text:
MAY COTM Flexitarian Table SUMMER MEAT and VEG MAINS
Post both meat and vegetarian recipe discussions for the Summer Menu Section.
I've been chomping at the bit to report! Having followed beetlebug's Flexitarian thread avidly trying to decide whether or not to buy yet another cookbook, the probability of it being COTM pushed it into the "buy" column and I'm so glad.
During one of Boston's lovely summery days last week, I made the much lauded Tofu with Lemon, Soy, White Wine and Butter Sauce, p. 126 and served it with its suggested Quinoa Salad, p. 128.
Made the meal according to each recipe with no changes, except that I forgot to buy pumpkin seeds for the salad. This was quick, easy, delicious and absolutely lovely! Outside of Asian preparations we don't really eat tofu but this recipe will change that. I can't imagine even the staunchest tofu-haters not liking this meal.
re: mirage
It really is killer, isn't it?? I'm so glad that you liked it.
re: mirage
I made the Tofu dish one day and the fish dish another day last week (I used halibut). I posted on my blog http://toomanycookbooksofe.blogspot.com pictures of both. We loved them, and especially the tofu. This was a unique preparation, generally our tofu consumption is strictly japanese soups, noodles & shabu shabu. My 9 year old liked the tofu much better than the fish. There was a fight over the last bit of the sauce to pour over rice at the end, too! I will definitely be making this again very soon (especially since a package of tofu is 90 cents and halibut at costco was 10 dollars!
)I did not do the quinoa salad, I just did plain jasmine rice with both dishes and served a veg on the side (stir fry mixed veg with the tofu & green beans with the halibut).
re: mirage
I love this tofu dish, too! And, it's super quick and easy!
re: The Dairy Queen
You've probably posted about this somewhere else, TDQ, but I'm too lazy to search. Did you cut back on the butter? and if so, by how much? With all these great reports (and the ingredients on hand) I'd kind of like to try it, but it's that butter that's been keeping me away.
re: JoanN
Ah, you're like a mind-reader. Yes, instead of butter, I used 4 tsp of Canola oil (serving 2 people). I'm sure it's even more delicious with butter, but I enjoyed it just fine without. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/43410...
re: JoanN
I cut back on the butter - I don't have my book, but I think I used half or a quarter of it. My 6 year old son loved the tofu. I thought it was good, but not mindblowing - perhaps it needed the butter? My husband didn't like the texture, and my 4 year old son didn't like it at all (texture I think). Mine also wasn't that brown, and I used wheat free tamari instead of soy sauce.
re: mirage
We had this with the salad for dinner last night. I had a 14 oz block of tofu, but just cut it into 6 slices, and used extra firm tofu, rather than firm, thinking that my husband would prefer the texture. I had the damnest time finding a pan that would work on the stove top and in the oven that wouldn't be too big, so I ended up using the fish pan I bought last year and never used! Quick and easy to put together, delicious flavors infused into the tofu. My only caveat is that I really had expected it to have the browned look somehow and as you can see from my photos, it wasn't.
Wondering if maybe some more experienced w/ tofu than I can figure out how to get that beautiful color on the tofu - it almost looked like it has a crust? I used Pearl River Light Soy Sauce. Next time I may well fry it first and then cook in the liquid.
re: MMRuth
One of the tofu recipes is pan fried. My vague memory is that you first press it (to get the water out), marinate it and then fry it. I think the marinade had rosemary in it. Anyway, the finished product had a lovely color and was definitely more "meaty." For this prep, I wonder if you press it, then pan fry it and lastly simmer it in the tofu if that would give you the color and crust that you seek.
re: beetlebug
Thanks - I've been reading through the book more this afternoon and I think the Crispy Pressed Tofu w/ Garlic and Mint will give me the chance to try the pan fried method. The one you refer to is the "Pan Seared Rosemary Tofu" on p. 254. Just reading it makes me want to eat duck though!! I'm glad we're doing this this month - for some reason I'm more inspired by the Spring/Summer menus than the Fall/Winter ones (even though it's cool here).
re: beetlebug
I did do that once with the tofu, but I too the sauce from memory. Everyone liked it better that way mostly because they are used to their tofu baked or pan fried.
re: jsaimd
I tried it again, but this time took the thyme off the stem and chopped a bit, greatly reduced the butter and cooked in the toaster oven for 30 minutes. It was a nice happy medium - still soft, very lemony and good, but with crispy edges. And I didn't have to do much except put it in and then wash a silpat. My 6 year old still really likes this tofu. I like it, and it seems to be growing on me since I have made it several times! My younger son doesn't like it, but he is super picky about tofu.
re: mirage
Tofu with Lemon, Soy, White Wine and Butter Sauce (Summer menu 5, pg. 126)
Not much more to say this dish other than I just love it. I served this with Spring Greens in Dill Vinaigrette (pg. 52) and the rice with herbs (pg. 75).
re: beetlebug
I had to try it too, after all these comments! I cut the butter in half, everything else the same. Our first reaction was it was nice, but we wondered what the fuss was about. However, the more we ate it, the more we liked it, which was interesting. Though this isn't going to make a tofu lover out of DH, because he's just not fond of anything with a custardy texture (which I adore). I'll try the crispy tofu recipe on him sometime instead.
re: mirage
Tofu with Lemon, Soy, White Wine and Butter Sauce, p. 126
We finally tried this dish after hearing so much about it. I really loved how quickly it came together with simple, pantry staples. This was the first time my husband has eaten a whole meal of tofu. I think he even liked it. His only complaint was that it was not filling enough for him...the pretzels and chocolate pudding fixed that.
re: mirage
Tofu with Lemon, Soy, White Wine and Butter Sauce
This tofu dish has been on my "to make" list forever, and on Friday I finally got around to it. I don't have this book but used the proportions and directions posted by Beetlebug many eons ago. Happy to report that this dish was just as good as expected based on the numerous positive reports I've read over the years. My husband and I both liked it a lot, and my son happily ate the leftovers, which is great because I'm always looking for tofu preparations that he likes. My only issue was -- I wanted more sauce! Do others have this problem? Maybe I reduced the sauce too much?
re: mirage
Better late, right? It was having made, and loved, the very similar Striped Bass with Lemon that finally got me to try the Tofu with Lemon, Soy, White Wine and Butter Sauce and even after all the raves I was still surprised that I, too, liked it better than the Striped Bass version. That I used the full amount of butter did not, I am sure, hurt in the least. Will probably cut it by at least half next time.
Curious, those of you who have been making it for years now, what do you serve it with? The Qunoa Salad with Corn and Tomatoes that is recommended sounds lovely for this time of year, but the Tofu strikes me as a year-round dish. Do you just make rice and call it a meal, or do you serve it with other dishes?
re: JoanN
I make this tofu dish year-round, and usually accompany it with some kind of pilaf-y dish (bulgur, etc.) - but then, I don't that often make rice at home - and some kind of in-season vegetable. That's probably too vague to be helpful, I know, but I find that it's easy to just pair it with any sauteed greens, or roasted or steamed veggies, and having some kind of grain dish that you can spoon any extra sauce over is nice.
I've never used the full amount of butter, but I have used some olive oil instead of butter on occasion, and it's definitely (not surprisingly) better with butter! I usually flip the tofu when the pan comes out of the oven and goes back on the stove, so the other side can spend a bit of time in the sauce before serving.
re: Caitlin McGrath
Thanks, Caitlin. Not too vague at all. In fact, probably more helpful than a make xxx on page 123 of yyyy would have been. Flipping the tofu is a good Idea. I found myself basting it to achieve a similar effect. I plan to try giving it a quick sear before braising as well. If nothing else, it would perhaps make it look more like the photo in the book.
re: JoanN
You know, I was reading through this thread again the other day, when your post on the striped bass brought it up, and noticed the post below (http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5148...) where ArikaDawn said she browned the tofu after it came out of the oven, and I thought that seemed like a good idea because it will have already spent time in the sauce. On the other hand, there's a compelling argument (to me) for doing the quick sear first as you suggest, which is that it wouldn't involve dirtying a second pan.
re: JoanN
This dish is still the most loved tofu dish I make. I always serve it with plain jasmine or basmati rice - to me it just makes sense for soaking up the nice sauce. Then usually a roasted vegetable. My preference is for something green like broccoli or green beans for eye appeal. I did either sweet potatoes or squash once and somehow it just didn't look good.
Summer Menu 10 (part only)
The Flexitarian book called to me before its time, and I tried the Falafel p 164 a week or two ago. I also made my own pita bread, but used a recipe from another book, because I got confused and thought there wasn't one in the Fexitarian book. I took his suggestion to toast the cumin and coriander before grinding, and I used all cilantro. Enclosed you will find a picture of what I guessed he meant by cracker-like crumbs for the mix. I found I had to process it further at the end so that the mixture would hold its shape. The falafel browned very nicely and held their shape (that picture is slightly overexposed, though). I've never had falafel before, so I can't compare it to anything. I found it a bit bland by itself. If I did it again, I'd use more cayenne and other seasonings, but then, I like Thai food and other hot things. Also, I thought they were a dryish food, compared with other deep-fried and molded items, but I don't know if that is standard for falafel.
I stuffed the pitas with falafel, sauce, lettuce (I ran out of onion), tomato, and cucumber. The presence of sauce is essential! I didn't use his sauce, though, as I was tired that day. It was a very nice food that way, sort of salad-like and fresh. I wish I had baked the pitas the same day, though. They lost a little since I made them the previous day and reheated. I got better pockets on the slightly thinner pitas, it seemed. My one thickish one did not make a pocket. The one you see pictured is made with the right ratio of wheat to white, even though it was cooked at a lower temp than Berley wanted.
Oh, my husband liked the "ratios" better with the pita laid flat and topped, instead of stuffed.
Seafood (Tofu) Ceviche with Quick-Pickled Red Onion (Summer menu 6, pl. 132)
I didn't use the hiziki because I couldnt' find it; also didn't serve it with the lettuce, but apart from that followed the recipe exactly using flounder. Very pleasant, very much like ceviche I've had in restauants. The chopped vegetables are very pretty and tasty - the pickled onion adds a lot, in my opinion. That all said, it was ceviche ... very nice and refreshing on a hot southern evening, but it wasn't anything particularly spectacular. Served it with a saffron and garlic soup which I dismally over-salted.
re: LulusMom
Where is the saffron & garlic soup recipe from? I'd love to try another garlic soup after my troubles w/ the SH one, and love saffron.
re: MMRuth
It's an epicurious recipe. I think it would have been really nice if not over-salted. And really easy to make. Here is the link: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...
re: LulusMom
Thank you - I'm going to give that a try this week - since it has 4 garlic cloves instead of 4 heads of garlic, it should be a bit milder in garlic flavor - and I just came across an "extra" little container of saffron in the pantry.
re: MMRuth
I hope you like it. I think it would have been a hit without all that darned salt. I like the way the bread cubes thicken it.
Crispy Pressed Chicken, pg. 38
This was a total winner! I prepared the chicken and DH cooked it. Used Aleppo pepper powder since that's what I had in the pantry, but added a teaspoon of red pepper flakes just because. Very easy to prepare and it was absolutely delicious! Juicy, flavorful. I had 5 bone in chicken thighs, and we had 2 1/2 between us. I could have eaten 12......well maybe not. The marinade is the key..... let it sit for 1/2 hour as per the directions. Utterly beautiful!
I cobbled together a menu utilizing several of PB's suggestions....the asparagus salad on pg 56 without the hard boiled egg, and the roasted vegetables on pg 25....Spring Vegetables with cumin and lime. More about those in the appropriate threads, but I thought I'd let you know what the entire menu consisted of. This Is Fun!!
EDIT: Oh gosh... I just saw that I should have reported this in the Spring thread.....
Mea culpa!!!
Shrimp in Harissa
I actually made all of summer menu 3 this weekend in 2 different meals, I will post the sides in the sides thread.
I was unable to find caraway seed (however did see at the store YESTERDAY after I already made this dish, duh), so just left it out and used a tad more fennel & cumin. The shrimp was nice, the heat of the cayenne was balanced by the warmth of the fennel & cumin. I did them on the stove in a grill pan. Because of timing I think I marinated them a bit too long, but the flavors were spot on. I would definitely make this again.
re: ErikaK
It's funny, when I first made this dish, I didn't believe the "marinate for *15* minutes." That seemed too short. But, I did it and the flavors were perfect. It still seems too short to me, but I haven't deviated off that timing and now won't after your experience.
re: ErikaK
I just made this tonight and I have to echo what everyone else says -- it's amazing how much flavor the shrimp picked up after only 15 minutes in the marinade. I was a little worried about the amount of lemon juice (some marinades and salad dressings are just too lemony for my taste, even though I like lemon), but it nearly disappears here.
I'm not a fan of caraway (had a bad ham on rye sandwich years ago that colored my view of caraway forever, even though the caraway wasn't to blame -- funny that), so I doubled the fennel and it was delicious. I think I will kick up the cayenne a bit the next time I make it too, wasn't as spicy as I expected.
I grilled them, and after 3 min on the first side, they were nearly done. Guess my grill is hotter than his.
re: ErikaK
My turn on the Shrimp in Harissa. We loved this. I only marinated for 10 minutes because I was worried that the lemon would start to "cook" the shrimp before it got on the grill. Still gave it time to get the flavors, which were fantastic. I don't know how anyone could make this menu without someone else around to help. I had my husband out on the back porch grilling the shrimp while I worked on the tomatoes.
re: LulusMom
That seems to be what happened to my shrimp, because of the timing, the edges sort of "cooked" due to the lemon juice - they marinated a bit too long.
But, still yummy.
re: ErikaK
We loved this as well. I made it as written, apart from I cut down on the amount of oil and lemon juice a little bit. I grilled the shrimp (prawns to us Brits!) over charcoal after marinating for the requisite 15 minutes. They had a fantastic flavour and will definitely become a summer barbecue staple. Mr GG was also impressed.
re: ErikaK
I made the grilled shrimp in harissa and fresh corn polenta with sauteed cherry tomatoes from summer menu #3 last night (I posted about the polenta and cherry tomatoes here http://www.chowhound.com/topics/51482... ). I, too, skipped the caraway seed because the market I stopped by last night didn't have it. I just left it out. We did it over our gas grill outside. (YAY! Spring!) I used 2 tsp of olive oil instead of the 5 TBSP the recipe calls for. This turned out lovely--we'll definitely try it again.
re: The Dairy Queen
I was worried that if I cut back on the oil too much, the spices would overwhelm the prawns. I'm interested to see if you thought it was a problem, TDQ.
Is there a national US shortage of caraway seed, btw. I seem to be the only person who used it! ;-)
re: greedygirl
I don't think the spice overwhelmed the prawns...I think you do have to be extra careful not to marinate too long, though. The polenta and the corn aren't that spicy, so, the prawns are just fine.
The problem with caraway seeds is that when I'm at a bigger grocery store that is certain to have it, I always think I have it--and then I get home and discovered that, once again, I've misremembered. The small market I was at yesterday only have a few basic spices--I guess caraway isn't a "basic" spice in the U.S.
re: greedygirl
I used caraway! And I loved it ...
re: LulusMom
I use it too - not sure why it's been so hard to find - but, I actually am not a big fan of it - I'll add it if it's one of a number of spices, but would be unlikely to use it on its own.
re: greedygirl
greedygirl, et al.: I have a gripe against caraway seed because, although I DO have it in my spice cabinet, I ALWAYS have to open cumin, caraway, and a couple of other spice jars and bite into the seeds to see which one is caraway....I know, I know, why don't I just LABEL them? Every hear the word "Lazy"?
I'm going to try this tonight.
re: ErikaK
So many good reports on the Shrimp in Harissa I had to give it a try. I liked it a great deal, but have so many other spicy shrimp recipes I like even better I doubt I'll do this again (although I'll probably copy it out--just in case!). I think the real reason I'm even bothering to post is that I like the way the photo turned out. And mine looks almost totally different from TDQ's. Probably because I let the polenta warm at too high a heat for too long.
re: The Dairy Queen
Yeah, mine too!! But to be fair I did my shrimp in a grill pan instead of on the grill.
Might do tonight on the grill, too hot to cook indoors.


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The lookouts in the crow's nest who were responsible for spotting ice were at a disadvantage. No one had been able to find the binoculars since the ship left Southampton.
Stop back tommorrow for more interesting Titanic Facts and mark your calendar for Titanic: 100 Years Later at the Fairmount Branch on April 12 at 6:30 p.m.


text:
Dan Aykroyd's Daughter Stars in Rap Video
Dan Aykroyd may have to give his kid a time out. The daughter of the 'Ghostbusters' star recently pulled a comedy a stunt of her own, appearing with a crew of fellow Ivy League students in a comedy rap video entitled "P---- Breath," by rappers MCMP and Young Sheik.
Released on V


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If in Season 2 you had the choice whether or not to murder Vernon would you do it?
I would as he decided not to tell the group about the horde (indirectly causing Ben, Kenny, Lee's and possibly Christa, Omids and Mollys deaths). He stole the boat, and he was just a d*** in general even considering to kill Lee when they had just met.
But would you kill him or let him live?


text:
Love, the Christian's Goal
What is your goal when you sit under biblical teaching? Is it to be equipped with knowledge for the sake of knowledge, or do you hope that your learning will make you more loving to God and neighbor? We are ...Read More
Chosen in Love
The wonder of divine election is not that God loves us because we are lovely but that He loves us even though there is nothing lovely in us. But in choosing us, He loves us in order to make us ...Read More
Receiving the Word
In our celebrity-oriented culture, it is easy to seek out pastors for their good looks, speaking styles, success in building large congregations, or other such factors. Scripture, however, commends for the pastorate those men who are faithful to the Word ...Read More
The Grain Offering Restored
God's prophetic word to Israel is a word for us this day: "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten" (Joel 2:25). Even if we feel like we have fallen too far for the Lord's ...Read More
Christ's Resurrection and Ours
John Calvin writes, "As … Adam did not die for himself alone, but for us all, it follows, that Christ in like manner, who is the antitype, did not rise for himself alone; for he came, that he might restore ...Read More
The World
God calls believers not to escape the world but to live according to His will within the world (John 17) as a witness to fallen cultures and societies, manifesting that He is Lord of all. Consider this day some of ...Read More
He Gives More Grace
If we were to take an honest look at our lives, we all could find times when we have made ourselves friends with the world. We have compromised God's principles for money, status, or power, choosing not to live according ...Read More
The Fiery Tongue
In today's passage, James reminds us that it only takes a small flame to cause a great fire. Oftentimes the most offensive and hurtful things that we say appear to be insignificant at the time. However, snide and subtle comments ...Read More
The Mystery of Godliness
For those of us who have been Christians for a long time, it can be easy to take the wonder of our salvation for granted. Therefore, we should never cease to reflect daily for at least a short while on ...Read More
The Mode of Baptism
All of the above evidence indicates that in baptism, it is the cleansing aspect that is the emphasis and not the way in which water is applied. Whether dipped, immersed, sprinkled, or poured upon, we are to see a picture ...Read More
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- Twentieth Century


text:
I'am Trying To Find Some Affordable Insurance For My Welding
Buisness.but I'am Not Having Any Luck Either Everybody Is
Totally Out Of Line On Thier Prices Or It Does Not Include
Garage Keepers.i'am Between A Rock & A Hard Spot What Do You
Guy's Think.
Results 1 to 10 of 14
Thread: Insurance Blue's
Insurance Blue's
01-20-2007, 11:32 PM #2Senior Member
- Join Date
- Oct 2006
- Location
- DFW area
- Posts
- 180
Keep looking for a carrier, or hump up & pay the piper.
Insurance is always high for a new business with no track record of being accident free,, or lawsuit free.
Such as it is, pay what ya gotta pay, then try to charge enough more for your work to cover it while staying competively priced.
In that situation, I don't see many more options to pick from.
."Gone are the days of wooden ships, and Iron men.
I doubt we'll see either of their likes again".
Circa 1920.
Unknown US Coast Guard unit Commander.
01-21-2007, 09:57 AM #3Senior Member
Insurance is always high for a new business with no track record of being accident free,, or lawsuit free.
- Join Date
- Aug 2006
- Posts
- 163
So how would you even get on somebodies property?? Judgement proof?? Are you referring to a legal document?
What about becoming bonded?
Try asking your local business association or Chamber of Commerce about membership and their insurance programs.
I have a 8 year track record and never been sued, never had a work place accident, never had a customer injury.
I pay about $200 a month for my coverage thru Grange. But I had to put up lots of fire extinguishers, first aid kits, eye wash stations and a few other things that I can't remember at the moment.
Plus I had the local fire chief come over and gave me an inspection, which he passed me, but also gave me some suggestions to make things better. Plus a telephone within close reach is not a bad idea either.
Also your insurance carrier may ask if they can check your background and maybe your spouse's background. Most things don't really count after 2 to 3 years, but your agent may not tell you that. These checks are both credit and criminal checks. Being judgement proof means that you have a recent bankruptcy and having no property what so ever in your name. BUt you will never be able to get a SBA loan or a bank loan for your business.
Or your agent will just ask one or two questions and give you a great rate.
01-21-2007, 08:40 PM #6Senior Member
- Join Date
- Aug 2006
- Posts
- 163
being judgment proof is having no assets in YOUR NAME. Then if you are sued and someone gets a judgment, you have nothing that can be sold to satisfy the judgment. That also means that you can never own anything in your name. Doctors used to put everything in their wife's name, not sure if they still do it.
Here in TX your house, motor vehicle, couple guns, horse, household goods, tools, wage garnishment, and some other stuff are exempt from judgments. Each state is different on the rules. i have a couple judgments against deadbeat renters and those judgments along with 50¢ won't even get me a cup of coffee in this state. TX is considered a debtor's state and I always seem to be the one that rents them a house.
Obviously, if you want to sleep well at nite it's better to have the insurance coverage. If you choose the "self insured" route you would be solely responsible for any claims made against you. If you do good work and customers are satisfied then the insurance thing should never be an issue. You will also lose a lot of work because you don't have the necessary insurance.
Do you know there's an insurance policy available for every phase of building and launching a sattellite? The thing is that it's so expensive, nobody buys it. Think about it. Also, can you set up your buisiness as an LLC so nobody can get your house and personal stuff should they decide to sue you. Anybody have an LLC who can shed some light on this? I do not so don't take my advice as law but sometimes you gamble depending on what you have to loose.Matt Adams A&P, IA
Trailblazer 302
Dialarc HF
Check with a business attorney on the LLC situation. You can be sued as well as the LLC in some states, as well as any one else involved in your company.
To create an LLC, you can buy the kit at any of the major office supply stores. It's easy fast and cheap, if it will work for you in your state. Plus you have to check on any situation that you may encounter that crosses state lines or deals with a foreign company or even just a foreigner.
America the land of the law suit!.
01-22-2007, 05:14 PM #9Senior Member
- Join Date
- Aug 2006
- Posts
- 163
There used to be some tricks that could be done with trusts but I believe the recent bankruptcy law changes may have cracked down on some of them. Google "asset protection" to get more info on this subject.
America the land of the law suit!.
01-22-2007, 08:50 PM #10Guest
- Join Date
- Dec 2005
- Location
- Lodi, CA
- Posts
- 1,495
We had a thread something like this on the motorsports board last year . .
Insurance is needed for two reasons, one is to protect your assets, the other is you have a responsibility to properly compensate anybody you have injured or caused loss to through your business activities.
Somebody said something about "bonds" . . . well, a bond is simply to insure performance, or insure trust, I have to maintain a surety bond as a condition of my contractor's license. All it does is insure performance on my part for any contract I may enter. If the bonding company has to pay out on it, they can turn right around and bring action against me to collect what they paid.
And this talk about becoming "judgement proof" by transferring or hiding assets is to my mind gutless and irresponsible. Incorporating or creating an LLC is one thing, and something any prudent businessman should consider, it gives you some protection, but not complete protection, but going to the lengths of having no visible assets is just taking it too far.
The big problem starting out is almost any decent, highly rated insurance company is going to want to see three years of "loss runs" before they'll even consider writing you up. There are some "not so highly rated" companies that will do you, it's just a matter of finding them. Generally, they'll either charge more or offer less coverage, but at this point you don't have a lot of options.
I'd like to add a disclaimer here, also. Insurance is very much a state-regulated industry, things can be much different state-to-state, my experience is in California, what I said above may or may not be true everywhere.
The best suggestion I can offer is network with other businesses, not necessarily welding businesses, but customers, suppliers, your barber, contractors, etc. You want the name of the agent they deal with, not all agents are created equal, and some are much better on commercial policies than others. Just calling agencies won't do it, you just get the person who's not occupied right then, and that's probably not the right person anyway.


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|Waynesville, MO
|High School:
|Waynesville HS
In 2008: Enjoyed a breakout season by playing in all 11 games and recording 29 tackles ... tied for second on the Lions with 6.5 tackles for loss for 24 yards ... flashed ablility to rush the quarterback with one sack, seven quarterback hurries and two pass breakups ... also blocked a kick week six vs. Washburn and recovered a fumble week 11 against No. 3-ranked Northwest Missouri State.
In 2007: Played in two games for the Lions … recorded three tackles and one for a loss from the defensive line.
In high school: A three year starter at middle linebacker and tight end at Waynesville High School in Waynesville, Mo. … A two-time All-Conference selection, as well as All-State … Helped lead his team to a conference championship …. Also lettered in track and Basketball at Waynesville.
Personal: A business management major … born on
October 8, 1988 … son of Darrell and Melissa Teer …
I'd like to star in a music video with: Dratce …
Interesting hobbies: Watch TV, basketball.


text:
Pub back in business
Published at 15:23, Friday, 02 November 2012
A VILLAGE pub closed for months has been revamped and reopened.
The new couple at the helm of The Globe Inn at Calthwaite have spent three months transforming the pub. It is now back open for business – a move against the tide of pub closures that have blighted towns and villages across Cumbria.
Husband and wife partnership Fleet and Janice Simpson have had their hearts set on running The Globe for years. Janice said: "We have always had our eye on the place. Last time it was up for lease we weren't quick enough, so we decided next time – if and when it came up – we would go for it.
"Because we know the area and know the locals we felt it was the right time to have this place and there is the need for it. There's a whole village which needs a pub and a focal point for the community to come together."
Fleet added: "We wanted this pub because leasing it from Brackenburgh estate and being a free house made it attractive.
"It also means we have more of a chance of being a profitable business."
Taking on the roles of landlord and landlady is a complete change for the couple, who live in Calthwaite.
Fleet was previously a lorry driver and Janice was a cook at Calthwaite School.
They are, however, clear that they want to run the Globe Inn as traditional family pub and have focussed refurbishment work on making it warm and welcoming.
A big part of Janice and Fleet's decision to take on the Globe was the hope it would benefit their whole family.
Janice's 28-year-old son Dan is an experienced chef and will be doing the cooking at the pub. Her other son, Jonny, 25, is in charge of running the pub website.
The couple also have two younger children and as the family will be living and working in the pub. They hope this will allow them to spend more time together.
They have high hopes for the enterprise despite the trend of other village pubs closing down.
Fleet said: "I think if you do it right and it's clean and warm and it's value for money people are willing to come out and spend, I think you do have do something a little bit different and I feel Dan has done that with the food. We're really happy with what's coming out of the kitchen and so far our customers seem to be happy with it too."
Locals have already been showing their support with standing room only at the official reopening on Saturday night.
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk
Have your say
In west Cumbria
- Vandals wreak havoc after breaking into school building
- Energy minister hints at cash for transport improvements in west Cumbria (2 comments)
- Councillors banned from talking to press for 'own protection' (9 comments)
- Prison term for banned driver who led Cumbria police on 25-mile chase
- West House loses cafe contract at hospital (19 comments)
Quick links
- Stagecoach cuts prices on bus journeys in Carlisle
- Two former north Cumbrian pubs to be sold at auction
- Something Wickedly Weird author Chris Mould gives masterclass at Cumbrian school
- North Cumbrian famers heading for European tractor-pulling championships
- Former Spitfire pilot takes to the skies again - aged 94
- New owner for Carlisle's Stepping Stones Nursery
- Stagecoach cuts prices on bus journeys in Carlisle
- Two former north Cumbrian pubs to be sold at auction
- Couple reveal plans to restore village pub to its former glory
- Driver's anger at parking charge - after buying ticket on Carlisle car park (25 comments)


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Description:HP Intel Xeon BL20p G2 (2.8GHz/Single-core/512KB/74W)Full Processor Option KitPart Number(s)Part# 300873-B21
HP Processor Kits:
Manufacturer Part# 300873-B21
This is the full processor option kit. It includes the
Processor(s), Heat-Sink(s), Fan(s), Thermal paste
and VRM (Voltage Regulator Module) where required.
Overview:The Intel Xeon processor with 512 KB L2 cache is designed for high-performance dual-processor workstation and server applications. Based on the Intel NetBurst micro-architecture and the Hyper-Threading technology it is binary-compatible with previous Intel Architecture (IA-32) processors. The Intel Xeon processor with 512 KB L2 cache is scalable to two processors in a multiprocessor system providing exceptional performance for applications running on advanced operating systems such as Windows XP Windows 2000 Linux and UNIX. The Intel Xeon processor with 512 KB L2 cache delivers compute power at unparalleled value and flexibility for powerful workstations Internet infrastructure and departmental server applications. The Intel NetBurst micro-architecture and Hyper-Threading technology deliver outstanding performance and headroom for peak Internet server workloads resulting in faster response times support for more users and improved scalability.
CategoryProliant Processor
Part Number300873-B21
Products ID141291
Product TypeProcessor Upgrade
Processor TypeIntel Xeon
Processor CoreSingle-Core
Processor Qty1
Clock Speed2.8GHz
Bus Speed533
L2 Cache512KB
64-bit ProcessingNo
Process Technology130nm
Processor SocketSocket PGA-604
Thermal Design Power74W
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Note: We strongly recommend that you send your device to us for installation of your new screen, but if you feel up to the challenge, and want to install the new screen yourself, select the 'self-installation' option above, and we will send your screen instead of expecting your device to be sent to us for replacement. This tells us that you understand that there will be no tools or instructions with your screen and you want to install the screen yourself. However, if you really do want us to install the screen for you, choose Option 2, 3, or 4 below depending on your needs.
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Practice Philosophy
Dr. Milbourn's warm, personal manner puts patients at ease. She listens to them and cares about what they have to say. She understands that the decision to have plastic surgery can be difficult and that an empathetic, responsive physician is essential to a patient's emotional preparation for surgery, healing and follow-up.
Her extensive experience in reconstructive surgery has imbued in her a unique sensitivity to the special needs of her cosmetic patients. Her skill is enhanced by use of sophisticated techniques and highly advanced technology. With endoscopy surgery, liposculpturing and tissue augmentation, she is able to reduce the visible signs of aging, restore more youthful contours to the face and body, and improve facial harmony in her patients. Her unique skills in microvascular tissue transfer complement her expertise in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery.
Facial cosmetic surgery including eyes, nose, facelift and browlift; Breast augmentation, lift and reduction; Abdominoplasty; Body contouring, including after massive weight loss; Microsurgical free tissue transfer; Facial and Breast reconstruction.
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text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Sep 1, 2011
|Priority date
|Nov 18, 2005
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Florin Nanu, Adrian Capata, Eran Steinberg, Peter Corcoran, Petronel Bigioi, Alexei Pososin, Mihai Ciuc
|Original Assignee
|Tessera Technologies Ireland Limited
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (1), Classifications (12), Legal Events (4)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/952,162, filed Nov. 22, 2010; which is a Division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/462,035, filed Aug. 2, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,920,723, which is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/282,954, filed Nov. 18, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,689,009, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to digital image processing, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for detection and correction of red-eye defects and/or other artifacts in an acquired digital image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Redeye is the appearance of an unnatural reddish coloration of the pupils of a person appearing in an image captured by a camera with flash illumination. Redeye is caused by light from the flash reflecting off blood vessels in the person's retina and returning to the camera.
A large number of image processing techniques have been proposed to detect and correct redeye in color images. In general, these techniques typically are semi-automatic or automatic. Semi-automatic redeye detection techniques rely on human input. For example, in some semi-automatic redeye reduction systems, a user must manually identify to the system the areas of an image containing redeye before the defects can be corrected.
Many automatic redeye reduction systems rely on a preliminary face detection step before redeye areas are detected. A common automatic approach involves detecting faces in an image and, subsequently, detecting eyes within each detected face. After the eyes are located, redeye is identified based on shape, coloration, and brightness of image areas corresponding to the detected eye locations. In general, face-detection-based automatic redeye reduction techniques have high computation and memory resource requirements. In addition, most of the face detection algorithms are only able to detect faces that are oriented in an upright frontal view. These approaches generally do not detect faces that are rotated in-plane or out-of-plane with respect to the image plane.
A redeye filter process is illustrated in
U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,777 to inventor DeLuca discloses in-camera detection and correction of redeye pixels in an acquired digital image, while US published patent application 2002/0176623 to inventor Steinberg discloses automated real-time detection and correction of redeye defects optimized for handheld devices (each of these is assigned to the same assignee as the present application, as are U.S. application Ser. Nos. 10/919,226, filed Aug. 16, 2004, 10/772,092, filed Feb. 4, 2004, 10/772,767, filed Feb. 4, 2004, and 10/635,918, filed Aug. 5, 2003). US published patent applications 2005/0047655 and 2005/0047656 to Luo et al disclose techniques for detecting and correcting redeye in a digital image and in embedded systems, respectively. The aforementioned patent and published and unpublished patent applications are all hereby incorporated by reference.
Within an image acquisition subsystem such as is embodied in typical digital cameras, a peak computing load and resource requirements occur around the time of image acquisition. Upon receiving an image acquisition request from the user the main embedded processing system refines the image focus and exposure to achieve an optimal main acquired image. This image, in turn, is off-loaded from the main optical sensor of the camera and subjected to further image processing to convert it from its raw format (e.g. Bayer) to a conventional color space such as RGB or YCC. Finally the acquired image is compressed prior to saving it on a removable storage medium such as a compact flash or multimedia card.
The time taken by the camera to recover from the acquisition of a first image and reinitialize itself to capture a second image is referred to as the "click-to-click" time. This parameter is used in the comparison and marketing of modern digital cameras. It is desired for manufacturers to minimize this "click-to-click" time. Thus, it is desired that any additional image processing, such as redeye filtering, which is to be added to the main image acquisition chain should be highly optimized for speed of execution in order to minimize its impact on the click-to-click time of the main system. Such a redeye filter typically compromises its overall performance in terms of accuracy of detection of redeye defects and quality of image correction.
An alternative would be to wait until after the main image has been acquired and perform the redeye filtering at a later time when the camera may execute the filter as a background process, or to perform the redeye filtering off-camera on a desktop PC or printer. There can be drawbacks to this alternative approach, though. First, images are displayed on the acquiring device, immediately after acquisition, with uncorrected redeye defects. Second, when images are accessed in playback mode, there is a further delay while images are post-processed before an image can be displayed. Both drawbacks would create a negative impression on end users.
Further, as most digital cameras store images using lossy compression techniques there can be additional disadvantages with respect to image quality as images are decompressed and recompressed in order to perform redeye detection and correction processes in playback or background modes. Such loss of image quality may not become apparent until later when a user wishes to print an image and it is too late to reverse the process.
If redeye processing is delayed until the images are loaded onto another device, such as a desktop PC or printer, there can be further disadvantages. First, meta-data relating to the acquiring device and its state at the time the image was acquired may not be available to the redeye filter process. Second, this post-processing device performs redeye filtering on the entire image; so that for an embedded device such as a printer that may be relatively constrained in terms of CPU cycles and processing resources for its primary post-processing activity, it would be desirable to optimize the performance of the full redeye filter. It is generally desired to optimize the detection of red-eye defects in digital images for embedded image acquisition and processing systems.
A digital image acquisition device is provided. An imaging optic and detector is for acquiring digital images including one or more preview images and a main image. A face detector module is for analyzing the one or more preview images to ascertain information relating to candidate face regions therein. An image generating module is for programming the processor to generate a sub-sampled version of the main image. A first speed-optimized red-eye filter is for programming the processor to produce a first set of candidate red-eye regions in a sub-sampled version of the main image based on the candidate face region information provided by the face detector.
An image encoder is for encoding the acquired image. An image compressor is for compressing the main image.
An image store memory is for storing therein said encoded image in association with said first set of candidate red-eye regions for later image processing of the encoded image.
An analysis-optimized red eye filter is for later analysis of a full resolution version of the main image based in part on the previous analysis.
A display is for displaying an image processed by said first speed-optimized red-eye filter.
A signal connection is for transferring images to a PC or other microprocessor-based device, or both, for further image processing.
The face detector may include a search module for detecting candidate face regions and a tracking module for predicting and confirming candidate face regions.
The one or more preview images may include a sub-sampled version of an acquired image.
The candidate face region information includes (i) a list of one or more candidate face regions; (ii) a set of data associated with one or more candidate face regions and statistical data derived from a history of the one or more candidate face regions; or (iii) a predicted location for one or more candidate face regions; or (iv) combinations thereof.
A two-stage redeye filtering process is provided whereby a speed optimized filter performs the initial segmentation of candidate redeye regions and optionally applies a speed-optimized set of falsing/verification filters to determine a first set of confirmed redeye regions for correction. Some of the candidate regions which are rejected during the first stage are recorded and re-analyzed during a second stage by an alternative set of analysis-optimized filters to determine a second set of confirmed redeye regions.
Optionally, the first set of confirmed redeye regions may be passed through the second stage analysis-optimized filters.
In an alternative embodiment, the second stage filter may incorporate an enhanced correction filter which may be optionally applied to the first set of confirmed redeye regions.
A process is provided including implementing a two-stage redeye filter wherein a first redeye filter process, which is optimized for speed, is combined with a second redeye process which is optimized for accurate image analysis. The advantages of a redeye filter implemented within a main image acquisition chain are combined with those of a redeye filter implemented in background/playback mode, while disadvantages generally associated with each of these two approaches are reduced or eliminated.
A red eye process in accordance with a preferred embodiment is illustrated in
Thus, in this embodiment the falsing & verification filters 106 generates a set of secondary candidate regions 109 in addition to the set of confirmed redeye regions 108. The set of secondary candidate regions may include members of the original candidate region set 104, which could be neither confirmed nor eliminated by the speed optimized redeye detection process 100. It may also include combined candidate regions in close proximity to each other.
This set of candidate regions 109 is saved either in a RAM buffer, or in non-volatile memory depending on the implementation of the embodiment. Where the data is saved in RAM (or volatile) memory, the image acquisition system applies the second stage redeye filter to the image prior to powering down. The preferred form of storage is in non-volatile memory, or on a removable media card. In other embodiments this data may be stored in the image header with the part-processed image itself.
In this embodiment, a second stage, analysis optimised redeye filter 101 is next applied to the secondary set of candidate regions 109. During the analysis optimized detection process 101, the saved candidate regions 109 are preferably further analyzed at a higher resolution than during the speed optimized process. Thus, the filter 101 includes an analysis optimized set of falsing and verification filters 116, which differ either in their nature or in their operating parameters from the falsing and verification filters 106 employed in the speed optimized analysis. Nonetheless, it will be appreciated that it may be useful to perform one or more intermediate stages of optimized analysis at increasing image resolutions. This will depend on the hardware capabilities of the imaging appliance and the resources available within the image processing subsystems of the imaging appliance.
Second stage analysis may occur in response to a variety of external events. For example, a user may initiate image playback causing this filter 101 to be applied. Alternatively, a camera may signal that it has been idle for a predetermined interval and thus background redeye processing may be initiated. Where a camera can determine its motion from auto-focus data, e.g., when a camera is idle such that image focus does not change for a predetermined interval and no user input is received, background image processing including stage-two redeye filtering may be initiated.
After a set of confirmed redeye regions 118 is determined by the second stage redeye filter 101, a correction filter (pixel modifier) 102 is applied and these corrected regions are merged 115 with the initial corrected image 112 to generate a final corrected image 113.
An alternative embodiment is illustrated in
For an exemplary, non-exhaustive list of some typical filters that may be found in either the speed or analysis-optimized redeye filters 411, 412, see U.S. published application Ser. No. 10/976,336, filed Oct. 28, 2004, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present application and is hereby incorporated by reference.
In the embodiments above, speed optimized redeye detection 100 is preferably applied to a sub-sampled input image. The confirmed redeye regions 108 from this speed optimized redeye detection 100 are passed to a redeye correction module 102/102 a. The corrected redeye image 112 can be displayed on a low-resolution viewing screen of a digital camera immediately after the image acquisition process providing the user with a redeye corrected image almost instantly. However, although this initial corrected image 112 may be adequately corrected, for example, where it is a portrait-style image in which a face occupies most of an image or where large high probability red-eye regions exist, it may not be adequately corrected for images including a large groups of persons, where the candidate redeye regions are smaller or less certain. Accordingly, the second analysis optimized redeye filtering process 101 is preferably implemented after image acquisition but prior to final image 113 display on a larger viewer, or image printing. The analysis optimized redeye detection process 101 and correction process 102 may be advantageously delayed until such high resolution viewing or printing is desired by the end user.
In the embodiments of
As in the case of
In the embodiment of
The regions output by the DCT prefilter 428, incorporated in the main image acquisition chain 401, can advantageously allow much of the DCT block stream to be bypassed without being processed when an image is subsequently corrected by a filter such as a background filter module 426. This allows either much faster or more detailed analysis and filtering of the DCT blocks which are determined to require processing by an analysis optimized redeye filter 406. Those skilled in the art will realize that further embodiments are possible which separate aspects of both the DCT prefilter and the otherwise conventional type redeye filter 406 between the main image acquisition chain, 401 and a background redeye detection and correction process 426.
In a second principle stage of the DCT prefilter 428, the DCT blocks are segmented and grouped 906 based on a plurality of criteria determined from the coefficients extracted at step 904. A region based analysis is performed 907 in order to determine the final candidate redeye groupings. It is next determined if there are any valid candidate grouping 908 and if not the normal JPEG compression process is resumed 408-2. If candidate regions are determined 908 then a bounding region is determined for each region 910 which is sufficiently large to include various eye-region features which may be used as part of a main redeye filter process 411/412 of
After the calculations required for each criteria table have been completed 932 they are copied into temporary storage 933 and the prefilter algorithm will next perform a filtering and segmentation step 907 for each of the plurality of criteria tables. This particular step is further detailed in
This region-based analysis 936 is comprised of a number of alternative techniques which will be known to those skilled in the art. In particular, we mention that regions may be combined both in inclusive, exclusive and less frequently in mutually exclusive combinations 936-1. An alternative approach to region-based analysis will employ template matching 936-2. An example is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,727 to Nakano, which is hereby incorporated by reference. A sub-region is matched within a DCT image using both coarse and fine template matching techniques based on the DC coefficients of the DCT blocks within the image.
A component of the region based analysis is a re-segmentation engine 92-6 which is responsible for analyzing larger regions which may, in fact, be two distinct overlapping regions, or clusters of smaller regions which may, in fact, be a single larger region. Then once the region based analysis 936 is completed a final LUT containing the list of determined flash defect candidate regions is obtained and written to system memory.
Returning to step 954 we see that after initialization is completed the next step for the workflow of
A number of alternative techniques can advantageously be adapted for use within the redeye DCT prefilter. U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,904 to Delp discloses querying image colors within a DCT block. In particular it allows the determination of color within the DCT block from the DC coefficient of the DCT alone. Thus from a knowledge of the DC coefficients alone color matching can be achieved. U.S. Pat. No. 6,621,867 to Sazzad et al discloses determining the presence of edges within DCT blocks based on differences between the DC coefficients in neighbouring DCT blocks.
Now additional image qualities such as texture and image sharpness/blur can be determined through an analysis of additional AC components within a DCT block. Examples of such analysis techniques are described in US patent application No. 2004/0120598 to Feng and US patent application No. 2004/0057623 to Schuhurke et al.
Alternative DCT block segmentation techniques may be employed in other embodiments, and specifically techniques described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,407,777 to DeLuca, U.S. Pat. No. 6,873,743 to Steinberg, and US patent applications 2005/0047655 and 2005/0047656 to Luo et al. All of these patents and published applications are hereby incorporated by reference.
Next, in
A potential disadvantage in the embodiment of
Various means of sensing user activity may be alternatively employed. One example includes detecting camera motion and optionally correlating this with other in-camera functions such as an autofocus subsystem and a user-interface subsystem. A camera may also incorporate a power-saving mode which determines that the camera has been inactive long enough to disable certain subsystems. When such a mode is activated by user inactivity then additional background image processing can be initiated without interfering with the use of the appliance by the user.
Returning to
After an image is analyzed by this speed optimized redeye filter 411 it is subsequently compressed 427-1 and stored 410. In addition data relating to the location of candidate redeye regions and false positives is recorded and associated with the stored image.
Now when the camera can initiate background processing, as described above, or when the user enters playback mode and selects an image for viewing it will be partially decompressed 433 from JPEG to DCT block form. As this decompression step is lossless there is no loss of quality to the main image which is temporarily stored in memory and passed to a DCT region decompressor 430. This DCT region decompressor uses the data stored and associated with the original image to determine the specific DCT blocks which contain candidate redeye regions, and, optionally, false positive regions which may benefit from additional detection processing if sufficient time & system resources are available.
Each decompressed DCT region is then incrementally filtered by one or more redeye filters to determine corrections which should be applied to said DCT image block.
In certain embodiments, DCT blocks may be decompressed to bitmap format and filtered as a pixel block. In other embodiments adjacent, non-candidate DCT blocks may be included in the decompression 430 and filtering 412 processes. Once a decompressed DCT block region, which may include multiple DCT blocks, has been corrected by the redeye filter 412 then the corrected DCT image segment is passed onto a DCT block matching module 416 which, in addition to checking the alignment of DCT blocks will also check the integration of the corrected DCT blocks within the partially decompressed and temporarily stored DCT block image. When all candidate DCT blocks and any adjacent DCT blocks included in the redeye filter analysis have been corrected they are overwritten onto the partially decompressed and temporarily stored DCT block image by a DCT region overwriter 418 module. The partially decompressed and temporarily stored DCT block image is next passed to the DCT to JPEG image compression module 427-1 and is losslessly compressed back to JPEG format.
Note that in this way the only regions of the image which are decompressed using lossy techniques are those identified by the speed optimized redeye filter 411 in the image acquisition chain. As these image regions are to be corrected the effect of lossy decompression and recompression on them will thus be negligible.
Several further embodiments can be identified. These include (i) saving a copy of the original defect region prior to overwriting the DCT blocks which contain the image defect in the temporary copy of the DCT image. This alternative embodiment supports lossless restoration of the original image. The saved original DCT block region containing the defect can be stored within the header of the JPEG image. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,166 to Ratnakar et al., watermark data is incorporated in the image. Thus the corrected image can contain a copy of any original uncorrected regions. Alternatively (ii) multiple alternative correction algorithms can be employed and these may be temporarily copied for later storage in the JPEG header for later selection by an end user through a user interface, either on the camera or subsequently in a computer based image processing application. The overwriting step is optional. If it is used, then certain image analysis criteria can be applied as additional processing either immediately prior to overwriting, or as an integral part of detecting or correcting red-eye or combinations thereof.
Further aspects of these embodiments are illustrated in
In other embodiments, the performance of the fast red-eye filter can be further improved by selectively applying it to a limited set of regions within the acquired image. As it is generally impractical to implement extensive image analysis during the main image acquisition chain, these regions are preferably determined prior to the initiation of the main image acquisition.
One convenient approach to pre-determine image regions which have a high probability of containing red-eye candidates is to perform pre-processing on a set of preview images. Many state-of-art digital cameras acquire such a stream of images captured at video rates of 15-30 frames per second (fps) at a lower resolution than that provided by the main image acquisition architecture and/or programming. A set of 320�240, or QVGA images is typical of many consumer cameras and the size and frame-rate of this preview images stream can normally be adjusted within certain limits.
In one embodiment, as illustrated in
Thus in normal operation only the output(s) from the second operational mode of a face tracker algorithm will be available after every frame of the preview image stream. There may be three principle outputs from this second mode: (i) a list of candidate face regions which are confirmed to still contain faces; and/or (ii) a set of data associated with each such confirmed face region including its location within that frame of the image and various additional data determined from a statistical analysis of the history of said confirmed face region; and/or (iii) a predicted location for each such confirmed face region in the next frame of the preview image stream. If item (ii) is used, item (iii) can be optional as sufficient data may be provided by item (ii) for a determination of predicted location.
These outputs from the preview face detector (600) enable the speed optimized red-eye detector 411 to be applied selectively to face regions (601) where it is expected that a red-eye defect will be found.
Techniques are known wherein a face detector is first applied to an image prior to the application of a red-eye filter (e.g. US 20020172419 to Lin et al; US 20020126893 to Held et al; US 20050232490 to Itagaki et al and US 20040037460 to Luo et al.). We emphasize that, under normal circumstances, there is not sufficient time available during the main image acquisition chain, which is operable within a digital camera to allow the application of face detector prior to the application of a red-eye filter. The present embodiment overcomes this disadvantage of the prior art by employing the predictive output of a face tracker module (600). Although the size of the predicted region will typically be larger than the size of the corresponding face region, it is still significantly smaller than the size of the entire image. Thus, advantages of faster and more accurate detection can be achieved within a digital camera or embedded image acquisition system without the need to operate a face detector (600) within the main image acquisition chain.
Note that where multiple face candidate regions (601) are tracked, then multiple predicted regions will have the speed-optimized red-eye filter applied.
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above herein, which may be amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims, and structural and functional equivalents thereof.
In methods that may be performed according to preferred embodiments herein and that may have been described above and/or claimed below, the operations have been described in selected typographical sequences. However, the sequences have been selected and so ordered for typographical convenience and are not intended to imply any particular order for performing the operations.
In addition, all references cited above herein, in addition to the background and summary of the invention sections, are hereby incorporated by reference into the detailed description of the preferred embodiments as disclosing alternative embodiments and components.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Dec 3, 1996
|Mar 30, 2004
|Sarnoff Corporation
|Fully automated iris recognition system utilizing wide and narrow fields of view
|Sep 20, 2001
|May 22, 2003
|Eastman Kodak Company
|System and method for deciding when to correct image-specific defects based on camera, scene, display and demographic data
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|May 30, 2011
|May 22, 2012
|DigitalOptics Corporation Europe Limited
|Two stage detection for photographic eye artifacts
|U.S. Classification
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|May 9, 2011
Owner name: FOTONATION VISION LIMITED, IRELAND
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|May 10, 2011
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Send Enrollment/Change form to Employee Benefits within 30 days of event!
Whenever you have a qualified family status change you need to notify Employee Benefits within 30 days of the date of the event to update your medical and dental coverage. Otherwise you will need to wait until open enrollment, which is usually during the month of October for changes effective January of the following year.
When removing a dependent (e.g. divorce or a child no longer eligible) notification must be made within 60 days or they may lose their right to continuation coverage through COBRA benefits.
A qualified family status change is one of the following:
Birth or adoption of a child When adding an adopted child, please include photocopy of adoption papers.
Marriage; eligible step children may be added at this time When adding a spouse, please include a photocopy of your marriage license.
Domestic partner Eligibility after 1-year anniversary of living together; or Within 31 days of registering as an Oregon Domestic Partner. Please provide copy of Certificate of Registration. Loss of medical coverage for an eligible family member not currently on Marion County health plan
Dependent child turns 26 years of age
Death of a benefit covered family member Divorce
Links to Enrollment/Change Forms
For MCEA, MCJEA, ONA, FOPPO, unit 12, & Management employees:Health Plans Enrollment/Change FormFor Marion County Law Enforcement Association employees:MCLEA Health Plans Enrollment/Change Form


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Archive for the 'Liberty Oaks' tag
Weekly round-up
We're all over the map this week: goats, pet food, World War I-era trees and an in-depth look at how Americans self-identify as middle class.
- A cool video history of Ariens.
- First: There's a Congressional cemetery. Second: They use goats to maintain it.
- Liberty Oaks.
- Trade secrets from Clay Mathile.
- Data-driven insight into the middle class.
- A state-by-state guide to irrigation certification regulations.
- Above: The most amazing thing about trees.


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Harbor Patio Umbrella Lights
Harbor Lights help brighten the evening.
DL008LT1 Harbor Lights are an umbrella lighting system with a multi-cord receptacle for flexible fun. Plug in extra accessories like coffeemaker, radio or laptop while lighting up the night. Set features 20 lights per rib, for a total of 160 lights. UL listed. Weather resistant. 120 VAC, 60" cord.
Harbor Patio Umbrella Lights
Harbor Patio Umbrella Lights
Our innovative products will provide you and your family with years of enjoyment. And with the Brookstone Protection Plus service and replacement plans, you'll have the added peace of mind knowing that if the unexpected does happen, we will simply repair or replace your covered product. Our enhanced coverage goes above and beyond the manufacturer's warranty, saving you time and money.
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Hang tight!
Recipe by Chris Mueller
"A creamy, Cheddar cheesy soup sauce cooked with chicken and a little seasoning in a slow cooker. This is an easy way to enjoy a great chicken dinner, even when you run out of time!! The trick is do not lift lid while cooking! Make with rice, pasta, or potatoes.4"
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skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 (11 ounce) cans
condensed cream of Cheddar cheese soup
1/2 cup
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon
garlic powder
My family & friends loved this. I didn't exactly follow the recipe though. I put my own twist on it and it turned out better than I would've thought.
I used 1 can of cream of cheddar, 1 can of cream of mushroom, and 1 can of cream of chicken. I added 1/2 cup of milk, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, a bit of mrs. dash, and 1 tablespoon of curry. Then after it cooked on low for 5-6 hours I added a bag of frozen veggies (broccoli, califlower, & carrots). I let it cook for another 1/2 hour on low and it was fabulous. We had it over rice. My friends all asked for the recipe.
This was awful. There was no cheese taste to it whatsoever after it was cooked. It tasted like greasy fried chicken with a thick paste on it. Would not recommend it at all.
487 Ratings
This was a big hit! I used 4 chicken breasts, 2 cans of cheddar soup, 1 can of cream of chicken, 1/2 cup milk. I seasoned the chicken breasts with garlic and italian seasoning, then dumped the soup & milk mixture on top. I cooked on low all day (about 7 hours) and it was PERFECT! I served it over brown rice that I cooked with chicken broth instead of water, and even my 19-month-old loved it! She had seconds! I will use the leftover sauce and rice to make enchiladas tomorrow!
Sorry this is lengthy, but this was a great starter recipe as other have said. I followed the recipe but added Italian seasoning, parsley, Mrs. Dash, and a handful or two of cheddar cheese. The dumplings I did was my mothers recipe, for 4/5 drop dumplings I did 1 cup flour,1tsp baking soda, dash salt, dash sugar and enough water to make it sticky. Dropped them in the crock pot 30-45 minutes before dinner. right before we ate I topped with a little more cheese. It was creamy and smelled SO good. Made this way, my husband LOVED it and he's not a big fan of dumplings. Growing up with this dish I would have to say this was one of the best recipes, and it's REALLY easy!
I've made this for a long time, with the following change:
I mix 1 can Cheddar Cheese soup with 2 cans Cream of Chicken soup. Then just pour over the 6 chicken breasts and cook over low heat all day.
Shred at the end and serve over rice.
I added a step. I seasoned the chicken (salt, pepper & garlic powder) then browned in a pan with Smart Balance (butter). I then put chicken in crock. Added milk to the pan to loosen bits. Used 1 can of soup & 1/2 jar Tostito's 'Salsa Con Queso' ( it's a medium spicy cheese dip for chips). It made for a richer cheesy flavor & a bit of a kick.
When you work all day the last thing you want to think about when you walk in the front door is........what am I going to fix my family for dinner? It is rare that the 4 of us agree on new recipes, but this one was a big hit for all of us. I will make it again and again. I even shared the recipe with the girls at work and their families enjoyed it just as much!
This is sooo yummy! I changed it a bit. I added one can of Cheddar cheese soup and two cans of cream of chicken soup. I omitted the milk and added water. After I cooked the sauce with the chicken for 6 hours, I shredded the chicken, dumped in a can of green beans and a box of stuffing mix. I cooked all of it together for 30 mins.... It is delicious!!!
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Slow Cooker Dump and Go Cheesy Chicken
Serving Size: 1/5 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 5
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 321
Calories from Fat: 112
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18 February 2013
Posted in Member News
Even bad guys have to eat breakfast!
On Saturday, Feb 16 the Star Wars® rogues gallery was in full force for our Bad Guy Breakfast members-only event. The Makaze Squad of the 501st Florida Garrison as well as the Mandalorian Mercs were on-site to greet members and participate in photo-ops. Light breakfast was provided and the peace was kept. Guests could also participate in sci-fi science demonstrations and coloring activities.
Check out the photos from the meanest breakfast this side of the galaxy!


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Continued declines in interest rates continue to weaken Allen County government's bottom line.
County Treasurer Sue Orth reported Friday that the county's investments generated $350,320 in interest in 2012, down from $598,988 in 2011. As recently as 2007, the county had been earning more than $8.4 million in interest annually.
"It's been devastating," Orth told the County Commissioners in her annual report, noting rate increases are not expected for at least two years.


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Hottest rock stars of all time
Published On: Sep 30 2011 01:09:01 PM PDT Updated On: Dec 25 2014 11:00:00 PM PST
Join us for a look at Hayley Williams, who's celebrating her 26th birthday on Saturday, and our other choices for rock's sexiest stars ever.
The views expressed are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to our Terms of Use.


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Sunday, October 19, 2003COLUMBIA, S.C. (October 19, 2003) - The East Tennessee State men's tennis team wrapped up the third day of play at the USC Fall Invitational held in Columbia, S.C. with four players in semifinals competition. Freshman Oscar Posada (Valencia, Venezuela) won the singles A bracket for the Bucs. First Posada defeated second seed Andrew Hamar 6-2, 6-4 to advance to finals. He then beat the number one seed, Clayton Almeida of Winthrop 6-7, 6-3, 6-4. In the A/B bracket, Moises Serrano (Bucaramanga, Columbia) fell to Winthrop's Gary Kilduff 6-2, 6-4, while Fernando Fiuri (Villa Maria, Argentina) won his first match against N.C. State's Matt Simeon 6-1, 6-1 to face Kilduff in the finals match. Fiuri fell to Kilduff 6-7 (3); 7-6 (3); 2-1 Ret (inj.). Frederico Ochoa (Manizales, Columbia) competed in the B-1 bracket and was eliminated in the semifinals round by Fernando Uehara 6-0, 6-3. Up next for the Buccaneer men's tennis team is the ITA Region II Indoor fall tournament on October 22nd thru the 26th Sunday's Results for the USC Fall Invitational Singles Semifinals A - Oscar Posada (ETSU) def. Andrew Hamar [2] (Wake Forest) 6-2, 6-4 A/B - Gary Kilduff (Winthrop) def. Moises Serrano (ETSU) 6-2, 6-4 A/B - Fernando Fiuri (ETSU) def. Matt Simeon (N.C. State) 6-1, 6-1 B-1 - Fernando Uehara (Hamp) def. Frederico Ochoa (ETSU) 6-0, 6-3 Finals A - Oscar Posada (ETSU) def. Clayton Almeida [2] (Winthrop) 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 A/B - Gary Kilduff (Winthrop) def. Fernando Fiuri (ETSU) 6-7 (3); 7-6 (3); 2-1 Ret (inj.)
|Copyright ©2015 East Tennessee State Athletics. All Rights Reserved.


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This week's board spotlight is the Metal Gear Solid board! Tactical Espionage Forums!
Small changes were made to IGN's policy regarding sexual comments to minors (they're still not allowed, of course). You can read the details here.
Trophies Awarded to Unscrupulousbrismith
1Awarded: Aug 6, 2012
First Message
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7 Photos Of Ryan Gosling At The Airport That I'm Obligated To Post
Amelia McDonell-Parry @xoamelia / September 3, 2012
Credit: Fame/Flynet
3 of 7
Look how hot my man looks when he flies. How does he do that? When I fly, I look like something that's been coughed up. This is why he's famous and I'm not. I mean, there isn't much else to say.
Tags: ryan gosling


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Dream Cheeky LED Message Board
This is not your ordinary message board!
Entertain office guests with this LED Message Board!
USB-LED message board gives you eye-catching scrolling messages! Stores up to eight different messages, displayed in your choice of five scrolling modes: Left, Right, Up, Down, Freeze and Flash. Includes a sound effect option (wav format) and supports up to 12 bitmap images per message, so you can even create animated messages!
• Size: 2.125"L x 3.375"W x 0.75"H
• Weight: 0.3 lbs.
Dream Cheeky LED Message Board
Reviewed by 1 customer
- Easy Setup
- Entertaining
- Novelty Item
- Poor Performance
- Poor User Interface
Best Uses
- Very Cheap Advertising
Comments about Dream Cheeky LED Message Board:
I originally purchased this item not so much as a "Fun Office Gadget" but as a quick and easy way to leave update messages for people who stopped by office. The sign is very easy to set up and get some messages entered but a MAJOR drawback is some of the characters in the words displayed on the sign become so separated and drawn out that it becomes very hard to understand the message. The user interface is a bit hokey as well, not something that I could call a real "Program" more like a pop-up box with a few text fields. Another item that isn't very clear is that they show the item can accept audio files (.wav) as a compliment to a message. Although it can accept a music file it merely plays the clip through the computer/speakers. This item has a good idea going for it, but it needs some major overhaul before it could be anything more than a quirky desktop item. I always like to get some sort of value out of an item purchased and I do not feel this item lives up to a 1/4 of the price paid.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Dream Cheeky LED Message Board
Our innovative products will provide you and your family with years of enjoyment. And with the Brookstone Protection Plus service and replacement plans, you'll have the added peace of mind knowing that if the unexpected does happen, we will simply repair or replace your covered product. Our enhanced coverage goes above and beyond the manufacturer's warranty, saving you time and money.


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|Baseball » News » Schedule » Roster » Coaches » Statistics
Tuesday, March 08, 2011
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (March 7, 2011) - The ETSU baseball team is set to host Furman in a non-conference game Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. at Cardinal Park.
The Bucs (6-2,1-0 A-Sun) have won two straight games after coming from behind to beat both UNC Asheville 13-5 and USC Upstate 6-4 in extra innings last week. Junior Dylan Pratt (Johnson City, Tenn.) has come up big for ETSU lately as he had the game winning hits in both games.
ETSU is currently 34-34 all-time against the Paladins with the last meeting coming in 2007 when the Bucs won both games on the season.
Furman (6-6, 1-1 SoCon) split a pair of games against Davidson this past weekend. The Paladins are led by Will Millier as he is hitting .400 on the season with two doubles, two triples and six RBI.
For more information on ETSU baseball and all other Buccaneer athletic news please visit www.ETSUBucs.com.
Baseball Archives
2010-11 Baseball


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Charlie Sykes: Sykes Writes
Immaculate Contraception
The WSJ on how Obama's "accommodation" and non-compromise actually makes the mandate (if possible) even worse.
Here's a conundrum: The White House wants to impose its birth-control ideology on all Americans, including those for whom sponsoring or subsidizing such services violates their moral conscience. The White House also wants to avoid a political backlash from this blow to religious freedom. These goals are irreconcilable.
So you almost have to admire the absurdity of the new plan President Obama floated yesterday: The government will now write a rule that says the best things in life are "free," including contraception. Thus a political mandate will be compounded by an uneconomic one—in other words, behold the soul of ObamaCare....
Yesterday's new adventure in damage control and bureaucratic improvisation makes the compliance problem much worse. There is simply no precedent for the government ordering private companies to offer a product for free, even if they recoup the costs indirectly. Why not do that with all health benefits and "bend the cost curve" to zero? The shape of the final rule when the details land in the Federal Register is anyone's guess, including the HHS gnomes who are throwing it together on the fly to meet a political deadline.
One major problem will be how the rule applies to large organizations that self-insure. Arrangements in which an employer pays for care directly and uses insurers to manage benefits and process claims (not to take on insurance risk) account for the majority of the private market. In these cases there isn't even a free lunch to pretend exists.
As reporting by Bloomberg and ABC this week has made clear, the contraception mandate was fiercely opposed within the Administration, including by Vice President Joe Biden. The larger tragedy is that none of them objected to government health care, which will always take choices away from individuals and arrogate them to an infallible higher power in Washington. Who was it again who claimed that if you like your health plan, you can keep your health plan?
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In completing this assignment, I tried to think of what aural elements of a typical day I wanted to portray. I was thus forced to open my ears, and try to objectively hear my surroundings in a way that I don't always do. I won't claim to have listened critically for the whole time that I was making recordings, but I did stop and consciously listen more carefully on many occasions. One thing that I became more conscious of, was how often I chose to put on my headphones in my commute between classes. When and where I would take my headphones off and switch from an isolated, immersive, musical experience, to the ambient sounds around me, became a focus of my interest on this assignment. In the past month or so, I've been using a new pair of headphones, and in many ways there ability to isolate sound so effectively has changed my soundscape significantly on the days I choose to bring them with me. I tried to portray the jarring nature of going between a few songs that I might listen to throughout the day, and the sounds I hear when I don't have them on.
Having the frequent juxtaposition between absence of ambient noise, and then the sounds I hear upon removing my headphones—at times a bombardment of external, 'random,' sounds—can be bit jarring at times, but it also provides insight towards the different nature of the two sound types. It often takes a fraction of a second to readjust to the wider soundscape provided in the real world around me, one that headphones fail to simulate effectively. I think the move from a single recorded sound source—played in an enclosed circumaural acoustic environment—to the array of different sound sources going on in most areas of campus during the day, takes a brief adjusting to. I am reminded of both the Chion and Horowitz articles; on the one hand because of the kind of listening I am practicing, and on the other because of the potential impact my choice to listen to electronic music through much of the day may have on my overall ability to discern and pick apart different elements of the 'natural' sounds around me.
Depending on when, where, or why I choose to take off my headphones, I am most likely moving from reduced listening of the recording to causal, and/or semantic listening of my surroundings. As the muffs come off, I begin to consider the location of whatever it is that I'm hearing first. If there's talking, I simultaneously process what is being said, whether it relates to me or not, and discern meaning from the words. When I'm listening to music, it is typically in the realm of reduced listening, though at times it is a combination of reduced and semantic if there are lyrics that I'm focusing on. Interestingly, Chion says that "reduced listening is an enterprise that is new, fruitful, and hardly natural. It disrupts established lazy habits and opens up a world of previously unimagined questions for those who try it" (Chion, pg. 51). This contradicts, to some extent, Horowitz's assertion that "Listening is a skill that we're in danger of losing in a world of digital distraction and information overload" (Horowitz, pg. 2), because I am, in affect, able to more closely listen to certain sounds because of the technology I own. Let me explain this further in the context of the recordings.
The first sound that plays in my playlist is that of me brushing my teeth, next you'll hear the sound of the toilet flushing, and then the sound of the shower running. These sounds have become so routine, that it wasn't until I listened to the recordings and could replay the sounds, that I could start to hear them more objectively. It is the recording capability itself that allows me to focus "…on the sound itself, independent of its cause and of its meaning. Reduced listening takes the sound—verbal, played on an instrument, noises, or whatever—as itself the object to be observed instead of as a vehicle for something else" (Chion, pg. 50). The tin sound of the water hitting the drain grate of the sink, the almost metallic nature of the toilet flush, and the subtle change in sound as I closed the shower curtain all became apparent to me after my initial listening. After showering I get dressed (which I didn't record), and head outside with my headphones (I simply uploaded a portion of a track I might listen to on any given day to re-create the affect). The next sound after that is of my first Tuesday class convening—before the teacher has begun the lecture. After sitting down, the instant I take my headphones off I actually feel that I am more in tune with what I'm hearing. After having been so focused on the music, and so isolated from the sounds of my surrounding, the sudden confrontation with those sounds forces me to consider more of their elements than I might have if I weren't fluctuating between ambient and electronically sourced listening. After my class, I went to the library, and the first sound I heard upon taking my headphones off briefly while on the third floor was that of someone highlighting a paper on a desk near me. I could almost feel the felt tip grazing against the tooth of the paper. This took almost no time for my brain to locate, identify, and then imagine. I looked over the edge of the desk, and sure enough—a highlighter on paper. This is another example of the causal listening Chion was talking about, however it wasn't until I listened to the recording again that I could analyze why my mind knew it was the highlighter on paper. This was very interesting to me, because though I knew what it was, I couldn't articulate the reason(s) why, until I had given the sound a reduced listen.
Works Cited
Horowitz, Seth. "The Science and Art of Listening." The New York Times, 11 Nov. 2012. Web. 11 Feb. 2013.
Chion, Michael. "The Three Listening Modes." The Sound Studies Reader. Ed. Jonathan Sterne. New York: Routledge, 2012. 48-53. Print.
Songs used in the order they appear (artist, then song title):
Barika. Good Morning
Lupe Fiasco. Daydreamin' (feat. Jill Scoot).
Black Keys. I'm not the one.
Gramatik. Don't Let Me Down


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Forty-six feature-length films were nominated for Academy Awards last Tuesday. Thankfully, I have already seen 33 of them. But there are 13 still to go. So... here are the ones I know I can catch up on (and how):
- Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (picture, supporting actor) -- now playing
- A Better Life (actor) -- now available via YouTube.com/movies
- Jane Eyre (costume design) -- now available via YouTube.com/movies
- Margin Call (original screenplay) -- now available via YouTube.com/movies
- Undefeated (documentary feature) -- via awards-season screener
- Monsieur Lazhar (foreign language film) -- opens here tomorrow
- Albert Nobbs (actress, supporting actress, makeup) -- opens here February 3
- W.E. (costume design) -- opens here February 3
- Chico & Rita (animated feature) -- opens here February 10
- A Cat in Paris (animated feature)
- Hell and Back Again (documentary feature)
- If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front (documentary feature)
- Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (documentary feature)
Oh, and according to the VanCity Theatre's latest programme, some (most? dare I hope all?) of the 15 Oscar-nominated shorts will be playing there between February 17 and 22. So I'll be able to do some catching up there, too.I'm actually watching Margin Call as I type this, so there's only 12 films to go, now.