text:
Branding is a long-term investment. That means you don't see the results right away, but "suddenly" one day the benefits start happening.
When you ignore your brand or mess it up, the bad effects are not immediately apparent. In other words the negative effect is "lagging."
But brands work exactly like human relationships. Screw the brand up for a long enough time, and you wake up one day and find that your partner is gone.
Here are three major indicators that your brand is headed for the clearance rack.
#1. You turn "corporate."
What you used to do for fun has become dry and boring. You're milking it for the cash.
Exhibit A: What hath Google done to their logo?
They've murdered it, that's what.
At around the same time as they've reorganized - away from experiments and towards money.
|Old Google Logo
|New Google Logo
#2. You treat your people like s**t.
There's really no other way to put this. Why are you doing this? You don't know?
Here are some examples of treating people badly that you may be overlooking. Notice that none of them are extreme:
- You "don't have time" to talk to them, or you don't tell them what's going on.
- You don't include them in decision-making or explain your decisions.
- You don't give them careful feedback on their work, or you take credit for it, or you overwork them.
- You waste their time, make them feel disposable and dispensable, or make them work long hours for no reason.
- You don't set aside at least half your day to manage the team or you don't pay someone to do this.
You can pay lip service to the importance of people all you want, but if you don't actually take care of your people your brand is dead, eventually - no matter how smart your business model.
words) to the recent expose about their workplace practices.
#3. You hire for paper skills, not for brand.
Most people know that it's very hard to get a job nowadays. You practically have to be perfect.
But technical qualifications are not enough. Or they aren't needed at all. Or, believe it or not, your resume can even get in the way.
Because the most important factor in any successful firm is culture: the quality of the social glue that holds its employees together.
Performance follows culture, which is measured by employee engagement.
Without social capital based on trust, understanding and mutual loyalty, the brand is doomed to fall apart.
Many try to delegate hiring to HR. But there are certain things that cannot, in the end be delegated.
That's why, as Harvard Business Review points out, it's smart to hire people based on cultural fit. As brand success or failure is felt most prominently in the pocketbook.
HBR cites the Society for Human Resources Management:
"Research suggests that direct replacement costs can reach as high as 50%-60% of an employee's annual salary."
Note that hiring for brand is not the same as hiring people "just like you" - e.g. tilting toward homogeneity.
In fact it's just the opposite. Hiring for brand means being inclusive and looking beyond the superficial categories.
|Photo via the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
But if you have made a mistake, it's intelligent to follow the examples of other leading brands, like Amazon and Zappos.
Both companies offer a financial reward to people who recognize they don't fit in - and quit.
Photo by Jimmy Hilario via Flickr (Creative Commons). All opinions my own.


text:
You love Paris and design is your passion, Dessine moi Paris is for you. The project brings together artists and designers from all around the world on a common artistic theme: The city of Paris and the historic monuments of the french capital. You're an illustrator, graphic designer, painter and Paris inspires you, join the project and present your personal vision of the city through your drawings of the Eiffel Tower, the Opera Garnier, the Ponts des Arts, etc ...
For illustrators and artists who want to present their drawings of Paris, register by completing the contact form. For more information see the information page.
Illustration Tour Eiffel en soirée
Ann Abel Iseux
Arènes de Lutèce
News :
- They are 30 artist galleries registred on dessine moi Paris.
- They are 343 drawings of monuments de Paris presented.
- You can view information about 198 monuments, museums and tourist attractions in Paris.
Data from the previous 3 months :
- The most viewed monument - Arc de Triomphe
- The most watched drawing - Drawing of Arc de triomphe par Violette Cordeau
- The most viewed artist - Patrice Rambaud
- The most visited district - 1st arrondissement
A Moveable Feast

subset: commoncrawl


text: Job Discussion Forums :: View topic - Obtaining Italian Citizenship Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today! Job Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Obtaining Italian Citizenship Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Italy View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message Quasi GiapponeseJoined: 01 Sep 2005Posts: 1Location: Ishikawa, Japan Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 1:35 am Post subject: Obtaining Italian Citizenship Ciao tutti, I'm currently living in Japan working on the JET Programme. I have plans of moving back to Italy when my contract is up here in August 2006. I lived in Turin for one year while in University. I am an American citizen and have no ESL teaching certification. However, I'm in my second year of teaching ESL at one junior high and two elementary schools here in Japan. Should I get certification to teach in Italy? Or is my experience in Japan "good enough"? Secondly, It looks as though I will be able to obtain Italian citizenship through ancestory. For those of you who have experience doing this would you recommend that I use one of the companies that obtains the necessary documents for you? If so can you give me a recommendation? Grazie, Reid Back to top GregorioJoined: 17 Aug 2004Posts: 105 Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2005 6:58 pm Post subject: Hello Almost Japanese, I would start working on this immediately because it can take a long time, depending on the consulate, to process the paperwork. If you plan on doing all the leg work from Japan, asking those companies to gather the documents may not be a bad idea, however, you will pay through the nose. Usually they will charge you $35-$100 more per document than what it would cost you to do it yourself. However, if you have a mountain of cash laying around, which I know most TEFLers do , it may be easier on you. I think myitaliancitizenship.org has the best prices. I used them for translations and they did an awesome job. The consulate(Chicago) was extremely impressed and asked who they were so he could recommend them to people. Some consulates require certified translations though, so in this case, you must check with your consulate. The TEFL certificate is almost always "required" in Italy, at least in the job description, but if you have good references and lots of experience, I think it would be overlooked with no problem. Back to top benstine21Joined: 22 Nov 2003Posts: 3Location: California Posted: Mon Oct 03, 2005 11:12 pm Post subject: great site!! Hey, the site i found was myitaliancitizenship.com, I think this is the same one, it has what seems to be great prices(25-42), and seems to be very helpful. Gregorio is this the proper site that you found? ciao Back to top jnesta1Joined: 31 May 2003Posts: 96Location: Here and there Posted: Thu Oct 06, 2005 2:52 am Post subject: I don't want to put words in Greg's mouth, but I do believe that is the right site, myitalian etc. .com. But I agree with his earlier words. It can get quite pricy to ahve them do it for you, so if you ahve time, do it yourself! It's fun to do the research. Best, Jeff Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Italy All times are GMT Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Where to Begin----------------General DiscussionNewbie ForumCurrent Events ForumTechnology ForumOnline Teaching Forum Africa Forums----------------General Africa Forum Asia Forums----------------CambodiaChina (Job-related Posts Only)China (Off-Topic)Hong KongIndiaIndonesiaJapanMalaysiaPhilippinesSingaporeTaiwanThailandGeneral Asia ForumVietnam Caribbean Forums----------------General Caribbean Forum Europe Forums----------------Czech RepublicFranceGermanyGreeceItalyMacedonia and the BalkansPolandRomaniaRussia & C.I.S.SpainTurkeyUkraineUnited KingdomGeneral Europe Forum Latin America Forums----------------ArgentinaBrazilChileColombiaCosta RicaMexicoMexico (off-topic)PeruGeneral Latin America Forum The Middle East Forums----------------BahrainEgyptIsraelKuwaitOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab EmiratesGeneral Middle East Forum North America Forums----------------General North America Forum Oceania----------------Australia/New Zealand You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. Contact Dave's ESL Cafe Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved. Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group Teaching Jobs in China


text:
Provides for a voice or audio input/output interface coupled to the user interface for providing voice activation of the processor or voice transmission via the wireless transceiver to the central controller.
|Stolen property tracking system
|Apparatus and method for tracking and reporting the location of a motor vehicle
|Automatic cellular phone tracking
|Method and apparatus for tracking vehicle location and computer aided dispatch
|Shah et al.
|System and method for tracking vehicles in vehicle lots
|Benson et al.
|Car rent system
|Navigation apparatus with non-volatile memory for return to initial departure point
|Nimura et al.
|System for reserving a supply of goods or services
|Vehicle monitoring system
|Christen et al.
This application is a continuation of Ser. No. 08/786,184 filed Jan. 21, 1997 abn.
(a) a local controller, including a wireless communication interface for communication with a central controller;
(b) a geo-location device located in said vehicle for providing current geo-location information of said vehicle to said local controller;
(c) an output device associated with said local controller for presenting said user with a selection of information and merchant services received from said central controller, said selection being based on said current geo-location obtained from said local controller; and
(d) a point of sale (POS) terminal located in said vehicle and coupled to said local controller for allowing a user to select and execute a POS transaction on one or more of the presented services while enroute.
(a) a central controller;
(b) a local controller including a wireless communication interface for communication with said central controller;
(c) a geo-location device located in said vehicle for providing current geo-location information of said vehicle to said local controller;
(d) an output device associated with said local controller for presenting said user with a geo-location specific information received from said central controller, said information being based on said current geo-location obtained from said local controller;
(e) an interface associated with said central controller for input by a fleet operator of fleet management request for information from said central controller; and
(f) an output device associated with said central controller for presenting said fleet operator with a geo-location specific information received from said local controller.
The present invention relates generally to an automated service provision system and in particular to an automated motor vehicle rental service.
Automobile rental, particularly, in North America is a thriving industry. A car rental system is based on a fleet of vehicles, which may be picked up and used by a customer who rents and then picks up a vehicle, and after use, returns the vehicle to a specified location. A large number of these rental locations are located at airports, railway stations or some other public transport terminals. In most cases, it is generally necessary to reserve a vehicle beforehand. The actual process of acquiring a vehicle by the customer is fraught with administrative formalities that are both time consuming and frustrating for the customer.
Furthermore, for the business traveler or customer, last minute travel arrangements are not uncommon. In these instances, reservations or rentals of vehicle are normally made at the time of arrival at a airport. It would be advisable in these circumstances at least to reduce or minimize the administrative formalities required in reserving and obtaining a vehicle.
Also, in a large number of instances, the customer is in a foreign location and requires directions to a particular destination beforehand. This information is normally obtained from a rental agent at the rental site further adding time delays both to the customer and other customers waiting for a similar service. Thus in a high traffic environment it is generally required for a large number of personnel to be stationed at a rental kiosk. This is both costly and inefficient use of personnel, particularly in off peak periods.
A further aggravating formality is the inspection of the vehicle by the customer for damages and suchlike prior to signing the rental agreement. Furthermore it is also required on return of the vehicle that a similar inspection is performed. Once again this is both onerous, time consuming and frustrating for the customer. For the rental company, some types of damages are not readily apparent at the time that the vehicle is returned by the customer. For example, stone chips on windshields that subsequently result in the cracking of the windshield may inadvertently be ascribed to subsequent customers renting that vehicle.
Although not directly related to vehicle rental, most travelers make use at one time or another of a cellular or mobile wireless telephone. In the case of a person travelling outside their local mobile service provision territory, additional roaming features are required to be purchased in order to have access to telephone numbers outside the subscribers network. It would be thus desirable to avoid, if possible, such costs.
Thus is may be seen from the above discussion that there is a need for a system and method that mitigates at least some of the above disadvantages.
This invention seeks to provide a vehicle tracking and automated rental of the vehicle and associated services.
In accordance with this invention there is provided an automated vehicle tracking and service provision system comprising a central controller, a local controller located in each vehicle, the central controller and the local controllers including wireless communication means for communication of information between the central controller and the vehicle and fuzzy logic decision making software.
According to a preferred embodiment, the local controller includes a processor,
a global positioning systems (GPS) sensor coupled to the processor for providing vehicle location in terms of latitude and longitude,
a memory coupled to the processor,
a plurality of sensors coupled to the processor and adapted to provide information on a plurality of parameters related to the vehicle such as fuel level, collision status, brakes and such like,
a user interface coupled to the processor for providing user input from input devices such as a credit card reader, smart card reader or keyboard,
a wireless transceiver is coupled to the processor for communicating data from the processor to the central controller and for receiving data from the central controller, and
a display.
There is further provided a voice or audio input/output means coupled to the user interface for providing voice activation of the processor or voice transmission via the wireless transceiver means to the central controller.
In a further embodiment, the local controller implements in conjunction with the central controller, a mobile point of sale service.
A further embodiment provides for a voice encoded transmission of data.
These and other advantages of the present invention become more apparent from the following discussion of preferred embodiments of the invention which are described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like elements have been assigned like reference numerals and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a local controller;
FIG. 3 is a high-level flow diagram implemented by the controller of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle parameter sensor arrangement according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle rental automation process;
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a fuzzy logic selection algorithm;
FIGS. 7(a), 7(b) and 7(c) are schematic diagrams of a process flow incorporating the fuzzy logic of FIG. 6; and
FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an automated vehicle rental service provision system.
Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic view of a vehicle tracking and communications network according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown generally by numeral 10. The system includes a central controller or computer 6 normally located at a headquarters (HQ) serving a specified geographic area. These geographic areas may range from a single town to entire countries or continents. The network includes one or more central controllers. The central controllers are connected via a network such as a telephony network or the Internet. The central controllers which serve a specified geographic area may be located for example at rental vehicle agencies and may also be accessed by independent distributed terminals linked by suitable communication networks.
One of the central controllers 6 may be designated an originating HQ 12 and another HQ may be termed a destination controller 14. The network of originating destination HQ systems 12 and 14 provide voice or data communication over the network, for example, the Internet, to other linked computers indicated by numerals 17, 18, 19 and 20 respectively.
Rental vehicles 30 each include a local controller 32 provided with a cellular or mobile telephone equipment 34. The cellular phones communicate with appropriate cellular telephone network systems 36. The cellular telephone network connects into a phone company 38 which in turn connects a number called to a predetermined HQ 6. This predetermined HQ is designated the originating HQ 12 mentioned earlier. These connections are normally performed by normal land based telephone lines.
Each local controller located in the vehicle 30 also includes a global position sensor (GPS) 40 for receiving geo position data from satellites 42. The acquisition of this position data is well known in the art and will not be discussed further.
Referring to FIG. 2, a schematic diagram of the local controller 32 located in the vehicle is shown. The local controller comprises a main processor board 50 having a number of interface adapters for connecting to various components. The process of board 50 is provided with a GSP interface 52, a modem interface 54, a voice I/O interface 56, a card reader interface 58. The processor board 50 also includes input ports for receiving input signals from an ignition switch 60, power from the vehicle battery 62, a battery disconnect signal 64 from a battery disconnect detector circuit 66, time out signals 68 from a clock timer 70, a vehicle speed signal 72 received from an odometer counter and speed pick-up 74, a chassis impact sensor 76, a windshield impact sensor 78 and a fuel level signal 80 from a fuel gauge 82. The processor board also provides output signals to a door unlock register 84 which in turn provides a door lock and unlock signal 86, and an ignition inhibit or control output signal 88 is also provided. The processor board is also connected to a source of auxiliary power such as a battery should the vehicle battery fail. Both the chassis impact and windshield impact signals are provided by respective impact sensors 90 and 92 respectively.
The interface components such as the GPS interface 52 is coupled to a GPS module which is commercially available such as the Delorme Tripmate™. The modem interface and voice I/O interfaces connect to a cellular phone transceiver and keypad which may be integrated into the processor board or may also be connected as a stand-alone unit 98. The GPS unit is indicated by numeral 96. Critical to the operation of the local controller and the overall tracking system is a card swipe terminal or card reader terminal 100 which is connected via the card swipe interface to the processor board 50.
The card swipe terminal 100 includes a card reader for reading both credit cards and so-called smart cards or chip cards, which are provided with integrated circuits for memorizing data and for communicating this data with the card reader 100. The card swipe terminal also includes a key pad 104 and a display 106 and auxiliary display, and printer. Card swipe readers 100 with these capabilities are also commercially available such as the E620 model marketed by International Varifact Inc.
An incoming call detection circuitry 108 is coupled to the cellular telephone 98 and provides an output 110 to the processor board as an incoming call detect signal 110. A panic detect signal 112 is provided from the card swipe 100 to the processor board 50. These circuits will be discussed in more detail below.
Turning to FIG. 5, a typical application of the system 10 is shown. The use is shown in the context of an airport vehicle rental automation system. Typically, provides a credit card or is provided with a special smart card containing pre-authorized information pertinent to that customer. The information contained on the card may include identification of the customer, credit authorization and such like. On arrival at the terminal 300 the customer presents either the credit card or the memory card to a card swipe reader located at a kiosk or similar location 310. The kiosks 310 include a keyboard and entry means which allow the customer to provide validation data and other pertinent information such as duration of rental and other relevant information. This information may be forwarded to a relevant HQ processor for validation or may even be performed locally at the kiosk. Once the relevant information is validated by the rental company, the user may be presented with a P.I.N. number or authorization may be automatically uploaded to the smartcard.
The customer is then taken to the vehicle rental parking lot via a rental bus having card swipe facilities alternative to kiosks to a selected vehicle or may choose from one of a random number of vehicles. The credit card or smart card is swiped through the card reader of the local controller in that vehicle and the customer is validated by the vehicle processor if, for example, the customer is using a smart card or if simply using a credit card and P.I.N. number then the appropriate P.I.N. number is entered by the keyboard of the local controller which is able to validate this with the HQ controller by dialing the HQ controller using its local cellular telephone located in the vehicle.
The customer then may utilize the vehicle as normal. The location services and other parameters of the vehicle are monitored by the HQ controller for the duration of the rental. Features of this aspect of the invention will be discussed below. Once the customer has completed the rental, the vehicle may be returned to the vehicle rental parking lot and the transaction is terminated by the customer swiping the credit card through the card reader terminal. The customer's account is then automatically charged with the appropriate amount. Thus this system, from the customer's point of view, provides an efficient and secure purchase of rental services.
Turning back to FIG. 2, the processor 50 in the vehicle is programmed with software to permit the GPS sensors 96 in the vehicle to input data to mapping algorithms and data stored in the computer or on storage devices such as CD Roms (not shown) to geo locate the vehicle. Furthermore voice activation input/output means are provided to the processor to communicate information and data via the cellular phone 98 to the HQ controller 6. The HQ controller includes fuzzy logic software for either processing the data or switching a telephone call to a regular land line telephone system.
By providing a suitable set of commands via the keypad or the voice activation unit located in the vehicle the customer is able to access information or data related to the current geographic location of the vehicle. Since, the geo location coordinates of the vehicle is known by the HQ computer, this geographic specific information may be selected by the HQ computer fuzzy logic and provided to the customer rather than providing a large quantity of irrelevant information. Furthermore, since the location of the vehicle is known this provides an improved safety and security to the customer should a distress situation be encountered. The HQ computer includes software for tracking and calling a selected vehicle to determine the vehicle's latitude and longitude geo location from its GPS sensors and for interrogating the vehicle's on board diagnostic system (OBD) to monitor the condition of the vehicle. The position of the vehicle is displayed in real time by mapping software at the HQ computer to establish any potential out of normal conditions of the vehicle needing response or contact with the customer. In addition the processor 50 located in the vehicle may establish communications with the HQ computer at pre-determined or random times to provide amongst others the geo position of the vehicle and the state of other sensors and the state of the OBD to the HQ computer. This geo information may be used to provide a real time direction and compass display.
Non-intrusive interrogation of the vehicle can also be done to ensure the safe condition and operation of the vehicle by the HQ computer and if needed activation of voice communication in the computer to warn the vehicle operator of potential problems. Similarly, the operator can interrogate these systems to determine the vehicle's condition and potential problems and can voice activate the telephony communications to either or directly to a specified number or to call the HQ computer which may then route the call to the appropriate destination.
It may be noted that the individual components of voice activation for the use and control of computers, the use of geo position sensors and the use of mapping software in mobile computers in vehicles are each well known as is the linking of each of the individual components to standard telephony communications using radio, cellular, PCS and digital devices. However, it is the interaction and combination of these devices using fuzzy logic to create a communication system for use in vehicles to permit the access of information and data tailored to specific geographic areas and locations and for facilitating a map driven information and data retrieval and communications capability between the vehicle and its operator, that is not known to date.
A further embodiment of the invention provides for voice recognition software included with the processor 50 to permit the vehicle operator to utilize voice control to access and retrieve information stored in the computer. This information can include vehicle location, a display of the vehicle's geographic and street map location and such like. Similarly, the customer can access the cellular phone by voice commands to access the local telephone system or to access the HQ and to thereby retrieve information and data stored in the HQ's computer.
The operator of the vehicle could request any type of information or data from the vehicle computer such as, but not limited, to the following examples:
A simple request, such as "where are we" to which the system will invoke its fuzzy logic software, appropriate voice activation, geo positioning and mapping software to report the latitude, longitude or town, street, or highway closest landmark. More complex request could be of the form "how far from here to location/town/road/landmark" and this could be followed by "route" to request an efficient travel routing. The response may include voice commands, computer screen graphics or hard copy printout. Thus the information is only limited to the information stored and retrieved and is as accurate as the most recent updated information stored in the computer.
Furthermore, the operator of the vehicle is capable of communicating with any system connected to the network and not limited to the HQ computer. Thus information could be shared if so desired by the operator by the Internet with any number of mobile telephony systems.
The local controllers in each vehicle are also capable of providing updated information at pre-determined times to the HQ computer. Also a timely source of geo located information can be uploaded to the HQ computer by the vehicle operator calling the HQ computer to update all the HQ computer's information on conditions such as the vehicle location, road conditions, weather, accidents, emergencies, traffic flow and points of interest to thereby provide updated information and improve safety and security to all other customers with access to the HQ computer facilities.
The system also provides integration of telephony, map driven HQ software systems, interrogation algorithms, fuzzy logic algorithms, data storage and retrieval systems to communicate non-obtrusively to the vehicles. In the vehicle computer, software, circuitry, GPS, OBD, other sensors including collision detectors, voice activation systems and telephony equipment permit the HQ computer to call the vehicle using local phone lines and phone company telephone systems to access the end vehicle system's computer to monitor the vehicle location and condition.
On the other hand the vehicle operator can access a plurality of vehicle information and data using voice activation, keyboard, touch screens and such like.
Once again, a unique feature of the invention is interfacing of all the components attached to the local processor to create a communication system for use in mobile vehicles which permits an HQ computer to access the end vehicle on OBD, collision sensors, GPS, to facilitate a geographical map driven information and data retrieval and communications capability and to unobtrusively monitor the vehicle to detect any non normal condition or activity of the vehicle at its location at the time of interrogation. Although this application is described in the context of the rental vehicle industry, it may be equally well applied to other services.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a flow chart showing the sequence of steps performed by the software is shown. The process begins by the initialization of the communications ports and other I/O and then the initialization of a GPS sensor. The processor then follows a main loop polling its registers. Firstly, should a system condition be detected the processor will initiate a call via the cellular telephone interface to call the HQ computer and send the appropriate system condition data. This data may include but is not limited to a panic alarm, a transaction request message from the vehicle operator (this will be discussed in detail later) a time-out or a battery disconnect signal.
When in the main loop the software monitors a port for an incoming call which if received, the call is answered and responded to in accordance with a command received from the HQ computer. For example, this may include initialization of the local processor, unlocking of doors, GPS re-initialization, panic reset, impact reset, odometer reset ignition or gas flow disable or the retrieval of standard data. Standard data includes GPS information (latitude and longitude), date and time, odometer reading, fuel reading, impact readings, system status and flags. A time-out is set for which the processor runs through this main loop. If the processor times-out then the ports are closed and the processor shuts down. It may be noted that even though the processor shuts down the ports are still monitored for incoming calls, which then reactivate the main process loop.
Referring to FIG. 4 a schematic arrangement of a windshield impact sensor is shown by numeral 400. As discussed earlier, it is desirable to monitor and log damage to a rental vehicle for the purposes of billing the appropriate customer. In the present system, such damage is easily monitored.
For the detection of collisions or impact electronic damage detectors such as accelerometer, strain gauges, acoustic, vibration, type sensors are utilized. These sensors 402 are fastened to the windshield or fastened to the vehicle body 404 frame and provide outputs to the processor circuitry via appropriate conditioning circuitry (not shown). The processor receives the signals and it converts them to suitable values indicative of the degree of body damage. This information is saved in a data base or in memory in the processor and may be communicated by any one of the means described above to the HQ computer or other calling facility. The local processor utilizes an intelligent or fuzzy logic algorithm to select and switch between the vehicle system conditioned reporting of the damage occurrence data and the stationary system requesting and receiving the data. By providing access to the damage occurrence information the current system provides improved safety and security to the customers and also allows for timely repairs of the vehicles. The collision information is not restricted to windshields but includes windows, bumpers, body doors, fenders, underbody, frame and running gear and such like. With the present system of logging such information, this information may be classified to provide a vehicle history of record of use or abuse much like the odometer provides an overall wear and tear history or mileage of the vehicle.
The above system may also be utilized with smart cards and the like to provide a mobile point of sale system (POS) accessible to the customer while in the vehicle and providing services tailored to the customer's current geographic location. The swipe card terminal 100 may be provided with a sensor for reading magnetic strip credit cards, smart cards and debit cards. These cards may be used as a key to unlock or activate user access to the vehicle computer system or as one of the sources of information to be communicated. The cards may also be used in conjunction with the card reader input keypad. The card information may be conveyed to the HQ computer either as a digital signal or in conjunction with actual voice signals. Furthermore, some services require the entry of credit card numbers entered by a telephone keypad. To this effect, the system is capable of converting the user credit card number to appropriate tone signals or in the case where voice tones are required, the computer may synthesize the information to voice or by computer coding the information to audible tones.
Furthermore, this information may be transmitted to the requesting party utilizing the cell phone cellemetry channels while the user is communicating over the regular voice channels of the cellular network. Thus this feature allows transparent submission of data to the requesting parties. Similarly, PIN numbers or identifying codes may also be submitted.
Thus, a mobile point of sale device is implemented which allows the user to access service providers within its geographic location. This is implemented by the HQ computer which utilizes fuzzy logic and the GPS data to select the most desirable service provider for the user and to purchase and arrange for payment while on-line or travelling in the vehicle.
The use of the cellemetry channels or side band channels of the wireless communication may also be used to transmit motion detector or glass breakage signals via the HQ computer either to inform the HQ computer controller of vehicle theft or to signal a cell phone to alert the customer to the vehicle theft.
Referring now to FIG. 6 a schematic diagram of the fuzzy logic selection algorithm implemented on the HQ computer is shown by numeral 600. The HQ computer accepts a set of parameters from the customer which is normally transmitted from the vehicle and entered either from the user's card or via the input keyboard specifying pre-determined information or services. A second set of fixed parameters is provided from the vehicle such as geographic location, fuel sensors and such like. A first output set 606 is generated in accordance with these fixed parameters. This output set is selected from a larger database of information. The HQ computer also accepts a set of real time or changeable parameters such as weather conditions, special offers and such like. At block 610 those real-time parameters are used as decision criteria to tailor the first output set 606 which is then output or transmitted back to the customer via the channels as described above.
Referring to FIGS. 7(a), 7(b) and 7(c), a schematic diagram of the overall automation process as applied to a vehicle rental is shown generally by numeral 700. In FIG. 7(a) the rental process begins by the customer swiping a credit card at a rental agency kiosk 702. The customer's credit card number is used to verify whether certain information pertaining to the customer has been previously stored. If this information has not been previously entered the customer is requested to re-enter this fixed parameter information which may be done either manually via a keyboard at the kiosk or may be read directly from a smart card. This information includes the customer's personal I.D., rental program desired, preferred hotels, restaurants, entertainment and other information such as emergency contact information and such like 706. The customer is also given the opportunity to re-enter and modify this fixed information 708. Once this information has been entered and the customer is satisfied, the information is forwarded to the HQ computer where it is verified 710. The information is checked out by the rental company at the HQ computer 712 where it is rejected if the information is not valid, or, if the information is accepted, a rental agreement is established 714.
Based on the fixed parameters 706 supplied by the customer, the rental HQ computer implements a set of fuzzy logic rules based on a rule set to select a vehicle 716. At the selected vehicle, the customer swipes the appropriate credit card or smart card in the card reader 102 of the card swipe terminal 100 in the vehicle. If the validation of the information is correct the local controller in the car enables the car ignition and gas flow 720. If the customer is having difficulties or a problem is detected in swiping the card the system provides help by calling the HQ computer and providing either audio or text display help in the vehicle display. If there is a problem with the vehicle at that time, the HQ computer has the ability to provide another vehicle for the customer.
Turning to FIG. 7(b), once the customer is in the vehicle and the vehicle is operational, the car unit or local controller transmits various information to the HQ computer 724.
Once the vehicle has been used the in-car controller simply waits for a response from the user and at the same time monitors various parameters in the vehicle as set out and described with reference to FIG. 3 earlier. The renter while using the vehicle may wish to use the in-car controller as a point of sale device. At the customer's request, i.e. by activating a button on the keyboard or if by continuous scrolling, information is displayed either on the card swipe display 102 or the auxiliary display 103 shown in FIG. 2. It may be noted that the information displayed in the in-car information display is normally pre-stored in the memory of the processor board 50. This information may be up-dated from the HQ computer by cell phone communication at times which are transparent to the user, for example while the car is not being used, at midnight or other convenient times. Should the customer wish to make a purchase of a particular item displayed the local controller initiates a call to the appropriate supplier. The customer then arranges purchase by cell phone and approves automatic transmission of credit card information 728. The customer may also wish specialized information or up-dates 730.
Turning now to FIG. 7(c), when the renter requests up-dated information, the local controller determines whether this is a point of sale request 734. If this is a point of sale request then the local controller initiates a call to the HQ computer to up-date information 736. The information, once up-dated on the local controller, is displayed 738 whereby the customer may then select the required service via the keypad 740. Alternately the customer may select the HQ computer to call the service provider. In this case, the HQ computer initiates a call to the service provider 742 and sends requests back to the local computer for the customer to approve any provider requested information 746. If it is accepted the sale is then completed 748.
As described earlier, a typical application of the system of the subject invention is in the automation of a car rental system shown in FIG. 8. Because of the push for cost cutting, any reduced use of the rental counter or time of the rental counter staff will improve the efficiency of the vehicle rental industry. Automating the vehicle rental contract procedures and eliminating renter interaction with the counter staff, ie., "Counter Bypass" will improve efficiency and service to the rental customer. This will greatly speed up the initiation of a vehicle rental contract, selecting the vehicle, closing off and returning the vehicle. This is not only important for airport locations where speedy turnaround of rentals is important, but applies equally to off-airport locations.
Having the hardware, electronics, wireless communications and card reading (credit, debit, smart) components and fuzzy logic software of the device of the subject application installed in rental vehicles and at the rental office, the rental company has an effective and efficient fleet management tool. Functions provided include Point of Sale (POS), GPS tracking/location of vehicles for better dispatching; vehicle monitoring of functions such as mileage, service intervals, speed, gas levels, collision detection; vehicle control such as door locks and starter/ignition disable.
In the example of an airport vehicle rental system illustrated in FIG. 8 approved rental customers can fly into the airport and go directly to the car rental lot and selected vehicle. The keys may be left in the vehicle as the system of the subject invention will have disabled the vehicles until the customer slides his card in the reader. The fuzzy logic software can verify the customer, initialize the rental agreement contract, request possible code or PIN (personal identification number) and enable the vehicle to be started. The customer is then on his way--having never seen or interfaced with the usual "Rental Counter" problems and delays.
Furthermore, in the airport example, upon vehicle return, the GPS tracking and fuzzy logic software will determine the rental customer, they are returning the rented vehicle as the vehicle approaches the rental company return parking lot and commence close-off of the rental agreement. The close-off includes reading the mileage and fuel tank levels, reporting collision occurrence during rental, completing the contract including charging to the renter's credit card and printing out the receipt to the in-vehicle printer. Renters can quickly be on their way to catch their flights without being delayed dealing with rental agency staff either at the parking lot or at a kiosk; and rental staff can be deployed and only need to inspect those vehicles reporting collisions.
A log of the rental transaction and vehicle usage information, handles full accounting, billing, credit car payment and receipting and shutdown of the vehicle (e.g., starter disables) is created. Thus, the present system reduces the need for agency staff, deters misuse/abuse of vehicles and improves dispatch, deployment, maintenance and servicing schedules.
While the invention has been described in connection with the specific embodiment thereof, and in a specific use, various modifications thereof will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
The terms and expressions which have been employed in this specification are used as terms of description and not of limitations, there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions to exclude any equivalence of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims to the invention.


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Great Writing Techniques - How to Get a Hub Selected as Hub of the Day
How Does One Go About Having Their Hub Selected as Hub of the Day?
I have read many questions asking about hub of the day: What does it take to qualify? What is the process of getting selected? Who picks the winners? I hope after reading this hub you will have the answers to all these questions and so much more. I sincerely hope you will be armed and ready to receive the next Hub of the Day accolade!
Additional Hub of the Day Information Provided by HubPages:
What Does HubPages Say About This?
Since we are writing for HubPages, and the award winning hub is selected by Hubpages, it is good to know what they consider to be important and the criteria they use in the hub selection process. According to HubPages FAQ, the answer to the question "What is the Hub of the Day?" is: ". . . an exemplary Hub chosen by HubPages Staff . . . looking for hubs that contain interesting and useful subject matter, high-quality and grammatically correct writing, and beautiful formatting. . ." To view the complete answer to the question, visit the HubPages FAQ.
What does this mean? Let's look at each of the terms highlighted in the above definition.
Exemplary Hub
Dictionary.com defines exemplary as: "worthy of imitation or commendable; serving as an illustration; serving as a model or pattern." That really says a whole lot, doesn't it? A hub that is chosen to be hub of the day should exhibit these characteristics. It should be worth imitating!
Even more important than being selected as hub of the day, by looking at hubs that have been selected, we have a better idea of the types of hubs that HubPages is looking for – the kinds of hubs that they think will be successful. So by studying the hubs that are chosen as hubs of the day, not only do we come closer to having a hub of our own selected, but we also come closer to creating a hub that will be successful overall.
Interesting and Useful Subject Matter
We have all found ourselves reading something that was terribly boring or so academic that we could not, or choose not to, continue reading it. In writing for the general public, we need to write in a way that is appealing and will hold their attention until the very end of our article. This means that the content must be interesting and beneficial, plus providing the reader with the information they are seeking.
Useful subject matter is somewhat subjective, but if the subject is being searched for on the internet, then an article that would answer the searcher's questions would be considered useful. The more people who find the article relevant, the more useful the article is.
Good SEO research can help your hub be both interesting and useful. But SEO research takes time - not only time to learn how to effectively utilize the software programs, but also it can be quite labor-intensive itself. To overcome this hurdle I utilize a software called Market Samurai. It has been wonderful in helping me deal with my inadequacies in this area. Learning the Foreign Language of SEO using Market Samurai is a hub I wrote about this experience.
Grammar is Important!
Hubs written about grammar and its importance:
How to Be a Better Writer by Avoiding Common Mistakes in Grammar
High-Quality and Grammatically Correct Writing
High-quality and grammatically correct writing will give your writing more authority in the eyes of an educated reader. Writing filled with errors is difficult to read, often hard to comprehend, and many times just plain unpleasant. With this in mind, it is easy to see that a hub filled with errors will not be showcased as a model of what type of hub should be emulated.
A high-quality hub will also be well-researched, therefore, filling in any blanks the reader may have on that particular topic. This is one reason a topic should be narrowed down, so that the reader will find what they are looking for, and will spend the time reading your article to find that information, without having to dig through an excessive amount of information that they really did not care about.
If you continue to have problems with grammar, there are online grammar checkers, such as Grammarly, the Best Grammar Checker.
Beautiful Formatting – The Text
Beautiful formatting is also fairly explanatory. The hub needs to be easy to read, easy to understand, and pleasing to look at.
Very few people like to read a hub that is one long paragraph of text. I have heard it suggested that a paragraph should contain no more than 3 or 4 sentences, and that there should be no more than 3 or 4 paragraphs under each heading.
It is easier to read; and the headings prepare the reader for what is next. It is the bait that you use to keep them reading and wanting more. I must admit, that I do not always adhere to these rules, but overall I do make an effort to do so.
Photo Websites:
There are many hubs written on the subject of where to find photographs. Below is one of them:
Here are a couple hubs that will show you how to further add visual appeal to your hubs:
Beautiful Formatting – The Images/Pictures/Videos
In the above section, I stated that the hub needs to be pleasing to look at. In addition to the formatting listed above, this is accomplished is by using pictures to illustrate your hub. The right pictures are so important; after all, they say a picture is worth a thousand words.
I have seen many hubs that would have made wonderful hub of the day candidates. After inquiries I found that they would not even be considered! Why do you think that is?
This question has both a simple and a hard answer. The simple answer is that the pictures used on the hubs did not give proper attribution to the photographers. This may have been the only thing that stopped the hub from being selected.
The hard part of the answer is knowing how to correctly annotate images/photographs and where to find pictures that are legal for use.
My favorite site to use for my photo selections is flickr. I rarely have to look elsewhere because flickr has so many images to choose from. Even on a sight such as flickr, we have to be careful in the photos we choose because all photos are not available for public use, and all photos are not available for commercial use. (Since we are using ads on hubs to earn income, the photos chosen must be permissible for use in commercial applications.) It took me a while to figure out how to accomplish this, and after figuring it out I created a hub that explains how to use flickr for this purpose, Using Flickr for Photos and Images and to Generate Traffic to Your Hub.
Videos are another great way to add visual interest to your hubs. But videos, like pictures, can also contain watermarks; so use care in your selection of videos as well. I find it necessary to stress also that you should watch the video all the way through before placing it within your hub. I have watched videos that were everything I wanted until the surprise ending where someone tried to be cute. I have also wanted to use a video, but someone in the background was using profanity or an obscene gesture, and I did not want that video then to be part of my hub.
When choosing pictures and videos, I try to think of the audience that may come across the hub and then consider if someone in that audience would be offended. If the answer is yes, I would rather err on the side of caution.
Chosen by HubPages Staff
Since the hub is chosen by the HubPages staff, it is important that it comes to their attention. But with so many hubs being written every day, it is humanly impossible for them to view, much less read, every single hub. So how can you increase your odds of being noticed by HubPages staff?
One way to do this is to take part in the Weekly Topic for Inspiration (WTI). When you take part in the WTI, HubPages has a forum thread where you can post your hub's URL which is monitored by HubPages staff. It doesn't get any easier than that to get noticed!
Taking part in any promotion HubPages offers is also another good way, such as the contests. Obviously, they have to view all hubs that are written for a contest.
Additional Things to Consider
After reading HubPages' hub, The Hub of the Day Program, there are a couple other items that need to be considered. This hub states that the first image of your hub must fill the full dimensions of the carousel that appears on the homepage; and, the hub must contain a good, well-chosen title.
After reading the above requirements, I went back and changed the first picture on this hub to try to meet those requirements. How cool would it be for a hub about what it takes to have your hub chosen as hub of the day would be selected for hub of the day? Pretty cool I think!
Examples of Hubs of the Day
Analyzing and studying the success of others, and then imitating it, is often the key to our own success. Let's look at 12 hubs that have received the Hub of the Day award. I will discuss some things about each hub that I feel makes it "Hub of the Day" material.
1. Simplest Way to Light Your Campfire by Cloverleaf
This how-to hub has a great introductory paragraph, and Cloverleaf used beautiful pictures to demonstrate every single step of this hub. It does not contain an excessive amount of ads to detract from the hub's contents, and all products advertised are related to the hub. Additional links are provided. The content is divided into easy to follow steps with headers telling the reader what to expect next.
2. Home Storage for the Bedroom; Organizing the Bedroom; Organize to Reduce Bedroom Clutter by homesteadbound
This hub was written for the Weekly Topic for Inspiration about home organization. This organization and decorating hub is very well formatted and is visually appealing. Even the ads have been tastefully done - notice the ads around the text talking about jewelry organization. These ads also illustrate different ways to store jewelry. Many pictures have been used in this hub, but by using thumbnails to display the images, the pictures do not seem to be overdone. This hub also provides the reader with unique storage solutions (interesting content) that may not have previously been considered. All product ads in the hub are related to what is shared in the hub. The hub also provides additional links for the reader to locate related information.
3. Online Research Writing - Tips and Tricks by missolive
MissOlive's hubs are always visually appealing, and this hub does not disappoint. She provides her reader with a great introductory paragraph, even warning the reader that the hub is a long one, but promises it is worth the read. And then she delivers on that promise all the way to the very end of the hub. Her hub is broken down into smaller bite-sized pieces with introductory headers letting the reader know what to expect next. She also does a great job of breaking the text up using bullet points and numbered sequences. Her hub has taken a very word intensive subject and broken it down into easy to digest pieces. She also provides a tremendous amount of additional links for her readers to dig a little deeper into a certain subject. Her hub contains a tasteful number of ads that are related to her topic.
4. Blind Quilter Makes Quilts in TX, Diane Rose in Waco ~ Texas by homesteadbound
Homesteadbound's hub takes us on a fascinating journey - telling us about a very remarkable and inspirational woman. People love to read about inspirational and motivational people and this hub delivers. The hub is filled with beautiful and colorful pictures of quilts and fabrics adding to its appeal. A video of the blind quilter adds much to this hub, as do the quotes that are interspersed throughout. All product ads in the hub are related to what is shared in the hub. This hub also provides a link for readers to donate quilting materials to help this blind quilter continue along on her amazing journey.
I take great care in selecting the first photo that goes into every hub making sure that it is visually appealing both large and small. It will be seen as small when it goes through the feed, and I want it to reach out and grab someone's attention.
5. Heart Writing by Rolly A Chabot
This hub is very well written and takes the reader on a wonderful journey. The introductory paragraph is inviting and comforting, giving you time to sit down, relax and get ready for an enjoyable read. The author, Rolly A Chabot, has illustrated this hub with many beautiful pictures of his own that makes this hub so visually appealing. It is divided into sections, each with appropriate headers. Additional links have been provided, and there are no ads. Although the whole hub is done in bold text, something I do not generally condone, it does not seem to detract from this hub's value, perhaps because the hub is so visually appealing to begin with.
6. Bringing Kids and Babies to Church: How to Bring Your Children to Church and Keep Them Calm and Quiet During the Service by ThePracticalMommy
This hub touches on a topic that many people have to face, keeping their kids from being a nuisance and distraction in church. Many of the tips can be used in environments other than church however, such as in a doctor's office or a restaurant. This hub has a great introductory paragraph explaining to the reader what to expect. Although the hub only has one picture, this cute picture is the author's own and is attributed properly. The picture does relate to the topic discussed. The hub is divided into sections with great headers leading the reader to the next topic discussed, and some are further divided by numbered sequences. Additional links have been provided; and a tasteful number of ads related to the topic were included.
7. How to Make a Quilt Label by Millionaire Tips
This how-to hub has a great introductory paragraph and is visually appealing because of the photos and placement of a text box containing links. This hub does a great job of explaining why someone should be compelled to do what it suggests, and then gives different methods of how this could be accomplished. The hub is divided into small sections with headings explaining what is to come. Additional related links are provided for the reader's benefit, and ads on the hub are related to the topic.
Although this particular hub was not written for the WTI, this author had written another hub that same week that was. Therefore, her work was brought to the attention of HubPages staff, and they may have come across this hub because of her participation in the WTI. This was the first time that she had taken part in the WTI.
8. Harlequin Cabbage Bug-Another Form Of Stink Bug by davenmidtown
This gardening hub has an introductory paragraph that lets the reader know what to expect in this hub. This hub is enhanced by the author's wonderful photographs that add much visual appeal.It is nicely divided into sub-headings that prepare the reader for what will come next. Additional gardening links are provided throughout the hub if the reader cares to dig deeper. This hub does not contain any additional ads.
9. Boxing Painting or Action Painting - Seeing and Hearing the SPLAT! by homesteadbound
This information sharing hub covers an interesting subject matter. The brightly colored video and photographs create a very visually appealing article. The introductory paragraph of this hub grabs the readers attention and lets the reader know what to expect. Although this hub is not divided with headers, photos interspersed throughout add visual breaks to the text, and further demonstrate what is being described. This hub contains minimal additional ads, but they are related to the subject content.
There is a good chance that the picture and the title will draw someone in to find out more about this article. This demonstrates the need to carefully pick photos and titles for your hubs.
10. Barns of Tennessee - Photo Gallery by My Minds Eye53 (This hub is no longer available)
This photo gallery hub is an excellent example of a hub where the author used photos that they themselves had taken. The photos are visually appealing, and because they are placed in thumbnail arrangements, a lot of beautiful photos are displayed without causing a congested appearance. The hub has a wonderful introduction that shouts country - just the exact place that you would expect to find a barn. The hub is broken up into segments with headings that let the reader know what to expect. There are no ads in this hub.
Although this hub is no longer available, creating a gallery of beautiful photos that you have taken using verbiage to describe something about them is a great example of what can be done.
11. 5 Delicious and Healthy Meals for Kids by Melovy
This food and recipe hub, written for the Weekly Topic of Inspiration, is a great example of what is expected from the Hub Of the Day. It is very well written from the great introductory paragraph that explains to the reader what information will be shared, and continues all the way to the very end. This hub is visually appealing and very well illustrated through the use of the author's very own photographs. It is broken up nicely with headers above each section preparing the reader for what will come next. It also has side bars with additional information attractively added to the hub. This hub has minimal related ads.
12. Decreasing Food Costs by Gardening by davenmidtown (Hub has been taken down by author.)
This gardening hub has a good introductory paragraph explaining what will be discussed. It is also broken up into sections with headers making it easier to read and preparing the reader for the information that will be shared next. This hub also contains additional gardening links if the reader would care to learn more on the subject. The author's original photography not only makes the hub visually appealing, but adds pictorial details that enhance the text. This hub has no additional ads.
As you can tell from the above list of 12 hubs, many different types of hubs covering many different topics are considered and chosen as Hub of the Day winners.
Winning Hubs!
Although this may seem like a lot of requirements to be concerned with in order to have a hub selected as Hub of the Day, all of these requirements make your hubs exemplary hubs - hubs worthy of notice. Even if your hub is never selected as hub of the day, after following the above guidelines, you and your hubs will still be considered winners!
So, now I hope that many of you will soon find yourself in the winner's circle and enjoying the limelight as it shines on you when your hub is chosen as hub of the day.
This poll was added in April 2013.
Additional Useful Hubs About the Writing Process:
Comments: "How to Have Your Hub Selected as Hub of the Day"
Thank you for this information - I am trying to get there and will take your advice to heart! Dislike the 'awesome' word as often it is misused. In this case I will apply it happily!
Thank you homesteadbound. Have a great weekend!
Awesome!!! Very informative and useful. Thanks for sharing this.
As usual, you have given us some great tips here. I have a folder of bookmarks for you, but I guess I'll have to find a place to store them since we are going to loose the bookmarks soon. I'm sorry about that. Thanks for all this good info.
Excellent advice and ideas Cindy. I do believe I have done most of the "tips" but have never had an HOTD. BUT, one day I will, I will, I will :)
Oh wow homesteadbound, this hub is a winner! The detailed information is incredible.
I have never been lucky enough to be selected for Hub of the Day but I know people who have, and their hubs have been amazing.
I wandered how it was possible for HP staff to come across all the great hubs, but those who have entered contests/posted on forums bring their's to attention. Then it's a case of being good enough, the way you described here.
Great hub as always - voting up :)
Well, if it were up to me (and I wish it were!) this would definitely be picked as a Hub of the Day. I don't think you left a single stone unturned in your efforts to educate us on what is required to earn the coveted HOTD award. Thanks!
Well your hub is much appreciated. I noticed the Hub of the Day feature but had not thoroughly investigated it. Now I have a new respect for all those chosen as I can see how much work and time was spent accomplishing such an honor. Thank you for your hard work as well!
Hi Cindy, one of my goals, how I would love to have 'hub of the day'
I am going to bookmark and 'study' this hub, what an interesting and awesome guide, thank you and voted up!
Best wishes Lesley
Awesome Hub! You covered the Question from every angle. Voted up!
Wow! What a great explanation with perfect pictures and format. I have written on the same subject but mine looks like crap in compare to yours. I am bookmarking this one. Definitely voting up awesome and useful!
As always, you give great advice, present everything professionally and understadsbly, and you show us by example how to aim for the highest quality here. Such a great hub! I like the layout, and it's so helpful to see the sample hubs you included, because it's easy to see that any topic can be given that honor. Thanks for writing this! Voted up, awesome, useful and interesting.
Hi Cindy. I wanted to let you know that this hub made my favorites list this week. (March 4) I don't think that will take you out of the running for Hub of the Day. Congratulations!
I rarely sign in to Hubpages via the home page, so I usually see the HOTD only on the side of the home page after I've signed into the site. As such, I forgot about the Carousel reference.
Wow! What an awesome guide for bagging that "Hub of the Day" title. Thank you for sharing!
Well-written guidance on getting the hub of the day. Getting the hub of the day adds a feather to one's cap!
Thank u for sharing. Useful and voted up.
Excellent job writing this article. This one is bound to get the hub of the day....great work and great explanations. Thank you for posting.
This is another awesome hub from you, with very good compilation of info and references/links
Here goes another Hub in your folder~I have to go back and reread. How can you publish a Hub without any ads? I thought they were just "automatic". Great Hub, thanks.
A very thorough and detailed hub on the requirements needed to write a hub of the day.
The added bonus is that writing in this way, means that we cover the topic in depth.
Hopefully all the answers are on one page, that the reader could wish for.
This hub does that in spades.
Well researched and written Cindy.
Voted up interesting and useful.
Wonderfully written and a great guide to writing successful hubs. Thanks for posting. Voted up!
Excellent hub with wonderful tips! The layout is great and I am sure it does answer the many questions people have about the hub of the day. I am sure this one will win :) Voted up!
Wow! What an informative and comprehensive hub. I've sent it to my FB-profile to be studied :)
Voted up and awesome.
This is a very useful hub. And thanks for including one of mine! I have never written a hub thinking it might be Hub of the day, but I want it to be something that people will want to read, and as you say in the last paragraph that's what it's all about really. We need our hubs to be read by a much wider audience than just hub pages, and the staff have a pretty good idea what works, so it's worth taking note of their suggestions.
This hub is beautifully illustrated. I love your pretty section breaks. Some day I really would love to learn how to do these - I tried to but fell over at the first hurdle because I don't know how to use Powerpoint or Photoshop! So I's slowly learning them first.
Thank you for a very informative and interesting article. You have covered every conceivable requirement to get a hub chosen as Hub of the day.
Thanks for SHARING. Up and awesome
These are great tips Cindy! I've often wondered how to get another one of these awards as well. And now I know. Thanks for the mention. It certainly would be awesome if your hub about hub of the day won the hub of the day award!
Most of it I knew and understood before, but participating in WTI is something I didn't think of before. Up and Useful. Thank you.
Wow, completely awesome Hub. Phenomenal Hub, love the look and the information that you have provided. Voted up and useful. I hope to one day be able to produce this quality of work.
This really explains a lot! And your examples were the perfect touch. Great reading and a great answer to the question.
Since I have read the secret, I'm going to win another hub of the day. LOL
Wow--what a complete picture you provide! Really, really nice!
HS, you amaze me with the amount of time and work you put into your hubs. This has wonderful information for newbies and experienced alike. I am still trying to get my pictures right. Also, I read and reread my hubs, but inevitably I miss a typo. Fortunately, someone usually points it out to me, which thrills me so I can go back and change it. The hub love here is extraordinary. The hubs of the day you chose are from amazing hubbers! Thanks so much for sharing with us. Votes and shared!! :-)
Some great sample hubs on there, homestead! This is great information. I think I'm basically doing all these things, but there is one thing I'm not sure about. What does the part about the picture mean, the first image filling the full dimension of the "carousel on the homepage"? Not sure what that means. In the meantime, I'll just keep producing hubs as best I can. Thanks for writing this hub. I've been looking for it!
This was great! I always enjoy the HOTD...you have excellent ideas (I lol at the thumbs up photo!)
WOW! What an awesome source of information. Although the FAQ's are stated in HubPages, it's always wonderful to have great illustrations and examples. This definitely deserve to be Hub of the Day! :) Voted up and sharing!!!!


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Seattle Reign FC lost 1-0 to FC Kansas City on Sunday night and are now eliminated from playoff contention. The loss came in the Reign's 2017 home finale, and snaps a 28-game home scoring streak.
With Seattle's loss, the Orlando Pride have clinched the fourth and final playoff spot.
Seattle is now 8-8-7 with 31 points and in fifth place in the NWSL standings. FC Kansas City is just one behind with 30 points (8-9-6 record).
The Reign started out strong with a couple of good early chances, but could not find the back of the net. Rumi Utsugi hit a shot off the post in the 17th minute that would've given Seattle the early lead.
FC Kansas City scored minutes later, against the run of play. Forward Shea Groom scored in the 23rd minute after Sydney Leroux sent her a well-timed through ball. Leroux threaded it between three Reign defenders before Groom calmly hit a left-footed shot to the far post to make it 1-0.
23' – @sydneyleroux with a beautiful pass to @SheaGroom who scores to give @FCKansasCity a 1-0 lead. #SEAvKC pic.twitter.com/KpRV7SWagK
— NWSL (@NWSL) September 25, 2017
FC Kansas City defender Becky Sauerbrunn controlled the game on the defensive side of the ball as the Reign managed just one shot on goal. She led the team with 13 clearances and two blocks.
The Reign had a number of close chances to get on the board, but luck was not on their side on the evening. Seattle forward Beverly Yanez entered the match in the 75th minute and minutes later nearly got onto the end of a dangerous cross as the Reign pushed hard to tie the game.
83' – A dangerous cross from @ellireed but no @ReignFC players are able to get on the end of it. #SEAvKC pic.twitter.com/0Mzv5JKU0W
— NWSL (@NWSL) September 25, 2017
Reign defender Elli Reed entered the match in the 78th minute. Reed, who has spent all five NWSL seasons with the Reign, announced on Friday that she will retire at the end of the season — so Sunday night's game was her final appearance in front of the home crowd. It was her cross that Yanez nearly scored on in the 83rd minute.
78' – A big ovation for @ReignFC's @ellireed as she enters the game in her last appearance at home prior to retiring at end of the season. pic.twitter.com/5TtB8QBB6K
— NWSL (@NWSL) September 25, 2017
The Reign had one final opportunity to score in the 88th minute, but Utsugi's shot went over the bar.
88' – Nice ball movement from @ReignFC to find Rumi Utsugi who fires her shot high over the bar. #SEAvKC pic.twitter.com/FYd1OjLbVL
— NWSL (@NWSL) September 25, 2017
Reign forward Megan Rapinoe received her fifth yellow card of the season in the 69th minute and will be suspended for Seattle's final game of the season. She'll end the season with 12 goals, which currently has her tied for second in the NWSL with Pride forward Marta.
Before the game, four members of FC Kansas City — Sauerbrunn, Leroux, Yael Averbuch and Desiree Scott — remained in the locker room during the playing of the National Anthem as athletes across the country reacted to President Donald Trump's comments on Friday night. Rapinoe, who knelt during the National Anthem last year, was also not on the field during the playing of the anthem. She was reportedly joined by Seattle teammates Reed, Madalyn Schiffel, Lauren Barnes and Diana Matheson.
"We are extremely proud of our players for their commitment to their craft and their community. We recognize and support their efforts to use their unique position to raise awareness of social issues in a positive manner," FC Kansas City said in a statement released Sunday night.
The Reign will play their final game of the season on Saturday night in Washington. FC Kansas City will host the Dash on Sunday in the last game of the NWSL regular season.


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Cole Clark
Founded in 2001, Cole Clark guitars combine classical construction with innovative design and manufacturing techniques to produce a lighter, stronger, unique guitar with a natural amplified sound. Cole Clark steel string acoustic guitars are the only mainstream acoustic to use a Spanish heel or integral neck construction. That means the neck is glued to the face along with the sides and the back, so the neck is one piece all the way to the sound hole.
We do invite you to visit our Osborne Park store and try out our Cole Clark range in the new Acoustic guitar room, which is temperature and humidity controlled and wooden floored for great sound. We offer excellent pricing across all models and remember that you also have the option of renting your dream guitar with Studio 19. Ask us for more info.


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Family photos are always so much fun, and I love capturing the fun, crazy things that happen between families. I try to make every photo shoot that I do fun and interesting for everyone involved while keeping the mood relaxed. Every family is so different and I love that! Let me capture the unique moments of yours. Have a look at some of my favourite family photo's that I've had the pleasure of taking over the years.
Your wedding day is one of the biggest days of your entire life. Leave it to a professional to capture the stunning images of your beautiful wedding day. Think of me as your best friend for the day… From the first moments of your day at hair and make-up to the last dance and fun photo booth and everything in between. I offer three standard options outlining what I can do for you, but will gladly work with you if you would like to customize your time spent with me. I always include an engagement session in my packages as a way for us to build up a relationship and get to know you and your unique couple style.
Whether it's boudoir, a photoshoot with you and your pets, or you just want to celebrate a Thursday night in Alberta, we can customize a lifestyle photoshoot that you will love. If you have any cool ideas, modelling aspirations, want some photos of you and your sweet ride I would love to work with you on a totally unique photo project. It's always a little confusing on what constitutes as a "lifestyle" so let's have some fun with it!!!
I photograph a lot of different things that fall under the commercial description. From headshot, MLS listings for local realtors and new home builders to product shots for shops that want to showcase their store and lots in between. I Have experience photographing sports such as CFL Football and Equestrian events, as well as music acts such as Hedley and Mathew Good. If you need stunning images to up your game online and/or in social media I would love to chat with you. Have a look at some of my work.
Commercial & Special Requests will be quoted depending on the project.
Contact me today for more details!


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Wanted to share my great news – I'll be doing a variety of painting demos and teaching some mini-workshops this summer! Dates and locations, plus details for how to sign up for workshops, to follow!
If there's any subject matter you'd love to learn to paint or draw better, or artistic concepts you'd like to learn more about, please comment below. Would love to hear from you all!


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The UA MVP 18oz. stainless steel tumbler will keep your drinks cold for up to 21 hours and hot for 5 hours. It features a durable stainless steel interior and exterior, a soft touch silicone grip for a comfortable hold and a 360 degree drink lid that twists to close securely.
- Vacuum-insulated for maximum temperature retention—keeps beverages cold for 21 hours or hot for 5 hours
- Stainless steel interior & exterior provide durability that you can count on
- Soft touch silicone grip wraps around the bottle to make it comfortable to hold
- 360 degree drink lid with stopper that seals & opens with a twist
- BPA Free
- Manufactured by Thermos®, exclusive licensee of Under Armour®
- Capacity: 18 oz.
- Material: Stainless steel and silicone
- Vendor Style Number: US1009CC4_4


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Hello Broncomaniacs,
Here we are ready for another Broncos game. The Broncos have 2 wins in 2 games. So we are already at 40% of last years total.
This Sunday brings the Cardiac Coloradans to the cooler grounds of Baltimore for our first road game. Yes we are two and 0, but Oh how they had to work to get there. Both games were come from behind victories. Hopefully we start off better than we have. Last week the offense started so slow, but ended the game the way it needed to.
The 1-1 Ravens had 6 sacks against the Bills week 1, No Sacks or turnovers vs the Bengals. So which Ravens team will come out to play?
The Broncos O-line has been doing better at protecting the QB and opening up run lanes, which will help them greatly. Lindsay on Royce are excelling in the running game with Lindsay average 6 yards a run. We will see in he can gain another 100 yards from scrimmage this game as well.
The D stepped up and held there on against Carr. In fact we have not given up 300 yard passing in 36 games now. Oakland came out and had a great plan, their o-line blocked well and Carr got rid of the ball fast negating our pass rush. While we still had issues against a TE, the D help up and contained Beast mode and the running game of the Raiders. Our special teams did their job, and where many kickers choked, McManus was McMoney again. Our younger WRs came through as well in the clutch.
We can't overlook the Ravens. We are 1-5 at Baltimore. Not a great record. You throw in a 1PM east coast start, and it gets worse. Last year we were 2-0, hit Buffalo for a 1pm start and loss in stupidic fashion. The refs called an unsportsmanlike conduct on Von when he pretended he was gonna help pick Taylor up after a hit. Buffalo scored on the continuing drive. Flacco has some good targets to throw to in Brown, Snead and Michael (2 chainz) Crabtree. When they need a change of pace Lamar Jackson can come in and give them a nice Pass/Run option as QB.
SO how do we do in game 3 of the season? Well we are a measly 5-5 over the last 10 seasons. Of the five wins, two were at home and three were on the road. Of the five losses two were at home and three were on the road. So who knows if we will come out sharp, or not really wake up until halftime. Were 2-0 only 6 other teams can say that, and only a few of them will make it to 3-0. Let's hope were are one of them. I like that we are making adjustments as the game goes on, that's more than we saw last year.
Win / Lose we need to play better, KC is a week away. Lets hope for a good game where we emerge healthy. Please as always follow the COC and watch what you post. Let's make it as easy as we can for the Mods, who always do a great job here and have no control over how the team performs. Most of all let's hope for the "W" AS always GO BRONCOS!!!


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Using Decal Textured Wallpaper Range to transform YPS
How we used custom printed wallpaper to transform YPS headquarters
If you have been following us on social media then you will know that we have been taking steps to transform our office space using Decal Media textured Wallpaper to showcase the capabilities of both the Mimaki CJV150-160 solvent printer and the Decal Adhesive ranges we stock. All of the wallpaper was printed in house and fitted by the YPS team.
Roll to Roll and Solvent Demo Room
First up was our downstairs demo room. This room houses our roll to roll printers and cutters as well as our range of Decal Adhesive media. We blogged about this transformation earlier, which you can read here but since the first wall of the room was covered we have done much more including several other rooms in the building. Following on from our paper press mural, we have expanded on this theme and used two photos that boasted a lot of texture and created gritty, industrial style walls.
We felt that because the room lacked windows that we should add some! The overall feel of the room had a Mediterranean home industry vibe so we played upon this by adding a scene through shutter framed windows. We used a blue palette throughout to pull the room together.
Several different textured wall papers were used throughout this process. Including Rondo, Brushstroke and Linear Mosaic.
Sales Office and 'Coffee Cabin'
Next up on the list to transform was the upstairs office space that houses the admin and sales team. Again this room lacks windows so something bright and open was required. After much discussion, a vibrant forest scene was chosen with lots of orange and yellow tones to brighten the room. The oranges in this image retain their vibrancy due to the orange ink that is installed in our CJV150-160 demo machine. Well practised from decorating the downstairs demo room, the team were able to install the new wallpaper in approximately an hour and a half with minimum disruption to the office. This mural was printed on Decal Adhesive brushstroke wall texture.
To further enhance the office area, it was decided to turn the small meeting room/kettle area into 'The Coffee Cabin.' We intend to turn this room in to a coffee shop mock up. This is something that we will build upon next year and add to in order to showcase the Mimaki capabilities for sign and graphics. To kick things we off we went for a distressed wood panel look using an image of reclaimed wood planks in a muted colour palette. We used Decal Adhesive Wall Texture in brushstroke for its simple texture and matte finish. The view from the door into the office space when you can see both wallpapers works really well. We can't wait to build upon this with further display graphics.
Industrial and Textile Print Demo Room
The final room transformed was our upstairs demo room. This room houses our direct to object LED UV printer as well as our textile samples. The wall we were looking to improve already had a custom wallpaper applied featuring YPS and the brands and suppliers we work with. We chose to build upon this for our new wallpaper using the three routes to profitability; sign and graphics, textile and industrial print as our basis.
Using a bright colour palette we have showcased everything that YPS is about and stands for. Everything from our 'about us' through to the products and brands that we sell can be found on this wall. The design has a simple white background with pops of colour that works with the existing CMYK wall vinyl we have under the windows. We have also added new framed photo prints in bold, bright colours and expanded our textile sample offering using a basic shop display. We used Decal Adhesive wall paper in Linear Mosaic to cover this wall. The simple line design works well with the modern graphic elements. For the vinyl plinth we used Decal Media Permanent Blockout Vinyl.
Not just for the office…
A lot of the staff were impressed with the finish of the Decal Wallpaper that they decided to create feature walls in their houses too! Below are two pics from our MD Garry featuring the Brushstroke wallpaper in both a brick design and wood panel design as feature walls in two bedrooms. How good do they look?
If you think Decal Adhesive Wall Textures could be for you or your customer, why not give YPS a call to discuss the range. Did you know Decal also do a range of vinyl too? Call now to arrange for a sample print.


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Wil Reynolds is one of the most appreciated experts in the search industry. Wil spoke at the Affiliate Summit last year in New York. His keynote was insightful and had some nice learning elements in it. Enjoy, oh and skip the first 6 minutes which only has some practical information about the Summit in it.
Know of a good key note or presentations which we should feature here? Let us know and tip us.


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Find Out Why Dental Work Is Not Only Safe During Pregnancy, But Helps Prevent Preterm Labor And Low Weight Infants.
Most pregnant moms-to-be know the importance of taking care of their health during pregnancy, but did you know that hormonal changes during pregnancy can result in increased risk of gum disease which may have an adverse affect on your unborn baby?
According to Dr. Bicky Tran of Simply Dentistry in Scottsdale, AZ, "Statistics have shown a 7 times likelihood for mothers [with periodontal disease] to deliver pre-term and low weight babies." Good news is that if taken care of, you can avoid having your chopper challenges affect your baby in utero. But first, it's important to understand why a healthy mouth can mean a healthy baby.
The link between oral health and pre-term birth
As if the possibility of swelling of the ankles wasn't enough during pregnancy, inflammation of the gums (better known as Pregnancy Gingivitis) can be added to the list of pregnancy symptoms as well.
Problem is, your smile isn't the only thing to suffer when you don't take care of your teeth and gums. "What we know is a bacterium known as fusobacterium nucleatum has been linked to premature births and stillborn infants," says Dr. Jodi Danna. So, where do you find this bad bacterium? "Fusobacterium nucleatum bacteria is associated with periodontal (gum) infections," which crosses the placenta and into your baby's system. To reduce the likelihood that you develop these aliments, the first step is to get on the same page with your dentist, even before you conceive.
Let your dentist in on your baby plans and/or pregnancy
Whether you're still in the planning stages of conception, or you suspect you may have a baby on board, share your plans with your dentist. This allows them to plan your current treatments such as antibiotics and anesthetics, postpone x-rays, and set up a prenatal dental care plan with your pregnancy.
"Dental care for pregnant women should start before their pregnancy," advises Dr. Gene Sherman. "Pregnancy gingivitis commonly starts to occur in the second trimester, so prenatal dental care should really start with a visit to the dentist to prevent the likelihood of dental emergencies during the pregnancy that are difficult to treat."
Find out here what dental procedures are safe -- and which should be avoided -- during pregnancy.
Know your dental insurance options
Now that you understand the importance of taking care of your teeth during this delicate time, the last thing you want to do is skip your dental care simply because of costs; it could end up costing you your baby's health. From state-funded programs to local community health programs where detail care fees are based on income, there are programs designed to encourage expectant mothers to continue prenatal dental care.
In addition, options for financing your dental care are available as well, such as CareCredit, which even offers deferred interest programs for dental health expenditures. With a little research, you can find the options that work best for your finances.
Dental work safety during pregnancy
Dr Colleen Olitsky offers the following tips to her pregnant patients:
- Don't skip your dental checkup appointment simply because you are pregnant.
- The safest course of action is to postpone all unnecessary dental work until after the birth. However, sometimes emergency dental work such as a root canal or tooth extraction is necessary; the benefits outweigh the risks.
- Routine x-rays, usually taken during annual exams, can usually be postponed until after the birth.
- Elective treatments, such as teeth whitening and other cosmetic procedures, should be postponed until after the birth.
Armed with your tooth brush, floss, and the knowledge of keeping your teeth and gums healthy during pregnancy, you can help give your baby-to-be the best health possible before she's even had a chance to flash you her first dazzling smile!
Read more on pregnancy dental care:


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Congratulations to the new Jeep Leader – Mick Fanning, winner of the 2015 #HurleyPro #Trestles @wsl.
And congratulations to Adriano Desouza what a amazing competitor.
Mick Fanning's board of choice at Trestles today was The MF Ducks Nuts 5'10 x18 3/4x 21/4 26.26L.
You can order this board at your local surf store or online
Photo @corey_wilson


text: There were many contributory factors to this defeat. The fact that virtually our entire squad had played quite a few international minutes over the previous week combined with a lot of air miles would undoubtedly had an effect. The number of injuries we have been subjected to of late also made a difference, the recent injuries include RVP, Diaby, Clichy, Gibbs and Bendtner. Sunderland are no