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Archive for December, 2013
Did The Future Begin in 1980?
I thought it might be fun to do an end of 2013 post on the "future". However, as I looked for interesting graphics about the current world and where we might be headed, it occurred to me that the future as we know it (and as it is likely to emerge) really started in about 1980. Here are some examples:
1. Obesity
The US in specific (and the world in general) is fatter than ever. This trend started in the US in about 1980 and other countries are now "catching up".
About the same time sugar consumption started to increase as well above levels that had been stable from about 1920-1980. This has largely been due to high fructose corn sweetners. Some argue that this increased sugar consumption is "the cause" of the obesity epidemic. The view I favor is that it is emblematic of rise in processed food and calorie consumption, more screen time, and less physical activity.
Speaking of screen time, below is a graph that shows the rise in consumer electronics over the last 30 plus years. Like obesity rates and sugar consumption, things started to change about 1980.
2. Smoking
While obesity, too much processed food, and ever more screen time there are making us less healthy there is at least some good news – smoking rates are at an all-time low. There was some downward movement in the 70s, but things really started to drop in about 1980.
3. It's the Economy Stupid
The big things you hear about related to the economy focus on things like income inequality, globalization and the loss of manufacturing jobs in the US. Again, none of this is new and if you look at the chart below you see that the fraction of total income (red line) going to people in the top 1% has doubled since about 1980.
The next chart shows what has happened to China's economy since 1980.
US manufacturing jobs trended upwards in the post WW2 era until about 1980 and have since declined pretty dramatically. The next chart shows the total number of manufacturing jobs in thousands.
For those who seek a single cause for the rise income inequality it would is easy to make a simple conclusion that income inequality was "caused" by either globalization or the loss of manufacturing jobs since 1980. However, like obesity, the cause has probably been multifactorial but it is hard to believe that globalization and loss of manufacturing jobs were not major contributors. It is also interesting to think about the effects of the electronic environment on jobs as machines and computers do more and more things.
4. The Future of The Future?
So perhaps the future is a fatter, screen time driven world with more economic disparity. Or maybe there is nothing new and that version of the future has been with us since about 1980? The one new trend that will have a both a national and world wide impact (at least as big as the seven charts above) is the aging of population. The final chart shows the ratio of people over 65 to the number of people between 15 and 65 in the US. Things start to take off in about 2010 as the baby boom generation starts to hit retirement age.
Look at the chart and ask yourself what will the world look like when there are more older than younger people? Will the pension and medical care costs caused by aging bankrupt whole countries? Is a rise in the retirement age unavoidable as a result of this new demographic reality? What constitutes "fair" for government spending and tax policies? The first seven charts are a look back and what they report was probably unanticipated by most people in 1980. The final chart shows a trend that will almost certainly happen and that we need to prepare for.
Statins, 23andMe, and Personalized Medicine
What opinion leaders in biomedical research were thinking 20 or 30 years ago seems pretty remote from the news last month that the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association released new guidelines on statin therapy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It also seems pretty remote from the more recent news that the FDA told the genetic screening company 23andME to suspend their direct to consumer health related genetics testing and advice. At first glance these two stories are unrelated, but bear with me while I make the case that both stories are fundamentally about the limitations of something called personalized medicine and the routine use of genetic testing to customize therapy for individual patients.
Statin Guidelines
The net effect of the guidelines is to recommend that far more apparently healthy people be treated with statins to prevent cardiovascular disease. The new guidelines have been controversial from the start and criticized for reasons including: 1) what data and studies were used to develop the guidelines, 2) the accuracy of the calculator used to estimate who is at what risk and in need of treatment, and 3) the deemphasizing of cholesterol monitoring to adjust therapy. There was also yapping about links between some of the guideline writers with the pharmaceutical industry and just the confusion associated with changing recommendations on how commonly used drugs should be used. What most people fail to realize when they read about the next best medical thing is that medical evidence and recommendations shift and change over time. In a recent review of how medical evidence changes more than a third of what is considered state of the art underwent significant challenge or revision over 10 years. So the fact that the new statin guidelines are controversial and why they are controversial is not surprising.
Direct to Consumer Genetics Testing
23andMe was essentially banned from offering to direct consumer information about disease risk based on genetic testing. The main concerns outlined by the FDA relate to the basic validity and reliability of the testing, how assessments of risk were being communicated to the consumer, and the unpredictable nature of how a consumer might respond to a "positive" test. For common non-communicable diseases (the stuff the kills most of us like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and many forms of cancer) there are hundreds of gene variants that put people at increased risk. However the increased risk for each variant is typically tiny and pales in comparison to behavioral risks much of the population engages in. In reality no one really has a good handle on the real risk associated with most gene variants and there is much less insight into how they should influence medical decision making. The other dirty little secret here is that it has been difficult to replicate risk variants across studies, and for a number of diseases the gene variant profiles are the same in people with and without the clinical disease. There are also the predictable issues of what findings in one ethnic group might mean in a different group.
Not so Fast: The Statin 23andME Link
Sometime in the 1980s or early 90s the idea took hold that if we simply knew enough about the individual genetic profile of each person that we would be able to customize drug therapy in specific and medical therapy in general to better treat, predict, and prevent a wide variety of disease. Most prominent academic medical centers now have huge programs based on this basic proposition. The FDA's message to 23andME can be viewed as a "not so fast" message. Whoever is doing the testing, there is a lot left to learn before personalized medicine might really make a difference for most people seeking advice from most Drs. for most of what ails us.
In this context, the statin guidelines say the same thing the FDA did by what they don't recommend. Instead of recommending that statin therapy be tailored based on each patients genetic profile and cholesterol level, they advocate use of a generic risk calculator derived from decades old epidemiology studies and then largely abandon the idea that it is important to follow how the drugs affect cholesterol levels. Maybe the next step is simply putting statins in the water.
As far as personalized medicine in general goes, research might ultimately get us to a genetically based diagnostic and therapeutic promised land. However, don't be surprised if personalized medicine based on your individual genetic profiles ends up becoming the biomedical version of atomic fusion, an attractive idea that just can't quite get there for most diseases.
Sleep & Health
The usual article on sleep and health focuses on how we are all sleep deprived and the bad things this does to us. The story is pretty simple: chronic low grade sleep deprivation leads to systemic inflammation, weight gain, excessive eating, and hormonal changes that are associated with all sorts of long term health issues. The drowsiness also leads to poor judgment, more accidents, more eating and other shorter term issues. This is all being made worse as technology ranging from artificial lighting to smartphones that make our days longer and longer. Many of us then get up earlier and jump start the day with a mega dose of caffeine.
The epidemiologists tell us that 7-8 hours per day of sleep is the optimal health sweet spot for most of us. People who routinely get by on 5-6 hours of sleep have about 1.5 times the relative risk of death from coronary heart disease. Interestingly, the risk is about 1.4 times for those who sleep a lot:
"Too little or too much sleep are associated with adverse health outcomes, including total mortality, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, respiratory disorders, obesity in both children and adults, and poor self-rated health. The relationship between duration of sleep and vascular events is U-shaped, suggesting that different mechanisms may operate at either end of the distribution of sleep duration."
If you are worried that you are getting either too little or too much sleep there are some simple steps you can take that work for most people to promote better quality sleep. Highlights include:
- Avoid napping
- Limit the use of (caffeine) to earlier in the day
- Morning exercise
- Avoid large meals before bedtime
- Get adequate exposure to natural light
- Establish a bedtime routine
- Use your bed for sleeping as opposed to reading and watching TV
- Make where you sleep a comfortable place
As a result primarily of the obesity epidemic there is also an epidemic of sleep disturbed breathing. There is a simple questionnaire that can help determine if you have the problem and need medical follow-up.
Sleep & Exercise Performance
What about short term sleep deprivation and exercise performance? What happens when you have a competition and only get four hours of sleep the night before? What if you are in a multi-day event with little time for sleep? Many of the studies on this topic are from the 1980s and 90s and they tend to show that even 30 hours of total sleep deprivation does not do much to VO2max. Studies on longer term submaximal exercise are limited but they tend to show exercise time to exhaustion is reduced but with some subjects effected far more than others. One general finding appears to be that people rate whatever they are doing as harder to do when sleep deprived.
An interesting source of data on exercise performance and sleep deprivation comes for the literature on physical conditioning and military Special Forces. These individuals frequently do very demanding night operations for several nights in a row with limited opportunities for daytime sleep. In a series of Canadian studies that simulated several days of night operations, caffeine (1-200 mg) improved run time, cognitive performance, and marksmanship.
Another interesting idea is that recovery from days in a row of vigorous activity with short sleep can be enhanced by protein supplementation. There is a lot of discussion in military nutrition circles about 20-25 gms of protein before sleep during periods of high stress physical activity. The idea is that muscle mass will be better preserved during periods of physical stress, sleep deprivation, and limited calorie intake. It would be interesting to know if professional cyclists are adopting similar strategies during the big stage races.
Closing Thought
As part of my medical training I have probably spent more time than most people both working and working out while sleep deprived. There are short term strategies to deal with it, but sleep deprivation is no fun and my goal in middle age is to avoid it as much as possible. Advice that is easier to give but harder to act on in our high strung world.
A Deep Dive & Risk
Last weekend there was a "60 Minutes" segment on the emerging sport of free diving. That plus the death of free diver Nicholas Mevoli got me thinking about risk and extreme sports. When things like this happen sometimes I get calls from the press and almost always my physician colleagues want to know "why anyone would try these things?" Here are the ideas I cover in response to that question.
The Power of a Subculture
People who attempt to set extreme records or push themselves to the limit are usually part of an extreme and somewhat closed subculture. Their friends and peer group share an intense interest in an activity and it becomes literally what they eat, breath and dream about. A question like "how are you today?" from a casual friend or co-worker is frequently answered with something like "pretty good, I did a hard 15 mile run first thing this morning, we will see how the 10 miler this afternoon goes." This might be seen as an odd response in the real world, but totally normal in an extreme athletic subculture.
That sort of dialogue is an example from running but similar discussions can be had with those who are really committed to just about anything. If you have never been part of an extreme athletic subculture three books that describe them in detail are "Muscle", "Once a Runner", and the recent the "Secret Race" by Tour de France rider Tyler Hamilton. So, there is plenty of social reinforcement to "go for it" from the subcultures that people who are committed live in.
My Neurotransmitters Made Me Do It
One of the hallmarks of traditional addiction is the need to use ever more external stimulus to get the same satisfaction from whatever you are addicted too. Traditional addiction to drugs rewires brain circuitry and neurochemistry to make this happen and there is evidence that gambling can do the same thing to susceptible individuals. For many a peak and intense athletic experience is sometimes followed by a letdown as the excitement associated with the planning, training, and anticipation of the big event vanish afterward. The obvious solution to this problem is to find an incremental challenge and start the whole process again. Parallels with gambling seem appropriate here and when you mix what is happening in the brain with the right subculture it is pretty easy to see how the need to do ever more extreme things happens.
The Environment
A lot of disasters and deaths occur in extreme environments. Think altitude, diving, hot and cold. There are tremendous physiological adaptations that can be activated both acutely and in response to training that help us do more or go longer in extreme environments, but when things fail they can fail catastrophically. There is a quote about bankruptcy from the "Sun Also Rises" by Earnest Hemingway that applies to physiological responses to extreme challenges:
"How did you go bankrupt? Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly."
A classic example of this is watching soldiers faint while at attention on a hot day or seeing a patient respond to potentially life threatening blood loss. If you were to measure the vital signs they would be pretty normal until just before loss of consciousness when there is a sudden drop in blood pressure. When this happens many of the physiological systems that are compensating for the challenges of not enough blood returning to the heart fail essentially at the same time. You can tell a similar story about catastrophic physiological failure in response to other severe stresses as well. So, people feel OK until they don't and in extreme environments the distance between OK and death is not that far.
You Are On Your Own
Of the people injured in the Boston Marathon bombing essentially everyone who made it to the hospital alive survived. This is one of the main lessons from military combat casualty care for civilian medicine. Extreme sports take place in extreme environments distant from the types of comprehensive medical care that make an incredible array of injuries and illnesses survivable especially in young otherwise healthy patients. Other things that come to mind are the availability (or lack thereof) of specific equipment and logistical support needed to do challenging things in a safer way. Getting a lot of hardware and a support crew to a remote location is challenging and sometimes there might be a temptation to try to do more with less.
Risk Amplifies
Extreme environments, the limits of physiology, and logistical issues are all risks but they are all amplified by poor judgment. I like to tell people that taking four 3% risks at the same time doesn't mean you have a 12% risk of failure. Instead the risk is more like 3x3x3x3 or 81%. This is a theoretical example but things really do seem to multiply while doing extreme things in extreme environments. Time and time again you hear about people choosing to push it just a bit more prior to a disaster.
I Am All For It
Based on the observations above you might think I oppose people taking on extreme challenges in fact I am all for it. Back in 2011 when Diana Niad was attempting to swim from Cuba to Florida I commented to PBS that questions about "why" do it
"miss the point, at some level, you've got to admire anybody who wants to test the limits of human potential in general, and her own limits, in specific…It's a good thing we're not all average."
That having been said, I just want people to understand what they are getting into and avoid getting sucked up by their subculture and neurochemistry into challenges they are not prepared for in truly unforgiving environments.
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|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Oct 26, 1999
|Filing date
|May 21, 1997
|Priority date
|May 21, 1997
|Fee status
|Publication number
|Bohdan Lew Bodnar
|Original Assignee
|Lucent Technologies Inc.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (3), Referenced by (53), Classifications (6), Legal Events (10)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This invention relates to the field of telephone switching, and, more specifically, to a distributed, virtual caching system which is suitable for switch-external database query control that provides rapid response for frequent database queries.
Being "in touch" has become an increasingly important for some people, i.e., doctors, business executives, attorneys, etc., who have a strong need to be reached wherever they are. Many of these people have a telephone for business, a telephone for home, a mobile cellular telephone for the car, and/or a transportable telephone that can be carried around when not near one of the other telephones. Additionally, some professionals have multiple offices with a telephone in each office. Some work at home in conjunction with an office at a business location for when they are on premises with at least one telephone at each location. In the past, all of these telephones generally had different telephone numbers. As a result, a caller had to know or look up multiple telephone numbers and frequently had to make multiple calls in order to reach a person.
One solution to such problems is a so-called "follow me" service in which the user is assigned one number, i.e., 700-555-1234, and the call can be routed to the current location of the user. In such services, the switch, in response to the 700 number, send a query to a centralized database over a signaling network where the user registers his or her current telephone number. The switch, in response to receiving the current telephone number, can then route the call.
Additionally, local number portability (that is, a person being able to use one telephone number regardless of where they are located) causes additional queries to such localized databases where number portability information is kept. In this scenario, a call is made to a destination directory number, and the call is routed accordingly. However, at the end office where the call would normally be delivered, a determination is made that the call is to be delivered elsewhere. At this point, the destination switch makes a query to a centralized database to find the real destination for the telephone call.
Such use of centralized databases has been adequate in the past for services such as "800" services wherein the call volume has not been overwhelming. However, as more and more services use centralized databases in order to route calls, both the signaling network and the service nodes where these databases are located are becoming more congested with queries. Therefore, a problem in the art is that there is no system and method for achieving rapid response to such database queries.
This problem is solved and a technical advance is achieved in the art by a system and method for caching frequently called numbers so that call delivery time is shortened and the signaling network and service nodes are not overloaded by telephone number queries. Such results are achieved in, for example, a distributed control switching system wherein each processor that performs digit analysis includes an area of memory. This area of memory is used as a cache to store directory number translation information. In such a system, when a call arrives for a specified directory number (DN), if, after standard translation, the call cannot be normally routed, then the cache is consulted to determine whether the destination for that DN is in the cache. If it is, then the call is routed to the destination associated with the DN. If, however, the DN is not in the local cache, then a query is sent to one or more other units in the switch which may contain such caches in order to determine if these caches contain the destination. This "distributed" query is still faster than querying a centralized database because all data queries throughout the switch are carried out in parallel. Thus, a large cache can be searched more rapidly than by sending a signaling message through the signaling network to a service node then back through the signaling network.
Advantageously, there may be a further cache, or level-two cache resident in a central location in the system. If the distributed caches (level one) do not have the required data, then the level-two cache is searched. If the data is not found in either the level-one or the level-two cache, then a service node data search may be initiated.
A more complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a switching network configuration, employing an exemplary embodiment of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a flow chart describing a method according to this invention as used in the switching network of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a flow chart describing a specific example of the operation of this invention in the context of the switching network of FIG. 1.
This invention will be described in connection with a telephone switching system, as illustrated in FIG. 1, but the application of this method is much broader. For example, a caching system according to this invention may be used in a general purpose, program controlled computer network or in multiple parallel processing.
An exemplary method for a distributed virtual cache is described herein in the context of the telephone switching network configuration of FIG. 1, having two central office switches 100 and 170, an inter switch signaling network 175 (e.g. a common channel signaling CCS7 network) and illustrative communications stations including telephone station sets 21, 22, 23, and 172. Switches 100 and 170 are interconnected by the public switched telephone network 26, which may include intermediate switches.
Illustratively, switches 100 and 170 may be a distributed control analog or digital switch, such as a 5ESS� switch manufactured by Lucent Technologies and described in the AT&T Technical Journal, v.64, No. 6, July-August, 1985, pp. 1303-1564. Illustratively, switch 100 includes a plurality of switch modules (SMs) 110, 120, 130, each associated with a different set of telephone station sets or trunks. Each SM includes a control unit 111-121 for controlling connections to and from its associated telephone station sets or trunks. Switching module 110, for example, includes control unit 111 for controlling connections to and from telephone station sets 11 and 15. Switching module 120 includes control unit 121 for controlling connections to and from telephone station set 23.
Each control unit 111, 121 comprises a processor 115, 125 and memory 116, 126, respectively. Each memory 116, 126 includes a cache 117, 127 according to this exemplary embodiment of this invention, wherein processors 115, 125 store, for example, redirected telephone numbers.
The architecture of switch 100 includes communication module (CM) 150 as a hub, with switching modules 100, 120, and 130, and administrative module (AM) 160 emanating therefrom. To complete the description of switch 100, communications module 150 acts as a switch fabric for communication among switch modules and the administrative module 160. AM 160 provides coordination of functional components of switch 100 and human-machine interface. Switch 170 is shown connected to a telephone station set 172 for purposes of illustration. Signaling network 175 includes service node 180 attached thereto, for providing lookup tables for alternate routing, etc.
In an exemplary embodiment according to this invention, telephones 11 and 15 are used, for example, co-workers. The user of telephone 15 travels frequently and, thus, subscribes to a "follow me" type service. In this example, when the user of telephone 11 dials the number of the user telephone 15, i.e., 700 555-2000, under normal circumstances, when the processor 115 in control unit 111 of switch module 110 performs the lookup in the office dialing plan and sees the 700 prefix, it would communicate the received telephone number, i.e., 700 555-2000 and send that as a query message through communication module 115 to administration module 160. Administration module 160 sends a message through signaling network 175 to service node 180 where such translations reside. Service node 100 performs a lookup in its table and determines that the number is currently set to 555-2222. This information is routed back through signaling network 250, AM 160, CM 150, ultimately to processor 115, which then causes a connection to be made between telephone 11 and telephone 15. According to an exemplary embodiment of this invention, instead of switch module sending a message to service node 260 immediately, it first makes an inquiry in cache 117. If the number is relatively frequently dialed, as it would be in this instance, then the DN is found in cache 117 and, thus, the translation may be made more quickly and the call completed more rapidly than if a query is sent through the signaling.
Further supposing the user of telephone 23 to be another co-worker, if the user of telephone 23 desires to contact the user of telephone 15, a call is placed wherein processor 125 uses the same dialing plan as processor 115. In this instance, processor 125 will query cache 127 to determine if the alternate number is there. Supposing that the number is not there, then processor 125 will send a message through communication module 150 to all switch modules (110 and 130 in this example). Switch modules 110 and 130 will review their own caches to determine if that number is present. In this example, the number is kept in cache 117 and switch module 110 sends the number to processor 125, which then can complete the call to telephone 15. If the user of telephone 23 contacts the user of telephone 15 frequently, then the number may also be moved into cache 127.
Furthermore, if the user of telephone 15 moves to telephone 172 and registers a new number with service node 180, the users of telephones 11 and 23 may still quickly contact the user of telephone 172. As the special number is dialed, the number will eventually move into cache 117 then possibly into cache 127, thus causing a connection from either telephone 11 or 23 through PSTN 26, to switch 170, and ultimately to telephone 172.
In this scenario, the first time the user of telephone 11 calls the special number, a message will be sent through signaling network 175 to service node 180, as is known in the art. However, further calls will cause the number to be cached in cache 117. Thus, this invention provides a two-level caching system for rapidly connecting telephones without having to send messages through signaling networks to service nodes for the most frequently dialed numbers.
This exemplary embodiment, the algorithm used to update the cache may be any algorithm known in the art. However, it is preferred that the first in, first out FIFO algorithm not be used because this will cause the cache to be constantly updated which, of course, defeats the purpose. For example, a "least recently used" algorithm may be employed. In this algorithm, the cached item that is referenced the least is replaced by a new item. This algorithm ensures that frequently called numbers remain cache-resident. To ensure coherency further, the cache entries may be periodically erased, thus forcing a cache miss on all local levels and forcing an update from the central database.
Turning now to FIG. 2, flow diagram of the hierarchical nature of the database search is shown. Processing starts in circle 200 and proceeds to decision diamond 202. In decision diamond 202, a determination is made if the destination directory number (DN) is found in the switch. If it is, then processing proceeds to box 204, where the call is processed normally. If the DN is not in the switch, then processing proceeds to decision diamond 206 where a determination is made if the DN is in the local cache. If the DN is in the local cache, then processing continues to box 208 where the call is routed to the new destination.
If, in decision diamond 206, the DN was not in the primary cache, then processing continues to action box 210, where a broadcast message is sent to all caches within the system. In this exemplary embodiment, a broadcast message would be sent via communication module 150, to switch modules 120 and 130. Processing then proceeds to decision diamond 212 where a determination is made if a response has been received from another cache. This could include setting a timer for waiting for a predetermined period of time or actually waiting for a "yes" response from any of the caches. If a hit is found in one of the caches, then the call is routed to the destination per action box 208.
If, in decision diamond 212 there is no further response from the other caches, then a message is sent to the service node as is known in the art in action box 214. The information is used to update the local cache and then the call is routed to destination 208 in action box 208 and processing ends in circle 216.
FIG. 3 describes a flow chart describing a specific example of the operation of the preferred embodiment of this invention in the context of the switching network of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 comprises FIGS. 3a, 3b, and 3c. For purposes of this example, assume that there are two switch modules, 110 and 120. Further, assume that there is a memory and a cache in communication module 150 providing a secondary, or level-two, cache. Finally, assume that the database in service node 180 is the main database. If a call originates in switch module 110, a query 300 is made. As a first step in such a query, a decision is made in decision diamond 302 whether the number was found in the cache. If there was a cache miss in decision diamond 302, then processing proceeds to action box 304 where the query is broadcast to all SMs. In decision diamond 306, a determination is made, after a predetermined period of time, whether there was a response from any of the other SMs. If there were a response in decision diamond 306, then the SM 110 cache is updated with information in action box 308.
A call is then placed to the number returned in the response. If this call is determined to be not successfully routed, in decision diamond 310 (as it would be, for example, if the user were no longer at that particular phone or the entry was bad), then processing proceeds to action box 312. In action box 312, the entry is marked as being bad and in action box 314, a message is sent to SM 120 to also mark its entry bad, in box 314. In box 316, SM 120 marks the entry bad, and in box 318, SM 120 sends a message to the CMP. In action box 320, if the level one (L1) cache entries match the CMP's cache data, the CMP marks its cache data as also being bad. Finally, processing ends in circle 322.
If, in decision diamond 302, there were a cache hit in SM 110, then processing proceeds through connector A to FIG. 3B. The call is processed using the number found in the cache in action box 324. A determination is made in decision diamond 326 whether the call was successfully completed. If the call were not successfully completed then the cache entry is marked as being bad in action box 332 and a message is sent in action box 334 to CMP 150. Processing then proceeds to connector D to FIG. 3A, action box 320.
If, in decision diamond 306 there is no response to the broadcast message from the other SM, then processing proceeds through connector B to FIG. 3C. In FIG. 3C, processing starts with a query to CMP's 150 cache in action box 336. A determination is made in decision diamond 338 whether the data is found in the CMP 150. If it is, then the cache in SM 110 is updated with the information from CMP 150 in action box 344. The call is then processed in action box 346.
If the call is not completed successfully, as determined in decision diamond 348, then the entry in SM 110 is marked bad in action box 350. SM 110 then sends the information to SMP 150 in action box 352, and in action box 354 the CMP marked its data as being bad. Processing is now completed at 356.
If, in decision diamond 338, the data is not found in CMP 150, then a query is sent in action box 340, to service node 180. When service node 180 responds, the CMP and SM caches are both updated in action box 342 and processing proceeds to connector A, as described above (FIG. 3B). If in decision diamonds 310 (FIG. 3A), 348 (FIG. 3C), or 326 (FIG. 3B) there is successful call completion, then the cache entry is updated (in action box 328) to indicate that a successful hit was found on the last call attempt, and processing ends at 330.
It is to be understood that the above-described embodiment is merely an illustrative principle of the invention and that many variations may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of this invention. It is, therefore, intended that such variations be included within the scope of the claims.
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|Jun 24, 2008
|Sap Ag
|Updating data in a multi-system network that utilizes asynchronous message transfer
|Jul 6, 2004
|Sep 2, 2008
|Sybase, Inc.
|Database system providing methodology for extended memory support
|Jan 30, 2003
|Oct 20, 2009
|Symantec Corporation
|Method and apparatus for determining the order of streaming modules
|Jun 14, 2001
|May 17, 2011
|Oracle International Corporation
|Redirection of misses in queryable caches
|Aug 26, 2009
|Jan 3, 2012
|Symantec Operating Corporation
|Method and apparatus for determining compatibility between a virtualized application and a base environment
|Sep 26, 2007
|May 15, 2012
|Verizon New York Inc.
|Dialing plan removal
|Jan 29, 2010
|Oct 16, 2012
|Symantec Corporation
|Endpoint virtualization aware backup
|Jul 19, 2005
|Dec 11, 2012
|Attachmate Corporation
|Applet embedded cross-platform caching
|Aug 3, 2009
|Jan 8, 2013
|Symantec Corporation
|Streaming an application install package into a virtual environment
|Aug 3, 2009
|Feb 26, 2013
|Symantec Corporation
|Method of virtualizing file extensions in a computer system by determining an association between applications in virtual environment and a file extension
|Aug 31, 2009
|May 7, 2013
|Symantec Corporation
|Method of using an encapsulated data signature for virtualization layer activation
|Sep 14, 2009
|Jun 4, 2013
|Symantec Corporation
|Low bandwidth streaming of application upgrades
|Aug 28, 2009
|Jun 25, 2013
|Symantec Corporation
|Management of actions in multiple virtual and non-virtual environments
|Jul 27, 2010
|Jul 23, 2013
|Symantec Corporation
|Method and system for creation of streamed files on-demand
|Jan 14, 2010
|Oct 22, 2013
|Symantec Corporation
|Method to spoof data formats from image backups
|Jun 24, 2013
|Sep 2, 2014
|Symantec Corporation
|Rule-based virtualization
|Nov 28, 2012
|Dec 23, 2014
|Novell, Inc.
|Applet embedded cross-platform caching
|Jun 30, 2009
|Dec 30, 2014
|Symantec Corporation
|Data protection requirements specification and migration
|Dec 30, 2000
|Jul 4, 2002
|Itzik Artzi
|Network streaming of multi-application program code
|Jun 11, 2003
|Oct 23, 2003
|Smith Erik Richard
|System and method for routing database requests to a database and a cache
|Aug 1, 2003
|Feb 3, 2005
|Kraft Frank Michael
|Computer-implemented method and system to support in developing a process specification for a collaborative process
|Aug 1, 2003
|Feb 3, 2005
|Kraft Frank Michael
|Computer-implemented method and system to support in developing a process specification for a collaborative process
|Aug 1, 2003
|Feb 3, 2005
|Kraft Frank Michael
|Computer-implemented method of, and system for, messaging in a computer network
|Aug 15, 2003
|Feb 17, 2005
|Joachim Kenntner
|Quality of service in asynchronous message transfer
|Dec 2, 2003
|Jun 2, 2005
|Kraft Frank M.
|Updating and maintaining data in a multi-system network using asynchronous message transfer
|Dec 2, 2003
|Jun 2, 2005
|Kraft Frank M.
|Updating data in a multi-system network that utilizes asynchronous message transfer
|Jan 29, 2004
|Aug 4, 2005
|Lucent Technologies Inc.
|Storing query results to reduce number portability queries in wireless network
|Jul 6, 2004
|Sep 1, 2005
|Sybase, Inc.
|Database System Providing Methodology for Extended Memory Support
|Jun 1, 2004
|Jan 5, 2006
|Kraft Frank M
|Updating data in a multi-system network that utilizes asynchronous message transfer
|Jul 19, 2005
|Mar 2, 2006
|Wrq, Inc.
|Applet embedded cross-platform caching
|Apr 29, 2005
|Nov 2, 2006
|Stefan Kircher
|Transmission of messages related to electronic documents
|Sep 26, 2007
|Mar 26, 2009
|Verizon New York Inc.
|Dialing plan removal
|Aug 3, 2009
|Feb 3, 2011
|James Sanders
|Streaming An Application Install Package Into A Virtual Environment
|Jan 7, 2005
|Aug 3, 2005
|Lucent Technologies Inc.
|Storing query results to reduce number portability queries in wireless network
|U.S. Classification
|379/220.01, 379/201.01, 379/219
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|May 21, 1997
Owner name: LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES INC., NEW JERSEY
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:BODNAR, BOHDAN LEW;REEL/FRAME:008592/0885
Effective date: 19970521
|Apr 5, 2001
Owner name: THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, AS COLLATERAL AGENT, TEX
Free format text: CONDITIONAL ASSIGNMENT OF AND SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS;ASSIGNOR:LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES INC. (DE CORPORATION);REEL/FRAME:011722/0048
Effective date: 20010222
|Apr 2, 2003
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Dec 6, 2006
Owner name: LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES INC., NEW JERSEY
Free format text: TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS;ASSIGNOR:JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK), AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT;REEL/FRAME:018590/0047
Effective date: 20061130
|Mar 30, 2007
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|Apr 21, 2011
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 12
|Mar 7, 2013
Owner name: CREDIT SUISSE AG, NEW YORK
Free format text: SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ALCATEL-LUCENT USA INC.;REEL/FRAME:030510/0627
Effective date: 20130130
|Jan 17, 2014
Owner name: SOUND VIEW INNOVATIONS, LLC, NEW JERSEY
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:ALCATEL LUCENT;REEL/FRAME:032086/0016
Effective date: 20131223
|Mar 27, 2014
Owner name: ALCATEL-LUCENT USA INC., NEW JERSEY
Free format text: RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:CREDIT SUISSE AG;REEL/FRAME:032537/0133
Effective date: 20131223
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Owner name: ALCATEL-LUCENT USA INC., NEW JERSEY
Free format text: RELEASE BY SECURED PARTY;ASSIGNOR:CREDIT SUISSE AG;REEL/FRAME:033949/0531
Effective date: 20140819

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Winter 2010 Issue
Jack Elliot Myers
November 29, 1941 – November 23, 2009
Trying to capture a life and a spirit on a page is daunting, especially when that life belonged to a friend, mentor, and poet of incisive humorand stunning sensitivity. It was our hope that the many voices in this issue of Jack's friends, colleagues, former students, and fellow seekers would help those who never knew him to understand how deeply we have been touched by his passing. To learn about Jack's life and his extensive contributions to the literary world, please go to www.thewritersgarret.org.
Our Winter 2010 Issue features poetry by Harriet Sohmers Zwerling, Carol Westberg, Leslie Ullman, Daniel Nathan Terry, Bruce Spang, Christopher Soden, Betsy Sholl, Christopher Russell, Suzanne Rhodenbaugh, Naomi Shihab Nye, B.Z. Niditch, Ariana Nash, Jack Myers, Daryl Morazzini, Jim McGarrah, Michael Macklin, Sandee Lyles, Joanne Lowery, Sydney Lea, Richard Jackson, Norbert Hirschhorn, Alexander Etheridge, Patrick Dillon, Brad Davis, Mark Cox, Paul Christensen, W.E. Butts, Andrea Blancas, Robin Behn, Ralph Angel and Marian Aitches. With artwork by Stephen Koharian and Jessica Goldfinch. Reviews by Michael Macklin and Meghan Cadwallader.


text:
It's the Little Things That Count
This series provides tiny details to add into a campaign setting that can help add character. The series tries to look at all the little things in life that we rarely think about when it comes to designing worlds. These little things are what truly describe the world and its goings-on.


text:
Emporia State University softball ranking
Think about what career is best suited for you, and where you want to study. Request more information now.
Think about what career is best suited for you, and where you want to study. Request more information now.
Think about what career is best suited for you, and where you want to study. Request more information now.
Find information about Emporia State University softball ranking, and registering for elective seminars and discussion sections. Not all recruiting is done like NCAA Division I teams. College coaches like to watch video of real games. If you are interested in playing college sports, make a highlight film of your high school games, ready to send to coaches once you begin recruitment. Alternatively, post your videos online, for greater exposure. Finally, check with your major department for assistance with prerequisites, tuition payment deadlines, and Emporia State University Softball information. Please use the form above to request admissions info for Emporia State University.
Stay in great shape, even through the off-season. Being physically fit includes knowing about nutrition, staying healthy, and not overworking your body before big games. Practice the basics, over and over, especially targeting skills related to your position. Become a super-specialist, and you'll always find your place on an athletic team. Keep your eyes on the ball, and sacrifice your body if you must, but don't drop the ball.
Watch the ball all the way into your hands, and get a good initial grip. Your sixth sense needs to be developed to stay aware of other players at the same time. Follow the advice that college coaches give you, and it will make a big difference in how you play. That's because most college coaching staff were star players at some point in their careers. The University of Buenos Aires cross country team may encourage student-athletes to apply via early decision. Students who are considering applying via early decision should be aware of the rules and obligations that this commitment entails. Beyond consideration for Emporia State University softball ranking, you may think about Ohio Northern University symposium for complementary electives to your primary course of study.
Program Leader - Middle School Basketball Coach
ICES Education
Develop engaging planning guides for basketball. Program Leaders act as a positive adult role model, coach and mentor to the program students.
2 days ago Personal Trainer | Group Fitness Instructor
GoTRIBE Fitness Westside
This produces the most effective, state of the art personal training program based on the 4 cornerstones of fitness. Certified Personal Trainer.
7 hours ago Certified Personal Trainer
Your Time Fitness
Our Trainers make on average over $25 per hour for paid clients . We provide plenty of pre qualified personal training leads for our trainers.
3 days ago In-Home Personal Trainer
Svetness Fitness and Nutrition
Current CPR, Liability Insurance preferred (or must be willing to obtain). Personal Training Certification, High school diploma or general education degree.
1 day ago Athletic Equipment Specialist/Driver
Irvine Valley College
Replace basketball, volleyball and tennis nets; Work closely with coaches and instructors to make sure events run smoothly.
3 days ago


text:
|( 4 upvotes )
|Better get out the Vaeline now, you're a** is mine!!!!
|I hate typos :(
|I would usually lure with candies and puppies, but Culos is a "special" individual. So, I have p*** and booze. Roses are red and violets are blue. This is Chloreroum, now get in my car.
|Where is the Admiral when culos needs him?!? This MUST be a trap!!
|Jesus...get a room (a small room with bad lighting and a web cam teddy bear) And then post it to Naughtyfake.
|If you promise to keep your moobs to yourself and there is no indecent fumbling then by all means: HUG!
|Man hug? Come on, hug it out with me. It's not Man Love Thursday, so you're safe.
|I have served for America on separate occasions. And personally, we should send little Haj into the ring with these guys. That would be entertaining. So, if we are going to use semantics, Entertainment fighters vs Entertainment fighting actors. Fair?
|That does not take away that the wrestlers are taking hits and get hurt, all I'm saying is that to me that's not real even though it may feel real to them
|( 17 upvotes )
|( 22 upvotes )
|No way you crazy devil, own up, this looks like the building you work at because you work there....
|Now that looks like some of the work that was done before at the apartment complex i work at
|( 42 upvotes )
|That's what that bright flash was in new york, I thought it might have been Fox News admitting Glenn Beck is retarded.
|makes me miss watching Red October every Christmas lol
|Looks like the 'Dmitriy Donskoy'. I think that it's in the Zapadnaya Litsa Base. Not bad. I give this 5 Lions.
|Well done mate.., this is superb..!! 5 missing lions for you...
|( 24 upvotes )
|No... Trigger... Discipline...
|Knock-off real good ones d*** good ones no-country cold afford to hand them out like this. For one MP% you could arm each of them with an AK-47 and a RPG.
|im still trying to figure out where they got mp5's
|Yes.., and the 'honor' badge is REALLY different...!!
Misc info


text:
It certainly be daunting when making the decision about the wedding dresses they are going to pick. Since the wedding celebration includes the event where the guests meet many people, they need to look impressive in their visual appearance. Whether day or evening wedding celebration people attend, they can possibly determine the guests black dresses for weddings. Black color is neutral, and for the formal occasions such as the wedding celebration, it can be the good choice. Furthermore, it suits on any wedding venue as well.
People might think that black color is a not good color idea for the wedding celebration. This is for the reason that the black color is identical with the funeral ceremony that most people take whenever they go to the funeral ceremony. But, this rule might no longer existed in the society since there are many people who prefer to choose the black color for their attires to come into the other formal occasions, even in the wedding celebration. That's why, this becomes the good news for people who fancy the dark colors. So, it will not be the big problem to wear the black dresses for weddings as long as they feel fun and comfortable.
© 2005-2018 SUCHASTYLE. Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. All Rights Reserved. Theme by STYLE theme


text:
39 could be a good position to long USOIL
FX:USOIL Crude Oil (WTI)
Just check the light blue pattern coincide with the uptrend channel support. It might be a good idea to long USOIL around 39~39.5
Comment: It seems price did not come to 39. But it really hits our other harmonic pattern. Any red line on my chart is a potential entry point. Seems long trade get a hug profit from 42.87. Now is almost 49. Around 600 pips.
Trade closed: target reached: We longed from 42.87, which is the D of green harmonic pattern. I closed my trade on 50.00. 720 pips earned. At the same time, I short around 50 which I highlight in my latest USOIL idea and already take some profit.(50 to 47.8 another 220 pips and I took partial profit.)
Comment: another chance to re-enter. Entry is near, guys


text:
It's time for those annual bazaars!
The Church of St. Mary in Providence will be holding their annual Bazaar on Broadway this month!
Nicknamed the "Nordstrom of bazaars", each department within the bazaar sells product that volunteers make. Many of those products are made from recycled items and come from materials such as men's ties, sweaters, wine bottles, wooden pallets, donated holiday decor, tiles, wine corks and more.
The event will take place on November 19th at the Paul Cuffee School Cafeteria, located directly behind the church.
Nancy Kimbell, from Bazaar on Broadway, joined the Rhode Show to give a preview of the two-day event.


text: International Marketing and Output DataBase Conference 2008, Naantali, Finland …..was going on 1-5 September. Have a look at all the interesting papers and presentations by clicking on the logotype! Who got the Bo Sundgren Award? Only for conference participants. Login and password is needed. Advertisements Rate this:Share this:EmailPrintPocketTwitterGoogleLinkedInFacebookRedditPinterestLike this:Like Loading... Related


text:
About ShamRox BeerFest
Celebrate St. Patrick's Day on March 17th by joining in on Springfield's first ever St. Patty's Day themed beer festival in conjunction with the Dublin's Pass ShamRox Run 15K or 5K. Located at Dublin's Pass in downtown Springfield, we will have live music, food trucks, and breweries from all over the region.
Tickets are on sale now and starting at only $8. Purchase 10 tickets for $8 or 25 tickets + a Beerfest tee for $25. Each ticket = 3oz. beer sample.
Tickets will be available for pick up/purchase the day of the fest at a designated tent.
View Breweries
View the lineup of some of the best breweries around Springfield and the country.
Get the Schedule
Check out what's going on throughout the entire day and experience the beerfest to the fullest.
15K and 5K
Join Dublin's Pass ShamRox Run St. Patty's Day themed road race and beer festival and sign up for the 15K or 5K.
Basic Beer Package
$8 ($10 Event Day) = 10 Beer Tickets
VIP Beer Package
$25 ($30 Event Day) = 25 Beer Tickets + Beerfest Tee
1 Ticket = 3oz Beer Sample
The Breweries
Mother's Brewery
Bell's Brewery
Blue Moon
Lagunita's Brewing Co.
New Belgium Brewing Co.
leinenkugel's Brewery
Odell Brewing Co.
Samuel Adam's
Piney River Brewing
Angry Orchard
Sierra Nevada
Rockbridge Brewery
Big Sky Brewing Co.
Boulevard Brewery
Beerfest Schedule
8:00AM: ShamRox Run 15K & 5K
8:30AM: ShamRox Run Post-Race Festivities Begin
9:00AM: Keltic Knot on Stage
10:30AM: Food Trucks Arrive
11:00AM: ShamRox Beerfest Open
11:00AM: Art Bentley on stage
12:00PM: Alex reyna on stage
4:00PM: ShamRox Beerfest Closes
Official Charity
Big Brother's and Big Sister's of the Ozarks are the official charity of the 2018 ShamRox Beerfest.
For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation's largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers ("Bigs") and children ("Littles"), ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.
Contact Us
Have a question or just want to chat? Drop us a line on Facebook, Instagram, shoot us an email or if you are feeling really dangerous, give us a call at 573-445-2664
Sign Up for the Newsletter
Don't miss out on exciting Beerfest updates and new info


text: Author Archive Why Tech Companies Looking For Diversity? If job openings are any indication, it looks like tech companies aren't just blowing smoke when they talk about wanting to improve diversity. Airbnb, Asana, Autodesk and Dropbox, for example, are currently seeking to hire heads of 30 Jul 16 Author Adoeete Read More How to Print From Your iPad? As Apple iPads have become commonplace in many homes, as well as essential tools for many businesses, the demand for effective solutions to print from them has grown. A variety of printing methods have emerged to meet this need. 17 Jun 16 Author Adoeete Read More Am I Pretty? A girl asked a boy if she was pretty, he said "No". She asked him if he wanted to be with her forever, he said "No". Then she asked him if he would cry if she walked 12 Jun 16 Author Adoeete Read More List Of Most Visited Cities Of The World The same attractions that prompt people to love visiting a city – top-ranked restaurants, vibrant nightlife, diverse neighbourhoods, iconic sights – can entice them into staying longer term. In fact, many of the world's most visited cities, 29 May 16 Author Adoeete Read More The World's Largest Cruise Ship Royal Caribbean's newest ship is still under construction but its already making waves as the world's largest cruise ship. The Harmony of the Seas is currently being built at the STX shipyards in France near St. Nazaire. 23 May 16 Author Adoeete Read More Foods That Can Give You Cancer A local delicacy in north-east Thailand, made from raw fish, has been found to be behind a high incidence of liver cancer in the area, and doctors are trying to educate people about the risk. The Isaan 21 May 16 Author Adoeete Read More 5 Reasons I Hate Swimming Pools 5 Reasons I Hate Swimming Pools: When I was a kid, my parents bought a house with a pool in the backyard. It wasglorious. My sister and I spent our weekends practicing our dives in the deep 14 May 16 Author Adoeete Read More How To Take Perfect Selfies? How To Take Perfect Selfies? Generation selfie might be flirting with livestreaming apps but that doesn't mean it's abandoned its primary love affair with lensing and filtering shots of its own face. God no. How else would 30 Apr 16 Author Adoeete Read More Anti-World It is said that every cloud has a silver lining and so in these dark times the astrophysicists are the only ones remaining with key to hope for our survival. They claim to have found possible existence of 24 Apr 16 Author Adoeete Read More 10 Rules Successful Startups Should Follow Having launched over 35 startups in our decade of operation, we've been fortunate to be involved with our share of 'unicorns' (Palo Alto Networks, Nimble Storage) and really nice white stallions (Sumo Logic, Trifacta and Snowflake Computing). 31 Mar 16 Author Adoeete Read More 123


text:
Featured Review
Operation Second Chance Inc
I know many families go through some sort of financial hardship, during the holiday season. I happen to be one of those individuals this year. I would like to thank everyone associated with Operation Second... more
Are you a nonprofit?
Ferndale Nonprofits and Charities
Ferndale Eagles Youth Athletic Association
5 stars 3 reviews
Kimberly D.1 wrote:
I've been apart of this organization since it started. To see the tremendous impact it has had on the players, cheerleaders... more »
Children & Youth
TransGender Michigan
5 stars 3 reviews
Jolene G. wrote:
I wear many hats as a professional I appreciate the referral network that Transgender Michigan maintains on their website. I... more »
Civil Rights
Michigan Youth Arts Association
5 stars 3 reviews
cweiseman wrote:
Michigan Youth Arts is amazing! I participated in the festival all four years of my high school career and I absolutely loved... more »
Arts & Culture
Ferncare Free Clinic Inc
5 stars 2 reviews
steelel88 wrote:
A couple years efore becoming a board member, I was invited to several fundraisers and information sessions about the clinic and... more »
St Michaels Media Inc
3 stars 1 review
mikefrisbyearthlinknet wrote:
May I inquire as to why the IRS Form 990 reports are not posted for the years 2006, 2007, 2008 and, possibly, 2009 (if IRS has... more »
5 stars 1 review
MrsJudyKil wrote:
They are a amazing group of people they really care about theses kids. more »
Arts & Culture
Engrafted Word Christian Center
0 stars 0 reviews
Fraternal Order Of Police
0 stars 0 reviews
Becky Wilson Holloway Foundation
0 stars 0 reviews
Detroit Improv Collective
0 stars 0 reviews
Arts & Culture
Nonprofits and Charities in Other Cities
Whether your causes are animal shelters, food banks, or breast cancer groups, you'll find real nonprofit reviews you can trust at GreatNonprofits.
Millions of nonprofit clients, donors, and volunteers have shared their candid reviews of charities, nonprofits, and social enterprises.
Add your nonprofit reviews and help other donors and volunteers find a great nonprofit.
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text:
FDA Puts Squeeze On Elderberry Juice Maker
The seizure comes on the heels of a sealed complaint for forfeiture, filed by the FDA on May 27 and obtained by Law360 on Friday, that argues Wyldewood claimed elderberries could treat cancer, AIDS, flu, diabetes, colds, viral infections and other diseases,...
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text:
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Eid Mubarak
I wish you all a pleasant few days for Eid.
HM has been very generous in giving Jet Driver and his colleagues the entire week off!
Therefore, I am now about to board a First Class flight to an exotic location in South East Asia where I will be met by an even more exotic young lady who is rather keen to see me!
If any of you are reading this at the airport......I am in the lounge, so come up and say hello!
The only thing is that there are quite a few folks in here with a laptop.....which one of them is me? And if you asked me, would I tell you anyway?!
Eid Mubarak my darlings!
Mwah! JD
Posted by Jet Driver at 16:57
Labels: eid mubarak
4 comments:
- realityinoman said...
and Eid Mubarak to you too!
- 18 September 2009 at 01:03
oh where oh where has the little mouse gone?
oh where oh where can he be?
- 26 September 2009 at 20:16
I came across this the other day and for some strange reason thought of you
it's "safe for work" by the way - nothing rude!
- 26 September 2009 at 22:25
- Jet Driver said...
The little mouse is back in town.
Nice photos of the Venom - I almost had my nads removed for suggesting that they put up a plaque for Owen after the last one got torn down.
"It will offend the locals who ransacked the last one"
I refuse to believe that they did vandalise the last one as it was the locals who respected Owen and went to great lengths to bury him properly.
- 27 September 2009 at 08:28
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Dismiss Notice
You are browsing this site as a guest. It takes 2 minutes to CREATE AN ACCOUNT and less than 1 minute to LOGIN
Ndoto za kupaa na kuelea hewani zinaashiria nini?
Discussion in 'JF Doctor' started by Rastad, Oct 13, 2011.
Page 1 of 12
Page 1 of 12


text:
KW and Carol from Where the Wild Things Are Costumes
Well we loved the characters so much and my twin daughters really wanted to be them. I went to work on it with cardboard, old fur coats, fur remnants , an old leopard costume from years ago, animal house slippers and my imagination. I have no experience or education in design or sewing but it came out great. It took about 1 week to do the first costume headpiece and about 3-4 days for the second headpiece. My daughters were very pleased and so was I. Everywhere we went we were stopped and crowds of people wanted to take pictures. No one could believe that these were made at home. Some people were so amazed they started to get emotional. It was kind of weird but I was flattered. My daughters were so proud of their costumes. We tried to enter contests but the area we live in seemed to cater to adult contests only. We are so pleased to have found online contests more available to children. Thank you o much for the opportunity.
Kadijah Moss Guidry
Submitted by kadijah moss,
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text:
Re: Leather hosen?
Expand Messages
- --- In email@example.com, Sarah Natividad <sarah.natividad@...> wrote:
>> I want to make my son some hosen. However, this is a child with a horrible reputation for tearing out the knees of his pants. <<<Perhaps when you make the hose you could sew a reinforcing patch inside the knee area so when the outer layer of fabric is worn through, the patch is already there.
Also I find hose are a good place to use wool blends. An 85/15% wool/nylon blend will last much longer than 100% wool. That little bit of nylon will toughen up the hose quite a bit without being noticeably too synthetic.
The Woolrich wools make great hose.
Another option is for him to wear country boots. These are basically sleeves of cloth that cover the lower leg, tied off below or above the knee and at the ankle. In period artwork, you'll peasants wearing these while working in the fields. I'm guessing it would preserve the hose from wear and tear and keep the lower legs warmer.
You can see examples in the painting "Labors of the Twelve Months" from the Manuscript of Crescenzi li Rustican, circa 1460.
Tom A.
The Hussite Kompagnie
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text:
- Worldwide Rank #193,091,047
- Follower/Following Ratio 0.38
- Daily New Followers 0
Màríó GM Twitter Stats
@0181914A - Tracking Màríó GM Twitter profile since April 25, 2016
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Màríó GM's story
Màríó GM, also known as @0181914A has a reasonably significant presence on Twitter and is ranked by us in the 30% percentile for account strength. Active on Twitter since April 2016, Màríó GM made it to having a respectable 12 Twitter followers and to being ranked 193,091,047 for number of followers among all Twitter users.
The plot thickens when considering Màríó GM's follower-to-following ratio, which is 0.38.
Over the past month, @0181914A's was hardly active on Twitter, with an average of 0 tweet(s) per day in the past 30 days. That's pretty consistent with a total of 4 since @0181914A joined Twitter.
This account is tracked by us Only April 2016. As of January 21 2018 we track 285616699 Twitter accounts, so feel free to search for other accounts you're interested in and reveal their Twitter story!
Màríó GM Tweets
@0181914A has posted 0 tweets in the last 5 days, which translates to an average of 0 tweets per day.
Màríó GM Twitter Followers
@0181914A has 12 followers on Twitter.
This account is #193,091,047 in the worldwide rank of the most popular Twitter users.
Màríó GM Following on Twitter
@0181914A is following 32 Twitter accounts.
Last month this account followed 17 users.
Màríó GM Predictions & Milestones
@0181914A will hit 12 followers in the next 3 months, and 12 in one year.
You are on Màríó GM's Twitter stats page
We track these Twitter stats since April 25, 2016 . You can see how many followers Màríó GM lost or gained and what the prediction is for tomorrow or the next 15 days, together with all kinds of other stats like rank compared to all Twitter users, tweets etc.
Why don't you give it a try and compare Màríó GM to yourself ? Or if you are Màríó GM get even more feature rich & up-to-date stats with our premium Twitter Stats.
Twitter Counter is the #1 Twitter stats site powered by Twitter. It all started in June 12, 2008 and we grew rather rapidly because of our Twitter Counter badge. The button is a nice small image that shows your visitors how many followers you have on Twitter. Within a year the button was on many many blogs around the world and we displayed more than 100 million buttons in one month. We track follower stats for over 285.616.699 users now.


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As a way of saying thank you, MyPantherTees.com has discounted its entire inventory of Reitz Football shirts from now until Sunday, November 29!
As a special thank you, if you order before this sale, you'll get a special free gift! Just include your email address, and you'll get a special commemorative Reitz Football ebook…for free!
And, as always, part of every sale will be donated to the Reitz Football team!


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I'm just a little scared that I'm nearly 17 (next month) and I've still never dated or had a girlfriend. I feel sorta uncomfortable around girls and I have had close female friends, but I've never actually flirted with them, and I've either been treated as a good friend (which is perfectly fine) or a weirdo. (Sometimes i come off kinda needy (I don't mean to I don't know how things work) and people want me to leave them alone and I don't pick up the signs till they already have a pretty good idea about me :( ) I want to start dating, but I don't want to be seen as a weirdo. Have I started too late? Do I not have enough experiance? :)
Most Helpful Girl
I think you're okay. Dating in highschool doesn't really mean much it's more fore experience than "love " because the likely hood that you'll marry someone you've dated in highschool in our society is super slim.00|00|0
That's kinda what i was thinking though. I have no experiance... Will that be a problem in future?
I dont think so... i think you'll definitely meet people that are after one thing and dont want to deal with someone who has no previous experience but there are definitely people out there that you'll meet that won't care because they want to get to know you as a person... Overall I would say dont be in a rush to do a lot of stuff just go with what you're comfortable with.


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#111 Fireside Chat: Highlights Friday 21 June, 2013
We just uploaded a couple of highlights from Episode 111: Who Should Play Boggs? to our YouTube channel (go subscribe/like our videos)! If you missed Episode 111 live, you can — and should — click here to listen to the whole show. We spent the evening chatting about actors that might make great…Boggses? Can that be a word? We also played a round of What's in the Backpack!
The highlights:
Who Should Play Boggs?
What's in the Backpack? – The Sequel
Remember, to hear the rest of our discussions, listen to the full episode!
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Another common analytical calculation is the price-to-book (P/B) ratio.
This is popular among value investors.
While price-to-earnings considers a company's future earnings potential as a way to determine share price, P/B incorporates what the company owns.
Not a ratio that I find very useful, but many others do, so you shall not suffer for my biases.
We will cover how to calculate and use P/B ratios, followed by limitations in the ratio's effectiveness. Then I will show you how to make the P/B ratio a little more practical.
Price-to-Book Ratio
The P/B ratio is used by investors to compare a company's market capitalization [4] to the book value of its net tangible assets.
Think of it like buying a new car during a slow sales period. According to your research, the car you want has a $30,000 value. You have the choice of two dealers who both sell the model for $30,000. Neither can go below that amount due to price obligations with the manufacturer.
One dealer is firm on the price. The second dealer is more flexible. To get your business, he upgrades the stereo system ($2000 value), adds air conditioning ($1000) and a pair of fuzzy dice for the mirror ($10).
As you are spending $30,000 to get a car now valued at $33,010, you believe you are getting a deal and purchase it from the second dealer.
The same principle holds true for shares. You are trying to buy something for a price less than its worth, as valued by its assets on a per share basis.
If a company's net assets are worth more than the price of its shares, it may be a value stock.
Book Value
Book value, or as I prefer "net book value", is found by taking total assets on the balance sheet and then subtracting all liabilities and any intangible assets.
Intangible asset are assets that are not tangible (physical) in nature. Intangible assets include: goodwill, patents, trademarks, intellectual property.
Note that while deducting intangible asset book values is normal practice, I do not do so myself. Some intangibles may have actual value – a patent or brand name, for example – that will be worth something in the event of a company sale. What that value is varies from company to company based on its unique situation. But keep in mind that intangibles may have value even if they generally are excluded from net book value calculations.
Calculating the P/B Ratio
The P/B ratio is found by dividing the share price by the company's book value per share.
Some investors use the P/B ratio to assess a fire sale scenario. If the company shut its doors tomorrow, what is the value upon dissolution and distribution of assets to shareholders?
In value analysis, low P/B ratios are sought.
Any P/B ratio less than 1.0 indicates that the per share book value of the company is worth more than the share price.
The higher the ratio, the less chance that the company's net assets can cover the share value.
To continue with the Barclays example from our price-to-earnings post [5].
Barclays current P/B ratio is 0.72. That means that the company's net book value is worth more than its market capitalization.
For value investors, this is interesting. It assumes that if the company distributed its net assets tomorrow, the total amount transferred to shareholders would exceed the market capitalization of the shares outstanding. A nice safety cushion for shareholders.
When we review the Financial sector, the average P/B ratio is 1.57. Within the Foreign Money Center Banks industry, the P/B is 1.09. These are both positives for value investors as Barclays ratio is significantly lower than either.
Based on the P/B ratio, it appears Barclays may be undervalued in price as compared to its industry and sector. So it may be a value stock.
But is it?
Problems With Book Values
There are a few problems with using book values when assessing company value.
Book Value is Not Liquidation Value
The book value of a company's net assets may not be the same as upon liquidation.
As a general rule, the closer an asset is to cash, the closer the asset's book value is to its liquidation value.
For example, cash is cash. Current assets such as trade receivables and inventory are relatively close to cash realization value. But for fixed assets like vehicles, equipment, and real estate, there might be large differences between book and realizable values.
At times this may be a positive, such as when the real estate market is strong and a 20 year old factory is listed at its original purchase price.
Often though, it is a negative.
Perhaps the company owns a fleet of vehicles that it is depreciating straight-line over 5 years with zero residual value. That means that after year one, the vehicles are still valued at 80% of the purchase price (divide price of vehicle by 5 years of straight-line depreciation. End of first year, vehicles will have a book value of 80%. Second year, 60%. Third, 40%, etc.). But if one needs to sell them at the end of year one, it may be difficult to get that high a sales price.
And in today's depressed real estate market, maybe a forced sale of the company factory will result in significantly less than book value.
Book Value is a Balance Sheet Concept
Book values are based on balance sheet values that took place at a single point in time.
But what happens when most companies need to liquidate?
Liquidation is usually due to poor operating results that cause losses and negative cash flows. Even if the current balance sheet appears strong, losses and net cash outflows will quickly erode the future book value of a company.
There may be lawsuits from customers, shareholders, governments, or other parties that force the company to ultimately liquidate. Fines, lawyers fees, etc. will also lower book value.
Employees may need termination packages upon liquidation. As a going concern, a company would not account for these costs on its books. But they may need to be paid.
Just because a company's book value is currently greater than its market capitalization, it does not guarantee anything about the future book value.
As the business deteriorates, so too will its book value. If you invest today, based simply on a P/B less than 1.0, you may find in a year or two, the ratio has increased significantly.
A Company's Value Should be More than a Sum of its Parts
A company's value should be based on how it employs its assets and less on the assets themselves.
A company could own a large factory filled with manufacturing equipment. But if it does not produce a product that meets the needs and desires of its customer base, it will have no sales.
That is why the "whole should be greater than the sum of the parts."
When considering companies, look at how they use their scarce resources to strengthen the business. Not simply whether they have resources.
Low Book Values May Be Deceptive
A low book value is usually seen as a positive to the value investor.
As with the price-to-earnings ratio, you need to ask yourself why other investors believe the company is worth less than its net assets. Often it is because the company's expected performance is such that over time its asset base will deteriorate.
As we saw above, if a company's net earnings and cash flow cannot pay its ongoing obligations, the company will have to liquidate existing current and fixed assets to pay its debts. This will reduce future book value and make the company much less of a value.
Adjusted P/B Ratios
While I do not use P/B ratios in my analysis, I do use an adjusted P/B ratio.
First, I start with a company's net book value as traditionally calculated.
Second, I add back any intangible assets that I believe hold some residual value.
Third, I review the balance sheet and try to adjust any assets to better reflect realizable values.
For example, if a fleet of vehicles is on the books at 80% of their purchase price, I may attempt to assess their proper value if sold on the open market. Usually I consider both a normal sale and any price change should there require a distress selling price. Maybe an ordered sale will provide 60% of the original price and 40% for a distress sale.
In short I am attempting to perform a business valuation on the company to assess its real value, not simply a book value.
Then I use that data in comparison with the company's market capitalization.
If I am concerned about a company's potential bankruptcy, I would probably skip it as investment. But if I did attempt to value the business, I would also factor in any costs normally associated with liquidations.
Not a fool-proof method, but infinitely better that using net book value alone.
Note that if you use an adjusted P/B, you must be careful when comparing it against competitors, industry, or market averages. The reason is that the other metrics are not adjusted, so you need to avoid comparing apples to oranges.
Never Forget the Qualitative Analysis
Exactly the same advice as with the price-to-earnings analysis.
Low P/B stocks may indicate value investments.
But they may also indicate junk companies on a short road to bankruptcy.
You must always consider the qualitative side [6] to help separate the good from the bad.


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With its Automotive unit Jenoptik is one of the leading manufacturers of metrology and laser processing systems for manufacturing processes in the automotive industry.
The portfolio includes high-precision contact and non-contact production metrology for a wide range of measurement tasks such as the pneumatic, tactile or optical testing of roughness, contour and form, as well as determining dimensions throughout all phases of the production process and in the metrology lab. The metrology product range is rounded off with a comprehensive service offering advice, training and customer service, as well as long-term maintenance agreements.
Furthermore, Jenoptik develops 3D laser processing systems and machines that are integrated into production lines for our customers as part of their process optimization and automation. These systems are used for processing plastics, metals and leather with maximum efficiency, precision and safety.
The portfolio is complemented by energy-efficient and environmentally friendly exhaust cleaning systems for laser and other industrial processes.


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The Kings placed four players on waivers Monday, including goaltender Peter Budaj, in their first round of training-camp roster moves. Other teams have untilTuesday morning to claim the four players: Budaj, goalie Jack Campbell, forward Andrew Crescenzi and defenseman Vincent LoVerde.
Of the four, Budaj would seem to have the best chance to be claimed by one of the NHL's other 29 teams. He was 42-14-4 with a 1.75 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage in 60 games last season with the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League.
Budaj led the AHL in victories, goals-against average and save percentage in 2015-16.
The moves all but assure the Kings' backup goalie to start the regular season will be Jeff Zatkoff, who signed a two-year, $1.8-million free-agent contract last summer. Zatkoff will serve as Jonathan Quick's backup after appearing in 14 games last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
He was 4-7-0 with a 2.79 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage.
The Kings assigned 15 players to the Reign, who begin training camp Tuesdayat Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario. Joining the Reign were: forwards Michael Amadio, Justin Auger, Sean Backman, Patrick Bjorkstrand, Paul Bissonnette, Joel Lowery, Justin Gutierrez, T.J. Hensick, Sam Herr, Lucas Lessio and Brett Sutter; defensemen Erik Cernak, Alex Lintuniemi, Damir Sharipzianov; and goalie Jack Flinn to Ontario.
The Kings also returned forward Austin Wagner (Regina) and defenseman Chaz Reddekopp (Victoria) to their teams in the junior-level Western Hockey League.
Contact the writer: email@example.com


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Most people think a broken neck is a catastrophic injury resulting in paralysis. While this is true in far too many cases, the severity of this injury can actually range from mild to fatal. Given that, what is the definition of a broken neck?

A broken neck is defined as a fracture in one or more of the seven vertebrae that make up the neck.

Breaks or fractures in neck bones can be caused by any number of things from trauma, car accidents, falls, or sports injuries. Often the location and nature of the break is determined by the position of the head at the time of impact, as well as the direction of the force that hits the neck.

Broken Neck Due to Trauma

Serious accidents or other trauma may result in a complex neck fracture that requires immediate medical attention; this is order to avoid death or further injury. A person with a serious neck injury needs to be immobilized, and 911 should be called as soon as possible.

Immobilization is important because if the person who sustained the injury does have a broken neck, moving them can make matters much worse. This injury often, but not always, results in paralysis. When someone who does not have the proper training moves or otherwise touches a physically traumatized person, it could increase the risk of paralysis. Because of this, you should assume that any person who has sustained trauma in your environment does indeed have a serious neck injury, and follow Red Cross first aid guidelines accordingly.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says that a person who had had neck trauma should remain immobilized until they can receive medical attention.

Keep in mind that shock often accompanies trauma. Our First Aid Expert, Rod Brouhard, has a great article on treating shock.

Osteoporosis-Related Neck Fracture

Elderly people, especially those with osteoporosis, are at a greater risk for minor neck fractures. Experts say that spinal fractures in these patients are directly related to the amount of bone they've lost. Because osteoporotic bone is very fragile, even common activities and minor impacts can lead to neck fracture. Generally, such breaks are tiny and are called microfractures.

Treatment for Neck Fractures

Treatment possibilities for spinal fractures include wearing a brace called a Halo device. A Halo device consists of a vest connected to a metal ring that is worn around the head. The metal ring is attached by screws that are inserted into the skull. This helps stabilize the bone and allow it to mend.

More complex neck fractures will likely require major surgery and can result in complete or incomplete paralysis. If surgery is needed, your doctor will probably insert plates, screws and/or cages into the bones.

Preventing a Broken Neck

Changes in lifestyle may help prevent osteoporosis-related neck fractures. Two good strategies that many people employ are: Weight-bearing exercise, such as strength training, and taking your calcium and vitamin D every day.

Your doctor may be able to prescribe bone-building medication as well.

As for fractures from trauma, that old saying "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" may be applicable. For example, it's far simpler to remember to fasten your seatbelt, to not dive into a shallow pool or other bodies of water, or wear your helmet when cycling, than it is to adjust to living the rest of your life in a wheelchair.

Neck fractures are nothing to mess around with, so I recommend not only familiarizing you with the ways you can prevent a broken neck, but putting them into practice, as well.

Sources:

AAOS. Cervical Fracture. Dec. 2013

Lomoschitz, FM., et. al. Cervical Spine Injuries in Patient 65 Years Old and Older: Epidemiologic Analysis Regarding the Effects of Age and Injury Mechanism on Distribution, Type and Stability of Injuries. March 2002.

Moira Davenport, M. MD. Fracture, Cervical Spine. eMedicine. Aug 2013.

Ringe J.D. The effect of Vitamin D on falls and fractures. Scand J Clin Lab Invest Suppl. 2012.

Vaccaro, A. Spine: Core Knowledge in Orthopaedics. Elsevier Mosby. Philadelphia. 2005.


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Build More Business with Less
Due to the relentless hype of venture capital funds and the business press, many entrepreneurs believe that getting venture capital is synonymous with a successful venture and great wealth. And they also believe that you cannot build a giant business without venture capital. Both assumptions are not true.
What is true is that venture capital is very, very difficult to get. In fact, they fund so few ventures each year that the only reason why they are so important is that a few of their ventures become glorious successes. Out of an average of about 600,000 new businesses started each year, venture capitalists fund only about 300 startups and about 3,500 to 4,000 total deals. To get VC, you need to be in a hot industry and have the potential to be a dominant company in the hot industry.
Even if you are able to obtain venture capital, you cannot count your zillions yet. Estimates are that about 20% of all venture funded deals fail, and that another 60% are partial failure to minimal successes. 18% are said to be good successes and 2% are home-runs. Except for the home-runs, your returns are likely to be meager because the VC gets their money and returns first. 2% of the time you are likely to be a zillionaire, unless you have been diluted out of existence.
To add insult to injury, you also get the boot from your own company. VCs like to find "professional" management with good reason. They don't want to have to train you to be a CEO. But not all managers live up to their own resumes.
So in summary, in 98% of the time, your financial returns are lousy and someone else is screwing up your company – perhaps your one great idea. If that's what you want, go get venture capital.
If, however, your goal is to make money, read on. I did a study of 28 entrepreneurs who built their companies from scratch to $100 million+. One is at $84 billion in sales (UnitedHealth) and another at $44 billion (Best Buy) and a third is Medtronic. Would it surprise you to know that NOT ONE got VC at the start? One got VC 18 months after startup and an investment of $1.5 million by the entrepreneurs, in addition to getting a conditional customer. Another got it for his second venture after selling the first for a nice profit. A third got it in his sixth year when he was profitable and growing. One got it for her second venture when it had sales of around $10 million and she had just sold her first for millions. One got it in his 12th year when he stumbled due to uncontrolled spending, and he had just invented the heart pacemaker. One got corporate capital, and VCs had financed the corporation. The rest (79%) got nothing from VCs.
It can be done – you can build a $82 billion company without VC.


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Finder's Fee Trailer (2001)
01 January 2001 Drama, Thriller 100 mins
After finding a wallet in the street tepper calls the owner in order to return it. After making the call he discovers that the lottery ticket inside is a $6 million winner.To add to things his friends are on their way over for their weekly poker night & the groups tradition is to bet their lottery ticket.
Watch the official Finder's Fee 2001 trailer in HD below or find more Finder's Fee videos on Vidimovie.


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Pathways for End Stage Lung Disease - For FAMILIES
When is it time for the Pathways End Stage Lung Disease Program?
Answering these simple questions may serve as a guide:
If you answered "yes" to one or more of these questions, now may be an appropriate time to discuss Hospice of Cincinnati with your physician.Schedule an "information only" visit, where you'll meet with one of our nurses to learn more about the program and hospice in general. Please call the referral center at (513) 792-6900. You can also learn more by reading the following literature and materials posted on our website.
Pathways for End Stage Lung Disease Literature and Materials
End Stage Pulmonary Disease Triggers
• Oxygen dependent
• Recurrent severe exacerbations requiring hospitalization
• Decreased functional status
• Weight loss
• Co-morbidities—lung CA, stroke, heart disease, dementia
• Hospitalized 2x in 6 months
• Course of illness is variable depending on severity