text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Oct 12, 2010
|Filing date
|Jul 22, 2008
|Priority date
|May 17, 2001
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Elaine P. Lusher, Charles C. Earl, Sandy Metzger, Carl Schuyler
|Original Assignee
|Access Systems Americas, Inc.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (23), Referenced by (7), Classifications (8), Legal Events (2)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is a divisional application of Ser. No. 09/861,051 filed on May 17, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,418,482, entitled "Web-Based Task Assistants for Wireless Personal Devices," issued Aug. 26, 2008, and assigned to the assignee of the present application. The subject matter in the above-identified co-pending and commonly owned application(s) are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a method for using web-based task assistants to reduce the user task load when communicating with the Internet by a wireless device.
As the components required to build a computer system have reduced in size, new categories of computer systems have emerged. One of the more recent categories of computer systems is the portable or "palmtop" computer system, or personal digital assistant (PDA). A palmtop computer system is a computer that is small enough to be held in the hand of a user and is thus "palm-sized." By virtue of their size, palmtop computer systems are also lightweight and so are exceptionally portable and convenient. As a result, palmtops are readily carried about in a briefcase or purse, and some palmtops are compact enough to fit into a person's pocket. Further development of PDAs has enabled their use for portable, and now wireless, access to computer networks and the World Wide Web. The portability and convenience makes such devices ideal for such wireless access when the user is away from a wired workstation.
On the other hand, because they are relatively small, the displays on PDAs or palmtops are necessarily limited in their ability to present information from many websites and the speed of entering information into an interactive window is necessarily slow. Most limiting, however, is the narrow communication band-width currently available to these convenient devices.
The area in which PDAs and palmtops excel is in the area of personal information management (PIM). Most operating systems in palmtops are extremely well adapted, incorporating personal information managers (PIMs) in the basic collection of permanent applications.
On wireless PDAs, the integration of PIM data with the world-wide-web is tightly concentrated in a few areas, such as synchronization of a personal calendar with a web-based calendar or in placing a phone call. Current web browsing mechanisms on wireless PDAs also burden the user with deciding what kind of information is needed, where to retrieve information, how to aggregate information from multiple websites, and how to utilize the information to aid in a given task. These limitations are further aggravated by limited bandwidth and lack of adequate input methods.
What is required, then, is a mechanism for providing a better Internet experience for a user that relieves user input demands and increases output effectiveness. Such a mechanism should efficiently use the limited bandwidth available between wireless devices and their web portals, whether implemented as proprietary cellular networks or other, non-proprietary, portals.
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention are directed to a method of augmenting user input to accomplish personal, task-oriented, web interaction that relieves user input demands and increases output effectiveness. This novel system also relieves the computational burden on wireless devices and conserves limited bandwidth between wireless devices and their web portals, whether implemented as proprietary cellular networks or other, non-proprietary, portals. The present invention provides direct launching of Internet tasks from existing PIM applications; allows task personalization using PIM data; and allows a user to manage multiple tasks in support of a single goal.
The present invention relates to a method for enhancing the use of a computer network which is accessed by use of a wireless device. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention pertains to a method of using server-resident software assistants, programs to assist the wireless device user, to perform a significant amount of the tedious input tasks required when wireless devices such as PDAs attempt to exploit the services available on the Internet. The method provides a mechanism by which software assistants can be programmed to a users' own specific information and ways of performing tasks that exploit Internet services such as purchasing, information searches, event planning and complex scheduling. The task can be organized in structural task lists that interface with a user's stored preferences and PIM information on the portable electronic device.
Embodiments of the present invention include a method for enhancing wireless access to a computer network which includes the steps of: gaining access to the computer network using of a portable computing device, selecting a task a list of performable tasks in the operating system and autonomously executing the task in the computer network by the use of a software task assistant.
The operation of this invention can be best visualized by reference to the drawings.
Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention.
Some portions of the detailed descriptions that follow are presented in terms of procedures, logic blocks, processing, and other symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer. These descriptions and representations are the means used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. A procedure, logic block, process, etc., is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps or instructions leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated in a computer system. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, bytes, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like.
It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the present invention, discussions utilizing terms such as "setting," "storing," "scanning," "receiving," "sending," "disregarding," "entering," or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system or similar intelligent electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical (electronic) quantities within the computer system's registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission or display devices.
Described herein is a new method for greatly enhancing users' access to the multitude of services available on the Internet when using wireless devices. One embodiment uses personal data assistants (PDAs) that are wirelessly connected to the Internet. The preferred means of connection is by an RF interface or some other means of allowing full, two way, wireless, data communication between the Internet, or a server in it, and the PDA. Specifically, the preferred embodiment of the present invention pertains to a method of using software agents or task assistants, resident in the network infrastructure, to accomplish interaction-intensive tasks without a high interactive demand on the user.
In the description of the embodiment herein, the terms "wireless device", "portable computing device", "palmtop computer", "handheld computer" and "personal data assistant", or PDA, are used interchangeably. In every case the terms refer to any portable wireless device used to access the Internet.
It must also be noted that a wireless Internet connection in this embodiment of the present invention is not limited to implementation in a local area network. Internet connection can also be envisioned as being directly attained through a wireless Internet Service Provider (ISP).
System 200 also includes an optional cursor control or directing device 207 coupled to the bus for communicating user input information and command selections to central processor 201. In one implementation, device 207 is a touch screen device (also a digitizer) incorporated with display 205. Device 207 is capable of registering a position on display 205 where a stylus makes contact as well as the pressure of the contact. The digitizer can be implemented using well known devices, for instance, using the ADS 7846 device by Burr-Brown that provides separate channels for spatial stroke information and pressure information.
Any of a number of display technologies can be used for flat panel display 205. Display device 205 may be a liquid crystal device (LCD), cathode ray tube (CRT), field emission device (FED, also called flat panel CRT) or other display device suitable for creating graphic images and alphanumeric characters recognizable to the user. In one embodiment, display device 205 is a flat panel multi-mode display capable of both monochrome and color display modes.
Further included in computer system 200 is signal communication device 208 which is also coupled to bus 250. Communication device 208 can be implemented as a serial port (or USB port) for communicating with a cradle (106 in
In one implementation, the Mobitex wireless communication system may be used to provide two way communication between system 200 and other networked computers and/or the Internet via a proxy server. In other embodiments, TCP protocol can be used or SMS can be used. System 200 of
The category of portable computing devices can include "palmtop" computers and PDAs. A typical palmtop computer that can be used in various embodiments of the present invention is shown in
A typical cradle is illustrated in
More and more, Internet access is gained by the use of wireless devices and PDA's. Current generation PDAs contain Personal Information Management (PIM) applications, such as calendars and address books, as well as wireless internet access. Typically, web browsers are not tightly integrated with PIM functions. Users commonly use a calendar, address book, or expense reporting application td manage their personal information, and some form of web browsing to accomplish web interaction. Current PDA-based browsers typically display only a small subset of any given web page, because of screen size restrictions, but still adhere to the "web browsing" paradigm: users must know what information they want and what websites they must access to retrieve the desired information.
Further, many PDA-based web browsers make only a subset of the web available, since most website content must be preprocessed to be satisfactorily viewed on small form factor devices. The interest in this embodiment of the present invention is in enhancing the integration of PIM applications into web interaction. This embodiment envisions a use model in which the user can create and manage PIM information, but use the web to augment task accomplishment. The focus, for the purpose of illustration of the concepts presented in this embodiment, is on an application common to many PDAs: the "TO DO" list. This application is inherent in the most popular PDA platforms and is an unstructured free-form list of tasks the user wishes to accomplish. It commonly provides a numbered blank page on which the user is required to hand write using a restricted form of text input sometimes called "Graffiti". This embodiment of the present invention provides web-based assistance for such applications as a TO DO list.
Combining existing PIM information, user preferences, and web-based assistants, as is done in this embodiment, yields an effective electronic assistant that can aid the user in the accomplishment of real-world tasks. Specific applications that could benefit from this approach include Search, E-Commerce, and Event Scheduling.
Requirement for Web-Assisted PIM Tasks
The implementation of a web-based, software, task assistant, such as presented in this embodiment of the present invention, requires that a number of requirements be satisfied in order to achieve satisfactory web-based applications on a mobile device. These requirements include: Reduced user input burden, New Web Interaction Paradigms, Battery Conservation and Ease of use.
Many classes of transactions typically require more than a single piece of input from the user. An examples of required text input during an online purchase include account number, password, and shipping address. The burden of user input in this embodiment is relieved such that applications such as those in "E-Commerce" are both easy to conduct and error-free from a mobile device. This is not only critical for "E-Commerce" activities with urgency such as booking airline tickets in mobile locations (e.g., change a flight while riding in a taxi), but also important for a range of applications because input devices such as the stylus commonly used in a palmtop device are less than ideal for extensive user input.
Currently, web interactions involve a lot of browsing among available websites. Browsing is not an effective form of user interaction on a palmtop device, as it can be labor-intensive and costly in terms of time spent and time wasted. Some existing schemes that preprocess content to address this problem only make a small subset of the web available to users of mobile devices. Web-based assistants, as presented herein, can offload some intermediate activity and help to ferret out the set of content that is relevant to the user's task.
If PIM tasks are augmented with web assistance, computationally-intensive, bandwidth-eating, battery-draining, operations can be offloaded from a mobile device. Also, operations such as search may produce higher accuracy results if several different techniques are used to find relevant information, rather than a single technique. Several parallel searches can be invoked via web assistants which each use different methodologies to find a result, and the results can optionally be aggregated or filtered to produce a single best result. Such offloading invokes such bandwidth-intensive operations at the server/agent level where bandwidth speeds are much higher, rather than at the mobile device.
The current modes for accomplishing the above classes of tasks on a palmtop device demand a great deal of concentration, manual dexterity, and time, form the user. For complex tasks that require the accomplishment of several sub-tasks, web assistants can bundle together the results of each subtask so that a given task can be accomplished by the user without invoking multiple individual applications or multiple website visits. Examples of such tasks include online shopping, which typically involves browse, content fetch, and buy tasks.
Classes of Web Assisted PIM Tasks
Classes of web-access tasks that can benefit from this embodiment of the present invention include: Information Retrieval/Search, Monitor, Listen, Communicate, "E-Commerce", Schedule, Plan, and Act. Each of these classes involves some similar and some different operations.
Information Retrieval/Search involves the ability to filter web content based on search criteria and present useful results to the user. Search results are improved by the use of several different search methodologies and the comparison or aggregation of their results. In addition, new search technologies can be flexibly accommodated via web assistants, because such techniques are launched from a server as they become available. This launch is transparent to the user unless the user chooses to explicitly override it via stated user preferences. The ability to pre-fetch web information on behalf of the user based on preferences can also be useful.
Monitoring involves periodically checking one or more websites to determine if some new information has been added to the content. Common examples include monitoring a financial site for the change in a stock price, monitoring a news site for an announcement, or checking a movie listing for playing times of a newly released movie. An agent can perform this activity on behalf of a user. This capability can also support more complex tasks such as those involved in "E-Commerce" and Planning.
Listening tasks revolve around applications such as sampling music, attending voice conferences, or attending online lectures. These tasks may be bundled as subtasks in another task (e.g., buy) or remain standalone.
Communication is a fundamental part of many other tasks, as well as a standalone task in its own right. Some examples of communications options include placing a voice call, email, FAX, or send a message via a Short Messaging System. These communication options can also be expressed as preferences. Web-based voice calls can be placed directly from a PDA, given appropriate enabling hardware. The Communicate task is also an important subtask of Planning and Scheduling activities. The Communicate task allows the user to select a person to arrange an appointment with as well as a communication type. For example, if the user selects an email address (from the address book), various options for time, date, location can be presented (using the calendar application). An email generation application could be implemented that automatically sends email to the other party requesting an appointment and containing the user-specified variables.
"E-Commerce" is the name given to all those operations that are done online when shopping, selecting, purchasing, receiving, presenting, selling, or delivering products on the Internet. "E-commerce" typically involves several discrete tasks, such as browsing, price comparison, and purchase. Much of the pre-purchase activity can be done via an agent that locates relevant information (e.g., product reviews) and purchase options.
The nature of scheduling tasks can range from simple (e.g., schedule a meeting) to multi-task scheduling. In the latter task, several different scheduling tasks, such as arranging flight reservations and hotel reservations, can be bundled together to achieve a larger task, with some form of web assistance available for each scheduling task. Such tasks typically have interdependencies that must be observed when invoking web-based assistance. In the case of multi-task scheduling, interdependencies between the subtasks are accommodated. The simplest of these tasks could be characterized as single-event-single-actor events.
An example would be finding a movie. There are no other events or people to coordinate with, but there may be supporting information retrieval (what movies are showing) and "E-Commerce" transactions (purchasing the ticket in advance) to consider. Another category might be to multiple-event-single-actor. An example would be planning dinner and a movie. This kind of task involves negotiating multiple constraints (how close should the restaurant be to the theatre, is it more important to find an acceptable movie or an acceptable restaurant, etc.). Another category would be multiple-event-multiple-actor scheduling. For this type of task, a communication event could be use to ask another person to participate in the activity.
Tasks of type Plan may share subtasks with Scheduling tasks, but could be more complex. For example, user preferences and multiple constraints could be involved, making the planning difficult or even potentially impossible to achieve. Examples include any planning that has severe time restrictions, involves coordinating a large number of persons, or requires considering many factors (e.g., price, location, time, . . . ). In that case, the user would need to be queried about alternatives, thereby lowering the potential effectiveness of web-based assistance.
The important distinction between the Act task and others is that an agent has to, actively monitor events that might affect the activity as it's underway (e.g., flight delays in a travel schedule) and then alert the user when there are important changes (opportunities or failures) in the activity parameters.
In addition to supporting a range of task classes, this embodiment of the present invention supports preference-based web interaction. Preferences can range from simple variables, such as favorite websites, to more complex preferences, such as travel preferences that encode a variety of variables, including cost (e.g., cheapest flight), hotel proximity to airport, and preferred rental car company: At a minimum, content filtering could be performed to observe simple user preferences. Examples of such filtering include toggling images or controlling the volume of information delivery (e.g., news headlines, not full text articles) to conserve bandwidth and cut costs. More sophisticated examples of content filtering include selectively deleting irrelevant content based on stated user preferences. Two levels of preferences can be defined. Simple preferences can be expressed formally as quadruplets, named here as Predicate, Variable, Value, Importance. The variable is some task specific parameter (e.g., for E-Commerce, one variable might be "CreditCardNumber").
The Value parameter is the value associated with the variable parameter. In the case of a credit card, it would be the actual number. Here Predicate is a relation on Value and Variable. In the above case, the relation would be equality. The Importance would be a number that expresses how important it is that the constraint be met. In executing the task, the agent uses rules, optionally does utility calculations based on the importance values, that allow it to make decisions on variable bindings (e.g., whether to use the visa or Mastercard on a particular transaction) and other actions (e.g., whether to gather more information about a site before sending credit card information). Simple preferences can be represented in this form and there is equivalence between this and the preference representation that will be used in the Active To Do List application discussed below. Alternatively, more complex preferences could be expressed as rules. One example would be allowing the user to state something like "If the item about to be purchased is less than $5.00 and the agent has spent less than $20.00, then it is ok to make a purchase automatically on my behalf."
Formal Characterization of Web Assisted PIM Tasks
A web assisted PIM task, in this embodiment of the present invention, is formally defined by a record of the form:
T(ID, G (I, p1, p2, . . . , pn), H (u1, us, . . . , un), C (c1, c2, . . . cn), R (r1, r2, . . . rn)
T(t1, t2, . . . tn)
Where ID is an identifier uniquely identifying the particular task, the G(I, p1, p2, . . . , pn) represents a task with goal G, and I is the label or index of that goal, and p1, p2, . . . pn, are the goal's parameters (i.e. variables and associated bindings). The set H(u1, us, . . . , un) constitutes the history of the task and is composed of the websites visited during the execution of the task. The set C(c1, c2, . . . , cn) is a set of constraints c1 on the parameters pi of the task. These are used to express preferences. Each preference is formally expressed as a "4-tuple" (predicate, variable-name, value, importance). Variable-name is some task specific parameter (i.e., one of the pi.). Value is just a value associated with that parameter. Predicate is some relation on Value and Variable-name. Importance is a number to express how important it is that the constraint be. The PIDL language is used to express constraints in this implementation. The set R(r1, r2, . . . rn) constitutes a set of returned results for the task. The alternative expression of a task T(t1, t2, . . . tn) models tasks that have a set of subtasks t1, t2, . . . tn each of which is a task.
Once a task has been defined on the PDA, it is transmitted to the web-based assistant, i.e. the PAS. Each message between PDA and PAS is of the form:
M(Cmd, Task-ID, Msg-ID, Originator, Recipient, Data); where,
Cmd is a message from an Originator (i.e. PAS or PDA) to a Recipient (i.e. PDA or PAS). Task-ID and Message-ID uniquely identify the task and message respectively. Data is a complete or partial description of a task. The structure of a Data object can be described by a simple grammar as partial description of a task. The structure of a Data object can be described by a simple grammar as:
TaskDescriptorElement::=G(p1, p2, . . . , pn)|H (u1, us, . . . , un), |C(c1, c2, . . . , cn)|R (r1, r2, . . . , rn)
That is, the Data portion of the message is an optional set of one or more of the elements of the complete task descriptor of a task. These are the portions of the task descriptor that Cmd operates on. A description of the types of commands is given in the table in
Web Assistance for To Do List Application
The TO DO List application, as it currently exists in one potential application for this embodiment of the present invention, is entirely free form and serves only as a reminder list. This embodiment enforces some structure on the TO DO list such that the user chooses from tasks which could benefit from web assistance. Examples include: search, shop, monitor, listen, schedule, communicate, plan, and act. This structure accomplishes several objectives: it defines the set of menu-based operations for which a user can receive web-based assistance, it limits the input the user must enter, and it provides structure for the task details so that web-based assistance can be invoked.
In this application of this embodiment, the user selects a task (e.g., shop for a CD) from a menu. The parameters describing the task (e.g., which CD to shop for) along with applicable preferences (e.g., which CD websites to visit, how to rank search results, how many bytes to limit transmissions to) will be used to generate a task description.
The user begins by launching the To Do List application. A display, such as example 501 shown in
The task definition window 601, as exemplified in
Clicking "Done" button 613 results in the construction of a new task description. In this case, after clicking on the "Done" button, the user would see the task description menu 701 as illustrated in
Clicking on "Edit" 713 or "Cancel" 714 do the obvious things. Clicking on "Store but Complete Later", 712, would cause an initiate message to be generated and queued for later transmission to the Personal Agent Server (PAS). Clicking on "Start and Complete Now", 711, would generate an initiate message that would be transmitted immediately to the PAS.
On the PAS an agent will be constructed to handle that task. As the task is executed, a IJRL will be constructed to query each of the selected sites, and results from those queries will be processed (e.g., by collating results from multiple sites) and the results submitted to the user via a result message.
The PAS creates a Personal Agent @A) to handle the task based on information contained in the task description. A set of rules for query modifications is run using preference information contained in the task description. The URLs are then submitted to the appropriate sites.
The PA collates results from each of the site queries and submits them back to the user in result message. In this example, the result would consist of a page containing prices for the requested CD from the websites queried. Then the user selects to buy one of the choices. This is submitted back to the PA, which would then pass the URL request to the specific site selected for the purchase. The PA would fill form URLs returned from the purchase site. Once the transaction completes, the confirmation page would be saved as in the result set R of the task T.
Another illustration of a task process can be viewed in
When the user selects the "to do" list, 1010, the display for that PIM application is presented. In the display, it is expected that user input buttons, similar to those shown in
Initiation sends the task definition to the PAS, the personal agent sewer where the agent is defined by the task description, task data and user preference. The PDA would likely be able to prompt the user for preferences, 1070, if none were available in the preference database for the particular task at hand.
The agent would then be defined, 1085, using the preferences in the database, 1075 & 1080, the task description from present user input, and task data stored in the agent library and the task plan library. It must be noted that these entities may be implemented in a number of ways and are not limited to any particular form factor.
The agent then runs the task autonomously, 1090, meaning that no further user input is required until the task is complete. The result may be returned to the user, 1095, at a time specified in the initial task description or at a time determined by some other requirement, perhaps driven by the entities with which the agent must communicate in order to complete the task. At that point, depending on the nature of the task, further input may be awaited or the session may be terminated, 1099.
It must be noted that no operation or step listed above is definitive of limits to this embodiment of the present invention. Each of the steps, displays and operations discussed is presented in order to more readily explain the concepts presented herein.
Software Components for Agent-Assisted Web Interaction
Primary software components of an Active TO DO List are discussed herein by way of example of this embodiment of the present invention. No inference should be taken that a To Do list or any other PDA application is the only application, or even the primary application, that could benefit from agent assisted web interaction.
Included in the To Do List application of this embodiment are the following software components: Client TO DO List application, Personal Agent Server and "Softbots".
The client TO DO List application (on the mobile device) collects task description information from the user and on applicable device databases (e.g., address book) and creates a task description to submit to the PAS. The Personal Agent Server, located on a Proxy Server, processes the task request and initiates personal agents (PA)s and other softbots. Softbots are web-based, semi-autonomous, operators that implement tasks, They include Personal Agents (PA's) generated by the PAS as well as other softbots capable of performing other services.
Note that the illustrated entities in
The PAS Request Handler 801 receives the message and determines how to process it. When a request to initiate a new task is received, the Request Handler creates and Agent Object 806 to handle that task. These are retrieved from the Agent Library 805. Once it is created, the agent selects the appropriate plan (or alternatively a set of rules) from the Plan Library 803 that specifies how to perform its task. Preference information stored in the Preference Data Base 804 is used to specialize the task, along with the information contained in the task description. The Agent is assigned an identifier that uniquely associates it with the task defined in the original message. Some of the complex tasks discussed earlier require the execution of subtasks. Subtasks are created in the same manner as main tasks: the PAS Request Handler creates an appropriate Agent for handling that task and the Agents selects an appropriate plan from the Plan Library to complete the task. The Agent that invoked the subtask can then use the communication protocol present earlier to examine or modify data local to the subtask Agent, or also suspend or activate the subtask Agent as necessary.
When other task messages are received from the device, the PAS Request Handler uses the task identifier to route that message to the Agent assigned to that task Messages sent from the Agent to the application are routed through the PAS Request Handler.
The Personal Agent Server Architecture
The PAS is a logical entity that can be implemented as an independent personal server running on a PC (the distributed model) or co-located with a general-purpose server or a public web server. "Personal agent" refers to the fact that the architecture treats each person differently, compared with a generic proxy server. Below, a common wireless palmtop device and a supporting network architecture are used as the examples to describe the PAS.
The Personal Agent Server is implemented, in this embodiment of the present invention, as an agent framework that is capable of launching other agents. There are four architectures that can be used to implement the PAS.
The first is a simple, rule-based, Framework. While other architectures may be implemented equally as well, there are non-proprietary agent architectures that could provide functionality for agent definition and for simple rule based inference. The Agent Library would be implemented using a basic agent class definition. Plans for doing tasks would be described in the rule representation defined in that architecture.
Another possible architecture is a Reactive Plan Execution Architecture. A reactive plan execution system could be extended to define the plans that the Agents would execute and this approach could be used to define the PAS Request Handler and the Agent Task Interpreter. The rule processing needed to resolve conflicts among tasks is addressed in these systems.
Alternatively, an agent class could be defined for each task type. Spawning of agents, for handling main tasks as well as subtasks, could be handled by a distributed service discovery mechanism such as that provided through the Sun Jini API. Monitoring and coordinating of subtasks could be handled through using a distributed software coordination API such as JavaSpaces or Tspaces.
A third and fourth architectures are Blackboard Control Architecture and Soar architecture. Blackboard architecture could be used to implement control of the Agents. Soar is a flexible rule based architecture that could be used to implement the control of the PAS. Soar, among other things, allows flexibility in the way in which conflicts among rules are resolved.
PAS Capabilitles
The ability to filter content based on user preferences is a critical aspect of personalizing the web. Preferences are expressed as a set of constraints ci on the parameters pi of a task. Each preference is formally expressed as a "4-tuple" (predicate, variable-name, value, importance) where "variable-name" is some task specific parameter (i.e. one of the pi). The value is just a value associated with that parameter. Here predicate is some relation on the value and, variable-name. The importance is a number to express how important it is that the constraint be. The PIDL language is used to express constraints in implementation. Examples of useful preferences include Site preferences and a family of "E-Commerce" preferences which would also include payment, delivery and merchant preferences, and Travel preferences which could include mode and vendor preferences. A rule-based mechanism would be used for figuring preference information into the execution of any web-assisted task.
A personal agent server can also serve as a personalization and filtering entity for mobile devices. The PAS can intercept and alter web content in the following ways: filter tagged text to remove items which do not fit the user's interest profile; launch a web-based search to find items of interest; aggregate the results of multiple web-based searches; prioritize and order the results of multiple web-based searches (e.g., a search using two different search engines might rank as highest relevance all of the articles found by both search engines); toggle images; bundle separate tasks to achieve a single goal (e.g., browse, sample music, buy); supply personal and confidential information for transaction-based web interaction.
The capabilities that need to be designed into the PAS are a function of the applications to be supported and the flexibility needed for web-based assistance. The previous section, "The Personal Agent Server Architecture", describes how Search, Shop, Monitor, Listen, Schedule, Communicate, Plan, and Act tasks can be defined and implemented using plans, rules, softbots, or combinations thereof. The range of possible tasks that could be implemented using the PAS is not limited to the types listed above which making achieving a result difficult, and sometimes result in re-planning.
With this or other embodiments of the present invention, a method and means have been disclosed that enormously enhance the user's power when web access is exploited by way of a personal wireless palmtop computer.
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
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Owner name: PALMSOURCE, INC., CALIFORNIA
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Owner name: PALMSOURCE, INC., CALIFORNIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:LUSHER, ELAINE P.;EARL, CHARLES C.;METZGER, SANDY;AND OTHERS;SIGNING DATES FROM 20010429 TO 20070510;REEL/FRAME:021268/0852
|Apr 4, 2014
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4


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Published on Friday, September 30, 2011
Bev Fearis and family check in to one of Colorado's famous dude ranches.
We thought our satnav had broken. We had driven an hour and a half from Colorado Springs and there were only nine more miles to go, but according to the satnav screen we were still nearly an hour away. It didn't make sense, until we turned off the highway onto a windy, dusty road and realised the last nine miles had breathtaking views around every corner and would demand many photo stops. 75 photos later we finally reached Lost Valley Ranch.
In 2002, a fire swept through the pine forests here destroying 144,00 acres. It was the biggest fire in Colorado's history and was devastating, but it left behind a dramatic barren landscape of spindly black trees and coarse shrubbery.
Miraculously, the fire swept right past the ranch but somehow managed to completely avoid it. Nobody said as much, but it was almost as if divine intervention had saved it.
Bob and Marion Foster, devout Christians, took over the ranch in 1961 and today it's run by their son, Bob Junior and his wife Karen. The couple, and the ranch staff, join guests most nights for dinner and the atmosphere is more like a big family reunion than a hotel.
Many of the guests come year after year and when we went in for dinner everyone seemed to know everybody else. In a nice touch, each guest is given a list of fellow guests' names and where they come from and all the staff wear name badges, so you soon get to know everyone.
The food was top notch and most nights there is entertainment too – a square dance, a picnic, singing, talks. Many of the waitresses (all very pretty) are musically talented so help out with the evening entertainment. They also double as childminders in the summer when the ranch is hugely popular with families. Children have to be aged six to ride here but there's plenty for them to do with a heated pool, play area, fishing, tennis, and ping pong. Accommodation is in one, two or three-bed cabins overlooking the ranch. They all have stone fireplaces (wood is delivered daily), shaded porches with lounge swings and are decorated with a western feel.
To maintain a family atmosphere, the ranch doesn't have a liquor licence, although guests are invited to bring their own alcohol and can drink it in their cabins.
In the summer the ranch is all about families but in the spring and autumn it runs specialty weeks more geared towards adults. This week is the annual cattle week, when guests go out with the wranglers and round up the cattle. Being beginners we decided to stick to a gentle hour's ride so we left Freddie in the capable hands of Hannah (he was smitten) and went out with Josh. I rode Wabbit and Warren was on Spanky, both gentle and well behaved creatures who didn't need much direction. We followed Josh through the wilderness, through shallow streams, across open plains and up and down steep rocky banks, while he told us all about life on the ranch. He's been at Lost Valley Ranch for four years and once left to start a law degree but came straight back. After just a few hours in this laid back and stunningly beautiful place, I can totally understand why.
Heathrow loses its position as Europe's largest airport
Greek hotel sues British couple for 'fake' holiday sickness claim
Two UK airlines listed amongst world's worst
BA's head of customer experience has left
Lawyer questions why dog that bit Delta passenger was in the middle seat
Jet2 stands by crew who removed hen party from flight
Jon Platt fined and given 12-month conditional discharge
BA's head of customer experience has left
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Hello loyal Tiny Talk readers! I'm so happy to be joining Katie and Lea as a blogger on this wonderful site and can't wait to share new trends, ideas, recipes and more with you!
I'm going to start with something very close to my heart–health and exercise. Although I am not yet a mom myself, many of my friends are–and they are women that I was close to in their pre-mom life as well. Fitness was something that was important to us as a group, and it still is. I so admire my mom-friends who've found a way to implement exercise into the absolutely insane life of parenting.
My very favorite option has to be Baby Boot Camp, a stroller-based fitness class designed specifically to help moms get fit, all while spending time with your baby and fellow moms. The most amazing part: The stroller, resistance bands, and even your baby are used as integral parts of the workout! There are classes available in almost every state in the US, and the prices are definitely doable, especially compared to an expensive gym or personal trainer. As someone who loves social exercise, I know I'll be doing this when I have a baby.


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CableTV.com Recommends DIRECTV for your TV service
In order to help you evaluate cable companies and other paid television services available in your area, we've prepared a number of independent consumer survey results for you. Between all of the satellite TV and cable companies in Delight, AR, these surveys show that DIRECTV is considered to be the best TV service provider for local consumers.
When you sign up for TV service, most major networks are available no matter where you live. Unfortunately, that isn't always the case with smaller channels. Even among almost identical plans, the smaller channels available with TV packages in Delight won't be the same as they are in another city. That makes channel comparison another important consideration when you're looking for the best cable company in Delight, AR. If you want the most diverse network selection, or enjoy watching every Dallas Cowboys or game, the way to go is usually a premier package. We offer a quick comparison of channels and features available from the highest rated providers available in Delight to make your decision-making process easier, so check it out today!
When you're making a commitment to a cable company in Delight, AR, you want to know that you're getting dependability and exceptional customer service. Luckily, CableTV.com has the info you need to make an informed decision. In fact, CableTV.com keeps customer service and reliability in mind when rating and recommending TV providers. So review our recommendations to increase your chances of enjoying great customer support and fewer problems with your service.


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So yeah my car broke down last night ( flat battery ) and I had to leave it overnight in a hotel car park. I finished work today, gets myself a battery goes to pick the car up and lo and behold some scruffy fucking twoccers have smashed the window, nicked the stereo which is no good cos I kept the face with me and completely ripped all the ignition out. Haha imagine their faces when the battery was flat...cunts !
Ya can't have fuck all nowadays. Bad thing is on my insurance I had said it was standard but it has alloys on now, will it be void ? And I cant exactly whip some old wheels on cos its on cctv outside the hotel lol.
Any advice ?


text: BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, Sept. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cresud S.A.C.I.F. y A. (Nasdaq: CRESY, BASE: CRES) has announced the end of the subscription period of its Fourth Series Class VIII bond under Regulation S. ISIN:XS0673511423. The issuance totaled USD 60 million at a semiannual fix rate of 7.5% bullet, maturing in 2014. The use of proceeds of this bond will be debt refinancing and general corporate purposes. It was rated B by Fitch. Cresud issues this note despite widespread market volatility, this being the first fixed income issuance made by a Latin American agricultural company. About Cresud: Cresud is a leading Argentine agricultural company with a growing presence in the Brazilian agricultural sector through its investment in BrasilAgro-Companhia Brasileira de Propriedades Agricola. Cresud is currently involved in a range of activities including crop production, cattle raising and milk production. Cresud's business model, which is being rolled out regionally in Latin America, taking into account the specific conditions of each country, focuses on the acquisition, development and exploitation of properties having attractive prospects for agricultural production and/or value appreciation and the selective disposition of such properties where appreciation has been realized. Additionally, Cresud owns a 57.49% stake in IRSA Inversiones y Representaciones S.A. (NYSE: IRS, BASE: IRSA), Argentina's largest, most well-diversified real estate company. Through its subsidiaries, IRSA manages an expanding top portfolio of shopping centers and office buildings, primarily in Buenos Aires. The company also develops residential subdivisions and apartments (specializing in high-rises and loft-style conversions) and owns three luxury hotels. SOURCE Cresud S.A.C.I.F. y A.


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The man who approved the disastrous appointment of Paul Flowers as chairman of the Co-op Bank today told MPs he "stands by the decision I made at the time".
Clive Adamson, now director of supervision at the Financial Conduct Authority, said: "I'm as surprised as all of us at... Mr Flowers' apparent misdemeanours."
He later added: "It was a judgment I stand by. Do I regret what subsequently happened? Yes I do."
Last year Flowers was filmed allegedly buying drugs while it emerged that a laptop he used contained "inappropriate but not illegal" content. It came as the bank, which he had left, was reeling from a £2 billion hole in its accounts.
Defending himself before the Treasury Select Committee, Adamson said: "At no time did anyone in the firm, or in public life (who may have known about Mr Flowers' behaviour), ever alert us."
But he admitted that Flowers was approved after a meeting of just an hour and a half with Adamson and his colleagues at the now-defunct Financial Services Authority. They unanimously waved through his appointment, as long as the bank hired two deputy chairmen with banking experience.
Both of those voted against the bungled attempt to buy 632 Lloyds branches, but the Co-op forged ahead.
An astonished committee chairman Andrew Tyrie said of Flowers: "It didn't take us long to realise he was unsuitable." But Adamson stuck to his guns: "I was surprised at the answers he gave. At the time (we met him) he was much more cogent. It was not the same individual I saw in 2010. He did appear to grasp the issues."
Challenged on Flowers' lack of banking experience, Adamson said his job was to "run the board not run the bank". He added: "I did explore his experience together with why he was being put forward. At that time the reason that he was proposed and put forward was the board of the Co-op Bank was 22 individuals.
"It was a somewhat unruly board and it was important someone was put in place to better chair it.
"My view was that at the time Paul Flowers did have the competence to be non-executive chairman."
Yesterday evening the watchdog announced an enforcement investigation into "decisions and events up to June 2013" when the Prudential Regulation Authority uncovered a £2 billion hole in the bank's accounts. It is one of six probes either running or planned into the Co-op's problems.Reuse content


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- International Money Transfers
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Foreign Exchange Finder™ - Compare foreign exchange products below
The latest in foreign exchange
Just some of the financial institutions we compare
International money transfers
About foreign exchange
Foreign exchange refers to the act of changing one nation's currency into another nation's currency. Today, foreign exchange, otherwise known as Forex or FX, can refer to a few different aspects of dealing with international currencies. It can refer to trading currencies, where investors will buy and sell different currencies trying to make a profit largely in the same way as a stock trader would, and it can also apply to simple exchanges of currencies for personal or business use. Foreign exchange can be particularly important if you live or have family overseas, invest in a foreign country, or have clients or suppliers located overseas.
How does the foreign exchange market work?
Currencies are traded on a regular basis for a variety of reasons, including companies investing in foreign companies or services, tourists exchanging their regular currency for the currency of the country they're travelling to and more.The currency of any given country will have a value determined by a large number of factors concerned with supply and demand, including inflation, interest rates, the overall balance of trading between two countries, a nation's debt and more.
Converting currency
There are many ways to convert funds from one currency to another. Each will appeal to different types of people. These include:
- Banks. Almost every bank will have a selection of currencies to allow you to convert funds, although it should be noted that more exotic currencies are usually not available on short notice. Banks traditionally charge high conversion fees and have less favourable exchange rates.
- International money transfer companies. There are more and more companies cropping up in Australia offering the full range of foreign exchange services with large varieties of currencies available. These companies also offer money transfer services so you can send the funds wherever in the globe they need to go. These companies utilise many different methods to achieve competitive exchange rates and low fees, including peer-to-peer trading.
- Foreign exchange kiosks and post offices. Usually found within airports, kiosks run by companies such as Travelex or banks offer foreign exchange services. Always be sure to compare the rates and fees you'll be charged before converting these. Many Auspost post offices will allow you to convert funds into different currencies too.
- Credit and debit cards. Australian credit and debit cards will automatically convert Australian dollars into foreign currencies when you're overseas. Unless these are specifically designed for international travel you'll usually have to pay foreign transaction fees and ATM withdrawal fees. Travel cards are an offshoot of these which allow you to lock in different currencies at specific rates, and require you to load funds onto them, often waiving many foreign transaction fees.
How do I compare foreign exchange services?
- Fees. Most banks and exchange companies will charge a fee for converting currencies. These can vary wildly depending on who you go with. Some banks and companies will charge a percentage rate of say 1% of the total sale amount when buying, and others will charge a flat fee, which can be as much as $10 or even more.
- Rates. In addition to fees, most companies and banks will add a margin to the exchange rate they offer you. Some foreign exchange providers will add a large margin to rates, while more competitive providers will minimise this margin. Exercise your due diligence before going with one provider and you'll be sure to get more value out of your exchange.
- Processing times. The importance of this will depend on why you want to convert funds from one currency to another and how much you're converting. For those making large conversions and sending funds overseas, processing times will matter. Companies can provide priority services for an extra fee, so be sure to add this to your comparison.
- Processing options. You might want to conduct regular transactions if you have to make overseas mortgage payments for example, so be sure to add this to your comparison of foreign exchange providers.
- Extras. Other providers might also offer one-on-one services to business clients, as well as the ability to negotiate over the rate. You might also be able to take advantage of foreign exchange market analysis with your foreign exchange provider.
Keep in mind that some providers might offer competitive rates but high fees, while others might offer low fees but unfavourable foreign currency rates. What service you decide to go with should depend not only on convenience but also on the rates and fees they offer. Compare at least three providers, ideally both banks and other companies, before deciding on a service.
What are the pros and cons of foreign exchange?
- Convenient way to exchange one currency for another
- Some companies can organise regular money transfers for you so you can pay overseas bills or mortgages easily
- Competitive rates and fees are available through specialised money transfer companies
- You can trade currencies to make profits
- Currencies can fluctuate each day, so trading is risky
- Exchanging currencies can be expensive depending on the provider
- The market can be complicated to grasp
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to convert and transfer money across the globe?
What is a spot rate?
How do I know if my foreign exchange service is safe?
Ask a Question


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Archive: (83 Stories)
Ongoing fighting in Iraq's Anbar hits businesses
05/12/2014 1:11amFighting in Iraq's western Anbar province, now in its fifth month, appears to have bogged down, with government forces unable to drive out Islamic militants who took over one of the area's main cities. But the impact is being felt much further, with the repercussions rippling through the country's economy to hit consumers and businesses.
Rep. Rogers wants to move radio needle to moderate
05/12/2014 1:20amRep. Mike Rogers wants to be a "productive conservative" on the radio dial who fosters "smart debate" during the daily show he will host after leaving Congress in January.
Health law gives pregnant women new options
05/12/2014 1:31amThe health care law has opened up an unusual opportunity for some mothers-to-be to save on medical bills for childbirth.
Talk of Hillary campaign forces out old issues
05/12/2014 1:40amFor Hillary Rodham Clinton, the last few months might be comparable to a spring cleaning: An airing of her political past before she sets the course for her much speculated-about future.
Fed govt failed to inspect higher risk oil wells
05/12/2014 2:10amThe government has failed to inspect thousands of oil and gas wells it considers potentially high risks for water contamination and other environmental damage, congressional investigators say.
Nissan profit rises as sales outpace industry
05/12/2014 3:21amNissan's quarterly profit edged up nearly 5 percent as sales grew around the world and a favorable exchange rate helped earnings.
German labor official urges speedy minimum wage
05/12/2014 3:50amGermany's new top labor official says he will push to have the country introduce a national minimum wage quicker than planned and work to make union membership more attractive to young people.
Oil and gas lab coming to Terrebonne school
05/12/2014 4:20amTerrebonne Career and Technical High School students interested in learning the basics of oil and gas production will have the opportunity to do so next fall through a new integrated production lab.
China police arrest 60 in environmental protest
05/12/2014 4:40amPolice said Monday they detained 60 people following a protest over plans to build a waste incinerator in a city in eastern China, where neighbors expressed skepticism about official pledges to seek public approval before proceeding.
Schumer pushing student loan debt refinancing
05/12/2014 6:00amSen. Charles Schumer is pushing a plan in the Senate that would allow undergraduate borrowers with outstanding student loan debt to refinance at today's lower rates.
List of brands of Hillshire Brands, Pinnacle Foods
05/12/2014 6:21amHillshire Brands Co. is buying Pinnacle Foods Inc. in a cash and stock deal valued at about $4.23 billion. The companies put the transaction's total value at approximately $6.6 billion, which includes Pinnacle's outstanding debt.
Godzilla proves even giant monsters need lawyers
05/12/2014 6:51amHe spews radioactive fire, razes cities and pummels creatures from Earth and beyond, but even Godzilla needs a good lawyer sometimes. After all, you don't survive 60 years in the movie business without taking some fights to court.
Here is the latest Idaho news from The Associated Press
05/12/2014 7:01amThe Mormon church is moving 67 missionaries out of Ukraine due to continuing unrest there. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says the missionaries will be reassigned to missions within their home countries to complete the remainder of their service.
Cambodia's Caltex gas station workers on strike
05/12/2014 7:20amWorkers at U.S.-owned Caltex gas stations in Cambodia went on strike Monday to demand higher wages and better working conditions.
Here is the latest Nevada news from The Associated Press
05/12/2014 7:31amA Las Vegas Strip hotel security guard is due in court Wednesday on charges that he sexually assaulted two women he escorted to their rooms. Prosecutors say both women Jerry Johnson is accused of sexually assaulting at the Wyndham were intoxicated. They say DNA evidence links him to both cases.
European court orders Turkey to pay 90 million euros over 1974 Cyprus military operation
05/12/2014 7:41amEuropean court orders Turkey to pay 90 million euros over 1974 Cyprus military operation.
BSkyB in talks to combine Fox European assets
05/12/2014 7:42amBSkyB, the London-headquartered satellite broadcaster, confirmed Monday that it is in early talks with 21st Century Fox to buy its pay television assets in Italy and Germany.
US indexes at all-time highs; Pinnacle Foods soars
05/12/2014 7:51amStocks are opening higher on Wall Street, sending major indexes to their latest all-time highs.
Analysis: Hospital deal rejection threatens budget
05/12/2014 8:11amOn paper, the federal rejection of financing plans for Gov. Bobby Jindal's LSU hospital privatization deals looks like it has all the makings of a fiscal calamity for the state.
Economist: Bounce back not as strong as expected
05/12/2014 8:11amA University of Rhode Island professor says his monthly analysis of the economy showed no overall improvement in March.
AP PHOTOS: Miners' hard life now tinged with fear
05/12/2014 8:20amThey sweat through 28-hour shifts in the malarial jungle of the Madre de Dios region of southeastern Peru, braving the perils of collapsing earth and limb-crushing machinery to come up with a few grams of gold.
Snake River fall chinook salmon make comeback
05/12/2014 8:21amThe Snake River's fall chinook salmon are making a comeback.
Shire buying liver disease drug maker for $260M
05/12/2014 8:40amIrish drugmaker Shire said Monday it will buy privately-held Lumena Pharmaceuticals for more than $260 million in a deal that gives Shire new experimental treatments for liver diseases.
05/12/2014 8:51amEarly trading on the Chicago Board of Trade Mon.:
Allergan board turns down Valeant takeover offer
05/12/2014 9:10amBotox maker Allergan formally rejected on Monday a takeover bid from Valeant Pharmaceuticals, saying that the unsolicited offer worth nearly $46 billion undervalues the company and poses a significant risk to its growth prospects.
Lower bad loans shore up Unicredit in Q1
05/12/2014 9:30amItaly's largest bank, Unicredit, says lower bad loan provisions helped its net profit rise by 58 percent in the first quarter, in a further sign that the country's economy is stabilizing following years of crisis.
Pfizer underscores UK commitments in memo
05/12/2014 9:40amPfizer Inc. has sought to allay concerns over its proposed $106 billion takeover offer of Anglo-Swedish pharmaceuticals firm AstraZeneca, insisting that its promises will be legally binding.
Livestock feed company plans Hagerstown, Md., jobs
05/12/2014 10:01amA livestock feed producer says it expects to create about 20 jobs within two years at its new distribution center in Hagerstown.
Mine workers union backs coal dust rule
05/12/2014 10:11amThe United Mine Workers of America is giving "qualified support" to the Obama administration's new rule aimed at cutting the amount of coal dust in coal mines.
Education board taking up nursing center plan
05/12/2014 10:11amThe Rhode Island Board of Education is expected to consider draft legislation that advances plans for a nursing education center on the edge of downtown Providence.
05/12/2014 10:21amSales, noon price and net change of the 15 most active New York Stock Exchange issues, trading nationally.
Israeli arrested on US request over Iran trade
05/12/2014 10:41amAn Israeli man was arrested while trying to depart the country on Monday following a request by the U.S. that he be held for alleged illegal weapons trading with Iran, Israel's justice ministry said.
Overtreating Medicare patients may costs billions
05/12/2014 11:01amA new study suggests that in a single year, up to 42 percent of Medicare patients got at least one medical procedure they didn't need — overtreatment that cost as much as $8 billion.
Chrysler reports $690 million first quarter loss
05/12/2014 11:21amChrysler Group saw big sales gains in the first quarter thanks to the new Jeep Cherokee and Ram pickup, but it lost money because of charges related to its merger with Italian automaker Fiat SpA.
Organizations aim to train immigrant entrepreneurs
05/12/2014 11:31amAfter immigrating to Oregon from the Mexican state of Oaxaca more than two decades ago, Paula Asuncion worked on farms and in minimum wage jobs at fast-food restaurants — a widow struggling to feed six children, sharing cramped apartments with other families.
IMF head withdraws from Smith College commencement
05/12/2014 11:31amThe managing director of the International Monetary Fund has withdrawn as Smith College's commencement speaker after faculty and students protests.
Frozen food group goes on offense as sales lag
05/12/2014 11:41amFrozen food makers plan to launch their first national TV ad in defense of their products on Tuesday as the category fights to boost slipping sales.
Apple CEO dares to be different from Steve Jobs
05/12/2014 12:01pm"Think different" became Apple's creed during the late Steve Jobs' reign as CEO. Now, chief executive Tim Cook is embracing the idea while making decisions that would have seemed crazy to his fabled predecessor.
US on track for narrowest budget gap since 2008
05/12/2014 12:31pmThe U.S. government ran a big surplus in April, thanks to a flood of tax payments that helped keep the budget on track for the lowest annual deficit in six years.
A look at water-saving measures across the West
05/12/2014 12:40pmCities across the West have mandated water restrictions or asked residents to voluntarily cut back on water use to avoid shortages. Some restrictions take effect automatically each year, while others depend on the forecast and the amount of precipitation the region has received. Much of the West is in some stage of drought, ranging from abnormal to exceptional.
White House cautions about infrastructure inaction
05/12/2014 12:41pmThe Obama administration warned Congress Monday that a key federal government fund used to pay for the nation's roads, bridges and ports is running dry and that the economy would be damaged if it is not replenished.
UNLV class helps students patent casino game ideas
05/12/2014 1:01pmWhat started off in a college course at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas could soon be the next big thing on the casino floor.
Hillshire looks beyond meat with Birds Eye, Vlasic
05/12/2014 1:12pmHillshire Brands is pushing further outside the deli case with a deal to buy the maker of Birds Eye frozen vegetables, Duncan Hines cake mixes and Hungry-Man frozen dinners.
Budget plan extends private school choice program
05/12/2014 1:30pmA one-year extension of South Carolina's first private school tuition program appears to be coasting through the budget process.
Crude rises
05/12/2014 1:31pmCrude oil futures prices ended higher on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The near-month contract for the benchmark grade rose 60 cents -- closing at $100.59 a barrel.
Dollar mixed
05/12/2014 1:31pmThe U.S. dollar is mixed against other North American currencies in New York trading.
Gold, silver rise
05/12/2014 1:31pmThe May gold contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange closed today at $1295.60 an ounce -- up $8.30.
IMF head withdraws from Smith College commencement
05/12/2014 1:31pmThe managing director of the International Monetary Fund backed out of giving this year's commencement address at Smith College in the wake of protests from faculty and students, the school announced Monday.
Italian factory makes bad mozzarella, 13 arrests
05/12/2014 1:51pmPolice in Italy have shut down a mozzarella factory and arrested 13 people after finding that prized local buffalo milk was being cut with cheaper imported cow milk.
Grain mostly lower, beef mixed and pork lower
05/12/2014 2:00pmGrain futures were mostly lower Monday on the Chicago Board of Trade.
Grain mostly lower, beef mixed and pork lower
05/12/2014 2:01pmGrain futures were mostly lower Monday on the Chicago Board of Trade.
The doctor will see you now via webcam, smartphone
05/12/2014 2:01pmMark Matulaitis holds out his arms so the Parkinson's specialist can check his tremors. But this is no doctor's office: Matulaitis sits in his rural home as a neurologist a few hundred miles (kilometers) away examines him via the camera in his laptop.
Regulators win civil case vs. Texas entrepreneurs
05/12/2014 2:10pmTwo Texas brothers acted fraudulently by trying to hide assets they controlled in four public companies that were sold for billions of dollars, a jury determined Monday in a civil trial.
NYC area airport workers vote to join union
05/12/2014 2:21pmSeveral thousand contract workers employed at the New York City area's major airports voted Monday to join a union after campaigning for better pay and benefits.
Rates mixed at weekly US Treasury bill auction
05/12/2014 2:21pmInterest rates on short-term Treasury bills were mixed in Monday's auction with rates on three-month bills unchanged and rates on six-month bills rising to the highest level since late March.
2nd guilty plea in $100M New York Ponzi scam
05/12/2014 3:01pmA second New York businessman pleaded guilty for his role in a $100 million Ponzi scheme that helped fund what prosecutors called a failing Hamptons resort.
Critical pension deal put before Detroit employees
05/12/2014 3:02pmThe historic restructuring of Detroit through bankruptcy court is taking a crucial step by putting a key agreement before some of those most affected: roughly 30,000 retirees and city employees.
UK company to track planes after Malaysian loss
05/12/2014 3:11pmInmarsat Plc, a provider of global mobile satellite communications services, said it will offer free basic tracking services for planes flying over oceans in the hope of preventing another incident such as the loss of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
NY sets $350M minimum for Orange County casino
05/12/2014 3:31pmDevelopers proposing to build a casino in Orange or Dutchess counties must commit to investing at least $350 million in the project, the panel overseeing the licensing process announced Monday.
05/12/2014 3:31pmA snapshot of major stock and commodities market indicators Monday:
Stock market touches another record
05/12/2014 3:41pmThe stock market returned to record levels on Monday as investors regained their appetite for riskier stocks.
Nasdaq SUMMARY
05/12/2014 3:41pmMost active Nasdaq issues.
4 defendants back together in Blackwater case
05/12/2014 4:00pmA judge is placing four former Blackwater Worldwide guards together in a trial that is scheduled to begin on June 11 in the killings of 14 Iraqi civilians and the injuring of at least 18 others in Baghdad.
GOP senator threatens Fed picks over transparency
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Geithner's memoir blasts Kirk's comments in China
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NY Senate debating public ban on e-cigarettes
05/12/2014 4:20pmState lawmakers are considering whether to include electronic cigarettes in the state's indoor public smoking ban.
Illinois income tax increase vote still looming
05/12/2014 4:30pmIllinois lawmakers are expected to take on other issues this week while a vote on an income tax increase looms.
Hospital workers exposed to MERS to return to work
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Texas lawmakers tour embattled Sriracha plant
05/12/2014 4:50pmThe maker of the popular hot sauce Sriracha said Monday that he has no plans to move his contested plant out of California but would consider expanding into Texas if the Lone Star State can produce peppers as hot as the ones grown especially for him in Southern California.
Virgin America gets 2 gates at Dallas airport
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Vantiv will buy Mercury Payment Systems for $1.65B
05/12/2014 5:11pmPayment processor Vantiv said Monday that it will spend $1.65 billion to buy Mercury Payment Systems, which helps retailers process credit, debit and check payments.
FCC revising Internet rules after public backlash
05/12/2014 5:20pmFederal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler is broadening the scope of his proposed open Internet rules and suggesting tougher standards for Internet providers who wish to create paid priority fast lanes on their networks.
Study: ND oil worker death rate 6 times US average
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Budget plan extends private school choice program
05/12/2014 5:21pmA one-year extension of South Carolina's first private school tuition program appears to be coasting through the budget process this election year after a decade of GOP infighting.
Energy savings bill fails amid election politics
05/12/2014 5:50pmA widely popular, bipartisan energy savings bill fell victim in the Senate on Monday to election-year politics and the Obama administration's continued indecision on the Keystone XL oil pipeline.
Lack of charges in sacred site damage upsets some
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Bankrupt Stockton says final creditor won't budge
05/12/2014 6:20pmAn attorney for the largest city in California to seek bankruptcy protection told a judge Monday that he has tried to reach a deal with Stockton's last major creditor, but the company is not budging.
Porsche sued over crash that killed Paul Walker
05/12/2014 6:30pmThe widow of the man who was driving a Porsche sports car that crashed and killed actor Paul Walker sued the automaker on Monday, claiming design flaws caused both men to die in a fiery crash in November.
Education board OKs terms of nursing center lease
05/12/2014 6:50pmThe Rhode Island Board of Education on Monday endorsed legislation outlining the terms of a lease for a nursing education facility that is the centerpiece of a major proposed redevelopment project on the edge of downtown Providence.
Feds charge Qualcomm managers with insider trading
05/12/2014 7:30pmTwo former Qualcomm Inc. managers were criminally charged with insider trading for allegedly buying shares of a semiconductor maker before Qualcomm announced an agreement to buy the company.
Mexico's Cemex says CEO Zambrano died in Madrid
05/12/2014 8:00pmLorenzo Zambrano, who transformed Cemex SA de Mexico from a regional cement producer into a global player, died Tuesday in Spain, the company said.
Charges brought in Quebec railway disaster
05/12/2014 9:00pmThree employees and the railway company involved in last summer's massive explosion of a runaway oil train that incinerated much of a small town in Quebec, killing 47 people, will face criminal negligence charges, provincial prosecutors announced late Monday.
Small business owners still cautious, surveys find
05/12/2014 10:20pmSmall business owners are keeping a cautious approach to running their companies even as they grow more optimistic.


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City eyes demolition of Iron Horse Inn to make way for new police station
September 15, 2012
Related story
March 20, 2012: Steamboat council discusses plan to move police and fire stations
Revitalizing Yampa
The city's request Tuesday night to move the police station will be preceded by a presentation with great relevance to the cause.
An advisory board with the Urban Land Institute will present its suggestions for how to revitalize Yampa Street into a more pedestrian-friendly roadway.
A team of planners from the Urban Land Institute arrived in Steamboat in July and told Yampa Street stakeholders that a lot can be done to increase the street's vibrancy and accessibility to pedestrians.
The planners' initial ideas for the roadway ranged from the addition of new river access points, sidewalks and overhead lights fashioned after Denver's Larimer Square to better management of existing downtown parking.
City officials say the police and firefighting stations on the street create a "dead zone" that will hamper revitalization.
Revitalizing Yampa
The city's request Tuesday night to move the police station will be preceded by a presentation with great relevance to the cause.
An advisory board with the Urban Land Institute will present its suggestions for how to revitalize Yampa Street into a more pedestrian-friendly roadway.
A team of planners from the Urban Land Institute arrived in Steamboat in July and told Yampa Street stakeholders that a lot can be done to increase the street's vibrancy and accessibility to pedestrians.
The planners' initial ideas for the roadway ranged from the addition of new river access points, sidewalks and overhead lights fashioned after Denver's Larimer Square to better management of existing downtown parking.
City officials say the police and firefighting stations on the street create a "dead zone" that will hamper revitalization.
Steamboat Springs — A motel the city of Steamboat Springs once saw as a smart $5 million investment in affordable housing soon could be razed to make way for a new police station.
The demolition of the Iron Horse Inn is the first step of a new plan being presented Tuesday night to Steamboat Springs City Council that would start to move Steamboat's police and firefighting stations off Yampa Street and help jump-start a revitalization effort on the pedestrian-heavy roadway.
The proposal to replace the Iron Horse with a 15,000-square-foot police station is a departure from the city's previous request to ask voters to help fund with a property tax increase a new $19.5 million public safety complex in west Steamboat.
"We've determined the best move forward is to look at moving the police station to the Iron Horse site, and for the time being, do nothing with the fire department," Deputy City Manager Deb Hinsvark said Thursday. The Iron Horse site "is a marvelous space because it's halfway between the mountain and downtown, where a majority of our (emergency) calls come from."
Hinsvark added that it will be more cost effective for the city to build on land it already owns.
A new plan
Hinsvark estimated the project, from the demolition of the motel on South Lincoln Avenue to the construction of the police station, will cost the city no more than $7 million.
The project would be paid for by reserve funds and proceeds from the sale of the fire and police headquarters at 840 Yampa St., a building that Big Agnes has offered to purchase for $2.1 million.
Big Agnes, Honey Stinger and BAP are eyeing the property as a new headquarters that also would feature retail space.
"We're busting at the seams with five locations right now, and we're trying to get everyone under one roof," Big Agnes owner Bill Gamber said. "What a great location to put our crew. The city has a big plan for Yampa Street, and we feel like we fit in there nicely."
He said the building will allow his company to continue its growth in Steamboat and to add to the vibrancy of Yampa Street.
Gamber said that a minimum of 50 employees could work at the new headquarters and that the plan would be to convert the downstairs fire station into a retail space for BAP.
He added that his company is willing to give the city 18 months after the sale to relocate the fire department.
"If council is open to the idea, we would start moving forward on it immediately," Hinsvark said. "Let's improve Yampa Street. Let's find a new place for the police station, and let's find a better use for the property than the Iron Horse."
She said demolishing the Iron Horse also would have the benefit of eliminating future maintenance costs for the aging building.
The city purchased the Iron Horse in 2007 for about $5 million with the intent to offer its employees and others in town an affordable place to live. But the property since has become a financial liability that will continue to eat hundreds of thousands of dollars from the city's budget each year until 2032 whether it houses a motel.
Still, several City Council members are excited about the idea of getting the city out of the motel business.
A better tenant
The city's shift from finding empty land to the west of town to settling on the aging Iron Horse as a site for a police station originated with members of City Council.
City Council member Cari Hermacinski said Thursday that she wasn't sold on the city's original push to construct a new public safety campus west of downtown. She also didn't want to ask taxpayers to help share the cost.
"I think it's a terrible time to go to the community to ask for a tax increase," she said. "Businesses and families are struggling. They're living in their means, and the government can do the same."
So in June, she said she approached city staff with the idea to convert the aging Iron Horse into a police station.
But a recent review of the property by city staff and council member Scott Myller, an architect, determined it likely would cost as much to convert the Iron Horse into a police station as it would to tear it down and construct a new building.
Hermacinski and Myller have been working with city staff for months to come up with a feasible way to move the city's emergency services off Yampa Street. They both saw an opportunity in the riverfront plot of land that houses the motel.
"It's an albatross around our neck," Hermacinski said about the Iron Horse. "To convert it into a core function of government makes a lot of sense."
A motel with many names
At some budget meetings, the motel is called a heavy burden, an albatross.
Hinsvark calls it "a ticking time bomb."
City Council President Bart Kounovsky calls it "underperforming" and said Thursday that he's a fan of the city's proposal to demolish it and replace it with a police station.
But just five years ago, a different City Council saw the Iron Horse as a smart purchase of affordable housing.
The city purchased the property thinking it would be a great place to offer its employees an inexpensive place to live at a time when rentals were hard to come by.
Since the purchase, the property has been passed over as a source of housing for Colorado Mountain College students, roiled by management turnover and, at one point, infested with bedbugs.
Today, one of the buildings that makes up the 52-room Iron Horse functions like a hotel offering nightly stays while the other building offers tenants leases on a month-to-month basis.
Hinsvark said the city's debt service on the Iron Horse will average $480,000 per year until 2032 regardless of whether the motel stands or falls.
Council agreed this year to make a $330,000 debt payment on the Inn from the city's reserves.
Hinsvark added the city still owes about $5 million on the property.
If the Iron Horse is demolished, the city plans to work with adjacent property owners to create a better access to the site via Trafalgar Drive. Police then could easily access the stoplight at that street's intersection with U.S. Highway 40.
Ready to relocate
While city officials prepare to pitch the idea to City Council, Public Safety Director Joel Rae is ready for the move.
As he walked Thursday through the current police headquarters on Yampa Street, Rae pointed to several flaws in the building. He stopped at the closet his parking enforcement officer works out of. He said officers have to waste time in the winter scraping ice off the windshields of their patrol vehicles. He added that it would be great to have more space and that it would be safer for emergency vehicles to not have to navigate a pedestrian-heavy Yampa Street.
The proposed police station would increase his department's space from 6,600 square feet to 15,000. Rae said it also would be designed with increased efficiencies such as covered parking and more room for storage.
"I think it's a win-win in terms of win No. 1 being it brings us to a more central location between town and the mountain," he said about the city's proposal. "Just as important, it opens up a potential vitality on Yampa Street and improves public safety by getting emergency vehicles off of Yampa."
To reach Scott Franz, call 970-871-4210 or email email@example.com


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text:
Lionel Switches #1122 027 Gauge
- Sold for: Start Free Trial or Sign In to see what it's worth.
- Item Category: Toys, Dolls, Games & Puzzles
- Source: eBay
- Sold Date: Feb 02, 2011
- Channel: Auction House
These switches are a matched set and in great shape. I packed these away personally 30 years ago. They worked perfectly at that time so I will guarantee them 100%. NO Rust. None of the red or green lanterns are broken or cracked. The wiring is brittle with cracks and should be eventually replaced. Even the wire nuts are all original, and the original box is solid. Feel free to ask any questions or request more photos....


text:
More retailers jump on Yoga bandwagon
Publish Date: July 25, 2014
The yoga-apparel sector is intent on stretching itself still more. Discounters, department stores like Bloomingdale's and Macy's, and such specialty chains as Gap Inc.'s Athleta and VF Corp.'s Lucy are battling for market share against sector leader Lululemon. Athleta alone plans to open 100 stores over the next two years. Lululemon and Lucy have seen sales slide. In the first quarter Lululemon reported its first same-store sales decline since 2009. The chain's 2013 same-store sales growth of 2 percent lagged the overall U.S. women's-apparel market growth of 9 percent, according to NPD Group. And Lululemon is anticipating another low-to-mid-single-digit decline for the second quarter later this month. "Yes, Lulu has been a little bit off, but they were at the summit," said Mark Yale, Glimcher Realty's CFO, on an earnings call. "So their sales per square foot are still some of the highest in all of retail. The category's become very broad, and it's become more than just yoga — it's workout; it's also apparel that people wear. We see that as a very strong category that is going to grow quite a bit." Yoga retailers are even branching out into 'B' malls, whereas in the past they have targeted only high-end locations, said Chairman Michael P. Glimcher. Limited Brands has a Victoria's Secret Sport line that has been very successful at its stores in Glimcher Realty malls, Glimcher said. "Yoga wear at a lower price point than Lulu and Athleta will go into the 'B' and 'C' malls," Glimcher said. Lululemon aims to open its first men's stores in 2016 and to expand its U.S. store network over the next few years to about 270 units from 170. "We are focused on building a scalable foundation to further elevate our North American business and pursue the brand's incredible international potential," said Lululemon CEO Laurent Potdevin in a press release. "Despite a reduced outlook, I am confident that the work we are doing today will only enhance our premium positioning as we continue to lead as the market innovator."


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Did you ever stop and wonder at fate's peculiar ways? For nearly all our famous men were born on holidays — Dick Stauzion
Feb. 16 is President's Day, celebrating the birthdays of George Washington, born Feb. 22, 1732 (or Feb. 11, as some historians contend), and Abraham Lincoln, born Feb. 12, 1809.
Why the discrepancy about George's birth date? Well, it seems that back in 1752 — the last year the Mets won the pennant — Britain and its colony (America) jumped ahead 11 days to get their calendar in sync with the rest of Europe. After that, George was never entirely certain about his birth date either, or even his birth year, since the Americans also shifted New Year's Day from March 25 to Jan. 1. No wonder poor George lost all his teeth.
Great historical figures described him as "the perfect citizen (R.W. Emerson), "the purest figure in history" (W.E. Gladstone), "the best of great men" (Edward Everett), "the most virtuous" (Lafayette), "the mightiest name on earth" (Abraham Lincoln) and "I try to accrue his pictures on as many dollar bills as I can" (Alex Berger).
Although George was revered because of his accomplishments as a soldier, president and statesman, the tales of his escapades as a child also endeared him to his countrymen — er, countrypersons. One of the more popular ones was "The Cherry Tree." It was written by Parson M.L. Weems in 1800, one year after Washington's death.
This anecdote had been told to children through the years and is still vivid today. Although its veracity is challenged by many historians, there is no reason why this wonderful model of the truthful Georgie should not be held up for the admiration of children everywhere. So, readers, put on your reading glasses, gather your children around you and emote with passion as you tell them Weems' immortal story in his own, olde English words:
"When George was six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet of which, like most little boys, he was extremely fond. He went about chopping everything that came his way. One day, as he wandered about the garden, he found a beautiful young cherry tree, of which his father was most proud. He tried the edge of his hatchet on the trunk of the tree and barked it so that it died.
"Some time after this, his father discovered what had happened to his favorite tree. He came into the house in great anger and demanded to know who the mischievous person was who had cut away the bark. Just then George, with his little hatchet, came into the room. 'George,' asked his father, 'do you know who has killed my beautiful little cherry tree?' This was a hard question to answer, and for the moment, George was staggered by it, but quickly recovering himself he cried: 'I cannot tell a lie, Pa, I did cut it with my little hatchet.'
"The anger died out of his father's face, and taking the boy tenderly in his arms, he said: 'My son, that you should not be afraid to tell the truth is more to me than a thousand trees. Here are my arms, you dearest boy. Glad am I, George, that you killed my tree, for you have paid for it a thousand−fold by telling the truth.' His father then proceeded to hug little George."
Readers, that is a wonderful tale, but I must ask: What parent would give a 6−year−old boy a hatchet?
If George never told a lie, how did he get elected twice? And how come so many places claim he slept there? I guess it was easier to be truthful since there was no IRS to lie to.
Now a word about Abraham Lincoln, who once said, "A woman is the only thing I am afraid of that I know will never hurt me." Abe, luckily you never ran into Rosie O'Donnell.
He was born in a log cabin and rose to be the 16th president. He fought a horrific Civil War, which cost more lives on both sides of the battle than any American war since, to free the country's blacks from slavery.
When news arrived of the South's imminent surrender, the military band began to play "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" in victory. Lincoln stopped them and requested they instead play "Dixie," the theme of the South. Barack Obama, take note.
Here in the presence of Washington and Lincoln, one the 18th century father and the other the 19th century preserver of our nation, we honor those 20th and 21st century Americans who took up the struggle and made the sacrifices to perpetuate the gift our forefathers entrusted to us: a nation conceived in freedom.
Contact Alex Berger at news@times
©2009 Community News Group
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