text:
Digitally watermarked maps and signs and related navigational tools
Maps and signs are embedded with plural-bit data in the form of digital watermarks. In one embodiment, the plural-bit data includes location information with respect to a map. A handheld reading device extracts the location information from the map. The reading device then compares the location information with a physical location of the device. Feedback is provided to help a device user to correlate the map location with the physical location. In another embodiment, signs are watermarked to provide navigational and informational aids. The watermarks may include unique identifiers, which allow database lookup of related information.
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The present invention relates to navigation and map orientation, and is particularly illustrated with reference to maps and signs embedded with digital watermarks.BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A map is both a beloved and bewildering companion to those who choose to navigate an unfamiliar city or traverse across country to find a blissful vacation spot. Map navigation becomes even more difficult for those who retreat into the wilderness, some becoming lost, unable to traverse the unfamiliar terrain with a map.
Countless children, stuffed into the backseats of vacation-bound station wagons, sport utility vehicles and Volkswagen bugs, have pleaded to know if "we are there yet." Befuddled parents search for convincing answers as they unfold yet another map.
In some circles, orienteering and adventure racing rise to the level of competition, drawing crowds of participants and network audiences. Such competitions force participants to navigate through mountains, streams, and deserts, often guided only by a compass and map.
Many young geography students, when presented with a world or area map, struggle to accurately place themselves within a map to determine their relationship to various area or world locations.
Commercial and recreational boats and aircraft often travel through unfamiliar areas and must skillfully navigate in order to reach their intended destinations.
Global positioning systems (GPS) have improved navigation by providing accurate location feedback. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, military and civilian water, ground, and airborne vehicles often use GPS systems for navigation. GPS is a satellite-based radio navigation system capable of providing continuous position, velocity, and time information. GPS receiver units receive positioning signals from a constellation of satellites deployed in various orbits about earth (e.g., 12-hour orbits). The satellites continuously emit electronic GPS signals (or telemetry) for reception by ground, airborne, or watercraft receiver units. By receiving GPS signals from a plurality of satellites, a properly configured receiver unit can accurately determine its position in three dimensions (e.g., longitude, latitude, and altitude).
There are many known GPS systems. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,990,826 discloses an interbuilding and urban canyon extension solution for global positioning systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,841 discloses a compact GPS receiver/processor. The GPS system including an antenna to receive Global Positioning System (GPS) signals from two or more GPS satellites and a credit card size GPS signal processing Smartcard. The Smartcard is attached to the antenna that receives the GPS signals and determines and displays the present position of the antenna.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,821 discloses a navigation system for offering navigational assistance to a mobile user. The navigation system receives GPS position information signals, which are processed to determine current position latitude and longitude coordinates and direction of travel.
Of course, there are many other GPS systems known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
The present invention employs digital watermarking techniques to even further ease navigation and map orientation. In some embodiments, digital watermarking techniques are combined with GPS systems. Applications of the present invention include implementations in fields such as government work and field reconnaissance, commercial or recreational boating, hiking, mountaineering, travel, orienteering, geography, education, exploration, entertainment, sight seeing, etc.
Digital watermarking, a form of steganography, is the science of encoding physical and electronic objects with plural-bit digital data, in such a manner that the data is essentially hidden from human perception, yet can be recovered by computer analysis. In physical objects, the data may be encoded in the form of surface texturing, or printing. Such marking can be detected from optical scan data, e.g., from a scanner, optical reader, input device, digital camera, or web cam. In electronic objects (e.g., digital audio or imagery—including video), the data may be encoded as slight variations in sample values. Or, if the object is represented in a so-called orthogonal domain (also termed "non-perceptual," e.g., MPEG, DCT, wavelet, etc.), the data may be encoded as slight variations in quantization values or levels. The assignee's U.S. Pat. No. 6,122,403 and U.S. application Ser. No. 09/503,881 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,614,914) are illustrative of certain watermarking technologies.
Digital watermarking systems typically have two primary components: an encoder that embeds the watermark in a host media signal, and a decoder that detects and reads the embedded watermark from a signal suspected of containing a watermark (e.g., a suspect signal). The encoder embeds a watermark by altering the host media signal. The decoder component analyzes a suspect signal to detect whether a watermark is present. In applications where the watermark encodes information, the decoder extracts this information from the detected watermark.
The analysis of the detected data can be accomplished in various known ways. Presently, most steganographic decoding relies on general purpose microprocessors that are programmed by suitable software instructions to perform the necessary analysis. Other arrangements, such as using dedicated hardware, reprogrammable gate arrays, or other techniques, can of course be used.
Determining orientation of embedded data can be discerned by reference to visual clues. For example, some objects include subliminal graticule data, or other calibration data, steganographically encoded with the embedded data to aid in determining orientation. Others objects can employ overt markings, either placed for that sole purpose (e.g. reference lines or fiducials), or serving another purpose as well (e.g. lines of text), to discern orientation. Edge-detection algorithms can also be employed to deduce the orientation of the object by reference to its edges.
In one example, subliminal graticule data can be sensed to identify the locations within the image data where the binary data is encoded. The nominal luminance of each patch before encoding (e.g., background shading on a map) is slightly increased or decreased to encode a binary "1" or "0." The change is slight enough to be generally imperceptible to human observers, yet statistically detectable from the image data. Preferably, the degree of change is adapted to the character of the underlying image, with relatively greater changes being made in regions where the human eye is less likely to notice them. Each area thus encoded can convey plural bits of data (e.g., 16–256 bits).
One problem that arises in many watermarking applications is that of object or positioning corruption. If the object is reproduced, skewed, or distorted, in some manner such that the content presented for watermark decoding is not identical to the object as originally watermarked, then the decoding process may be unable to recognize and decode the watermark. To deal with such problems, the watermark can convey a reference signal. The reference signal is of such a character as to permit its detection even in the presence of relatively severe distortion. Once found, the attributes of the distorted reference signal can be used to quantify the content's distortion. Watermark decoding can then proceed—informed by information about the particular distortion present.
The assignee's U.S. application Ser. Nos. 09/503,881 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,614,914) 09/452,023 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,082) detail certain reference signals, and processing methods, that permit such watermark decoding even in the presence of distortion. In some image watermarking embodiments, the reference signal comprises a constellation of quasi-impulse functions in the Fourier magnitude domain, each with pseudorandom phase. To detect and quantify the distortion, the watermark decoder converts the watermarked image to the Fourier magnitude domain and then performs a log polar resampling of the Fourier magnitude image. A generalized matched filter correlates the known orientation signal with the re-sampled watermarked signal to find the rotation and scale parameters providing the highest correlation. The watermark decoder performs additional correlation operations between the phase information of the known orientation signal and the watermarked signal to determine translation parameters, which identify the origin of the watermark message signal. Having determined the rotation, scale and translation of the watermark signal, the reader then adjusts the image data to compensate for this distortion, and extracts the watermark message signal as described above.
Such watermarking techniques, and many others known to those skilled in the art, may be suitably employed to improve navigation, easy road journeys and enhance education, among other benefits.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Watermark Embedding
In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a map 10 includes plural-bit data steganographically encoded therein. (The term map is used broadly herein and includes, for example, navigational tools and documents, road maps, atlases, wilderness maps, area maps, city maps, tourist maps, location guides, walk or run routes, path-layouts, 3-demensional models, vegetation maps, building maps, structure maps, stadium seating and concert hall locations, park maps, amusement or theme park maps, DEM maps, master maps, topographical maps, globes, relief maps, to name just a few. A map may also include a digitized map for display on a monitor, TV, LCD, etc.). Map 10 can be printed or drawn on any suitable surface including paper, fibers, fabric, wood, plastic, metal, metal-alloys, objects, plaster, laminates, etc., etc. A digitized map image may include plural-bit data steganographically encoded therein.
The encoding of the map can encompass artwork or printing on the map, the map's background, lines on the maps, a laminate layer applied to the map, surface texture, etc. If a photograph, line design, or drawing is present, it too can be encoded. A variety of watermark encoding techniques are detailed in the patent documents discussed herein; artisans in the field know many more.
Preferably, map 10 is embedded with a plurality of watermarks. As shown in
A watermark typically includes a payload (e.g., 16–256 bits) that provides area (or location) identifying information. For example, the payload may include the geo-coordinates (e.g., "center lat: N34.4324352, long: W87.2883134; rot from N/S: 3.232;x2.343, y2.340, dx0.123, dy493, etc.") for the center of the area, the coordinates of each area corner or boundary, the area of the boundary, a range of coordinates for the area, coordinates in relation to the overall area depicted by the map, and/or the coordinates for a dominate (or well-known) structure, road, area, etc., within the area block. (For example, area A is embedded with at least one watermark having coordinates corresponding to area A's center or corners, etc.). The payload may simply be a number that is associated with a block location on the map. For example, if a map comprises 32 by 64 watermarked blocks, each block is encoded with a number between 1 and 2048.
Further, the payload may include additional fields, one conveying a map ID and another conveying the block number. The map ID may be used to identify the map as one of a collection of potentially many different maps. To program a map reader (as discussed below) for a particular map in the collection, the user passes the reader over the map to read the map ID (or simply enters the map ID). The reading device is then connected to a database, via a docking station at a personal computer or through a wireless connection. The reading device queries the database with the map ID and the database returns information associated with items of interest on the particular map (such as restaurants, scenic areas, camp sites, etc.) The user then disconnects the reader from the database and is ready to use the map.
In another embodiment, some bits in the watermark payload identify the latitude/longitude of the map origin, while other payload bits identify the coverage extent of the map. Additional payload bits may even identify the offset of a chosen block from the origin. As an alternative, the lat/long and extents could be read from an initialization section, e.g., a map legend, or corner area, etc.
As an alternative, the location information may include an index or identifier, which is used to interrogate a database to find physical coordinates or location information. Upon extraction by a watermark decoder, the index is provided to a database. The decoder may communicate with a database via a network (e.g., wireless network, LAN, WAN, the internet, intranet, etc.). Alternatively, the database may be maintained locally, or stored on a computer readable medium such as a compact disk (CD), magnetic tape, magnetic storage device (disk drive, removable media, floppy disks, etc.), electronic memory circuits, etc. Related information that is stored in the database is indexed via the watermark index.
A grid (or orientation) signal can also be included in the watermark and/or location information. Preferably, the entire map uses the same grid signal, so that all blocks in a map can be used to determined rotation and scale of the map. Such a grid signal may assist in detecting watermarks. (Alternatively, such a grid signal can be used to help orient a map. For example, an orientation signal may be used to designate magnetic North, or another map orientation. Feedback can be supplied to a reader (e.g., watermark decoder) to help orient a watermark reader with respect to a map and the physical surrounding area. As discussed below, a watermark reader may be provided with compass-like functionality to assist with such orientation.).
The watermark may be embedded such that it conveys both orientation and message information. For example, the modifications made to encode message symbols may be made in a manner that creates a recognizable pattern, such as a known array of peaks in a particular transform domain, such as the autocorrelation domain, the Fourier domain, or some other transform domain. One approach is to embed the message symbols by modulating a carrier signal with autocorrelation properties that form peaks in the autocorrelation domain. In particular, by performing an autocorrelation of an image captured of the watermarked map, the watermark detector generates peaks that can be compared with an expected pattern of peaks attributable to the carrier signal. The detector then performs pattern matching with the peaks to determine the scale and rotation of the captured image relative to the watermarked map. Another approach is to use peaks in a particular transform domain (such as the Fourier domain) for both orientation and message information. In this approach, the watermark is represented as collection of N possible peaks at particular locations in the Fourier magnitude domain. The detector first identifies some subset of the N peaks to determine orientation, and then determines message information by identifying the presence or absence of peaks at predetermined locations.
In one embodiment, each block on a map has a similar payload structure, e.g., each including the same grid signal and perhaps the coverage area of the map (e.g., latitude/longitude, range of coordinates, etc., of the map.). The remaining payload bits would then be used to identify the individual areas (e.g., blocks A–P) on a map 10.
Phase-correlation can be employed to even further improve the location resolution within a map block. Once the detector has determined the rotation and scale of the captured image relative to the watermarked map, it can realign the captured image using these rotation and scale parameters. The watermarked block locations can then be detected by using the known phase attributes of the watermark signal and correlating these known attributes with the realigned, captured image. These block locations then serve as reference points for decoding watermark message data from a particular block. Also, in one embodiment, resolution down to a pixel within a block is achieved once rotation and scale are resolved.
Watermark Reading Device
A watermark reading device can take various forms. Preferable among such forms is a handheld reading device 20. (With reference to
A handheld reading device 20 preferably includes a general purpose or dedicated computer, incorporating electronic processing circuitry (e.g., a CPU) 22, memory 24, an interface 26 to an input device 28, an output device 30 (e.g., a display screen, LED indicators, LED arrows, speakers, and/or audio-synthesis chip, etc.), and optionally a network connection 32. (Of course, interface 26 may be integrated with other device 20 circuitry, particularly if input device 28 is built onboard device 20. Also device 20 preferably includes sufficient bus or other structure to facility electronic signal communication between the various device components, where needed.). The network connection 32 can be used to connect, through a wireless or satellite connection to a network (e.g., intranet, internet, LAN, WAN, etc.). In one embodiment the input device (or reading device 20) is tethered to a desktop or laptop computer. A network connection is achieved via the connected computer. Preferably, a handheld reading device includes (or, alternatively, is in communication with) a global positioning system receiver 34. As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, suitable software programming instructions executing via CPU 22 can be used to effect various types of functionality (including watermark detection and reading) as discussed herein.
The handheld reading device 20 includes (or is in communication with) an input device 28. The input device 28 may include an optical reader, an imaging mouse, a digital camera, a laser or pen scanner, a digital eye module, etc. Digital eye modules (such as those provided by LightSurf, Inc.) typically include features such as a complete camera on a chip, CMOS imaging sensor, miniaturized lens and imaging software. Other imaging devices include a CCD image sensor. Of course, input devices can be packaged in variety of forms to suit particular applications. (In one embodiment, an input device 28 is tethered to a personal computer having watermark decoding software executing therein.).
The handheld reading device 20 may include additional features to improve reading and facilitate accurate placement of the device 20 on map 10. For example, the input device 28 may optionally include a targeting guide, such as a cross-hair-like viewer (or other visual indicator). A targeting guide helps achieve precise placement of the input device 28 on the map 10. The area within the cross-hairs (or targeting guide) preferably corresponds with the area captured by the input device. (Alternatively, the area within the cross-hairs could also be a known offset from the area captured by the input device. Watermark rotation and scale information could be used to determine actual location.). In another embodiment, a see-through window is provided to locate and target an exact map location. (Of course, the input device 28 may employ a beam-splitter or reflective lens to ensure that the viewed area is the same as that captured by the input device 28.). The viewable window area corresponds with that captured by the input device 28. In still another embodiment, a camera-pen or laser-pointer allows a user to pin-point a map location, which is scanned (e.g., image capture).
User Applications
A typical application of the present invention involves a map user placing a handheld reading device 20 (or an associated input device 28) near or on a map 10 (
In the preferred embodiment, the handheld reading device 20 includes (or is in communication with) a GPS receiver 34. Location information is extracted from a watermark (step S1,
In another embodiment, the watermark's encoded data includes identification of a map's grid system. The reading device 20 correlates (e.g., via formula or table/database look-up) the grid system to the GPS coordinate system and conveys to a user her current map grid location (e.g., tells her that she is currently located in grid F-9).
Consider the following examples to even further illustrate the many possible applications of the present invention.
A map user is examining a map of the Western United States of America while personally (e.g., physically) being located in Boise, Id. The map user places the input device 28 so as to scan a location near Tualatin, Oreg. The handheld reading device 20 can convey (e.g., via the output device 30) to the user to move the input device 28 East and South, until the input device 28 corresponds with the user's physical location in Boise. (GPS coordinates can help to facilitate such functionality.). In this way, the user can identify her present location with respect to the map. Alternatively, as in another embodiment, the output device 30 can indicate that the user must travel West and North to reach the scanned location near Tualatin. In still a further alternative, particularly if an index or code is embedded in the watermark, additional data can be provided to the user. To illustrate, the index is used to interrogate a networked (or local) database. Information, e.g., directions, preferred routes or roads, mileage between the current physical location and the scanned location, dining or tourist information, etc., is provided to the handheld reading device for presentation to the user.
As a further example, a user is going on a trip and obtains watermarked maps (e.g., from a store, service provider, etc.). The maps are indexed by a MAP ID in a database, which can receive current information (e.g., promotions) from hotels, resorts, restaurants etc. The information can be downloaded, streamed, or stored in media (e.g., CD-ROM, electronic or magnetic media, etc.). The database may be maintained by the handheld reading device or may simply be queried via a communication channel. As the user travels, she can place her handheld reading device over various spots on the map to extract corresponding watermarks. The watermarks are then used to index the database to retrieve the downloaded information regarding hotels, resorts, etc. Hence, the watermarked map provides the user with information for places on the map just by passing the handheld reading device 20 over the map. (In contrast, database-linked GPS systems typically require the user to be in a particular location to get such information about that location.). In another example, a user enters (e.g., alphanumerical values via keypad entry or scanning the area on the watermarked map) a map location of a desired destination. The reading device determines the present location (e.g., via a GPS receiver) and provides feedback to the user. In one embodiment, the feedback is a visual indication (e.g., arrows, LEDs, text directions, grid map coordinates, visual display, etc.) of bow to move the handheld device to locate the destination point, from the current location. In another embodiment, the feedback is a print out (or display) of travel directions (or map grid numbers) from the current location to the scanned, destination location. In another embodiment, the handheld device includes a known laser pointer and sensing array. Once the destination location is selected, the laser pointer points (e.g., traces) a direction from the current location to the scanned, destination location, based on the positioning of the pointer as determined by the sensing array.
Now consider a potential life-saving example in which a hiker becomes lost in the mountains. The hiker presents a watermarked map to her handheld reading device 20.
The associated input device 28 scans a location on the map. The reading device then gives feedback (e.g., audio, visual, text, etc.) to the hiker to reposition the input device 28 (or the reading device 20) on the map to correspond with her present physical location with respect to the mountains. The hiker can then immediately identify where she is with respect to the map. (Of course, the handheld reading device 20 may include compass-like functionality, common in some GPS receivers. Such functionality is helpful to orient a map with respect to physical surroundings, e.g., to align the maps N/S reference orientation with the environmental conditions.).
Embedding Map Boundaries
A watermark may also include (or reference) information regarding the map within which it is embedded. For example, the watermark may include a range (or boundaries) of coordinates, which define the map 10. The handheld reading device 20 may then determine (e.g., calculate based on the GPS coordinates or via a table look-up) if the user's present, GPS-determined location is viewable on the map 10. The user can be prompted by the device 20 to change maps when her present location is not viewable on the scanned map. In some cases, the handheld reading device may prompt (e.g., via an audible signal, text or graphic, etc.) the user to scan a specific map. This functionality is realized particularly well with the aid of additional information, such as that stored in a database. For example an atlas or an interconnected series of maps can be stored according to their corresponding coordinates (or a range of coordinates). When the watermark index does not match the present physical location (or fails to fall within the boundaries of the map), the user is prompted to select another map. If a particular set of maps is pre-programmed, e.g., preloaded onto the device, stored via CD, or via a specific on-line database, an appropriate map ID or map number (or even map name) corresponding to the scanned coordinates can be presented to the user.
Road Signs and Tourist Information
Street (or road) signs may also be digitally watermarked as discussed above with respect to objects. Consider the implications of such. An automobile is equipped with a watermark decoder (e.g., an input device such as an optical reader, digital camera, laser reader, etc. and watermark detecting and decoding software). In one embodiment, the input device is configured with magnification enhancements, such as a zoom lens, signal amplifier, etc., to allow capture of road sign images from a far. The captured images (or corresponding signals) are input for analysis by the decoding software. The watermark payload is used to convey related information.
For example, a speed limit sign may include a watermark having a corresponding speed message embedded therein. For example, upon decoding the watermark, the read device 20 signals (or itself enables) an audio message to announce the speed limit. To achieve such functionality, the payload may include an index that is used to retrieve an audio or wave file. The wave file could be played via a media player (and output device, e.g., car stereo system), or passed through a digital-to-analog converter and piped through the car's stereo system. Alternatively, the payload itself may include enough information to be converted into an audio message.
In another example, the watermark includes an index that is used to interrogate a database. The database may be stored locally in the automobile, or may be accessed via a wireless network. A corresponding data record is found and returned. The returned data record may include a wide variety of information and data. To illustrate, the return information may include data about upcoming rest stops, tourist attractions, motels (and vacancy in such), speed limits, restaurants, location data, etc. A mobile traveler, upon receipt of such information, may even make a reservation at a motel via a link provided in the return information.
Consider also watermarking tourist, restaurant, convenience and regulatory signs. These too can be embedded with plural-bit data. A compliant reader extracts embedded information to facilitate the retrieval of additional data regarding the sign. (The term "compliant" in this context implies that the device is able to detect and decode watermarks.). An embedded index or identifier is communicated to a database to index related information (e.g., the database may be maintained in a CD-ROM, electronic or magnetic memory residing locally in the automobile, or may be an on-line database accessed via a wireless connection. In an online database embodiment, a web browser may be installed on a compliant device, e.g., a general purpose computer, to help handle the transfer of information, e.g., HTML code, wave files, data files, etc.). Upon receipt of the related data, a traveler may access related data such as menus and prices of local restaurants, vacancies, gas prices, hours of operation, directions and maps, local attractions, etc., etc. (The functionality and systems for linking an identifier to additional data is even further described in assignee's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/571,422, filed May 15, 2000.).
Signs at (or maps and photographs of) theme parks, sporting stadiums, concert halls, event centers, convention centers, zoos, office buildings, government buildings, manufacturing plants, universities, shopping malls, parks, schools, museums, etc., etc., may be similarly digitally watermarked. A handheld reading device may be used to coordinate a participant's location with respect to a map and to gather related information as discussed above.CONCLUSION
The foregoing are just exemplary implementations of navigational aids using digital watermarking technology. It will be recognized that there are a great number of variations on these basic themes. The foregoing illustrates but a few applications of the detailed technology. There are many others.
While this application discusses a handheld reading device, the present invention is not so limited. Of course, an input device may be tethered to a desktop or laptop computer or compliant kiosk. The input device may also communicate with the computer via a wireless channel.
To provide a comprehensive disclosure without unduly lengthening this specification, the above-mentioned patents and patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference. The particular combinations of elements and features in the above-detailed embodiments are exemplary only; the interchanging and substitution of these teachings with other teachings in this application and the incorporated-by-reference patents/applications are also contemplated.
The above-described methods and functionality can be facilitated with computer executable software stored on computer readable mediums, such as electronic memory circuits, RAM, ROM, magnetic media, optical media, removable media, etc. Such software may be stored on a handheld reading device.
The section headings in this application (e.g., "Watermark Reading Device") are provided merely for the reader's convenience, and provide no substantive limitations. Of course, the disclosure under one section heading may be readily combined with the disclosure in that of another heading.
As an alternative, a handheld device (or an input device) may scan a map area to capture embedded data. The handheld device wirelessly communicates the captured data to a networked computer. The computer decodes the captured data (e.g., data including a watermark). The computer can then access networked information via the decoded watermark. The data can be wirelessly communicated to the handheld device for display or may even be communicated to a separated device for display.
Also, whereas the figures illustrate the map areas as rectangular-shaped, the invention is not so limited. Indeed, other area shapes may be advantageously employed. As a further alternative, individual map locations are watermarked, instead of watermarking individual blocks. For example, on a state map, all city locations are watermarked according to respective locations. In a city, streets and building locations are watermarked. In another example, areas corresponding to roads, streams, attractions can also be watermarked.
In view of the wide variety of embodiments to which the principles and features discussed above can be applied, it should be apparent that the detailed embodiments are illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. Rather, we claim as our invention all such modifications as may come within the scope and spirit of the following claims and equivalents thereof.
1. An apparatus to read digital watermarks embedded within a map, the map being divided into a plurality of areas, with each area comprising at least one embedded digital watermark including location information for the respective map area, said apparatus comprising:
- a global positioning system receiver to determine a location of said apparatus;
- an input device to capture an image of at least a portion of the respective map area;
- memory including executable software instructions stored therein, the instructions to extract the location information from the at least one embedded digital watermark from the captured image of at least a portion of the respective map area, and to correlate the location of the apparatus with the extracted location information;
- electronic processing circuitry to execute the software instructions; and
- an output device to indicate the correlation of the apparatus location and the captured watermark location information.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is a handheld apparatus.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the output device provides at least one of an LED indication, arrow indication, audio indication, grid indication,or visual display.
4. A method of providing a representation of a geographical area comprising:
- dividing a representation of a geographical area into a plurality of areas; and
- steganographically encoding plural-bit location data within each of the plurality of areas, the location data is unique per each of the plurality of areas, the steganographic encoding varying values representing at least some data associated with a first area of the plurality of areas and at least some data associated with a second area of the plurality of areas.
5. A method of navigating with a map embedded with digital watermarks comprising:
- machine-reading steganographic indicia from optical scan data representing the map, the steganographic indicia including location information which uniquely identifies the map in which the steganographic indicia is embedded in;
- comparing the location information to a physical location; and
- providing feedback to correlate the location information and the physical location.
6. A method of correlating a physical location to a map location, the map being divided into a plurality of areas, with each area comprising at least one embedded digital watermark including location information for the respective area, the method comprising:
- extracting the location information from the watermark at the map location;
- comparing the extracted location information to global positioning system (GPS) received coordinates of the physical location; and
- providing feedback based on the comparison of the physical location and the map location.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the location information comprises an index, and said method further comprises indexing a database with the index to identify location information.
8. An apparatus to read digital watermarks embedded within a map, the map being divided into a plurality of areas, with each area comprising at least one embedded digital watermark including location information for the respective map area, said apparatus comprising:
- a global positioning system that determines a location of said apparatus;
- an input to receive optical scan data corresponding to at least a portion of the respective map area;
- memory including executable software instructions stored therein, the instructions to extract location information from the optical scan data of at least a portion of the respective map area, and to correlate the location of the apparatus with the extracted location information;
- electronic processing circuitry to process the software instructions; and
- an output to indicate a correlation of the apparatus location and the watermark location information.
9. A method comprising:
- inputting a map location to a computing device, wherein the map includes a plurality of digital watermarks embedded therein, and wherein said inputting a map location to a computer device comprises reading at least one of the plurality of digital watermarks, the watermark comprising the map location;
- determining a current location;
- in the computing device, determining a relationship between the input map location and the current location; and
- providing directions from the current location to the map location.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein said determining a current location comprises receiving GPS signals to determine the current location.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Apr 10, 2001
Date of Patent: Jul 24, 2007
Patent Publication Number: 20020147910
Assignee: Digimarc Corporation (Beaverton, OR)
Inventors: Trent J. Brundage (Tigard, OR), Neil Lofgren (White Salmon, WA)
Primary Examiner: Nasser Moazzami
Assistant Examiner: Pramila Parthasarathy
Application Number: 09/833,013
International Classification: H04L 9/00 (20060101); H04K 1/00 (20060101); G06F 7/00 (20060101);


text: We planted 12 acres in CRP borderstrips 3 years ago. 5 of the acres had the pollinator blend enhancement added to the native grasses and forbs. The last 2 years I have seen a huge jump in some pollinator populations ie butterflies, bumblebees, other bees (that I am learning about). Some of the planting my honeybees also love. This year the butterflies almost seem absent! I spoke with another fellow who has an acre of restored prairie who is saying the same thing. Any ideas?

subset: commoncrawl


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Black Hat events cover the entire spectrum of information security topics, but it's hard to deny that our programming on good, old-fashioned vulnerabilities is among the most immediately exciting. It is, after all, fun to break things (and if they're important things, all the better). Today's four highlighted Black Hat Briefings focus on exploits, exploits, and more exploits. Enjoy.
Wireless systems and their radio signals are everywhere: consumer, corporate, government, amateur -- widely deployed and often vulnerable. If you have ever wondered what sort of information is buzzing around you, Hacking the Wireless World with Software Defined Radio - 2.0 will introduce how you can dominate the RF spectrum by "blindly" analyzing any signal, and then begin reverse engineering it from the physical layer up using open-source software and cheap hardware. The applications are nearly endless. If you have any SDR equipment, bring it along!
Because patching all vulnerabilities for a modern, complex software system is difficult due to bug volume and response-time requirements, software vendors usually devise quick workarounds to mitigate the exploitation of a given vulnerability. But those patches are sometimes incomplete, so attackers can utilize different attack vectors to re-exploit the patched vulnerability. Exploiting Unpatched iOS Vulnerabilities for Fun and Profit will do just this in iOS 7.1.1, exploiting previously patched vulnerabilities to run unsigned code with root permissions and defeat mandatory code signing.
"Human hacking," the social engineering of employees, contractors, and other trusted persons, is an ever-present threat to enterprises, with financial institutions in particular seeing a significant increase in account takeover attacks by sophisticated fraudsters socially engineering call-center agents. Lifecycle of a Phone Fraudster: Exposing Fraud Activity from Reconnaissance to Takeover Using Graph Analysis and Acoustical Anomalies will show how acoustical anomalies can be utilized to detect over 80% of such calls, with only a 2% error rate. Come see how these advanced detection techniques can be used to track the lifecycle of these fraudsters as they worm their way through the call-center's human infrastructure.
Many mobile devices use touch-based sequences to enhance security, and these tend to be hard to observe and decipher by most bystanders. But in My Google Glass Sees Your Passwords! Xinwen Fu and Zhen Ling will demonstrate a new, Google Glass-based attack that uses sophisticated computer vision techniques to recognize more than 90% of tapped mobile passcodes from three meters away. They'll also demonstrate one possible countermeasure, their randomized-layout Privacy Enhancing Keyboard (PEK).
Regular registration ends on July 26. Please visit Black Hat USA 2014's registration page to get started.


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International Law
Silver, Burdett and Company, 1901 - International law - 459 pages
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accredited action agreement ambassadors Appendix arms army Article authority belligerent Belligerent Occupation Britain captured cargo citizens civil claim commerce Congress of Vienna consular consuls contraband convention crime Declaration of Paris declared diplomatic agent enemy European exempt exequatur exercise existence extradition force foreign France functions granted Hague Peace Conference held hostile immunities intercourse international law intervention jurisdic jus soli letter of credence liable limits maritime ment military minister Monroe Doctrine nations navigation necessary negotiations neutral vessel obligations occupied offense officers pacific blockade parole parties peace persons political port powers practice President principle prisoners privileges prize court proclamation protection punishment rank ratification recognition recognized regard regulations relations right of asylum river rules Russia ships sovereign sovereignty Spain territorial jurisdiction tion Treaties of U. S. Treaty of 1818 treaty stipulations U. S. Rev U. S. Sts United usually violation Whart
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Page 448 - Government, in order to evince its desire of strengthening the friendly relations between the two countries and of making satisfactory provision for the future, agrees that in deciding the questions between the two countries arising out of those claims, the Arbitrators should assume that Her Majesty's Government had undertaken to act upon the principles set forth in these rules.
Page 111 - The Suez Maritime Canal shall always be free and open, in time of war as in time of peace, to every vessel of commerce or of war, without distinction of flag.
Page 447 - In deciding the matters submitted to the Arbitrators they shall be governed by the following three rules, which are agreed upon by the High Contracting Parties as rules to be taken as applicable to the case...
Page 447 - First to use due diligence to prevent the fitting out, arming, or equipping, within its jurisdiction, of any vessel which it has reasonable ground to believe is intended to cruise or to carry on war against a Power with which it is at peace...
Page 295 - States from which a vessel of the other belligerent (whether the same shall be a ship of war, a privateer, or a merchant ship) shall have previously departed until after the expiration of at least twenty-four hours from the departure of such last-mentioned vessel beyond the jurisdiction of the United States.
Page 404 - Blockades, in order to be binding, must be effective; that is to say, maintained by a force sufficient really to prevent access to the coast of the enemy.
Page 60 - Whereas we are happily at peace with all sovereign powers and states: "And whereas hostilities have unhappily commenced between the Government of the United States of America and certain states styling themselves the Confederate States of America...
Page 427 - ... colony, district, or people, to cruise or commit hostilities against the subjects, citizens, or property of any foreign prince or state, or of any colony, district, or people with whom the United States are at peace...
Page 407 - The Contracting Powers agree to prohibit, for a period extending to the close of the Third Peace Conference, the discharge of projectiles and explosives from balloons or by other new methods of a similar nature.
Page 371 - ... outlawry; on the contrary, it abhors such outrage. The sternest retaliation should follow the murder committed in consequence of such proclamation, made by whatever authority. Civilized nations look with horror upon offers of rewards for the assassination of enemies, as relapses into barbarism.


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CME Arabian Equities
"Lucky" is when the totally unplanned and unknown drop into your lives and change it in wonderful ways you never imagined. Our Arabian horse "adventure" has been just this transformative. From John's first Scottsdale Arabian Show in the 1950's; to more recent shows these past few years — we were both smitten with the artistic, exotic, andethereal nature of the Arabian horse. The regal majesty and personable affection these animals proffer is just different. In the ring the Arabian horse has the ability to bring tears to your eyes and to literally take your breath away; and a"snuffling" baby tugging on your shirt will melt your heart.
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The seven-week King Richards' Faire transports visitors to the 16th century and offers an array of performers, artisans, hand-cranked rides, knife-throwing booths, animal attractions, and the ever-popular jousting tournaments.
You can get your fill of well-endowed wenches and jousting knights knocking the daylights out of each other at the annual King Richard's Faire, Saturday through Oct. 19.
"It's my favorite time of year in Carvershire," said Carver resident Tom Epstein, in character – British accent and all – as King Richard. This will be Epstein's 21st year playing the saucy royal.
"You're lucky, I don't normally answer my own phone," the king said. "I'm usually too busy doing that governing thing."
A popular highlight of the faire – now in its 33rd season – is the Cleavage Contest on Saturday, Sept. 6. "I don't actually attend the event on an official basis," the king demurs ... "Though, sometimes I stay at the back. It's nice to see people taking pride in their accomplishments."
If the cleavage contest sounds like a bust, then there's the Men in Kilts/Ladies in Bloomers contest on Sunday, Oct. 5, or Daniel Duke of Danger performing feats of balance. "He's a gentleman of my age who can stand on his head. He's a remarkable physical specimen," the king said.
A favorite festivity of the king are the ever-popular jousting tournaments. King Richard presides at the 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. tilts.
"We have three jousts every day and usually by 5:30 they're in such a lather that it's a joust to the death," King Richard said. "Fortunately, we have such hearty knights, they don't actually die."
The seven-week King Richards' Faire transports visitors to the 16th century and offers an array of performers, artisans, hand-cranked rides, knife-throwing booths, animal attractions, such as Hercules the rare liger, and period food and drink (think: bloomin' onions and yards of beer).
"We have those gigantic mutant turkey legs. Those are delicious," King Richard said. "Also try peasant bread, which some people call fried dough. And, the bloomin' onions! I once went to a party and we bobbed for bloomin' onions."
Bonnie Shapiro and her late husband, Richard, brought the Renaissance-themed faire to Carver in 1981. Spread over 80-acres, it's run by Bonnie and her daughter, Aimee Shapiro Sedley. Bonnie Shapiro was the faire's first queen. Jasmine Ready-Shultz from Winchendon is this year's queen.
Pint-sized fairgoers can attend a princess academy, puppet shows, a knighting school, and other kid-friendly entertainment. "Some of my guards and knights teach about proper comportment of knights and the history of chivalry," King Richard said. "I hold a Knighting Ceremony and we do Knights and Ladies of the Realm."
An adult costume contest is set for Saturday, Oct. 18, but King Richard encourages visitors to wear whatever fantasy frocks they prefer. He recalls seeing Roman soldiers, Dark Ages barbarians, ninjas, Samurai warriors, Star Wars Stormtroopers. "Game of Thrones" characters are fan favorites.
"Last year we had 14 Daenerys Targaryens," King Richard said about the crowd-pleasing "Thrones" queen. "And, three of them were men."
A "Game of Thrones" costume and trivia contest is on tap for Saturday, Sept. 27. Other highlights at the Faire include the Washing Well Wenches, a comedy act performing on one of the faire's eight stages, a magic show, sword fighting and the comedy "50 Shades of Greymarsh."
Dana Barbuto may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or follow her on Twitter @dbarbuto_Ledger.


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SSTV Club Germany ist das Forum rund um das Thema SSTV
NASHVILLE -- The Tennessee Titans have deactivated rookie wide receiver Justin Hunter against the Arizona Cardinals for what a team spokesman called a violation of team rules. Deion Sanders Womens Jersey . Hunter, a second-round draft pick out of Tennessee, is coming off the best game of his career with 114 yards receiving in last weeks loss at Denver, and he has had two 100-yard games in his past three. The Titans also deactivated receiver Damian Williams, leaving Kenny Britt active. The Cardinals scratched tight end Rob Housler, who had been doubtful with an injured groin. Jake Ballard is starting in his spot. Brett Favre Falcons Jersey . LA (SportsNetwork. Tony Gonzalez Youth Jersey .com) - The Carolina Hurricanes hope to remain perfect at home in January on Friday night as they welcome the Vancouver Canucks to PNC Arena. http://www.thefaclonsshoponline.com/Youth-Deion-Sanders-Falcons-Jersey/ . His recovery time is expected to be six to eight months. Seidenberg was injured in the third period of Fridays 5-0 victory over the Ottawa Senators, when he got his leg tangled with forward Cory Conacher.MELBOURNE, Australia - The injuries mounted at the Australian Open on Tuesday, although for the most part, players coped with the oppressive heat. No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. Despite temperatures reaching 42 Celsius (108 Fahrenheit) during the afternoon and a hot breeze gusting over Melbourne Park for most of the day, none of the withdrawals were apparently linked to the temperatures. Isner retired from his match against Slovakias Martin Klizan with a lingering ankle injury that he said got progressively worse at the Hopman Cup event in Perth and a tournament he won in Auckland, New Zealand, over the past two weeks. "I know movement is not the best part of my game," the 2.08-meter (6-foot-10) American said, "but at a certain point Ive got to be able to move without pain and I wasnt able to do that today." He withdrew before last years Australian Open with an injury, as well. "I thought I had a good shot at playing this match and winning this match and I pulled out," he said. "I could have done the same last year, but I went home." The other seeded player in his section of the draw, Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany, withdrew before his scheduled first-round match agaainst Slovenian Aljaz Bedene with a left hamstring injury. Takkarist McKinley Jersey. He was replaced in the draw by Frenchman Stephane Robert, a lucky loser from qualifying, who defeated Bedene to reach the second round. Hometown favourite Bernard Tomic later retired with a left leg injury after losing the first set against top-seeded Rafael Nadal 6-4, much to the astonishment of the Rod Laver Arena crowd, who initially booed him. "It was very difficult for me to say sorry to the crowd," he said. "I dont think they quite knew what was wrong with me." Tomic suffered the injury in training on Monday. Czech veteran Radek Stepanek also retired from his match against Slovenian Blaz Kavcic with a neck injury while leading 7-6 (3), 6-4, 1-6, 0-2 after nearly three hours of play. A few other players struggled in the heat on Tuesday, but finished their matches. Canadian qualifier Frank Dancevic said he blacked out during his 7-6 (12), 6-3, 6-4 loss to No. 27-seeded Benoit Paire of France. Dancevic, who required medical attention during the second set, questioned the wisdom of not suspending matches during the torridly hot conditions. "I dont think its fair to anybody, to the players, to the fans, to the sport when you see players pulling out of matches and passing out," he said. "I think its definitely hazardous to be out there. Its dangerous." ' ' '
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SPARKS at NEW YORK
Tip-off: 4:30 p.m., Madison Square Garden
TV/Radio: TWCSN,TWCD/none
Matchup: The Sparks (7-11) look to snap a two-game losing streak when they face the Liberty (7-12), who are last in the East Conference but boast a 6-4 home record and have won three of their last four games overall. … Coach Bill Laimbeer's Liberty are looking to get a boost from four-time WNBA All-Star forward Swin Cash, acquired this week from the Atlanta Dream. … Leading the Liberty are guard Cappie Pondexter (15.3 points, 3.9 assists per game), who was voted to start in the WNBA All-Star game for a third time, and center Tina Charles (16.9 ppg, 9.0 rebounds per game), acquired from the Connecticut Sun in the offseason. … The Sparks' Candace Parker was also named this week as a three-time All-Star game starter. She is averaging 20 points and 7.4 rebounds while forward Nneka Ogwumike is chipping in 14.9 points and 7.7 rebounds. … The Sparks, who are fourth in the West Conference, have lost three of four, including Tuesday's 83-72 setback at Minnesota in which they gave up a fourth-quarter lead.
— Staff Report


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Saturday, December 15, 2012
Kings and Queens
Posted by Karina at 12/15/2012 05:05:00 AM
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This is my little space on the world wide web, sharing my creations and my thoughts.
Wife to the most amazing man who loves me and loves God! Mommy to three beautiful girls and one handsome young man. I love to sew, quilt, cook, make cards and all things paper, take care of our home and be with my family. Thank you Sweet Jesus for showing me early in my children's lives how important it is for me to be the one raising them and training them. We are a God loving, Military, Homeschooling, cloth using, eat together kind of family.I am also a Close to my Heart Independent Consultant.
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Your Tylko Shelf packaging includes:
- personalised instruction manual
- padded tool to disassemble your shelf
- wall fasteners and universal screws for safety purposes
- floor-protecting pads to protect floors
Your Tylko Shelf will arrive in flat-pack boxes that set you up for easy assembly from the get-go.
After manufacturing, your Tylko Shelf will arrive within one week depending on your location.
ShippingShips in 5-6 weeks
We ship to your doorstep in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.If your country is not included, drop us a line and we will see what we can do.
Free returns
We're giving you 100 days to settle your new Tylko Shelf in. If you're still not happy, we will pick it up and return it for free.
Quality certifications
At Tylko, we strive to provide you with top quality while remaining sustainable. Our wood is FSC- and PEFC-certified and comes only from ecological, sustainably managed forests.
Keep Your Hits Happy
Keeping your vinyl collection safe and sound is simple with Type01 Vinyl Storage. Specifically designed for vinyl records' dimensions, sturdy enough to handle the weight and with plenty of space to store all the hi-fi equipment you need for a great listening experience, Tylko's Vinyl Storage is the perfect place for your collection to call home.
How Does It Work?
Using Tylko's super simple design interface, you can easily create the perfect vinyl storage to fit any space. With a few taps and swipes, size, style, color and more can be decided. Want sliding drawers for storage? Done. Prefer open shelves to show off your impressive collection? Easy. Designing sturdy, stylish vinyl storage is simple with Tylko. And, thanks to the augmented reality-enhanced app, you can even see your vinyl shelf live in your space so you can decide before you buy.
What Can It Hold?
Tylko's sturdy vinyl storage was designed with durability in mind. Made from 13 layers of birch plywood for strength and stability, you can be sure your record collection will be stored in style - while staying stable. You'll never see sag or sway, thanks to the rigidity of the strong wood. The 40cm deep shelves are perfectly-proportioned for vinyl records, and feature back panels to keep every album in its place. And with three optional row sizes, you can make a home for your hits and your hi-fi equipment that's suitable for any size space.
Can it have drawers?
Of course! We specifically designed our vinyl storage to be a perfectly-proportioned place for your records - whether you choose to keep your record storage open or prefer the feel of a good record bin to dig through. You can stand up your records in an open shelf (and thanks to the convenient back panel, be sure the only thing that ever drops is the beat), or you can mix and match with open and drawered sections for a completely unique and personalized vinyl rack solution.
What About Scratches and Stains?
Not to a problem. Your vinyl storage is finished with a high-quality laminate that means scratches and stains won't be an issue. Years of sliding your records in and out means wear and tear can happen, but with the finish quality of your vinyl shelf you can be sure it will always look as good as the day you bought it. Through years of use, your vinyl storage will retain its sheen while resisting scratches. Not only is our vinyl storage coated with laminate, the edges are hand-oiled to preserve the natural look of the beautiful wood - and add vital protection. Your vinyl storage will look as good as your records sound for years to come!
Where Can it Go?
If you need record storage in any space, with Tylko you'll get something that fits perfectly every time. No shoving furniture around or measuring tight spaces - with the Tylko app you can point and decide! By using augmented reality to see your vinyl storage live in your space, you can make sure it will fit - no matter the size. Just tap and swipe until you're ready to decide, then enjoy fast and free shipping on your record collection's new home. And if for any reason you don't fall in love with it - just send it back, on us.
The data administrator is Custom Sp. z o.o.
The data administrator is Custom Sp. z o.o. with headquarters in Warsaw at ul. Mińska 25, building 63 (hereinafter also referred to as ""Administrator""). The administrator can be contacted via the [email protected] email address. You can contact the Data Administrator on all matters relating to the processing of personal data and the use of data processing rights.
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At-home assembly
Let us do all the heavy lifting for you.
- Professional assembly and set-up by our trusted team
- We'll take away all the leftover packaging
- Total price includes the items in your cart
This service is currently available for customers in Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Austria.
For more info, please read our FAQ
At-home assembly
Let us do all the heavy lifting for you.
- Professional assembly and set-up by our trusted team
- We'll take away all the leftover packaging
- Total price includes the items in your cart
This service is currently available for customers in Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Austria.
For more info, please read our FAQ
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It would have taken a man with a heart of stone (or, alternatively, any woman) to keep a dry eye watching Dan Marino at his number-retirement night, walking across the field in a business suit rather than pads. Ye gods, that gentleman could throw the football. The question of whether Marino was the greatest quarterback or merely the greatest passer will fuel years of sports-bar arguments conducted over micro-brewed unfiltered half-dark white wheat ale and shots of frozen boysenberry-almond schnapps. But if you were open and wanted the ball to arrive exactly at the center of your sternum in exactly one microsecond—often, even if you weren't open—Marino was your man. Come back again in another life, OK?
Marino retirement bonus: During the halftime ceremony, Miami shot off so many fireworks that a pall of smoke hung over the ballpark (official name: Your Trademark Here Stadium) as the second half began. The Dolphins took the kickoff and quickly moved for their first touchdown, as Baltimore defenders seemed to have trouble seeing who had the ball.
Monday Night Football complaints below; also, special Dennis Miller gushing praise item.
Best Plays of the Week: Best No. 1. Cleaving to a principle explained in an earlier TMQ—that defenses ignore trick-play decoy receivers (quarterbacks split wide, etc.) unless they have been shown to be able to run real routes and make real catches—the Jets sent cornerback Marcus Coleman, who had never once run out for a pass, in as their Hail Mary target on what was assumed to be a pro forma wasted play from midfield on the final snap of the first half against Buffalo. Sure enough, Bills defenders ignored Coleman as completely as if he'd been the Natural Law Party candidate at a presidential debate. This gentleman sprinted uncovered straight through an ultra-prevent defense composed entirely of backpedaling DBs and leapt for a touchdown as the clock ticked to 0:00.
Best No. 2. Tampa Bay threw for six to SUV-sized lineman Randall McDaniel, who lined up as an eligible receiver in a trick formation and was, in keeping with the rule above, completely ignored. McDaniel officially becomes the slowest player ever to catch an NFL touchdown pass. (Postwar era only.)
Best No. 3. Reaching the Steelers 13-yard line with a few minutes to play, Cleveland did not go pass-wacky but pounded the ball for five straight running plays. The result was that the Browns (Release 2.0) had to settle for a field goal and only a three-point lead, but left so little time on the clock that Pittsburgh bungled its comeback attempt. (See next item.)
Best No. 4. On fourth down at the Indigenous Persons three-yard line, Dallas quarterback Randall Cunningham faked a quick step right, then flipped the ball left to Emmitt Smith. Emmitt Smith is the NFL's all-time touchdown leader among running backs. Yet the Persons seemed to have no idea, not a clue, that he was going to get the ball and bought the fake. You could practically see money-crazed Owner/Twerp Daniel Snyder screaming in his box, "What do you mean I'm not allowed to order players killed!"
Worst Plays of the Week: Worst No. 1. Criticizing the Steelers for botched offense seems at this point a little like criticizing Bill Clinton for his recently announced agreement, on leaving office, to become audition director for Baywatch. Nevertheless we must face the fact that, trailing by three with 35 seconds remaining, Pittsburgh had a first down and a stopped clock at the Cleveland nine-yard line and through substitution confusion and a succession of clock-management snafus, never got a field-goal attempt airborne. The Steelers did look quite formidable with twice the normal numbers of players in to block for the place-kicker as time expired, though.
Worst No. 2. Facing fourth and goal on the Minnesota four and trailing by 14 at the start of the fourth quarter, New England went for it. P-Men coaches kept just six men back to block despite an expect-the-blitz down-and-distance; the Vikings blitzed, and Drew Bledsoe was immediately sacked. Later, facing fourth down with two minutes to play and now trailing by eight—if they'd taken that FG, it would have been five—the Patriots again kept just six in to block on a blitzing down. Another instant sack.
Worst No. 3. After hitting Randall McDaniel with the trick touchdown pass in the first half, Tampa tried the same thing in the same situation in the second half. The term "element of surprise" includes the word "surprise." The result of the play can be summarized with the technical term "clang."
Stat of the Week: The Rams have scored an incredible 119 points in three games, which puts them on the pace for 7,543 points in the decade. (Actual figure at the current rate.) That photonic vortex beam generator Kurt Warner brought with him from his homeworld on the star-cruiser sure seems to be paying off!
Quote of the Week: New England safety Lawyer Milloy, denouncing sportswriters who say there is turmoil inside the 0-3 Patriots organization: "You guys can't possibly understand what's going on in here, because a lot of times we don't know what's going on in here."
Great Moments in Management: During preseason the Bills' rookie kick-returner had fumble problems, so just prior to opening day, Buffalo traded him for Denver returner Chris Watson. The normally astute Bills management seemed not to have checked the fumble charts, which show Watson led all NFL returners in coughing up the ball last season; nor to have read the Denver Post, which reported that the Broncos were relieved to unload a liability. On Sunday, Watson fumbled away two consecutive punts in the fourth quarter, causing Buffalo to self-destruct.
New Jersey Resplendent: Everyone's noting that the two New York City teams have not been a combined 6-0 since the late Eisenhower administration. But aha, then they actually were New York City teams! Since both now play in New Jersey (official state motto: Don't Worry, That Stuff Is Biodegradable), this marks the first time in NFL history—in fact, the first time in the entire recorded history of known civilization—that the Garden State has been 6-0.
Here is how the NFL standings break down by state: adjusting for the fact, pointed out by many irked New-York-area readers, that the Washington Indigenous Persons are really the Maryland Indigenous Persons:
New Jersey: 6-0
Florida: 7-2
Missouri: 4-2
New York: 2-1
Maryland: 3-3
Ohio: 2-3
Texas: 1-2
California: 2-7
Pennsylvania: 1-4
All other single-team states: 16-20
The Curse of Potential: Under the NFL's quarterback rating formula, a Pro Bowl year is a figure of about 100, while if every single pass thrown by a quarterback simply clangs to the ground incomplete, the rating is 40. After three appearances Ryan Leaf, second pick in the 1998 draft, has a QB rating of 32.6. He's worse than pure incompletions. Ye gods.
Reader Haiku of the Week: TMQ reserves the right to go haiku without warning, in times and places of its own choosing. This week, however, will be given over to verse submitted by readers.
This from reader W. E. White:
The rush attempt fails
The passes—all incomplete
We are the Steelers
Here, from reader David Waghalter:
New team in Houston
Houstonians much too long
Settle for Texans
This, from a reader screen-named Betty Boop:
Monday Night once more
No one to talk to again
I take up haiku
And a reader screen-named Woman Reader writes:
If I have to read
One more Cindy Crawford ref
It's one too many
TMQ takes your point on that last one. Cindy never calls anymore, anyway. What a blunder it was to mispronounce "Versace" in front of her. (Wait, that was a ref.)
Readers are invited to continue to submit football haiku or heroic couplets. No blank verse, though: TMQ is a traditionalist. Use "The Fray," and title your entries "Football Haiku" or "Football Heroic Couplets," and so on. Don't try to cheat on the iambic pentameter. TMQ once took an English lit course in college—"The Analogy as a Metaphor for Symbolism"—and will catch you.
Gorzon, Activate the Nedney Unit! Sebastian Janikowski, the Oakland Raiders' No.-1-draft-pick huge-bonus place-kicker, is now two-for-five in field-goal attempts. On Sunday, he fell down on his rear while attempting a kickoff. Joe Nedney, the minimum-salary kicker Oakland cut to make room for Janikowski, went four-for-four kicking for the Broncos as they defeated—the Raiders.
Hidden Indicator of the Week: Five teams scored touchdowns in the final minute of the first half, but no team scored a touchdown in the final minute of the second half. This is the kind of hidden indicator that is essential to an insider's understanding of the NFL. Unfortunately, Tuesday Morning Quarterback has no idea what it means.
Running Items Department
Obscure College Score of the Week: (New item.) Tuesday Morning Quarterback has long experienced a sense of peace and contentment whenever reading, on Sunday mornings in the fall, those long columns of scores from football games involving obscure schools such as Bemidji State, Ferrum, Indiana of Pennsylvania, Lenoir-Rhyne, Ursinus, and Wisconsin-Stout.
TMQ has no idea where these schools are (particularly Indiana of Pennsylvania) or whether they actually exist (some determined prankster may be calling a "Lenoir-Rhyne" score into the Associated Press weekly). Yet TMQ finds it reassuring to think that at hundreds of small schools in the glorious autumn, people strap on pads, tape their fingers, and slam into each other repetitively, all for the sheer inexplicable joy of it. Audiences clap, bands play, car alarms go off in the parking lot: the cycle of life. How comforting to know that long after we have left this Earth, each Saturday all over the country, people will still be slamming into each other pointlessly and—well, I'm entering a contemplative state. Better stop before I go haiku.
Obscure College Score of the Week: Chadron State 66, Colorado Mines 2.
Most Magnificent Dennis Miller Moment: TMQ was so, so wrong about Miller. He's brilliant! That waffling crack to Al and Dan, "Oh, you men with your football talk!" Nobody's ever brought drag sensibility to network football commentary before, and it's so original in show business, so unusual. And dropping the names Dante and Stephen Hawking! Sure the references were incomprehensible, but they did what they were supposed to do—impress us! And his predictions at the "top" of the broadcast, as booth types gratingly say: that Deion Sanders and Brad Johnson would have the game's big nights? So what if Sanders fumbled a punt, and Johnson threw the killer interception in the fourth, nobody remembered by 11:45 p.m. what Miller had said at 9:15 p.m. And oh, how masterfully Miller praised Owner/Twerp Daniel Snyder! The key to understanding Hollywood self-promotion is that the kneepads are put on whenever the money guys are in view, and Dennis Miller now brings that sensibility to Monday Night Football. What a genius!
The Stephen Hawking remark: "Deion Sanders has a sense of the moment like Stephen Hawking." That's it, no further comment or explanation.
Hawking once postulated that perception of time would accelerate in proportion to any rise in the Hubble Constant, then reverse during cosmological contraction if lambda was overcome. Maybe this is what Miller was alluding to. Readers are invited to submit explanations of Miller's comment—if any are possible—via The Fray, titling entries "Sanders-Hawking Postulate."
New York Times Final-Score Score: The Paper of Record goes 0-14 in its quixotic attempt to predict an actual final score, bringing the season's Times Final-Score Score 0-44 combined.
Times predicted: San Diego 20, Kansas City 17. Actual: Kansas City 42, San Diego 20. Times predicted: Carolina 28, Atlanta 24. Actual: Atlanta 15, Carolina 10. Times predicted: Eagles 17, Packers 14. Actual: Packers 6, Eagles 3. Times predicted: Tampa 13, Detroit 9. Actual: Tampa 31, Detroit 10. But wait, in the Dolphins-Ravens game, the Times projected a final of 20-6 and barely missed the actual of 19-6! Unfortunately the Times said Baltimore 20, Miami 6 and the actual was Miami 19, Baltimore 6.
TMQ's Irrefutable Reasons to Torment the Times: Several readers have written in suggesting the New York Times' quixotic quest to predict an exact final score isn't really that at all: Rather, it is a coded way of signaling point-spread advice. The Times has a policy of not printing the spread, to discourage the sin of wagering—although this does not prevent the paper from reporting in detail on IPOs.
According to this theory, when the Times projects, say, a final of Washington 28, Dallas 21 (Friday's edition), and the line is Washington giving 10 (Friday's line), the Multicolored Lady through this artifice is covertly advising clued-in readers to cash their Halliburton options and let it all ride on the Cowboys. Sounds pretty good as hidden advice, since the final was Dallas 27, Washington 21, meaning Cowboys bettors collected.
Tuesday Morning Quarterback would like to believe that the Times is so amusingly devious as to plant hidden messages in football predictions, especially if clandestine control of the sports pages by the Israeli government could somehow be worked into the theory. But TMQ takes Times predictions at face value. Why? Because viewed as encrypted betting advice, the Times predictions finished 7-7 against the spread this week, which sounds more like chance than a hidden hand. And many predictions did not follow the secret-advice form.
Two examples: Friday, when the spread was Broncos plus three at Oakland, the Times predicted a final of Raiders 24, Broncos 21. What, the Times was signaling readers that it thinks this game will wash against the line? Not even the guys at Gamblers Anonymous try to call ties.
And on Friday, when the line was San Diego plus four at Kansas City, the Times predicted a final of Bolts 20, Chiefs 17. It wasn't necessary to forecast a San Diego victory in order to send Times readers an encrypted message to sell their Chagalls and bet on the Bolts; predicting that San Diego would lose by less than four would have encoded the same hidden command. Projection of a Bolts straight-up win was unattractive as a cipher because the chance of being wrong was very high: Kansas City has the league's best home record in the last decade, while San Diego is in such dire straights, it started the great Moses Moreno at QB. As we now know, San Diego not only failed to win straight-up but failed to cover the spread by 29: If this is betting code, Times readers had best grab hold of their wallets. Thus TMQ believes the only rational explanation for the Times prediction was that the paper actually believed San Diego would win. (Wait, we said "rational" explanation.)
Of course, perhaps as part of the conspiracy, the Times deliberately inserts a few misleading calls such as the San Diego projection, in order to throw naïfs like TMQ off the scent. Or to steer bettors way from games the Israeli government is wagering on.
TMQ Trivia Challenge: Last week, Tuesday Morning Quarterback offered a trivia question he was sure would send readers scurrying to the darkest recesses of sports archives, if not flying to London to hop the Tube to the British Museum. Instead the first correct reply came in with scorching Rams-like speed a mere 23 minutes after the column posted.
Here was the question:
Below are the names of four small colleges that have sent only one player to the NFL, followed by the names of four NFL athletes from single-player schools. Match each player to his alma mater.
Schools: Brockport State, Isothermal CC of North Carolina, Mount Senario, Shippensberg. Players: Rob Davis, Percy Howard, Craig Jay, Mike Jones.
Some readers questioned whether an "Isothermal Community College" actually exists. It's there, in lovely Spindale, N.C.: Check out its Web site, which offers no explanation of why the school is named after a feature on weather charts. Maybe there was once a great man named Jeremiah Isothermal.
Others wrote in to question the existence of Mount Senario. It's "on the banks of the Flambeau River in Ladysmith, Wisconsin," as its home page declares.
TMQ just loves the name of this school, which sounds like an objective in a Pentagon war game: "Blue team will assault Mount Senario at oh five hundred hours."
With his Rams-like blistering speed, Bill Peterson, who declined to publish his hometown (or to say whether he is a member of Homo sapiens—given the response time, TMQ suspects the involvement of an experimental AI), was first to give the correct matches:
Brockport State—Mike Jones
Isothermal—Percy Howard
Mount Senario—Craig Jay
Shippensberg—Rob Davis
Here is this week's TMQ Trivia Challenge:
Dan Marino was introduced at his number-retirement ceremony by the only other player whose number the Dolphins have retired, Bob Griese. In whose honor was each of the following jerseys put to pasture?
Arizona: No. 99
Denver: No. 18
Green Bay: No. 3
New Jersey Giants: No. 4
San Francisco: No. 73
Offer your replies via The Fray, titling the entry "Trivia Answer."
First correct reply will be cited in next week's column. And you might get a TMQ cap at season's end, but remember, the final decision will be completely arbitrary and we promise nothing.


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I got the W7 RC yesterday so I installed Pocomail 4400 to see if it works, I'm very glad to say that it does work, I dont have a problem with it.
I have Pocomail now installed and working in both W7 RC x32 and x64.
I use a trayless caddy and I can swap drives in 8 seconds.
~ Moved from General ... Eric ~


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Legg Mason Inc.'s compensation committee awarded CEO Joseph A. Sullivan options to purchase a half million shares of the company stock at $31.46 per share, the Baltimore-based money manager announced in a regulatory filing.
The company said the options recognize Sullivan's promotion to CEO in February and are designed to be an incentive to build Legg's business. The options vest in 25 percent parcels. The first quarter will vest in May 2015, meaning Sullivan can purchase them after that date. The rest vest once Legg's stock price reaches certain levels for a period of time. For example, the last quarter of options vest once Legg's stocks closes at or above $46.46 per share for 20 trading days in a row.
Legg's shares currently are trading at $32.18 in early afternoon trading Friday. The options expire in May 2023.