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Quality Is Our Important Priority
At Royal CBD, we emphasize high quality management testing at each stage of the manufacturing course of so you don’t have to worry about it. We begin whereas the crops are still within the soil, and comply with it as they travel to the extraction facility. We then mix our CBD oil with pure unadulterated MCT oil and ship it to a 3rd-get together lab for inspection to seal the deal.
How We Do It
High-quality CBD oils depend on firm control over the complete manufacturing process. That’s why our full spectrum CBD oils are made using locally-grown hemp, and eco-pleasant extraction strategies free from solvents, and dangerous chemical byproducts.
We safe top-notch beginning hemp bred particularly to have rich terpene and cannabinoid profiles. Our farmers use sustainable farming practices and natural farming methods to protect both the standard of the hemp — and the planet.
All of Royal CBD’s products are made utilizing entire-plant CO2 extraction strategies. This means there aren't any chemical compounds and minimal breakdown of phytocannabinoid profiles within the final product.
We adhere to the nationwide Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs) — testing every batch individually for potency, purity, and safety. Nothing leaves our factory and not using a stamp of approval by a 3rd-social gathering laboratory.
More people than ever before are shifting their opinions about hashish. All because of a easy cannabinoid referred to as CBD.
CBD oil was a game changer for the legalization movement, and one thing anyone occupied with marijuana should find out about.
It’s one thing that’s been on everybody’s tongues lately, from A-listing celebrities to well being-aware consumers.
Here, we give you a comprehensive useful resource to be able to shortly change into an expert on how CBD oil works, and tips on how to use it to your benefit.
Whether or not you’ve by no means tried CBD, tried it a few times, or are an everyday client, our CBD oil information has the data it's essential sound like an knowledgeable.
Let’s start, we could?
CBD Oil Guide: The Essentials
CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a very non-psychoactive, naturally occurring compound within the hashish plant. Its reputation has been rising steadily in recent times for it claimed advantages.
CBD oil is extracted from hemp and marijuana vegetation. Each belong to the hashish family (Cannabaceae).
It plays a large role within the regulation of the endocannabinoid system, the system in your physique that uses cannabinoids produced by the body itself (equivalent to anandamide).
The properly-deserved recognition of CBD has given rise to an abundance of CBD goods available available on the market.
This is because CBD oil is easy to use and has a high “bioavailability”.
Having a excessive bioavailability means it will possibly enter the physique efficiently, allowing smaller doses to remain effective.
Because CBD comes from each hemp and marijuana, it’s obvious that you may have some considerations about using CBD oil.
Don’t fear, we clarify the whole lot under. Before we head over to the meat of the article, it’s time for a brief history lesson.
The Historical past of CBD Oil
Hashish is among the earliest – if not the earliest – agricultural crops.
The first data of cannabis use date back 10,000 years.
Since then, the cannabis plant has been grown for meals and textiles in many various cultures.
Traditionally, folks used hemp fibers for making ropes and materials, the seeds for diet, and the flowers and resin for drugs.
Cannabis was a nicely-respected medication amongst a few of the best civilizations of the past.
As people started to grasp that totally different forms of hashish serve completely different purposes, they began cultivating both hemp and marijuana.
Hemp crops tend to develop tall, skinny, and ‘fluffy’. Marijuana plants are short, bulky, and full of resinous fragrant flowers.
In 2737 BC, the Chinese emperor Shen-Nung used hemp oil topically for rashes and irritated pores and skin.
When hemp arrived in Europe, it was used to make clothes, ropes, and even building materials.
Queen Victoria’s physician, J.R. Reynolds, prescribed her a CBD-rich strain of marijuana to make her menstrual cramps extra manageable.
Firstly of the 20th century, notably in the United States, marijuana plants have been bred to comprise rich concentrations of THC to make them stronger and psychoactive.
This thriving cannabis tradition all came crashing down within the 1930’s with the start of the marijuana prohibition.
In the 1980’s, following the Conflict on Medicine, President Reagan’s administration invested thousands and thousands of dollars in studies that had been aimed to prove that marijuana prompted brain harm and cognitive impairment.
Not solely did these research fail to achieve the prejudiced politicians’ goals, it also led to the discovery of the endocannabinoid system in humans.
At the moment, researchers are rubbing their palms collectively to go all-in with the studies on CBD, THC, and other cannabinoids. They want to understand the way it works, and what its limitations are.
There’s huge cash in that…
The CBD market alone is estimated to hit $2.1 billion by 2020 with $450 million of that generated by the hemp industry alone.
CBD Oil and the Endocannabinoid System
Although analysis on the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is still in its infancy, we’ve made enormous progress in our understanding of CBD and the ECS. Whereas we received’t bore you with the details, these developments have allowed for increased adoption and the following rise of the CBD market.
At this level, you’re in all probability questioning how one can distinguish CBD oil from other products. So, let me put an end to your confusion.
What Does CBD Oil Look Like?
CBD oil sometimes comes within the type of a liquid tincture.
They’re designed for sublingual (below the tongue) consumption, or orally by swallowing the liquid.
It’s made by mixing the CBD extract with a meals-grade oil resembling MCT oil.
A provider oil like MCT oil is required as a result of CBD is fat-soluble. Because of this it dissolves in fat as a substitute of water, and permits the body to retailer it in fat tissues.
Consuming CBD together with fat will increase the bioavailability of CBD oil.
Utilizing CBD Oil
CBD tinctures are extraordinarily easy to use.
All it's important to do is place a couple of drops underneath your tongue, wait 30-60 seconds, and swallow– simple as that.
Additionally, you'll be able to add the drops to juice or tea and drink as normal.
The results ought to be noticeable within several minutes after ingestion.
Determining Excessive-High quality From Poor Quality CBD
It’s vital to know how you can inform the difference between excessive-quality CBD oil and poor-high quality CBD oil.
A good CBD oil normally comes in an amber-gold or pale-yellow color, with clear consistency and free of any plant materials.
Whenever you come across a CBD product that falls in need of these requirements, its an instant pink flag. No CBD oil should have chunks, foul smells, or thick black colors.
CBD Oil Extraction: How It’s Done
The process behind extracting CBD oil from the plant is rather a lot like different plant extractions.
As mentioned, CBD might be extracted from both marijuana and hemp varieties of the cannabis plants. Many companies source their Cannabidiol from industrial hemp crops to avoid legal points from utilizing THC-wealthy marijuana strains.
We will distinguish two frequent methods of CBD oil extraction:
1. Alcohol Extraction
Anything that’s soluble in fat is also soluble in alcohol. Which means we will efficiently pull CBD and cannabis terpenes out of the plant using simple drinking alcohol (ethyl alcohol).
It is a helpful methodology of extracting CBD however is taken into account lower quality to supercritical CO2 extraction.
2. Supercritical CO2 extraction
Most self-respecting corporations utilize supercritical CO2 extraction to produce CBD oil.
CO2 extraction involves filtering the gas via quite a lot of temperature-managed chambers below excessive stress to create a special supercritical section. Whereas in this part, CO2 behaves like both a gas AND a liquid. It additionally provides it extraordinarily environment friendly solvent properties that primarily strip the chemical compounds out of the cannabis material.
As soon as the extraction is over, chemists use a particular method referred to as chromatography to do away with any plant residue from the final products.
Generally, manufacturers will also extract terpenes and other chemical compounds to make “full-spectrum” CBD oil.
The Difference Between Hemp and Marijuana CBD Oil
A CBD oil information wouldn’t be complete without highlighting the variations between hemp and marijuana CBD Oil
In spite of everything, one of the in style questions amongst novices is whether the supply of the Cannabidiol makes a difference in the case of its impact.
The short answer is “No.”
In case you’re searching for an extended, extra specific answer, we have to dig deeper into the cannabinoid and terpene content material of marijuana- and hemp-derived CBD oil.
Hemp is grown specifically to be wealthy in CBD and contain solely hint amounts of THC (usually beneath zero.2 or 0.three%). Since cannabidiol is non-psychoactive, hemp-derived CBD means that you can expertise an array of benefits supplied by hashish with out making you're feeling excessive.
In most international locations, marijuana continues to https://royalcbd.com/cbd-oils/ be unlawful. The possession, cultivation, and distribution of marijuana can still get you prosecuted in some elements of the world like The Philippines or Malaysia.
At the moment, you can buy marijuana-derived CBD oil in 9 US states for recreational use and in 31 states for medical use.
Some varieties of marijuana are specifically bred to elevate CBD content. We often measure the ratio between THC and CBD to present an concept of its results and finest makes use of. You'll find marijuana strains with a 2:1 and even 1:1 THC to CBD ratio.
To chop the long story brief, CBD is the same no matter the source. The effects of CBD oil, which rely on the whole cannabinoid content material, can range between hemp and marijuana-derived CBD – and so does the law.
What’s extra essential, is to select a product that’s sourced from pesticide-free crops as a result of the dangerous pesticide residues could make their way into the ultimate product.
When choosing CBD oil, also be certain that your supplier offers third-get together lab check results with each batch of its merchandise.
CBD Oil Information: Dosage Directions
If you happen to’re looking for uncooked numbers, you’ve come to the flawed place.
As a result of there is no optimal CBD dosage that would suit everyone. CBD impacts everyone in a different way.
For now, let’s give attention to figuring out the potency of your CBD oil.
CBD tinctures normally come with a dropper. One full dropper comprises round 1 mL of oil, which equals 20 drops. I recommend you rely the first on, however, as they can fluctuate between producers slightly.
So, for instance, when you have a 250 mg tincture in a 30mL (1 ounce) bottle, we calculate that 1 mL will comprise about 8 mg CBD.
An oz. (30mL) of a 500 mg bottle, in turn, has roughly 16.6 mg of CBD per 1 mL, and a a thousand mg tincture comes with somewhere round 33 mg of CBD in 1 mL.
Based on these info, you'll be able to estimate the quantity of CBD by using the variety of drops and CBD per mL.
Why Does CBD Affect Everyone Differently?
CBD dosage is going to be completely different between people. This has to do with a number of components that influence the way CBD impacts your physique, including:
Full-Spectrum CBD Oil vs. CBD Isolate: Which One Should I Choose?
When scrolling by a choice of CBD items online, chances are you'll discover that some products are labeled as “99% pure CBD” or “CBD Isolate”. Others are listed as “full spectrum CBD extract”.
What’s the distinction?
Let’s take a closer have a look at the key variations between these merchandise and which one will work higher for you.
1. Full-Spectrum CBD Oil
Simply put, full-spectrum CBD oil is identical concentrations of cannabinoids found in the original plant.
There are over 113 other cannabinoids in hemp and marijuana, plus the trichomes and buds on the cannabis flowers contain a variety of terpenes, flavonoids, nutritional vitamins, and minerals.
Here’s an inventory of additional compounds accessible in full-spectrum CBD extracts:
·Omega-3 fatty acids
·Vitamins E, A, and C,
·Zinc and phosphorus
·Iron and calcium
·Magnesium and potassium
Studies have found that full-spectrum CBD oil is simpler than CBD isolate, which scientists described as “the entourage impact” .
The idea of the entourage impact relies on the theory that the cannabinoids, terpenes, and other compounds of the source plant can amplify one another’s results.
2. CBD Isolate
A CBD isolate is ninety nine% pure CBD, with no different cannabinoids, no terpenes, flavonoids, and further compounds – simply Cannabidiol.
Since CBD isolate is lacking so many fascinating components, you might be thinking “it must be inferior to full-spectrum CBD extracts”.
In many instances, you'd be appropriate, nonetheless, there are lots of individuals on the market who really choose CBD isolates over full-spectrum extracts.
Here are four explanation why individuals might choose a CBD isolate:
·Isolates include greater amounts of CBD per dose
·A CBD isolate is totally THC-free (full-spectrum extracts comprise < .03%)
·You possibly can exactly control the focus of CBD in isolates
·They're taste and odor-free; you'll be able to add CBD isolate to an edible product and use the benefits of Cannabidiol with out feeling the distinct earthy style of CBD oil.
The place to Buy CBD Oil
There are three places the place you should buy CBD oil.
You should purchase CBD oil online, which we strongly advocate.
Shopping for online is easy, secure, and handy; all it takes is a number of clicks of a mouse and your products will probably be shipped to you within 1-three enterprise days on the typical.
Moreover, it’s easier to make a background examine in your potential CBD oil supplier with the intention to confirm if the corporate will be trusted or not.
Those that need CBD oil in bulk can depend on decent wholesale deals, too.
2. Native Dispensaries
If buying CBD on-line will not be an possibility, you possibly can attempt to get your bottle of CBD oil regionally. CBD merchandise are offered in dispensaries, which are authorities regulated retail shops.
Dispensaries allow users to buy CBD in particular person. If your state’s legislature doesn’t permit hashish for recreational use, you’re going to wish a medical hashish card or, at the very least, a doctor’s suggestion.
three. Head Shops
For hemp-derived CBD items, you'll be able to go to one of your native head retailers or specialty retail shops like apothecaries or wellness facilities. Just like dispensaries, these kinds of shops present CBD customers with a wide range of hemp products and accessories.
One main disadvantage to be aware of when buying from head retailers is that they aren’t regulated. This implies the owner can actually sell anything he/she considers “high-high quality”, even when it’s not.
As a result, there are a lot of stores that sell oils and different dietary supplements which comprise no CBD at all, simply to make the most of the quickly rising market.
CBD oil is a flexible complement that many individuals are incorporating into their way of life to reinforce the quality of their lives.
CBD (and cannabis basically) have a long file of historic use, tracing again hundreds of years.
It’s vital to keep in mind CBD shouldn't be an officially authorised drug; it’s categorized as a dietary supplement. Therefore, for those who undergo from a chronic well being condition or are taking medicines, focus on your intentions with a medical professional before adding CBD oil to your eating regimen. CBD might interact with your medications.
For those who’ve benefited from CBD by any means, we encourage you to share your story in the remark section under.
Let’s increase the awareness about Cannabidiol and what it will probably do for people!

domain: health


CONNECTIONS WITH RICH & BOBBI
From broadcast studios, to conference halls, to subways, streets, and park benches, Rich Homeres and Bobbi Hamlyn have traveled across our country for years, meeting and interviewing people of all walks of life! With a heart for uniting people in the joy and oneness we have in Christ, they strive to share stories far and wide – to encourage, inform, and point listeners to our Savior. They now bring their God-given talents to First Love Radio.
How many startling “coincidences” does it take to consider that something might not be an “accident,”& to decide to look deeper? -Eric Eichinger-Part 1
Pastor Eric Eichinger explains the startling parallels that drew him to explore the path across the world of the Scottish Olympian Eric Liddell, featured in the film, “Chariots of Fire!” Finding that the film only scratched the surface, he’s chronicled Liddell’s inspiring life in his book, “The Final Race.”
Curious “coincidences” leading Eric Eichinger to follow Eric Liddell beyond “Chariots of Fire!”-Pt 1
“It’s easy to do the right thing when everybody is looking. But to do that right thing when nobody is looking”- Could we make these choices?! - Eric Eichinger-Part 2
We’re hearing about the story of the famed Olympian Eric Liddell, beyond his glory shown in the “Chariots of Fire” film- brilliantly portrayed in the book “The Final Race”! Author Eric Eichinger shares some of the fascinating insights he discovered while following the footsteps of this amazing life of faith.
If Eric Liddell of “Chariots of Fire” was a hero in London after winning Olympic Gold, how did he end up in China during World
War II? - Eric Eichinger-Part 3
Although many in Scotland and the UK reverenced him as their hero and champion, Eric didn’t bask in his Olympic fame. Author and Pastor Eric Eichinger is our guest, & he continues sharing about Eric Liddell’s fascinating life journey, as brilliantly portrayed in his book, “The Final Race!”
From the heroic national cheering in England of Olympic victory at the 1924 games in Paris, to virtual obscurity in China, Eric Liddell set his eyes on his greater calling. - Eric Eichinger-Part 4
That calling was to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who have not heard this life saving message in Far East. Pastor Eric Eichinger author of the book “The Final Race,” is our guest. He shares some of the interesting insights he discovered while writing this biography about Eric Liddell.
In America we have the freedom to obtain & read Bibles, & share our faith. But, how did this man in West Africa come from many generations of Muslims to Jesus?!
Our guest comes from Mali, West Africa. Mali is 90 percent Muslim, with Christians making up just 2% of the population, and is listed as 29th on Open Doors World Watch List of the top 50 countries where Christians are most persecuted for their faith.
“It took a lot to trust God. It took a lot of toil, it took a lot of pain, and suffering allowing things to happen in my life that I regret to this day.”
To many, life in the inner-city can be extremely rough. The homeless population has risen dramatically, with crime and substance abuse plaguing their community. Our guest today came out of this lifestyle and shares how the Lord gave him a new lease on life! He’s Matthew Costa.
“I’m living in hell five years, & I tried to escape from the Communists …” - Linda Eve - Part 1
In 1975, the communist Khmer Rouge regime came in to Cambodia and began to carry out a horrific genocide. Soldiers relocated most of the population to forced labor camps. Malnutrition, torture, and mass executions led to the deaths of an estimated 25% of the total population - 1 ½ to 3 million people. One person who endured these unthinkable hardships was Linda Eve!
From Cambodia’s “Killing Fields” and Buddhism to America and Christianity - “I was still confused!”- Linda Eve - Part 2
On our last podcast, Linda Eve shared her heart-wrenching story of how, in Cambodia, she went from almost becoming a medical doctor to being relocated to a forced labor camp by the Communists. She told how she escaped by walking nearly 100 miles on foot through jungles, and avoiding mine fields! She finally reached America- now what?!
Escaping from the Killing Fields of Cambodia to America–only to go back?! - Linda Eve - Part 3
On our last few podcasts Linda Eve has been our guest, sharing her story, from her 5-year captivity in a labor camp by the Communist regime in the late 1970's, to freedom in America! Now, on our concluding visit, Linda talks about why, after escaping death, she is willing to give up her life to go back!
“I was a minister for five years before I was saved...” - Pastor Arthur Mellon
Our guest on this podcast is Pastor Arthur Mellon. He serves at Sovereign Grace Baptist Church of Hayward, CA. Pastor Mellon talks about the interesting paths the Lord took him on before calling him to become a pastor and start this church. But most importantly, he looks at how he discovered He wasn’t saved – and the importance of examining who you’re learning from!
From chemists in Silicon Valley
to cavemen in Nepal – Answering his call! - Dr. Paul Nelson
God took him from the field of Biotechnology as a doctor in chemistry to the ministry, & has stretched his journey to the Philippines and to Nepal, changing him forever! He’s Dr. Paul Nelson, associate pastor at Sovereign Grace Baptist Church of Silicon Valley, in Morgan Hill, CA.
From construction of buildings to construction of souls - Meet Pastor Mike Orlicky!
Pastor Orlicky shares on our podcast how he was an ironworker in construction, and at first, had no desire to be a pastor or to marry a pastor’s daughter. Tune in & hear how God changed his heart on both accounts – and how God only has a Plan A!
“It was in every part of life.You feel ‘Big Brother’ is watching you-this was reality…” Hans Shapp-Pt 1
During the night of August 13, 1961, the East German government closed off the border from the West. Hans Shapp grew up in East Germany during this time & tells his story of suddenly being cut off from the West & living behind the wall. But did he find real truth & freedom when he reached the other side?
“It was the greatest thing that I ever have felt, and I felt so free-inwardly and outwardly-it was amazing!” Hans Shapp-Part 2
On our last podcast, Hans Shapp told of his life growing up behind the wall in East Germany during the 60's & 70's under Communist rule, & then of suddenly being deported to the West! It was like a child having free run in a candy shop - neon lights glowing in the night skies,music blaring from the discotheques,drugs & alcohol-Did these bring Hans happiness,peace, & true.
“Before the change, we smuggled Bibles and we smuggled books to secret believers and churches there...”-Hans Shapp-Part 3
We’ve been visiting with Hans Shapp, who’s been sharing with us how he came out of East Germany during a time when barriers of barbed wire and concrete walls blocked off the West, to what he thought was freedom. But it wasn’t until he was introduced to Jesus that his life really changed-including becoming a smuggler!
“A lot of people don’t go to church…So, we have to go to them...God’s OWN land is EVERY land-they all belong to Him-and they NEED THIS MESSAGE!”-Hans Shapp-Part 4
In our concluding talk with Hans Shapp, he shares more about his adventures as he goes across the highways and byways of life in different lands to share the Gospel wherever he can- even back to those discos he once frequented!
“…People coming up to you and saying, ‘I really want to know what this means!’ - a guy that’s dressed in Muslim garb comes up to you and says that in India!”-Pastor Leigh Prater
Leigh Prater,our guest on our podcast,shares about serving the Lord as a dad with a houseful of kids, a pastor ministering to a congregation,& a missionary visiting various countries throughout the world! He serves as an associate pastor at Beth-El Baptist Church in Morgan Hill, CA.
“I was taken aback, the first trip that I was there, in seeing their reverence towards God...!”-Brother Stephen-Part 1
We’re visiting with the infectious Brother Stephen, who draws from his experiences, sharing from his heart the wonder & kinship he felt when traveling overseas for the first time, with a missions group! He is preparing to go into full-time ministry as a pastor.
Adventures in sharing his faith – from cowering behind his father as a child, to springing forth around the world as a Pastor-in-Training! – Brother Stephen-Part 2
We’re continuing our visit with Brother Stephen who’s preparing to go into full-time ministry as a pastor. In our concluding talk with him, he shares about the powerful influence that his dad had on his life, & how it indirectly took him on an eye-opening mission trip to the Philippines!
“I grew up right on the beach, right on the ocean, in Coney Island, right next to the Boardwalk...” -Joe Jacowitz-Part 1
Today we begin an extraordinary story of a young Brooklyn Jewish boy who grew up right next to the boardwalk on Coney Island, in NY, and how the Lord changed his heart to follow Yeshua-Jesus-as his Lord and Savior! He’s Pastor Joe Jacowitz, the president and founder of First Love Ministries, and the pastor of Christ Bible Church.
“I had six years of intense training in Hebrew school but they did not teach us the Scriptures...!”-Joe Jacowitz-Pt 2
So how does the Lord grab a hold of the attention of an intense young Jewish Marine who’s been studying to become a Rabbi, and shake up his faith with one question?! Joe Jacowitz continues his fascinating story of how God turned his spiritual journey upside down, leading him to become pastor of Christ Bible Church and founder and president of the Christian outreach First Love Ministries!
“If there’s no Heaven or Hell, as the Rabbi said, why am I here in this world?! As the Bible teaches, let us then just eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die. What’s the purpose of life?!...” - JoeJacowitz-Part 3
We’re continuing with the testimony of Joe Jacowitz, as he shares his earth-shattering experience of how God revealed to him that Jesus is the Messiah and that eternal life comes only through Him! Joe, who grew up as a Jew, is currently the pastor of Christ Bible Church and president of First Love Ministries.
“I was so filled with this desperate desire to know that my sins would be forgiven, to know that I would be in heaven when I die...”-Joe Jacowitz-Part 4
We’re continuing with our visit with Joe Jacowitz as he shares his compelling testimony of how a Jewish boy from Brooklyn joined the Marines and, through various circumstances, found himself in a quandary regarding his relationship with God. We left off with Joe madly driving away from the base, desperately lamenting before the Lord!
“We’re all murderers, we’re adulterers, we’re worshippers of false gods…we’re all the rest! And, I thought to myself, ‘Wow, I’m in trouble...’”-Joe Jacowitz-Part 5
We’re continuing to hear from Joe Jacowitz as he shares his testimony of how the Lord changed his heart as a Jew to follow Jesus. We left off when Joe was in the Marines, & a young Christian named Bob was showing him about the Messiah in Joe’s own Bible! But Joe wanted more proof and asked Bob to go with him to visit the Rabbi. So off they went....
“I hated Christians more than anything! I thought it was just a big joke and a fake and they’re not real, they’re all hypocrites...” Joe Jacowitz-Part 6
Joe Jacowitz has been sharing his incredible story of how God changed his Jewish heart, as a Marine Sergeant, while being witnessed to by a private named Bob, who was sharing from the Scriptures that Jesus was the true Messiah. But Joe had his doubts because of his past, particularly after having persecuted a soldier in his platoon named Metcalf...


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I wrote last month about how Apple's strategy to give a free year of Apple TV+ to anyone who buys an iPhone, iPad, or Mac was a brilliant move to eliminate any barriers to building a massive audience. Apparently Disney agrees, with the announcement that it is partnering with Verizon to offer a free year of Disney+ to that company's Unlimited plan customers.
Things are getting very interesting in the streaming wars, which just shows how seriously the big players are taking this battle. And make no mistake, the stakes are high for everyone involved. Netflix arguably has the most to lose, while Apple and Disney have the most to prove. Just yesterday I wrote that Apple could land a crushing blow to the competition by offering an all-inclusive subscription that bundled TV+ with its Music, Arcade, and other services.
Disney's latest move shows that it is absolutely playing for keeps and has no intention of letting Apple get an advantage as both launch streaming services next month. And while Disney may not have been the first competitor to come up with the idea of giving away a year for free, I still think it's an incredibly smart strategy. It also shows that the increasing pressure to build an audience could end up being very good for streaming customers as they compete for subscribers.
But, back to that incredibly smart strategy. Here's what I mean:
Disney already has what I'd argue is the most valuable content library by a long shot, with its massive collection of classic films, alongside Pixar and Marvel. Oh, and let's not forget that little franchise known as Star Wars.
Contrast that with Apple, which is relying entirely on original content at this point. Or Netflix, which still offers the largest overall library, but has had to move into creating original content in order to compete with producers like Disney that have started pulling content in favor of their own platforms.
Disney's content library means that it entered this battle with a huge advantage. In fact, I wrote this summer about a survey that indicated as many as 42 percent of consumers would sign up for Disney+, simply because the content reminds them of their childhood.
That's a huge deal, but I'm pretty sure Disney would like to give a reason for the other 58 percent of consumers to sign up as well.
The reality is that most consumers say they won't spend more than $33 a month, which means there's only so much room for competition. If you're already paying for Netflix, Hulu, or HBO Now, it eventually starts to add up. Consumers might decide to pass on one more subscription--unless that subscription is free.
That Disney is willing to offer a year for free shows two things: first that it doesn't need the cash, and two, that it's confident that once consumers sign up, they'll stick around even once it starts to cost them $6.99. That's a pretty reasonable bet considering consumers are much more likely to keep paying for something they already have than sign up for something new. Take the pain out of signing up, and you've created a magic formula for winning the long game.
Of course, magic is Disney's specialty after all.

domain: news


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Another fun Disney home release is coming our way late this summer and I’m so excited about it! The Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection releases on Blu-Ray on August 18, 2015 and includes 12 of our favorite short films!
From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes the Shorts Film Collection, an extraordinary new collection of award-winning and beloved short films featuring Disney’s Frozen Fever, starring Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Sven and Kristoff, and the Oscar®-nominated Lorenzo. It will be available early on Digital HD/Disney Movies Anywhere August 11 and you can bring It home on Blu-ray™ August 18. Enjoy this must-own collection with all-new extras including an inside look at the Disney Animation shorts, featuring introductions and interviews with the acclaimed filmmakers themselves.
Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection – Trailer
This looks fantastic! Do you have a favorite? I think Paperman is mine.
Here’s a slideshow of all 12 of the shorts included on this disc:
The Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection will be out on Blu-Ray on August 18 and is available to pre-order now! Can’t wait to bring this home!

domain: artistic


It’s official, Starbucks has officially taken over the world. I thought it was only NYC that was overwhelmed with Starbuck shops but apparently the trend has moved to other parts of the world including Dubai. Luckily I love starbucks but sometimes its nice to get away from modernization and take in a world that is not influenced with western culture.
Starbucks however stands for more than just a good cup of coffee but a symbol of economical status. Starbucks launched a happy hour deal for half off frappuccinos between the hours of 3-5PM. The link is incredibly long with young adults holding their camera phones. After every half priced cup is served, a photo is snapped on someone’s phone. Look up #starbucks on Instagram and millions of selfies will appear with an the individuals holding a cup of starbucks (may also see groups of people holding cups). Notable hashtags which also will appear within the posting may also read #Foodie #Foodporn. A community of people that categorize themselves of “foodies” recognize the opportunity behind the starbucks cup. I understand the reasoning behind it and that’s to gain viewers or likes. I People may not do the same with a Dunkin Donuts cup of coffee because that’s considered the poor man’s coffee shop. There are plenty of people that also post Dunkin Donut selfies on Instagram but honestly, that’s like posting a picture of a McDonalds Dollar Menu Cheeseburger. It sounds shallow but thats the name of the Instagram game. Fake it until you make it. Pose as something that you are not. Hold a Starbucks cup and act like you’re above the grain. All for the sake of gaining popularity and being liked.
Starbucks, unlike Dunkin Donuts and other coffee shops are specific to their locations. They only open within high income white neighborhoods. Some people would make it a case that business is business. In terms of business, that would be smart but Dunkin Donuts can be found in poor neighborhoods and their prices are almost aligned to Starbucks. In fact, Dunkin Donuts is making a killing in the coffee shop industry. Every store I’ve entered in NYC always has a line but the image is quite different. Starbucks has become a symbol of luxury, wealth, and status. So it does not surprise me that Starbucks is popping up in the middle east especially in Dubai.
Recently, Starbucks started a campaign for “race relations” with an aim to fight racism and inequality! So they will build a location in a strategically lower income neighborhood. They’ve decided to open a location in Ferguson, Missouri. The city that began the race riots which are influencing other large cities. Ferguson is 70 percent Black and Starbucks usually opens in predominantly white neighborhoods. I give them credit for this one attempt of bridging the gap between them and lower income neighborhoods but that does not change the overall image of Starbucks.
People may disagree but when a working class individual thinks of Starbucks, immediately “expensive” will appear in their mind. I know that’s the case with me but I still will buy their coffee because it makes me feel special and part of an elite class of people that can purchase their coffee. Soon the community of Ferguson will know the same feeling. A Starbucks cup is not just filled with coffee but poses as a symbol of lifestyle and fashion.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Dunkin Donuts coffee, its actually my favorite coffee and I am not ashamed to walk around with it. However considering society standards and social media, Starbucks is a symbol of fashion, lifestyle, and appearance. People may prefer to hold a Starbucks cup in public for aesthetic reasons. A cardboard Starbucks cup will give the impression that an individual has style, taste, and status. In Dubai, Starbucks is a symbol of wealth and status but what will it mean for predominantly lower income minorities in Ferguson? Here’s to the ice coffee’s, frappucinos, and macchiatos of the world uniting people together! Drink up guys.


text:
Creation Conference 2000
Reasons To Believe held its creation conference, "Putting Creation to the Test" from June 22-24, 2000 in Southern California. I was privileged to attend the conference, and like most others, came away with more enthusiasm for the Old Earth creation model and ways of using the model to reach out to secular intellectuals with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Dr. Hugh Ross, president of Reasons To Believe, pointed out that we should not have to argue about what creation model is correct. Simply present your favorite model (Old Earth, Young Earth, naturalism, extraterrestrial origins, etc.) and watch the scientific literature to determine which model fits the data the best.
Dr. Ross continued by pointing out the failures of the naturalistic model. Scientists have recognized that science is unable to explain, and have made no significant progress, regarding the origin of the universe, the origin of life, and the origin of human consciousness. Atheists contentions that a creation model is not testable, not falsifiable, and has no predictive power have been shown to be false. Dr. Ross then presented his version of a testable creation model. The model was derived from the six major creation accounts found in the Bible. Other models, which use only the Genesis text, were shown to be scripturally unsound.
Dr. Fuz Rana and Dr. Ken Samples presented an excellent response to atheist's objections. Dr. Rana discussed the Cambrian explosion and how the recent finds in China make certain the short duration of the Cambrian explosion. Evolutionists objections, such as the lack of soft-bodied fossils before the Cambrian (both poriphera and jellyfish have been found), and the discovery of vertebrates in the Cambrian layers make a naturalistic explanation unreasonable. In fact, 146 of 182 skeletal designs made their appearance during the Cambrian explosion. Dr. Rana also responded to so-called examples of poor design in nature. Recent studies have shown that the Panda's thumb is optimally designed for the job it is required to do. The opposable thumb is not designed to accommodate 12 hours/day of scraping leaves from bamboo branches. However, the panda's thumb (modified wrist bones) can accomplish this function without a problem (see 3D animation of the Panda's hand). Richard Dawkins has stated that the human eye is defective in that the photo receptor cells are found behind the neural layer that transmits the signal, thus cutting down the efficiency of photon detection. However, recent evidence shows that the arrangement is necessary, since the receptor cells must be next to an adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients. Directly behind the receptor cells is a large capillary bed that supplies the voracious metabolic needs of those cells. In addition, the presence of the neural layer in front of the photo receptor cells prevents over-bleaching of the receptor pigments, which would incapacitate the visual apparatus. If the system were arranged the way Dawkins suggested, it would not work at all! A more complete report on the vertebrate eye is available from this site.
Numerous poster presentations/workshops were given the afternoon of the last meeting day, including two by myself. These are available at the GodAndScience.org website:
Teaching Apologetics to Young Children (PowerPoint presentation)
I had the opportunity to meet many people from all over the United States. In fact, about one third of the attendees came from outside of California. Nobody was disappointed by the conference. People were excited at the prospect of sharing the information with others to help break down the barriers to faith. I hope some of you get a chance to go to the conference next year. I expect it to be larger and even more exciting than this year.
Last updated March 31, 2008

domain: biology


September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and in this week’s episode, the Bosses tackle the often difficult topic with the help of therapist Vanessa Pierre-Parker.
As voice actors and entrepreneurs, we are in a higher risk category for suicide and other mental health concerns. Vanessa & The Bosses talk about depression, anxiety, and the warning signs of suicide. It is important to de-stigmatize the conversation about mental illness and talk about resources that can help someone who is struggling.
If you or someone you know needs help please call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK or visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
- As voice actors and entrepreneurs – we are in a high risk categories for suicide
- Warning signs of depression or thoughts of suicide are different for everyone
- Ask if you are unsure, and more often than not, they will be willing to answer
- Asking if someone is alright is only part of it- you also have to really LISTEN to their feedback.
- It’s best to address these questions in person rather than on social media. Its about privacy.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help


text:
Prompt month WTI crude oil futures briefly fell below $50.0 on Monday and settled at the lowest level since April 2. The deal with Iran has led to fresh concerns about the global supply glut and most technical factors are negative. RBOB gasoline is lending some support, but on balance, the decline is poised to extend into the mid- and possibly low-$40s where the March 18th low of $42.03 would be challenged.
Prices broke lower out of the near perfect intraday bearish flag discussed last week. September WTI futures, which will become the prompt month on Wednesday, also settled below key support at $50.6 on Monday. This was the 1.618 projection of the wave $64.45 – 57.09 – 62.51. This is likely Wave I of a five wave trending pattern that should unfold to at least $47.0 and possibly $42.5. The five-wave pattern is not perfect, but the close below $50.6 and the bottom of Wave III leaves little room for any other interpretation.
When a five-wave pattern forms at least two of the three impulse waves (I, III, or V) should be equal. At $47.0 Waves I and V will be equal and at $42.5 Waves III and V will be equal. Structurally, both $47.0 and $42.5 fit the structure of the five-wave pattern because $47.0 is the 0.618 projection of Wave III, $62.51 – 50.95 – 54.35 and $42.5 is the 2.764 projection for Wave I.
It is important to note that $42.5 is the lowest that the five-wave pattern projects. Therefore, unless the structure of the wave formation drastically changes, it is not likely that prices will fall below $42.5 in coming weeks.
Odds favor the decline, but the market still seems a bit unsure of itself. As stated, there is some support being wrought by RBOB gasoline, but it ended Monday on a negative note by forming an evening star setup. The move down will likely be a grind and small tests of resistance will be commonplace. First resistance is $51.8 followed by $52.8, which is expected to hold. Key resistance is the $54.35 swing high. A close above this would negative the five-wave pattern and open the way for an extended correction and potential recovery to $59.3 and higher.
Our weekly Crude Oil Commentary is a much more detailed and thorough energy price forecast. If you are interested, please sign up for a complimentary four week trial.

domain: finance


text:
Model Hugh Laughton-Scott fronted ‘’Teen Spirit’’, a fashion editorial lensed by photographer Theo Sion for Vogue Hommes’ Spring/Summer 2021 issue.
If you like our blog, please consider buying us a happy coffee by clicking on this link. Thank you! ☺
In charge of styling was Alice Goddard, who for the session selected looks from the likes of Dior Men, Yohji Yamamoto, Wooyoungmi, JW Anderson, Givenchy, Prada, Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, Salvatore Ferragamo, Celine by Hedi Slimane and more.
Hair: Syd Hayes
Make-up: Thom Walker
- Mason Mount and Emilia Boateng cover Tatler UK December 2022 by Ahmed Hassan
- Balmain Resort 2023, vibrant tribute to eternal Egypt
- Jennifer Lopez covers Vogue US December 2022 by Annie Leibovitz


text:
Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler works out during pre-game warmups before the Bulls play the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday October 9, 2012 at the United Center. | Tom Cruze~Sun-Times
Updated: October 30, 2012 10:47PM
The Bulls have exercised its third-year option for the 2013-14 season for Jimmy Butler, the team announced on Tuesday. By exercising Butler’s option, he will be under contract with the Bulls for the 2013-14 season.
The guard-forward combo appeared in 42 games during his rookie campaign and posted averages of 2.6 ppg and 1.3 rpg in 8.5 mpg. He also shot .405 from the floor and .768 from the line. Butler was selected by the Bulls in the first round (30th overall) in the 2011 NBA Draft.


text:
There aren't enough movies like "The Congress," which is also why it's disappointing that it's not a better movie.
There aren’t enough movies like “The Congress,” which is also why it’s disappointing that it’s not a better movie.
It’s a bold sci-fi movie that segues from live-action to animation — not enough animated movies aimed at grownups, if you ask me — and it has an intriguing premise. It’s stylish and dazzling, but eventually stumbles into incoherency.
Robin Wright plays herself. Well, she plays a version of herself, an aging actress who is seeing fewer offers. When she meets with the sleazy head of (fictional-ish) Miramount Studios (Danny Huston), he offers her “the last contract you’ll ever have.”
“Already?” Wright replies. “I’m not even 45.” Ah, Hollywood …
Miramount wants to buy the digital likeness of Wright. They’ll create fully digitized versions of her to star in movies — even the younger “Princess Bride” era Wright — and she must agree to never act again. Anywhere.
After wrestling with the creepy conundrum, Wright decides to move ahead with the plan. Then things get weird. And animated.
Director Ari Folman (of the Oscar-nominated “Waltz with Bashir”) sets an unsettling tone with the live-action first act before a seriously trippy segue into a dystopian future where Miramount allows people to alter their experiences. (I think “altered experiences” may be part of the target market for this movie, so keep that in mind.)
The hand-drawn animation style is a gorgeous throwback to the style of the animated sequences of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” with a dose of R. Crumb’s style. But things get heady quickly after the crossover, and all the dazzling eye candy makes the unfolding plot even harder to follow.
Wright is a fine choice in the lead as an actress who is still primarily known for her roles from two decades ago (“The Princess Bride” and “Forrest Gump”), although her resurgence on “House of Cards” undercuts the “has-been” actress angle a bit.
“The Congress” raises some interesting points about our obsession with youth and fame, and it’s a pretty picture. It’s also kind of a mess.
Opens Friday at the Gateway
2 1/2 stars out of 4

domain: entertainment


text:
Finding the Balance
The sandwich generation faces unique challenges. For many, meeting needs is a matter of finding a balance.
Have A Question About This Topic?
Important as it is, Medicare does not cover the full range of health-care expenses you may experience in your golden years.
Estimate how long your retirement savings may last using various monthly cash flow rates.
One or the other? Perhaps both traditional and Roth IRAs can play a part in your retirement plans.

domain: economics


BHOPAL: An infant, who was allegedly transfused contaminated blood components from a private blood bank, died at Hamidia hospital here on Thursday.
According to department of paediatrics acting HoD Dr Dr J Shrivastava, "Week-old infant was brought from Vidisha with early-onset sepsis and was on ventilator life support since Monday."
After the transfusion, severely underweight infant went into respiratory arrest and he was constantly bleeding, she added. Dr Shrivastava ruled out the possibility of blood components contamination.
On September 9, the infant after blood component transfusion suffered anaphylactic reaction generally caused by lack of strict medical monitoring during transfusion. A day later, Gandhi Medical College dean Dr Bhanu Dubey ordered a probe into lapses in treatment. Dr Dubey was not available for comment.
"We feel cheated and hopefully the investigations would shed light on how my son died," said Hemant Pateria. In an apparent cover-up, hospital authorities had asked Pateria to submit all documents related to investigation earlier on Monday. Blood components were purchased from a private blood bank after Pateria was turned away by government blood bank at Hamidia hospital.
Bhopal Blood Bank director Dr Raja Maity said one unit of platelet and plasma was sold to Pateria.


|Publication number||US7492730 B2|
|Application number||US 11/109,563|
|Publication date||Feb 17, 2009|
|Filing date||Apr 19, 2005|
|Priority date||Apr 19, 2005|
|Also published as||US20060233120|
|Publication number||109563, 11109563, US 7492730 B2, US 7492730B2, US-B2-7492730, US7492730 B2, US7492730B2|
|Inventors||Hagai Eshel, Itai Yad Shalom, Eran Decker, Moshe Lipsker, Rivka Rotkovitch|
|Original Assignee||Polycom, Inc.|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (9), Non-Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (27), Classifications (16), Legal Events (5)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
The subject matter of the present disclosure relates to multimedia multipoint conferencing and more particularly to a system and method for establishing and controlling a multimedia communication session between a plurality of endpoints located at different sites with a plurality of multipoint control units (MCUs).
Under the current “Global Village” trends, large corporations are distributed all over the world and have several sites, campuses, or zones situated in different states, countries, or continents. Companies and organizations are increasingly encouraging the use of audio/video conferencing as well as multipoint conferencing to improve communication and efficiency within the company. Therefore, large companies invest large sum of money to establish private communication networks in each site and between sites of the corporations. The communication networks include packet-based networks and/or circuit switch networks.
To establish the private communication networks, large companies distribute a large number of multimedia endpoints throughout the company. Usually, one or more multipoint control units (MCUs) are purchased to serve the internal multipoint multimedia conferencing needs of these endpoints. The MCUs can be installed in one or more different company sites (e.g., at a particular company building, or within a city or region) to generally serve the multipoint needs of the endpoints local to that site. The result is that the various MCUs of the company may be distributed throughout a large region, such as throughout a country or throughout the globe.
As is known in the art, a multimedia endpoint is a terminal on a network. The multimedia endpoint is capable of providing real-time, two-way audiovisual communication with other terminals or an MCU. An endpoint provides speech only, speech and video, or speech, data and video. As is known in the art, an MCU is a conference control entity located in a node of the network or in a terminal. The MCU receives several media channels from access ports. According to certain criteria, the MCU processes audiovisual and data signals and distributes them to the connected channels. Examples of MCUs include the MGC-100, which is available from Polycom Inc. Additional information about the MGC-100 can be found at the website of www.polycom.com, which is incorporated herein by reference. A more thorough definition of an endpoint (terminal) and an MCU can be found in the International Telecommunication Union (“ITU”) standards such as but not limited to the H.320, H.324, and H.323 standards, which are incorporated herein by reference. (The ITU is the United Nations Specialized Agency in the field of telecommunications. Additional information regarding the ITU can be found at the website address of www.itu.int).
Several techniques have been used to improve the usage and the efficiency of multimedia multipoint communication systems. Some of these techniques improve the process of establishing a communication session by enabling reservation-less calls, ad-hoc calls, virtual meeting rooms, etc. Some of these techniques are disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09/790,577, 10/954,934, and 10/960,337, which are each incorporated herein by reference.
Other techniques improve control of the multimedia multipoint communication network by offering a web server that monitors and controls one or more MCUs (a “Web-Commander” application). Exemplary techniques of web control are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,760,750, which is incorporated herein by reference. Additional techniques have been disclosed for utilizing the resources of one or more MCUs, for cascading one or more MCUs, and generally for improving resource usage of one or more MCUs. See, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09/708,898 and 09/852,438; PCT international published patent applications W002/060126 and WO2005/004481; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0103468, which are each incorporated herein by reference.
However, none of these techniques offers a solution to a global corporation or a global service provider for improving the user experience; for simplifying the process of reserving and establishing a multipoint multimedia session between participants located in different sites or zones; or for improving or sharing the use of resources, thus saving communication expenses.
Therefore, there is a need for system and method for improving the usage of multimedia multipoint facilities of large corporations distributed over two or more sites.
A system and method are disclosed for establishing a multimedia multipoint session between a plurality of sites using a plurality of site-specific or local multipoint control units (MCUs). In one exemplary implementation, a corporation or a global conferencing service provider has a plurality of sites or zones, where each site has a plurality of multimedia endpoints associated with at least one local MCU capable of communication with those associated endpoints. In addition, the corporation or global conferencing service provider has one or more control servers located in one or more of the sites. More than one control server can be used for redundancy and for sharing the load of the conferencing system. In one embodiment of the disclosed system, the control servers communicate with each local MCU located in the different sites of the corporation, such as over an IP network using Internet Protocol (IP).
In an alternative embodiment of the disclosed system, the control server communicates with an administration server in addition to communicating with the local MCUs. The administration server includes, but is not limited to, an administration database of employees of a corporation or customers of the global service provider. In addition, the administration server includes an application useful for scheduling conferences, such as, but not limited to, Microsoft Outlook™. Alternatively, the administration server can communicate with another server that runs the scheduling application. The administration database includes information, including, but not limited to, names, different types of addresses (post, email, telephone, etc.), ID numbers (e.g., employee's ID number, customer's billing number, or customer's ID number), authentication numbers, personal virtual meeting room numbers (PMRN), etc.
In one embodiment of the disclosed system, each local MCU has a dial-in number associated with an entry queue. The dial-in number is a local number for the site in which the MCU is located. Different sites may use different dial-in numbers for their local MCU. Usually, the dial-in number of the entry queue is well known to the employees of the relevant site, and can be published on a web site or distributed to employees in some other fashion. There can be more than one type of dial-in number associated with the same entry queue, where each type is dependent on the type of endpoint used to dial to the entry queue. Exemplary types of dial-in numbers include a telephone number, an ISDN number, a network address, IP address/alias, a URL, or any combination of those.
In an alternative embodiment of the disclosed system, a local MCU has two or more entry queues. Each entry queue is associated with a different conference profile, with one entry queue assigned to multi-site conferences. (More information on the operation of dial-in numbers, entry queues, reserving a conference, providing a reservation-less conference, and controlling one or more MCUs by an IP server are disclosed in the above-incorporated patent and patent application references).
When a user wishes to schedule a multi-site multimedia conference, the user can send an invitation to a group of participants to participate in a multi-site conference. Such a user can be referred to as the initiator, chairperson, or moderator of the conference. The invitation can include the date, time, subject of the conference, a conference password if needed, and a conference identifier or numerical identification, which is referred to herein as a “conference ID.” The conference ID is a unique identifier or number for each multi-site conference, and the same conference ID is used in all the sites of the organization (the corporation or the service provider) for a given multi-site conference. The invitation may or may not be sent in parallel to the control server.
The unique conference ID can be the employee ID number of the moderator of the conference or a personal virtual meeting room number (PMRN) granted to certain employees according to their position in the organization, for example. In a similar way, the conference ID can be a billing code of a customer of the service provider, or a random number with a certain number of digits that is selected by the moderator or automatically generated. Accordingly, the conference ID can be any unique identifier for a multi-site conference.
When the time for the multi-site conference has arrived, an invited participant dials the local dial-in number of the local MCU of the participant's site. If the local MCU has two or more dial in numbers, the invited conferee dials the local dial-in number associated with the appropriate profile of the conference. Each local MCUs is configured to welcome a new caller and to place the call in the entry queue. The call is retrieved from the entry queue according to its position in the queue, and an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) session is initiated with the new caller. The new caller is requested to enter the conference ID of the conference and to enter a password, if required.
The local MCU is preferably configured to authenticate the new caller. At the end of the authentication stage, the local MCU determines whether to connect or reject the call. In an alternative embodiment, the parameters received from the new caller during the IVR session are transferred to an administration server for authentication. The local MCU proceeds with the call according to the results of the authentication process returned from the administration server.
If authentication is successful, then the local MCU searches for any existing conference having the same conference ID entered by the new participant as a precursor to cascading the local MCUs together to form a multi-site conference). If such a conference exists, the new call is added to the found conference. If there is no conference with the same conference ID, then a conference with this conference ID is established, and the new caller is added. (As used in the present disclosure, a “conference” refers to the situation where one or more endpoints have connected to an MCU. In other words, “conference” not only refers to the situation where two or more endpoints have connected to an MCU, but also refers to the situation where only one local endpoint (e.g., only one participant) has connected to an MCU. It is in this spirit that the term “conference” is intended to be understood throughout the present disclosure.)
The same process takes place for each participant in each one of the local MCUs involved in the multi-site conference. In parallel and in the background of the activity of the MCUs and the new callers, the control server polls (e.g., runs a periodic or triggered search) of each local MCU using an application program interface (API) of the MCU. Each local MCU is requested to deliver its status, which includes a list of existing conferences. For each conference, the MCU reports the conference ID, number of connected local endpoints, connection parameters of the local conference, etc.
After collecting the status of all the local MCUs, the control server searches to see if the same conference ID has been associated with two or more local MCUs. If the same conference ID is associated with two or more local MCUs, and each local MCU has at least one connected endpoint, then the local conferences with the conference ID are deemed to be part of the same conference (i.e., a “multi-site conference”). If such a multi-site conference is found, the control server checks whether one of the local MCU is appointed as a master MCU for that multi-site conference. If none of the local MCUs is already appointed as the master, then one of the local MCUs is selected as a master MCU. The rest of the local MCUs are appointed as slaves MCUs. The master MCU of a multi-site conference is the MCU that is communicating with each one of the other MCUs that participate in this multi-site conference. Each slave MCU is connected as a participant of the multi-site conference conducted over the master MCU.
For each slave MCU to be connected to this multi-site conference, a determination is made whether to instruct the master MCU to call the slave or vice versa to cascade the MCUs together. The determination is based on several criteria, including, but not limited to, the cost of communication between the sites and the availability of resources. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed system, each MCU has a separate dial-in number (MCU dial-in number, an MCU entry queue) used for creating cascading links between the MCUs. If the master MCU is instructed to call a slave MCU, the master dials the slave's MCU dial-in number. If the slave MCU is alternatively instructed to call the master MCU, the slave dials the master's MCU dial-in number.
If a master MCU was previously selected for this multi-site conference, then each local MCU having a local conference with the same conference ID but not yet connected to the master MCU for the multi-site conference is appointed as a new slave MCU. Then, for each new slave MCU, a connection decision is made. The decision can be based on the same criteria as it is disclosed above.
Once the multi-site conference is connected, the system can continue to operate to ensure that the established cascading links are still sensible. This is useful and beneficial because the a multi-site conference is not static: different users and/or sites can log into or out of the conference at different times, and so what initially seemed a sensible way to cascade the multi-site conference between the various MCUs may later not be sensible. For example, once the multi-site conference is established, the control server searches for any local MCUs that do not have any connected endpoints. If such an MCU is found and is a slave MCU, then this slave MCU is instructed to terminate its cascading link with the master MCU, as it is unnecessary in the conference. If such an MCU is found and is a master MCU, then the control server determines whether there are at least two slaves MCUs serving the same conference ID via the master MCU. If this is true, the cascading link remains active. If this is false, the control server instructs the master MCU to terminate the cascading link of the slave MCUs relevant to the conference ID and to terminate the conference, because in this instances the slave MCU is capable of handling the conference on its own. If the conference is a reserved conference, then the decision to reconfigures the conference in these ways can be postponed by a certain grace period from the reservation start time so that the links in the conference are not inadvertently and automatically changed in a manner inconsistent with the reserved conference.
If one of the reported connection parameters indicates that one of the cascaded links in the multi-site conference has disconnected, the control server starts a reconnection process. The reconnection process includes several options performed one after the other until a connection is set. The process starts by returning on the same path, different paths, or different types of networks (e.g., IP or ISDN).
In an alternative embodiment in which two or more control servers are used in parallel, each control server can run independently from the others. The period between the surveys or polls can be the same for each control server. However, the control servers are preferably configured to start their surveys in a shifted time frame compared to each other.
In one embodiment of the disclosed system, a control server is configured to have a central table with all necessary information related to the current local conferences conducted over the sites of the corporation. An entry for a local conference includes, but is not limited to, a conference ID, a master/slave indication, connection information, and an MCU ID number for the conference. In an alternative embodiment, each local MCU is configured to name a link to other local MCUs related to a multi-site conference, wherein the name includes connection parameters of the cascading link. In such an embodiment, a central table is not needed, because information regarding the multi-site conferences at the local MCUs is shared via these link names. In a further embodiment, the information regarding the multi-site conference is saved in a table in each MCU. In such an embodiment, the local MCU delivers a copy of this table to one or mores control servers when needed.
The foregoing summary is not intended to summarize each potential embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure, and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the embodiments with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.
Furthermore, although specific exemplary embodiments are described in detail to illustrate the inventive concepts to a person skilled in the art, such embodiments are susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms. Accordingly, the figures and written description are not intended to limit the scope of the inventive concepts in any manner.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be more readily understood from reading the following description and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
In the exemplary embodiment of
In one embodiment of the disclosed system 100, the control server 112 is a web server that can communicate with each local MCU 116 over an IP network 120 using Internet Protocol (IP). Communicating with the MCU 116 is done via an application program interface (API) module (not shown), which is part of the MCU 116. In one embodiment of the disclosed system 100, the control server 112 is a dedicated server for performing cascading of multi-site conferences, but may also be embedded in one of the MCUs 116, or may comprise applications sharing a single web server. For example, the single web server can perform additional conferencing applications and can be used for managing reservation-less calls, ad-hoc calls, virtual meeting room, monitor and control the MCUs (“Web-Commander”), etc., as disclosed in the above-incorporated patents and patent application references.
In an alternative embodiment, the control server 112 can communicate with an administration server of the corporation or the global service provider (not shown) in addition to communicating with the MCUs 116. The administration server includes an administration database of employees or customers of the global service provider and includes a scheduling application, including, but not limited to, Microsoft Outlook™, for example. Alternatively, the administration server can communicate with another server that runs a scheduling application. The administration database includes personal information, including, but not limited to, names, different types of addresses (e.g., post, email, telephone, etc.), ID numbers (e.g., employee's ID numbers, customer's billing numbers, or customer's ID numbers), authentication numbers, and personal virtual meeting room numbers (PMRN). More information on the operation of the control server 112 is disclosed below in conjunctions with
Next, one or more control servers (112;
As noted above, aspects of the process 150 for establishing the multi-site conference are performed by a control server.
In one embodiment, the control server 200 is embedded within a server that performs additional functionality for controlling multimedia conferences. For example, the control server 200 can be embedded in a server used for servicing reservation-less calls, ad-hoc calls, virtual meeting room, or embedded in a server used for monitoring and controlling one or more MCUs. The other applications module 210 can perform these functionalities, as are disclosed in the U.S. patents and patent applications references incorporated above.
Among other application modules 210, the control server 200 includes an MCU monitoring module 220, a public channel module 230, a cascading manager module 240, a MCU database 250, and a bank 260A-C of auto cascade processes for multi-site conferencing (i.e., for an conference ID). These various modules of the control server 200 will be discussed in turn.
Public channel module 230 is a communication module for communicating with an API module 117 of each one of the MCUs 116. In an embodiment in which the network 270 for communicating between the control server 200 and the MCUs 116 is an Internet Protocol (IP) network, then the public channel module 230 uses communication protocols, including, but not limited to, TCP/IP or UDP/IP. In an alternative embodiment where the network 270 is not an IP network, then the public channel module 230 is adapted to the protocol used over that other network. For example, if the network 270 that connects the MCUs 116 with the control server 200 is based on telephony, then the public channel module 230 includes a modem for calling each one of the MCUs 116, which also has a modem (not shown).
The MCU monitoring module 220 stores information on local conferences currently conducted over the local MCUs 116. Collecting the stored information can be done periodically or can be triggered by the cascading manager module 240. In another embodiment, each one of the MCUs 116 can initiate the process of collecting the stored information. In such an embodiment, the control server 200 and the MCUs 116 can use “subscribe/notify” mechanisms, which are disclosed in SIP RFC 3265, which is incorporated herein by reference. In particular, a notification is sent from a MCU 116 to the control server 200 when a conference is initiated or terminated. More information on “subscribe/notify” mechanism can be found at the SIP web site.
In one embodiment of the control server 200, the MCU monitoring module 220 communicates via the public channel module 230 with each one of the local MCUs 116 and requests the status of each local conference currently conducted by the MCU 116. Among other parameters, the status of each local conference includes a conference ID and includes a list of participants including their link name. The list of participants also indicates any of the local MCUs 116 that have already been cascaded to one or more multi-site conferences. The information from the local MCU 116 is organized in a monitoring table 222 associated with the local MCU 116. At the end of the process, the MCU monitoring module 220 can have a plurality of monitoring tables 222 corresponding to the number of local MCUs 116 in the sites, zones, or groups of local MCUs associated with the control server 200. Each monitoring table 222 is used later by the cascading manager module 240 while establishing (or searching for changes in) the one or more multi-site conferences, as disclosed below in conjunction with
When one of the other applications 210 is a “Web-Commander” application, the MCU monitoring module 220 requests that the “Web-Commander” application 210 deliver the status of each one of the local conferences on each one of the local MCUs 116. Such requests can be done periodically or can be triggered by the cascading manager module 240. The Web-Commander application 210 is adapted to automatically monitor the local conferences on each one of the MCUs 116. The MCU monitoring module 240 organizes the information received from the Web-Commander 210 into the monitoring tables 222.
MCU database 250 includes information on the relevant local MCUs 116. For each MCU 116, the database 250 has parameters, such as but not limited to, a dial-in number used for cascading by another MCU 116, information about available resources (e.g., audio, video, data, network interfaces, etc.) of the MCU 116, communication cost to the other MCUs 116 in the groups of MCUs 116, etc. Some of the parameters are configured while installing the control server 200 or can be manually updated. The dial-in number can have one or more options. For example, one dial-in number can be used as a main number and another dial-in number can be used for an optional connection. Some of the parameters, such as the available resources, can be updated via operation of the control server 200. For example, the available resources can be updated via communication with one or more gatekeepers, SIP proxy or application servers (not shown) that are associated with the disclosed system.
The cascading manager module 240 manages the process of cascading local MCUs to form one or more multi-site conferences. From time to time, the cascading manager module 240 requests the MCU monitoring module 220 to deliver an updated monitoring table 222. The cascading manager module 240 organizes the received information from the monitoring tables 222 into one central monitoring table 242, which can be sorted, for example, according to conference IDs. Then, the cascading manager module 240 searches for the local conferences in the central table 242 that have the same conference ID and are conducted over two or more local MCUs 116. For each of these local conferences found, the cascading manager module 240 creates an auto cascading process 260. More information on the operation of the cascading manager module 240 and the auto cascading process 260 is disclosed below in conjunction with
If the disclosed system belongs to a global service provider, the moderator registers at the service provider to get a conference ID for the conference. There are cases where the moderator may already be a customer of the global service provider and may have a conference ID to be used when needed. In such an embodiment, the invitation is sent to the other participants by an email, for example, with the time, subject, and the relevant conference ID. In addition, the invitation can include a website address of the global service provider so that each participate can find a dial-in number that is close to his area. More information on virtual meeting rooms and dial-in numbers can be found in U.S. patent and patent applications incorporated above.
During the scheduling process 300, the start time for the multi-site conference can be set to a particular time, or can be established immediately after sending the invitation, amounting to an “ad-hoc call.” Regardless, once the starting time of the multi-site conference has been established, the participants wait for the appropriate time to start the multi-site conference (Block 307). (For an ad-hoc call, the appropriate time can be contemporaneous with the invitation). Once the start time of the multi-site conference has arrived, each participant, including the moderator, starts a call establishment process 310A-C to join the multi-site conference, which can be performed independently and in parallel to other calls.
The call establishment process 310 for a participant starts when the participant calls the dial-in number associated with the local MCU of the participant's site (Block 312). The local MCU associated with this dial-in number responds to the call and starts an IVR session and an authentication process with the participant (Block 314). During the authentication process of Block 314, the conference ID is requested with or without a password. The participant enters the conference ID as input from their endpoint. Then, authentication is accomplished in the local MCU, or the information is transferred to an administration server for authentication.
A determination is made whether the authentication has been successfully performed (Block 320). If the authentication is successful, the local MCU determines whether a local conference with the same conference ID has already been established at the participant's site (Block 322). If already established, then the new caller is added to the established, local conference (Block 324). If a local conference with the relevant conference ID has not been established yet at Block 322, then the local MCU establishes a local conference (Block 326) and adds the new participant (Block 324). After adding the participant to the local conference, the call establishment process 300 for this participant is terminated (Block 330). If the authentication process was unsuccessfully performed at Block 320, then the call is rejected (Block 326), and the process 300 terminates (Block 330). The caller may or may not be informed of the failed authentication.
In an alternative embodiment, the unauthorized participant can be transferred to a “help desk queue” to be served by an operator (Block 328). More information on the call establishment process can be found in the U.S. patent and patent applications incorporated above.
In an alternative embodiment, the searching loop (Block 412) can be initiated by one of the MCUs. For example, each MCU (116;
At the end of the waiting period in Block 408, the process 400 resets a central monitoring table (Block 410). (Such a central monitoring table is shown as element 242 in
The retrieved status information on the relevant MCU is sorted according to the conference ID and is added to the information of other MCUs stored in the central table (242;
At the end of the search, a determination is made whether a conference ID in the central table (242;
If there is one or more conference ID that has two or more entities associated with each one of the IDs, then each group of the local conferences with one of those conference IDs represent local conferences belonging to a multi-site conference needing cascading, and thus an auto cascading process is initiated (Block 432) for each one of the groups. One exemplary auto cascading process for local conferences having the same multi-site conference ID is disclosed below in conjunction with
After organizing the different parameters of the multi-site conference, a search of each identified MCU is made for links to “real participants” (Block 506), i.e., a link to an endpoint as opposed to a link to another MCU. Afterwards, a determination is made whether there are two or more MCUs each with at least one real participant (Block 510). If not (e.g., if only a first participant has called in to his local MCU), the duration of the conference in each one of these MCUs is compared to a predefine value ‘DT’ (Block 520), which can be in the range of a few minutes, for example. This predefined value DT recognizes that a multi-site conference may just have been initiated, such that not all participants have connected. If, therefore, there is at least one MCU with a conference duration less than the predefined value ‘DT’, the current process 500 of auto cascading of the relevant multi-site conference is terminated at Block 562, and the process 500 can be re-initiated in the next loop (Block 412;
If all of the MCUs have a conference duration greater than DT, and there are not two or more with at least one real participant, then the relevant multi-site conference is terminated (Block 525). In this circumstance, it is assumed that enough time has passed to allow participants to connect, or the multi-site conference is effectively ended. Thus, the control server (200;
Returning now to Block 510, if there are two or more MCUs with at least one real participant in each one of them, then a determination is made whether a master MCU has been defined (Block 530). In one exemplary embodiment, the link name indicates whether an MCU is a master or a slave. In an alternate exemplary embodiment, the central table (242;
If there is not a master MCU determined at Block 530, then one of the MCUs is defined as a master MCU (Block 532). In one embodiment, selecting an MCU as master is based on several criteria. In one criterion, the MCU that serves the moderator of the multi-site conference can be defined as the master MCU for that multi-site conference. Alternatively, the MCU connected to the first participant to call the conference can be defined as the master MCU. Alternatively, selecting a master MCU can be based on the ID of the MCU (e.g., the highest ID number in the group can be defined as the master MCU), or can be based on picking the MCU with the most free resources. Other embodiments can use any combination of these methods. For example, the moderator's MCU can be defined as the master, and the MCU of the first participant can be defined as the master if the moderator has not called-in yet.
After defining the master MCU for the multi-site conference at Block 532, the cascading links between the master MCU and the slave MCUs are defined (Block 534). Defining the links is based on information stored in the MCUs database (250;
In one exemplary embodiment, a link name is given to each one of the cascading links in each of the MCUs involved in the relevant multi-site conference. The link name includes connection information. For example, a link name can have the following structure: [Current MCU ID number] [Other MCU type M/S] [Other MCU ID Number] [Primary or Secondary connection 1/2] [conference ID]. ‘M’ stands for Master MCU, ‘S’ stands for slave MCU, ‘1’ stands for primary connection (e.g., a connection over an ISDN), and ‘2’ stands for secondary connection (e.g., a connection over an IP network).
The present disclosure will now discuss an exemplary implementation to illustrate the technique of defining link names. In the example implementation, a multi-site conference taking place over three different sites may use three MCUs and have the conference ID number “9322672.” Assuming that a total of six MCUs are connected to system, the three MCUs being used in conference 9322672 may be MCU #02, MCU #04, and MCU #05.
The selected master MCU for this conference may be MCU #04. The master MCU #04 has a cascading link for each slave MCU. The link names for those links can be [S] and [S], for example. These link names show that MCU #02 is connected via the secondary connection type. It should be noted that the MCU ID # and the connection type are pointers to the appropriate location in the MCUs database (250;
Each slave has one cascading connection relevant to the conference link to the master MCU. For MCU #02, for example, the link name can be [M]. For MCU #05, the link name can be [M]. When two or more control servers (112;
In an alternative embodiment, the central table (242;
After defining the cascading link in Block 534 of
Returning now to Block 530, if there is a master MCU for the multi-site conference with the appropriate conference ID, then a determination is made whether there is an MCU that has a conference with the same conference ID, that has not been appointed as a slave, and that, therefore, does not have a link to the master MCU assigned for the multi-site conference (Block 540). If such an MCU is found, the process 500 proceeds to Blocks 534 and 536 to define the cascading link and the cascading command for each MCU lacking a link name.
If all the MCUs associated with the relevant conference ID have cascading links at Block 540, then a loop is started on all of the cascading links associated with the relevant conference ID (Block 550). The status of the connection is analyzed and checked (Block 552), and a determination is made whether the connection is disconnected (Block 554). If the connection is still connected, a determination is made whether additional cascading links exist (Block 560). If the connection is disconnected at Block 554, the process 500 returns to Block 550 to check the next cascading link. If there are no additional cascading links at Block 560, then the process 500 terminates (Block 562).
If the connection status indicates that the link has been disconnected at Block 554, then a reconnection command is sent. The reconnection command uses the same connection path as the previous link. Alternatively, the reconnection command uses another cascading link defined at Block 556. The other cascading link uses another type of connection (network) than the one defined in the previous connection. Then, an appropriate link names is set for each side of the connection, the master side as well as for the slave side. A cascading command reflecting the new connection is prepared and sent to the master MCU and the relevant slave (Block 556). The process 500 then proceeds to Block 560.
Different layouts (i.e., the view of the various speakers as sent to the display at the endpoints) can be used in a multi-site conference. In this mode, each slave MCU sends the video and the audio of a participant that was selected as the speaker of the part of the local conference conducted over the slave MCU. The master MCU selects for the multi-site conference the speaker(s) from these local speakers sent by the slave MCUs, and distributes the audio and the video of such speaker(s) to the slave MCUs. (Preferably, similar treatment would be accorded the speaker and participants of the master MCU, which can serve a dual master/slave function). Alternatively, the master MCU can receive all audio and video and pick participants to appear in the layout without assistance from the slave MCUs. Of course, the layout used in the multi-site conference can vary according to user preferences, and can be structured in many different ways, as one skilled in the art will appreciate.
“Cascading” of MCUs as used herein should not be understood as implying a direct connection between multipoint control units so cascaded. It should be understood that cascaded multipoint units can include intervene structures, such as routers, other MCUs, etc.
In the present disclosure, the words “unit,” “element,” and “module” may be used interchangeably. Anything designated as a unit or module may be a stand-alone unit or a specialized or integrated module. A unit or a module may be modular or have modular aspects allowing it to be easily removed and replaced with another similar unit or module. Each unit or module may be any one of, or any combination of, software, hardware, and/or firmware.
In the description and claims of the present disclosure, “comprise,” “include,” “have,” and conjugates thereof are used to indicate that the object or objects of the verb are not necessarily a complete listing of members, components, elements, or parts of the subject or subjects of the verb. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the subject matter of the present disclosure can be implemented in the form of software for an MCU, additional hardware added to an MCU, or additional software/hardware distributed among MCUs.
It will be appreciated that the above described systems and methods may be varied in many ways, including, changing the order of steps, and the exact implementation used. The described embodiments include different features, not all of which are required in all embodiments of the present disclosure. Moreover, some embodiments of the present disclosure use only some of the features or possible combinations of the features. Different combinations of features noted in the described embodiments will occur to a person skilled in the art. The scope of the invention is limited only by the following claims.
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|U.S. Classification||370/260, 348/14.08, 709/204, 455/416, 379/201.01, 370/261|
|Cooperative Classification||H04M3/56, H04M2203/5054, H04M3/562, H04L12/1822, H04M3/564|
|European Classification||H04M3/56D, H04M3/56G2, H04M3/56, H04L12/18D2|
|Apr 19, 2005||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: POLYCOM, INC., CALIFORNIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:SHALOM, ITAI YAD;DECKER, ERAN;LIPSKER, MOSHE;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:016495/0200;SIGNING DATES FROM 20050418 TO 20050419
|May 24, 2005||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: POLYCOM, INC., CALIFORNIA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:ESHEL, HAGAI;SHALOM, ITAI YAD;DECKER, ERAN;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:016054/0425;SIGNING DATES FROM 20050418 TO 20050509
|Jul 25, 2012||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Dec 9, 2013||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., NEW YORK
Free format text: SECURITY AGREEMENT;ASSIGNORS:POLYCOM, INC.;VIVU, INC.;REEL/FRAME:031785/0592
Effective date: 20130913
|Jul 25, 2016||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8


text:
Valley Yarns 680 Sixth Button Mittens
Colorful and detailed stitch techniques combine in these beautiful, Norwegian inspired Sixth Button Mittens. A picot hem, Latvian braids, corrugated ribbing and traditional Fair Isle all stack up in cool winter colors with a pop of warm green. All proceeds from the sale of this pattern benefit Safe Passage, visit www.safepass.org to learn more.
Finished measurements: 8” around x 10” long, one size fits most
Yarn: 1 skein each of Valley Yarns Huntington (75% Superwash Merino Wool / 25% Nylon, 50g / 218yds) MC - North Sea, CC1 - Arctic, CC2 - Lemongrass
Needles: Set of five US size 1.5 (2.50mm) double-pointed needles
Gauge: 8 sts and 11 rows = 1” in stockinette stitch in the round


text:
The landscape around Vinciguerra Glacier and Laguna de los Témpanos (Ice Floe Lake) is closer to sci-fi than to reality. Explore the unbelievable.
The simplest way to define this remarkable excursion is probably ‘all inclusive’, as travelers will not only be equipped for adventure, but will share anecdotes, feelings and unforgettable images.
On Vinciguerra Glacier
Vinciguerra is one of the largest glaciers in Tierra del Fuego. Walking on its icy surface poses a great challenge and an absolutely extraordinary experience for most.
The added attraction of reaching one of the most spectacular lakes in the province makes this an unbeatable outing.
The excursion might be somewhat more difficult than others, but it is suitable for anyone willing to walk a few hours. Our reward? Getting to know one of the most attractive circuits around the City of Ushuaia.
Lakes and icebergs
The ancient ice
Ice Floes Lagoon
Cave in the glacier
During a whole day of trekking visitors will come in contact with the most representative natural elements of the region. Trails leading through different geographic features such as woods, creeks, lakes and glaciers are a first-hand lesson on the geological evolution and formation of the glaciers.
It is our guides who introduce us to this hitherto unknown world which will soon become part of knowing Patagonia. How were the glaciers formed? Why and how do they melt? Will they become extinct? Are they advancing or retreating? These are but some of the questions which came up as we walked towards our final destination: Laguna de los Témpanos.
The scenery is simply picture perfect though some could consider it a harsh natural environment: lakes undisturbed by the wind, snow capped mountains, crystal clear brooks where trout and beavers abound.
After focusing our energy on walking to the top of a steep slope, we finally reached the lake. We stopped to have a well deserved rest, take some shots and have lunch before setting off in search of further adventures.
We continued on our way to the glacier. The guides helped us attach crampons to our boots to walk safely on the icy surface of the glacier and begin our exploration.
Walking on an ice field is a sci-fi experience. The millenary ice creaked beneath our boots as we went past crevices, huge caves and gulleys bearing witness to the formation of this incredible landscape.
Our guide gave us a master class on glaciations and we were delighted to learn how to tell the difference between the colors, shapes and other characteristics of the ice.
After taking as many snapshots as the memory of our digital cameras allowed, it was time to make our way back. We had seen the famous Laguna de los Témpanos and the living tracks of Vinciguerra Glacier, one of the largest and southernmost on our planet. Quite a feat!
Pablo Etchevers Gentileza Ushuaia Aventura
See more points of interest in Ushuaia

domain: geography