelming at first but most patients adjust to the new guidelines over time and make them part of their daily routine.
Exercise can help you lose more weight, give you energy, and feel better. Exercise after bariatric surgery is aimed at reinforcing endurance, flexibility and strength. Right after surgery, it is important to start slow and take slow walks for the first 6 weeks after surgery. You will gradually progress over the following weeks towards your own fitness goals, going from light exercise, to cardio, and strength training. Daily exercise should become an integrating part of your life as it will not only support your weight loss but also improve your health overall.
Massive weight loss can result in loosening or sagging skin, and that is why many patients opt for post-bariatric body contouring surgery to improve their overall appearance. Surgery can typically be performed 12 to 18 months after surgery when a patient has lost significant weight and has adapted to lifestyle changes. Procedures include body lift, arm lift, thigh lift, and neck lift. In terms of emotional challenges, some people may experience changes in their interpersonal relationships or hurdles with self-acceptance, due to the process of adjusting to their new body and new life. In order to maintain both physical and mental health, support groups and networks, counseling, and friends and family can help patients feel better and stay focused.
The cost of gastric sleeve surgery depends on the type of surgery being performed, the complexity of the procedure, the expertise of the surgeon, the general health of the patient, and the country in which the surgery is performed. The pricing differential depends on many factors, such as cost of living, exchange rates, practicing costs or regulatory conditions, which may differ greatly from country to country.
Displayed locations reflect average package prices (treatment, hotel, airport transfer) booked through Qunomedical. Cost for transport to the destination (e.g. airfare) is not included. Prices may vary depending on individual needs and conditions.
23 Reviews in All Countries
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Verified Patient
January 31, 2019| KCM Clinic, Poland
I have to say from the first email to the discharge day I couldn't recommend a clinic and surgeon more. to have the procedure done by Dr. Kowalski, who does 10 or more surgeries a week is something you won't find in Ireland.
I am a nurse from Ireland and was totally abandoned by my the Irish health system. I started to research travelling abroad for a sleeve as was 3 years on Irish waiting list. I have to say from the first email to the discharge day I couldn't recommend a clinic and surgeon more. to have the procedure done by Dr. Kowalski, who does 10 or more surgeries a week is something you won't find in Ireland. And the recovery is so fast due to their excellent care and knowledge. I am 10 days post op and 14kg down since starting pre op. KCM and Dr. Kowalski have given me my life back and I'm thankful every day I found them
Verified Patient
January 21, 2019| Kardiolita Hospital, Lithuania
The standard of care was excellent and all the staff, doctors, nurses and co-ordinators were very informative
The clinic was second to none. The staff were very attentive, and professional. The standard of care was excellent and all the staff, doctors, nurses and co-ordinators were very informative
Verified Patient
November 22, 2018| Memorial Bahcelievler, Turkey
3 months after my operation I lost 27 kg and I am very well. Thanks to you
Hello Dr. Cag, I remember our appointment in 2017 with my husband. He smiled and so did I. We are so grateful that you were my doctor. I wanted to thank you in writing for everything you did for me: reassure me, answer all my questions before, during and after the operation. You are a surgeon as there are few. You knew how to choose the right words when I was troubled, you gave me a smile, confidence and hope when I was a little stressed. You have been able to give your time in your meetings every other week, which have brought us together in the expectation of this well-known operation. Today, 3 months after my operation I lost 27 kg and I am very well. I am radiant, I have a clear eye on things, I am healthy according to my nutritionist Dr. C. S. My husband is proud of me and always looks at me full of love and I release a positive energy according to my friends. In short, I believe that I have succeeded in my transformation largely thanks to you, even though I am aware that the road is still long. I wish you much happiness and success on your new path. Too bad it's a bit far for me to Istanbul for a simple consultation;) With all my heart Sabine
Verified Patient
United Kingdom
September 30, 2018| KCM Clinic, Poland
I've had no problems following my operation and have now lost 22kg in 8 weeks.
Just wanted to say how easy I've found my gastric sleeve surgery and that I would happily recommend the clinic and Dr. Kowalski. I've had no problems following my operation and have now lost 22kg in 8 weeks.
Verified Patient
United Kingdom
August 31, 2018| KCM Clinic, Poland
I could not be more pleased with everything at this clinic. Dr. Budzyznki sat down with me and explained everything, he answered all my questions clearly and made sure I was comfortable and ready for surgery.
After a recommendation from my niece, I decided to take the plunge and make a change for myself. I booked in for a gastric sleeve with Dr. Budzynski at KCM Clinic in Wroclaw. I could not be more pleased with everything at this clinic. Dr. Budzyznki sat down with me and explained everything, he answered all my questions clearly and made sure I was comfortable and ready for surgery. After the procedure, he came to check up on me and see how I was doing. The team of nurses and international coordinators were also amazing. They truly care about you at KCM Clinic. I would recommend Dr. Budzynski and his team at KCM to anybody looking for kind, professional and thoughtful team for their bariatric surgery.
Verified Patient
United Kingdom
July 31, 2018| KCM Clinic, Poland
This clinic literally has changed my life.. I'm 6 weeks out hernia and sleeve repair and have already lost over 2 stone.
This clinic literally has changed my life.. I'm 6 weeks out hernia and sleeve repair and have already lost over 2 stone. The support from arrival to departure can't be faulted... great clinic and doctor, very clean and there is two beds in each room should you want to take someone with you !! They do extensive tests pre surgery to make sure everything's ok and that's when I discovered I had a Hiatal hernia which my surgeon Dr. Budzynski repaired for free !! Located in a beautiful polish town in a stunning valley which is a bonus ! ! Experience was a positive one and I highly recommend Dr. Budzynski and KCM to anyone.
Verified Patient
Ann Maree,
June 21, 2018| Kardiolita Hospital, Lithuania
I found the clinic to be spotless and all the staff members both professional and friendly.
My experience was excellent overall. I travelled to Kardiolita to have a gastric sleeve procedure. I was picked up from the airport and transported to my hotel from my evening flight. I was contacted the next morning by the clinic support manager Juste to ensure my transport to the clinic had arrived. I got to the clinic and was met by my personal assistant Jogaile who ensured that I had all my required tests carried out and accompanied me throughout the day to ensure that I had all that I needed. On my OGD it was discovered that I had multiple gastric polyps and these were biopsied. Once on the ward I met with Mr Antanas who I found to be very pleasant and professional. On discussion of the findings of the OGD it was decided between the consultant and myself that it would be prudent and safer to wait for the biopsy results before proceeding with the sleeve. I was duly taken care of by Jogaile who ensured that my procedure fee was returned to me and accommodation was booked for the night so I could reorganise my flights back home. I found the clinic to be spotless and all the staff members both professional and friendly. I have since received my results and plan to reschedule my procedure. I found your service both helpful and professional. The only issue I suggest is to ensure all quotes / information given is up to date and correct at the time of quotation.
Verified Patient
May 19, 2018| KCM Clinic, Poland
All went very well!
- Pick-up from the station to the hospital - any other transport service from the hospital to the hotel - clean and nice hotel - clean, modern hospital - Coordinator and translator always at your side - all necessary examinations in one day - friendly staff - Qunomedical: Everything is fine, quick contact.
Verified Patient
Dirk K.,
March 8, 2018| SurGal, Czech Republic
All good!
All good!
Verified Patient
Olaa O.,
January 30, 2018| SurGal, Czech Republic
The hospital was very clean and all experience was very good but the only thing I didn't like is change the price of operation in late date
I picked up at the railway station and to the hotel , everything was ready for us and in the next day we went to the hospital, they explained what will happen by details, I stayed 4 days in the hospital the stuff of doctors and nurses was very friendly , high efficiency and patient , the hospital was very clean and all experience was very good The experience was very good and they understand when I changed the appointment, the reservation of hotel was good and everything was ready for us but the only thing I didn't like is change the price of operation in late date


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Search 'bbq go' and free download the app for IBT-2X in App Store or Google Play.
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text: Loris Azzaro, the man credited with defining the image of the likes of Sophia Loren and Raquel Welsh with his inimitably glamorous designs, died last week at the age of 70. Arriving on the fashion scene in the Sixties, Azzaro rapidly gained a reputation for flamboyant, fun party clothes and went on to become as well known for his perfumes as for the dresses he made. Today, he has an avid fan in Nicole Kidman who has several times been spotted wearing one of his vintage pieces. Born to Italian parents in Tunisia in 1933, Azzaro studied politics in Toulouse before travelling to Paris in 1962 and setting up his fashion house three years later. He added menswear to his repertoire in 1992. Azzaro was remembered last week by his daughter Beatrice, who now runs the company, as "a creative genius" and "a man impassioned by all expressions of beauty and particularly those of women." He is survived by his wife, two children and three grandchildren. (November 26 2003, AM)


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Back To Happy And Healthy Life . .
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I'm not wild about Time's selection of "Person of the Year", myself, for a number of reasons (not least of which is my opinion that marketing - as increased by controversy - was a large factor in their decision). That said, it's hard to argue with at least one of the runners up.
Admiral William McRaven, United States Navy.
What an awesome name for a SEAL, huh?
"...July 18, 2001, midway through that quiet summer before the whole world learned Osama bin Laden's name. McRaven, then a 45-year-old Navy SEAL captain, led a jump exercise near San Diego.
The commandos dropped into 10,000 feet of free fall, reserving their parachutes for the last moment. As they neared the release point, one of the men below McRaven drifted directly underneath. Seconds later, his canopy slammed into McRaven at well over 100 m.p.h., throwing him into a violent spin.
"Frankly, I wasn't sure whether I had been knocked unconscious, so when I had the chance, I pulled my rip cord," McRaven told TIME. "Part of the chute wrapped around one leg, the risers around the other, and the good news is that it opened. The bad news is that when it opened, it split me like a nutcracker, I guess, and just kind of broke the pelvis, broke my back."
...By thetime U.S. intelligence pinpointed its quarry, McRaven was a three-star admiral atop the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), the U.S. military's clandestine strike force. And so on Jan. 29, it was McRaven who began to plan "finish options" for Bin Laden alongside his counterparts in a seventh-floor CIA conference room. On May 1, with President Obama's go-ahead, it was McRaven who commanded the helicopter assault against the al-Qaeda leader's redoubt in Abbottabad, Pakistan. And on that night it was McRaven, linked by secure video from Jalalabad to the White House, who briefed the President in real time as the operation progressed...
Make no mistake, I'm not a fanboy here. I've met SEALs I liked and admired, I've met some who were arrogant bastards that thought they were rock stars and needed to receive the Great Bitch Slap of Humility. I've met and am friends with Army SF guys who were genuine, no-shit heroic sonsabitches, and others that should have been working unarmed security at the mall. Point here is, the Time's person of the year didn't have to be an officer from a steely-eyed snake-eater branch and it certainly didn't have to be an officer, but it's a good choice. It could just have been my friend and former student Sgt. Joshua Robinson, USMC, who did more in any one of his several tours to serve his country than I did in 20 years It could have been a lot of people. It could easily have been SrA. William N. Newman, or Kristoffer Domeij and Christopher Horns and Ashley White all together, but you can't recognize everyone that deserves it so you do the best you can...and as a representative of all the guys who hung it out there to kill the enemy and break all his shit, I think Admiral McRaven works just fine.
Congratulations, sir, and thank you for your service. Read the rest of the story on Time's website.


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Robot Combat Competition final kicks off at the World Robot Conference in Beijing
The Robot Combat Competition kicked off at the World Robot Conference on Sunday (August 27) in Beijing with enthusiasts bringing along their robots crashing and tackling with the others trying to be the winners.
Three hundred and thirty teams from across the country participated in the competition which is part of the World Robot Conference. Exhibitors from different areas of robotic research will be showcasing their work.
The event is followed by competitions including China Drone Racing, Robot Combat Competition, the Youth Design Contest, BCI Controlled Robot Contest and International USV open 2017.
Fans wowed during the contests and are impressed with the level of advancement in some of the machines. China is still one of the largest markets for industrial robots with a growing demand for these kinds of products.
The World Robot Conference began on August 23rd and ends on August 27th.


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Do I need to apply for a visa before travelling to Mauritius?
Nationals of most countries do not require a visa prior to travelling to Mauritius. The Non-Citizen should hold a passport with a minimum validity of 6 months as from date of arrival, a valid return ticket and sufficient funds to meet the costs of his stay in Mauritius.
I arrived on a tourist visa and want to apply for an Occupation Permit. Can I convert my visa into business?
No. It is not possible to convert a tourist visa into a business visa if you intend to apply for an Occupation Permit.
I am from a country where a visa is needed to enter Mauritius. Where do I apply for a visa?
You may submit your application for a visa at a Mauritian embassy or consulate in your country or in the nearest country where there is one. You may also apply at any office of Air Mauritius or directly to the Passport and Immigration Office in Mauritius by post/fax at the following address:-
Passport and Immigration Office
Visa Section
Sterling House
9-11 Lislet Geoffroy Street
Port Louis
Tel: + (230) 210 9312
Fax: + (230) 210 9322
What is the maximum stay allowed under a visa?
A tourist visa may be issued for up to 6 months per calendar year. A business visa may be issued for up to 120 days per calendar year.


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We may earn money or products from the companies or links mentioned in this post.
This year's Mickey's Halloween Parties are in full swing, and mostly sold out, at Disneyland Resort. This fun, special ticketed event costs families a pretty penny, so it makes sense that you would want to get the most bang for your buck. I am here to share all the tips for Mickey's Halloween Party so that you can be the pumpkin king (or queen) at the end of the night.
I just took my oldest to Mickey's Halloween Party and met up with my friend, and Disneyland with Kids co-founder Jessica from The Happiest Blog On Earth. (By the way, we talk about Mickey's Halloween Party and more in the Disneyland with Kids eBook which you can buy for instant download or on Amazon) It was a ton of fun, and I definitely found some ways to make the most of my time at the party.
I won't do a long drawn out intro, because you are here for all those tips and tricks. I have covered the basics of Disneyland's Mickey's Halloween Party and just Halloween time in general before, so let's just get to the tips to make you feel like that $100+ ticket was totally worth every penny.
Disclosure: I paid for our tickets to Mickey's Halloween Party, but Disneyland did provide me with two complimentary tickets so I could update my Halloween Time Post.
Top 10 Tips For Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland
1. When To Arrive
Mickey's Halloween Party allows guests entrance into either park (Disney California Adventure or Disneyland) up to three hours before the party begins. So if your party starts at 6:00 pm you can enter a park at 3:00. If you show up at the park at 2:45, you won't be in the park at 3:00. Lines for parking, security, and even just into the park can get pretty long. I suggest arriving an hour before your entrance time. You may even luck out and they let people in early. This year guests made it into DCA around 3:30.
2. Check Your Costumes
One of the best parts of Mickey's Halloween Party is that it is the one time of year that adults are permitted to wear costumes into Disneyland. This is super fun, and you can definitely go from simple to all-out. BUT STOP! There are several rules for costumes that must be followed. Be sure to check out the costume guidelines on Disneyland's website before heading to the parks.
On top of the park's guidelines, really think about the comfort of your outfit. Our group decided to go as characters from Disney Pixar's Inside Out. Fun right? Well, we originally were going to use body paint to make us the right colors…except it was hot and muggy. So we opted out. We did, however, have wigs for myself and my friend. Those wigs were great…except they were hot and itchy. So really think about your comfort level. Something we did right though is that our costumes were able to include regular clothing… so we were definitely comfortable on that level.
3. Storing Your Stuff
While the days during September and October can be pretty hot, the nights can get pretty cool. You will want to have hoodies, blankets for the parade, and maybe even some snacks and other items avilable. But if you don't have a stroller, and don't want to carry all of that stuff around, you will want to rent a locker. Except lockers can go pretty quickly on Main Street. If you are an Annual Passholder, or have a ticket you are using earlier in the day, grab a locker in the morning. If you aren't, grab a locker first thing as they tend to run out.
4. Should You Use A Park Ticket For The Morning?
Speaking of getting a locker the morning of…. many people wonder if you should use a park ticket for the morning and then the party ticket that evening so your get a full day in the parks. The answer is….maybe. If you already had a five day park hopper, and added on the party, and the day would go to waste…sure go a few hours in the morning. Otherwise…NO! It is much better to have a relaxing morning (maybe do a character meal in one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels) and take a mid-day nap before heading to the party. Especially if you have younger kids.
5. DAS and Mickey's Halloween Party
If you or a child utilize Disney's Disability Access Service (DAS), you may be wondering if a similar service will be available during the party. Seeing as there is no MaxPass or Fastpass service during the party. The DAS is available during the party, though for many rides you will not use it. In fact, the only rides we saw activily using the system were Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy and Haunted Mansion. All the other rides were basically a 5 minute wait or less, so you did not need to use the service. Even if you did, most still had you use the standard entrance.
So why get it? Well, if you want to do Haunted Mansion Holiday or Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, you will want the DAS as both those lines were very long. Some of the Fantasyland rides also had slightly longer lines that at times may utilize it, so it is a good idea to get it all set up in the three hours of park time prior to the party.
6. Is It Possible To Do All The Things????
Have you heard about how the crowds are so small you can to everything at Disneyland during the Halloween party? All the rides, the fireworks, the parade, and get all the candy. That is what circled around in the Disneyland with Kids Facebook Group, so we had a few people that were a bit underwhelmed with the results. Sothis tip is to set realistic expectations, and to make a game plan. If you can, get a copy of the party map before hand to start making a game plan.
While you will be able to do some of it all, if your goal is all the rides, you may have to settle for less candy, or no parade. During just the party hours, we were able to get in 6 rides, most of the Trick or Treat Trails, and both the Fireworks and the Parades.
We had heard others say they had done all the rides during the party. Not sure if we just had bad luck with rides (Pirates got backed up while we were on it, Haunted Mansion Holiday we redeemed a DAS return time to have to wait a while to get in because someone lost their candy in the elevator room) or if others maybe meant they got in all the "big rides" but our 6 rides were a far cry from the 20 that were open during the party.
I definitely think you can do a lot, but maybe not all the rides, all the candy, meet all the characters and see all the shows.
7. Get All The Candy
Okay, so if Candy is your goal, then you can easily get plenty. We had a member of DwK say that they only got two handfuls of candy at the first party. So going into the second party I was ready to be disappointed. Guys… we got so much candy. But I think I know why some people are not getting as much.
The candy situation can be a bit confusing. So there are Trick or Treat Trails, and each one has 3-8 stations within it. Each candy station will give 3 pieces. (Literally counted them out. Rarely saw them not count out exactly 3 pieces per person.) The carts with healthier options gave one item per person, until closer to the end of the night.
I think some people may not realize there is more than one trail. there are trails all over the park…and you can do them over and over. We only did trails once, and I think we even missed a trail or two.
TIP: Bring your own bag or back pack if candy is your main goal because the small bags they give you will not be enough.
Sad thing… we saw many people who had multiple bags and would just ask the cast members to fill all of them. Many claimed it was for their kids. I am sorry, and I rarely post parenting rants on here, but if all 6 of your kids are unable to walk the Trick or Treat trail (or at least ride a stroller through them) don't do it for them. NOPE! This is eventually going to ruin it for everyone else…
Also, Disneyland gives out good candy. No bubble gum that breaks your jaw when you try to chew it, or tiny knock-off suckers. Nope. We are talking Hershey's, Butter Fingers, Snickers, and more.
8. Where To Watch The Fireworks
So where should you watch the fireworks? Well, my friend Jessica found that Main Street was perfect for watching the fireworks and catching the projections on the castle and the buildings. But if you don't mind missing the projections, we found that we were able to see and hear everything else from the Rivers of America, where there also happened to be a Trick or Treat Trail. There was also hardly anybody there so we were all able to sit comfortably to watch the fireworks.
9. The Frightfully Fun Parade at Disneyland
So, there were things I loved about this parade, and one grievance. I loved all the villains and the floats were amazing. My grievance was that there was like a mile of space between each float. Normally the parades have a few floats or dance groups, then a break, but this parade had a break between each session. It turned a 5-10 minute parade into a 20 minute parade, wasting precious time doing other things.
If you don't want to have to sit and wait for the parade, grab the second showing after the fireworks. There was still plenty of seating available when the parade started. We watched from the benches near the Alice In Wonderland restrooms.
10. Characters and Photos
One of the great things about Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland is that you can meet lots of rarely seen characters. Plus, photos are included with your party ticket, so you get all those character meet and greet shots, plus other Halloween photos. Except the lines for these are long. I strongly suggest getting your park shots (like in front of the Mickey Jack-o-Lantern) during the first three hours before the party.
If characters are a big must for you, just know that you will need to give up something else to fit them in. Maybe it is Trick or Treating, or the parade, or even some rides, but it will be something. Lines are long to meet most of the characters, and one meet and greet could take you up to 30 minutes.
I hope these tips help you make the most of your time at Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland. I definitely felt it was worth the cost and will be going again in the future.
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African Ports Evolution: Call for Abstracts
The African Ports Evolution 2015 – now in its 4th year – is calling for submission of abstracts that will showcase the latest developments and trends in the industry.
The agenda comprises of a seminar day and conference which includes world-class keynote speakers, plenary sessions on trends and strategies, breakout forums, extensive opportunities for networking and site visits.
In 2015, the conference will feature a new technology showcase exhibition offering participants the unique and invaluable opportunity to engage and interact with industry professionals, showcase their products and solutions.
Abstract submissions will close on Wednesday, 1 July 2015.
The African Ports Evolution 2015 will be held from 2-4 November in Durban International Convention Center, Durban, South Africa.


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Demi Moore is missing her two front teeth. And while the actress's photo of her absent pearly whites shocked everyone who saw it, the story behind how she lost them nearly left them speechless. In an interview with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show, she explained what happened to the audience.
"I sheared off my front teeth. I'd love to say it was skateboarding or something really kind of cool, but I think I think it's something that's important to share, because I think it's literally, probably after heart disease, one of the biggest killers in in America, which is stress," she said. "Stress sheared off my front teeth. But, in an effort to get ready for you, I wanted to make sure my teeth were in."
MUST-SEE: 12 Times Celebrity Kids and Their Parents Looked Like Twins
Granted, her smile looked picture-perfect on TV that night. But check out the 0:47 mark in the video below, and you'll see why the host called it one of the most "insane" things he's ever seen.
As for how the teeth actually came out, Moore didn't go into too much detail with Fallon. But she did admit that she "literally knocked it out" not too long ago.
"It was almost like it fell out and my warranty was up. I swear!" she said. "Thank God for modern dentistry. All of you who go out and practice modern dentistry—thank God!"
Moore had previously shared another story of one missing tooth back in 2010 on the Ellen Degeneres Show.
MUST-SEE: 12 Women Who Were Totally Transformed After Their Smile Makeovers
"I had a bad bite and knocked my own front tooth out, which basically fell out into my hand, and I just thought my warranty was up," she said. "That was it."
Moore admitted she had been clenching her teeth quite a bit and was "a little too tense" about it.
She said, "I was sitting at my desk and I felt something drop and I caught it and looked down, and there was my tooth."
We hope she gets better soon! But in the meantime, we're happy to see she's still smiling.
h/t E! Online


text:
Event detail
12 Jul
Europeana DSI-4 National Webinar in Romanian: Europeana in clasa ta!
Location: online
Organizer: Europeana DSI-4
Event type: webinar
Target group: teachers
Topic: Innovation
Language: Romanian
This Europeana DSI-4 webinar aims to provide teachers with an overview of the use of digital cultural heritage in education. It will take place on 12 July from 16:00 - 17:00 CEST (ora Romaniei 18. (17CET)).
URL: https://eun2.adobeconnect.com/europeana-ambassadors-ro-2/


text:
Courtesy of: Summit Point Realty LLC.
Clubhouse, Onsite Management, Pets Allowed w/Restrictions, Shuttle Service
Main Level Master Bedroom, Ceiling Fan(s), Elevator, Furnished - Fully, Pantry, Spa/Hot Tub
Disposal, Microwave, Refrigerator, Dishwasher, Oven, Gas Range, Washer
Furnace - Energy Star Rated, Fireplace, Forced Air, Natural Gas, Radiant Floor, Zoned
Deck(s), Gas BBQ Stubbed, Spa/Hot Tub
|Status Changed from to Active
Courtesy of: Summit Point Realty LLC.
The information provided is for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. All properties are subject to prior sale or withdrawal. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate, and should be independently verified.
The multiple listing information is provided by Park City Board of Realtors® from a copyrighted compilation of listings. The compilation of listings and each individual listing are © 2019 Park City Board of Realtors®, All Rights Reserved. Access to the multiple listing information through this website is made available by Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Utah Properties as a member of the Park City Board of Realtors® multiple listing service. No other entity, including a brokerage firm or any franchisor, may be listed in place of the specific Listing Broker on the foregoing notice. Terms of Use
Listing information last updated on December 6th, 2019 at 10:28pm CST.


text:
Events Calendar
Kids Write 4 Kids Creative Challenge
Writing contest for aspiring authors. The contest is open to students in grades 4 through 8, age 8 to 14. For complete rules and regulations, https://www.ripplefoundation.ca/kids-write-4-kids
Details for the 2020 Contest will be available in October 2019.
February is "I Love to Read" Month. Come into the Library and enter to win a book. Enter every time you visit the Library. Draws will be made on February 29, 2020.
There are no upcoming events to display at this time.


text:
Are you an optometrist looking for supplemental income?
Our practice has a wonderful opportunity for a dedicated Doctor of Optometry with strong diagnostic skills – to partner with us. Our office located in La Quinta, CA is seeking an OD for fill-in days as needed.
As one of our doctors, the responsibilities of practice management are handled for you, allowing you to spend your time with patients, not paperwork. You do not have to worry about running the business. No staffing issues, administrative work or headaches to take home with you after work---just a consistent schedule at a competitive daily rate.
We have a technician staff to help the OD, including pretesting and contact lens training. Our office is a great fit for someone who enjoys patient-centered Primary Eye Care.
Please contact me for more information or to schedule an interview. I look forward to speaking with you!
Britt Clark / email@example.com / 678.595.4712


text:
Salmon Platter for two!
Product Code: DFTSP
Availability: In Stock
Availability: In Stock
Price: $46.00
Pop's Salmon Seafood platter for 2 includes 1 pound of Atlantic Salmon Fillet with half a pound of our Maine Sea Scallops, half pound of our extra Large Gulf shrimp, our homemade Garlic bread and a bottle of fine wine.
Write a reviewYour Name:
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Solar Water Heater, Solar Energy Heater, Non-Pressurized Solar Water Heater manufacturer / supplier in China, offering Household Low Pressure Solar Water Heating System, Flat Plate Pressure Solar Water Heater, 300LLearn More
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Haining Yinuo Electric Co., Ltd. Solar Hot Water Heating Project, Hot Water Project, Vacuum Tube Solar Collectors manufacturer / supplier in China, offering Vacuum Tube Low Pressure Industrial Use Solar Energy Heating SystemLearn More


text:
|Method and apparatus for facilitating monetary and commercial transactions
|Method and system for transferring telecommunication-time units among accounts and exchanging same for goods or services
|Katz et al.
|Telephony system for calling card calls
|Donation transaction method and apparatus
|Molbak et al.
|Method for streamlining the giving of contribution and gift commitments
|Method of and system for correlating charitable contributions
|Credit/charge card system enabling purchasers to contribute to selected charities
|Telephone billing method
|Silver et al.
This application is a 371 of the PCT International Application No. PCT/FR01/00416 filed on Feb. 13, 2001, which is based on the French Application No. 00-02492 filed on Feb. 28, 2000.
1—Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns prepaid cards, whether they are microcircuit cards, also referred to as integrated circuit or microprocessor cards, in which case the cards are sometimes referred to as telecards, or prepaid cards with no integrated circuit, also referred to as "calling cards" or virtual prepaid cards. For example, prepaid cards correspond to prepaid telephone use or to a credit issued by a retailer.
The invention relates to setting up of a set of means for making payments of donations to charities. These remote payments, also referred to as telepayments, are effected by decrementing units contained in a microcircuit card or in an account located in a server and associated with a card with no microcircuit.
The invention encompasses all prepaid cards and enables cardholders to make payments to a set of charities.
2—Description of the Prior Art
French patent application FR 2776403 describes an electronic funds collection system based on using an integrated circuit bank card. It relates to making donations to charitable or humanitarian organizations by means of the integrated circuit bank card. The general principle is as follows: for each banking transaction carried out normally, via a standard electronic payment terminal, a donation memorized in the card beforehand, which can be a percentage of the transaction or a fixed amount, increments an accumulator register in the card, under the control of the processor included in the card. The accumulator register therefore holds all donations associated with transactions effected since the last "emptying" of the accumulator register.
A second payment terminal is dedicated to the payment of the amount contained in the accumulator register of the card at the initiative of the person making the donation, i.e. the cardholder. The payment process is totally transparent for the user and the dedicated payment terminal. It proceeds in the following manner: when the card has been inserted, the user enters his personal identification number, as for a conventional banking transaction, and the terminal reads the banking references of the beneficiary organization in the card, resets the accumulator register in the card to zero and delivers a receipt for the amount paid to the user making the donation.
The funds collection system according to the patent application previously cited therefore uses a bank card and each payment results from the accumulation of donations depending on the amounts of respective successive transactions during a given period. The successive accumulations of donations are therefore handled entirely by the card. Also, the funds collection system requires a particular additional operation in the form of a banking transaction using a terminal dedicated exclusively to payment of donations accumulated in the card.
The invention aims to pay all or part of the balance of units, such as telephone units or monetary units, contained in or associated with a prepaid card purchased by the user of the card to at least one beneficiary entity, i.e. one or more charities.
To be more precise, an object of the invention is to facilitate using prepaid cards, for example cards relating to services such as telephone services or to products such as those available from a retailer, to pay donations to charities in the form of predetermined units, in a manner that is less inconvenient for the owner-user of the card, i.e. through standard use of the prepaid cards in non-dedicated prepaid card terminals, without necessitating second terminals dedicated exclusively to payment of the accumulated donations.
To this end, a method of paying a portion of the balance associated with a prepaid card for paying for any service or product from a terminal that is not dedicated to paying donations into a means for collecting balance portions via telephone transmission means, is characterized in that, after setting up a call between the terminal and the collecting means using the prepaid card, it includes the steps of:
detecting a payment confirmation in the collecting means,
decrementing the balance by said balance portion in response to the detected payment confirmation, and
incrementing a counter in the collecting means by the balance portion.
For example, the terminal is a public telephone and the balance is expressed in telephone consumption units which can then be converted into a monetary value.
In a first embodiment, the balance portion is said balance and the payment confirmation is transmitted in response to a prompt-to-pay message sent from the collecting means to the terminal only if all of the balance is to be paid, said prompt-to-pay message preferably containing a prompt to select a charity.
In a first variant of the first embodiment, the payment confirmation is transmitted in response to a prompt-to-select-a-payment message from the collecting means to the terminal only if the balance portion must decrement the balance, and is followed by transmission of a message from the collecting means to the terminal requesting the balance portion to be paid and by transmission of the selected balance portion from the terminal to the collecting means. Another payment confirmation is transmitted in response to the message prompting selection of the payment option only if all of the balance is to be paid.
Said call setting-up can result from an intentional call to the collecting means from the terminal, which call precedes identification of the card by the collecting means if the card is no microcircuit.
In a second variant of the first embodiment, the prompt-to-pay message is transmitted from the collecting means to the terminal only if the balance is below a predetermined threshold so that a payment to charities is systematically proposed to the user, before the balance of his prepaid card expires. On the contrary thereto, a telephone call from the terminal can be continued if the balance is above the threshold, or after a refusal to pay the balance is transmitted from the terminal to the collecting means. In this second variant, said call setting-up can result from the terminal seizing a telephone line followed by an automatic call to the collecting means from telephone connection means of the terminal if the balance is below the threshold.
When the card is a prepaid microcircuit card containing the balance and is to be inserted into the terminal to set up the call, the collecting means comprises a server containing said counter dedicated to the collection of balance portions and connection means connecting the server to the terminal to receive the balance from the card as soon as the call is set up, detecting the payment confirmation, decrementing the balance by the balance portion to constitute a decremented balance, and transmitting the decremented balance to the card via the terminal and the balance portion to the server.
When the card is a prepaid card with no microcircuit and having an identification number which is to be entered into the terminal, or to be generated automatically by the terminal, so that the collecting means can identify the card, the collecting means comprises a server containing said counter dedicated to collection balance portions and managing the balance of the card for detecting the payment confirmation after receiving a server payment number from the terminal, decrementing the balance and incrementing the counter.
In a second embodiment, the decrementing and incrementing steps are executed cyclically during a telephone call from the terminal and each time that a predetermined balance decrement is consumed. In this way, donations in the form of balance portions are paid systematically, and very often periodically, during a telephone call, and without any intervention by the user of the card.
When the card is a microcircuit card, the decrementing and incrementing steps can be executed cyclically in telephone connection means internal or external to the terminal, and the balance is transmitted from the card to the connection means after said setting-up.
The decrementing and incrementing steps are executed only in response to a payment indicator which is transmitted by the card to the collecting means if the card is a microcircuit card, or which is read in the collecting means in conjunction with an identification number of the card if the card is a card with no microcircuit. The payment indicator indicates to the collecting means the card user's prior agreement to cyclic payment of balance portions to charities, given at the time of purchase thereof. Accordingly, for a first use of the card, the method preferably includes, after call set-up, and in response to a message prompting contribution to the payments transmitted by the transmission means to the terminal, selection of at least one of the following three parameters including the decrement, the balance portion, and the identity of the entity for which the balance portion is collected.
After selecting at least one parameter, said at least one selected parameter and the payment indicator to be associated with the card are stored into the collecting means and are also stored into the card if the card is a microcircuit card.
For example, the first use of the card is detected by the collecting means if an initial credit read in the card or in the collecting means is equal to the balance of the card.
In the second embodiment, the collecting means is either of connection means for connecting the terminal to a telephone exchange or of the terminal itself, the counter accumulating the balance portions being emptied periodically into a server belonging to the beneficiary charities.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent on reading the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, given with reference to the corresponding accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a connection between a telephone card payphone and a charity payment server;
FIG. 2 is an algorithm of the method according to a first embodiment of the invention for intentional balance payment by means of a prepaid microcircuit card;
FIG. 3 is an algorithm according to a first variant of the first method embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, for intentional payment of a balance portion;
FIG. 4 is an algorithm according to a second variant of the second method embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, for payment by systematic solicitation;
FIG. 5 is an algorithm of the method according to a second embodiment of the invention for cyclic payment by means of a prepaid microcircuit card; and
FIG. 6 shows in detail a portion of the FIG. 5 algorithm, for a first use of the card.
The invention uses two types of prepaid cards, namely cards with a microcircuit and without a microcircuit.
A card of the first type, also referred to as a non-virtual card, contains a microcircuit wherein service or product units prepaid on purchasing the card are stored and correspond to a credit CR.
A card of the second type, also known as a virtual card, contains no processor microcircuit, the units associated with the card being included in a memory area which is located in a server connected to a telecommunication network. The second type of card also comprises prepaid cards including a read-only memory (ROM) having prestored a card identification number and a charity payment server call number, whereby these two numbers are read automatically by a payphone after the card is inserted therein, which avoids the card user having to enter these two numbers, which are usually long numbers.
For both types of card, units are deleted in the microcircuit or in the server as services or products are purchased with the card, so that a balance of units SO associated with the card, and initially equal to the credit CR, is reduced on each purchase.
Two embodiments of a payment method according to the invention are described hereinafter. In the first embodiment, all or part of the balance SO of service or product units associated with the card is paid to charities by an intentional action initiated by the cardholder. In the second embodiment, payments are made as and when prepaid units are consumed. Accordingly, in the second embodiment, a payment is made, for example, at the rate of NBO=1 unit every DE=25 consumed units.
In a preferred example referred to hereinafter, the units of a prepaid card provide access to a service, in this instance a telephone service; thus a unit is a telephone unit, but could be another service portion, for example a few seconds of air time.
FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically the essential means involved in a telephone call between a prepaid microcircuit phonecard CA, also referred to as a telecard, of the first type, and a server SE dedicated to a charity payment application and provided with voicemail and at least one telephone unit counter CBO for collecting telephone units as donations to charities. The essential means comprise a station accepting a prepaid card, for example a public payphone PU, for example a Publiphone™ payphone, or a public multimedia terminal, into which the card CA is inserted, a connection unit UR connected to the payphone by a user telephone line LT, and a routing autonomy exchange CO connecting the connection unit to the server SE and included in a telecommunication network RE, such as the switched telephone network. The messages produced by the server can be voice messages or, where applicable, text messages displayed on the payphone PU.
The connection unit UR services a plurality of payphones associated with it. It provides a number of intermediate functions related to the payphones and a payphone technical management system.
Apart from connecting the payphones to the telephone network and providing them with a remote power feed, the connection unit UR handles real time processing of outgoing calls from the payphones to monitor the payment means, such as a prepaid card. The connection unit also controls management operations relating to the associated payphones, in conjunction with a payphone management system SGP with a plurality of servers.
In another existing architecture, the connection unit and the management system are on the far side of the exchange CO, and in this case form a single system.
In particular, in the case of payments by means of microcircuit card, after the card CA is inserted into the payphone PU and an outgoing call from the payphone PU has been set up, the connection unit UR periodically receives a telephone unit balance SO read in the card by the payphone, so that the connection unit UR knows the state of balance throughout the call. When the card is purchased, the balance SO is initially equal to a credit CR. The card becomes unusable either when the balance is zero, and remains unusable for as long as the balance remains zero if the card can be recharged, or becomes unusable beyond a card expiry date.
This embodiment is not limiting on the invention, as alternatives exist, even though they are not described here.
The essential means involved in a telephone call between a telephone card of the second type, with no microcircuit, are similar to those shown in FIG. 1. The card is analogous to a scratch card showing the call number of the server SE, for example 3-digit or 4-digit number, and, after scratching, an identification number IC of the card, which has to be entered before each call and consists of around ten digits; a card with no microcircuit, referred to as a virtual card, is therefore equivalent to an identification number IC and naturally cannot be inserted into a payphone. The server SE is not dedicated to payments to charities, but provides a wider management service relating to the characteristics of the prepaid cards with no microcircuit, such as in particular the units balance SO relative to the credit CR initially stored in the server prior to offering the card for sale, in corresponding relationship to the identification number IC of the card, and relating to the collection of payments for charities in accordance with the invention.
In the remainder of the description, the two main embodiments of the payment method in accordance with the invention and variants thereof are each first described in detail for a microcircuit prepaid card, followed by an explanation of the differences and similarities for a prepaid card with no microcircuit.
FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of a method according to the invention of making payments to charities by an intentional act, which method includes main steps E0 to E7.
Setting up an outgoing telephone call from a payphone PU using a microcircuit card CA begins in step E0 by inserting the card into the payphone PU and lifting the handset to seize the line LT. This is known in the art. At the end of an identification procedure, and then, where applicable, at the end of active authentication of the card by the telephone network RE, a connection unit UR to which the payphone PU is connected sends a prompt-to-transmit tone. In step E1 the user of the card CA enters a short-code number that is easy to memorize, for example, in France, the number 3067 corresponding to the letters of the word "DONS" (donation). The telephone network directs the call to the dedicated server SE via the exchange CO.
Then, after the connection unit UR has read in the card CA the telephone unit balance SO transmitted in Dual Tone Multiple Frequency (DTMF) code, unit UR tells the server SE that the balance is positive, i.e. non-zero, in order to start up the charity payment application.
Then, in step E3, the server SE transmits to the payphone PU via the exchange CO and the unit UR a voice message prompting payment of the balance, for example:
"There is a balance SO on your card; do you want to donate the corresponding amount to charities BO? If yes, press the TV key to confirm, if no, hang up",
wherein the transmitted balance SO, which is preferably displayed on the payphone, is a number of telephone units, or is expressed in numerary value, and TV denotes a predetermined confirmation key, for example a green key on the payphone. A predetermined confirmation can also be given via a voice recognition system.
After detecting a confirmation signal transmitted by the payphone PU after the confirmation TV made by the user in step E4, the connection unit UR cancels the balance SO in the card CA as a donation and sends it via the payphone PU in step E5; because all the prepaid telephone units have been "consumed", the card CA contains a zero balance and is unusable. Simultaneously, in step E6, the connection unit UR sends the server SE a DTMF sequence containing the number of units SO for incrementing the counter CBO corresponding to the charities BO in the server. The method is then completed by either the payphone PU or the server SE via the connection unit UR releasing the line LT in step E7.
In step E4, if the user has not hung up after a time-delay of a few tens of seconds following on from step E3, the server SE releases the line LT and terminates the method in step E7, without making a donation.
Complementing steps E3 and E4, the server SE also prompts the user to select a charity BO by sending a request "To which charities?" to the payphone PU in step E3, associating predetermined keys with respective charities, for example, by displaying a table on the screen of the payphone, and selecting the key associated with the charity BO selected by the user in step E4.
If the card CA is a card of the second type, with no microcircuit, everything described in relation to the balance SO in the unit UR in FIG. 2 is effected in the server SE, which here manages cards of the second type.
In the initial step E0, the 3-digit or 4-digit call number of the server SE and then, after seizing the line LT, the identification number of the card are entered on the keypad of the payphone PU, or generated automatically after inserting the card into the payphone and reading the numbers from the ROM in the card; here the payphone can be replaced by any telephone terminal, including a radiotelephone terminal, possibly provided with a card reader. The identification number transmitted from the payphone PU to the network RE is analyzed by the server SE to identify the card and activate a unit downcounter in the server containing the balance SO associated with the card and initially storing the credit CR before the prepaid card is offered for sale.
Then, in response to a prompt-to-transmit tone transmitted from the unit UR to the payphone PU, the user enters the payment number corresponding to the word "DONS" on the keypad in step E1. When the server recognizes the word "DONS", it registers the intention of the user to make a payment to the charities BO. After examining that the balance SO is positive in step E2, the prompt-to-pay message is transmitted by the server in step E3 and steps E4 to E7, depending on whether payment of the donation is confirmed or not by pressing the TV key, the transfer of the balance SO decremented to zero from the unit counter into the counter CBO in steps E5 and E6 being effected internally in the server SE.
In a first variant of the first embodiment, shown in FIG. 3, relating to payment of a portion of the card balance, the payment method includes the steps E0, E1, E2 and E5 to E7, as well as, between the steps E2 and E5, steps E3a and E4a analogous to steps E3 and E4 and additional steps E40 to E42 which, with step E4a, replace step E4, step E42 being followed by steps E5a and E6a analogous to steps E5 and E6.
After the connection unit UR signals a positive balance SO in the card to the server SE in step E2, the server SE sends the payphone PU a message prompting selection of a payment, where applicable including a prompt to select a charity BO, via the network RE and the unit UR in step E3a, in order for the user to select to pay either the entire balance SO, as in step E3, or a portion of the balance, the balance or the portion of the balance being expressed as a number of telephone units or in numerary value. The voice message previously cited can be as follows:
"There is a balance of SO on your card; do you want to make a donation to the charities BO?
If you want to pay the whole balance, press the T1 key and confirm by pressing the TV key;
if you want to pay only a portion, press the T2 key and confirm by pressing the TV key;
if not, hang up".
The balance SO is preferably displayed on the payphone PU.
If, in the next step E4a, the user has pressed the T1 and TV keys, the connection unit UR sends a DTMF code corresponding to the T1 key (digit 1) to confirm payment of the whole of the balance to the server SE in step E40. The method continues with the connection unit UR sending a write instruction containing the number of telephone units used as a donation, equal to or corresponding to the balance, to the payphone PU and to the server SV in steps E5 and E6, before releasing the line LT in step E7.
On the other hand, if in step E4a the user decides to press the T2 and TV keys, the connection unit UR sends a DTMF code corresponding to the T2 key (digit 2) to the server SE in step E41. Then, in response to the code of the T2 key, the voicemail in the server SE sends a voice message requesting the balance portion to be paid to the payphone PU in step E42, such as:
"How many telephone units do you want to pay? Enter the number and confirm by pressing the TV key".
The user then enters on the keypad of the payphone the number NUT of charge metering units, or a numerary value, less than the balance SO indicated in step E3a, and presses the TV key. The method then moves on to steps E5a and E6a, during which the balance SO is decremented by the number NUT of telephone units constituting a donation and corresponding to the balance portion indicated by the user. The decremented balance is transmitted in DTMF code to the payphone PU for updating the card CA and to the server SE for incrementing the counter CBO, the algorithm terminating with step E7.
If, in step E4a or E42, the user is on-hook, or has not pressed one of the pairs of keys T1+TV or T2+TV, or has not entered a number NUT and pressed the TV key, after a time-delay of a few tens of seconds following on from step E3a or E42, the method is terminated in step E7 either by the payphone PU or by the server SE releasing the line LT via the connection unit UR.
For a prepaid card of the second type, with no microcircuit, steps E0 to E4a are applied in a similar manner to the steps E0 to E4 previously described. Steps E5 and E6, or E5a and E6a, relating to transferring the balance SO or the number of units NUT to be paid to charities to the counter CBO, are performed internally in the server SE, with decrementation of the downcounter of units associated with the card.
In a second variant of the first embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, the payment algorithm is modified so that it systematically encourages the user to pay the balance on the card when it is equal to or less than a threshold TH, for example equal to three telephone units.
At the start of the second variant, after the initial step E0, step E1 is eliminated and four steps E21 to E24 replace step E2 so that the server SE is called automatically if the balance is at most equal to the threshold TH. After the connection unit UR stores the balance SO read from the card in step E21, the connection unit UR compares the read balance SO transmitted by the payphone to the threshold TH in step E22. If the balance SO is less than or equal to the threshold TH in step E22, the connection unit UR calls the server SE by dialing the number "DONS" automatically and connects the connection established in this way with the server SE dedicated to payments through to the link with the payphone PU in step E23 so that the connection unit UR can transmit the balance SO to the server SE in step E24. If the balance is not equal to zero, the server SE sends the payphone PU a voice message prompting payment of the balance in step E3, for example:
"There is still a balance of SO on your card, do you want to donate the corresponding amount to the charities BO?
If you agree, press the T1 key, if not press the T2 key, and confirm by pressing the TV key", in order to propose a payment equivalent to the card balance. As shown in FIG. 2, this message may contain a prompt to select a charity BO.
In the event of a positive response, by pressing the T1 and TV keys in the next step E4a, the method continues with steps E40, E5, E6 and E7, already commented on with reference to FIG. 3. The balance SO in the card CA is set to zero and increments the counter CBO in the server SE.
In the opposite situation, the user declines to pay the balance, and presses the T2 and TV keys in step E4a. This refusal to pay the balance is transmitted by the payphone PU to the connection unit UR which clears down its connection with the server SE in step E71. The connection unit UR transmits the prompt-to-dial tone for the normal continuation of a telephone call from the payphone PU, as indicated in step E72, which is also executed if the balance SO is greater than the threshold TH in step E22.
The final step E7 of releasing the telephone line LT follows on from step E6 or E72.
If neither the T1 key nor the T2 key is pressed during a predetermined time-delay in step E4a, the server SE releases the line LT in step E7.
In this second variant of the first embodiment, if the card CA is a prepaid card with no microcircuit, after the server SE identifies the card in step E0, steps E21 to E24 are reduced to the step E22, in which the server SE compares the balance SO associated with the identified card CA to the threshold TH. If the balance is less than or equal to the threshold TH, steps E3 to E7 are executed as a function of the choice made by the user by pressing the T1 and TV keys or the T2 and TV keys, steps E5 and E6 being executed internally in the server.
If the terminal is not a payphone, the voice messages sent by the server indicate the counterparts of the T1, T2 and TV keys.
In a second embodiment of the invention, payments to charities are made cyclically as and when telephone consumption accounted for in the card is counted down, for example at the rate of NBO=1 unit every DE=10 units consumed. The cyclic payment method is transparent for the user. A cyclic payment indicator IV indicating that the microcircuit card CA is cooperating with the cyclic payment method is written in a memory area of the microcircuit card reserved for particular applications and referred to as the user area.
This second embodiment of the payment algorithm, shown in FIG. 5, mainly includes steps ET1 to ET11 following an initial step ET0 identical to step E0 and the start of step E2.
During a step ET1 of identifying the card CA, the connection unit UR or the payphone PU checks that the reserved memory area contains the indicator IV. If the indicator IV is not detected, i.e. if the card does not support the cyclic payment service, the method moves on to a step ET2 that can initiate a step ET3 of verifying the first use of the card, described in detail later, or to a step ET21 consisting of the normal procedure for setting up a telephone call, beginning with the prompt-to-dial tone.
On the other hand, if the payment indicator IV is detected by the connection unit UR or in the payphone PU in step ET1 thereby validating a cyclic payment, the unit UR proceeds to execute telephone unit payments described hereinafter during cyclic steps ET5 to ET11 activated in the connection unit UR during the normal telephone call, after a maximum balance variable SOM is made equal to the telephone unit balance SO in the card read by the unit UR in an initial cycle step ET4.
At the beginning of a payment cycle with a telephone unit decrement DE and continuously during such a cycle, the connection unit UR verifies in step ET5 that the telephone call set up between the payphone PU and a telephone terminal called via the connection unit UR and the network RE in step ET0 is not to be cleared down, i.e. that the line LT is not to be released and that the read telephone unit balance SO is not zero; otherwise, the supplementary decrementing of the balance SO is stopped in the final step ET11 for clearing down the line LT if that has not been done already.
During the telephone call set up in step ET6 for the first cycle, the unit balance SO in the card CA is normally, and often periodically, decremented by one telephone unit as a function of charge metering criteria determined by the operator of the network RE, or more generally by the service or product provider managing the prepaid cards, i.e. SO≡SO−1 in each step ET6, provided that the balance does not reach the value SOM−DE+NBO in step ET7. NBO denotes a balance portion constituting a cyclic donation equal to a number of telephone units by which the balance SO is automatically decremented for every DE telephone units counted down from the last value SOM, and thus such that NBO<DE, the number NBO incrementing a charities counter CBO in the server SE collecting the donation. If the balance SO reaches the lower limit SOM−DE+NBO in step ET7 and if the balance SO is greater than NBO in the next step ET8, a charities accumulator ABO in the form of a memory area allocated to the payphones attached to the connection unit UR is incremented by the number NBO of telephone units deducted during the current cycle in step ET9. The balance SO is then decremented by the number NBO of units deducted and the variable SOM is made equal to the balance SO before another cycle is begun, provided that the balance SO is not zero and the telephone call is not interrupted in step ET5.
If in step ET8 the balance SO is at most equal to the number NBO, the accumulator ABO is incremented by the balance SO, which is in the range from NBO to 0, and the balance is set to zero before the line LT is released by the unit UR in the final step ET11.
For example, if the balance SO is 43 telephone units in the line seizing step ET0, and if the network operator RE has fixed, in the connection unit UR, the cyclic decrement DE at 10 units and the number NBO of units to be cyclically deducted at 2, 2 telephone units are deducted from the balance SO in favor of the charities BO and added to the accumulator ABO in step ET9, as and when the balance successively reaches the values 35, 25, 15 and 5 in step ET7, if the call is not broken off in the meantime in step ET5.
If several payphones are connected to the connection unit UR, the content of the accumulator ABO totalizes the telephone units paid to the charities BO by the payphones. The remote server SE periodically, for example once a day, empties the accumulator in the unit UR, i.e. reads the cumulative count and then resets the accumulator to zero. The counter CBO in the server SE therefore accounts for all payments via payphones managed by the operator.
Returning to step ET1, the cyclic payment indicator IV inside the microcircuit card CA is stored by one or other of the following two methods.
In the first method, there are particular series of cards specifically dedicated to payments to charities. The indicator IV is then written into the card CA while writing "personal" characteristics of the card during the fabrication thereof. For a card using the first method, the payment method shown in FIG. 5 goes directly (ET1, yes) from step ET0 to step ET4.
In the second method, a memory area is reserved for the indicator IV in the card CA during the fabrication thereof, but the indicator IV has not yet been written into the reserved memory area when the prepaid card CA is purchased, and is to write when the first time the card is used.
When the card CA is inserted into a payphone for its first use, the connection unit UR does not detect the indicator IV in step ET1. In the next step ET2, the connection unit UR compares the initial credit CR read in the card, for example 50 or 120 telephone units, to the telephone unit balance SO.
If the balance SO is not equal to the credit CR, i.e. if CR−SO telephone units have already been consumed, the card CA has already been used (step ET2, no). As no indicator IV was detected in the preceding step ET1, the card CA is a normal prepaid card. The method continues normally with the setting up of an outgoing call in step ET21, starting with the dial tone.
If the balance SO and the credit CR are equal in step ET2, this is the first use of the card CA, which necessitates execution of the step ET3 shown in detail in FIG. 6 and including steps ET31 to ET39.
In step ET31, the connection unit UR calls the dedicated server SE which initiates a dialog with the payphone PU to invite the user to cooperate in the donation payment procedure after first writing the indicator IV.
The voice message from the server SE, in response to the call by the connection unit UR, transmits to the payphone a message prompting participation in payments at the payphone PU in step ET32, for example:
"Do you want to contribute to payments to the charities BO?".
If the user's response is negative in the next step ET33, for example if the user presses any key on the keypad of the payphone other than the confirmation key TV, or does not press any key at all during a predetermined time-delay, the server is disconnected from the connection unit UR in step ET34 and a call can be set up in the normal way in step ET21.
If the user responds positively, by pressing the confirmation key TV in step ET33, the server SE sends a request "To which charities?" to the payphone in step ET35 in order to associate predetermined keys with respective charities, for example by displaying a table on the screen of the payphone. Then, following selection of a charity BO by the user and transmission of the identity of the selected charity BO from the terminal TE to the server SE, the server sends a voice message "With which decrement DE and number of units NBO to be paid cyclically?" to the payphone in step ET36. As an alternative to this, the server itself proposes several numbers of units NBO and several decrements DE, for example NBO=1 or 2 units to be paid every DE=10 or 25 units, by means of a voice message and/or in a table displayed on the payphone. The user selects parameters DE and NBO by pressing predetermined keys indicated by the display or by the voice message in step ET37. Then, in step ET38, the selected parameters DE and NBO are stored into the card CA and transmitted by the card to the connection unit UR, which stores them. The payment indicator IV is also stored into the reserved memory area of the card. The connection unit UR then disconnects from the server SE in step ET39. The payment method continues in step ET4 for a telephone call with a cyclic payment of NBO units for every DE units consumed.
On the next use of the card CA, the parameters DE and NBO and the balance SO in the card CA are read by the connection unit UR, as indicated in parentheses in step ET0 (FIG. 5), and the method then moves directly from step ET0 to step ET4, because the connection unit UR has detected the payment indicator IV in the card.
For the second embodiment using cyclic payment by means of a prepaid card with no microcircuit, the payment indicator IV is stored into the server SE in association with the identification number IC of the card and the balance SO is read in the server:
Following identification of the card CA in the server SE in step ET0, the server, rather than the unit UR, tests the value contained in the reserved memory area for the payment indicator IV in the server in step ET1. If the latter is present, then the cycle steps ET4 to ET11 are executed in the server SE in relation to the variables SO, SOM and ABO, and the accumulator ABO can constitute directly the content of the counter CBO in the server.
Although the invention has been described in detail above in connection with telephone calls, the service provider can be an entity other than a telephone operator, such as a retailer of products or services other than telephone calls, for example for ordering basic commodities, drawing up a list of horses for a horse race, or filling in a game voucher such as a lottery voucher, etc. A unit can be a monetary unit or another kind of other predetermined unit, for example a unit agreed between a player and a company organizing a game.


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|Legislative Corner
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Republican Pete Flores upsets Democrat Pete Gallego in race for Uresti seat
By Patrick Svitek | Texas Tribune
Republican Pete Flores defeated Democrat Pete Gallego on Tuesday night in the special election runoff for Senate District 19, a major upset in a Democratic-friendly seat.
Flores is a former Texas game warden who unsuccessfully ran against Uresti in 2016, while Gallego is the former congressman from Alpine who previously served more than two decades in the Texas House.
In ads, Flores depicted Gallego as a tax-loving liberal and "career politician" desperate to return to power. Gallego countered with his long-running message that he would be a safe, reliable choice for the district in the wake of the tumultuous period that precipitated Uresti's resignation.
10/2/2019 » 12/20/2019
2020 Professional Award Entries
CTX ASLA Holiday Party


text: Share: Comments Print June 25, 2009 at 3:00 PM 787 delays Posted by Seattle Times staff At least Boeing is keeping us safe Editor, The Times: How refreshing when a company reveals it has uncovered unexpected defects in its product and will delay delivery until the defect can be corrected ["787's stunning delay," page one, June 24]. How reassuring that a company is putting safety ahead of meeting a deadline, ahead of what Wall Street might do to its stock price and what bad press it might get from the local newspaper. Boeing deserves to be criticized for poor planning, management and implementation of the outsourcing-production model it has used to build the 787 Dreamliner, which has led to multiple delays. But in this instance the company should be commended when we learn that it is still adhering to the highest standards of testing and safety in constructing its airplanes. How is this display of honesty and integrity damaging to Boeing's credibility ["Boeing's cred takes a beating," page one, column, June 24]? — Barbara Banfield, Seattle Delays 'stunning?' More like expected Jon Talton and your headline writer characterize the 787 Dreamliner delay as "stunning." Really? The word I would have used was "expected." Now don't get me wrong. I think Boeing's decision to go with a plastic plane was the right one. But Boeing management has been spectacularly incompetent in all other respects of this project. To come close to how big a change this is you have to go all the way back to the 707. It marked the transition from propeller to jet. That was a big deal. Given this, Boeing management should have tried to minimize risk in other aspects of the program. Instead they completely changed the assembly process. They went from "bolt a part on at a time" to a "snap together large subcomponents" methodology. They also outsourced most of the subcomponents. These were not risk-minimizing decisions. The 787 has been delayed before. Each time, Boeing has been surprised and promised a new final schedule — until the next surprise delay comes. The Times needs to stop being a cheerleader and start doing some honest reporting. If I want 787 praise I can just go to the Boeing Web site. — Patrick J. Russell, Seattle Delays page one, while real news is buried Instead of repeating the headline about Boeing's 787 delays ["787's stunning delay," page one, June 24, and "787 delay: months, not weeks," page one, June 25] perhaps you should have put the news brief in small print on page two about a U.S. drone killing 80 at a Pakistani funeral on the front page ["Drone attack," Newsline, June 25]. Make the public aware of how the military operates. Is it any wonder that some countries hate the U.S. government? — John Roomes, Coupeville Comments | More in aviation


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Farm Fair
The 40th Annual Central Oregon Farm Fair & Trade Show
February 5th and 6th, 2020
Jefferson County Fairgrounds
Free Lunch & Refreshments Compliments of Local Sponsors
2020 Central Oregon Farm Fair Program
2020 Farm Fair Exhibitor Sponsor Letter
Sponsorships and exhibit spaces still available!
The Central Oregon Farm Fair & Trade Show is an opportunity for local farmers and ranchers to get updates on issues affecting agriculture; hear reports on local research efforts; and receive two to four hours of pesticide applicator recertification credit. It's also the chance to visit with neighbors while checking out new farm equipment, products and services from more than 30 vendors.
The Central Oregon Farm Fair & Trade Show is sponsored by the Jefferson County Seed Growers and Oregon State University Extension.
Booth space and sponsorships are available at the trade show. Payments are accepted online at https://squareup.com/store/central-oregon-farm-fair


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How did this end up happening?, well a mixture of some inspiring friends of mine going out Open Water Swimming most weeks and making it look easy and a few too many glasses of wine with a friend.
The event had popped up on my Facebook feed and it attracted my attention after I'd been doing a fair amount of swimming recently – albeit in the pool. I happened to mention it to Clare and low and behold 10mins later we were signed up to swim 1.5k in a dock by the Thames.
The next morning the realisation hit home, but we were determined to go for it. So the next week we took ourselves off to the Aquatics Centre at the Olympic Park jumped in the deep end.
My goal was to swim 400m non-stop, Becca (superstar swimmer & all round legend) suggested it was the shortest distance you needed to be able to swim before going to the open water centre – and I did it, twice – 400m non-stop, 200m relaxed and 400m non-stop.
Then due to life being busy we had a week off and all of a sudden it was a week to go before the big day. I need to get two things done – one, find a wetsuit that fitted and two get in open water. I didn't need to swim far, I just needed to get in and get comfortable with the differences of open water.
Solo, I arrived at the Royal Victoria Dock Open Water Centre and it was not as I expecting. I was imagining a Aquatics centre setup with changing rooms and lockers and a shop to hire your wetsuit.
The changing rooms were the side of a old style caravan or the grass area for those more open to showing a bit of skin, the shop was the wetsuits hanging on the caravan, the locker was a pop up tent and the centre was two blokes sitting behind large picnic tables. Run, run away now.
But I didn't, I bucked up the courage, asked for a wetsuit, struggled to get it on for 20mins, got zipped up and waddled down the jetty to the water's edge. I sat on the edge for a good 5mins acclimatising only my feet.
Then it came to buck up the courage to slide in slowly, I lifted myself up and splash, I was in the water two feet of water over my very fetching swim-cap, I bob back to the surface, body freaking out big time. My breath wasn't under control, my heart was beating super quick and there's nowhere to put your feet. I held onto the steps from the jetty and fortunately one of the coaches, Georgie, was there to offer a few pieces of advice.
I found a quiet spot and tried putting my face in the water – I heard this can be tough for some people in murky water, but I swim with my head under the water all the time in the pool, I'm cool with this…..I am NOT cool with this. As soon as I stuck my head under the cold shocked me and I wanted to take an in-breath instantly – not good when your head is underwater. I practiced a couple more times, I found starting my out-breath before putting my head under worked a treat.
And I was off – aiming for the peach buoy, eventually getting there, aim for the white one, done then ah – I cant see the jetty through my steamed up goggles. I knew the yellow was close to the jetty so aimed for that.
I clambered out, feeling amazing, I'd done it, wasn't the perfect experience but I felt so much more confident for the swimathon than I would have been turning up on the day without that experience.
Saturday I spent time preparing my goggles to make sure they didn't fog up and prepared my kit and ran through what I'd need both pre and post swim.
Sunday morning, fuelled by Nutella bagel and coffee I set off to the docks.
I arrived around 8am, Clare already there and very few other people m, which didn't help with the nerves. At 8.30 we queued up, scanned in, wetsuit in hand and chose the funkiest swimcap ever.
Trotted over to the Good Hotel for a toilet stop and get the bottom half of my wetsuit on – the most difficult part. We were then briefed on the waves (corrals in running terms) and the routes. I loved that you could choose to do whatever route you wanted to complete your distance – smaller loops & more laps or longer loops & less laps – you could choose to do loops of 250m, 400m, 500m, 750m or 1k.
Despite initially signing up for the 1.5k I wasn't feeling confident enough, so I set off with the two other 400m swimmers. I checked the course again and it was time to get in and acclimatise.
This time I utilised the steps to steadily descend into the water and this time no shock to the system at all, I was more shocked by the lack of cold shock than the thing itself. I popped my face in the water a couple of times before they announced 10 seconds to go.
3, 2, 1, Go…..the three of us wished each other good luck and it was into my stroke straight away for the longest part out to the red triangle on the far side of the dock.
I kept toe-to-toe with one of my fellow 400metre swimmers for a little while before I changed my technique to front-crawl kick and breast-stroke arms – it's weird but it works for me.
It was ok, I was swimming ok, got good rhythm, good breathing, hadn't swallowed any Thames water so I was quite happy. Weirdly the water is salty though, I don't do seawater, but that's mostly due to jellyfish and other things that want to eat you!.
The Red buoy did seem to take forever to arrive, but I knew as soon as I turned I could see the finish line/jetty (I'm still adjusting to non-running speak).
I did a few granny-breaststroke strokes (head above water) just to calm myself down and that before I went again, aiming for the yellow buoy, completely bypassing the white one on the way.
I got close to the yellow buoy before making the left turn to home, I was very aware of the wind and current picking up and definitely felt like I wasn't getting quite as far as quick as I was.
I joined the 1.5k & 5k'ers for the final stretch and got a hint of what it's like to do a mass start Tri, there was lots of bumping, arms and legs flying and people cutting across. I'm quite glad I'm a slower swimmer so I don't have to contend with that.
Approaching the jetty to finish, I was tempted to go again, I thought I could at least do 1k – you get the same medal as long as you do 400m (the 5k have a different one). I'd convinced myself I'll get to the jetty, rest and go again. However I was directed down the finishers lane and was told I wouldn't get a time if I didn't tap out, but if I tapped out I couldn't go again.
So I called it a day, for someone who rarely swims and only been OW once before, I was over the moon with doing what I did. It just means that next time I'll have a good opportunity to swim further!
I waited for Clare to finish & I think I can safely say we were both on a huge highs – think runners high, only open Water swimming. We sat on a bench staring out at the Dock discussing our races and just like running wanting to share every last detail, every stroke.
We went to the coffee shop to continue the swim chat and I happen to have found the same wetsuit I was wearing for an absolute bargain online – so that's on its way!
I wish I was around for Swim Serpentine next week as I'd have a good go at the half mile, however I'm back home racing a hilly 15k in the Peak District. I've definitely got the bug for it & already looking for different places to swim.
As soon as my wetsuit arrives and I've got a busy month out of the way I'll be diving (not literally) straight back into it & trying to improve.
For me, I really need/want to improve my swimming, I'm not a great swimmer, I don't get far fast, but I can keep going and going until I get there (ahh if only I was the same running). I might start looking into a coach to help me nail front crawl.
I've had so many people say to me they'd love to try OWS but are scared etc. Please go do it. I went on my own because I needed to not have the pressure of having others around pushing me, but get some friends together, go find a friendly OW centre (like Victoria Dock or Shepperton) and go for it. It's so much more pleasurable than swimming in a pool. If you do end up going alone it gives you the chance to meet others – within an hour of finishing my practice swim Wednesday I was being added to a OWS WhatsApp group!
I noticed how chilled out everyone was too, getting stripped off on the grass, leaving your bags in a pile in the middle of nowhere, turning up to an event with 20mins to go, being able to choose how you make up your distance – it's so much more relaxed and friendly environment than other sports.
I think it's the freedom, I thought not being near to the side of a pool would freak me out, but there's something really nice about it, it feels free of being restricted, free of chemicals, free to swim however far or short you want to.
I did enter a Tri a couple of years ago, but I didn't do it due to not being brave enough to go try OWS (mainly the wetsuit thing) & I had a really bad fall on my bike. So, if I can get back on the bike, then….who knows! Especially if there's anymore evenings out with Clare – who knows what we'll signup for next!!