text: Actually no Launch fee but an Admittance fee is required. The dam divides a saltwater river and creates a brackish water lake that has fresh and salt water fishes in it. The farther north away from the dam you go the more fresh the water becomes. The farther from the dam the more LNB you get and the fewer Redfish you get. Mullet and shrimp can be cast netted at the dam for bait..

domain: geography


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Bishop of Alexandria, 373 (Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2000)
Rarely in the history of the Church has the course of its development been more significantly determined by one person than it was by Athanasius in the fourth century. Gregory of Nazianzus called him “the pillar of the Church,” and Basil the Great said he was “the God-given physician of her wounds.” Athanasius was born about 295 in Alexandria, and was ordained deacon in 319. He quickly attracted attention by his opposition to the presbyter Arius, whose denial of the full divinity of the Second Person of the Trinity was gaining widespread acceptance. Alexander, the Bishop of Alexandria, took Athanasius as his secretary and advisor to the first Ecumenical Council, at Nicaea in 325, which dealt with the Arian conflict. Athanasius was successful in winning approval for the phrase in the Nicene Creed which has ever since been recognized as expressing unequivocally the full godhead of the Son: “of one Being with the Father” (homoousios). When Alexander died in 328, Athanasius became bishop. He fearlessly defended the Nicene Christology against emperors, magistrates, bishops, and theologians. Five times he was sent into exile. He often seemed to stand alone for the orthodox faith.
“Athanasius contra mundum (against the world)” became a by-word. Yet, by the time of his last exile, his popularity among the citizens of Alexandria was so great that the Emperor had to recall him to avoid insurrection in the city. Athanasius wrote voluminously: biblical interpretation, theological exposition, sermons, and letters. His treatise, On the Incarnation of the Word of God, is a still widely read classic. In it, he writes, “The Savior of us all, the Word of God, in his great love took to himself a body and moved as Man among men, meeting their senses, so to speak, half way. He became himself an object for the senses, so that those who were seeking God in sensible things might apprehend the Father through the works which he, the Word of God, did in the body. Human and human-minded as men were, therefore, to whichever side they looked in the sensible world, they found themselves taught the truth.”

domain: history


text:
- Lorient -
Click Here to see other items in the Lorient collection.
Sale prices include Free Shipping (48 States) • No Sales Tax
Go to Rug Pads and Roll Runner Services
The digital images we display have the most accurate color possible. However, due to differences in computer monitors, we cannot be responsible for variations in color between the actual rug and your screen.
Shades of Green and Beige
This appealing transitional design brings a striking note of luxury to a wide range of decorating styles. Machine woven in China with a heavy pile of pure New Zealand wool, this rug is hand carved for an exceptional look of quality.

domain: design


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See New York City's identity through my paintings of its individual people. This exclusive book will contain a variety of communities and cultures, living their every-day lives, in one of the biggest cities in the world. The running theme will be "Independence," since the paintings will take place on and around the USA Independence Day. The watercolors will be all done on-location, painted from life!
NOTE:This is currently a PRE-ORDER ITEM and will be shipped once completed. The product images are meant to show scale. The cover will look different than what is shown here. The sample pages are from another book, and are meant to show what the inside pages will look like. The Soul Journal - New York City - Independence 2019 book will also include hands holding the original journal - hands of people from different communities throughout NYC!


LATEST GALAXY A34 5G NEWS
The Galaxy A3x has always been a more affordable alternative to the Galaxy A5x. They’re two sides of the same coin, and in 2023, they once again share some design characteristics, at least around the back panels.
However, this year, the Galaxy A34 5G brings some changes to the internal hardware, and according to benchmarks, the phone is no longer powered by an Exynos chipset. Still, it should be one of the most popular low-cost smartphone picks among Samsung fans.
Samsung’s new Galaxy A34 5G has a flat back panel and display, a slightly curved frame, and three rear-facing cameras, each with its own cutout rather than residing atop a prominent camera hump.
In these regards, the Galaxy A34 5G resembles not only the Galaxy A54 but also higher-end models like the Galaxy S23 and the Galaxy S23+.
The flat back panel and frame come in one of four colors: graphite, lime, violet, and silver. The display bezel seems thinner than they were on the previous model — or at least the lower “chin” does. Speaking of which, the display has an Infinity-U notch for the selfie camera.
The Galaxy A34 5G is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 chipset. The SoC features 6 Cortex-A55 CPU cores, 2 Cortex-A78 high-performance cores, and an ARM Mali-G68 MC4 graphics chip. The phone has 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, but memory options can differ by market.
The device should feature stereo speakers, a USB-C port, 5G connectivity, and a 5,000mAh battery with 25W fast charging support. The Galaxy A34 5G is IP67-certified against dust and water ingress.
There may also be an Exynos 1280 variants in limited markets, but availability details are yet unknown. However, even in Europe, the Galaxy A34 5G is said to feature the Dimensity 1080 SoC.
Same as the 2022 model, the Galaxy A34 5G has an Infinity-U display design. The panel measures 6.5 inches and has a Full HD+ resolution along with a 90Hz refresh rate.
Underneath the 6.5-inch display, the Galaxy A34 5G sports a fingerprint reader for biometric authentication.
Similar to the Galaxy A54, Samsung has removed the depth camera for the 2023 Galaxy A34 model. The phone now has three rear-facing cameras.
The main camera array includes a 48MP primary shooter, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 5MP macro camera.
Software and Features
The Galaxy A34 5G is one of the most affordable Samsung phones to run on Android 13 and One UI 5.0 at launch.
One UI 5.0 comes with a new lock screen customization menu, a refreshed Settings app, and several other minor aesthetic improvements. The phone also takes advantage of RAM Plus, which allows users to repurpose some storage as virtual RAM for improved multitasking.
Availability and Price
Pricing and availability details for the Galaxy A34 5G are presently unknown.
Downloads and Resources
SamMobile offers many free resources to Galaxy device owners, including official firmware files that can be used for manually updating Galaxy devices.
LATEST GALAXY A34 5G NEWS


It’s been almost a year since I had posted anything on my blog, due to various reasons. In all honesty, breaking that hibernation was harder than what I expected. Anyways…
Management Report CU16 has been released and is now available for download. Here’s the post from Dynamics CPM Team: Management Report CU16 Now Available
CU16, like my own absence from community activities, has come after almost one year. And this release indeed seems to be substantial. Following is the fixes list:
- Change tracking only gets enabled on the first Microsoft Dynamics GP company database.
- Wildcards and ranges doesn’t return all valid dimension combinations.
- Dimension filter uses an OR condition instead of an AND in different scenarios when two dimensions are specified.
- Dynamics GP: Management Reporter is performing a count query before actual query, doubling the query cost with data mart.
- Dynamics GP: Management Reporter fact integration slow when posting large Analytical Accounting batches.
- Dynamics GP: GP data validation is not working for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2016.
- Dimension filter uses an OR condition instead of an AND if using a dimension value that does not exist.
- Dynamics GP: Unable to create GP integration with GP 2016 Dexterity Shared Components.
- Dynamics GP: Yes/No Analytical Accounting dimension not working or integrating correctly in the Management Reporter data mart.
- Report generation fails when using a dimension value setting in the reporting tree based on MainAccount.
- MR CU15 Known Issue – @DateLong AutoText header displays day of week in web viewer.
- Report generation fails when there is a duplicated name for a dimension value.
I have removed all Dynamics AX related fix references. Full list can be found here: Management Report CU16 Fix List (PartnerSource/CustomerSource Access Required)
About the new features, most important one is the support for HTTPS & SSL deployment, for more data security.
I am gonna go ahead, download CU16 and upgrade my test environment, to experience the fixes and features.
I strongly suggest to whoever still use MR to do the same.


text:
Welcome, and Take A Sip (From our Bento Box)
Welcome to Dragon’s Lore – the official blog for Dragon Ranch Moonshine & BBQ! We look forward to bringing you tidbits on all of the sights, sounds and sips from our venue right to you. Look for behind-the-scenes videos, exclusive recipes and BBQ trivia right here each week!
Speaking of sips, have you heard about our new Whiskey Bento Boxes? They’re truly an innovation, and we are so proud to bring this first-of-a-kind tasting experience to our guests, who can choose from a selection of aged and white whiskeys (including our exclusive brand – read more on that below), paired with a chef’s assortment of fresh seasonal accoutrements, including pickled vegetables, local cheeses and rich chocolates, enhancing and intensifying the flavor of the spirit.
With varieties for every type of whiskey drinker, from novice to seasoned, Dragon Ranch’s bento box portfolio includes over a dozen types of whiskies, such as proprietary recipes created just for – and only available at – Dragon Ranch: smooth White Dragon moonshine, crisp, flavorful Dragon Whip wheat whiskey and spicy, bold Black Dragon rye whiskey, among other notable brands.
Available on dinner and late night menus, Dragon Ranch’s whiskey bento boxes are the perfect addition to any group dining experience. For more information, visit our menu page.

domain: food


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Three of the most important cases currently before the United States Supreme Court – dealing with gay marriage, obtaining blood samples from suspected drunk drivers and legal suits against the government – will be argued by Treasure Valley attorneys before a mock court of College of Idaho students next week.
Nine students, each playing the role of a particular current justice on the court, will barrage local attorneys arguing the cases with questions during the mock court sessions Jan. 14 and 15 on campus. Oral arguments will begin both days at 1:20 p.m. in the Sterry Hall Board Room (3rd floor) and last until approximately 2:20 on Jan. 14 and 3:30 on Jan. 15. Arguments are open to the public.
Kerry Hunter, professor of political economy, said he started the course 18 years ago as a way to introduce students to the Supreme Court.
“Students learn the politics necessary to get and keep a majority opinion, they learn that sometimes you cannot write precisely what you want, that you have to compromise in order to keep the votes needed,” Hunter said. “It also gives them insight into how the court is a political body, that justices are not blindfolded, objective distributers of justice, that their political views really do matter.”
Hunter noted that the course has annually attracted some of The College of Idaho’s most outstanding students, with past participants winning Rhodes and Marshall scholarships (including Amanda Frickle, a 2012 C of I graduate and Rhodes Scholar) and 2012 Truman Scholar winner and C of I senior Tyler Hatch participating on this year’s court.
Six C of I alumni who are practicing attorneys in the Treasure Valley will make arguments before the mock court: Jennifer Shrum and Mark Coonts on Monday will argue Hollingsworth v. Perry, concerning a California law banning gay marriage; Joshua Taylor and Andrew Ellis on Monday will argue Missouri v. McNeely, a case asking whether a law enforcement officer may obtain a nonconsensual blood sample from a drunk driver based upon the natural dissipation of alcohol in the bloodstream; and on Tuesday Joseph Meier and Kirk Houston will argue Levin v. United States, a case asking whether suit may be brought against the United States for battery committed to a civilian by military medical personnel acting within the scope of employment.
Like actual Supreme Court justices, the workload is heavy for students taking the course. Hunter said that during the first week of the course, each student must gain a good appreciation for how the justice he or she is representing thinks and votes as well as read hundreds of pages of briefs before oral arguments begin. Following arguments, the students have just two weeks to write opinions for each of the cases.
Shrum, a 2008 C of I graduate who played the role of Justice Stephen Breyer when she took the course, said the experience introduced her to the rigors of the legal profession.
“Mock Court involved studying and understanding not only my own case but the cases that came before mine,” Shrum said. “Preparation is something that I have had to apply in my own career. Preparation includes studying my case, those cases that have come before mine, and the judge that will preside over my case.”
Though challenging, Shrum said the Mock Court also was enjoyable and recalled using stick figures on a chalk board as a method of explaining a paternity case she presented to the class.
“I feel both nervous and excited to take part as an attorney arguing before the Mock Court,” Shrum said. “I am nervous because I know that the C of I students are both smart and challenging. I am excited because I carried my Mock Court experience with me through law school and I know that it is a memorable class.”
While mock court classes are taught at other colleges, Hunter said he’s unaware of any other courses where students play the role of justices and write opinions that reflect the views of the actual Supreme Court justices.
“We are able to do this kind of thing here because we have excellent students who are well prepared in other classes to think critically and make reasoned arguments,” Hunter said. “It’s really impressive to see our students go toe-to-toe with practicing attorneys and hold their own.”
Founded in 1891, The College of Idaho is the state’s oldest private liberal arts college. It has a century-old tradition of educating some of the most accomplished graduates in Idaho, including seven Rhodes Scholars, three Marshall Scholars, and another ten Truman and Goldwater Scholars. The College is located on a beautiful campus in Caldwell, Idaho. Its distinctive PEAK curriculum challenges students to attain competencies in the four knowledge peaks of the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and a professional field, enabling them to graduate with an academic major and three minors in four years. For more information on The College of Idaho, visit www.collegeofidaho.edu.

domain: news


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I’ve been fortunate enough to lead one of our Closed Support Groups for (Autistic) adults at AANE for the last several years. These reflections are from my perspective as the facilitator; I cannot speak on others’ behalf.
This was actually the first online group for Autistic adults we ran at AANE (we’d offered a couple for parents previously) and we weren’t sure how it’d go. This was pre-covid when using zoom was not the norm it is today. What we did know and feel was the massive need for support among this community. The virtual setting allowed us to reach more people to begin addressing this need, when little or nothing else was available. The groups are small, capped at 12 members, and coupled with the 8 week structure, this allows for a certain trust and intimacy to develop. They use a facilitated peer support model, meaning group members are primarily the ones providing support to one another.
The amount of acceptance, encouragement, vulnerability and wisdom shared by group members has been beautiful to witness. What makes it even more so is the wide array of backgrounds/identities members have. Among the many commonalities, there are vastly different experiences. Life experience is a teacher like no other and when that experience has been marked by pain and struggle, it leads to an incredible amount of empathy. But it would also be a disservice to not acknowledge the sharing of interests and strengths.
Although people can join the group regardless of when or if they have received a professional/official diagnosis, the majority of members have been newly diagnosed (within the last few years). After years and years of not knowing, yet having to navigate as though they received the same guidebook to life bestown to others, this group says yes, you’re different and no, nothing is wrong with you. When you’ve received the message again and again that being different is not okay, it’s going to have an impact. While Autism affirming therapy can be very helpful in addressing this, I’ve heard many members say that the group experience has been equally if not more powerful. Of course everyone’s process is their own.
I have been changed for the better by being the facilitator of this group and I’m looking forward to many more rounds.
Kelly Urban Senior Manager of Individual & Family Services
One area I learned a great deal about through Greg’s sharing his experiences with me is the way self- esteem is affected when one is on the Spectrum. I need to say up front that struggles with self esteem are extremely common for people whether they are on the Spectrum or neurotypical. The foundation of self-esteem begins in early childhood and small children are very vulnerable to taking on beliefs about themselves that will determine whether they feel good about themselves or not when they grow up.
Young children are by their nature self-centered, that is to say that everything they experience is processed as being about themselves. If a child is in an environment where some of their basic needs aren’t met, they are incapable of thinking that they are deserving and worthy of getting their needs met, and the problem is with their circumstances– instead the child will conclude that it is their fault and if they were different (smarter, ‘better’ somehow) they would receive those things. For children on the spectrum, this is often connected to their sense of being ‘different’, and since this is something that the child can’t change, a permanent sense of low self esteem can be an understandable outcome.
Low self-esteem can lead to other mental health issues like depression, difficulties with relationships, employment, and difficulties with taking up for oneself which can lead to being taken advantage of by others. Socially, low self-esteem can often result in becoming withdrawn and isolated. Being around others, whether in social or work environments, is much more stressful when you suffer with low self-esteem and can further contribute to isolation and loneliness.
Since two of the most basic human needs are to love and be loved and to have a place to belong, low self-esteem can make getting these needs met difficult if not seemingly impossible. For this reason, getting help to deal with low self-esteem can make a tremendous difference in a person’s life. Finding a therapist who understands the special ways in which being on the Spectrum affects self- esteem can be the first step to feeling better about oneself and seeing positive change both in your relationship with yourself and others.
In the next installment of The Therapist’s Corner we’ll look at some specific ways to move to better self-esteem.

domain: psychology


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‘Bob Marley: One Love,’ directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, recounts the later life of reggae icon Bob Marley, his music, his struggles, and his message. The biopic kicks off with preparations for the Smile Jamaica concert, intended to foster peace between the warring factions of the nation, but is interrupted by an assassination attempt at Marley’s home. The singer exiles himself to England, working with The Wailers on Exodus and performing in local venues. They play football, gain recognition, and prosper in the city. However, Marley is diagnosed with cancer, and he takes it upon himself to deliver a message that was left incomplete.
Returning to Jamaica in 1978, he performs the One Love concert, becoming a messenger of unity, love, and peace for Jamaica and the world. The film primarily takes us through Marley’s life in Jamaica and London, building a nostalgic atmosphere around the locales visited by the musician. With a convincing recreation of the singer’s journey, the movie sparks curiosity regarding its filming sites, and whether they accurately reflect real accounts.
Bob Marley: One Love Shooting Locations
True to the legendary musician’s journey, ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ was shot at authentic sites across Kingston and London, in Jamaica and England, respectively. Principal photography began on December 5, 2022, and was wrapped by April 28, 2023. Bob Marley’s son, Ziggy Marley, worked closely with the film crew and was present on set every day to ensure the film delivers a faithful portrayal of his father. Let us take a closer look at the shooting locations chosen to recreate the reggae icon’s journey.
The capital city of Jamaica houses the birthplace of Bob Marley, Trench Town, which became a major filming location for the biopic. Located just northwest of downtown Kingston, Trench Town is considered the birthplace of rocksteady and reggae music and was known as the Hollywood of Jamaica in the 1960s. Director Reinaldo Marcus Green had previously worked in the region and already knew the local crew. Their filming process was further expedited by support from the local community and the president of Jamaica. “Going back to Jamaica was a homecoming for me… I knew the crew, the security staff, the drivers. There was a kinship and I felt honoured to shoot in Jamaica.” said director Green in an interview.
Many of the movie’s sequences were shot in the Strawberry Hill resort northeast of Kingston. The location played a significant role in Bob Marley’s life, its lush hilly surroundings and exquisite cottages serving as an idyllic retreat. The property’s pristine wood-paneled structure became a set for multiple scenes in the film, providing safe haven after the attack on Marley’s house. Other scenes of the streets of Kingston, including where he recorded, were shot along Hope Road in the heart of the city. The Jamaican concerts seen in the movie, were shot in Kingston as well.
When it came to lensing scenes of Bob Marley’s house, the filmmakers chose not to make use of the historical property owing to its status as a museum, and due to its surroundings having changed considerably since the 1970s. Instead, the production team made a replica of the house, perfectly mirroring the real property in its early days. It was put together by local crews and gave more access for filming. However, the Caribbean weather presented a major challenge, which was also seen as an opportunity. “It’s 110 degrees in the shade! It’s hot, sweaty, it’s all the elements but I embraced them — it makes it real; it makes it raw. We don’t have to spray sweat on you, it’s real and that’s what makes the film feel raw and authentic and less staged,” said director Green in the aforementioned interview.
The filmmakers began principal photography in London, tracing Marely’s steps and recounting his life in the city, from the places he lived in, to the football field he played in. Marley and The Wailers settled in the house at 42 Oakley Street, Chelsea, where they completed the song “Exodus.” The house and its surroundings are featured in the film in addition to the landmark of Nelson’s column in Trafalgar Square. When Marley is shown to arrive in Paris, the backdrop is actually from One Great George Street in central London. The musician loved to play football, saying it made his world come alive. While in London, he and his crew would often exercise and play at the Battersea Park in southwest London. The movie’s scenes of the same are faithfully depicted at the exact location.
Read More: Best Historical Movies on Netflix

domain: entertainment


text:
A stray bullet
When an elderly man presented to an ED with gross haematuria, doctors were shocked to discover the unlikely trigger.
The 85-year-old dementia patient had a mildly distended abdomen in the suprapubic region.
Further examination also revealed a hard mass on the ventral side of the penis, as well as the presence of septicaemia.
CT of the abdomen and pelvis found that the mass was, in fact, a 6cm-long bullet lodged in the penile urethra (see A and below).


text:
“First Flight” is an abstract representation of optimism and potential; of a person getting ready to take that next step and fly. Their first flight into new and unexplored areas opens a whole new world of excitement, optimism and untold potential. Note: a more detailed commentary is available
“In the Face of Darkness” is an abstract representation of determination and hope; of a person standing strong in the face of challenge and obstacles. It was inspired by my conversations with, and observations of, those who have overcome adversity. Note: a fully detailed description is available.
On the surface, “Uneasy Alliance” proposes a humorous notion that a person could harness and ride a wolf. Bones in the wolf’s stomach suggest caution should be exercised. On an abstract level the work represents the connection of man and nature. The rider represents cultures of the Arctic and […]

domain: artistic


text:
From 1999 to 2016, the suicide rate in the United States increased by a troubling 30%. What’s more, there is a clear gender divide in the prevalence of suicide in the United States-men commit suicide at more than three times a higher rate than women.
The CDC recently released a report showing the suicide rates of various professions in 2015. Given that job and money trouble ranks among the leading causes of suicide, along with Priceonomics customer RegisteredNursing.org, we thought we’d dive deeper into the data and calculate which professions have the highest and lowest suicide rates and how it varies by gender.
We found that the profession with the highest suicide rate is Construction and Extraction, with 52.1 deaths by suicide per 100,000 professionals, a rate that is over 200% higher than the average profession. By a large margin, the profession with the lowest suicide rate is Education, Training, and Library with a suicide rate of 5.3%, nearly 10 times lower than that of construction/extraction professionals.
Additionally, in this data set, the suicide rate for males is 26.0 per 100,000 professionals compared to 7.1 for women. In fact, for all professions we looked at, men had a higher suicide rate.
Before diving into the results, it is worth spending a moment on describing the CDC data we use for calculations. While the report from the CDC was recently released in November of 2018, the most recent time period it covers is 2015. And is just from 22 states.
Perhaps most important to note is that the CDC provides suicide data at the highest level of “major occupational group.” This splits the entire US workforce into just 22 occupations. As a result, many different sub-occupations are lumped together in just one occupation (for example, nursing, doctors, and dentists are all in one occupation).
Across this data set of 22 occupations in 22 states, the suicide rate in 2015 was 16.9 deaths per 100,000 people, an increase of 10% from 2012.
The next chart shows the suicide rate in 2015, split by major occupation group. While 16.9 is the average suicide rate, the rate varies substantially by occupation.
The occupation with the highest suicide rate is Construction and Extraction with 52.1 deaths per 100,000 people, nearly 40% higher than the occupation with the second highest suicide rate. The occupation with the lowest suicide rate is Education, Training and Library with a 5.3 suicide rate compared to 16.9 for the national average.
Health care practitioners and health care support professions see 11 to 12.5 rate per 100,000; this includes nursing professionals.
Do lower paying jobs tend to have higher suicide rates? We next juxtaposed BLS salary data by occupation group with the CDC suicide rates.
In general, there is a small trend that higher paying jobs tend to have lower suicide rates, but the data is too noisy to make a conclusion. Additionally, some of the occupations with the highest suicide rates have salaries comparable to ones with much lower suicide rates. However, none of the highest paying occupations are also ones with high suicide rates, hinting there might be the relationship between pay and suicide rates worth exploring with more data.
The last time the CDC published this suicide rate by profession data was from 2012. How have things changed between then and 2015?The next chart rankings occupations by their increase (or decrease) in suicide rates during this year period:
Given that overall suicide rates increased 10% between 2012 and 2015, it’s not surprising that most of these occupations have had an increase in suicide rates. Nevertheless, a number of occupation have had increases in suicide rates far in excess of the national average; Food Preparation and Serving has seen an increase of nearly 50% and Arts Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media almost 40%.
Any analysis of suicide rates without discussing gender differences will be remiss in overlooking an important point: male dominated industries will have higher suicide rates because men have higher suicide rates than women. The following chart shows suicide rate by gender in 2015 across all occupations.
Men across all occupations have a suicide rate of 26.0 per 100,000 people, three times more than females. So are occupations with high suicide rates just an indication that there are a high percentage of men in that labor pool? Not exactly.
If we break down the suicide rate for each occupation by gender, we notice that even for the same occupation men have a substantially higher suicide rate than women.
For every single major occupation, men have substantially higher suicide rate than women. Not only that, but for most occupations, men commit suicide at a rate 3-5 times higher than women do. So yes, male dominated industries will have higher suicide rates than more balanced ones, but there is still variation in suicide rates by industry that is not explained by gender mix.
Because of impact of gender, let’s conclude by looking at which professions have the highest suicide rates for men and then also for women.
Because men make up most suicides, it’s not surprising that the list of professions with the highest suicide rates for men is similar to the overall list for both genders combined. In fact, the top 5professions with the highest suicide rates for men is nearly identical to the top 5 professions with the highest suicide rates overall (though in a slightly different order).
For women, the professions with the highest suicide rates is substantially different from the men, but in large part because the CDC did not publish the female rates for a number of professions with high suicide rates like Construction and Extraction due to low sample size in women. The following chart shows suicide rates by occupation for women, excludes those occupations:
The occupation with the highest suicide rate among females is Art, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media (this occupation ranked second among men). The occupation that ranked second among women (Protective Services) also ranked highly among men. For women, the industries of Education, Training, Library, as well as Management have the lowest suicide rates (these two professions also have low rates among men). Of note, Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance has low suicide rate among women, but it is 5 times higher for men.
In America, suicide is a rising problem, especially among men. For most professions we looked at, males commit suicide at rate 3-5 times higher than for women. While the national average is 16.9 deaths by suicide per 100,000 people, some professions have suicide rates almost three times higher than that for men. Even among a single gender, there is a huge variance among suicide rates. Higher paying jobs tend to have lower suicide rates, but low pay doesn’t completely explain suicide rates since some professions have about the same compensation but vastly different rates of suicide.
As death rates in America soar from the mental health issues, stress and anxiety, and the Opioid crisis, it’s important not to overlook suicide is rising in America and it’s an issue that we would be remiss not to address.


text: The legal tussle between the state and Exeter Hospital has rubbed at least one patient the wrong way. Peter Sokol of Seabrook says he has been frustrated since learning earlier this summer that he was one of the 32 patients infected with hepatitis C in relation to the outbreak at the hospital. Sokol said he is focused on two things: his treatment and learning more about how he and the other patients were infected with hepatitis C. The former will likely start in January. Sokol believes the latter of his focuses is being slowed by the hospital taking the state to court over the state seeking broad access to the hospital's medical records. The case is scheduled to go before a Merrimack Superior Court on Wednesday, but it's unknown if a ruling will be issued that day.

domain: health


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What can I say about myself? Im tall, blonde, fun and looking for someone to share my life with. I have previously been engaged, but it just didn't work out. You live you learn. Now I am independent, have a house, one great bulldog, friends and more importantly a VERY fun family!!! I am honest, outspoken and willing to stand up for myself or anyone I love and care about!!! I love going out to eat, grilling in my backyard or hanging out a local hole in the bar. My family is big and loud, so we alwasy have fun family get togethers for every holiday. We have fish frys, crawfish/shrimp boils and lots of bbq!!! As far as my job goes, I have a very flexible schedule, except for during vb season, but no worries thats only august thru october, after that its free time, road trips to the hill country and weekends to the beach. Im an outdoors girl that grew up on a farm that likes to get dressed up and go to fancy dinner from time to time. I like beer, red wine and floating the river. I truely am a jack of all trades!
What am I looking for? Someone tall, honest, hardworking but knows when and how to have fun! I also like someone that knows how to take care of themselves. I believe in dressing for success, and also being able to chill in holy jeans and a tshirt! I like tattoos but they are not a must,I have a soft spot for cowboys, or country boys at heart but overall just looking for someone to share life with or a few adventures. I also would like someone who will challenge me, and I challenge them, only makes things more interesting, so If you love outdoor concerts, cold beer, and hanging out on a patio or by a bonfire we just might have a match.
If you didn't know this already, then ill let you know college athletes are the best kind of girls, competitive, fun, strong, and no drama!!! If you don't believe me, just give me a wink, and let's have some fun!!!

domain: hobby


text: So not only does my company produce all the SAW movies, but we are also known for our largest client - Mr. Charlie Sheen. Who is now the highest paid television actor. The owners of our company are his managers and are Executive Producers on the show Two and a Half Men. Now I haven't seen many episodes, but the ones I have seen have made me laugh out loud. This is a brilliantly written show that is just spewing with charisma! I was able to attend a taping of the show on the Warner Bros. lot, where it regularly shoots. It was so much fun being behind the scenes to watch the director and the rest of the crew hard at work. They shot that episode flawlessly and it was a joy to watch the characters come to life right in front of my eyes. After the show was done taping I was able to meet Charlie and hang out on the set. Check out some of the pictures below!


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The Atlanta Braves’ series finale versus the Chicago Cubs slated for Sunday at Wrigley Field was postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up on May 14th.
The Braves will return to SunTrust Park to open up a seven game homestand tonight with an outing against the Philadelphia Phillies. Julio Teheran will be the starting pitcher for Atlanta, while Aaron Nola will head to the mound for Philadelphia. First pitch is set for 7:35 pm. The game will be broadcast on WLAQ AM 1410. Air time for pre-game programming is 6:20 pm from the Braves Radio Network.
In a minor league update, the Rome Braves were rained out in Greenville, South Carolina on Sunday. The team will be in Asheville, North Carolina tonight to face the Tourists at 7:05 pm.
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domain: sports


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PARK CITY, Utah, Sept. 08, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Skullcandy, Inc. (NASDAQ:SKUL), the performance and lifestyle audio brand founded at the intersection of innovation and creative culture, is proud to support Red Bull Media House’s highly-anticipated film, “The Fourth Phase” starring Skullcandy ambassador-owner and iconic snowboarder Travis Rice. “The Fourth Phase,” in production since 2013, follows up 2011’s “The Art of FLIGHT,” one of the most successful action sports film of the last decade.
“The boundaries of what action sports athletes can do and how that story can be told are far beyond what they were when Skullcandy was founded over a decade ago,” said Hoby Darling, Skullcandy President and Chief Executive Officer. “We’re proud to stand behind Travis as he pushes human limits, especially in snowboarding which lies at the heart of our brand heritage, as well as partner with Red Bull Media House on such a technologically progressive film.”
Initiated in 2013 and captured entirely in 4K or higher Ultra HD, “The Fourth Phase” carves a fresh path, using an artistic blend of action, story, and cinematography to bring this stunning feature to life. The launch of the film coincides with the expansion of Skullcandy’s heralded Crusher™ technology, designed to redefine multimedia experiences through innovative Stereo Haptic Bass and unprecedented immersion. Crusher Wireless, launching this holiday, delivers on this promise by transforming music, films like “The Fourth Phase” and other content into a deeply immersive audio experience.
“Whether it's exploring outside the mountains, studying the hydrological cycle, or simply shoveling snow, immersion of attention is necessary to elevate the experience,” said Rice. “Music has always been my tool for hyper focus. It helped me stay dedicated over the four year course of making this film. I love collaborating with Skullcandy for this reason, and there’s something particularly special about how Crusher keeps me in the moment.”
The exclusive “The Fourth Phase” screening tour begins with a world premiere in Los Angeles, California on September 8th leading up to Red Bull TV’s global premiere of the film on October 2nd. Prior to film screenings, Skullcandy and GoPro invite attendees to try a virtual reality activation that allows them to experience Alaska like Rice did during the filming of “The Fourth Phase.” The viewer can participate in within-the-scene spherical content captured by GoPro OMNI VR rig and multisensory immersive audio through Crusher VRA, Skullcandy’s Virtual Reality Audio headphone launching Spring 2017.
Learn more at http://www.skullcandy.com.
Founded at the intersection of music, sports, technology and creative culture, Skullcandy® creates world-class audio and gaming products for the risk takers, innovators, and pioneers who inspire us all to live life at full volume. From new innovations in the science of sound and human potential, to collaborations with up-and-coming musicians and athletes, Skullcandy lives by its mission to inspire life at full volume through forward-thinking technologies and ideas, and leading edge design and materialization. Skullcandy designs, markets, and distributes audio and gaming headphones and other accessory-related products under the Skullcandy and 2XL® brands. The Company's products are sold and distributed through a variety of channels around the world from its global locations in Park City, Tokyo, Zurich and Mexico City, as well as through partners in some of the most important cultural and sports hubs in the world. The Company's website can be found at http://www.skullcandy.com.
About “The Fourth Phase”:
In Red Bull Media House’s “The Fourth Phase,” iconic snowboarder Travis Rice embarks on a journey around the North Pacific, immersing himself in the hydrological cycle. With a crew of snowboarding’s most innovative riders, he travels from his home base in Wyoming, across the Pacific to Japan, north to Russia, and over to Alaska, discovering more than new terrain. Cutting-edge cinematography captures the captivating drama and thrilling action for an immersive cinematic experience that one would expect from the team that created “The Art of FLIGHT.”
“The Fourth Phase” is made possible with the amazing support of film partners including DC, Dolby, GoPro, Quiksilver, Skullcandy, and Toyota. www.TheFourthPhase.com
CONTACT: CLAUDIA GARCIA // AZIONE // Claudia@azionepr.com // 973-896-7272


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Cost of living in Kaposvár, Hungary compared to Aarau, Switzerland
|Personal Care||- 66%|
WARNING! This comparison is based on only a few data points. At this point it is only a guess. It is based on 54 prices entered by 9 different people.
These prices were last updated on November 17, 2018. Exchange rate: 0.00354 CHF / HUF
Do you live in Aarau? We need your help!
Cost of living in Kaposvár (Hungary) is 73% cheaper than in Aarau (Switzerland)
For example, to keep the same standard of living that would require CHF 6,500 in Aarau you would need to make just about CHF 1,757 (496,873 Ft) in Kaposvár.
Recent Prices Added
- Monthly rent - 900 sqft furnished accommodation in expensive area in San Antonio, Texas costs $661 (37 minutes ago)
- Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district in San Nicolás de los Garza costs Mex$ 90 (44 minutes ago)
- Monthly rent - 85 m2 furnished accommodation in expensive area in Montreal costs C$500 (about 1 hour ago)
- Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district in San Jose, California costs $15 (about 1 hour ago)
- Monthly rent - 85 m2 furnished accommodation in expensive area in Jelgava costs €600 (about 2 hours ago)
- Ipad wi-fi 128gb in Dresden costs €399 (about 2 hours ago)

domain: travel


text:
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Moscow, May 27, Interfax - Gay rights activists came to blows with homophobes in Moscow's so-called "Hyde Park" on Saturday, with about 15 people being detained by police, a spokesman for the city police authority said.
All the detainees were taken to police stations, the spokesman told Interfax.
"Hyde Park" is an area near Moscow's Gorky Park.
There were other arrests on Saturday during an abortive gay rights parade in the center of the Russian capital that had not been permitted by the city administration.
"About 30 followers and opponents of the lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender [LGBT] movement have been detained in the city center for various violations of public order, including an attempt to hold an unsanctioned event," a spokesman for the city police authority told Interfax.


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Allbridge, a cross-chain bridge that lets customers switch property between completely different blockchain networks, at this time introduced $2 million in funding led by Race Capital. Allbridge affords a easy technique to bridge tokenized property between Ethereum Digital Machine (EVM) and non-EVM appropriate blockchains.
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Based by Andriy Velykyy and Yuriy Savchenko, who’ve labored collectively since 2016 on many alternative crypto funds integrations and non-custodial multi-chain crypto wallets, Allbridge goals to attach every kind of layer-1 and layer-2 networks to carry extra interoperability to DeFi.
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Allbridge allows customers to pick out the community they need to present the liquidity to with simply a few clicks–at any time when and wherever they need.

domain: finance


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By Tony Floor
Fishing Affairs Director
Northwest Marine Trade Association
Ahhh, February… Valentine’s Day… chocolate, flowers and chinook. That’s right baby, it’s blackmouth time in the Strait, Admiralty Inlet and all points north. Remember, chinook love chocolate, in the shape of a herring and a few Valentine’s Day flowers work perfect around a seafood platter with a piece of fresh grilled winter blackmouth shared with friends. Yeah, bring on Valentine’s Day!
For decades, fishing the saltwater salmon scene in February has filled my mind with great memories of trips to the Strait, particularly in the western Strait, up at Sekiu when these waters traditionally open on February 16. My mentor, Frank Haw, introduced me to Sekiu in February, when he would circle up some of the boys for a trip to Sekiu, nestled into the west end of Clallam Bay. Northwest Indian folklore suggests Clallam Bay means “calm water.” Okay fine, as long as the prevailing winds, on any given day, are out of the south. Back in the 70’s and 80’s on those February fishing trips, mooching for chinook, working the bottom 20 feet of water in a 100 to 140 feet of water with a plug cut herring was the ticket. I learned a lot. Today, downriggers rule, trolling a plug cut herring, or hardware, five feet off the bottom covering ground, watching for the slightest twitch of the rod tip, indicating customer!
As coded-wire tag data suggests, covering nearly 50 years of catch and migratory information, the blackmouth will be around, regardless of time of day during February in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Working the tide/current changes, watching for bait and waiting for Walter the Monster to eat my worm is my strategy. These fish, many of whom were released from Puget Sound salmon hatcheries, are in their third, fourth or fifth year of life, putting on the pounds in preparation for the great migration home to the river of their destination later this year.
Sekiu is not the only game in town. To the east, Freshwater Bay and the humps (1st, 2nd and 3rd) northwest of Port Angeles can be lights out blackmouth fishing. Further east in the Strait, Coyote Bank, Hein Bank and Middle Bank are great historical producers of February blackmouth. I practically lived on these Banks during February and March from the mid-80’s through the 90’s. Look for a little cooperation from the weather, with winds forecasted at 15 knots or less, light or moderate tidal flow and it’s a slam dunk.
Thinking about the early 80’s, I want to turn back the pages of time to that era, and visit an issue regarding ocean chinook salmon that has been simmering near my frontal lobe for a number of years. If you were around during that period of time, the federal government got into the salmon game with the establishment of the 200-mile jurisdictional limit, which opened the door as to how the annual salmon catch was shared between sport and commercial fishers. Remember, coastal states have jurisdiction from zero to three miles, then, for the next 197 miles to the west, in Washington’s case, the feds are in charge. After a few years of negotiating, bickering and fighting between sport, commercial fishers, state and federal interests, the federal government, through its new governing body called the Pacific Fisheries Management Council (PFMC), composed of 13 west coast representatives from government and sport/commercial industries decided that the allocation of harvestable numbers of chinook salmon be split, 50/50.
The evolution of the sport and commercial ocean salmon fishing fleets has changed significantly during the last 30 years. That’s a shock. Think about this… the 1985-86 data suggests there were 1,255 non-Indian trollers targeting on their allocation of half of the non-Indian chinook salmon share. On the sport fishing side of the equation, there were 298 licensed charter boats fishing during those same years, which does not include private boat anglers like me.
Now, hit the 30-year fast forward button. During the period of 2006-2010, there are 92 licensed non-Indian trollers, of which about half, actively pursue ocean chinook salmon during the summer season. On the sport side, there are 142 licensed charter boats fishing coastal waters each summer, and, in terms of total anglers (charter boat anglers and private boat anglers), half of the number today are privately owned sport fishing boats.
In summary, there are far less than 10% of the commercial troll fishing boats, who were granted half of the non-Indian chinook salmon allocation 30 years ago. Meanwhile, the charter salmon fishing fleet has been reduced by half, yet, with the high interest of sport fishing in the ocean by sport fishing boats, the number of anglers who fish, or want to fish in the ocean remains very high. In other words, after 30 years of an ocean chinook salmon allocation plan, put into place by the PFMC, the troll fleet continues to be guaranteed half of the non-Indian share. That’s ridiculous and out of date.
I believe in wise economic use of Washington’s natural resources. I also believe that the natural resource world is swept into the climate of continuous change, and it’s time to re-evaluate this 30-year old allocation formula. After all, any economic study done in the last 20 years, attempting to evaluate the economic value between sport and commercial salmon fisheries suggest an overwhelming higher value for the sport fishing industry and related industries. Am I suggesting nuking the non-Indian troll fleet, as small as it has become? Nope. One direction of solution for our troller friends, is to look to the north and observe how British Columbia has addressed a similar evolution in their sport and commercial salmon fisheries. First, they have embraced recreational salmon fishing as a priority policy, relative to the wise economic use of harvestable chinook and coho salmon. Most interpret this Canadian policy to mean that the chinook and coho are managed first, for the sport fishery and the troll fishery takes only what remains of the annual quota. This approach to salmon management provides for sport fishers and the infrastructure of the comprehensive sport fishing industry which depend on stable salmon seasons without in-season closures we experience so often in Washington. This approach provides a dependable base.
Second, Canada has made changes to the management of their troll fishery that ensures the economic viability of that segment of the industry, for example, by embracing Individual Fishery Quotas (IFQ’s) that promotes investments by active troll fishermen and minimizes the cost to the government managing the fishery. The Canadian government is also looking at reducing the overall size of the troll fleet by buying back inactive licenses.
I realize, to many of the readers of this column, this issue may be confusing or trigger the interpretation of “who cares.” My response is that I care and I further firmly believe in the management and wise economic use decision making of our salmon fishing opportunities.
This issue needs a champion to bring ocean chinook salmon allocation into the 21st century. Possibly the Fish and Wildlife Commission, who sets policy for the Washington Department of Fisheries is a good starting point. By directing the agency to evaluate the ocean chinook salmon allocation formula and elevate the outcome of this evaluation to the PFMC makes complete sense to me. The Commission, nor WDFW can change the allocation. Again, the PFMC and its 13 voting members must make the change. However, WDFW, through its Director, Phil Anderson, is in a position to affect that discussion. Considering that the PFMC’s allocation policy has been in place for nearly 30 years, it is clearly past due for reconsideration, but it’s a change that won’t happen without broad support and that will require time and patience. Do not expect a change in 2012, but it’s time to get the issue rolling.
While you’re digesting the words of this month’s column, if you have not been down to the Seattle Boat Show, better giddy-up as the 2012 version of the west coast’s biggest boat show will be history by the end of the Super Bowl game. I look forward to the end of the Super Bowl as the next kickoff is blackmouth fishing for this cat in February. That gives me a couple of weeks to gather up some fat, oily winter blackmouth destined for the grill and that Valentine’s Day dinner!
See you on the water.


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Editorial: James Norman's quiet leadership speaks volumes
Most of us only see the statistics.
Rochester has the highest rate of poverty among cities its size. It ranks 4th in poverty among the nation’s 75 largest metropolitan areas. It has the highest child poverty rate among comparable communities. It has the highest percentage of people living -- not just in poverty -- but in extreme poverty.
But, for 25 years, James Norman has seen the faces that all the dismal numbers, rankings and percentages represent.
The retiring CEO of Action for a Better Community came to Rochester from Michigan, where he held a similar position. Rochester’s ABC is one of nearly 1,000 community action agencies set up across the country in the 1960s. As part of “America’s War on Poverty,” these agencies were charged with helping individuals and families become self-sufficient.
Obviously, it is a war we have not even come close to winning.
But, ABC has steadfastly provided support and hope to families caught in desperate circumstances. And, Norman has become one of Rochester’s leading voices in trying to change the system that often keeps people trapped in poverty, generation after generation.
As Norman told our Editorial Board during a meeting Friday, his style of advocacy does not involve marches, protests, or posters bearing slogans. His approach is “being in the right room at the right time. Using data to make your case. Organize. Collaborate.”
He was among the first to introduce the term “structural racism” to our community, and he has worked tirelessly for more than a decade to get us talking, learning and – hopefully -- doing something about it. He often finds a resistant audience, and the lesson is hard for many to fully grasp, but his dedication has not waned. From his vantage point, reached after decades on the front line, addressing structural racism is the only real way to end poverty. We wholeheartedly agree.
Structural racism, as defined by the Aspen Institute, is "a system in which public policies, institutional practices, cultural representations, and other norms work in various, often reinforcing ways to perpetuate racial group inequity. Structural racism is not something that a few people or institutions choose to practice. Instead it has been a feature of the social, economic and political systems in which we all exist."
One of Norman’s greatest gifts to our community has been his blunt honesty, which he brings to the table in virtually every setting. And, he is in a lot of settings. Norman has taught at Rochester Institute of Technology and Monroe Community College, worked with the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative, serves on many boards, co-chairs the Facing Race, Embracing Equity initiative, and is an honorary trustee of The Strong. He is sought after as a national, state and local panelist, consultant and speaker.
Fortunately, we will still have Norman to help keep our community’s focus where it should be. He told board members that he plans to remain engaged in these activities after he leaves ABC next month.
Despite being in the trenches for so long, and seeing such little overall progress, he continues to lead with a sense of optimism.
“We’re not ready to celebrate that we have achieved our vision...but I think the efforts we’ve been engaged in have planted seeds around the community,” he told us. “I don’t think we’re going to go backwards, even though we’re not going forward as fast as we’d like to.”
Norman is one of the main reasons we are even looking forward, and our community is better place because of him and the work he has done – and will continue to do.

domain: sociology


This application is a continuation-in-part of earlier filed copending application Ser. No. 346,060, filed Jan. 22, 1982 now abandoned.
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to arrangements for adjusting an adaptive, digital filter balancing impedances included in subscriber units, said units being connected to common selector stages in telephone exchanges. Hereinafter, these filters will be referred to as "balance filters".
More specifically, the invention relates to arrangements such that the frequency characteristic of a digital balance filter included in a subscriber unit can be automatically varied in response to the frequency characteristic of the line impedance connected to the subscriber unit in a given connection, considered from the balance filter out towards the line or the line side.
In telecommunications and more specifically with respect to transmitting and connecting telephone calls from one subscriber to another, there is a need of separating the transmission directions with the aid of a fork constituted, for example, by a so-called hybrid circuit. This divides the incoming two-wire and two-directional line from a subscriber's set into a four-wire transmission circuit (i.e., a pair of two one-way connections) to enable the functions of signal conversion, filtering, amplification, and so forth which functions can only take place in only one direction.
When both two-wire subscriber terminals are connected together through a four-wire exchange, it is necessary that the attenuation in the four-wire loop (i.e., the loop including the hybrid circuit, both one-way four-wire paths and the exchange connection or switching stage) exceed a certain value for the avoidance of stability problems. One possibility is to arrange attenuation in the exchange switching stage, but this results in unnecessary attenuation of the signals which are to be passed through.
To obtain a sufficiently high so-called cross fork attenuation with the object of avoiding the above-mentioned stability problems, and thus obtain sufficient signal separation in the hybrid circuit, the balance impedance must accurately match the impedance in the line currently connected to the exchange via the subscriber unit. It is therefore impossible to use the same balance impedance for all subscribers, since, relative to the hybrid circuit, there can be considerable scattering of the input impedances to the different subscriber lines.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,080 teaches automatically adjusting the value of the balance impedance of a hybrid circuit in response to the impedance value of a given line amongst a plurality of available lines for achieving optimum impedance match between a hybrid circuit and the associated line.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide improved arrangements for adjusting impedance in a telephone subscriber unit or the like.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement for adjusting the balance impedance in a subscriber unit of the kind mentioned above, in the case where the balance impedance comprises a digital filter, the frequency characteristic of which can be conventionally varied by varying the parameters supplied to the filter. The proposed arrangement can thus be set up at a central point, e.g. in close connection to the exchange switching stage, so that it can be individually utilized by several subscribers.
To achieve the above and other objects of the invention, there is provided an improvement in an arrangement for adjusting an adaptive digital filter balancing impedance, included in each of a plurality of subscriber units connected to a telephone exchange, in accordance with the impedance of a line connected to one of said subscriber units wherein each said unit includes, apart from one said balance filter a two-wire to four-wire transfer circuit between an incoming two-wire line and a four-wire line having two two-wire unidirectional paths, a switch for connecting and disconnecting the balance filter between the said unidirectional paths, filter units and a converter unit in each of said paths, and a switching unit connected to each of the two-wire unidirectional paths for connecting a selection unit to one of said subscriber units simultaneously as the balance filter is disconnected from said unidirectional paths.
In accordance with the invention, the aforesaid improvement comprises a test signal generator for transmitting a periodic test signal in digital form containing at least one tone frequency through a loop including one of said unidirectional paths, the subscriber line and the other of the unidirectional paths. The improvement moreover includes a filter bank containing N digital filters connected in parallel for receiving a signal corresponding to the test signal appearing across the input of said balance filter, each filter in said filter bank having a transfer function corresponding to an equivalent transfer function formed by the line impedance of each of at least N lines connected to each of said plurality of subscriber units, and by said transfer circuit together with the converter and filter units in said unidirectional paths which are connected between the balance filter and the transfer circuit. Moreover there is provided a plurality of N summing circuits for summing the test signal which has gone through said loop with the same test signal filtered in the filter in said filter bank in order to obtain summation signals. There is also provided a measuring unit connected to the outputs of the summing circuits for measuring the summation signals giving corresponding measuring results, comparing each of said measuring results with one another and selecting the order number (n≦N) of the summing circuit giving the summation signal as a result of the comparing which corresponds to the output signal from the filter in the filter bank which best matches said transfer function, an address signal corresponding to the order number being delivered. Furthermore there is provided a memory unit storing a plurality of filter parameter groups each corresponding to the parameters of each filter in the filter bank and which, in dependence on said address signal obtained from the measuring means, transmits signals to the balance filter representing a certain group of said parameter groups corresponding to said order number.
According to a further feature of the invention, the measuring unit includes an arrangement for measuring the energy of said summation signals to give the measuring results and a comparison arrangement for carrying out the comparing of the measuring results, the order number being selected from one of the results which indicate the least energy of the summation signals.
According to still another feature of the invention, there is provided in the measuring unit a plurality of multipliers for forming the square of the signals given by the summing circuit and a plurality of accumulator circuits for summing the signals obtained from the multiplier circuits during a time corresponding to a plurality of periods of the periodic test signal, said comparator arrangement comparing the output signals from the accumulator circuits and giving the address signal to the memory unit for selecting one of the parameter groups in the memory unit which corresponds to the order number.
Yet another feature of the invention relates to the provision of filters in the filter bank which comprise a digital transversal filter containing delay links, the input of the filter as well as the output of each of the delay links being connected to digital multipliers, with fixed multiplying values determined from the impedance value of the subscriber lines connected to the subscriber units, the outputs of the multipliers being connected to a summing circuit having an output which forms one output of the filter bank.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be found in the detailed description which follows herein below as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The invention will next be described in detail with reference to the appended drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an arrangement according to the invention in relation to a telephone subscriber unit;
FIG. 2 illustrates a digital filter included as a balance filter in the subscriber unit according to FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a measuring unit and a memory unit included in the selector unit according to FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a comparator employed in the circuitry of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 5 is a signal chart showing the operation of the comparator of FIG. 4.
The block diagram of FIG. 1 includes a subscriber unit I, a connection unit II included in a telephone exchange and a selection or selector unit III. The subscriber unit I is of known circuitry and contains a hybrid circuit G, the input of which consists of a two-wire two-directional connection from a subscriber's set connected to the unit I. The hybrid circuit G is of known circuitry and has the task of dividing the signals across the two-wire connection into two one-way signal paths, but does not contain the balance impedance of the conventional circuits. One signal path includes an analogue/digital converter AD and a digital filter F4, while the second signal path contains a digital/analog converter DA and a digital filter F3. The hybrid circuit line input is denoted by P. Both signal paths are connected via a balance filter B, which corresponds to the balance impedance in known hybrid circuits, and via a summing circuit So. The loop G, AD, F4, SO, B, F3 and DA thus formed constitutes the hybrid circuit proper incorporated in the subscriber unit I. If the attenuation in the units F3, DA and G and to the subscriber across the line is A1 and the attenuation from the subscriber across the line and in the units G, AD and F4 is A2, then the attenuation A3 in the loop is such that A3-A1-A2>0. Signals from the converter DA in the second signal path must be balanced out by the signals form the balance filter B and the summing circuit SO, said signals passing the hybrid circuit G and reaching the first signal path as well as being fed out to the line and reflected back again. In a mode already known, the converter AD converts incoming analogue speech signals from the hybrid circuit G to PCM-coded signals; i.e., into digital signals in the form of binary pulses. The converter DA receives such pulses and converts them to analogue signals, which are sent back to the subscriber after having passed through the hybrid circuit G.
In the present subscriber circuit, a plurality of filters F1, F2, F3 and F4 are provided for band limitation of the signals in both signal paths to the prescribed frequency band (e.g., 0-4 kHz) which corresponds to a speech band, and comprise digital filter links of a known kind. The A-D and D-A conversion suitably takes place at a higher sampling frequency (e.g., 512 kHz) than that used in the following selector. Apart from band limitation, the task of the filters is then to adjust the sampling frequency in the AD and DA converters to the lower sampling frequency (8 kHz) of the selector. The filter function has thus been divided so that the filters F1 and F3 are connected to one branch for outgoing signals from the subscriber unit, and the filters F2 and F4 for incoming signals.
The balance filter B is of digital type and has its input connected between the filters F1 and F3, and its output connected to one input of summing circuit So via a controllable switch K1. The other input of the summing circuit So is connected to the output of filter F4, and its output is connected to the input of filter F2. Filters F1 and F2 consist of two substantially similar filters of recursive type, while filters F3 and F4 are transversal filters of substantially the same appearance. A digital compressor unit CP1 and an expander unit EX1 are connected to the respective filters F2, F1 for compressing outgoing signals from filter F2 and expanding incoming signals to the filter F1.
The signals appearing across the terminals Xa and Xb (which are those respectively fed out from the compressor unit CP1 and fed to the expander unit EX1) constitute the speech signals which are through-connected in PCM-coded binary form in the following exchange. The block II symbolizes a switching means in the exchange for passing through the signals obtained from the subscriber unit I and received from the selector unit III. The switch K2 is preferably incorporated in the existing selector unit III. The switch K2 is preferably incorporated in the existing selector circuit of the telephone exchange, as a common connecting means (e.g., for the tone signals to the exchange), the connecting means being in the open position for connected calls. Alternatively, as has been shown in FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity, the switch can comprise a unit separate from the other connecting units in the exchange, this unit being activated by the central processor of the exchange only when the selection unit III is to operate, when it passes through the signals from the subscriber unit I to the selector unit III. When the switch K2 is in the closed position, and the selector unit III is thus connected, the switch K1 is controlled so that it is open for disconnecting the balance filter B. In the reverse situation, when the selector unit III is disconnected (the switch K2 open), the balance filter B is connected (connected call). Switches K1 and K2 are operatively connected to switch controller A.
According to the invention, selector unit III is thus arranged in the exchange such that for an off-the-hook condition of a subscriber'set, the unit II is connected to the subscriber unit I associated with the subscriber. In accordance with the inventive concept, the selector unit is arranged such that it can serve several subscriber units connected to the common exchange. However, for the sake of clarity, only one switch K2 and one subscriber unit I have been shown in FIG.1, but it will be understood that several subscriber units can be arranged via further switches in the exchange switching stage II for connection to the selector unit III. For this it is only required that the switch K2 is controlled from the exchange processor unit such that when the subscriber unit I according to FIG. 1 is not activated, the switch K2 is open, while the corresponding switch associated with an activated unit I (not shown in FIG. 1) is closed.
The unit III contains a test signal generator TS, which sends a test signal in digital form; e.g., a low-frequency sinusoidal signal coded in agreement with the conversion of the speech signals in the subscriber unit I. A digital compressor unit CP2, of the same kind as the compressor unit CP1, is connected between the output of the test signal generator TS and the input of the switch K2. A digital filter H1 is further connected to the output of the test signal generator, the filter being dimensioned such that for the test signal frequency it is similar to filter F1 in the subscriber unit I. More specifically, if the transfer functions for the filters F1 and H1 are
F.sub.1 (f)=A.sub.1 (f)·.sub.e jφl (f)
H.sub.1 (f)=C.sub.1 (f)·.sub.e jθl (f)
A.sub.1 (fo)=C.sub.1 (fo)
φ.sub.1 (fo)=θ.sub.1 (fo)
where fo is the test signal frequency.
The output of the filter H1 is connected to a filter bank. This contains N digital filters B1 . . . BN having mutually similar construction but different characteristics corresponding to the characteristic of the transfer function "seen" towards the two-wire line from the terminals b, b' of the balance filter B. The number N is not necessarily the same as the number of subscriber lines, but a filter Bj can correspond to several lines. One input of a plurality of summing circuits S1 . . . SN is connected to the out of each filter B1 . . . BN. The second input of these summing circuits S1 . . . SN is connected to the switch K2 via a digital filter H2 and an expander circuit EX2. The filter H2 is dimensioned such that it imitates the inverse transfer function of the filter F2 for the test signal frequency; i.e., the transfer function of the filters F2 and H2 is
F.sub.2 (f)=A.sub.2 (f)·.sub.e jφ.sub.2 (f)
H.sub.2 (f)=C.sub.2 (f)·.sub.e jθ.sub.2 (f) respectively
A.sub.2 (fo)=1/C.sub.2 (fo) and φ.sub.2 (fo)=-θ.sub.2 (fo),
where fo=test signal frequency.
Together with the compressor unit CP1 (as well as the units CP2 and EX2), the expander circuit EX1 conventionally forms a companding unit to reduce quantization distortion of the PCM coding in the subscriber unit I.
The outputs of summing circuits S1 . . . SN are connected to a measuring circuit M. This measures the energy of the output signals y1. . . yN from the summing circuits S1 . . . SN by forming the mean square value of each of the signals X1 . . . XN during a suitable time interval (e.g., a test signal period 1/fo) and is connected to the address input of a coefficient memory KM. This memory can be a ROM in which the coefficients or parameters of each of the filters B1 . . . BN are stored (this will be described in detail later on). The signal yk of the signals y1 . . . yN coming to, and measured by the unit M, and which has the least mean square value (i.e., the least energy) gives an address signal from the measuring circuit M to the coefficient memory KM. The latter is connected to the control input of the balance filter B in the subscriber unit for feeding the selected parameter or coefficient array to this filter.
Before the function of the selection unit is described, FIG. 2 will next be described in detail. FIG. 2 illustrates one form for the balance filter B. The input b to the filter B is connected to a plurality of delay links DL1 . . . DLM. The inputs of each delay link, as well as the output of the last link DLM are connected to a plurality of controllable digital multipliers mo. . . mM, and the outputs thereof are connected to a summer S. Each delay link DL1 . . . DLM has a delay determined by the sampling rate of the incoming signals to the filter B (e.g., 16 kHz) if the sampling rate of the signals coming from the exchange is multiplied by a factor of 2 in the filter F1. The control inputs of the multipliers are connected to the N outputs of the coefficient memory KM in the selector unit III. The filter B thus constitutes an adaptive transversal filter, obtaining control signals from a memory unit KM to give an array of coefficients, whereby the required filter characteristic of the filter B is obtained. Determining of the coefficient array required for the filter B to give the best balancing for a given subscriber line is executed by the selection unit III.
When the subscriber's telephone set is in the off-hook condition, a signal is sent to the exchange such that the selector unit III is connected to the subscriber station I via the switch K2. The switch K1 is controlled such that it is simultaneously open. The test signal generator TS transmits a sampled sinusoidal test signal (e.g., the connecting tone in a sample form) which is compressed in the unit CP2 and expanded in the unit EX1 according to a prescribed compander law. The attenuation and phase shift of the test signal are the same in the filters F1 and H1. The signals appearing at the points b and b' are thus substantially the same. The signal at the point b continues across the filter F3, converter DA, hybrid circuit G and subscriber line and is reflected back to the subscriber telephone set across the line, hybrid circuit G, converter AD and filter F4 to the point c. The signal path from the point b through said units and line to the point c are thus equivalent with a filter F, to the transfer function F(f)=F1 (f)·e jΨ(f) which is similar to the transfer function B(f) of the balanced filter, but with reverse sign. If the signal applied to the input of the balance filter B and filter F3 is denoted by x(t) with the frequency function X(f) and the output signal from the summing circuit So is denoted by y(t) with the frequency function Y(f) then
where F(f) and B(f) are the transfer functions for the equivalent filter F and the balance filter B, respectively.
When the switch K1 is open (i.e., the switch K2 is closed) then from the signalling point of view the points b, c are equal to the points b, c. The signal at point c is approximately the same as y(t). Each of the filters B1 . . . BN, constituting the filter bank in the selection unit III, has been dimensioned so that they are as closely as possible similar to the equivalent filter F, according to the above, for a certain number of lines. Thus, each filter Bk (k=1, . . . , N) and each summing circuit Sk (k=1, . . . , N) in the selector unit III corresponds to the balance filter B and summing circuit So, respectively, So that equilizing of the signals shall take place in the summing circuit So (when the switch K1 is closed and K2 opened) the signal Y(f)=X(f)[F(f)+B(f)] should be as small as possible (i.e., the factor [F(f)+B(f)] should be as small as possible) which implies that the balance filter matches the line impedance. The signal yk (t) can therefore be taken as a measure of how closely the transfer function of one of the filters B1 . . . BN is similar to the transfer function of the equivalent filter F with reverse sign.
The least value of [F(f)+B(f)] is consequently determined in the selection unit III by determining the value of k (k=1, . . . , N) of the signal yk (t) which has the least energy. The energy of the signal yk (t) from the summing circuit Sk can be denoted by: ζ|yk (t)|2 dt=ζ|yk (f)|2 df=ζ|X(f)|2 |F(f)+Bk (f)|2 df; i.e. the factor |F(f)+Bk (f)|2 is at least when ζ|yk (t)|2 dt at least. The measuring unit M therefore forms a means square value of all output signals from the summing circuits S1 . . . SN, and a signal across its output e is transmitted to the coefficient memory KM which gives the order number k of the filter BK, for which is obtained the lowest energy of the signal yk (t) across the output of the associated summing circuit SK. The output signal from the unit M is a binary address information to the coefficient memory KM, which selects in this memory the coefficient array CkM associated with the filter Bk. Associated coefficients are then fed from the memory KM (e.g., in parallel form,) to the multiplier circuits mo -mM in the balance filter B.
The filters B1 . . . BN are suitably implemented as digital transversal filters of the same kind as the balance filter according to FIG. 2, with the difference that the digital multipliers in the filters B1 . . . BN are not variable but have fixed multiplying values, calculated by measuring the line impedance values for the subscriber lines which are connected to the exchange.
The measuring unit M and the subsequent coefficient memory KM are illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 3. The measuring unit contains N multipliers MU1 . . . MUN, the inputs of which form the N inputs of the unit M. Each multiplier forms the square of an incoming signal yi to give a value zi =yi 2 at the output. An accumulator circuit ACC1 . . . ACCN is connected to each multiplier output for summing the squared sample values for each Zi signal; e.g., during a time corresponding to the period of the sinusoidal test signal from the generator TS. A comparator circuit JF compares the thus formed values ##EQU1## (i=1, . . . , N) and gives an address signal in binary form at k=o its output, giving the order number i of the signal with the least value.
The coefficient memory KM comprises, for example, an addressable ROM memory in which the coefficients Cik (i=1, . . . , N k=1, . . . M) are stored of the N filters B1 . . . BN. Addressing from the measuring unit M causes the selected coefficients to be transferred in parallel form to the multipliers mo . . . mM in the balance filter B in the mode described above.
The arrangement in accordance with the invention can naturally be modified within the scope of the inventive concept. For example, the test signal generator can send a signal containing two frequencies, one in the lower and the other in the upper range of the speech band. This is suitable in the cases where pupinized lines are used. The transfer functions for the filters F1, H1 and F2, H2 must then satisfy the relationships given above for both these frequencies.
A suitable sampling rate in the filter B is determined by the filters F1, F3 in the first signal path and the filters F2, F4 in the second. As an example, it has been assumed above that the sampling rate in the converters DA and AD is 512 kHz and that the filters F3, F4 adjust the sampling frequency to 16 kHz in the filter B. Alternatively, the filter B can operate at a greater rate, and in the extreme case be directly connected to the input of the converter DA or the output of the converter AD (via the summing circuit So), or at a lower rate by connection to the input of the filter F1 or the output F2, the sampling rate then being 8 kHz.
The parallel connection of the filters B1 . . . BN in the filter bank is advantageous, since possible disturbance signals from the subscriber than have the same effect on all the filter signals on summing in the summing circuits S1 . . . SN.
Finally, it is not necessary to select as a criterion of the best adjustment of the filter B to the line impedance the output signal from the summing circuits S1 . . . SN which has the least energy. It is also possible to form the absolute value of the signal y(t) and use the least value of this as a criterion.
FIG. 4 shows a preferred form of the comparator JF employed in FIG. 3. It includes a comparator 1 with two inputs A and B and an output Q. Input A is connected to the output of a controllable switch SW whose N inputs receive the output signals U1-UN from the accumulators ACC1-ACCN. A first register 2 having the same word length (for example, 8 bits) as the word length of signal values U1-UN has one input connected to the output of the switch SW to receive each of the signal values U1-UN in a sequence determined by the switch SW. An input S is connected to an input of register 2 and provides zero-setting signals after N steps of switch SW. One output of register 2 is connected to the input B of comparator 1 to deliver some of the values U1-UN timely with a signal from an output C of an AND-gate 6. If output C is "1", the value in register 2 is fed to input B and if output C is "0", the value in register 2 is stored until output C again is "1". The gate 6 has one input connected to the output Q of the comparator 1 and across the second input T timing pulses are delivered. Zero-setting pulses across S and timing pulses across T can be created in known manner by a common clock (not shown).
A counter 3 counting in sequence the order numbers 0, 1, 2, . . . , N during one cycle has an output connected to an input of a second register 4 controlled by the pulses from output C of gate 6. Counter 3 and register 4 are zero-set by pulses from input S via zero-setting inputs each, and when a counting cycle is ended (N). A memory 5 has its input connected to the output of register 4 and stores a number of address values which can be pointed out by input signals from register 4. This register thus delivers a signal indicating a certain order number k (k=0,1,2, . . . ,N) but a certain order number k can be frozen across its output in dependence on the state of output C connected to an inhibiting input of register 4. If output C is "1" no inhibiting takes place, but if C is "0" register output is inhibted giving a certain order number k in spite of the input counting pulses from counter 3. Order number k from register 4 points out a certain address stored in memory 5 has obtained a zero setting signal from input S.
The operation of the comparator of FIG. 4 is next described with reference to the signal chart in FIG. 5.
For starting a cycle (k=0), a signal pulse across input S zero-sets counter 3 and the second register 4, and enables the first register 2 to be loaded with an initial value Umax greater than any possible value Uk (k=1, . . . ,N). In the time interval for k=1, value U1 is fed to input A of comparator 1 and Umax to input B (output C=1), a comparison being carried out in comparator 1. Since Umax >U1, output Q is set at "1" and thus gate 6 delivers a "1" to register 2 and to register 4. This implies that Umax is replaced by U1 and register 4 is stepped to order number 1. In the next time interval k=2, value U2 is fed to input A, and value U1 appears across input B, since there is no inhibiting of value U1. If U1>U2 the above conditions are repeated, output C delivers "1" which cancels value U1 and register 2 is prepared to receive value U2 during k=3. Input B receives value U3 and again a comparison now between U2 and U3 is effected.
Assuming that U3>U2 (i.e., U2 is the lesser value) implies that output Q is set at "0" and thus output C is set at "0" which implies that value U2 is stored in register 2. During this, counter 3 has counted to k=3 but register 4 has stopped with order number 2 since output C delivers a "0" for k=3. Assuming further that U4>U2, output C will still be at "0" implying that register 2 still stores U2. Register 4 is inhibited by output C set to "0" although counter 3 now delivers counting pulse 4. Thus:
a) register 2 stores value U2 although value U4 in the next interval k=4 is fed to this register from switch SW. A comparison is next made in the interval k=5 between U5 and U2.
b) output C set to "0" does not enable register 4 to assume any order number greater than k=2 although counter 3 will deliver pulses with order number 3,4 and so on to register 4. Thus register 4 points out an address in memory 5 corresponding to value U2, i.e. order number k=2, but counter 3 nevertheless causes the register 4 to be stepped forward to a greater order number as soon as output C again is set to "1".
If value U2 is the absolute lesser value during the whole cycle k-O=N, the address corresponding to value U2 will be fed out from memory 5 upon application of an activating pulse across input S.
Assuming that value U2 was not the absolute lesser value, this instead being value U10, counter 3 has delivered counting pulses to register 4 up to k=10. Since output C then must be set to "1" (U10<U2), order number 10 is fed to memory 5, pointing out the address with order number 10 and this address will be fed out from memory 5 upon an activating pulse across S when k=N.
In the above description, each of the filters B1-BN in the filter bank has the same structure as that of the balance filter B shown in FIG. 2. Determining the values of the fixed multiplying factors in each filter is well known in this technical area and is not in and of itself a part of the present invention. Concerning filter coefficients, reference is made to the book "Theory and Application of Digital Signal Processing" by Rabiner and Gold in which on pages 513-514, particularly FIG. 8.27, an example of a coefficient memory is shown which can be used as the memory KM herein.
Generation of an address signal to select or read out of memory KM is explained in FIG. 3. The signal across output a of the comparator unit JF is a binary signal in series or parallel form and constitutes an address signal to the subsequent coefficient memory KM to select the appropriate coefficient set stored in this memory for transmission to balance filter B. This technique is in itself quite conventional and can easily be realized by a person of oridinary skill in the art.
In order to determine the values for the coefficient memory, one can take the system shown in FIG. 1 and disconnect the coefficient memory KM therefrom. One then can connect to the leads e that normally come from the output of the coefficient memory to a digital (binary) number generator. One also would connect to the output of the measuring circuit M a device for reading digital values. Then, one would select a typical set of load impedances, this set covering the range of impedance values adopted by the subscriber lines.
Then systematically each one of the load impedances is connected to the input p. The number generator is set to zeros and the digital value at the output of the measuring circuit M is noted. This digital value will be to address the coefficient for the particular load impedance under consideration. Then one would start monitoring the signal at the output of the summing circuit So and while monitoring such output the number generator would be stepped to generate successive binary numbers. When a minimum value is noted in the output of the summing circuit So, the number being transmitted by the number generator is noted. This now becomes the actual coefficient for the value of impedance then attached to input p. There is now known the value of the coefficient and the address where this coefficient is to be stored. The routine is continued for each one of the load impedances. At the end of the routine, there has been amassed a required set of coefficients and the addresses where these coefficients can be stored. One can then suitably "burn" the coefficient into the designated addresses of coefficient memory KM using conventional PROM techniques.
This way, the coefficients are determined experimentally, on the other hand, it is also possible to calculate the conventional transfer function to obtain the set of coefficients which are then burned of a PROM memory.
There will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, many modifications and variations of the above circuitry. These modifications and variations will not depart from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.