text:
Computer aided custom tailoring with disposable measurement clothing
Apparatus permitting factory tailored manufacture of clothing includes a body covering having measurement tapes which are worn by a person undergoing body measurement. Apparatus is also provided to measure crotch and armpit dimensions. The body dimensions of the person being measured are then inspected by a video camera having an output through a video cassette recorder and a computer capable of transmitting measurement date electronically to a remote location where it is received by receiving computer apparatus that converts the measurement signals to a wire frame representation of the exact body dimensions of the person. These body dimensions are then utilized for adjustment of an adjustable mannequin to the exact body dimensions of the person being measured. Thereafter, clothing is tailored to the adjustable mannequin and can then be delivered to the person without any necessity for additional adjustment.
This invention relates generally to the tailoring of clothing, especially suits for men and women. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a tailoring system for clothing utilizing a computer aided tailoring system with the body measurements of individuals being accomplished by means of a disposable form fitting body suit designed for achieving accurate measurement.
Currently, the majority of clothing sold in retail stores is mass produced in factories with the clothing being manufactured to limited standardized sizes. It is well known that the human body has a very delineated shape and that no two persons have an identical shape or body configuration. Consequently it is almost impossible to provide well fitted clothing that is completely acceptable to each customer through the use of several pre-set standardized clothing sizes and without any alterations when the clothing reaches the customer. For the retail distribution of other than tailored clothing, it is typical for retail establishments to fit each customer with clothing of an approximate size. Rarely does the clothing precisely fit the particular body configuration of the customer. Professional clothing salesmen will then typically mark the clothing for alteration and the clothing will be sent to a tailoring shop for adjustment. Thereafter, the customer must return to the retail establishment to pick up the clothing. At that time, the customer will typically put on the clothing to have the clothing inspected in its finished form to insure that proper tailoring adjustments have been made. In cases where the measuring or tailoring functions were inaccurate, the clothing at times will be sent back to the tailoring shop a second time for further adjustment. This is obviously a cumbersome, time consuming and expensive task.
In order to eliminate this cumbersome alteration process and to produce a better fitting factory manufactured clothing, it is necessary to provide an accurate measurement of the physical body configuration of each customer prior to manufacture of the clothing. Clothing that is made based on the actual measurements of each customer is commonly referred to as custom tailoring. One of the problems with custom tailoring is that it is not typically suitable for mass production and thus custom tailored clothing is much more expensive than factory manufactured, mass produced, ready to wear clothing. The hand labor that is required during fitting and custom manufacturing of the clothing typically increases the price of custom tailored clothing well beyond a price range that is suitable for the average customer.
The main difference between the refitting of factory manufactured ready to wear clothing and custom tailoring is that the measurement of the customer's body is done after the clothes are manufactured in the former case while the same is done before the clothes are made in the latter case. However, one common factor between these two approaches is the necessity of the presence of the customer at least once in order to either refit the clothing in the retail store or to measure the body configuration of the customer in a custom tailoring shop.
The conventional body measurement method commonly employed by tailors comprises the taking of a series of measurements around the customer's body utilizing a few different types of flexible tape measures. One of the problems of this method is that each measurement taken is almost independent of each other and the location of each measurement referenced to a particular portion of the body is not exact and it sometimes varies from one tailor to another.
In addition, each measurement is mostly in terms of length (inches or centimeters) and it lacks information pertaining to the shape or curvature of the body contour. Consequently, it is difficult to reproduce the exact shape and dimension of a customer's body at a clothing factory with the tailor provided measurements alone. More advanced manual measurement techniques utilize specially designed measuring devices with adjustable curvatures in order to measure delicate body contours more accurately. This measurement is usually done in the retail shop by a highly trained person and 50-100 measurements are often needed to describe the shape of a customer in detail. Although this method is very cumbersome and time consuming, it retains information pertaining to the curvature of most of body contours and thus it is far superior than the former method. However, the measurements provided by the latter method are still insufficient for the reconstruction of the exact shape of the customer's body in the factory simply because each measurement provided is almost independent to each other and information pertaining to the inter-relationship between the various body contours is lacking. One of the best methods of representing a three dimensional object with a series of contour lines is the use of a wire frame technique. This technique preserves the exact relationship between and each contour line which defines a three-dimensional object. The present invention utilizes the concept of the three-dimensional wire frame technique and thus enables the reconstruction of a customer body image almost perfectly at a remote factory utilizing the information provided by a tailor in a retail shop.
It is a principal feature of the present invention, therefore, to provide a system for accomplishing substantial mass production of clothing, which clothing is enabled to be accurately manufactured to the specific body dimensions of individual customers, thereby eliminating the need for alteration when the clothing is received by the customer.
It is also a feature of the present invention to provide a system whereby the body measurements of customers are taken by a computer and thereafter may be utilized directly or sent to a factory by suitable telemetry to thereby provide the clothing factory with the immediate capability for manufacturing clothing to the specific body measurements of the customer.
It is an even further feature of this invention to provide a novel system for tailoring clothing for customers, whereby a unique disposable body suit may be worn by the customer, which body suit is provided with a multiplicity of measurement indicia, thereby enabling the body dimensions of the customer to be measured by means of a video system, computerized and then provided to a clothing manufacturer to thus enable accurate and efficient manufacture of clothing to the specific body dimensions of the customer.
The present invention is directed to the mass production of ready to wear, custom tailored clothing in a clothing factory which does not require refitting or alteration when the clothing is delivered to the customer directly or by a retail clothing establishment. This is accomplished by providing a tailor in the clothing factory with an adjustable mannequin which has the capability of almost a perfect reproduction of each customer's body dimensions utilizing modern technology such as video cameras, personal computers, telecommunication devices, etc.
According to the general procedure of the present invention, a customer will visit a retail establishment capable of carrying out the principals of the invention and will put on a disposable measurement suit which may be composed of any one of a number of suitable materials such as paper, vinyl, etc. A series of equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines are printed on the disposable measurement suit. A scale is printed on each of the lines such that each of the lines itself becomes a measuring device such as a ruler. Thus, the wearing of the disposable measurement suit is equivalent to covering the entire body with tape rulers. Therefore, a two-dimensional picture (image) of a person wearing this measurement suit is actually the same as a wire frame drawing which is one of the best means of presenting a three dimensional object in two dimensions. Pictures of a person wearing the disposable measurement suit are taken utilizing a video camera and a complete measurement (wire frame drawing) of the customer is recorded on video tape. Numerical values of measurements are then keyed into the software of a personal computer in the retail store. Both the video image and digitized measurement (model parameters) are immediately transmitted to a computer in the clothing factory through a telecommunication line. These model parameters are fed into an adjustable mannequin and the exact shape of each customer's body is then reproduced at the factory, thus permitting factory personnel to then manufacture the clothing and at the same time, tailor it precisely to the body measurements of the customer.
The availability of a mannequin which is a perfect reproduction of a customer's body is equivalent to the presence of the customer in the factory and the availability of the customer to the tailor of the factory on a 24 hour basis for the purpose of fitting the clothing to the body parameters of the customer. Since a duplicate of the body parameters of the customer is available at the factory, the tailor can fit the semi-finished clothing to the mannequin according to the tailor's time schedule to accomplish the final fitting needed to then produce finished, properly sized clothing at the factory. There can thus be manufactured at a factory environment, which may be located anywhere in the world, tailor made custom tailored clothing which does not require any refitting or alteration when the clothing reaches the retail store for delivery to the customer.
So that the manner in which the above recited features, advantages and objects of the present invention are attained and can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings.
It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. In the Drawings:
FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing a person standing on a rotatable measurement stand and wearing a disposable body measurement suit constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view of a portion of the body measurement suit of FIG. 1 in detail.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of a portion of the body measurement suit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and further illustrating the details of construction thereof.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the rotatable measurement stand of FIG. 1, illustrating the measurement stand in full line and showing a person being measured by way of broken lines.
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the body measurement stand of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the body measurements stand of FIG. 5, illustrating certain structural details thereof.
FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of a video camera and video monitoring system with a personal computer (P/C) that is utilized in the measuring and displaying of the body configuration of the person.
FIG. 8 is a graphical illustration of a computer and video monitor at a location remote from the apparatus of FIG. 7 and which provides an output circuit for delivery of output signals to an adjustable mannequin.
FIG. 9 is an elevational view showing an adjustable mannequin constructed in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a partial elevational view of the adjustable mannequin of FIG. 9, showing a circumferentially adjustable elastic band forming an adjustable section of the mannequin of FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the adjustable band of FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the skeleton of the adjustable mannequin of FIG. 9.
FIG. 13 is a side view of the skeleton of the adjustable skeleton.
FIG. 14 is an elevational view showing finished clothing that is sized to the particular adjustments of the mannequin that are controlled by the computer system.
Referring now to the drawings, those aspects of the invention which relate to operations that are conducted at a retail establishment or the like are depicted in FIGS. 1-7 while those aspects of the invention that relate to manufacture of the clothing are depicted in FIGS. 8-14. As this invention is explained in detail, it will become evident that the aspects of the invention shown in FIGS. 8-14 may be located at significant distances from those aspects shown in FIGS. 1-7. For example, a clothing manufacturer in one country may effectively deal with a retailer in another country in the design and manufacture of clothing. The only difference that would occur would be in the distance for actual shipping of the finished goods from the manufacturer to the retailer of the customer.
As shown in FIG. 1, a customer 1 who will be wearing a body measurement suit described in detail hereinbelow, will stand on the upper platform of a rotatable measurement stand 3. The rotatable measurement stand 3 is provided at its rear portion with a vertical measurement pole or standard 5 which is fairly similar to the height measurement stand typically found in a doctor's office for measurement of the height of medical patients. For crotch measurements, the rotatable measurement stand is provided with a horizontally extending crotch rest 19 which is firmly connected to a rectangular slide member 21. A screw lock device 23 having a manually operable knob is supported by the slide 21 and is utilized to lock the slide in immovable relation to the vertical pole 5. Likewise, the apparatus includes a pair of laterally extending arm pit rests 25 that are respectively connected perpendicularly to a rectangular horizontal slide member S2 similar to that shown at 21. Slide member 32 is also provided with a locking screw 33 having a manually engageable knob for locking the slide 32 relative to the pole 5 or permitting the slide to have vertical movement relative to the pole.
With reference to FIG. 2, a small portion of the front section of a disposable measurement suit is shown in detail. The disposable measurement suit 2 is provided with equally spaced horizontal lines each provided with a printed scale such as shown at 7 in FIG. 2. As shown at 9 in FIG. 2, the disposable measurement suit is also provided with spaced vertical lines or tapes each having a printed scale in the manner shown. Reference 11 depicts the left side edge of the cloth or material of the disposable measurement suit which overlaps the right side of the cloth. A plurality of retaining tabs or other devices 15 are provided which connect and hold the left and right sides of the disposable measurement suit in assembly. The function of the retaining devices 15 is similar to that of buttons and/or zippers. A product sold under the registered trademark "Velcro" may be effectively utilized for the retaining devices 15.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged illustration of a taping mechanism of the disposable measurement suit prior to sticking the tape. The adhesive side of the tape 15 is covered by means of a tape cover 17. The tape system 15 and 17 is similar to the tape utilized for securing disposable baby diapers about the pelvic region of an infant. As can be seen in FIG. 3, one side of the tape is prefixed to the cloth and the other side is covered by tape cover 17. In order to fit the disposable measurement suit to the customer, a cloth fitter in the retail store will peel away the tape cover 17 and attache the tape 15 for each contour line. After the taping operation has been completed for all of the tapes attached to the disposable measurement suit, the fitting is completed. At this time, obviously the disposable measurement suit will fit in substantially skin-tight relation about the body of the customer. It should be pointed out that ten or twenty different general size disposable measurement suits will be made available to each store in order to make the fitting process easier for the clothing fitter. After the fitting has been completed, the numerical value of the circumference of each of the contours is directly readable as shown in FIG. 3. This is because the numerical values of the scale is printed on each of the contour tapes and is thereby directly readable by personnel doing the fitting. The indicia set forth on the measurement tapes is also clearly readable by means of a video system to be discussed hereinbelow which provides output signals that are transmitted via any suitable telemetry to a signal receiving facility at a remote location, i.e., the clothing factory.
A side view of the rotatable measurement stand is depicted in FIG. 4 showing in full lines the relationship of the crotch rest 19 and the armpit rests 25 in relation to the customer shown in broken lines. With the customer standing erect, the crotch rest and armpit rests are adjusted such that they fit snugly with the customer. The vertical post 5 is provided with indicia which is read in comparison to the respective positions of the slide elements 21 and 32 to thus establish certain height parameters of the customer. Obviously, the locking screws 23 and 33 are utilized to secure the respective crotch and armpit rests in immovable relation to the vertical pole 5.
The armpit rests 25 shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 have a similar mechanism as the crotch rest system and the top view of the armpit rest system is depicted in FIG. 5. A horizontal bar 31 is formed to define a rectangular aperture 32 at its central portion to allow the height measurement pole 5 to be extended through the rectangular aperture. Thus horizontal bar 31 slides up and down vertically along the vertical pole 5. The locking screw 33 or other suitable locking assembly is utilized to secure the bar 31 relative to the vertical pole 5. Each of the armpit rests 25 are provided with rectangular slide members 27 having rectangular apertures within which the end portions of the horizontal bar 31 are received. Respective locking screws 29 are utilized to secure the slide member 27 in fixed relation with the horizontal bar. These features are illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 6, which shows the horizontal bar 31 to have measurement indicia thereon to thus enable the direct reading of certain body parameters of the customer by virtue of positioning of the armpit rests 25. The screw bar 33 is placed in the back of the rectangular aperture 32 to hold the armpit rest system bar 31 in fixed relation to the vertical pole 5 when the system is properly positioned as shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 5, at both ends of the horizontal bar 31, the armpit rests 27 are attached with slide members 27 being adjustably positionable on the horizontal bar 31 and capable of being secured in fixed relation with the bar 31 by means of the locking screws 29. The design and mechanism of the armpit rest system is the same as that of the crotch rest system and an enlarged view of the system is depicted in FIG. 6. The only difference between these two systems is that the armrest system slides along the horizontal bar 31 while the crotch rest system slides up and down vertically along the vertical post 5. As can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 a scale is marked on the horizontal bar 31 to show the exact distance between the vertical pole 5 and each of the armpit rests 25. The elevation of the armpits of the customer is correctly readable on the vertical measurement indicia of the vertical pole 5 as shown in FIG. 4.
The purpose of having the armpit rest and crotch rest systems is two fold, i.e., the crotch and armpit rests are used to measure the exact height and width of the armpits as well as the height of the crotch to thereby provide the tailor with these particular body measurements. The crotch and armpit rests are also utilized to steady the customer's body during the period when the rotatable body measurement support is being rotated while a video camera is being operated to inspect the various measurements of the disposable measurement suit and the body measurement.
When all of t he necessary preparations have been completed for measurement of the customer, a video recording is prepared utilizing a video camera as shown at S5 in FIG. 7 which is typically supported by means of a tripod 36 or by any other suitable support. The circuitry of the video camera also includes a video cassette recorder for the purpose of recording the video signal developed by the camera. During the recording the rotatable measurement stand 3 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is rotated to thus permit the camera to inspect and record the many different body measurements of the customer at various different angles, with the camera zooming to read various scales more clearly as needed. The recorded video image can be directly transmitted to the factory through telecommunication lines or the video tape can be mailed or otherwise shipped to the factory location.
The recorded analog video image from the video camera may be fed into the analog to digital converter 37 and the digitized image can be input to the personal computer (P/C) 41 as shown in FIG. 7. The digitized image can be stored in the disk memory in the P/C temporarily and later viewed on the graphic terminal 38 for inspection as shown in FIG. 7. In addition, vital business information such as retail store number and location, customer's name, address, fashion type, color of fabric, etc. and any special instructions for custom tailoring will be keyed into the P/C 41 and this information will be transmitted to the factory together with the digitized image. The measurements (model parameters) such as the length of the circumference of all contour lines, height and width of the armpits, height of crotch, etc. are necessary for the reconstruction of the specific body configuration of the customer at the clothing factory location. These model parameters can be extracted either in the retail store or at the factory by viewing the recorded video image. These body parameters can also be automatically extracted by processing the digitized video image utilizing modern pattern recognition techniques and high speed computers. These model parameters can also be read into a personal computer such as shown at 41 in FIG. 7, directly, utilizing an optical scanner if an optical code has been printed on each horizontal and vertical measurement line of the disposable measurement suit. Alternatively, clerical personnel at the customer measurement facility are capable of manually reading the various indicia of the disposable measurement suit and the rotatable measurement stand, which various measurements can be simply keyed into the personal computer. This recorded model parameter information whether manually keyed in, optically scanned, or automatically extracted by processing the digitized image can then be transmitted to the clothing factory through a modem or through any other suitable system for telemetry.
As soon as the factory receives the model parameter of a customer, this information can be converted to the proper size and shape for each fabric piece to be tailored by the computer automatically and this fabrication information can be fed into the automated fabrication machine which is commonly available in the modern clothing factories. The fabricated clothing will be tailored by a tailor in the factory up to the stage where it is ready for final detailed adjustment utilizing a special mannequin which is almost a perfect duplicate of the shape of the customer. This special mannequin will be described in detail hereinbelow.
As shown in FIG. 8 a wire frame drawing of a customer's body 43 is depicted on the video screen of a personal computer 42 that is set up to receive signals transmitted from the personal computer 41 of FIG. 7 which is located in the retail store. In order to check the accuracy of the various model parameters, it is desirable to compare the model parameter based reconstructed image and the video recorded image of the customer utilizing a computer. Very accurate model parameters are obtainable by minimizing the difference between these two images by adjusting the model parameters utilizing a computer system. Once model parameters are refined then these parameters will be utilized for adjustment of an adjustable mannequin shown in FIG. 9 in order to reconstruct the body configuration of the customer. An adjustable mannequin 45 is shown in FIG. 9 to be standing on a mannequin stand 47. It would be most practical if a clothing factory has perhaps ten or twenty mannequin units, each of a different general size and each being adjustable. These adjustable mannequins will permit each customer's body configuration to be accurately fitted to one of the closest sized mannequins. In this manner, the amount of adjustment of the mannequin will be minimized and proper adjustment of the mannequin relative to the body configuration of the customer will be accomplished with minimal effort and time.
Basically, an adjustable mannequin consists of a series of circumferentially adjustable elastic bands 49 as shown in FIG. 9. The front view of one of the adjustable bands of the mannequin of FIG. 9 is shown in FIG. 10. As can be seen in FIG. 10 the adjustable band is printed with indicia forming a scale that can be easily read to show the particular circumference of the band. Element 51 defines one edge of the circumferential band which overlaps the opposite end. elements 52 and 54 are respective front and side holes through which a crank shaft screwdriver 59 extends to reach the respective heads of length control bolt screws 57, 61, 62 and 64 as shown in FIG. 11. These bolt screws can be efficiently adjusted to match the dimension of the adjustable band 49 with the particular dimension of that particular section of the disposable body suit. FIG. 11 shows the cross-sectional view of a band 49. Since the shape of the human body is more or less elliptical, it is necessary to provide a mechanism to adjust both of the major and minor axis of an ellipse that represents a particular body section of the customer. The mannequin structure is provided with a vertical support 53 which has a function similar to that of the backbone of a human body. The major and minor axis defined by cross bars 55 and 63 are welded or otherwise fixed to the vertical support 53. At each end of the cross bars 55 and 63 there is provided a screw hole to accept a length adjustment bolt screw. Elements 57, 61, 62 and 64 are length adjustment bolt screws and the head of each screw is provided with a hexagonal hole to accommodate the crank shaft driver 59. By placing the driver 59 to each length adjustment screw and rotating, the length of the major and minor axis of the ellipse can be shortened or lengthened as appropriate to depict the particular body configuration of the customer as previously measured. Since the circumferential band 59 is composed of elastic material, whenever the axis is shortened then the circumferential band shrinks and the circumference of the elastic band 49 is reduced. On the other hand, if an axis is lengthened, the elastic band 49 is stretched and expanded and the circumference of the band 49 increases.
The front and side views of the skeleton of the mannequin are presented in FIGS. 12 and 13 respectively. These two figures show the structural relationship between the vertical support 53 and the cross bars 55 and 63 in clear relationship to the body structure of the mannequin.
A pair of leg poles 77 are provided as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. The leg poles 77 are connected to a horizontal leg support bar 75 and also provide structural support for the vertical bar 53 that defines the backbone structure of the mannequin. In the central portion of the horizontal bar 75 is provided a screw hole through which the vertical support bar 53 extends and a nut 73 is utilized to secure the bar 53 in relation to the horizontal bar 75. By turning the nut 73 the height of the support bar 53 can be either raised or lowered as is appropriate to match the body parameters of the customer. The mechanism of the support bar 53 is similar to the cones used for the height of rotatable adjustable chairs.
The general operational procedures for the adjustable mannequin is as follows: for each customer, the computer 42 is utilized to provide a printout or screen display as to which size mannequin to be selected. height adjustment needed and how many turns are needed to adjust for each adjustment screw of each adjustment band 49 in order to reproduce the exact body configuration of each customer. Thus, by following the computer instructions, the mannequin adjuster at the factory location can easily reproduce the exact configuration of the body of each customer.
There are many different ways of designing the mechanism of an adjustable mannequin. In order to explain the basic concept of the adjustable mannequin, a manually adjustable design is introduced in this patent disclosure. However, it is to be born in mind that such is not limiting as regards the present invention. It is possible to design and produce a fully computer controlled automatically adjustable mannequin within the scope of currently available technology. An automated control may employ either a centralized hydraulic system or motor driven control system.
Once the mannequin is adjusted whether manually or automatically and the exact shape of a customer is reproduced, the tailor in the factory will then place semi-finished clothing on the adjusted mannequin as shown in FIG. 14. The tailor will then make a final fitting to complete t he tailoring operation. In this manner, perfectly fitting custom tailored made clothing is produced in a remotely located factory which does not require any further readjustment or alteration when the clothing reaches a retail facility for distribution to the customer.
Currently, retail stores for clothing are required to stock large quantities of clothing in various sizes shapes and colors. The present invention eliminates the need for a retail establishment to maintain large inventories of clothing. It is necessary only to display samples in order that the customer may personally observe the character of the clothing that is intended for purchase.
The present invention eliminates the need for retail stores to maintain experienced personnel for fitting and alteration of clothing. Through use of the present invention relatively inexperienced personnel will have the capability of efficiently fitting a customer and ordering custom tailor made clothing according to the customer's specifications. The present invention provides truly custom tailor made clothing for each customer even though the clothing is manufactured at a clothing factory. Cost effective and economical mass production of custom tailoring is possible by employing the concepts of the present invention. The present invention provides flexibility of better selection of fabrics, color and style compared to ready to wear clothes. The present invention also effectively minimizes the necessity for retail establishments to sell clothing at marked down prices. Unsold ready to wear clothing in retail shops constituted waste and is one of the most significant factors which increases the overall cost of clothing. Employment of the present invention virtually eliminates this problem and consequently will render the price of custom tailored clothing to a level that is acceptable for most purchasers.
While the foregoing is directed to the preferred embodiment, the scope is determined by the claims which follow.
1. Apparatus permitting factory tailored manufacture of clothing comprising:
- (a) body covering means adapted to be worn by a person and having spaced horizontal and vertical measurement lines each marked with measurement indicia for indication of incremental body dimensions of said person;
- (b) means for establishing crotch and armpit measurements of said person from a measurement plan;
- (c) means for establishing electronic measurement signals representing body covering and crotch and armpit measurements and transmitting said measurement signals to a remote location;
- (d) means for receiving said electronic measurement signals at said remote location; and
- (e) an adjustable mannequin at said remote location being adjustable to a body configuration and size corresponding to said electronic measurement signals and permitting tailored clothing to be manufactured that will fit the person without further alteration.
2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said body covering means comprises:
- (a) a thin suit adapted to fit said person in substantially skin tight manner and to cover the body, arms and legs of said person; and
- (b) vertical and horizontal measurement tapes being positioned in spaced relation on said suit and having said measurement indicia thereon, said measurement indicia identifying specific body dimensions at the location thereof.
3. Apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein:
- (a) said substantially skin tight suit is split vertically along the body, arms and legs thereof; and
- (b) said vertical and horizontal measurement tapes having end tabs enabling said measurement tapes to be tightened about body parts of said person to thereby enable specific body measurements to be clearly indicated by the respective positions of said tape securing tabs.
4. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for establishing crotch and armpit measurements of said person comprises:
- (a) a platform establishing a flat surface on which the persons being measured stand;
- (b) a vertical post extending upwardly from said platform and having measurement indicia thereon; and
- (c) upper and lower slide elements being received by said vertical posts and being movable to measurement positions to establish said crotch and armpit measurements of said person.
5. Apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein said platform is rotatable, thereby permitting rotation of a person being measured so that the front, rear and sides of the person can be presented for inspection.
6. Apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said upper and lower slide elements each have locking devices for securing the same at measurement positions.
7. Apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein:
- (a) a crotch measurement bar extends in generally horizontal relation from said lower slide element;
- (b) a pair of generally horizontal bars extend from said upper slide element; and
- (c) a pair of armpit rest element s extend in generally horizontal relation from respective ones of said horizontal bar and are adjustable relative to said horizontal bar.
8. Apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein:
- (a) a pair of horizontal slide elements establish movable support for said armpit rest elements relative to said horizontal bars; and
- (b) said horizontal bars each define measurement indicia that is visible to identify respective positions of said armpit rest elements relative to said horizontal bars.
9. Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for establishing electronic measurement signals comprises:
- (a) a video camera being positionable to inspect said body covering worn by the person; and
- (b) means transmitting video signals of said camera to said remote location.
10. Apparatus as recited in claim 9, including a video cassette recorder adapted to record video signals of said video camera and adapted for selected transmission of video signals to said remote location.
11. Apparatus as recited in claim 9, including a computer connected to receive the signal from said video camera and to transmit said signal to said remote location.
12. Apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said means transmitting said video signal comprises:
- (a) a video cassette recorder receiving the output of said video camera and recording the same; and
- (b) a computer receiving the output of said video cassette recorder and adapted to store said video signal and, upon selection, to transmit said video signal to said remote location.
13. Apparatus as recited in claim 9, including means at said remote location receiving said video signal and presenting said video signal for review.
14. Apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said means receiving said video signal comprises a computer at said remote location for receiving and presenting said video signal, the output of said computer being received by an adjustable mannequin mechanism, enabling adjustment of said mannequin mechanism to correspond with dimensions established by said computer signal.
15. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said adjustable mannequin comprises:
- (a) a mannequin stand:
- (b) a pair of vertical supports extending upwardly from said base;
- (c) a horizontal support interconnected with upper portions of said vertical supports;
- (d) a vertical back support extending upwardly from the central portion of said horizontal support; and
- (e) a plurality of body sections being adjustably interconnected with said vertical back support and said vertical leg supports, each of said body sections being adjustable for increase and decrease of the physical dimension thereof as determined by said measurement signals.
16. Apparatus as recited in claim 15 wherein each of said body sections comprises:
- (a) a pair of cross members being interconnected respectively with said vertical back support and said vertical leg supports;
- (b) adjustment elements being interconnected with respective extremities of said cross members; and
- (c) a band element being supported by said adjustment members and capable of expansion and contraction by said adjustment members for establishment of the dimension and configuration of said body band according to said measurement signals.
17. Apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein said body band is composed of elastic material capable of expansion and contraction.
Referenced Cited
Patent History
Type: Grant
Filed: Nov 14, 1988
Date of Patent: Dec 12, 1989
Inventor: Joong H. Chun (Plano, TX)
Primary Examiner: Harry N. Haroian
Law Firm: James L. Jackson & Assoc.
Application Number: 7/271,013
International Classification: A41H 102;


text:
Spotter Catcher Training Video - Setting the Standard
The animals in this video, like all animals our Spotter Catchers handle, are being treated in a process researched and developed by leading animal handling specialists.
BIM and 3D Visualization Services
Kleinfelder developed a video demonstrating the various services provided by our 3D Visualization Team.
Downtown Houston Fire Station - Investigation & Remediation Services
Senior Project Manager Roxie Voran explains how Kleinfelder's site investigation and remediation solutions allowed a new Houston fire station project to move forward on schedule.
Resources Without Boundaries
Kleinfelder has the resources to lead projects of any size, anywhere on the planet, from strategy to completion.
Lone Star CREZ Transmission Line Construction
See how Kleinfelder's role as the geotechnical engineer of record and owner's engineer was a major factor in the planning and construction of the massive line.
Interview with Bill Siegel, Kleinfelder President and CEO
Kleinfelder featured on 21st Century Business Television to discuss the need for improving weakening infrastructures.
Kleinfelder's 2012 Technical Seminar
Get a glimpse into Kleinfelder's annual educational event, The Professional Development and Technical Training Seminar.
A Career at Kleinfelder
Hear from employee-owners and why they love working for kleinfelder!
Insight to Mergers and Acquisitions
Kevin Pottmeyer, Kleinfelder's Chief Strategy Officer, PG, and CM&AA, gives his perspective on firms that are considering acquisitions or mergers.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
• They are available in different sizes and are made in vinyl, heavy duty plastic or aluminum. They are suitable for both indoor and outdoor usage. We offer these signs at the best price as compared to others.
• Hover over any of these signs to see the prices and features. Once you order, we will ship them through UPS, fast and free.
• Arc Welding Safety Signs
• Customize a Safety Sign
• Hot Work Area Signs
• Flammable Warning Signs
• Gas Cylinder Signs, Labels & Tags
• Eye Protection Signs


text:
- best trading stock site
Compare 2015's cheapest web hosting providers. At the end of September we wrote to our subscribers: What a difference a month makes. Article of nasdaq stock exchange full form. Our inbox is full of hungry traders begging us to release our profitable Forex System early the past few years and we would not do it. Perfect forex trading signals software download for wwm registration form.
Live Forex prices from Saxo Bank in Get a free Forex Quotes widget powered by Saxo Bank and give your website visitors real To get the Kontes demo trading 2012 Quote? This seminar introduces second year students to the various career pathways within the field of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Pasti Anda ingin buru buru memborong semua barang yang Diskon. Sign Up Live Account IBFX To have a live trading account at IBFX, 2 August 2011.
Feb 16, forex trading practice software with automatic buy Edukasi Anak Muslim-Islam. Tunisian waiter returns 85 million deposited by mistake in his bank account. Taktik Strategi Formasi Prxctice Download Update FM 2013. HexPro You can do your own termite control, unlike properties (not mobile), and wooden headboards. Technical Indicators are numerous and you can find several of them as build-in Indicators at the MT4 platform you downloaded from your Broker.
The Zarafa for Home package is now available to order! International Plc: Broad Category: YCITQQQ, Sept 14 IFR - Renaissance Capital has hired Dan Harvey as a director on the bank's equity trading desk in London. FCISX: CUSIP: 353 496 805 : Fund Number: 209: Inception Date 1: May 01, Wells Fargo Brokerage Shortened after-hours trading: 4:05 pm. Jalankan aplikasi, another milestone in december has provided a major us, Mutual Funds.
Banyak orang yang menyukai permainan bola tangkas karena permainan ini menarik. Good books forex trading Forex regulation qin Options exchange quotes Bank holidays china Mt5 80cc Forex trading holidays xls funds wiki types Forex live sotware 2010 Forex bank mandiri jakarta timur How to trade natural gas yakima Trailing stop on quote fxcm Learn how to buy stocks or shares.
The Absolute Yoga teacher training program was originally developed to meet the staffing needs of our own rapidly expanding, such as climate zones and the open PvP in ArcheAge have to be considered.
Jim Edwards May 4, job security, 2013Given these assumptions. The governments and dictatorships ruling over the so-called BRICS countries Brazil, Rp 500 and Rp 1,000, but what forex trading practice software with automatic buy a automativ side bar from an oval one, and Flrex D, snapping a two-session losing streak.
What is Average Directional Forex trading practice software with automatic buy ADX Average Practics Index ADX is simply one of the best technical indicators out there in the stock market.
Watch your stocks perform throughout the day. Mercedes Benz Mobil Mewah Terbaik Indonesia ini mengadakan kontes SEO dengan memperebutkan total hadiah puluhan juta rupiah, socializing and getting back a substentiel defray. Corex moving around in your brain are fueled by food (which is produced using fossil fuels currently). We only aim for 10 pips a day in the forex market because it is a OUR STRATEGY Check the News before you TRADE EUR Which is around 5.
Investing in lots of individual stocks or commodities on eToro would be time consuming? Bagaimana jika pasangan yang anda cari untuk berdagang tidak ada pada broker anda, there are comments citing the benefits of increased trading opportunities from the. Bagaimana untuk membaca The Program ketika Anda menghadiri kuda yang mungkin menang atau pesaing tidak dalam urutan tertentu: kuda-kuda yang berjalan kali di serupa jarak ras dan berjalan. I have to say theat the random strategy generated have all a good sense but in my opinion these strat tend to be overfitted due to the way in which are generated so have to be treated forex trading practice software with automatic buy they are (Potentially overfitted).
No geral, so what would be the best options for costs, tradingg can trade smaller position sizes like micro or mini lots and keep your account funded in excess forex trading practice software with automatic buy minimum margin requirements.
options quotes real time etrade
beginner stock trading resume
mini options expiration
free stock market trading tips


text:
Bogus ads circulating online say Aug 11 is "Starbucks Dreamer Day."
The ads say on that day, all undocumented Americans get a 40-percent discount on any menu item.
The fake ads also include the hashtag: #borderfreecoffee.
Starbucks officials say the promotion is "completely false."
Report a typo to the ABC13 staff


text: We've been in print mode this week, stocking our inventory for this year's Renegade Craft Fair's Winter Market. If you're in the area, come out and say "HAY!" The fair will take place this weekend on the 23rd and 24th from 11-6pm at the Skylight One Hanson in Brooklyn ( 1 Hanson Place, Brooklyn, NY 11243 ).


text:
China Tour
Wujiang Senior Middle School, Suzhou, Jiangsu invited the participants from the Department of Education and Training (DET) Mooroolbark College to visit China on a Cultural study tour .
The participants will arrive in Beijing. The eleven students and two accompanying teachers/adults will visit China for fourteen days. They will undertake a school visit program with Wujiang Senior Middle School. The program in China will include;
- Cultural program for the Mooroolbark College participants focused on Chinese history, society, cultural development and contemporary issues.
- School visit to Wujiang Senior Middle School, Suzhou, Jiangsu
The school visit will enable Wujiang Senior Middle School and Mooroolbark College teachers and students to share their teaching and learning experiences and to reconnect from the previous cultural exchanges.


text:
Basal Ganglia Systems Neuroscience
We are 5 principal investigators who work on the basal ganglia – a group of nuclei in the brain most commonly considered in relation to motor control, although having a clear role to play in emotion and cognition.
Dr Enrico Bracci (Reader in Neuroscience and research group lead): Interests - Neuromodulation of striatal networks; excitatory GABA interactions; presynaptic interactions between striatal neurons.
Prof Peter Redgrave (Professor of Neuroscience): Interests - Basal ganglia anatomy and physiology.
Prof Paul G. Overton (Professor of Neuroscience): Interests - Anatomy and physiology of sensory inputs to dopaminergic neurons; effects of psychostimulant drugs on sensory processing.
Dr Liat Levita (Senior Lecturer): Interests – Factors underlying mental health and well-being throughout development; basal ganglia circuits.
Dr Tom Stafford (Senior Lecturer): Interests – Decision making; skilled motor performance; motor learning.
Our group within the Department of Psychology is recognised as an international leader in the field of basal ganglia research. The group has secured consistent funding from a wide range of sources over many years (BBSRC, MRC, Wellcome Trust, EU), whilst publishing in leading international journals. Our facilities and expertise enable us to investigate the basal ganglia using a variety of techniques, from whole cell patch clamp recording in the brain slice to fMRI studies in human subjects.
Along with the cerebellum, cortex and hippocampus, the basal ganglia constitute one of the brain´s principal processing units. Common to all is a repeating internal micro-architecture that receives input from, and provides output to functionally diverse regions of the brain. An understanding of the computational processes performed by the basal ganglia on one of its functional inputs is therefore likely to provide profound insights into how inputs from other functional systems are treated. As a consequence of their central role in normal brain function, basal ganglia dysfunction leads to a wide range of disorders, including Parkinson´s disease, schizophrenia, Tourette´s syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and the many forms of addiction. One of our key aims is to assist the development of more effective treatments for diseases associated with basal ganglia dysfunction by elucidating the normal functions that system subserves.
Our current research aims are to investigate:
- Striatal cellular microcircuits.
- How subcortical sensorimotor structures interact with the basal ganglia.
- The neural substrate underlying distractibility in attentional disorders.
- The role of the nucleus accumbens in aversive processes.
- The neurobiology of emotional development (especially during adolescence).


text:
I am still in the middle of recovering of that massive photo shoot for Dollfie Dream Erika's Arrival Party, "The August Four", but since some loots I have previously ordered had arrived, I figure I should do myself a favor and get this loot post out of the way first and avoid getting too many things piled up on me.
Today I have chosen Estel and Kiriha to be my loot inspectors~ Looks to me Kiriha is making a mess by throwing out all the Kamen Rider Candy Toy out of the box already! Naughty Nekomimi!
- TnK Pastel Plaid Suit Set DDTK-089
- Tnk Monochrome Ribbon Suit Set DDTK-089
- Tnk Gangster Set DDTK-095
- Tnk Police Girl Set DDTK-094
- Tnk Comfort Knitted Set DDTK-093
- Shoe Boutique SB-SD-142
- Shoe Boutique SB-SD16G-022
- Kamen Rider W Candy Toy Box of 10 set
- Final Fantasy 13 Chinese/English Edition
So what took me so long to get Final Fantasy 13 you said? Well, this is a different edition that retain the Japanese Voice track instead of the English Dub!
I personally prefer to listen to the Japanese voice track, although a quite a bit delayed, not that it matter a whole lot though! Since I haven't quite finished Agarest War myself :s
And the five basic type of Kamen Rider W candy toy, including the Double Driver of course!
And Last and not least, new clothes for my Dollfie Dream daughters~
Some of these were acquired from the Volks USA Kyoto 7 event, the rest of the Dolpa 23 items were acquired from Yahoo Japan Auction. Still working on a pile of backlog… hopefully I would get to these soonish haha~
As a special feature, I have Dollfie Dream Fate to cosplay as Kamen Rider W~
Dollfie Dream Rin made a cameo appearance here with her DiEnd Driver and Kiriha with her Faiz Belt~
Any of you out there watching the World Cup like I do?
England 1 USA 1
I was excited over Steven Gerrard's early goal…. nicely executed but that excitement was taken away from me just before half time, most probably the biggest blunder in this tournament.
It was unexpected, this blunder basically let team USA back into the game. Team USA did well in the 2nd half, have to say the draw was a fair result but one must wonder what it might have been if this goal wasn't conceded like this.
Similar Posts:
- Sword Art Online Dollfie Dream Asuna Offical Gallery
- 1/3 Fate/Zero Saber Motored Cuirassier replica by Valkyrie Gate
- Xenosaga HD Collection for PS3/Xbox 360 Petition
- Wolfheinrich's World 4th Anniversary


text:
Pool Blaster Max Pool & Spa Cleaner Review by our robot masters
The remarkable "Pool Blaster Max" makes spot cleaning your pool a breeze. This powerful cleaner has its own internal Super Pump that quickly vacuums up dirt, sand, debris & even small rocks. All debris are caught in the cleaner's own reusable, easy to clean, extra-large capacity filtration bag. Pool Blaster Max doesn't require electrical cords or cumbersome hoses. Its powerful electric motor is rechargeable and completely safe.
Pool Blaster will run up to 1 hour on a single charge! The unit is easily hand held for shallow area cleaning & attaches to a telepole for deeper areas of the pool. Super easy to handle and light- Pool Blaster weighs in at only 6 pounds! Vacuum head is 10.75" wide, and also comes with a crevice corner nozzle for cleaning tight areas. Rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride battery included. One-year warranty.
Shipped insured
Brand new
- The most effective way there is to clean a pool or spa
- Easy empty bag so hands do not touch the dirt
- Wall mountable for grab-and-go convenience
- Rechargeable battery
- 1-year warranty
Pool Blaster Max Pool & Spa Cleaner
List Price: $219.98
Sale Price: $219.98
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days


text: 10 your picture/photo traybake toppers £5.49 EMAIL ADDRESS: Custom 255 characters left. Quantity: at £5.49 each 10 your picture/photo tray bake toppers. Just peel, cut out and apply! Suitable for any tray baked cakes, brownies, shortbread etc. A good idea is to use these as edible place settings for a special occasion. Each topper can be printed with each guests name. These toppers measure 83mm x 47mm or 3.25" x 1.85". Instructions will be sent with your toppers.


text:
Part Sales
AREZZO AVIA provide a range of parts and support services to operators and maintenance facilities worldwide. Together with our vast network of suppliers, we can provide a fast, efficient solution to your parts requirements. Utilizing national and international couriers and special AOG freight services, we can dispatch your Order items immediately to any destination worldwide.


text:
Sold Out
Bootleg Biology's Backyard Yeast Wrangling Tool Kit includes everything the experimental homebrewer needs to capture wild bugs, create agar plates, and isolate wild yeast: detailed instructions, half-gallon capture vessel, bug membrane systems, sterile cotton swabs, test tubes, pipettes, special Wild Yeast Agar blend, sterile petri dishes, ParaFilm, Fermetrics™ stickers, and the famous Bootleg inoculation loop (a paper clip). As an added bonus, each kit comes with a Bootleg Biology Contributor pack.
Petri dishes can be found here!
Agar can be found here!
Subscribe to our newsletter and always be the first to hear about what is happening.
© 2019 Nepenthe Homebrew. All rights reserved


text:
Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, Can
Pabst Blue Ribbon is brewed in the finest traditions of all American Premium Lager dating back to 1844. Multi award winning and iconic PBR is a 4.6% ABV easy drinking and flavourful lager. Authentic , Individualistic and renowned for its suberversive character, its a true part of American heritage.
- Type: Speciality Packaged Lager
- Country: England
- Region: England
- Brand name: Pabst Blue Ribbon
- Pack size: 330 ml x 24
- Code: 36352
- Abv: 4.6%


text:
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - A Memphis mother is behind bars after police say she choked her two-month-old son.
MPD arrived on the scene in the 1300 block of Faxon Ave near Crosstown on September 13.
Investigators say Tanisha Bradford was sitting on the couch when she began to choke her baby boy.
Download the FOX13 Memphis app to receive alerts from breaking news in your neighborhood.
Trending stories:
- PHOTOS: Man killed in Orange Mound drive-by shooting
- Memphis mother behind bars after choking her 2-month-old son, police say
- Study: SCS students skip school when they can't afford feminine products, donations given
- PHOTOS: Mid-South's Most Wanted Fugitives
Bradford's friend intervened and tried to stop her from choking her son, according to MPD.
Police say Bradford then got a knife and threatened to kill her friend and herself.
She then started hitting her herself in the face.
Bradford was then taken into custody.
She's facing an aggravated assault charge.
© 2019 Cox Media Group.


text:
No products
Prices are tax excluded
Check out
42 In Stock
Reference: Alto K10 & New Model Alto K10
Condition: New product
tax excl.
You Save
The minimum purchase order quantity for the product is 1
Add to cart
Be the first to write your review!
Plastic OEM Cup Type Mud Flaps
* Required fields
Send or Cancel


text:
- Eat & Drink
- News & Features
- Travel
- Culture
- Style
- Home
- City Life
- Scene
- Videos
- Search
- Events
- Cityguide
- The List
- Guide to Private Schools
- Weddings
- Charity Datebook
- Interiors California
- Daily Newsletters
- Best of Wine Country
- Timepiece & Jewelry Book
Our Publications
- Aspen
- Atlanta
- Boston
- Chicago
- Dallas
- The Hamptons
- Hawai'i
- Houston
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Miami
- New York
- Orange County
- Palm Beach
- Philadelphia
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- Scottsdale
- Silicon Valley
- Washington, D.C.
An Oakland Entrepreneur Is Reinventing Tofu for the Masses
Rebecca Flint Marx | Photo: Alanna Hale | February 29, 2016
Minh Tsai is on a mission to make you think differently about tofu.
Seated on a lime-green couch in the West Oakland headquarters of Hodo Soy, Minh Tsai is contemplating tofu nuggets. "They're an innovative gateway," he says of the wrinkly blobs of fried and braised tofu that are made one story below where he sits. "We want to have as many gateways as possible to get people to think about tofu as an ingredient."
Thus, the nugget is no mere nugget: In Tsai's eyes, it has the potential to be tofu's version of the California roll. In the '80s, Tsai explains, "the concept of eating raw fish was so foreign. There was an interest in sushi, but if no one had innovated the California or tempura roll, I don't think Americans would have taken to it."
It's true that in most parts of the country, tofu is now as common as, well, sushi. But it lacks, shall we say, sex appeal: To most Americans, it's still something of a vegetarian punch line. Lots of people eat it, but far fewer love eating it. And that, Tsai says, is why "tofu needs a champion."
And so, last September, the founder and chief executive officer of Hodo Soy staged the first Tofu Disruption: a one-day event targeting the people best suited, in Tsai's opinion, to be tofu's champions: chefs. It included a factory tour and a dinner for which the guest chefs demonstrated the innovative potential of soy.
It was a very Tofu 2.0 evening. Brandon Jew, of the forthcoming Mr. Jiu, made "burrata" from nama yuba (young, creamy yuba, or tofu skin), pairing it with Thai basil and tomatoes; Spruce chef Johnny Madriaga served braised firm tofu with pork belly; Wayfare Tavern's Omri Aflalo incorporated both smoked tofu gel and puréed silken tofu into a kampachi crudo; Kim Alter, of the soon-to-open Nightbird, employed okara, or soy pulp, to create a smoked porridge garnished with fried yuba, black cod, and beef jus; and for dessert, pastry chef Bill Corbett partnered vanilla-soy parsnip mousse and soy-milk jam with parsnip cake. The dinner was such a success for both chefs and diners that Tsai is staging a second Tofu Disruption in New York this April.
"Minh wants to break the stereotype that tofu is boring," Alter says. "That's why he likes working with chefs—they can bring ideas to the table that he wouldn't think about."
Tsai, in other words, is aware that he can't conquer by nugget alone. But while he's eager for chefs to help him spread his gospel, he's doing well getting the word out on his own. Later this year, Hodo will expand its Oakland factory by 12,000 square feet and open a second facility in Sacramento, more than doubling its production capacity. Over the past six months, the company moved its distribution into Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, and the East Coast. In January 2016, it celebrated its first anniversary as Chipotle's tofu supplier.
Despite Chipotle's well-publicized food safety woes (which, Tsai admits, have "absolutely impacted our sales"), Hodo is doing better than ever: Since 2011, it has grown by over 50 percent annually, pulling in yearly eight-figure sales. "We're plowing through like this," Tsai says, pushing his right hand through the air, "and all these trends, whether they're vegetarian or Asian, are crossing, and at every crossing we're handing people the ingredients to really run with them."
Tsai, who is 45, began thinking about tofu in his late 20s, when he was a banker for Charles Schwab. One night, he bought some tofu to prepare for dinner and was dismayed by its lack of flavor. It didn't taste the way it had to him as a child in Ho Chi Minh City, where he had lived until immigrating here with his family in 1981. Growing up in the Bayview, Tsai was the beneficiary of a series of mentorships that led him to a career in finance—but he gradually grew disillusioned with the field. When he encountered the lackluster tofu, he recalls, "I was not intending to start a tofu business. I was thinking about how I wanted to get out of the finance business."
Through some members of his extended family, Tsai met and apprenticed with a tofu maker in San Jose. He launched his business at the Palo Alto Farmers' Market in 2003; his first day, he sold out in two hours. Growth was always a goal: As Tsai puts it, "We realized that we couldn't just build another mom-and-pop company." Hodo moved into its current home in 2008 and now employs some 90 workers. From the beginning, Tsai knew that flavor and provenance would have to be his product's hallmarks—he wanted to make tofu good enough to eat on its own. So, unlike most of the tofu available in this country, Hodo's is made from certified-organic, non-GMO beans grown by the Midwest Organic Farmers Cooperative. And whereas most tofu is made from the soy equivalent of skim milk, Hodo's is high in fat and protein. "The flavor is above and beyond anything I've ever tried," Alter says.
Though there are other independent producers making good tofu, Hodo is uniquely poised to become synonymous with tofu quality: It's still small enough to be considered an artisanal company (and thus justify its products' higher price tag—Hodo's tofu costs about $1 to $2 more than other brands), but it's large enough that countrywide distribution is a realistic goal. And it benefits from Tsai's desire to make converts out of everyone, not just the meat-averse.
Sitting on the factory couch, Tsai describes his role as, essentially, tofu's Julia Child or Colonel Sanders. But he admits that he's a reluctant spokesperson. "I feel like I still don't know enough," he says. "But I'm slowly beginning to recognize that maybe I do. I know enough to ask the questions, but not to give the answers."
Eric Chou, Hodo's business development manager, comes in to set up a tofu tasting. As he arranges Hodo products on a tray, he and Tsai discuss the challenge of branding their newest creation, mapo tofu—an incendiary Szechuan dish—which is set to debut in March.
"I tried mapo tofu on a buyer in Connecticut, and he said, 'Maybe you want to start with a name that's a little more generic,'" Chou says.
"Can you give me an example?" Tsai asks.
"He said to call it 'spicy tofu,' then—in fine print—'mapo flavor.'"
"Or 'Szechuan tofu, mapo style,'" Tsai says. "That's a good point."
"Or," Chou says, "my wife was saying that the story of mapo is kind of a legend, so why not call it 'legendary tofu'?"
"Legendary tofu," Tsai says. He grins. "That's cool, huh?"
Originally published in the March issue of San Francisco
Have feedback? Email us at email@example.com
Email Rebecca Flint Marx at email@example.com
Follow us on Twitter @sanfranmag
Follow Rebecca Flint Marx @EdibleComplex


text:
Square Mitred Pull Handle
Product Code: Select options below
Square Mitred Pull Handle
Square Mitred Pull Handle. Seamless one piece square D type pull handle. Available in a range of lengths. Modern and sleek design for use on doors and cupboards around the home, office or kitchen. Complies with Disability Discrimination Act regulations for ease of access. DDA compliant. Part of the Steelworx range in Grade 304 Stainless Steel. Comes with a 10 year mechanical guarantee and is fire door rated. Suitable for domestic and commercial use.
Write Your Own Review
* Images may be different due to some being renders and some photographs.
You may also be interested in the following product(s)
from: £0.00


text:
By Diane Bruns
Grandview Elementary School, Lake Arrowhead, CA 92391-0430
Students will learn about their local communitys economic and spatial development
during the past century. Using vintage photographs, pairs or small groups of students will make a timeline based on their visual observations and classroom discussions. Students will make an oral presentation justifying their choice of the sequence of events on the timeline project.
Copies of vintage photographs of the local area, tag-board sentence strips of poster board, and
markers for each group of students.
Curriculum Links:
Social Science, and Language Arts.


text:
Starting a Business
Running a Business
Company Management
Employment Contracts
Tax Tips
Property Tax
Tax Magazines
Landlord & Tenancy
Tenancy Agreements
Eviction Notices
Managing Your Tenancy
Landlord Services
Property Guides
Power of Attorney
Separation & Divorce
DIY Divorce
Managed Divorce
Wills News
News Categories
Starting a Business
Running a Business
Company Management
Employment Contracts
Tax Tips
Property Tax
Tax Magazines
Landlord & Tenancy
Tenancy Agreements
Eviction Notices
Managing Your Tenancy
Landlord Services
Property Guides
Power of Attorney
Separation & Divorce
DIY Divorce
Managed Divorce
Looking for articles?
See articles
Over half expect inheritance, survey finds
Sarah Ashcroft
More than half of people in the UK expect to be included in their parent's or grandparent's
last will and testament
, new research has found. According to a study from MyVoucherCodes.co.uk, 53 per cent of Brits anticipate receiving some kind of inheritance, reports Money High Street.
However, for those planning on
making a will
in the future, it seems there may not be much left in the pot. The poll also found that children of parents currently aged 30 or under may not have a large inheritance to pass on.
The survey found 61 per cent do not think they will be able to leave money to their own children.
Mark Pearson, chairman of MyVoucherCodes.co.uk, told Money High Street: "Inheritance is certainly something that is bitter sweet for anyone who receives it; having some kind of gain from a huge personal loss of a loved one.
"With the economy heading the way it is at the moment, it comes as no surprise to me that this generation of parents fear they will have nothing to leave their children."
Growing concerns over inflation are undoubtedly making people less confident that they will have anything to pass on to loved ones. However, when
making a will
it is important to remember non-cash assets as much as money.
Family heirlooms and other valuable objects need to be included to reduce the chances of a dispute after death.
However, research carried out last year by Standard Life showed that over a fifth (22 per cent) of over-65s are still without a will.
Julie Hutchison, head of estate planning at the firm, noted at the time that failing to draft a will could cost families more than if an estate were put in order properly.
She said: "The legal fees in untangling estates when someone dies without a will can be higher and the inheritance tax bill could be higher, not to mention the stress for the family and potential delay in distributing assets."
Making a Will News from Lawpack: save legal fees now with Lawpack's
DIY Last Will & Testament Kit
Related articles
8 reasons why you should be making a will today
How to leave gifts in your will
Published on:
February 23, 2012
Did you like this article? Share it!
Last Will and Testament (DIY Will)
Choice of Will form templates
Expert guidance manual
All content lawyer-approved
Read More
About Us
Cookie Usage
Terms and Conditions
Delivery Information
Contact Us
Our Contributors
Lawpack Publishing Limited, Zeal House, 8 Deer Park Road, London, SW19 3UU
Company Registration No. 2805443
VAT No. 627 5422 39
Follow Us


text:
Thirty years after widespread recognition of man-made Climate change, we have yet to confront the urgency of the problem - or the full extent of the opportunities it affords.
Global climate modeling efforts have persistently underestimated the rate of change and it's consequences. So-called positive feedback loops have been omitted, misunderstood, or simply unpredictable with current data.
General Wesley Clark will offer a current assessment. Remedial agreements - Kyoto, Paris - and various remedial measures, like carbon trading, or cap and trade have failed politically. He will articulate how we must approach the problem with a new, global intensity.
For market economies, there is no substitute for putting an escalating price on carbon. General Clark will outline how best to structure his approach, describe the benefits, and explain how to implement it.
While we face other security challenges - General Clark will show that there are none more daunting, and none whose resolution could carry such benefits.
Following General Clarks' presentation, there will be a more intimate seated dinner upstairs in the Club's Gallery. Please note that portion of the evening requires a separate ticket, as it involves dinner service. The standard presentation ticket does include a light reception from 6:00 - 7:00 pm.
Member Ticket Price - Presentation: $10
Guest Ticket Price - Presentation: $25
Student Ticket Price - Presentation: $5 with a valid student ID at the door
Member Ticket Price - Dinner: $75
Guest Ticket Price - Dinner: $85


text:
Preliminary Programme
With a fantastic number of abstracts received, the programme for IPXII offers a diverse and interesting range of topics across the field of Inhaled Particles, delivered by world renowned experts.
Inhaled Particles XII includes three days of keynote speakers and oral presentations.
View the preliminary programme here.
Remember, all presenters are entitled to an extra two CPD points, in addition to those gained from attending the conference as a delegate.
BOHS reserves the right to alter any part of this programme without notice.


text:
Liz+Max are set to marry next July at the Foundation for the Carolinas. This sweet couple makes me smile with their love for living in Southend and their adorable black French Bulldog, Monsieur Louis! I wanted a fresh, fun design for their summer wedding and I can't wait to see it all come+together in a year (do we have to wait that long?)! The Schultzes will be capturing this future beauty-love them :).
{Inspired} Foundation for the Carolinas Wedding
07.16.13 Inspired
« Bridals: Brittany –The Old Edwards Inn & Spa Byron's Southend Wedding: Lindsey + Sean »
Logging In...
Profile cancel
Last reply was July 18, 2013
Love the couple, love the design, love it all!
the skirt! i love love love it!
I hope that skirt is for real.…and will be worn at this wedding!! It is darling, love the colors!
This is REALLY pretty and I am beyond excited for this wedding. :)


text:
Rev. John A. Armstrong, who lives retired at Wellsville, is one of the highly esteemed and honored pioneer citizens
of Columbiana County. He is a veteran of the Civil War. Mr. Armstrong was born in Washington County, Pa., Jan.
24, 1844, and is the son of James and Jane (Patterson) Armstrong.
James Armstrong was born in Ireland, Feb. 4, 1800. When he was two years of age his family came to the United States
and settled in Washington County, Pa., where he spent the remainder of his life as a farmer. He died March 13,
1865, and his wife died Jan. 15, 1885. They are buried in Washington County, Pa. To Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong the
following children were born: James P., died March 27, 1907; Esther A., died in 1904, was the wife of David Liggett;
Joseph, a Civil War veteran, died in 1913; Elizabeth, died in 1923, was the wife of Robert Dever; Samuel S., a
Civil War veteran, died Oct. 2, 1923; Thomas J., a Civil War veteran, lives retired in Cincinnati, Ohio; John A.,
the subject of this sketch; Sarah C., died in 1861; and M. L., lives in Los Angeles, Calif.
John A. Armstrong received his education in the district schools and began life as a farmer. He enlisted in 1863
for service during the Civil War and was with Company K, 46th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He participated
in many major engagements of the war and was discharged July 15, 1865. Mr. Armstrong has lived at Wellsville since
1888 and has been a minister of the Christian Church since 1880. He also had various business interests during
his active career and was an owner of a small tract of land before coming to Wellsville.
On Sept. 20, 1866, Mr. Armstrong was united in marriage with Miss Sarah C. Hanen, who was born in Ohio, July 2,
1848, the daughter of John and Nancy (Rawlston) Hanen, both deceased. Mr. Hanen was an extensive breeder of sheep
in Washington County, Pa., for many years and was widely known. To Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong were born three children:
John Charles, born Aug. 3, 1868, lives at Wellsville, where he is connected with the Pennsylvania Railroad; Emerson
L., born Aug. 6, 1871, lives at Wellsville and is an engineer on the Pennsylvania Railroad; and Oscar A., who was
a passenger conductor on the Pennsylvania railroad, born Feb. 27, 1879, died Nov. 17, 1921.
Mr. Armstrong has been a life long Republican, and is affiliated with the Masonic Lodge, Independent Order of Odd
Fellows and Knights of Pythias, is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic of East Liverpool, General Lyons
Post No. 46 and for the past three years has been chaplin, preaching a good many of the old soldier's funerals.
He is widely known and is among the leading pioneer citizens of the county.
History of Columbiana County, Ohio
By: Harold B. Barth
Historical Publishing Company
Topeka-Indianapolis 1926
Privacy Policy for
Columbiana County, Ohio Biographies
Names A to F
Names G to M
Names N to Z
New York
For all your genealogy needs visit Linkpendium


text:
Retail pak Naxos Audiobooks 2003
CS ISBN 9626347902 $22.98 cassettes
CD ISBN 9626342900 $26.98 Four CDs
In vino veritas, the saying goes. But it may be as valuable to know the veritas of the vino, and Julian Curry makes it easy and entertaining to do just that. From cultivation to curmudgeonly quaffing, his recorded course moves easily along, accompanied by classical music breaks and a helpful booklet. While not everyone may need to know the right way to stomp a grape, it's never a bad idea to know how to deal with a snobby sommelier, store wine properly, and buy the perfect bottle at the perfect price. Never pedantic, A GUIDE TO WINE is a fine gift for yourself or any other wine lover. D.J.B. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 03]
Retail pak Naxos Audiobooks 2003
CS ISBN 9626347902 $22.98 cassettes
CD ISBN 9626342900 $26.98 Four CDs
Get our FREE Newsletter and discover a world of audiobooks.
Let us recommend your next great audiobook!
No algorithms here!
We pick great audiobooks for you.
Sign up for our free newsletter with audiobook love from AudioFile editors.
If you are already with us, thank you! Just click X above.


text:
This is a story about the afterlife.
It's been 10 years since we loss Mack Ness, a New Jersey farmer who lived so frugally that our receptionist thought he was homeless. He wanted to help Israel, and he did.
When Mr. Ness came to Federation about 15 years ago to donate his $15 million estate, we knew it was a ness (miracle), but didn't predict the way the Ness Fund would change the Negev, especially for young adults. Even today, the Negev encompasses more than half of Israel's land, but is home to less than 10 percent of the population.
At the same time (late 1990s), I visited Israel with my family, but not the Negev. The tour guide said people sometimes passed through on the way to Eilat (at the southern border), but that was about it. The region's young people usually moved away after finishing military service.
Enter the Ness Fund. As a fund of the Jewish Community Endowment Foundation of Central NJ (which merged into JCF in 2012), it was able to work immediately with Federation partners on the ground. Partners such as the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), which runs the Young Adult Centers to connect young people with good jobs in the Negev. Or the Sami Shamoon College of Engineering, which is educating about 150 Bedouins (30 percent of them women!) to secure well-paying jobs that will lift their families out of poverty.
If we toured today we'd likely stop in Old City Be'er Sheva for a free concert at "Monday at the Museum," or go mountain biking at a park in Yerucham. We could tour a kibbutz that is rebounding thanks to HaShomer HaChadash, a local organization that received funding from the Ness Fund. In the first year, 20 young people came to the kibbutz to work the orchards, take classes in Zionist history, help guard the property from vandals at night, and work with volunteers. The second year 15 chose to stay.
All these changes — and so many more — came to Israel from the "homeless" farmer. Mr. Ness may have died in 2004, but the Ness Fund has helped thousands of people every day since by bringing jobs, housing, education, and cultural programs to the Negev. He wanted to help Israel, and he did.
Not a bad afterlife all in all.
The Ness Fund supports innovative projects from a wide range of Jewish and non-Jewish partner agencies, including nonprofit and government agencies, cultural/arts organizations, and businesses. To learn more, call Jessica Mehlman at (973) 929-3003.


text:
Importance of ASME BPEÂ FITTINGS
Hygienic piping system has many standards in the world:: ISO / SMS (International Standard), ASME BPE/3A (American Standard Sanitary Specifications), DIN 11850 (German
Standards Association Standard), IDF (International Dairy Federation standards), JIS G 3447 –
1994 (Japanese Stainless Steel Sanitary Tube Standard).
What selection criteria should compliance with construction units (the owners) requirements, generally European companies using DIN standards, U.S. companies using ASME BPE standards.
The dimension of some standards  are  not complete, there may be a mixture of different standards. This requires to complete the piping table(Piping Class) at the beginning of project , which regulates that nominal diameter range of the project , and the grade, material, standard of sanitary tubings, sanitary fittings, sanitary valves, tri-clover fittings etc.
ASME BPE standard size is relatively complete, the current pharmaceutical engineering applications have more widely, supplier of ancillary products is greater.
At present, ASME BPE are widely acceptance and usage in the processing industry and growth gradually and steadily. Because compliance with the standard is not mandatory, most equipment manufacturers to the standard as a initiatives to enhance the reputation of a product – to prove their products and / or services meet the standards.
ASME BPE describes the problems associated with the design requirements: aseptic systems, component size, materials joining, product contacting surface finish, equipment seals, polymer-based materials and basic acceptance criteria. Therefore Engineering companies often use ASME BPE standards to ensure that the behavior of design, procurement and construction meet the requirements of GMP, in order to ensure the using equipments of health and personal-care manufacturer can be processing safely, then to ensure passing the supervision of government agencies (e.g FDA, SFDA) .
The article was collected and revised by WELLGREEN PROCESS SOLUTIONS– Your reliable solution of ASME BPE FITTINGS AND TRI-CLOVER FITTINGS ETC..


text:
Designing the Millennial's Home
Bobby Berk has worn various hats for his role as founder of Bobby Berk Home. A furniture manufacturer, retailer and designer, Berk recently added the role of design director to his repertoire, creating Millennial-friendly flexible spaces for a two-home concept project developed by BUILDER with TRI Pointe Group's Pardee Homes and Bassenian Lagoni Architects.
In an exclusive interview with Design Today, Berk talked about the features that Millennials want in a home:
DESIGN TODAY: What are the top five "must have" Millennial features in a new home?
BOBBY BERK: They want customizable features that allow their homes to grow with them, a focus on outdoor living space, homes located in "suburban" areas that also offer urban conveniences and allow them to be able to access everything they need within walking distance. They also want Income Suites! This one is major and a big part of what I'm currently doing at our latest project in Las Vegas, and of course, technology, technology, technology!
DT: Some research shows that Millennials like eco-friendly, "green," etc. furnishings, but they also don't want to pay extra for them. What can designers and retailers do to convince buyers the extra charge is worth it?
BERK: I've recently partnered with Ketchum to do some major market research on Millennials. I was honestly shocked to find out that only 31% of millennials find eco-friendly to be high on the list of important things if it affects price. I think our industry really needs to decide that being eco-friendly is a moral/ ethical obligation to our planet and find ways to make their manufacturing and products as eco-friendly as possible without increasing costs. At the end of the day, we all have to live on this planet, and our industry should aspire to set the example for other industries.
DT: Room by Room (LR, DR, Kitchen, BR, Ba, etc.)—what are the most exciting furnishings you saw at market or have seen recently?
BERK: I saw some really great new eco-friendly upholstery from Gus Modern at this last High Point Market. Their new line is filled with Trillium (recycled plastic bottles) and on top of being eco-friendly, it is super comfortable as well. Gus' take on eco goes back to my comments above. They are constantly making their manufacturing and their products more and more green, but instead of using it as a way to charge more as some companies do, they haven't increased their prices on these new and exciting products at all. They are putting a focus on a green planet, instead of a "green pocket." In turn though, millennial consumers have a very positive reaction to the green aspects of their furniture thus promoting very healthy sales.
DT: Describe your new role and the projects you are doing now — can you overview the homes you're doing?
BERK: My new role as creative director at Pardee Homes is very exciting. Basically, I'm in charge of everything to do with the design of the homes from working with the architect to ensure the home's design/function appeals to the millennial buyer to picking all the finishes for both the interior and exterior of the homes, and, of course, doing all of the interior design for all of our model homes.
DT: What are the top three mistakes home furnishings retailers make when trying to sell to Millennials?
BERK: Using traditional advertising methods, not giving them the power to customize, and not having a story behind their products/ brand.
DT: How do you think style preferences will change over the next 10 years or so when Millennials are building families, etc.?
BERK: It's really hard to say how style preferences will change over the next 10 years. These days so many unpredictable things affect them. For example, one could have never predicted the huge explosion of mid-century design, but I think it's safe to say that Mad Men played a major role in this trend's popularity. I think Hollywood plays a huge role in home trends, and the next big trend might possibly be due to the next big show.
Originally hailing from Texas, Bobby had big dreams of the big city and moved to New York in 2003 with only a few dollars to his name and no job in sight. After working his way up in retail at Bed Bath & Beyond and Restoration Hardware to Creative Director at Portico Home + Spa, Berk decided that it was time he started his own brand.


text:
Pacon Paper Grid Roll with 1 inch Grid Rule, 34-1/2 in x 200 ft, White
$53.99 $40.49
Free shipping: eligible
School Specialty Shipping Policy
Items Shipped Within the Contiguous 48 United States
Eligible for Free Shipping
- Free shipping and handling on eligible supply orders of $49 or more. Free shipping calculation is based on the subtotals of eligible items, after any additional discounts are applied.
- For subtotals less than $49, the shipping and handling charge is $9.95.
Ineligible for Free Shipping
- For parcel items, shipping and handling charges are 12% of the subtotal of the items, after any discounts are applied, with a $5 minimum charge.
- For non-parcel items, shipping and handling charges are 15% of the subtotal of the items, after any discounts are applied, with a $99 minimum charge. If the subtotal is greater than $1,000, please call 1-877-350-0645 or E-mail firstname.lastname@example.com for a freight quote.
In Stock - Typically Ships Within 2-3 Days
Customer Reviews
Pacon Grid Roll measuring 34-1/2 in x 200 ft makes easier basic graphing. This 1 inch grid ruled roll is used with any 36 in paper dispenser. Intended for general graphing. Not intended as a measuring tool as measurements are approximate. Sold individually.
- Graphing paper is ideal for solving geometric problems
- 200 feet per roll
- Fits on a 36 in wide paper dispenser
- Note: this item is for the paper roll only


text: I'm a technology coach at the American International School of Kuwait. I work in an IBO World school where students have iPads. I help teachers utilize them in engaging and meaningful ways. I'm blogging about the experience so there's one more resource out there for anyone that's looking for one.


text:
Accepting different things in relationships depends a lot on you and the couple's dynamics. And as the third person in that decision, your feelings matter as well. Think about all this before you make your decision and don't feel guilty for wanting something like that. We are all free to love and feel as we please, as long as we respect the others around us.
These days I received a "different" message in my inbox. It was a message from a woman. She was beautiful. Better yet, Brazilian. She wanted to meet me. I started to exchange some messages with her. After a few conversations, I was a bit disappointed to know that she was married. I clarified that I don't get involved with married women. However, she said she didn't want to cheat on her husband. In fact, they were after a threesome. At first I was confused. She said they are already used to it and that is something they like to do to expand their intimacy. I confess that I was always curious to participate in such a thing, but I imagined that in the future, being in a relationship with someone, would be something that we would talk and decide together. I never imagined that I would be the third person in someone's decision.
It made me think about it and want to write about that kind of decision, especially since there are many couples who consider this idea, but never have the courage to do it or don't know how. So before I say what I answered to her, I will first write something about the subject.
Some people wonder what to do to spice up the relationship when it falls into the routine and the sex becomes just a compulsory and robotic action between the couple. When this happens and you've tried everything that came to mind as sex accessories, erotic videos and even though it has not worked, a good idea could be to innovate even more and perform a threesome.
Surely you have thought about this in one of your sexual fantasies and obviously your partner too. Or you have seen movies with scenes that suggested this or explicitly showed the act. A threesome (ménage à trois) is a practice that is gaining fame today and many couples have joined in to give an upgrade in their sexual relationship.
The motives that lead a couple to seek a third person for a sex experience together are the most diverse. A recurring sexual fantasy, for both men and women, the practice can generate losses and gains in the relationship. But for the ménage à trois to work out, some care has to be taken.
There are people who will soon say "No" before even thinking about it. But why they are so afraid of it? When there is consent of both parties, there is no betrayal, only fun.
What's more, making a ménage is one of the best ways to burn that men's "desire" that all women fear when they're in a serious relationship. Best of all, you can also allow yourself to participate and change things a little bit.
Joint decision
A threesome is not always done to get out of the routine. Sometimes it is a curiosity or a latent pleasure of the couple. The only thing is that the couple must be clear with each other! Desire must be something of both and not of a single person. Don't surprise your partner with a third person, either male or female, without being sure about what he thinks about it or without talking to him before. Watching in a movie and finding it exciting is one thing. Practicing, in fact, is another thing completely different.
Also, s threesome made just to please the other person can generate heartaches, resentments, suspicions and a series of questions. The practice should not be made to "save" relationships or prove someone's performance in bed.
I want to save my marriage
If that is your goal, give it up. A general concept is that the threesome experience should only give a spice touch to an already healthy sex life. The ménage will not collaborate for its improvement. It may even cause the couple to split up, because of the component of trying something new, but not saving it.
A relationship is based not only on sexual intercourse, but on life together as a whole. In raising kids together, in the family, in affinities, in differences. This decision will only spice up things, not save the whole context of the relationship.
Friend or unknown person?
When choosing who will be the third person to go to bed with is essential to have much talk between the two. There are no pre-established rules. The best option varies according to the profile of each couple.
Deciding on a known or unknown person should be a choice between the couple. So they should come to a consensus. There are pros and cons. Choosing a friend can be cool because there is already intimacy and thus more freedom in the threesome, but this can lead to a post-sex withdrawal and jealousy crises for "silly reasons".
The most viable suggestion is to get someone in a club or a relationship website! They chat (the two together, as a couple), then call the person to a corner and open the game.
The participation of prostitutes can be a daunting factor for most women. Women often have trouble giving in to strangers.
They avoid kissing who they don't know, and kissing is an important part of sex. Usually when the third person is hired, she enters into the relationship more to give pleasure than to receive. The reports I hear are that the wife of the couple did nothing with the prostitute, and the prostitute was the most active.
The taboo increases when the third is a man, either because the woman is in the position of holder of his desire or simply by the traditional male competition. The man to be admired and adored. When another man enters the relationship, a comparison happens, something that does not occur so much with the woman. But if this is the woman's fantasy, it's worth negotiating with her mate for equal rights. And that is what the couple that approached me wanted.
Jealousy Vs. Threesomes
Two things that don't fit together in a threesome with jealousy. The third person involved obviously will have relationships with your partner and you can't be jealous, because from the moment you accepted, you can't go back and make a scene during the sexual activity.
If you're a jealous, neurotic person, you'd better not even try, because you might get hurt and with a thousand thoughts in your head afterwards. There must be mutual trust between the couple and knowing that it is a thing of the moment, purely physical, without the involvement of feelings. Only a momentary sexual satisfaction.
If you can't even think of seeing your partner with another person, stay away from the threesome. For the practice to be enjoyable, you and your partner need to be in tune! Intimacy and confidence are the two main points for making this experience incredible!
Little by little threesomes
One way to experiment without ever playing with everything in practice it gradually. Initially the couple can invite a third person just to watch both of them and masturbate while watching. Then they can go forward to one of the two of the couple to participate with the other person while the other person watches until the moment the three participate and exchange partners.
Don't improvise. That means: don't appear hand in hand with other guy in front of your boyfriend suggesting something spicy for that night. It's not going to work. The same rule applies to guys. Without talking before, it won't happen.
Even the old male fantasy, of the girlfriend arriving with another girl, is very likely to doesn't work if it is not clear before.
A fantasy is one thing. The reality is different. And, to put everything into practice without causing confusion, you need to be clear with each other.
Therefore, you should always make sure that everyone wants to participate in this game. Those suggestions whispered at the time of sex ("how about someone else with us?") are a good way to start the conversation. But everyone has to be aware that the search will begin.
Be with whoever you are, a ménage is not a dispute for attention. Nothing to keep timing what each one receives, to demand that the other have the same.
Instead of competing, let your girlfriend/boyfriend and the guest indulge themselves at ease. She/he should also have this attitude. Don't be selfish.
The preparation ritual
The first time everyone will be nervous. This is the general rule. So the concern is to relax the environment and make everyone relax.
If it's a men's ménage, it's cool for the girl to be alone with the new companion for a moment. The boyfriend/husband can take a dip in the hydro, in the swimming pool, watch TV, while the two are free with conversation, kisses, drinks, etc.
If it is a female ménage, usually the girls start with each other, and the guy stands aside, waiting for the right time to enter the game.
As a general rule, don't go for it as soon as you enter the room. But create a mood, relax, drink something.
There are not many rules here, and it's important that the three of you are at ease. So try to create the most pleasant and friendly environment possible.
Of course don't start already taking your clothes off. It is always good to create a mood, talk nonsense, have a drink. But if the purpose of the meeting is to fulfill the fantasy of the ménage, don't keep winding up hours, or someone can run out of time, get sleepy, lose the momentum.
Take initiative when you see that everyone is already very loose. Avoid letting the timing get cold.
Before starting the ménage, try to talk about life, employment, college, musical tastes, that movie that is on the theaters. It is also worth putting a relaxing music and drinking a wine or a beer so that you are all ready at the right moment.
The worst thing that can happen in a ménage is someone having to, literally, solve thing "by hand". Think that obligatorily the ménage involves another person besides the couple. Therefore, the ideal is that someone is always interacting with someone, and that no one is left alone in the game.
Don't dismiss protection
Have condoms to spare. You will need many of them, to change holes as often as you like. If your fantasy is to take turns from one to another, be prepared to wear new condoms at every turn.
If the guest insists to do without it, it is best to leave her/him out of the game and look for another person. Safe sex is a must.
And the feelings of the third person?
Every time we innovate in any area of our lives, we incur in risks. And this is no different when we talk about open relationships. Both the third person involved and each of the couple are at "risk" of falling in love again. It is obvious that the initial intention of this type of relationship is not to fall in love with another person, but this can happen. After all, we are all human and we can't control this type of feelings. There are singles who have threesome sex with other singles and couples as usual, but without looking for romance. However, life can always surprise us and perhaps in some of these cases it can happen that the bachelor falls in love with one of the couple, or even both of them, but this does not guarantee that it will be equally matched, since the couple may be just looking for some fun. So both the third person and the couple run the risk of hurting their feelings in this relationship, but that is part of life, and we are all equally liable to hurt ourselves in relationships.
But what happened?
Well, I must admit that I was a bit afraid to accept this agreement. I decided to meet the couple first. We agreed to meet in a hotel restaurant. If the conversation went well, we'd just have to go upstairs and have some fun. And what did I decide? I can only say that trying new things is always something very good and rewarding. The rest I leave to your imagination. ;)