text:
Voice over IP portable transreceiver
A portable transreceiver system transmitting voice communications over a data network is described. The system has a portable transreceiver (WT) mode where multiple users are connected using semi duplex communications, and a private mode in which pairs of users are connected using full duplex communications. Wireless voice enabled terminals are used by the users, and are interconnected via a network such as the Internet.
Priority Claim
The present application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/338,938 filed Jan. 8, 2003, entitled "Voice Over IP Portable Transreceiver", the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to methods and systems that provide voice communications over a data network.
In recent times there has been an increase in the use of portable two way radios, commonly referred to as walkie-talkies, in a variety of settings. Walkie-talkies have been long used in work-related activities, for example to let employees remain in contact with one another and with a central office. Typical uses include warehouse and retail settings, where workers are requested to move goods, and where specific employees can be summoned. Portable transreceivers are routinely used as an alternative to telephone communications in any setting where the communicating users are relatively close to one another. The security and public safety fields have been early users of walkie-talkies and related two way radio equipment, to help agents stay in contact and receive instructions.
More recently, as two way radio devices have become less expensive, recreational and family uses have become increasingly common for these devices. Family members use simple walkie-talkies to stay in touch and find each other, for example when hiking, skiing etc. Two way radios of various levels of sophistication have found a place in all types of sport and recreational events, to enhance safety and to increase the information level of the participants. Walkie-talkies have become almost a fashion accessory in certain cases, and have become available in various shapes and colors, ranging from inexpensive low power units to sophisticated units capable of encrypting their transmissions.
Typical walkie-talkies and other types of two way radios, however, suffer from various drawbacks that limit their usefulness in many situations. Perhaps the most serious limitation is the range of these devices, which often is very limited. Since the voice transmissions are carried from one station to another by radio waves, any physical obstacles to the propagation of those waves affects the range and quality of the received transmission. Most publicly available non-licensed 2 way radios are limited to a small power output (5 wafts or less), which further limits their range. Interference from other radios or various sources of electromagnetic noise also affects reception quality. In addition, there is no mechanism in conventional radios to prevent two transmissions on the same frequency (or channel) from interfering with each other, without the source or the recipient of either transmission being aware of the interference. In many cases users have to carry various electronic tools such as portable computers or scanners, and having to carry an additional transreceiver device can be very cumbersome.
In one aspect, embodiments of the present invention include a system to provide voice communication over a data network which has wireless voice enabled terminals, access points connected to the data network adapted to exchange network messages over the data network, and a transmitter component of each of the terminals adapted to exchange data with the access points over a wireless network. The system also includes a software module executing on each of the terminals configured to provide a plurality of virtual channels, each of the virtual channels being carried over the wireless network. The software module is configured to enable reception of the voice communication from the terminals over a selected virtual channel, and to enable transmission of the voice communication to the terminals over the selected virtual channel.
The present invention may be further understood with reference to the following description and the appended drawings, wherein like elements are referred to with the same reference numerals. Conventional portable transreceiver radios, such as the Walkie Talkie™ manufactured by Motorola®, are used in a multitude of situations, both for pleasure and in work related settings. However, the performance of radio frequency (RF) based portable transreceivers is severely limited by inherent shortcomings of that technology. For example, the range of those radios is limited by the power of the transmitter, and the terrain separating transmitter and receiver. Only receivers within the transmitter's range can be contacted. RF based portable transreceivers generally can transmit on many channels, with each channel being assigned a discrete frequency so that only radios tuned to the same channel can receive the transmission. However, multiple radios may be transmitting on the same channel, so that a transmission from one radio may be "stepped over" by another radio's transmission, and neither radio transmission can be heard.
The present invention uses a different technology to provide Walkie Talkie™- like functionality to a voice enabled terminal. In addition, several features that are not available with RF based portable transreceivers may be implemented within the system according to the present invention. As will be described more fully below, communications between the voice enabled terminals travel over a data network, and thus are not subject to the same range limitations affecting RF based devices. There may be portions of the network that are based on radio communications, for example the sections connecting the wireless voice enabled terminal to a network access point. However, these are generally used over short distances, and do not affect the communications range between the various voice enabled units. According to embodiments of the invention, the voice enabled terminals have the "feel" and general usage characteristics of conventional RF portable transreceivers, so that their usage is intuitive to anyone familiar with the conventional RF units.
Voice enabled terminals 10 include a transmitter section including an antenna 12, which enables them to communicate without being connected to wires. For example, a wireless local area network (WLAN) 14 may be used to connect each of the terminals 10 to access points 20. As long as the terminal 10 is within radio transmission range of at least one access point 20, the device can be used to communicate with any other terminals 10. A multi purpose WLAN 14 can be used, or the WLAN 14 may be a dedicated network used only for voice communications. Access points 20 form the connection between WLAN 14 and the data network 16 to which all terminals 10 are ultimately connected. Access points 20 act as a two way conduit, which receives radio transmissions from the transmitter section of terminals 10, and forwards the transmissions to the data network 16 using the appropriate protocols. For example, an internet protocol such as TCP/IP may be used to direct the transmission to its intended recipients on data network 16. Various levels of data processing may be carried out by access points 20, for example for error correction or encryption purposes.
Data network 16 is the principal means by which voice messages are carried between terminals 10. This network can be any network useable to transmit data, such as between microprocessors, and may be a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) or the Internet. Using a data network to carry the voice communications gives a distinct advantage to the system according to the invention. The range of the portable transreceiver-like terminals 10 is restricted only by the extent of data network 16. When the Internet is used for this purpose, the range of terminals 10 can be essentially unlimited, as long as an access point 20 connected to network 16 is within range of each of the users. The structure of data networks 16, such as the Internet, provides a certain amount of redundancy since in case of failure of certain segments of the network other segments can be used to carry the data. In addition, as will be described in greater detail below, the network protocol according to the present invention provides additional redundancy to minimize loss of data. The VoIP system of the invention thus is more robust than conventional RF based portable transreceivers, which are subject to disruptions and interference. The system according to the invention may also provide security benefits compared to RF based devices. Since the transmissions travel over the airwaves only for short distances at low power, it is more difficult to intercept them. Also, since the signals are already in a form that can be used by a microprocessor, encryption operations are easier to carry out, for example using the Kerberos or Wired systems.
In one exemplary embodiment according to the present invention, the VolP portable transreceiver (WT) system provides packet-based voice communication between users of wireless voice enabled terminals, such as those based on PDA devices manufactured by Symbol Technologies. The exemplary wireless terminals operate under the 802.11b standard for wireless LAN's, thus providing interoperability between products of different manufacturers. The exemplary embodiment uses direct sequence radio frequency transmissions. However, frequency hopping spread spectrum RF modes and other non RF modes, such as infrared transmissions, may also be employed within WLAN 14. One benefit of using the 802.11b standard is that existing infrastructures using that standard may be adapted to support the VolP WT system with minimal modifications. Most voice enabled terminal devices supporting that standard may be used as the portable transreceiver handset, often requiring simply a software upgrade to operate according to the invention.
One of the most basic capabilities of the VoIP WT system according to embodiments of the present invention is that it provides the user with an interface consistent with conventional RF based systems. The operation of the VolP WT system should appear familiar to users accustomed to conventional RF devices. In one exemplary embodiment, terminals 10 execute software modules that provide multiple "virtual" communications channels, which appear to the user as analogous to the different frequency channels found on RF units. Each VolP WT unit may be configured to have a primary channel that is used as the default channel for transmitting and for receiving, but the user can set the terminal to transmit and receive on any other desired channel, and to monitor some or all the available virtual channels. In the exemplary embodiment, the VolP WT is capable of receiving and transmitting over at least 256 discrete channels. Although the exemplary unit is capable of receiving any or all of those 256 channels, those of skill in the art will understand that all the channels must still travel over a common WLAN, since there is no separate network for each channel. Accordingly, irrespective of the number of channels supported by the VolP WT, the system can deliver simultaneously only as many messages as can be supported by data networks 14 and 16. The number of simultaneous messages that can be processed depends on the 802.11b network architecture and on the specific site implementation.
In one embodiment, a channel may be dedicated as a priority channel, for example to be used for high priority security messages. All the units connected to the data network, such as terminals 10 on network 16, will receive the priority channel, and the messages received on the priority channel will override any other messages transmitted on different channels. When a message on the priority channel is received, all the units that are transmitting a message will abort the transmission, and notify the user that the transmission was discontinued. For example, an audible alert may be provided to the user for that purpose. Units that are in the receive mode will be prevented from starting a transmission while a priority message is being broadcast. All the units may have the ability to broadcast on the priority channel, or that feature may only be reserved for selected units.
When the portable transreceiver according to the present invention is not active on the default channel or on the priority channel, it is capable of monitoring any of an assigned group of channels for incoming transmissions. However, before the unit is able to transmit on one of the monitored channels, a specific channel must be selected by the user. In another embodiment, units may be given the ability to transmit on multiple channels. Selecting a channel for transmission does not affect the channel that has been defined as the default channel for transmission and reception in a unit, which is also referred to as the designated primary channel of the unit. If a unit receives more than one message on different channels, which message is actually processed by the unit depends on a specific priority scheme. Priority or security broadcasts are handled first, so they are always played to the user. Priority messages are followed by messages broadcast on the unit's designated primary channel, and finally by broadcasts on any other of the monitored channels. Messages that are received on the monitored channels are not interrupted by another, later message with the same priority level. Within messages of the same priority, the earlier received message is played.
Conventional RF based portable transreceiver units do not have any mechanism to prevent more than one unit from simultaneously broadcasting on the same channel when the users press the PTT switch. The VolP WT system according to the invention provides a mechanism to prevent this collision of transmissions. Before a transmission is permitted by one of the units, software in the unit is configured to verify that the channel selected is not already in use. If the selected channel is not in use, the transmission is broadcast normally. If, when the user presses the PTT switch a message is already being received on that channel, the transmit mode of the unit is disabled and a notification is issued to the user to indicate that the selected channel is busy.
Despite these precautions, a race condition can take place when two or more units have their PTT switches pressed simultaneously, while using the same channel. In that case, multiple portable transreceiver units may be allowed to begin their transmission streams. The race can be resolved by configuring each voice enabled terminal unit in the system so that no more than one message is heard by all the units on the channel, to prevent any two listeners from hearing different messages after the collision has been detected. Once a VolP WT unit that is transmitting detects another transmission on the same channel, one of several acceptable actions may be taken. For example, all the units may stop transmitting, and may provide to the relevant users a notification of the race condition. Alternatively, a priority mechanism may be specified, to allow only one of the transmissions to continue, while suppressing all other interfering transmissions. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, different priority schemes may be envisioned to prevent a broadcast collision from occurring. The principal requirements for this are that only one transmission per channel at a time be received by the users, and that the relevant users be notified when their transmission is suppressed.
As shown in
The system according to embodiments of the present invention can also provide a telephone-like caller ID on each terminal, which indicates to each user an identification of who originated a transmission. This feature of the terminals is not dependent on the directory service described above, although in some cases the directory service may be tied to the identification function. To provide the caller ID feature, a name that identifies either the unit or the person using the unit is sent in the transmission, together with the data packets describing the voice communication and any other pertinent data. Each receiving unit can then display the name of the sender or the originating terminal, as applicable.
Another feature that can be provided in a VoIP WT unit is the integration of a peer-to-peer private mode with the traditional portable transreceiver mode of operation. Traditional RF based WT units can only provide a one-to-many broadcast mode, where the transmission is half duplex, meaning that only one user at a time may speak. This is replicated in the WT mode of operation of the VolP WT system. The private mode permits one-to-one calling between two users, with full duplex transmissions in which both addressees may speak simultaneously. This mode provides the same functionality as a telephone call between the two users. In one exemplary embodiment, a user at a receiving unit will be able to initiate a private callback to the initiator of the last, or most recently active WT mode message. In addition to the increased privacy aspects of using the private mode, additional benefits include reduced broadcast traffic, minimized distractions to other users not party to the peer-to-peer communication, and extended operating life of the non-participating units due to lower battery usage. This is possible since only two units participate in a private mode communication. Instead of tying up every terminal unit tuned to a specific virtual channel in the WT mode, users can select the private mode to limit communications to the two participating units.
Specialized message traffic rules may be used to prioritize the reception of peer-to-peer mode messages and of the normal WT mode messages. For example, if a WT mode message is received while the unit is participating in a peer-to-peer call, the peer-to-peer call is given higher priority. The user may be given a notification that a message is being received under the WT mode, and may be given the option of switching back to the WT mode of operation. In general, when a WT mode message has been received by a unit, the user can be given the option of responding to the message by using the normal broadcasting WT mode, or by using the private peer-to-peer mode. Selection of the WT mode may be made by simply pressing the PTT button of the unit. Peer-to-peer mode may be initiated by a separate soft or hard key, since it is not the default mode of operation of the VolP WT device.
Another feature that is unique to the VoIP WT system according to embodiments of the present invention is the ability to store messages for future replay. In one embodiment, each portable transreceiver unit includes a memory that can buffer the most recent incoming voice message to provide a replay capability. In one embodiment, if the message is longer than the configured buffer size, only the last portion of the message will be saved. The user will then be able to replay the buffered message. In the case that a message is received while an earlier message is being played back, playback of the buffer may be interrupted to permit reception of the new message, particularly if the new message is received on the priority channel. An audio alert may be used to further notify the user that buffer playback has been suspended to receive a real-time message. In one exemplary embodiment, the buffer may be sufficient to store about 60 seconds of message.
According to embodiments of the invention, the VolP WT system is designed to minimize network loading as much as practical, since it must operate in a network that is used also by other types of network traffic. Latency of the WT system is reduced as much as possible, but to a certain extent is dependent on the actual network architecture. Latency of the half-duplex WT mode is not as critical as latency of the full-duplex private mode, since in WT mode multiple participants cannot speak simultaneously but instead have to take turns speaking. The network protocol chosen for the invention takes advantage of this lessened requirement of the WT mode to include redundant transmission of the voice data. This adds some latency to the message, but greatly improves the quality of the message. The redundant transmission allows the receiver to reconstruct missing voice data due to network interference or errors.
In one embodiment, the latency in the WT mode from the microphone of the transmitting unit to the speaker of the receiving unit averages less than 500 milliseconds, excluding network delays. In the peer-to-peer or private mode, the latency from the transmitter's microphone to the receiver's speaker is less than 300 milliseconds, also excluding network delays. Various signal compression methods may be used to reduce the amount of bandwidth used by the VoIP WT application. For example, a G.729A codec is provided for voice compression, however other more effective methods may also be incorporated.
The software components include software elements 60 that are part of the Windows CE® operating system, and software elements 70 that are specific to the portable transreceiver application, both of which are executed on a processor of the voice enabled device. It will be apparent that other operating systems adapted to run on portable devices may be used, such as Palm® operating systems, etc. Windows CE® operating system components 60 are well known in the art, and include Wave in and out modules 62 to process sounds, Winsock module 64 to manage network sockets, and various drivers 66 for the display screen, etc. Additional software modules may be included with software elements 70, which are developed specifically to manage operation of the VolP WT functionality. The WT application module 72 is the primary application that enables terminal 10 to be used as a portable transreceiver. WT application module 72 is designed to minimize interference with other applications that may be executed simultaneously on the unit, in particular other applications that use the notification driver 86 to provide audio cues.
Generally, the WT application module 72 operates in the background on the device, so that the full screen of the device (i.e. terminal 10) may be used for other applications. The application interface may be displayed automatically when needed, such as when an incoming message is detected. If the user needs to see the VolP WT application interface, for example to see the caller ID function, a "display pop" key may be provided to toggle the WT application interface from the background to the foreground, and vice versa, each time it is pressed. This toggle key may be a physical button or a touch screen region of the device. To maximize battery life, the user has the option of operating in a low power mode, which may be entered by using a key. This mode blanks the screen and may perform other functions to reduce power consumption. In power save mode the unit is fully functional and can send or receive voice messages. If the user wants to see the screen, a key may be pressed to resume normal operations. If an event occurs which requires the user to see the screen, normal mode may be resumed automatically.
Private call transport module 74 enables the terminal 10 to be used in private mode communications, as described above. This mode uses, for example, the H.323 session protocol for telephone-like full duplex performance. Private call transport module 74 typically does not provide session control, since that is handled by the H.323 protocol. In one embodiment, the application accesses H.232 for session control through the Microsoft Telephony API (TAPI). The Telephony service provider (TSP) manages call setup, call tear down and call control via the H.323 stack, and negotiates a common compression codec with the destination unit. To prolonge battery life, module 74 may also include power management functions, such as switching the unit between the power save mode (PSP) and the full power mode (CAM) as necessary.
To maximize battery life the unit normally operates in the lowest power mode. When a transmission is made, the unit is switched to full-power mode. When the unit is in standby mode, for example when waiting for an incoming message, the unit watches for a wake-up message, which is sent prior to a transmission as part of the protocol. If a wake-up message is received, the unit switches to full power mode. Since it is possible for a wake-up message to be lost, the radio also watches for regular voice packets. Therefore, if one of the regular voice packets is detected, the unit is also turned on to full power mode. After the last packet in a transmission is received, the unit waits a short time interval to see if additional packets will be received. If there are no additional data packets within a specified timeout period, the unit switches back into the low-power mode.
The normal portable transreceiver mode of operation for terminal 10 is implemented through WT call transport module 76. Module 76 provides one-to-many half duplex communications that replicate the functioning of a RF portable transreceiver. In the exemplary embodiment the voice signals are sent using a multicast realtime transport protocol (RTP) standard for streaming, using a packet switched network. WT call transport module 76 also provides a method to increase the audio quality of the transmission over an unreliable network. Since transmission over a data network can be unreliable and subject to various data errors, some form of error correction mechanism is required. The transmission of voice data must occur in real time, thus re-broadcasting the data packets representing the voice communication is not feasible. According to embodiments of the invention, a simple redundancy scheme is used, in which each voice data packet is transmitted multiple times, and is reassembled at the receiver. Any missing information from any of the transmissions is likely to be present in the redundant transmission. In one exemplary embodiment, two redundant packets are used, resulting in each voice sample being sent three times.
The directory service described above is implemented through the directory services module 78 of software elements 70. Directory services module 70 manages the interaction with server 22, which provides naming services for groups of users. Additional modules that are part of the software elements 70 include the firmware and the drivers 84 that manage the operation of the spectrum 24 adapter, to enable the radio communications to access WLAN 14. Also included is a voice compression services module 80, which carries out voice compression operations to reduce the amount of network traffic required to transmit the voice data. In the exemplary embodiment, module 80 interacts with the firmware and driver 82 providing G.729A codecs for compression, which is carried out by the digital signal processor 56. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the software architecture describe herein is exemplary only, and that the same functionality may be obtained using different operating systems and software configurations.
An exemplary screen shot of display 110 is shown in
Several other functions of the WT application may be selected either with physical buttons or touch sensitive areas of the display. For example, a volume bar 134 and muting button 136 may replace or supplement physical volume controls of terminal 100. A replay button or touch sensitive area 138 can be used to play back a portion of the latest received voice message, and an additional screen may be invoked to let the user set recording and playback parameters. A callback area 140 is provided to let the user initiate a peer-to-peer communication with another user. In a simple form, when key 140 is pressed, the user that originated the last communication received would be called back. In more sophisticated applications, a different screen may be provided which lets the user select whom to contact in the peer-to-peer mode. Additional screens may be provided as needed, to let the user select options and set parameters for the various functions of the WT application. A "tools" key 142 may be provided to access functions not shown on primary screen 120. It will be apparent that the specific screen configuration and layout of the physical controls and touch screen areas can vary depending on the design of the unit and the operating system being used.
The present invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments associated with a multi purpose PDA running the Windows CE operating system. However, other embodiments may be devised that use different platforms and software without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, various modifications and changes may be made to the embodiments without departing from the broadest spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.
1. A system to provide voice communication over a data network, comprising:
- wireless voice enabled terminals;
- access points connected to the data network adapted to exchange network messages over the data network:
- a transmitter component of each of the terminals adapted to exchange wireless messages with the access points over a wireless network: and
- a software module executing on each of the terminals configured to provide a plurality of virtual channels, each of the virtual channels being carried over the wireless network and the data network, wherein
- the software module is configured to enable reception of the voice communication and to enable transmission of the voice communication over selected virtual channels.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the software module is configured to enable half duplex transmission and reception on the virtual channels.
3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a speaker and a PTT switch of each of the terminals.
4. The system according to claim 1. wherein the software module is configured to prevent collision of transmissions on each of the virtual channels.
5. The system according to claim 4, wherein transmission on an active channel is disabled when the active channel is in use.
6. The system according to claim 4, wherein a user notification is generated when initiating transmission on one of the selected channels if the selected channel is in use.
7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the software module is configured to prioritize simultaneous transmissions on each of the selected channels, such that only one of the simultaneous transmissions is enabled.
8. The system according to claim 1. further providing a priority channel enabled to override transmission and reception on the plurality of virtual channels.
9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the software module is configured to initiate a peer to Deer full-duplex call with a selected one of the terminals.
10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the selected one of the terminals originates a voice transmission received over one of the plurality of virtual channels.
11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the peer to peer full duplex call overrides reception and transmission of the voice communication over the plurality of virtual channels.
12. The system according to claim 1. further comprising a memory of each of the terminals adapted to store and replay a portion of the voice communication.
13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the software module is configured to transmit redundant data packets representing the voice communication.
14. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a directory service of the data network adapted to associate names with the virtual channels.
15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the associated name is displayed on the terminals.
16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the software module compresses data packets representing the voice communication before transmission.
17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the software module is configured to operate the voice enabled terminals at a reduced power level.
18. A method of transmitting voice communications between users, comprising:
- establishing a half duplex connection between wireless terminals of the users over a data network;
- establishing a full duplex connection between a pair of the wireless terminals over the data network;
- sending the voice communications from a sender of the wireless terminals to receivers of the wireless terminals; and
- reproducing the voice communications at the receivers.
19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:
- sending the voice communications as data packets.
20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising: redundantly sending the data packets.
21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising providing a plurality of virtual channels over which to establish the half duplex connection.
22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising prioritizing the voice communications taking place over a selected one of the plurality of virtual channels.
23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising preventing the sending of the voice communications over a selected one of the virtual channels if the selected virtual channel is in use.
24. The method according to claim 18, further comprising providing power management for the wireless terminals.
25. The method according to claim 18, further comprising storing the voice communications at the receivers.
26. The method according to claim 18, wherein the full duplex communication is established between a selected one of the receivers and the sender.
27. A portable voice enabled terminal comprising:
- a transmitter section adapted for exchanging data with an access point via a wireless network, the access point being connected to a data network; and
- a processor adapted to execute software instructions, the software instructions comprising: instructions to provide a plurality of virtual channels carried over the wireless network and the data network; instructions to generate data packets representing an outbound voice communication, and transmit the data packets over selected ones of the virtual channels; and
- instructions to receive data packets over the selected ones of the virtual channels and regenerate an inbound voice communication from the data packets.
28. The voice enabled terminal according to claim 27, wherein the processor further comprises instructions to establish semi duplex communications over selected ones of the virtual channels.
29. The voice enabled terminal according to claim 27, wherein the processor further comprises instructions to establish a full duplex communication with a selected addressee.
30. The voice enabled terminal according to claim 27, wherein the instructions further comprise disabling transmission of the data packets over a virtual channel that is in use.
31. The voice enabled terminal according to claim 27, wherein the instructions further comprise transmitting the data packets redundantly.
32. The voice enabled terminal according to claim 27, further comprising instructions to monitor selected ones of the virtual channels for the data packets.
33. The voice enabled terminal according to claim 27, further comprising a digital signal processor adapted for compressing the data packets.
34. The voice enabled terminal according to claim 27, further comprising a dedicated push to talk button.
35. The voice enabled terminal according to claim 27, further comprising a memory module adapted for storing the inbound voice communication
36. The voice enabled terminal according to claim 27, further comprising a display adapted to show a user interface of the software instructions.
37. The voice enabled terminal according to claim 36, wherein the display shows an origin identification of the inbound voice transmission.
Patent History
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 13, 2006
Publication Date: Jun 15, 2006
Inventors: Kent Wotherspoon (Winnipeg), Gerald Callow (Winnipeg)
Application Number: 11/332,457
International Classification: H04Q 7/00 (20060101);


text:
21912 Thesis Proposal in Management (Honours)6cp
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
This subject requires students to produce a written thesis literature review of about 5000 words that forms the basis of the research to be carried out in 21913 Thesis in Management (Honours). Students are allocated an academic supervisor from within the Management Discipline Group, with whom they meet regularly throughout their enrolment in the subject. The subject develops the student's competency in carrying out a critical review of the literature and the selection and justification of appropriate research methodologies.
Detailed subject description.
Fee information
Information to assist with determining the applicable fee type can be found at Understanding fees.
- Commonwealth-supported students: view subject fees at Fees Search: Commonwealth-supported
- Postgraduate domestic fee-paying students: fees are charged according to the course enrolled in; refer to Domestic Fees Search: Postgraduate and Research
- International students: fees are charged according to the course enrolled in; refer to International Fees Search
- Subject EFTSL: 0.125

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Flatbush Avenue congestion plan to be tested
Curbside loading ban starting Jan. 2018 in Brooklyn
Double parking and deliveries along busy Flatbush Avenue during rush hours snarl up traffic all the way to Manhattan, and now the city is testing a possible solution.
The avenue, one of Brooklyn's most congested commercial corridors, is one of three thoroughfares targeted by Mayor Bill de Blasio in a series of initiatives designed to ease congestion citywide.
The mayor said on Monday that both he and city Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg have gotten stuck on Flatbush on the way to the Manhattan Bridge and City Hall.
For six months beginning in January 2018, the city will ban curbside loading on both sides of Flatbush — from Grand Army Plaza to Tillary Street — during peak hours (7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.). This section of Flatbush cuts through Downtown Brooklyn, Park Slope and Prospect Heights.
According to the city, focusing on the morning and evening peak periods will preserve business viability while addressing the most severe congestion.
The "expeditious pick-up and drop-off of passengers" — think Uber — would still be allowed, as would deliveries to off-street loading docks.
At a press conference on Monday, de Blasio said he is often asked, "Why are there so many delivery trucks right in the middle of the busiest parts of the city — not only in Manhattan, in the outer boroughs as well — when people are trying to move around the most during rush hour? Why aren't the deliveries after hours?"
He added, "Many a time, when I drove myself coming out of Park Slope and going in to City Hall, I would go down Flatbush Avenue. And the Commissioner [Trottenberg] said exactly what I experienced. She said one truck — one truck in the wrong location can jam up all of Flatbush Avenue and can substantially slow down the commute."
The other two corridors in the curbside ban pilot program are in Manhattan (a zone bounded by Sixth Avenue to the west, Madison Avenue to the East, 45th Street to the south and 50th Street to the north) and Queens (Roosevelt Ave., Broadway to 108th St.).
These three areas were chosen because they serve as important links in the regional road network, carry high volumes of traffic and are subject to significant blockages by double parking and delivery activity, according to the city.
Additional NYPD staff will be assigned to the pilot corridors to enforce the new restrictions and keep curbs clear. The city will collect data on traffic congestion before and after the six-month pilot period and report on the new program in the fall of 2018.
"If that test goes well, it's something I want to lock in and expand to other parts of the city. If it doesn't go well, we'll re-access," de Blasio said.
Other anti-congestion actions across the city include the creation of new moving lanes in Midtown, expanding NYPD enforcement of block-the-box violations and bringing coordinated attention to recurring traffic spots on local highways. Since 2010 the average vehicle speeds in Midtown have declined 23 percent.
Gov. Cuomo was skeptical of the mayor's plan, saying the better way to reduce congestion is to improve the mass transit system and to charge tolls on bridges.
"He hasn't been able to do that for four years. Enforcing the law now is a good idea, but I would have assumed he was doing that all along. It's not a city problem, it's a regional issue. You have people coming in from Westchester, from Nassau, from Suffolk. You want to control the number of cars that drive in, you have to look at the entire metropolitan area. What tolls are you charging on bridges and what's the cost of the Long Island Rail Road and what alternatives do you have on park and ride and express buses?"
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What is Permanent Make-up
Permanent Make-Up is a procedure by which hypoallergenic, medically-graded pigments are inserted into the dermal layers of the skin, using a sterile needle for every treatment, creating natural looking enhancements to your features. These colours heal beautifully and naturally and you can have perfectly shaped eyebrows, lip liner and smudge proof eyeliner, as well as full lip colour, that will last up to 3-5 years.
For more information call into the salon or call 0214822945.
Eyebrow Enhancement / Tattooing
Unfortunately not all of us are blessed with gorgeous full brows that compliment our face shape and accentuate our eyes.
Feathered Hair Stroke
Our permanent make up treatment feathered hair stroke gives the effect of ultra-fine, delicate hair strokes that blend seamlessly with your natural brow hair. The technique is the result of 12 years research, design and development by our team of expert stylists.
Our brow specialist's will work with the landscape of the natural brow, be it too short, too thin or patchy and can achieve and revive the natural shape whilst improving and elevating your arch giving you back a flattering eyebrow shape once again.
Soft Colour Mist
Badly shaped brows can be reworked and brought back to a flattering look. If your brows are completely gone we'll re-create an entirely new brow for you.
Eyeliner Enhancement / Tattooing
Eyeliner is the must-have essential if you want to define your eyes and accentuate their colour.
Eyeliner pencils,gels and liquids can enhance your eyes beautifully – but if you're looking for a zero-smudge proof product, that's long-lasting and waterproof then Permanent Eyeliner is a must for you.
Stay Perfect Eyeliner
Stay-Perfect Eyeliner intensifies your eyes giving a smudge resistant finish that looks like precisely applied eyeliner all day everyday, that result can be as subtle or as dramatic as you wish.
Our professional stylists create Stay-Perfect Eyeliner in a choice of looks – from a subtle lash definer to an ultra thick liner. The colour choice is unlimited and includes intense dark shades, neutral shades and accent colours which compliment or contrast the colour of your eyes.
Ultra Thick Eyeliner
The effect makes a real difference if you've got sparse or no eyelashes, if you have difficulty applying eyeliner; or if you just fell you've lost the intensity of your eyes because of the ageing process. It's also ideal if you suffer with allergies to pollen or conventional eye make-up and if you struggle with contact lens sensitivities.
Lip Enhancement / Tattooing
The perfect lip shape should always be in balance with your features and depends very much on your face shape.
Achieve fullness and give the illusion of lift. Avoid problems of lipstick, bleed and re-application.
Lip Liner
Lip Liner enhances the colour of your lips with a lip-stain look, perfects your lip shape, discreetly redefines your natural lip border and if desired gives the illusion of fullness.
Getting the perfect lip shape in these demanding circumstances is time consuming and something that you have to do repeatedly throughput the day. If you're looking to transform your lips with a long-lasting lip enhancer that takes the hassle out of wearing lip-liner and lipstick try our Lip Perfection treatment – it will take your mouth to its lip-magnifying full potential.
Lip Blush
Once you've chosen a shade that is ideal for you – most opt for an extra subtle look choosing a pigment blend one or two shades deeper than their natural lip colour- in no more than 90 minutes your prescribed shade is precisely infuse into your lips giving you long lasting Lip Blush.
Permanent Make-up Corrections
Don't panic! We have the know-how, skills and techniques to colour correct, lighten and remove bad permanent make up created by other companies.
Colour Correction For Permanent Make-up
Eyebrows with unnatural orange, blue, grey and green colourings and lip procedures with blue, purple and grey staining can be reworked and brought back to a more attractive look with the skilled layering of corrective pigments.


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Braves Fans invading San Francisco!
So...as we all know the Braves went to the playoffs.
Oh my gracious how excited was I?! SO exciting! We have not made it to the playoffs since 2005! And what's even better is that it is Bobby Cox's last year as the manager and what better way to go out than go to the postseason?
Well, when we found out they were going to be playing their first 2 games in San Francisco my friends and I started scheming on how we could go. We searched for awhile (well, more like my dear friends searched) and we finally found 5 tickets on Craigslist. They ended up being $85 a person...not too bad. So we headed to San Francisco! We left Thurs night at 11:30pm and got into San Fran area around 9:30am. We ate breakfast and power napped at Ashley's aunt's house and then headed to the city because we wanted to go see the Golden Gate Bridge before the game. Twas SO cool! I seriously loved the bridge!
Outside AT&T Park
It was also awesome walking around all decked out in Braves gear! The looks on people's faces and the comments were pretty funny. We got to the park about 2 and a half hours early. AT&T Park is way cool! It is right on the bay and the stadium is just cool. We got there a little bit before batting practice. Ashley and I yelled at one of our fav pitchers (Jair Jurrgens) and told him we loved him and he waved at us. We kinda freaked. Then Derek Lowe (one of our starting pitchers) heard us Braves fans freaking out when they came out for BP and so he showed us the love by doing the sign for "I Love You." We were stoked on life...again. Then Ash and I ventured down by the outfield to say hi to the pitchers out there catching the fly balls. Jonny Venters (a closer) threw us each a ball! And once again...loving life. And the game hadn't even started!
San Fran Trolley
Then the game started. And wow. Giants fans are T.E.R.R.I.B.L.E. The most classLESS fans I have ever seen! Middle fingers directed at us, F You's at us, and the most vulgar signs and desecration of the tomahawk chop. Thankfully we had the 5 of us and 2 other Atlanta fans found us, so we stuck together, but if you saw little 1-3 souls in Braves gear they got popcorn and beer thrown at them. People would Boo in our ears. (right ear is still ringing.) Just seriously I can't even describe how awful it was. Especially since we were losing for the first 7 innings. It was slightly miserable. Then all of the sudden our boys really stepped it up and started playing baseball. We tied it up and it went into extra innings! Our closing pitcher got hurt so they had to pull in a pitcher who has sucked all season and somehow he pulled it out so no runs were scored for the Giants. And in the 11th inning our center-fielder, Rick Ankiel, bombed one out of the park and into the bay! Booyah! It was the greatest moment ever! It was literally the best game I have ever been to! It was so exciting, nerve-wracking, intense, glorious, and purely amazing. I loved seeing my boys play and was so proud of be a Braves fan.
Right after we won!
Let's just say Giants fans were pretty much silent as the game ended. You could hear us from any where in the stadium, I'm sure. We were definitely not quiet. We were so excited! It's one of those epic games that everyone wishes they could have been at and well....we were. Definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity. We were still getting cursed out and harassed as we were leaving, but oh well. I know that at Turner Field they would have been treated differently because our mamas raised us right in the South. You don't treat people like that. Ever. We were all on a high for quite sometime after the game. We headed back to Provo right after and arrived back around 12:30pm on Sat afternoon. Call us crazy. Call us insane. But we like to call it hardcore and awesome! The best road trip of my life.
On a more somber note...the Braves lost both of the games at home. Mostly due to bad calls and our bench 2nd baseman's awful errors, since Martin Prado got hurt right before the playoffs. Yes, I'm so sad. I really wanted to go all the way. But at the same time we had so many bench players out there starting. We lost Chipper. We lost Prado. We lost Jurrgens. We lost Medlen. We lost a lot of those key players that make a huge difference on the field! So for us to still make it to the playoffs and then do as well as we did, I'm proud. We gave a good fight. Every game was only within 1 run.
Another somber note is that this was Bobby's last season. Bobby is the man. I've never known any other manager. I love seeing him waddle/jog on out to the pitcher's mound. I love seeing him sitting there giving calls. I love seeing him get all heated. He will defend his players to the death, which is why everyone wants to play for him. He loves his players more than anything and they are number one to him. He has more managerial ejections than any other manager in history! I am proud of that. That means he fought for his players. He actually got ejected at the game we were at. So we were able to witness his last ejection and his last win. I feel pretty dang lucky.
Unlike Giants fans, Bobby Cox has class. I respect him and I love him. Bye Bobby. You will be sorely missed!
I want the Rays to go all the way now. I hate the Yankees. I hate the Phillies. And I hate the Giants. GO RAYS!
And now I will leave you with this video I took during the summer while at Turner Field. Until next season Braves. I love you! Good season.


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Is AI Destined to Replace Fund Managers?
In this episode of TechTalk, we talk about the debut of the world's first ETF powered by artificial intelligence (AI). We discuss the technology behind it, if it impacts a fund's expense ratio and, most importantly, how it's performing.
Dave Plaskow: Hello and welcome to EisnerAmper's technology podcast series. With more than 500 technology clients, we're always interested in the latest industry trends and developments, as well as any related business and accounting opportunities and challenges. Today's topic is robot managed mutual funds. I'm your host Dave Plaskow and with us today is Dave Katz, senior manager in EisnerAmper's technology and life sciences practice. It's another episode of The Dave & Dave Show. Dave, welcome and thanks for being here.
Dave Katz: Always good to be here Dave.
DP: I like this topic – it seems really interesting to me. But are we now moving one step closer to robots taking over the world?
DK: It sure does seem that way sometimes. In this case, San Francisco-based EquBot LLC debuted the world's first ETF powered by artificial intelligence. It's the AI Powered Equity ETF. It's on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker AIEQ.
DP: Great. And what's the technology behind this?
DK:Using the data processing power of IBM's Watson, the fund ranks investment opportunities by analyzing more than one million pieces of information daily such as economic data, consumer trends, social media posts, and world and company-specific news, and it identifies those equities with the greatest potential for appreciation. The technology builds predictive models on some 6,000 companies and then derives a portfolio of approximately 70 U.S. equities.
DP: Okay. But this isn't an entirely new concept, is it?
DK:No, computer algorithms have been examining trading patterns in stocks for quite a while now.
DP:What's different here?
DK:The AI uses machine learning so it can actually learn without the assistance of people.
DP: Wow. Now, with all the automation behind this, is this going to lower the price of funds?
DK:Somewhat. The AI-powered equity ETF has an annual expense ratio of about 0.75%. That's a little higher than the average passive ETF, but for actively traded funds, such as this, it's a little cheaper.
DP: Now the real question, how's the fund doing?DK:Yes, that's what everyone wants to know. In its first week of trading, the fund was up 1%. During that same time period, the S&P 500 index was up 0.5%, so score this one for the robots. But the fund only has about $7 million in assets. Should it be successful, we'll obviously see that number grow.
DP: We're seeing in a lot of media reports that artificial intelligence may put quite a few people across a variety of sectors out of work. Is this now one step closer to putting flesh-and-blood fund managers out of business?
DK:Certainly the decrease in actively managed funds and increase in index and target date funds have been a challenge for the fund manager workforce. And while AI will replace certain positions, I think there will always be a need for highly skilled professionals to provide personal services to clients – the key word being "personal."
DP: So we'll have to keep our eyes open and see if this starts going more mainstream, moving into the Fidelity and Vanguards of the world.
DP: Well, Dave, thanks for your expertise and great insight.
DK:Thank you.
DP: And thank you for listening to The Dave & Dave Show, as part of the EisnerAmper podcast series. Visit EisnerAmper.com for more information on this, and a host of other topics. And join us for our next EisnerAmper podcast, when we get down to business.
EisnerAmper's Technology and Life Sciences practice talks about the Theranos dissolution, and what took them from biotech unicorn to dissolution. Investors must use due diligence and consider a company's internal controls before investing in companies with high valuations.
EisnerAmper's Technology podcast series discusses the proposed New York City Council cap on the number of ridesharing vehicles such as Lyft and Uber in Manhattan to ease congestion. How will this cap change Uber's valuation, and what is the economic hit to the taxi industry?
This episode of the Dave & Dave Show discusses new cryptocurrency technology from the fintech startup company Circle, called USD Coin. This cryptocurrency ties itself to the U.S. Dollar, therefore eliminates some volatility that comes with crypto mining and Bitcoin.
TechTalk takes a look at a tech startup, Aerobotics, that is using drones to help farmers in South Africa. This podcast discusses how the drones help South African farmers, how the US government is using drones and how MIT is making micro drones.
TechTalk discusses a new 3d printed community proposed in El Salvador by the nonprofit New Story and ICON construction. Icon and New Story debuted their 3D printed house at the Austin South by Southwest festival. Issues discussed include cybersecurity and valuation.
Life Science Partner Dave Katz discusses the new 23andMe DNA testing kit for breast cancer BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations approved by the FDA, and what it means for the biotech industry. The FDA approved 23andMe DNA breast cancer test increases access to health care information.
TechTalk examines Jeff Bezos' new possible Amazon facility cities of Austin, New York City, Washington DC and Atlanta, with Atlanta being Dave Katz' first pick. They also discuss Amazon Go, and Amazon's healthcare initiative with Berkshire Hathaway.
EisnerAmper's technology podcast discusses the first FDA approved EKG band for the Apple Watch. Dave Katz of the Technology and Life Sciences practice discuses these new medical devices, their use of artificial intelligence and the cybersecurity issues surrounding them.
EisnerAmper's technology podcast discusses related business and accounting opportunities with the senior manager in its Technology and Life Sciences practice about Uber, drones, internet providers and net neutrality, IPOs, AI and the R&D credit that may expire next year.
It was a milestone when Facebook implemented facial recognition software in 2010. The iPhone X has put a renewed spotlight on facial recognition technology. EisnerAmper's Technology and Life Sciences Manager discusses security issues surrounding facial recognition technology.
Supersonic air travel is coming back with a boom. What does today's market look like for supersonic air travel and how are start-ups such as Boom and Aerion navigating the many challenges? Also discussed is mergers and acquisitions and the need for valuations.
Is iRobot's Roomba automated vacuum collecting consumer data that will be offered to technology companies to enhance internet of things devices? Here is what information is being collected, potential data privacy and security issues, and iRobot's response to consumer concerns.
Tesla has received a significant investment from Chinese tech giant Tencent. This podcast discusses what Tesla plans to do with the cash infusion, Tencent's ownership stake and how this could help both companies enter the highly coveted self-driving car market.
Amazon's CEO Jeff Bazos just passed Warren Buffet to become the second wealthiest person on the planet. In Technology M&A news, Amazon competes with Alibaba by buying Dubai based Souq in a battle over E-commerce in the middle east, as reported by EisnerAmper's Life Sciences Practice.
With retiring baby boomers some of the fastest growing jobs in technology attracting tech talent are located in New York City, San Francisco, Austin and Seattle. Tech talent can come from non-traditional backgrounds and there is strong hiring growth in hubs such as New York City.
Amazon Go wants to streamline your grocery shopping. This podcast discusses Amazon's plan to use 'Just Walk Out Technology' to change food shopping. A look at the technology behind Amazon Go, potential speedbumps and what it could mean for bricks-and-mortar grocery chains.
David in EisnerAmper's Technology and Life Sciences Practice, gives a "state of the union" on self-driving cars, an overview of Uber's unique experiment in Pittsburgh, and a glimpse of what we can expect in the marketplace over the next few years.
This episode of TechTalk we discuss the commercial real estate shortage for the nation's biotech sector. Life science and biotech companies in hubs like Boston and San Fran are seeking out real estate in the suburbs in order to afford space to expand their businesses.
This Life Sciences and Technology podcast talks about the space-age technology called the Hyperloop. The Hyperloop could take people from LA to San Francisco in 35 minutes, and was originally conceived by Elon Musk. Hyperloop One is the first company to develop the technology.
David discusses the commercial drone market, including how the FAA will regulate pilot licenses, drone use in real estate, Amazon's use of drones for future deliveries, the VC market and M&A strategies for companies interested in investing in drone technology.
David discusses virtual reality including Facebook's acquisition of Oculus, HTC's Vive and revenue recognition that comes from virtual reality technology. HTC has created the Vive X Fund and Facebook has created a similar fund to help develop virtual reality software.


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Easter with The Point
Easter with The Point
April 1, 2018 • Pastor Gabe Turner
Many of us have found ourselves on a course of disappointment, disillusionment, and desperation as we face some really hard news and really difficult circumstances. While the news and the circumstances are very real, Easter reminds us that these never have the final word. In this Easter message Pastor Gabe reminds us that there is a reality that exists in the Risen Savior that surpass any difficulty that we may have in life.


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Strategy: 8 power plants shut down as Nigeria loses N108 billion in first quarter over operational constraints
Some of the power plants tripped due to low gas pressure while GT3 was shutdown due to generator air inlet filter trouble.
Eight out of the 27 power plants in Nigeria were shut down on April 9, 2018 as a result of operational constraints that include gas, line and frequency management.
Some of the power plants tripped due to low gas pressure while GT3 was shutdown due to generator air inlet filter trouble.
Eight out of the 27 power plants in Nigeria were shut down on April 9, 2018 as a result of operational constraints that include gas, line and frequency management.
A data from the Power Generation Report by the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, shows that these constraints affecting the power plants might be responsible for the low power generation.
Affected power plants
Trans Amadi Gas Turbine (GT)
The power plants 1 and 2 were out due to line constraints while GT 3 was on fault. GT 4 tripped on generator differential lockout.
ASCO Power plant GT1
This power plant was shut down due to leakage in the furnace
Ihovbor Nigerian National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) GT 1
This power plant was out due to gas constraint. GT2 was also out due to malfunctioning gas regulating valve.
Alaoji NIPP Gas Turbine
The power plant 1, 2, and 4 tripped due to low gas pressure while GT3 was shutdown due to generator air inlet filter trouble.
Afam IV and V Gas Power Plant
GT13-16 were out on blade failure while GT17 tripped on loss of excitation. GT18 was out on inspection and maintenance, while GT19 and 20 are awaiting major overhaul.
Sapele Steam
ST1 tripped on low drum level, ST2 was shut down for maintenance, ST3 was out on stator winding problem, ST4 and 5 are awaiting major overhaul while ST6 tripped on gas control valve not following reference point.
January's Loss was valued at over N1.5billion
In January alone, the average power generated and distributed was 3,971mw while 2,302.8mw was not generated due to unavailability of gas.
In the same vein, as a result of the unavailability of transmission infrastructure, about 417mw was not generated high frequency resulting from unavailability of distribution infrastructure disturbed the generation of while 290mw.
As a result of all these constraints, the power sector lost an estimated N1.584 billion on January 25, 2018, due to insufficient gas supply, distribution infrastructure, and transmission challenges.
The constraints
The Nigerian power sector has been plagued with structural issues in all key areas that include generation, gas supply, transmission, and distribution.
Sadly, the operational capacity of the country's power plants is less than a third of their installed capacity.
As it has been mostly reported, chronic vandalism has crippled oil and gas pipelines, creating gas shortages at power plants.
In the same vein, underinvestment in maintenance and infrastructure has constrained the transmission grid.
Need to utilise renewable energy
Nigeria's Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has emphasized the need to utilise renewable energy in the country.
The Minister said efforts must be concentrated to develop renewable energy along with conventional power plants to maintain a balanced energy in the short, medium and long term.
Fashola said renewable energies were the fastest power plant that can be deployed as the technologies required are compatible with what he described as the nation's decentralised, stand alone for local and rural communities.
He stated: "The huge energy deficit and the negative environmental impact of using fossil fuel for energy generation as well as the falling costs of renewable energy technologies like solar power, are driving the current energy transition towards renewable energy as being witnessed across the world."
The Minister also said the Federal Government is implementing off-grid renewable energy solutions such as rural mini-grids, and standalone home solutions.
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Hi this is lovely Iesha Miss Bedforshire. I did a photo shoot with her and Photographer Spike from Blue Feather Photography in St Albans just last week.
I used By Terry Cover Expert in 11for base and 13 to contour
Illamasqua concealer in cc10
Kevyn Aucoin black eyeliner
Nars eyeshadow duo in Tzarine
Mac shade in Nehru to contour and Vapour on brow bone.
Mac shade Nehru for brows
Nars Sedution for blush
Kevyn Aucoin to highlight and contour.
Kevyn Aucoin medium lip pencil
Illamasqua Intense lipgloss


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Interactive Table Blog
Thanks regine for pointing me on this nice blog about interactive table design! It's about the new incarnation of the dialog table
Like a regular table, Dialog is designed for social interactions, but it utilizes digital technologies and an innovative interface to facilitate learning more about the arts. Gesture recognition and video-tracking software allow multiple users to interact simultaneously with a variety of information appearing on the screen. Using metaphors of water, players can choose artworks by selecting, enlarging, and dragging images from an available "pool" of content to individual "puddles." Connections, represented as threads, are made between artworks, creating links among various pieces and users. Additional information can be obtained about the artwork, including related audio and video clips. Another function allows users to print postcards of favorite works.
This prototype was commissioned by the Walker Art Center through an international design competition in 2002.


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Time to go offline!
Mindful Hiking – World Heritage, Grinzing
Hiking, Yoga, Meditation
Sunday, 2nd July from 10:00am-02:00pm (after optional picnic)
with Viktoria
Costs: € 40
Hiking, meditation, yoga and breathing practices in the World Heritage vineyards in Grinzing.
According to the Vedic Scriptures nature and human being are the parts of one Totality. Being on the nature unifies all elements together and connects us to the source. The Air is the main source of energy. Breathing freely and correctly supplies a huge amount of life energy to human´s system.
Our Mindful Hiking Program combines all ancient knowledge and practices to support you in overcoming obstacles, bringing clarity, energy, peace, happiness and love into life.
Mindful Hiking unites one with the Universe and reveals new beginnings.
Hiking up the peak is an enchanting process, so is life. Sometimes it is tensed and intense but always inspiring and fascinating.
World Heritage vineyards in Grinzing are located in the 19th district in Vienna (easy access with tram 38 or bus 38A)
10:00 – 12:00 hike with introduction to Ayurveda, walking and silent meditation
12:30 – 14:00 yoga, grounding and breathing exercises, contemplative/ reflective work
Bring: friends, yogamat, some snacks and drinks (if you wish to stay for a picnic afterwards)
The scheduled time is approximate and can slightly vary.
Meeting: Sunday, 2nd July at 9:45. End Station Tram 38 or 38A Bus Stop – Grinzing, next to Café Pucco´s
For details and registration visit asangayoga.com or email us.


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Genitourinary Medical Oncologist
- Location
- New York, New York
- Salary
- Competitive salary and benefits
- Posted
- Oct 10, 2018
- Closes
- Oct 30, 2018
- Category
- Genitourinary, Medical Oncology
- Position
- Medical Oncologist
- Education
- Hours
- Full Time
Genitourinary Medical Oncologist
Division of Solid Tumor Oncology
Department of Medicine
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) is one of the world's premier cancer centers, committed to exceptional patient care, leading-edge research, and superb educational programs. The blending of research with patient care is at the heart of everything we do. The institution is a comprehensive cancer center whose purposes are the treatment and control of cancer, the advancement of biomedical knowledge through laboratory and
clinical research, and the training of scientists, physicians and other health care workers.
The Division of Solid Tumor Oncology is made up of over 120 medical oncologists in 10 subspecialty Services, including the Genitourinary Oncology Service, Breast Medicine, Early Drug Development, Gastrointestinal Oncology, Gynecologic Medical Oncology, Head and Neck Oncology, Clinical Cancer Genetics, Melanoma and Immunotherapeutics,
Sarcoma and Thoracic Oncology practicing in multiple sites in New York City and regionally in New York and New Jersey.
We currently have positions available in the Genitourinary Oncology Service in the Division of Solid Tumor Oncology, Department of Medicine. We are seeing full-time faculty members for Academic Clinician and Clinical Investigator positions. For the Academic Clinician Positions, candidates should possess superb clinical skills as well as strong interpersonal skills. For Clinical Investigator positions, candidates should have superb clinical and interpersonal skills, an established and focused research agenda, and a track record of outstanding leadership in clinical research.
Interested and qualified applicants should send their CV, bibliography and brief statement of interests to email@example.com. Please specify the Position title in the email subject line and include your cover letter as the body of the email. MSKCC offers competitive salaries and benefits.


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24 October 2017
USC Nursing Science student Emma Kendall hopes to make a lasting impact on rural villagers from the Indonesian island of Java when she takes part in the University's first accredited international nursing placement.
She is one of 20 students across USC's Sunshine Coast, Gympie and Fraser Coast campuses selected to help deliver essential health care in Java during the three-week clinical placement next month.
Mrs Kendall, who is studying a combined Midwifery and Nursing Science degree at USC Gympie, said the experience would help her grow as a person and as a health professional.
"With limited resources, we will have to think both on our feet and outside the box, and find ways to safely improvise in some situations," she said.
The group will be accompanied by USC Senior Lecturer in Nursing Dr Debbie Massey and Lecturer in Nursing Matt Mason.
Mr Mason said USC's first overseas nursing practicum would allow students to gain credit towards their degree, while making a long-term, sustainable contribution to these rural communities.
"The students will spend time in three Javanese villages near the historical World Heritage-listed city of Yogyakarta where they will overcome cultural, language and social barriers to gain a different perspective on nursing care and health education," he said.
During clinics and visits to house-bound villagers, the students will provide a range of services, from basic wound care and injury management to health assessments.
They will conduct health education workshops for local schools, health workers and community members on topics such as hand hygiene, oral care and nutrition.
Mr Mason said the students would undertake a needs analysis with the local health care service to guide and develop health care activities for future USC students.
Mrs Kendall said she was most looking forward to the community clinics. "I hope by helping to educate villagers about the prevention and management of health conditions, we can leave a lasting impression on those we visit."
The group will be fully immersed into the Indonesian way of life and will stay in homestays within the villages. Local health care staff will translate and provide logistical support.
Students taking part in the clinical placement were selected through a competitive application process. They include five from USC's Gympie campus and two from USC Fraser Coast.
A number of the students have received financial support from the New Colombo Plan, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade initiative to support undergraduates to study and undertake internships in the Indo-Pacific region.
— Clare McKay


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With just one month to go until Le Guess Who? 2017, the festival has shared the first in a series of video portraits focusing on the artists performing at the event. They're kicking things off with James Holden, one of this year's curators alongside Perfume Genius, Shabazz Palaces, Grouper, Han Bennink and Jerusalem In My Heart. In this short video Holden talks about his return to live music, the influence of jazz and also highlights some of the acts he's picked to play this year's festival.
Le Guess Who? 2017 takes place in Utrecht, Netherlands from 9 - 12 November.


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Thomas Nelson Community College
January 14, 1971
The Peninsula is indeed fortunate to have the Industrial College of the Armed Forces conduct a World Affairs Forum at the Riverdale Theatre, March 8 through 19.
A list of tentative topics for the seminar is as follows: (1) the U.S. in world affairs; (2) the world environment; (3) human resources; (4) world agriculture; (5) oceanography; (6) space exploration; (7) science and technology; (8) the nature of modern war; (9) Latin America; (10) Middle East; (11) Vietnam; (12) Africa; (13) Soviet Union; (14) Europe; (15) Southwest Pacific; (16) Communist China; (17) The Far East; (18) South Asia; and (19) Southeast Asia. A schedule will be distributed as soon as it has been made final.
You are encouraged to attend the seminar at a nominal cost. The forum's personnel will be available as classroom resource-personnel at no charge.
The College's Educational Master Plan has been completed. It was distributed to our Local Board members this week; the State Board will consider our projections during their February meeting. If it is approved, then it will be sent to our architects for implementation as soon as funds are available.
A copy of the Master Plan has been placed in the Library. Please feel free to read the copy at your convenience.
It appears that the only way we can continue to grow realisti-cally is by enlarging our summer session. The Central Administrative Staff is currently studying how this can best be implemented.


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Hello my beautiful readers ,
Today I am not going to ask how are you feeling , as I am gonna ask , howz your skin feeling😉 as today is about a beauty tip!
Today I wanted to share how Aloe is doing wonders to my skin , hair and for my stomach. I wanted to share this pretty little secret to u 🤗
As we all know skin changes with age , and we don't like it. We wanted to maintain as much as we can and we should as it is important. Even my skin started changing over couple of years , so I researched a little and found that aloe is a kind of product which helps the skin in many ways , it fights acne , helps in aging, reduces stretch marks and feels the skin fresh. There are lot of other products in market today which promises to fight the same issues but with added chemicals. It might solve the issue as of now but harms the skin in the future! So I always prefer to use natural products as much as possible.
I use fresh aloe leaves , break it and apply the gel on the face and apply the remaining on the scalp as it helps to reduce the itching of scalp in these dry winters and also reduces dandruff. Trust me it did wonders to my hair especially in winters . For hair I would do only once or twice a month. It is even enough once in 3 months. For Face , I apply twice or thrice a week before going to bed and wash my face as I wake in the morning . My face feels so fresh and marks on my skin got reduced over time. As it is a clear gel and gets dried up in a minute, you can just leave it on the face overnight or you can wash your face in 20 mins in Luke warm water. You can just buy a very small leaf , which is more than enough for face and hair. You can save it the remaining half in the refrigerator and use it for later. If I don't have aloe leaf in my home I keep aloe gel store bought, available. You can get it from Amazon.
Pamper your skin as much as you !! 😌😌
Last but not least , I use aloe water for digestion issues too. I drink a glass of aloe water as I wake up with empty stomach, as it helps a lot in digestion.
Hope you enjoyed this cute and easy beauty tip!!
Thanks for stopping by!!
Swetha ! 😊


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Helen BermanClass of: Visiting Scholar
Helen M. Berman, Ph.D.
Board of Governors Distinguished Professor Emerita of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and a Visiting Artist in Residence at the John C. Hench Division of Animation and Visual Arts, School of Cinematic Arts, USC.
Berman was a co-founder of the Protein Data Bank (PDB) that is an archive of information about the structures of proteins, nucleic acids, and complex assemblies and was the Director of the Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank (RCSB PDB) from 1998-2014. As a structural biologist, she has always been fascinated by the architectures and functions of biological molecules and has also been inspired by their beauty. However, over the years she realized how difficult it is to communicate this to a broader audience. In 2015, she embarked on a new project to use film in order to educate others about the integral role played by molecules in health and disease. She collaborated with animators and documentary film makers to produce Target Zero. This film combines molecular animations that explain the molecular basis of HIV prevention and treatment, with compelling stories of patients in Los Angeles clinics. Target Zero won the prize for Best Educational Media at the 2017 Raw Science Film Festival. We look forward to future collaborations that bridge science, medicine and film making.
Berman is a Fellow of the Biophysical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Crystallographic Association and the International Society for Computational Biology. She is the recipient of several awards including the Benjamin Franklin Award for Open Access in the Life Sciences, the DeLano Award for Computational Biosciences, the ACA Martin Buerger and David Rognlie Awards, the Distinguished Service Award from the Biophysical Society, and the Carl Brändén Award from the Protein Society.


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Tuberosa / La Creatrice
Gorgeous and exotic is this heavenly, feminine Floral-Fruity fragrance. Heady floral Tuberose is delicately harmonized with rich, ripe Berries and lemony Verbena. A lovely scent cherished by the feminine, self-assured woman.
The purest plant-based oils (including tea tree) as well as the finest, natural refining agents are the base of our French Liquid Detergent. Designed specifically for hand washing and the gentle cycle of your washer, our safe, natural formula is both gentle and effective for all your cherished fabrics, including silks and cashmeres. Completely biodegradable, we respect and choose to keep safe this beautiful planet, Earth.


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It's that time of year again! The TMCx accelerator at the Texas Medical Center received over 200 applications for the incoming device cohort and 19 companies made the cut. This year's class included a number of native Houston companies in addition to applicants from Boston, San Francisco, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Madison, Australia, and Canada. Over 300 attendees including physicians, advisors, investors, and entrepreneurs showed up in full force to support innovation at the Texas Medical Center Experts Forum.
All of the companies pitched novel solutions to problems within the healthcare sector. However there were ten companies that I believe addressed markets and trends in healthcare that stood out among the rest. This is my brief overview of the 10 best.
Orphidia has created a portable single blood drop diagnostic platform providing lab quality test results in 20 minutes utilizing microfluidic technology. 40 common lab tests can be provided using one chip. This portable device can provide an instant revenue stream for physician practices and taps into a potential 78 billion dollar marketplace. Currently seeking funding.
Polyvascular specializes in polymeric transcatheter valves for children with congenital heart disease. These valves are easy to make, non-immunogenic, and expands with the growth of the child. The valves are placed utilizing a minimally invasive technique reducing the need for open heart surgery in children. Currently they are in the preclinical stage and the valves have been successful in animal studies.
iSono is making accessible, at-home breast health monitoring utilizing 3D ultrasound and artificial intelligence. Benefits include a portable, non-irradiating, 2 minute scan with the sensitivity for detecting lesions similar to ultrasound. FDA clearance and a pilot study is expected next year. This is a 30 billion dollar market and the company is currently raising a seed round.
Bitome has developed a micro-magnetic MRI based diagnostic tool for non-invasive monitoring of the human hydration state particularly in those individuals with congestive heart or kidney failure. The portable device takes a three second read from the finger. The company is currently seeking seed funding.
Resthetics has created a patent protected device that converts waste anesthesia into a safe renewable resource that can be refurbished and sold to the original manufacturer at a fraction of the development cost. Currently seeking funding.
Vena Medical
The Canadian team of Vena Medical has developed a thin 1.3 French fiber optic camera that can provide real-time visibility through blood making vascular procedures faster, easier, and safer with less exposure to complications and unnecessary irradiation.
NanoEar is a minimally invasive, micro-implantable hearing aid that allows discreet, continuous use without the need for batteries. The company is positioned to disrupt the market by utilizing Direct Tympanic Modulation. The first prototype is expected in September. The company is currently seeking funding in their seed round.
Multisensor Diagnostics
MouthLab from Multisensor Diagnostics is a patent-protected portable device that measures multiple vitals signs by mouth (breath and saliva) in less than a minute. AI systems are then utilized to track changes or identify abnormalities. 400 million in potential revenue. The company is currently raising a $1.5 million seed round.
Alleviant Medical
With its genesis in TMC, Alleviant Medical is building a minimally-invasive transcatheter technology to treat congestive heart failure. It works by decompressing an overloaded left atrium through creating a shunt between the two atria. This is a $5 billion market. The company is currently conducting animal studies and expecting FDA clearance in 2019. They are raising a $1.5 million seed round.
Hailing from the Fannin Innovation Studio, Guidabot is an MRI-compatible robotic system that precisely targets areas of the brain with sub millimeter accuracy during minimally invasive neurosurgical procedures. Expecting FDA approval in 2020 and currently patent protected. Currently seeking funding.
This concludes my breakdown of the top ten, and I commend all 19 companies for accepting the TMCx challenge. I look forward to hearing from many of them as we begin the cohort. I also encourage all healthcare providers, investors, and entrepreneurs interested in this space to spend some time at the TMCx, attend the pitch event, get involved and become an advisor. Make sure to sign up for a free membership on the angelMD platform to gain access to the latest and greatest deals in this marketplace.
Browse for startups by name, location, specialty and more on angelMD.
Image Credit: TMCx


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Girl Scouts is a great community with old heritage. The members of the community aren't only experience relations and learn how to survive in nature, they also learn how to protect themselves. There are many training courses that Girl Scout offer which is so beneficial for the members of the community.
Safety is a really important issue in today's world. US government in many states allows people to protect themselves with the help of an AR-15 pistol. That's why many people prefer to take how to shoot classes to protect themselves. Despite the fact that, Boy Scouts offer pistol shooting courses to its member, Girl Scouts doesn't have that kind of courses.
Why should Girl Scouts be trained on shooting with the AR-15 pistol?
Girl Scouts should be trained against to the potential dangers. There are many reasons why shooting the best AR-15 pistol training should be given.
1. Personal protection is a legal right and everyone should know it.
According to the US Government, personal protection and safety is a right in the case of attack or danger. Learning borders and needs of a law must be obligatory to all people. With the learning personal protection law and how to shoot, somebody can learn how to protect herself or himself against both law and people.
2. Protection education can save lives in the US.
In every year, there are few terror attacks and other situations which resulted in deaths and injuries happens in the US. Even though the government tries to protect people, sometimes it is impossible to secure too many people at the same time. That's why the government have a tendency to support people to protect themselves on their own. Murders and attacks even become common in primary and high schools. Training people against these dangers can save lots of people live in every year.
3. Shooting training is a part of nature and nature education.
Girl Scouts generally offer courses on how to survive on nature. Protection and shooting training definitely a part of how to survive education. That's why Girl Scouts should be trained against dangers in nature besides dangers in the city life. Nature comes from different unexpected situations and animals and that requires to learn self-protection.
4. The AR-15 pistol is easy to use and suitable for self-protection
One of best-known pistols in the US is AR-15 pistol. The pistol is preferred frequently by lots of people in the US because it is the compact option. The main reason is that it is fully designed for self-protection and it doesn't have military features that aren't wanted by society. That's why a lot of people think that the pistol is the most suitable gun to use to protect legally. In terms of training, it is clearly easy to teach how to shoot the best AR-15 for secure. Girl Scouts definitely should be taught how to use the gun and its legal procedure and rules. Not only for using, but also to learn firearm safety, but shooting training is also essential to Girl Scouts.


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La Vie de la Rose Flower Essences
Blog: Libra, Happy Birthday!Topics: Tarot, Libra, Astrology
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May June Love You!
"It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside." Maud Hart Lovelace June is the month of love, roses blooming, strawberry festivals, anticipating the return of the hummingbirds, butterflies, dragonflies … Continue reading


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Troy VTX
Troy VTX 2-Sided Vertical Weight Rack
- Condition:
- New
- Shipping:
- Free Shipping
The Troy GVDR-8 Dumbbell Rack is designed to hold 8 pair of Troy VTX cast iron hex dumbbells, 8-sided rubber coated dumbbells or 12-sided dumbbells from 3 lbs to 25 lbs in size.
This VTX Dumbbell Rack features quality steel construction with dumbbell racking wear guards to help protect dumbbell handles and the rack from scratches that can lead to the corrosion process.
The GVDR-8 also offers a compact footprint, helping to maximize space, and an attractive chrome top with embossed VTX logo.
This vertical dumbbell rack is light commercial grade, ideal for home use, school weight rooms, physical therapy clinics and other light commercial fitness facilities that need storage for smaller dumbbell sizes.
- Steel Weld Construction
- Color: Black
- Dimensions: 41.5" H x 8.5" W x 4.5" D
- Holds up to 8 Pair of these Troy Dumbbells (Sold Separately):
- Troy USA Sports Hex dumbbells - up to 40 lbs
- Troy VTX SD-V & SD-R - up to 35 lbs
- Troy VTX Chrome Dumbbells - up to 25 lbs
- Weight: 36 lbs
- Assembly Required
- Light Commercial Grade
- 1 year against manufacturer defects
- Covers structural integrity only
- Does not cover abusive treatment
Delivery Info:
- Ships: UPS Ground
- Leaves Warehouse: 2-4 Business Days
- Average Delivery from Order Date: 5-9 Business Days
- Shipping Cost to Lower 48 United States: $0.00
Dumbbells Pictured Not Included
Additional Information:
Accommodates dumbbell handle lengths greater than 4 1/4". Be sure to take into account dumbbell head diameter if loading dumbbells other than Troy dumbbells mentioned. Too large of dumbbell head diameters will interfere with dumbbells loaded above or below.
Additional Information
Light Commercial


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Ecclesiastes 7:15-29 English Standard Version (ESV)
15 In my vain[a] life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing. 16 Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself? 17 Be not overly wicked, neither be a fool. Why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you should take hold of this, and from that withhold not your hand, for the one who fears God shall come out from both of them.
19 Wisdom gives strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
21 Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. 22 Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me. 24 That which has been is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out?
25 I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness. 26 And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her. 27 Behold, this is what I found, says the Preacher, while adding one thing to another to find the scheme of things— 28 which my soul has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found. 29 See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.
Cross references:
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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When I grow up who will be my family?
she asked. Even though I understood the question, not sure how to answer it, I asked her what she meant.
When I grow up who will my Mumma? Who will be my Papa?
We will, Mumma and Papa will always be your Mumma and Papa.
Back and forth a few times and she dropped the topic.
When I grow up I will stay in that house.
she said, pointing to the house across the street from us.
Why that house?
Because it has a yard in it.
Where will I stay?
In this house with Papa.
When I am very very very old, how will I have a family.
Sigh! I get your questions sweetheart, I really do. I just don't know how to explain the making of a new family to you. The fact that you see yourself as a child in your future and are looking for a Mom and a Dad makes it even more complicated to explain.
Parenting truly teaches one the art of creative thinking and makes one the master of diverting topics. Whatay fun!


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Torche/Fat Goth/Shields
Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, 18th Aug 2013
It's a funny old world, after all. The night previous to this I was sat in the grounds of a stately home watching thousands of wretched middle and upper class toffs wave their beflagged umbrellas in the air as the English National Orchestra prom'ed their way through half the Classic FM playlist marked National Pride (with a stirring rendition of the Star Wars Theme thrown in for good measure) with a sense of mixed enjoyment at the spectacle and revulsion at the company I was forced to endure.
Tonight I'm ankle deep in hipster douchebags smoking brown papered roll ups and endlessly moving their fringes out of the way of their lensless glasses, feeling much the same way, except on the second night I don't get the enjoyment of watching middle aged women attempting to dance to the distinctly un-groovable rhythms of classical music.
Torche, those grande-dames of the stoner sludge scene, have graced these blighted isles with a whistlestop three date tour, so I was expecting the rather tidgy Brudenell Social Club to be busier than I find it, even if it is a Sunday night. The sun is still listlessly hanging about when the first band, the 'not at all influenced by Torche' Shields, take the stage, and as a result they play mainly to the people queuing up for cans of Red Stripe. Those few who do stick around are treated to some pretty tidy riffathons from a band clearly still working to find their place but showing plenty of potential. They also seem to be fronted by Charlie Brooker, marking a potential new revenue stream for the be-fopped angst machine and making Shields the best thing he's done for the last few years since he disappeared on a journey up his own colon. Actually, it isn't him, it's just someone who looks a little bit like him, but it has allowed me to indulge in some petty remarks about a former hero of mine for a few sentences and fill up some space. Writing!
Fat Goth are next, and at first I'm too busy looking at the bassist's Star Trek T shirt and his resemblance to Kerbdog singer Cormac Battle and thinking that this means he must be destined to be my best friend someday to really take them in. Once I do start paying attention I'm delighted to find a band that sound like my entire record collection by the end of the 90's, all playing at once. Fat Goth meld together the 90's Brit Rock penchant for hooky songwriting with a big dose of American alternative eccentricity and ending up with something that is just damned good fun. Most enjoyable, not that you'd guess from the blinked appreciation of the assembled bearded douchebags who watch them.
Then we come to the main event, and the room fills with people and you think, ok, we've got a thing going here. Torche come on stage and burst into a big slab of gloriously sludgy groove and the crowd goes crazy. Well, they shuffle their feet a bit. Stare at the stage. They may give out a beleaguered sigh of appreciation.
Torche ignore this (I presume they are used to it, having picked up the Pitchfork crowd a few years back) and barrel on, ignoring the slight sound issues to swing between their gloriously catchy pop songs to their sledgehammer heavy doom with the enthusiasm of an E4 presenter at the end of a Refreshers binge.
They are staggeringly tight, and seem intent on delivering a 'greatest hits' set, which translates to playing basically every song they've ever done. The likes of Kicking and Letting Go from Harmonicraft sit alongside Grenades and Healer from Meanderthal with ease, the slight nature of the newer material beefed out by a live sound that can best be described as 'holy bullcrap heavy'. Over the course of the next hour, Torche delight the parts of the crowd that seem capable of emotion, and manage to elicit no response whatsoever from the rest of them.
These people have gone to the trouble of buying a ticket, turning up at the gig, making their way down into the crowd and then somehow fail to find the energy to give the band back anything other than begrudgingly issued polite applause. Given the barnstorming performance of the band themselves, one can only assume that that dancing, nodding heads, raised arms and hollering in appreciation are passé these days. I indulge in all of these things to the bewilderment of those around me.
In retort, Torche bring their set to a close with the two sludgiest compositions in their impressive arsenal, turning briefly into the ghosts of Godflesh made manifest, bruising and battering the crowd into submission with a fervent intensity. In the end, they walk offstage to a rapturous applause, even the douchebag contingent forced to admit that that there was a hell of a performance.