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HomeThe BusinessMinnesota Partnership Could Boost Organics Recycling
Minnesota Partnership Could Boost Organics Recycling
Echo Press | Mar 28, 2016
Pope Douglas Solid Waste Management (PDSWM) recycles about 50 percent of Pope and Douglas counties, but there's still opportunity to improve, officials there said.
Greater Minnesota counties' recycling programs are faced with potential mandates to increase recycling rates from 35 percent to 75 percent of the waste.
"That's a lot of material we need to find to make that recycling rate and organics is the heaviest portion of the waste stream right now, so starting to divert that off will help us out," said Pete Olmscheid, executive director of PDSWM.
"It's also the right thing to do," Olmscheid said. "We're not doing this just to get our numbers up, even though we have to, but we're doing it because it's green and it's correct."
Continue reading at the Echo Press


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The New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative -- Ten Years On
We received the following from Belinda Jackson on behalf of the New Zealand Screw Cap Wine Seal Initiative
As we peruse today's crowded wine shelves, it is difficult to ignore the proliferation of screwcaps. With over 90% of New Zealand wine now sealed this way, the eradication of cork and other closures in the local wine industry is on the horizon. The impetus for change arose from the New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative established in early 2001.
New Zealand isn't alone, with global interest in screwcaps also expanding rapidly in the last ten years with wine producers, wine trade and wine consumers unable to disregard the compelling research confirming them as the superior wine closure. Of the seven billion wine bottles sealed worldwide each year, it is suggested the number using screwcaps has grown from an estimated 100 million ten years ago to almost three billion this year. While traditionalists may still be reluctant to embrace them, there is now plenty of scientific evidence that indicates money spent on wine sealed with anything but a screwcap is a game of risk.
The winds of change began in Australia in 2000 when a group of Clare Valley winemakers, exasperated with the inconsistency of cork and how it was affecting their outstanding Rieslings, decided to make the significant move to screwcaps. This was particularly challenging as there was no supplier in Australia for the caps or the right bottles so the group had to commit to 250,000 from Pechiney in France.
Inspired by this bold decision, producers in Marlborough, New Zealand namely Dave Pearce of Grove Mill and Dr John Forrest and Dave Knappstein of Forrest Estate, undertook scientific research, the results of which confirmed screwcaps as the only viable alternative and in fact far superior to cork, for sealing wine bottles. The New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative was formed. The first meeting called by the late Ross Lawson of Lawson's Dry Hills, brought together Dr John Forrest of Forrest Estate, John Stichbury of Jackson Estate and John Belsham of Foxes Island. The group co-opted the late Dave Williams as their facilitator and Rose Prendeville as secretary, followed by Michael Brajkovich MW of Kumeu River as Chair.
At the same time, a study on wine closures by scientists from the Australian Wine Research Institute also proved screwcaps to be the superior wine seal and that cork was inconsistent as regards oxygen ingress. In addition, it was found synthetic closures had the highest permeability and were only suitable for wines destined to be drunk almost immediately. Peter Godden, AWRI's Group Manager said, "The biggest issue for any form of cork closure is variability - the wines sealed with screwcaps were extremely consistent bottle to bottle and no other closure achieved results even similar." He concluded, "Most of the wines sealed with closures other than screwcap were completely undrinkable; some synthetic corks didn't even last 28 months".
With such a strong, scientific base to work from, the newly formed New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative established a number of objectives:
•	To encourage and facilitate the use of screwcap wine seals by New Zealand wineries
•	To undertake research into screwcap wine seals, for the benefit of the group's member wineries
•	To enable members to individually use and develop screwcap wine seals using the research developed by the group
•	To provide a forum for facilitating the exchange of ideas, opinions and contributions regarding screwcap wine seals
•	To identify and develop project methodologies and best practice in the use, promotion and education of screwcap wine seals
One of the committee's first decisions was to introduce a generic name for this type of closure i.e. 'screwcap' to prevent any potential confusion through the use of individual brand names.
It was at this time that one of the country's largest wine producers, Villa Maria moved to screwcaps following the lead of a number of smaller producers including Forrest Estate, Lawsons Dry Hills, Jackson Estate, Kim Crawford and Kumeu River all of whom switched to screwcaps to ensure the quality of their wines for the consumer. As Michael Brajkovich explains "At Kumeu River we were considering doing a proportion in screwcap and still having cork available for customers who wanted it. But then my brother Paul asked me if I was confident that the screwcap was significantly better. I said yes, and based on extensive tastings of aged Rieslings from Australia, I had no doubt that our wines would benefit over the long term as well. As a result, we decided to put everything under screwcap and communicate with our customers that we were doing it because we knew that the wines would be better - and that has certainly proven to be the case."
Funded by the original 25 members, the first significant promotion of screwcap closures was undertaken in 2002 at the London Wine Trade Fair. As John Belsham of Foxes Island explains, "We ran a very simple trial of putting corks into glasses of acidified water. There was a varying degree of colour and flavour taint in all of them, except one - the glass containing no cork." This simple yet very graphic experiment clearly demonstrated cork's unsuitability as a consistent and neutral wine closure.
Tyson Stelzer - an Australian wine writer and author of two books on screwcaps and their correct application, claims, "The rate of uptake of screwcaps in recent years has greatly exceeded that of any other development in wine closure technology in any period of wine history. No other country has embraced this development as comprehensively as New Zealand. With Australia, these two countries have been the world leaders in what can only be described as the most important advancement in wine quality and consistency in the modern era".
Randall Grahm, winemaker and founder of Bonny Doon Vineyard, California was also impressed with New Zealand's lead. "The New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative has, for some of us, been a sign of intelligent life in lands so very far away. The primary job of the winemaker is to preserve the integrity of the wine and to allow the wine to achieve its greatest potential. For me, screwcaps are the very best technology currently in existence to advance this end".
One of the main challenges faced with promoting the acceptance of screwcaps was the contentious issue of maturation in bottle. The idea that wine needs to 'breathe' in order to mature (and that cork allows a certain amount of oxygen to pass though to facilitate this) was dispelled by Professor Emile Peynaud, a French oenologist and researcher credited with revolutionising winemaking in the latter half of the 20th century. He explained, "It is the opposite of oxidation, a process of reduction, or asphyxia by which wine develops in the bottle." This was echoed by Professor Pascal Ribéreau-Gayon, author of the 'Handbook of Enology', "Reactions that take place in bottled wine do not require oxygen".
Jeffrey Grosset of Grosset Wines, one of the Clare Valley winemakers who made the commitment to screwcaps early on, is concerned that there is still a question mark over using screwcaps for some red wines. "Screwcaps have made it possible for us to enjoy great wine (rather than just great bottles). This is unprecedented in our history. For many consumers, confusion remains about the real role of a closure, in particular the relevance (if any) of oxygen in the ageing of bottled wine." John Forrest clarifies, "Various tastings of red wines ten years and older sealed with screwcaps have proved them to be ageing gracefully and exactly as expected. These results should allay any fears of using screwcap closures for wines destined for the cellar."
James Halliday, one of Australia's leading wine commentators concurs. "Looking back over the last decade of the NZSCWSI (and the similarly timed all-important move to screwcaps by the Riesling makers of the Clare Valley) my only regret is that the migration to screwcaps did not occur ten years earlier. Many of the wines in my cellar would be in far better condition had this occurred then".
Another hurdle was the perception that screwcaps were exacerbating sulphide issues though as Michael Brajkovich explains, "Sulphide problems did not suddenly appear with the use of screwcaps, but have occurred for years in winemaking. Any closure that seals well and precludes air will exacerbate sulphide-like odours where the precursors exist."
A significant milestone was the International Screwcap Symposium hosted by the NZSCWSI in Marlborough in 2004. 180 delegates attended from a number of countries to listen to a raft of renowned speakers including pioneer Jeff Grosset from Australia, and Chuck Hayward, specialist wine retailer from the USA, George Fistonich of Villa Maria, Michel Laroche of Domaine Laroche, France plus wine writers Bob Campbell MW, the UK's Robert Joseph, Ronn Wiegand MW, MS from the USA and Tyson Stelzer and Marketing Consultant Zar Brooks from Australia. Michael Brajkovich and Peter Godden of the AWRI presented their extensive research while a number of technicians including Jacques Granger of Pechiney presented on operational aspects.
Inspired by the NZSCWSI and further convinced by the symposium, the vast majority of New Zealand winemakers made the commitment to screwcaps. One of France's leading producers, Michel Laroche also moved away from cork, bottling his Chablis under screwcap. Michel explains, "I just regret that I didn't start earlier! Over the last ten years I do not remember one of the tastings when the wine with a cork was better than the wine with a screwcap". This was a bold and pioneering move that sparked much debate among the more traditional wine-producing countries of Europe. However, other renowned French producers are following Laroche's lead with Jean-Claude Boisset releasing wines under screwcap and even Chateau Margaux conducting trials. Alsace's Albert Mann, Paul Blanck and Gustave Lorentz also recognise the benefits and are now using screwcaps.
With the industry now convinced, the major challenge ahead was convincing the market. Many key wine influencers, particularly in Australia, New Zealand and the UK took up the cause and much was written in an effort to explain to trade and consumers how wines sealed with a screwcap were risk-free. One of the UK's strongest proponents was leading wine writer, Robert Joseph who comments, "Among the more memorable moments of the last decade for me, was blind tasting wines under both cork and Stelvin [screwcap] at Kumeu River and Felton Road in the early days. Those experiences - along with some of the old Australian screwcap-sealed wines I tasted, convinced me that there was a valid alternative to corks. The blind tasting I ran for Wine International Magazine in 2003 at Vinexpo in Bordeaux at which we sampled wines of various ages and origins under corks, screwcaps and other closures, simply confirmed it - and I believe helped to nudge a few people into experimenting with other closures. The dishonesty of the cork lobby over the years has been breathtaking on occasion, but honesty is now prevailing across the globe..."
Matthew Jukes, author and wine writer for the UK's Daily Mail is confident that acceptance is now a given. "People no longer, thankfully, have that quizzical look on their face when presented with a screwcap-sealed bottle of wine. Even my parents' generation has embraced them and they thought that we'd all gone mad." He continues, "Nobody blinks these days in restaurants, even smart ones, when a sommelier unscrews a bottle – and the sommelier is delighted too, because he knows that he won't have to run back to the cellar to get another because the first one's corked!"
Bob Campbell MW, New Zealand's leading wine writer and wine critic also acknowledges the way in which screwcaps were accepted as well as those producers who were not so enthusiastic. "The first thing that comes to mind is the incredibly rapid acceptance of what is a radically new closure on a very traditional product. The winemakers who were first to embrace screwcaps were very bold indeed and deserve credit for putting the quality of their wine ahead of potential market reluctance". He continues, "However, an issue that rather saddened me was the divisiveness that the new closure created between those who were quick to accept it and those who were not. I recall the unpleasant experience of being shouted at and poked in the chest by a winemaker who thought that my support of screwcaps would imperil the industry. I've also been criticised by one or two wine writers who were opposed to the use of screwcaps. At the end of the day screwcaps have given winemakers more closure options which must be a good thing. The closure revolution promises to make a greater contribution to wine quality than any innovation since bottles and corks were first used".
However, Chuck Hayward, Australian and New Zealand Wine Buyer for US wine retailer JJ Buckley, is concerned that the uptake of screwcaps in the US is not quick enough. "Until wine drinkers understand that the move to screwcaps is really an effort to improve and secure the quality of wine in the bottle, the wine industry in the US will not be motivated to change. Only when consumers fully comprehend that the wine business in America has been knowingly selling tainted wines at acknowledged rates of between 2-8% will there be change. In no other industry is such a rate of producing defective product considered acceptable. Unfortunately, for change to happen, it will probably take a class action lawsuit from a consumer rights advocate that accuses the wine industry of acting in collusion while knowingly selling defective product." He concludes, "The American consumer deserves better from the wine industry. The wineries, journalists and sommeliers that have not been proactive in their efforts to ensure that wine drinkers get the best wine possible should be ashamed. In the US, I am afraid to say, the list is long".
On a lighter note but nevertheless an important one, the NZSCWSI were keen to promote that the opening of a screwcap bottle can have as much flair as removing a cork. The committee created a leaflet for insertion into cases of screwcap-sealed wines with a diagram explaining the best way to open the bottle. This method is not only the easiest, but also the most aesthetic for those worried about the lack of 'romance'. Hold the bottle in your right hand at a slight angle across your body. With your left hand, grip the neck/collar of the screwcap with your hand underneath, thumb on top. Next, simply twist the bottle towards you and you will hear the 'click' as the seal easily breaks. Finally, a swift turn of the cap will remove it.
Another benefit of the screwcap closure is of course convenience - no longer requiring a special tool in order to enjoy the contents, no more broken corks, bits in the wine, or having to donate one's favourite corkscrews to the security personnel at various airports.
In the ten years since the establishment of the New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative, the number of screwcaps being used by wine producers on a global basis has increased dramatically. With wine producers dropping cork and other closures in favour of screwcaps, this is undoubtedly the strongest proof that these closures are indeed the most suitable. Eradicating cork taint, having no effect on the wine and forming a perfect seal, this is an incredible achievement for the wine industry, particularly given the resistance from those in the market clinging to the tradition of cork.
In summing up, Michael Brajkovich explains, "We have found the most reliable wine closure to date. However, winemakers will continue to experiment with closures and if a better one is found in the future I am certain we will embrace it in the same way we have embraced the screwcap."
For the consumer, the significant efforts of research facilities, wine producers and closure companies, not to mention the huge impetus created by the New Zealand Screwcap Wine Seal Initiative have ensured quality wine has never been easier to purchase. With so many bottles vying for space on those congested shelves and still some uncertainty about how to choose, at least those sealed with a screwcap can provide assurance that the wine is exactly as the wine producer created it.
'The Death of the Cork' – original NZSCWSI members (from left to right) Dr John Forrest, John Stichbury, John Belsham and the late Ross Lawson conduct a funeral for the cork in 2001.
For further information please contact Belinda Jackson via email: belinda@belindajackson.com or phone: 64 27 444 8 666
- grapes & bulk wine • 14 minutes ago

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Posted on June 1, 2016 by Philip O'Hanlon.
Newport Beach, CA—June 1, 2016: Merging Technologies is proud to announce that the result of a new partnership with Roon Labs can be seen and heard at T.H.E. Show Newport 2016 June 3rd – 5th. The Merging NADAC player was a success at the HIGH END show in Munich. The concept of Roon's ground breaking player program being offered in integrated solutions is not new—there being many existing partners with products available—but this was the first time that the focus has shifted to a complete turnkey and networked solution offering multichannel capability up to DSD256 and DXD.
The Merging NADAC was launched at the 2015 HIGH END to much acclaim and has been fortunate to have received several rave reviews for its amazing transparency and for the advantages of the RAVENNA/AES67 networked solution. A variety of player solutions including Merging's own Emotion player can be used with an external computer but this concept is not the first choice for all users. The 'single box' solution with the software and the server combined with a DAC removes the need to have a computer in the living room. The ease with which the whole system can then be controlled by tablet or smart phone enhances the user experience significantly. Integration details such as direct control of the NADAC volume and mute from the Roon user interface also adds to the overall ergonomics by simplifying the control of the entire system from one single page on one single tablet.
Roon is well known to provide a superlative user experience with its friendly interface and the most comprehensive database available for the music lover seeking information on all aspects of his favorite track. Marrying Roon to the best sounding and most transparent DAC available and providing multichannel playback would be noteworthy enough but the addition of true networking advantages provides a degree of in-home flexibility that users could only dream about.
Merging also announced that this solution can be retrofitted to all Merging NADAC units already in the field and to any units shipping from now on, meaning early adopters can take advantage of the upgrade if they wish. Pricing and options for this solution, as well as cost for the upgrade of existing units and delivery date will be announced at Rocky Mountain.
The Merging NADAC player will be shown this week at T.H.E. Show Newport in the Pelican Hill Room on the ground floor of the Hotel Irvine (June 3rd-5th). No info on pricing or delivery yet.
This entry was posted in Latest News and tagged Merging Technologies, MERGING+NADAC, Munich High End, press release, ROON, T.H.E. Show.


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WHAT'S AHEAD FOR 2016? 2015 was better than 2014 across the entire metro DC area for the two most important metrics – total settlements and new contract activity – but most other indicators were a little worse. With the exception of Washington, D.C. itself, homes took a little longer to sell, price appreciation was moderate at best and overall supply rose as more new listings came on the market.
What's ahead for 2016? We think the market is headed toward something we haven't seen in almost 15 years: normalcy. During the past decade and a half we've seen some wild swings in real estate, from the pause after the horrors of Sept. 11, to the rapid run up in home prices 10 years ago with teaser rate mortgages and people buying homes who could not possible afford them, to the crash that followed.
Click here to read the entire bi-monthly MarketWatch report by McEnearney CIO David Howell.
UPDATE: Thanks to reader Charles Birnbaum for providing this related information.
Pershing Park in Washington, D.C., will soon have a landmark sure to bring in crowds of those mourning, observing or acknowledging our fallen heroes.
Cleaning out and organizing your closet can feel daunting, I know. However, when dealing with a small closet space, you must narrow it down to the essentials and the clothing that you are actually wearing. Old rugby shirts are just nostalgia, not wearable, and taking up valuable real estate!
Another assisted living center — known as Waltonwood Reston — with 135 beds is slated to come to Reston on Leesburg Pike, according to RestonNow. This is in addition to the assisted living facility covered earlier by Reston Real Estate Hub.
Wiehle Station Ventures LLC, has filed rezoning and development plans for Lincoln Commerce Park at Commerce Park Drive, Association Drive and Sunrise Valley Drive, according to Reston Connection.
The application outlines the company's plans to change a surface parking lot into 260 residential units.


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Tag Archives: National Conference of Bar Examiners
Tennessee State University Alum and Lawyer Elected to Lead National Bar Examiners' Board of Trustees
October 6, 2014 Emmanuel Freeman
NASHVILLE. Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University graduates continue to make major inroads in industry and the corporate and professional world.
Bryan Williams, senior partner of a New York City law firm who earned a B.S. degree from TSU in 1978, was recently elected chair of the Board of Trustees of the National Conference of Bar Examiners. The NCBE develops tests that are used as part of the bar examination in every jurisdiction in the United States.
A founding partner with Pettus and Williams, a Manhattan-based law firm, Williams is no stranger to the NCBE and the law profession. He was a longtime member of the Policy Committee for the Multistate Bar Examination, the organization's flagship test that is administered in all states with the exception of Louisiana. In New York, he is a member of the State Board of Law Examiners.
Williams, who was elected at the August meeting of the NCBE, becomes only the second African-American male to chair the Board of Trustees in the organization's 83-year history. He began his legal career as an assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and practiced commercial litigation at the Wall Street law firms of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, and Deforest & Duer.
Attributing his career success and leadership skills to his TSU preparation, Williams said his new role will give him the opportunity to lead "a very distinguished board of attorneys" representing the entire country who are responsible for ensuring that new attorneys are qualified to practice law.
"Tennessee State University played an integral part in building my skills of leadership when I served as SGA president," said Williams, who earned his law degree at Howard University, where he graduated cum laude.
"I will be forever grateful to TSU for giving me the foundation that has allowed me to succeed in the legal profession," Williams added.
The Indianapolis native is a member of the New York State Bar Association Committee on the Bar Exam, the Howard Law Alumni Association, and the New York County Lawyers' Association. A staunch supporter of his alma mater, Williams is a member of the New York Chapter of the Tennessee State University National Alumni Association, and a member of the President's Society, a donor category of supporters who regularly give to the University.
Williams is also involved in a number of community, religious, and fraternal organizations, serving as a member of the Board of Deacons of the historic Canaan Baptist Church of Christ in Harlem and a past member of the Board of Directors of the Lakeland Education Foundation in Westchester County, New York. A life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, he is general counsel to the fraternity's Northeastern Province, a former president of the fraternity's New Rochelle–White Plains Alumni Chapter, and a former chairman of the fraternity's New York City Alumni Scholarship Foundation.
Bryan WilliamsNational Conference of Bar ExaminersNew York State Bar AssociationTSU alumnus


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empty and the girl seemed to smile at Bernd from a distance. At least Bernd thought he saw this. But then it happened. She looked directly at him. Overtaxed with the situation, Bernd quickly turned his gaze away and stared into the shelves to his right, pretending to be looking for something else. But it didn't take long and Bernd stumbled exactly into a small shelf which was in front of him. He dropped his basket and landed straight on the ground with all his spaghetti falling out of his pants. He looked up and only saw the woman at the register looking down on him and visibly working to suppress an upcoming laughter cramp. Bernd collected his things and unwound the purchase as quickly as possible before storming out of the store. Arrived out-side Bernd first had to get rid of his nausea. He ran into the side street behind the shop and, barely having arrived there, had to puke immediately in a high arch. "Man, you can't take anything either, can you?" Frightened, Bernd turned around. On the back of the shop there was a man in squatting, drinking a can of foreign beer. "I, uh. . . No" Bernd replied.
"I am Ramùnas. I'm always here, actually. It's pleasantly lonely here behind the store. But you're welcome to join me," said the rocking man. But Bernd still had some plans for the day and so he made his way home again. It didn't take long and Bernd was back at his property. He brought his groceries into the house, had a drink and then went outside again. The property was really run down. Bernd decided to accept his neighbor's offer and borrow his lawnmower. He ran over to Walt's farm and asked about it. He was sent a little further to a building. After Bernd knocked on the door, a tall and elderly gentleman opened it. He was a little pale, he lacked a lot of hair and wore sunglasses. He was naked upstairs, which didn't seem to bother him. He stared at Bernd for a while, then took a sip from a white can. *sip* "Yeah, what's up?" he just said. Bernd described the situation to him. "Well. Nice to meet you, Bernd. I'm Hank. Then come with me." Bernd followed Hank to his barn a few meters further on. "Okay, there's the good piece in there. Take good care of it, and when you're done, just put it back in there." Bernd was really happy about the
helpfulness of his neighbors. Hank went back to his house while Bernd went into the barn. He stood there in all his glory. Quite a chunk from a lawnmower. He looked very well groomed. Since the keys were stuck, Bernd started it without further ado. It roared loudly and began to vibrate strongly as the machine spirit in it awakened to new life. When Bernd had familiarized himself with the shifting, he drove off to his farm, where he first stopped. Bernd decided to take Dette with him at work. After all, this would take quite a while and he didn't want Dette to get bored. He took her on his lap, turned on a small radio, and turned it on at Thunderstruck, which was still in Hank's cassette compart-ment. Then he started the engine and finally got going.
It took almost two hours now, but Bernd had mowed his fields almost completely. When he came to the back of the property, he saw two


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Navigating the Nonprofit Rapids (Paperback)
Strategies & Tactics for Running a Nonprofit Company
By Ted Edlich
Boutique of Quality Books, 9781608081431, 322pp.
Are you looking to make a real difference in your community? Are you in academia looking for a textbook for teaching students who are studying nonprofit leadership? Do you have a passion to bring about change that will benefit others? Are you looking for a way to harness that passion and give it some organizational muscle and backbone? Are you on the hunt for a career you love, not just work that pays the bills? Are you involved in a nonprofit that is not living up to its potential? Then this book is for you! Discover the lessons of great nonprofit leadership that will sharpen your vision, give it structure that works, and make it a force to be reckoned with. You'll be excited and inspired by those like yourself who have done extraordinary work. With Navigating the Nonprofit Rapids, you'll discover lessons that have immediate application, and that making a difference is the real adventure of a lifetime.
Ted Edlich has been the President and CEO of Total Action for Progress, a $20 million nonprofit organization in the Roanoke Valley of southwestern Virginia. Under his leadership the organization has had local, state, and national impact. Considered one of the finest community action agencies in the nation, TAP has developed model programs in education, workforce development, nutrition, child health care, indoor plumbing access, and the reentry of ex-offenders. All of these programs have been replicated in many other communities in Virginia and across the country. Edlich has served on the boards of state and national associations dedicated to bringing opportunity and dignity to those citizens in greatest need. He has been actively engaged as a consultant to other nonprofits. Most of all, Ted is a true believer in social justice who turns his belief into words. To discover more about Ted, visit http: //www.nonprofitrapids.com


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Magazine Poland
On this Day, in 1918: the Greater Poland Uprising broke out against German rule
On December 27, 1918, after a patriotic speech by the famous composer Ignacy Paderewski, an uprising broke out in Poznań against the German occupation of the Greater Poland region, which was still part of Greater Germany at the close of World War I and hoped to join the new Polish republic.
After more than a century of Partitions between the Russian Empire in the east, the Kingdom of Prussia in the west and the Habsburg Monarchy in the south, Poland regained its independence at the end of World War I when the three partitioning powers were fatally weakened by war and revolutions.
But until the Treaty of Versailles formally established Poland as a sovereign state in June 1919, many territorial and sovereignty issues remained unresolved. Critically, most of Poland that was annexed by Prussia, which included the region of Greater Poland and its capital Poznań, was still part of Greater Germany at the close of World War I.
After Wilhelm II's abdication and the proclamation of the Weimar Republic, Poles living in German-controlled territory started serious preparations for an uprising. And with the fate of Greater Poland still undecided, Polish pianist and composer Ignacy Paderewski, who had become a spokesman for Polish independence during the war, visited Poznań and gave a speech inciting the inhabitants to take up arms against Germany.
Demoralized by the signing of the armistice, the new German government was weakened by the German Revolution, and by the end of January 1919, the insurrectionists, which consisted mainly of veterans of World War I and members of the underground Polish Military Organization, controlled most of Greater Poland.
Fighting continued until the final signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919, which formally awarded the area won by the insurrectionists to the new Polish Republic.
Paderewski, who had been appointed Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs by Chief of State Józef Piłsudski, was part of the Polish delegation at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference.
He signed the Treaty of Versailles, which also awarded to the new state parts of the province of Upper Silesia, as well as the lands of the so-called Polish Corridor, which were part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth before the First Partition of Poland and connected Poland to the Baltic Sea. The sovereignty of part of southern East Prussia was to be decided via plebiscite.
But Germany's territorial losses following the Treaty of Versailles incited German revanchism and created unresolved problems such as the status of the independent Free City of Danzig and of the Polish Corridor between East Prussia and the rest of Germany. Attending to these issues became part of Adolf Hitler's political platform…
The last surviving Polish fighter in the Greater Poland Uprising, Lieutenant Jan Rzepa, died at the age of 106 in 2005.
Find out more about Central European history in our On this Day series.
On this Day, in 1806: Jan Henryk Dąbrowski led an uprising against Prussian occupation
TagsEuropean affairs • History • On this Day • Poland
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Cinderella Man (2005)
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Genre: Animation, Biography, Drama, History, Romance, War
The Blind Side (2009)
The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman…
The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
A sumptuous and sensual tale of intrigue, romance and betrayal set against the backdrop of a defining moment in European history: two beautiful sisters, Anne and Mary Boleyn, driven by…
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Romance
In a last-ditch effort to save his career, sports agent JB Bernstein (Jon Hamm) dreams up a wild game plan to find Major League Baseball's next great pitcher from a…
Trailer: Cinderella Man (2005)


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02 June 2016 4908 Views
X Men Apocalypse Second Opinion With Frank Mengarelli
by James Murphy
X Men: Apocalypse
Second Opinion Review
With Frank Mengarelli
OK. I get it. I love X Men: Apocalypse. See my review here. And yet, the film has met with a mixed reception. I accept there are weaknesses, many of which I cited, though balanced with praise I also heaped on it. I felt it struck a blow against the hyper-reverence that is limiting the genre and thereby, Cinema itself. I viewed it as a romantic piece of popcorn fun that knew its limits and adhered to those.
Still puzzled by why – spoiler – Mystique does not simply impersonate Apocalypse? I guess that would make for a short film! And yes, it does abandon the fantastical yet more grounded tone of each previous entries, including the weaker ones. For insight to the film-making process, check out the EMPIRE magazine podcast interview with Bryan Singer and Simon Kinberg. For a Podcast review that nails the film's strengths and weaknesses, check out NOW PLAYING PODCAST.
And, just to cement our commitment to truly objective movie debate? We have drafted in FRANK MENGARELLI. Frank: you are not a film critic anymore, you are not a student. Forget everything you think you know..everything your parents told you..you are an X MAN! Take it away, Mr. Mengarelli..
X-MEN APOCALYPSE completely forgoes and abandons the immense promise we were given with DAYS OF FUTURE PAST. The entire film is a bloated and dull calamity. It is misguided at every turn. The direction, poor writing, and uninspired performances lead us to yet another third X-Men film that unintentionally tries it's hardest at undoing the smart entertainment from its former two films.
The setup, is yet another rehash of the idealist Professor X uniting with his former best friend and now arch nemesis, Magneto, to save humanity from yet another unstoppable force.
There is little to like about this film. Evan Peters as Quicksilver is the best part, but even his slow-motion scenes become a mundane walk-through. Hugh Jackman shows up in a forced and out of place cameo that leaves you wishing he wasn't even in the film.
FIRST CLASS wasn't great, but it built a solid foundation for the epic and remarkable DAYS OF FUTURE PAST that brilliantly and organically rebooted the entire X-Men franchise. This new film completely squanders the fresh start we were promised. I loved DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, but pertaining to X-MEN APOCALYPSE, there ain't nothing good about this shit at all.
ABOUT FRANK:
Everybody relax, Frank's here! After going to film school at Columbia College Chicago, FRANK MENGARELLI decided to underachieve with his vast knowledge of film into a career in civil service. Frank had a brief stint as a film blogger, and then he met the heterosexual love of his life, Nick Clement. The two instantly bonded over their love from everything to Terence Malick to THE EXPENDABLES films. Some of Frank's favorite filmmakers are Terence Malick, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Sylvester Stallone, Oliver Stone, Abel Ferrara, Lars von Trier, Steve McQueen and Spike Lee.
Some of his favorite films are THE TREE OF LIFE, STAR WARS (all of them), BAD LIEUTENANT (1992), THE THING and ALL THAT JAZZ. Frank spends his free time with his dog Roger, collecting any Star Wars collectible he can find and trying to finish his pretentious, first person narrative novel(la), LARGE MEN IN SMALL CARS.
frank mengarelliPodcasting Them SoftlyX-MenX-Men: Apocalypse
Face it. Marvel is now the ENRON of comic book movies
Could DR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS become the biggest Marvel movie yet?
Non Star Wars movies that capture the spirit of actual Star Wars better than the prequel or sequel trilogies..


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Ribbon cutting held to celebrate new, upgraded mesonet weather systems across South Dakota
Published: Aug. 25, 2022 at 5:27 PM CDT
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) -- South Dakota has currently dozens of mesonet weather systems across the state, but those will be upgraded and new ones will be added over the years.
The goal of the expansion of these weather systems will help improve data quality and coverage, along with the expansion of different data types such as soil and snow observations.
These systems provide live data that updates every five minutes on things like temperature, heat index, wind chill, soil conditions, humidity, wind, frost depth, snow depth and more.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at Sertoma Park in Sioux Falls Thursday to discuss the upgrade to the current systems plus the addition of new ones in 2023 and beyond.
Both farmers and meteorologists know that every bit of information received in regards to the weather is vital.
There have been upgrades to the systems over the past three years and more are expected to be added in 2023 and beyond, including one in Letcher and one in Onida.
Mesonet Locations in South Dakota(Dakota News Now)
Once it is all said and done, there will be over 150 stations and every acre in the state will be within 20 miles of one of the stations.
In the photo below, the areas in blue is where mesonet station hosts are needed, and to apply for one, click here.
Mesonet Station Needs in South Dakota(Dakota News Now)
For more information, you can click here.


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Pagurus findleyi is een tienpotigensoort uit de familie van de Paguridae. De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort is voor het eerst geldig gepubliceerd in 2012 door Ayón-Parente & Hendrickx.

Paguridae

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


There are a range of different ways we can combat cyber-security threats.
Lots of these rely upon educating users - for example, to combat social engineering threats. Then there are obvious technological solutions such as using up to date anti-malware software (anti-virus software).
Some of these have been covered in other areas of this unit, so focus on biometrics, CAPTCHA and e-mail/SMS confirmations.
You can find more information of two-step verification at Google's guide to how it works on their systems.
To find out more about CAPTCHA systems, check out a digital guide on them.
You might remember that there are other threats you could consider. Physically restricting access to systems by locking them up is a simple way to do so. You might also want to consider the issues associated with physical threats such as squirrels or even solar flares.
It's also possible to restrict particular systems from being used if they are considered to be vulnerable: Huawei's 'shoddy' work prompts talk of a Westminster ban (BBC, 8 April 2019). This details the issues with vulnerabilities in the engineering underpinning Huawei's 5G networks and includes a handy video about the possible vulnerabilities of 5G networks to DoS cyber-attacks.
Huawei, a Chinese company, have been named as a potential security threat in terms of accessing confidential information held by western companies.
This page created: 27 March 2019. Last updated: 10 April 2019.


Students of the MScRE can participate in a Dual Degree-Program with the renowned Lingnan University in Hongkong and obtain a second degree, the MSc in International Banking & Finance. During his stay in Lucerne on February 12 th, Dr. Kent Lai, Head of the Division of Graduate Studies at the Lingnan University, Prof. Dr. Michael Truebestein, Head of the MScRE-Program and Gordon Millar, Head of the International Relations discussed further possibilities for a cooperation between both institutions and how to implent these.
"We are confident to deepen and enlarge our cooperation with the Lingnan University soon and in a structured way", so Prof. Dr. Michael Truebestein, Head of the MScRE-Program.


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As Facebook Turns 10, Zuckerberg Wants to Change How Tech Industry Works
c.2014 New York Times News Service
SAN JOSE, Calif. � Mark Zuckerberg was in his element.
Zuckerberg, whose social network turns 10 years old next week, spoke Tuesday at a meeting of the Open Compute Project.
Open Compute is an initiative that Facebook started three years ago to help big computing centers add the kind of cost cuts and efficiency gains from open-source software � where programmers share ideas and code across company, university and even national boundaries � to single computer servers and Web management.
If that sounds technical, you are right. Speaking to this engineering audience, Zuckerberg was much less guarded than usual about what he has done and where he is going.
His goals � some achieved and others still aspirational � paint a picture of someone who wants to do more than just be the king of social media. He wants to change the high-tech business, all the way to the guts of the data center. And he thinks he is on his way to doing it.
To start, he believes he has eliminated the technical advantages enjoyed by Amazon, Google and Yahoo.
Facebook got big after those other companies had all built proprietary global computing systems. Unable to replicate quickly what they had learned, he introduced Open Compute, which effectively crowdsourced the problem of rethinking servers, server racks, cabling, networking and a hundred other engineering problems.
�When you�re first to design something, there�s advantage to keeping secrets,� he said, adding that �from our perspective, it was much better� to take an open-source approach. Now, he said, �we�re far ahead.�
He did it while saving shareholders money and hugging the planet.
According to Jay Parikh, Facebook�s vice president for infrastructure, the company has saved $1.2 billion in energy and management costs by using open source products in the last three years.
�It�s not just about saving money, we�re saving a ton of money,� he said. The server system that contains Facebook�s core social graph, or all of the content that people interact with regularly, performs 4 billion operations a second, he said, at 24 percent less cost and 38 percent more efficient energy utilization than a conventional system.
Zuckerberg said Facebook�s green energy approach, including windmill-based systems in Iowa and hydroelectric systems in Sweden, had saved the equivalent of power for 40,000 homes and emissions equal to 50,000 cars in the last year.
He has also done his bit to destabilize an industry worth more than $100 billion.
Big tech changes, an eminent Internet economist/investor has pointed out, require a committed buyer who will encourage young companies to endure several years of learning to perfect breakthrough products.
For most of Silicon Valley�s history, this was done by the U.S. military. Facebook and the open computing project, which has drawn 150 companies, including Intel and Microsoft, looks like that firm buyer of transformational big-ticket computing technology.
As Zuckerberg put it Tuesday, �folks are heavily incentivized� to build new kinds of hardware when there is a prospect of big sales. �Facebook is a partnership company.�
Innovations like servers made from cheap cellphone chips and now computer networking gear at perhaps half the operational cost of conventional products were features of the show floor at the open computing project.
�The way the market is addressed will change,� said Frank Frankovsky, Facebook�s vice president for hardware design and chairman of the project. �People are starting new businesses made for the way customers want to consume technology � more flexible, with more choice and control.�
As tech history shows, it is tough for the incumbents to compete if that becomes the norm.
Zuckerberg really wants to connect a few billion more people. To put that another way, he is up for destroying several decades of international telecommunications practice.
That is probably a $1 trillion business. Besides Facebook and the project, Zuckerberg has started Internet.org. The headline job of the organization is to get pretty much the whole planet connected. It sounds like a noble thing to do, but it is clear he is getting ready to dive into the guts of what that will take, including remaking how the world uses wireless spectrum.
�Having a smartphone doesn�t mean you�re connected,� he said. �An iPhone costs $2,000 for two years, and only $500 of that is the phone.�
Facebook, he said, is working with carriers to deliver new services and will also seek new ways to make data hauling over wireless much more efficient.
Parikh said Internet.org was doing research, establishing partnerships with phone companies and looking at new ways to remake wireless systems, the same way it has been remaking servers and networking.
(STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.)
Then there is that matter of remaking how all businesses work. Oh, and much of the rest of the planet as well.
Facebook claims to have participation from 25 million small businesses, but for the most part these are little more than informational pages. That could change as Facebook finds its own ways to sell the kind of business services increasingly offered by Amazon, Google and Microsoft, wrapped inside social media.
�The line between �work� and �not work� is blurring,� he said, adding that in the future data gathering and analytics �will just be baked into how folks do business.�
Additionally, Facebook would like to connect people to things like their cars and home appliances.
�We do identity, social and enable services to easily bring their friends and content,� he said. �That should automatically extend to the Internet of Things.�
In Zuckerberg�s own low-pulse way, realizing the scale of his ambitions freaks him out sometimes. Because of Facebook�s size and reach, �we have more responsibility,� he said.
Ten years ago, �I remember we had first version of Facebook at Harvard,� he said. �I said, �OK, we�ve done this, someone will build this for the world.��
He added, �I had no idea we�d be the ones.�


Sculptures, painters, photographers are invited to the opening of the western Bunginderry Artist Camp participant's exhibition.
Bunginderry, west of Quilpie, has been an amazing location for all forms of artists to come together and share their skills.
This exhibition draws together a wide range of art works in celebration of Bunginderry, a special place.
Annabel and Stephen, the caretakers of Bunginderry and special friends will be joining us and we hear each are bringing a unique piece of their own art work. Danielle Lancaster will be opening the exhibition.


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The Bridge Church
6443 Norris Lake Road
Nowthen, MN 55330
Chris Lindquist
chris.lindquist@isd15.org
For more information about this program please call 763-213-1640.
Event Time: 11:00 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
NEW seating time 10:45 am.
Tickets: $20 for Lunch and Performance
Reservations are required one week before the show. Call the Adult Community Office at 763-213-1640 to register or for more information.
"Technical Difficulties" and "The Dating Game"
The Geezer Radio Hour takes you on another comedic romp through the Golden Years with the Jewels of deNial in a Valentine's Day double-header Technical Difficulties and The Dating Game.
Technical Difficulties – Opal is frustrated with her new computer; Ruby can't remember her password, and Pearl has trouble making an appointment with the eye doctor on her rotary telephone. In desperation, they turn to technical support, which tries to help them navigate through their questions.
The Dating Game – No, no, no. Don't touch that dial. Valentine's Day is coming up, and we find the Jewels trying out their newly-found computer skills, exploring the world of online dating. Will Opal, Pearl, and Ruby find the men of their dreams on this virtual playing field? Will true love prevail? Be sure to stay tuned for this exciting romantic interlude.
"The Stringman" Paul Imholte
If it has strings, Paul Imholte probably plays it. Known as the "stringman," Paul plays nearly a dozen folk instruments and will entertain with traditional Celtic, American, and original music. A master of the hammered dulcimer, he is a huge proponent of introducing this somewhat rare and enchanting instrument to audiences across the Midwest. The hammered dulcimer is a trapezoid-shaped instrument struck with light hammers and a forerunner of the modern piano.
Besides playing the hammer dulcimer, he plays fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo, autoharp, cello, mountain dulcimer, and jaw harp. Paul sings about small towns and people that make their living on the land. A native of St. Cloud, Minnesota, Paul, has released ten CDs and performs at festivals and concerts throughout the United States.
Grand Ole Opry – Phyllis Hummel & The Swinging Country Band
A Grand Ole Opry show will be performed by the Swinging Country Band, whose members include Bill Jordan, Jeff Zappa, Greg Donovan, and performer Phyllis Hummel. Get ready for a concert featuring songs from George Jones, Conway Twitty, Kitty Wells, Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams Sr., and Hank William Jr., along with many more.
The Swinging Country Band was inducted into The Mid America Hall of Fame in 2010, and Phyllis Hummel is also an inductee in the South Dakota Country Music Hall of Fame. The band also frequently performs at the South Dakota State Fair.
Rockin' Woody – Tom Strohmyer
A man of many talents, Tom Strohmyer, known professionally as "Woody," has been entertaining audiences from ages one to one hundred since 1983 by singing, playing guitar, keyboards, saxophone, trumpet, and flute. Woody, a Lunch Bunch favorite, is a one-person variety show, offering a wide range of music delivered instrumentally and vocally. Did we mention he is a magician and juggler who can shoot the bull while keeping five balls aloft?


If you are considering studying at Masaryk University and have a disability, please contact us at studijni@teiresias.muni.cz. To find out more about what we can do for you as a student with a disability, go to Our services.
To find out more about study opportunities for all incoming students, go to http://czs.muni.cz/cs/left-incoming-mobility/incoming-student.


Download a free Fairco brochure to view our range of Contemporary, Diamond, PVC and Fairco Composite front doors.
Fairco offer Ireland's first guaranteed burglar-proof doors, combining exclusive style with value and the most enhanced resistance to intrusion available on the market. Strong and attractive doors are a key feature in every home, setting the style and tone of your whole living area.
Learn why our Apeer range of doors are the most secure, stylish and A-rated energy saving doors on the market.
A Diamond Composite Door brings warmth, comfort, style and security right to your doorstep.
Our collection of modern and sophisticated uPVC door panels will brighten and enhance your home.
Our French doors come in a range of styles, colours and glass options with performance that outlasts other brands.
Our slimline profile allows you to enjoy your garden without compromising the warmth and security of your home.
Fairco's burglar-proof range have never been breached in a domestic situation.
Our most popular and widely used window is hinged at the side or top and opens outward.
Sash come with many names, sliding sash, traditional sash and vertical sash.
All our Fairco Lifestyle windows come A-rated as standard.


Alzheimer's support group — 5 p.m. fourth Wed., boardroom, Cornell Cooperative Extension, 64 Ferndale-Loomis Road, Liberty. Call Susan Koenig, 583-4944.
Autism support group — Fourth Wed., Sullivan County BOCES, Rubin Pollack Education Center, Ferndale-Loomis Road, Liberty. For parents who have a child with autism, Asperger's syndrome or other pervasive developmental delays. Children welcome to enjoy games, crafts and snacks with trained staff while parents meet. Call Sherry Eidel, 295-4042.
Bereavement support group — Second and fourth Wed., Crystal Run Healthcare, third-floor conference room, 155 Crystal Run Road, Town of Wallkill. Nondenominational. Call Kathleen Rogers, 703-6000.
Breast cancer support group — 1:30 p.m. fourth Fri., Curves of Liberty, 5 Triangle Road, Liberty. Call 339-4673.
Caregiver Conversation Group — 6 p.m. fourth Wed., Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County. Educational materials, guest speakers, opportunity to share caregiving tips. Refreshments. Call Bonnie Lewis, 292-5250.
Diabetes support group — 7-8 p.m. last Wed., Catskill Regional Medical Center, Diabetes Education Center, fourth floor, Harris. Call 794-3300, ext. 2106.
Insulin pump group — 7 p.m. fourth Wed., Catskill Regional Medical Center, Diabetes Education Center, fourth floor, Harris. Call 794-3300, ext. 2106.
Stepparents, Stepgrandparents, Their Partners and Grown Stepchildren Discussion Group — 6:30-8 p.m. last Tues., Paesano's Pizzeria, Crestview Road, Lake Huntington. Call Pam, 252-7198.
Breast cancer support group — 6-7:30 p.m., first and third Mon., Government Center, 100 North St., Monticello. Call 657-8222.
Diabetes support group — 11 a.m. first Thurs., Catskill Regional Medical Center, Diabetes Education Center, fourth floor, Harris. Call Patricia Doty, 794-3300, ext. 2106.
Liquid Assets — 3-4 p.m. first Thurs., Sullivan County Public Health Facility, 50 Community Lane, Liberty. Call 292-0100, ext. 3.
Man to Man, prostate cancer support group — 7-8:30 p.m. first Thurs., Cancer Center of Upper Delaware Valley, Milford, Pa. Call 570-296-4411.
Parents Anonymous for parents of teens — 7 p.m. first Tues., CACHE office. 63 S. Main St., Liberty. Support, information, resources for families parenting teens who are struggling or are in crisis because of emotional or behavioral challenges. Call 292-5821, ext. 633.
Parents Anonymous for parents of younger children — 7 p.m. first Fri., CACHE office. 63 S. Main St., Liberty. Support, information, resources for families parenting children who are struggling or are in crisis because of emotional or behavioral challenges. Call 292-5821, ext. 633.
Share the Caring — 10 a.m. every first Wed., Hortonville Presbyterian Church, Hortonville. Call 292-5250.
24-hour AA hot lines — Orange County, 534-8525; Sullivan County, 866-490-5686; Ulster County, 331-6360; Pike County, 570-424-8532; Rockland County, 352-1112.
Al-Anon (Alateens welcome) — 7 p.m. Mon., United Methodist Church, 170 N. Main St., Liberty. Call 434-2560.
Al-Anon — 7 p.m., Wed. beginners meeting, 7:30 p.m. regular meeting. Ellenville United Methodist Church, Ellenville. 647-7094.
Al-Anon — 7 p.m. Thurs., Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Route 42, Woodbourne. Call 434-2166.
Al-Anon (Alateens welcome) — 8 p.m. Sat., United Methodist Church, 170 N. Main St., Liberty. Call 434-2560.
Alcoholics Anonymous, "One day at a time" program — 5-6 p.m. Mon.-Thurs. and noon-1 p.m. Fri., Liberty Ambulance building, Liberty.
Alcoholic Anonymous — 6:40-9:40 p.m. Fri., Ellenville Regional Hospital, cafeteria, 10 Healthy Way, Ellenville. Call 647-3259.
Alcoholics Anonymous — 7:30 p.m. Sun., Bethel Presbyterian Church, Route 17B west, Bethel. Big Book study group, closed discussion. Call Chris, 807-7538.
Alcoholics Anonymous — Recovery Center Clubhouse, 17 Hamilton Ave., Monticello. Meetings held daily. Call for schedule, 794-8080.
Alcoholics Anonymous — Eldred-Yulan New Beginnings, 8 p.m. Thurs., St. Anthony of Padua Church, Route 22, Yulan. Call Big Bob, 588-2000.
Alcoholics Anonymous — 8:30 p.m. Fri., Methodist Church, 254 Rock Hill Drive, Rock Hill. Call 796-2826.
Alcoholics Anonymous — 7:30 p.m. Tues., Community Church of Wurtsboro's meeting hall, Sullivan Street, Wurtsboro. Call 888-5626.
Arthritis Program — 2:30-4:30 p.m. Tues., Mid-Town Center, 467 Broadway, Kingston. Call 331-1682, ext. 115. Also Thurs., Trudy Farber Building, 50 Center St., Ellenville. Call 647-1605.
Autism support group for parents/caregivers — 7-8:30 p.m. second Thurs., Action Toward Independence Inc., 309 E. Broadway, Monticello. Call Joan at 794-4228, ext. 305.
Autism Spectrum Support Group — 7-8 p.m. fourth Wed., Room E9, Sullivan County BOCES Rubin Pollack Education Center, Ferndale-Loomis Road, Liberty. Support and education for parents raising children with autism, Asperger's syndrome and other pervasive developmental delays. Use second driveway, and E-wing entrance. Call 295-4042.
Cancer support group — For patients and families at Catskill Regional Medical Center, Harris. Meets monthly. Call for dates and times, 794-3300, ext. 2831.
Citizens Reunited to Overcome Cancer (CROC) — Offers guest speakers, experience sharing and discussion groups on a regular basis. Connect and support facing the miracles of survival. Call 291-8578.
Domestic violence support groups — Meet weekly for nine weeks. For women affected by domestic violence. Call 888-503-HOPE.
Double Trouble in Recovery support group — 12-step meeting meets 5:30 p.m. Mon., Recovery Center's Always Action Clubhouse, 17 Hamilton Ave., Monticello. For people with alcohol/substance abuse and mental health problems combined. Call 434-5444.
EFFORTS — Emphysema Foundation for Our Right to Survive, online support/advocacy group. Visit www.emphysema.net or call Linda Watson for brochure, 292-3824.
Families Anonymous — 6:30 p.m. Wed., Literacy Center, 63 North St., Monticello. Call Marie, 985-7777, or Marlena, 252-3836.
Gamblers Anonymous — Meets regularly in Woodbourne. For locations, call 434-3798.
Gamblers Anonymous — 6:30-8 p.m. Thurs., Recovery Center's Always Action Clubhouse, 17 Hamilton Ave., Monticello. Call 794-8080, ext. 205.
Hepatitis C Support Group — Every other Mon., Upper Delaware Valley ID, 427 Broadway, Suite 1, Monticello. Contact, jane_koskey@yahoo.com.
Hospice of Orange and Sullivan Counties Inc. — Bereavement support groups for children and adults. For times and location, call 561-6111, ext. 316.
Liquid Assets breast-feeding support group — For all breast-feeding moms and those about to be meets monthly at the Sullivan County Public Health Services, 50 Community Lane, Liberty. Call 292-0100, ext. 3, for date and time of next meeting.
Narcotics Anonymous — 7-8:30 p.m. Mon. and Thurs., Ellenville Regional Medical Center, cafeteria, 10 Healthy Way, Ellenville. Call 647-3259.
Narcotics Anonymous — 7:30 p.m. Thurs., St. Peter's Church, Monticello. Call 794-5577.
Narcotics Anonymous — 1:30 p.m. Tues. Young adult meeting, 6 p.m. Wed.; meeting, 11 a.m. Thurs.; basic text meeting, 5:30 p.m. Fri.; regular meeting, 7:30 p.m. Fri. and 8 p.m. Sat., Recovery Center Clubhouse, 17 Hamilton Ave., Monticello. Call 794-8080.
Overeaters Anonymous — A 12-step support group for those with eating disorders, meets at various times and days in the region. Call the hot line, 657-6603, or go to www.midhudsonoa.org.
Overeaters Anonymous — 1 p.m. Fri., First Presbyterian Church, Main Street, Jeffersonville. A 12-step program. Call the hot line, 657-6603, or go to www.midhudsonoa.org.
Overeaters Anonymous — 10:30 a.m. Sun., Harris Hospital, Harris, fourth-floor diabetes conference room. Call 482-5280.
Overeaters Anonymous — 7:30-8:30 p.m. Tues., Woodridge Municipal Building, Woodridge. Summer only. Call 434-7330.
Parents Anonymous — 7-9 p.m. Tues. for parents of teenagers, 7-9 p.m. Fri. for parents of younger children, CACHE office, 63 S. Main St., Liberty. Children welcome. Call Sheila Lyons, 292-5821, ext. 633.
Person to Person — Provides cancer patients with one-on-one support from a cancer survivor matched by age, cancer site, etc. Call 800-ACS-2345.
RISE Sexual Assault Adult Survivors support group — 1:30-3 p.m. Thurs, RISE office, 14 Prince St., Monticello. Drop-ins welcome. Group is adult women in an open, unstructured discussion format. Call Ann-Marie Franklin, 791-9595.
Sharing and Caring family support meeting — For friends and family members of adults recovering from serious mental illness, from 6:30-8 p.m. third Tues., Stepping Stones, 14 Pelton St., Monticello. Light refreshments served. Group facilitator is M. Lori Schneider-Wendt. Call to confirm and for information, 794-1029.


A data logger for a monitoring sports which includes an accelerometer, a GPS unit to sense position and velocity, a heart rate monitor, a controller programmed to manipulate the data and provide a display of the heart rate, speed, and other sport parameters. The data can be stored or transmitted to a remote computer for use by the coach. The device is useful in football codes, athletics, snow sports and cycling.
This invention relates to a method and system for monitoring performance characteristics of athletes and in particular the particular movements which contribute to enhanced performance.
Monitoring of athletes performance both in training and in competition is important in the development and implementation of new approaches aimed at improving sporting performance.
The ability to measure and record athlete physiological information and positional information associated with athlete movement in real-time is critical in the process of athlete training and coaching. Blood oxygen, respiration, heart rates, velocity, acceleration/force, changes in direction, and position and many other factors are required in elite athlete training and coaching. The position, movement and force information plays an important role in effective analysis of the athlete performance, especially for rowers. For example, the stroke frequency, force and synchronisation of athletes are critical for the performance of the rowers in a competition. Currently the stroke information can only be measured in either dedicated sports laboratories or using simulated devices. Reliable analysis of the stroke rate and stroke distance in rowing has been a challenge for a long time due to the availability of the real scenario data, in particular a high precision of position, velocity and acceleration data. Existing technologies used for this purpose include theoretical studies, video-footage procedure, indoor tank procedure, computer modelling and ergometer studies. Much of the equipment is either too heavy, expensive, obtrusive or less reliable. Therefore, smart real-time monitoring during training and competition to help elite athletes to improve their performance and avoid injuries is critical for both athletes and coaches. Any methodology that would improve the situation would not only bring benefits to the rower practice, but also to many other sports related application including both team sports and individual athlete.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,984,986 and 5,099,689 disclose measuring systems for off water rowing apparatus which measure the number of strokes or the force applied to the machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,649 discloses a monitoring system for sail boat racing which provides feedback to the crew of such parameters as wind speed and direction boat speed, sail boat comfort parameters, sail shape, line tensions, rudder angle etc.
Some development of monitoring systems has occurred in non water sports. U.S. Pat. No. 6,148,262 discloses a bike mounted sports computer including a GPS receiver to provide a mapping facility.
In athletics the ability to monitor movement, acceleration and rhythm is useful in especially in track and field events. In team games such as football the ability to track and log the movements of players is useful to coaches.
It is an object of this invention to provide a device for real time monitoring of both boat and athlete performance in on water events and in athletics and other sports.
f) said computer device being programmed to use the global position and accelerometer data to provide accurate and continuous output of parameters such as velocity acceleration and distance traveled.
This device will provide longitudinal data from the training and competition environment and provide both athlete physiological data and performance data related to the sport.
The movement sensor is an accelerometer or gyrosensor combined with a GPS unit to sense instantaneous position and velocity. A GPS receiver transmitter is included in the device to derive location and speed parameters.
Preferably physiological sensors are also attached to the athlete and integrated with the sensor system. Heart rate is the prime parameter to be measured and this may be sensed using electrical sensors or microphones. Respiratory rate is also important and may be measured by sensing the stretching of a chest band or using a microphone and signal recognition software. Another parameter is arterial oxygen saturation which may be measured non invasively by a sensor, placed on an earlobe or finger tip, using pulse oximetry employing an infra red absorption technique. Infra-red spectroscopy may be used for non invasive measurement of blood lactate concentrations.
Preferably velocity is derived from the global position sensor and the accelerometer data is sampled to obtain movement characteristics of the sport being monitored. Preferably the accelerometer data is integrated to derive velocity related movement characteristics and drift is checked every second using the output from the global position sensor.
This system provides a platform device which can be used for a wide range of sports simply by providing appropriate software to derive from the accelerometer and GPS data, the desired sport parameters such as stride frequency velocity stride length, vertical acceleration, time off the ground for long jumping and events such as aerial skiing. An alternative sensor to accelerometers is a gyrosensor which may also be used in addition to the accelerometers. The gyrosensor is able to sense movements like strokes and turns in swimming or strides and loft time in running, in a similar fashion to accelerometers. Additionally these sensors can indicate direction of the movement.
The system of this invention can be used in swimming to identify stroke type, turns, and with turns the number of laps and the stroke rate per lap as well as lap times. Careful analysis of each stroke can show the efficiency and power by comparing the acceleration and deceleration cycles and the effect of breathing cycles. In open water swimming the GPS can also be used to provide an indication of location, direction, and speed relative to the course.
The system of this invention can be used in cycling to identify location, speed, power and heart rate. By adding a magnetometer to the unit on the cyclist pedal cadence can be sensed. Alternatively pedal cadence can be sensed by a unit on the bike and transferred to the unit on the cyclist using a radio frequency pickup unit.
In skiing the unit can detect velocity, position, and heart rate but also the power imparted by each leg and the lateral acceleration and deceleration. In jumping the unit can detect loft time and speed.
In team sports such as the various codes of football the movement of the player can be tracked and the direction and force of a kick can be detected.
Particular embodiments of the invention will be described.
FIG. 16 is a video frame and triaxial gyro readings for an Australian rules footballer player kicking.
The Catch. At the catch, the blade is placed into the water quickly while the disturbance to the boat is minimised. The rower's arms are extended outward, torso is tilted forward, and legs are compressed. A good catch produces a minimal amount of back and front splash and causes minimal check. The catches of all crew members of a boat must be identical. Out of step catches (unsynchronisation) cause balance problems and reduce a boat's speed. The blade must be fully squared to the water at the catch.
The Drive. Boat gains its speed on the drive. In this portion of the stroke, the oarsman applies power to the oar with forces from arms, back and legs, and swings his torso away from the stern of the boat. The handle of the oar is pulled in a clean, powerful and leveled motion towards the bow of the boat with a constant force.
The Finish. At the finish, the oarsman finishes applying power to the oar handle, removes the blade of the oar from the water sharply, and feathers the oar so that the blade of the oar becomes parallel to the surface of the water.
The Recovery. This portion of the stroke gives rowers a brief rest to prepare for the next stroke. The oarsman must slide towards the stern of the boat and prepare the blade for the next catch. Crews exhibit an approximate 2:1 ratio between the time spent on the recovery and the time spend on the drive. At the end of the recovery, the oar is gradually squared (the blade of the oar becomes perpendicular to the surface of the water) and prepared for the catch.
Understanding which movements should occur in each phase of the stroke allows coaches to design effective conditioning programs and evaluate rowing performance effectively. Success in competitive rowing is achieved by taking the shortest time to complete a 2000 m course which directly links to the average velocity of the boat. Acceleration is proportional to force and time since the boat is accelerated as it reacts with the sweeping arc of the oar. Three factors affecting boat velocity, power, length and rate, are important determinants of rowing performance. The power provides how fast the boat travels in a stroke, the length is associated with how far the boat travels in each stroke and the rate provides how many strokes are rowed per minute. Therefore the rower must achieve an optimal combination of high stroke power, long stroke length and high stroke rate.
Data obtained from accelerometers has been used to aid the coaching process and improve athlete performance.
Recent developments in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology have opened new avenues for the use of high precision lightweight accelerometers and gyroscopes for new and challenging sports applications (e.g. characterise rate and length of rowing stroke and stride). MEMS integrate both electrical and mechanical components on a single chip through extensive research into integrated circuit processing technologies. As MEMS accelerometers originated from monitoring vehicle safety and electronic stabilisation, they only provided very low accuracy measurements. However, as micromechanical devices are inherently smaller, lighter, and usually more precise than their macroscopic counterparts, more and more reliable sensors are becoming available. Accelerometers measure linear acceleration and gyroscopes measure angular acceleration (pitch, yaw and roll).
Inertial sensors errors include initial system heading errors, accelerometer scale factor and bias errors. These drifts and biases inherent in the inertial sensors will cause a misalignment of the platform and errors in the sensed accelerations, which subsequently results in errors in computed velocities and positions.
The advent of the advanced global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), GPS in particular, has revolutionized conventional precise positioning techniques. GPS has been made more amenable to a wide range of applications through the evolution of rapid static and kinematic methods, and now even more so with the advent of the On-The-Fly (OTF) technique and most recently network-based RTK techniques such as the Trimble virtual reference station system and Geo++ surface correction parameter method. Real-time Kinematic (RTK) or single epoch positioning allows for the determination of the integer ambiguities in real-time. It is therefore not necessary to carry out any static initialization before performing the survey. Due to the small wavelengths of the carrier phase frequencies (ëL1iÖ19 cm and ëL2iÖ24 cm), the determination of position within a specific cycle to a millimetre level by utilising differential carrier phase measurements (i.e. differential techniques) is possible. Most systems statistically determine the most likely solution for the position of the roving receiver. Virtually, all carrier phase processing algorithms that utilise an OTF technique, rely on the double difference carrier phase observables as the primary measurement. A search box is determined within which the position must lie. All possible solutions are then assessed and the statistically most-likely candidate is selected. This procedure is extremely computing intensive, particularly with a large number of satellites.
Precise detection and removal of cycle slips is essential for the successful use of the OTF kinematic GPS technique. Various cycle slip detection techniques have been developed in the past decade. Included are double and triple differencing techniques, comparing the difference between adjacent carrier phase and code values (range residual), comparing the adjacent four observables equation, comparing adjacent ionospheric residual, the least-squares ambiguity decorrelation adjustment, carrier phase curve fitting, using redundant satellites and using the raw Doppler values. These methods typically assume a known stochastic behaviour for un-modelled errors (e.g. noise, multipath, differential atmospheric effects), which if present, will adversely affect the performance of the algorithm. None of these techniques can "cure all" kinematic positioning problems. Sometimes a cycle slip may be detected, but not accurately corrected for. Such instances include a loss of lock, large multipath effects and lower signal-to-noise ratio. This necessitates the combination of two or more of these techniques for a more robust solution.
FIG. 1 illustrates the basic components of a system to monitor boat speed and an oarsman's heart rate.
The accelerometer provides a PWM output where the duty cycle is related to the acceleration. On the rising edge and falling edge of the PWM output, a timer value is captured and used to calculate the accelerometers duty cycle. The firmware also includes an algorithm to adjust for jitter in the PWM period, and for a small amount of drift. A more detailed algorithm that compensates for temperature drift over time has been looked at, and will be implemented at a later date.
The impeller pickup uses a Melexis MLX90215 Hall Effect sensor to detect the rotations of the NK impeller. The MLX90215 is programmed with a sensitivity of 100 mV/mT. Output from the sensor is amplified by 100 to increase the signal amplitude to a usable range. This signal is then sampled using an A/D at 1200 Hz and processed using DSP techniques within the firmware to calculate rotations. Instead of using an impeller to detect boat speed a water flow sensor may be used. One preferred sensor is a micro PCB or silicon based micro fluid flow sensor that uses a heater in combination with a heat sensor that measures the change in temperature of fluid flowing past the heater and sensor to determine the fluid flow rate which in this case is the water flowing past a fixed point on the boat hull. This can then be used to measure boat speed.
For competition and race profile analysis it is preferred not to use impellers or water flow sensors but rely on GPS and accelerometers.
The display device is a handheld Compaq iPAQ™ computer programmed to present the data in a form that is useful to a coach or rower.
It is preferred that the device have data logging and IrDA transfer capabilities which makes data storage on the unit of slightly less importance. However storing data on the unit makes sense as the raw data can be streamed into the device and the greater processing power of the unit chip allows for flexible software and display development.
The accelerometer unit is powered from a 9 Volt battery, which is regulated down to 5 volts internally. The dimensions of the accelerometer unit are 25 mm×30 mm×9 mm (smaller that the average matchbox). The cover needs to be splash proof but importantly the on/off buttons and start/stop buttons etc must be able to be accessed even when the rowers are wearing gloves.
All the chips that have been selected are amongst the smallest available in their range, the Hitachi HD64F3672FP measures on 12 mm×12 mm, this incorporates a 64 pin architecture and the ADXL202 measuring only 5 mm×5 mm.
FIG. 2 illustrates the output flow from the various sensors namely impeller, heart rate monitor, clock, GPS sensor and 3 D accelerometer. Stroke rate and stroke drive to recovery ratio are most conveniently derived from the accelerometer data while intra stroke velocity, distance per stroke and velocity per stroke are derived from the accelerometer, GPS and time clock data.
The data for 1 block (by 3 or 4 channels) will be packaged and transmitted in a single frame. The sampling time for a frame (1 block at 150 samples/sec) will be equivalent to 6.6 ms. This data will be combined with block and channel information.
A total of eight bytes is required to transmit one block of data this includes the header, two 16-bit channels, Impeller Rotation count and Heart Rate count. The Heart Rate count is only transmitted once a second, or one in every 150 frames. Heart rate is an output indicating the millisecond value from the previous beat or the millisecond of the beat that occurred during that packet of information. This is used to calculate instantaneous HR on a beat to beat basis. Alternately the number of beats in 15 secs is totaled and then multiplied by 4 to get the HR. The algorithm then runs on a 5 sec rolling average to smooth the data. Given that maximum HR will never exceed 250 bpm this means that at most a beat will occur every 240 ms which is approximately 1 pulse every 2 packets of information. Table 1 shows a block of data excluding the framing and network information data.
A GPS unit may be integrated with the data logger system. This could comprise two units, basic unit plus a second unit for GPS. The units would share the same serial line and communicate using a network protocol. Alternatively the GPS unit could be connected to the basic unit and additional firmware code added to receive and retransmit data.
Inertial navigation systems (INS) may be used to cover the information gaps of the GPS outages. When the INS approach is used in rowing, the required sensors need to be small, lightweight, unobtrusive and inexpensive. These requirements can be met when the sensors are manufactured with MEMS technology. However, due to inherent biases and drift errors of accelerometers and gyroscopes, the accuracy of the current state-of-the-art MEMS sensors must be accounted for in high precision rowing tracking. The basic procedure in INS positioning systems is to process the inertial sensor data. The double integration of acceleration measurements, cannot be applied due to the lower accuracy of MEMS sensors. This is because in the double integration, errors accumulate quickly, which soon result in velocity errors comparable to typical rowing speeds. However, the advantages of the INS system include its low cost and high output rate of the movement information.
The high precision GPS system can provide high precision velocity and acceleration information (acceleration is the first derivative of velocity and second derivative of displacement). However the GPS system is normally bulky, expensive and provides a low output rate and high power consumption. To solve these problems, an integrated system takes advantage of both low-cost GPS and MEMS sensors to provide high performance capabilities. MEMS sensors are used to provide precise, high rate (say 200 Hz), low cost, low volume, low power, rugged, and reliable geo-positioning while low-cost GPS may be used for high frequency system calibration (say 5-20 Hz) a lower frequency (1 Hz) is preferred for calibrating the inertial sensors to conserve battery power. It combines measurements from a GPS OEM board and subsequently GPS chip with inertial measurement units from a combination of three MEMS gyroscopes and accelerometers (say Analog Devices).
A 1 Hz GPS receiver is the minimum frequency that is practical and ideally a 2-5 Hz system is preferred. With a 1 Hz receiver accurate velocity and distance measurements can be obtained but sampling the accelerometer data is needed to obtain stroke rate and intra-stroke characteristics. The accelerometer data could be integrated to get intra-stroke velocity but drift would need to be checked every second using the output from the GPS receiver.
The carrier smoothing procedure will be used to improve the accuracy of the low-cost GPS pseudo range measurements. Carrier phase smoothing is a process that the absolute but noisy pseudo range measurements are combined with the accurate but ambiguous carrier phase measurements to obtain a good solution without the noise inherent in pseudo range tracking through a weighted averaging process. A Kalman filtering system will be designed to integrate the two system measurements.
FIG. 3 presents the stroke signals captured using geodetic type GPS receivers and post-processing with the kinematic differential GPS technique. It is demonstrated that the signals captured provide a clear picture of the rowing stroke phases as described above. In this particular stroke, the graph indicates that the rower has problem in harmonising his stroke cycle by using too much time in the catch instead of the driver.
The software can display the derived information on a computer screen and combine it with video data of the same event as illustrated in FIG. 4. The screen may display time and distance information as well as velocity and stroke rate and can also display the graphical signals derived from accelerometer and GPS signals.
To evaluate the accuracy of the GPS carrier phase receiver, two GPS receivers were mounted on the same rowing boat simultaneously. The base station is located on the bank of a river which is about 1˜2 km away from the course of the boat trial. The baseline solutions from each of the rowing antennas were processed independently from the base station using the PPK technique. The independent baseline length between the two roving receivers was then calculated and compared with the result measured using a surveying tape. This baseline length is considered as a "ground truth" (3.57 m in our case).
Multipath effects: The antenna being positioned near the water surface could potentially be prone to large multipath error. This effect can be up to 5 cm for carrier and 5 m for code measurements respectively.
Signal obstruction/satellite visibility: The GPS antenna is installed in a constricted space in a racing boat, it is therefore unavoidable that the movement of the athlete will block the GPS signals at some time to an elevation angle of approximately 70 degrees. This may potentially cause severe signal obstruction problems and loss of GPS solutions.
Obtrusion: Ideally the presence of any instrument should not cause direct visual or physical impact on the athlete, therefore, the size and height of the antenna is a primary consideration.
The "fixed baseline length" and external check methods are used. Reliable mounting of the GPS receiver is required. If we assume that the accuracy of the position to one GPS rover is the same as to the other, then, from the simple (Least Squares Adjustment) error propagation law, the accuracy of the position of the kinematic GPS measurement (for a single baseline) can be estimated as 0.0027 m (0.0038 m/sqrt(2)). A few millimetre accuracy of the river height was achieved in a three (consecutive) day trial. Given the closeness of the antenna and the reflective nature of the water surface, the performance of the PPK GPS presents consistent results.
Where σP is the positional accuracy and σP=0.0027 m as determined previously.
FIG. 5 shows the differences in velocity determined simultaneously from the code and the carrier measurements. Assuming the carrier velocity to be accurate (ie ground truth), the code derived velocity has an average accuracy in the order of ˜0.03 m/s. The results confirm that the accuracy of 0.1 m/sec claimed by the manufacturer is correct for more than 95% of observations.
The data logger assembly is fitted to a rowing shell in a stable location with a relatively clear view of the sky. Relative motion of the athlete or boat is measured using three dimensional accelerometer at 100 hHz and position and velocity using GPS at 10 Hz. The device supplies timing information with the measured signals using an internal crystal corrected clock and a GPS derived 1 Hz pulse. The timing is accurate to 0.1 sec per hour. An internal heat rate monitor pickup receives pulses from a coded polar heart rate monitor/transmitter and stores these with a resolution of 1 beat a minute within a range of 0 to 250 beats/minute updated at 1 Hz. The device is powered by a battery sealed into the unit and is rechargeable via an RS232 port. Recording battery life is 6 hours and 1 month in sleep mode. The single universal port allows recharging, connecting an RF module, connecting an external GPS antenna, connecting the external heart rate receiver and to connect a serial cable to send data to the hand held computer device. The device can be fitted into a flexible package of a size approximately 100 mm×70 mm×50 mm and weighs less than 250 g and is buoyant and water resistant. The package is coloured to reduce heating from incident sunlight.
FIGS. 6 to 8 illustrate the circuitry used in further embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 6 shows the core circuitry centred on the micro controller 20. The micro controller is preferably an 8 bit Atmel AT mega 128 micro controller. The micro controller can be programmed and can store data and is provided with a 256 megabyte flash memory 27. The USB port 22 is preferably a Silicon Technologies USB to UART data transfer CP 2101 and allows data to be down loaded to a personal computer for further analysis and storage and also allow the battery to be charged by way of the battery charger 31 which in turn is connected to the power supply 32. The microcontroller functions are actuated by the tactile switches 23 which allows the user to navigate through the device menu. The microcontroller displays outputs on the LCD display 35 and also provides a backlight display 36. As shown in FIG. 7 the monitor includes a 2.4 GHz transmitter and receiver 40 so that data can be transmitted and received. The transmitter and receiver 40 see is preferably a GFSK transceiver nRF2401 sold by Nordic Semiconductor. The output power and frequency channels are programmable using a 3 wire serial interface. The GPS unit is an iTRAX 03 by Fastrax with 12 channels and an update rate below 5 Hz with a 1 Hz default rate.
The sensor circuits shown in FIG. 8 are the core components of the real time clock 41 the three axis accelerometer 43. A single external transistor may be used to lower the scale factor and an external capacitor is used to set the bandwidth.
A display is mounted in a water proof enclosure in a visible location so that the athlete can view summary information such as speed, distance and heart rate. An easily accessible button on the display unit starts the data recording. As soon as the device is switched on recording begins. The coach may take the device after the event and load the data into a personal computer to view the data graphically or combine it synchronously with video footage.
For athletics or skiing the device is attached to an athlete near the small of the back but may also be attached to the ankle adjacent the Achilles tendon or to the shoe or ski. An extension GPS aerial runs from the device to the shoulders or other convenient point. A similar location is also suitable for swimming although mounting on the wrist or head is also possible.
In cycling the device may be worn by the rider or mounted on the handlebars of the bike for easy visibility. The pedal cadence can be deduced from the accelerometer data but may be collected from a cadence sensor either wired to the monitor or sent by a wireless blue tooth arrangement.
The RF module enables the real time data to be transmitted to the Coach's wireless enabled PC via a blue tooth connection. Alternatively the data may simply be uploaded after the event.
As shown in FIGS. 9 to 16 the device can be adapted for a wide range of sports. Analysis of the signals from the 3 axes of the accelerometer allows coaches to derive information as detailed stride length and variations in the push from each leg of a runner as shown in FIG. 9. For long distance training session the data from a group of sensors can be presented as shown in FIG. 10 in which the first frame shows the 3 axes of the accelerometer; the second frame shows the velocity as derived with the assistance of the GPS sensor; and the third frame contains the altimeter readings over the course. On the right hand side the GPS plot of the overall course is shown.
In skiing as shown in FIG. 11 analysis can show the power derived from each leg thrust or pole thrust.
In snow boarding (FIG. 12) loft time and speed can be derived from the data. This uses the accelerometer data to determine the lift off point and the return point to determine the air time.
One algorithm according to this invention is designed to show air time and total angular movement during the "air". To detect the air it uses three parameters which are available at 100 Hz—forward/backward acceleration, up/down acceleration and ac3diff. The first two parameters are filtered through a 2 pass Butterworth filter with a 2.5 Hz cutoff. Each ac3diff value is the square root of the sum of the squares of the differences between adjacent triaxial accelerometer readings and is an indicator of activity. This algorithm first looks for the end of an "air" which is indicated by a large spike in ac3diff at landing. The spike must have 5 out of 6 ac3diff readings each at least 0.05 greater than the previous reading. The spike must also rise by at least 0.5 over the 6 readings and must be at least 0.7 secs after the end of the previous "air". The algorithm then looks back for the beginning of the "air" in the 0.3 to 2 seconds range. This is defined as a peak in upward acceleration with a steep approaching slope (10 of 20 points at least 0.03 g above previous point). There must also be a similar steep drop in forward/backward acceleration.
The readings from a triaxial accelerometer and GPS mounted on a bike are shown in FIG. 13. Cadence and gear changes can be seen from the forward acceleration and velocity changes. This can be measured using the accelerometers and correcting with GPS. Altimeters can be included for bikes. By computing real forward acceleration the power can be measured. Thus the rider can see on the bike display distance, velocity, cadence and power.
FIG. 14 illustrates airtime in a mountain biking event. In mountain biking, the device of this invention can separately analyse the various sections of the course and identify uphill, downhill, flat technical and non technical sections. This is also applicable to cross country skiing and running.
In football codes the combination of gyro and accelerometer sensors enables hand balls and kicks to be detected. The algorithm looks for a peak in the pitch gyro (4 gyro readings increasing by 4 degrees per sec followed soon after by 4 decreasing by 3 deg/sec over a period of between 130 and 350 ms. The first reading must be less than −90 deg/sec. FIG. 15 illustrates a short distance handball by the left hand from a stationary position. FIG. 16 illustrates a short distance kick by the right foot from a stationary position.
Those skilled in the art will realize that the invention may be implemented in a variety of embodiments depending on the water craft used and the number of personnel in the water craft. A variety of sensors may also be used to gather data applicable to the event and the water craft. It will also be appreciated that the logger unit is small and adaptable enough to be fitted to any athlete or sporting equipment where accelerometer data provides useful performance information for coaches and athletes. These include athletics, swimming, team sports such as various football codes, cycling and skiing.
f) the computer device being programmed to use the global position and accelerometer data to provide accurate and continuous output of parameters such as velocity acceleration and distance traveled.
2. A data acquisition system as claimed in claim 1 in which velocity is derived from the global position sensor and the accelerometer data is sampled to obtain movement characteristics of the sport being monitored.
3. A data acquisition system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the accelerometer data is integrated to derive velocity related movement characteristics and drift is be checked every second using the output from the global position sensor.
4. A data acquisition system as claimed in claim 1 wherein an inertial navigation system based on the accelerometer data is used to determine position when the GPS system is unable to receive it data.
5. A data acquisition system as claimed in claim 1 which also includes a physiological sensor.
6. A data acquisition system as claimed in claim 6 in the physiological sensor is a heart rate monitor.
7. A data acquisition system as claimed in claim 6 for a cyclist which also includes a pedal cadence sensor.
e) the computer device being programmed to use the accelerometer data to provide accurate and continuous output of parameters such as air time and velocity.


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Get ready for an Olympic-sized laugh with "Tokyo OnlyPic 2008"
I'm not much of a sports fan, but I've sat through and marveled at Kon Ichikawa's nearly 3-hour epic documentary of the 1964 Olympic Games "Tokyo Olympiad". How could you not? It's more of a testament to the human spirit, frozen in moments of victory and in defeat, but it were those moments of defeat that got Ichikawa into trouble with the Japanese government. They financed the film and they wanted to see more gold medals and less slow-motion runners up so the edited the hell out of it.
Why do I bring up "Tokyo Olympiad"? Well, because I couldn't help think of it, and what the Japanese governemnt of 1965 would have thought of a film like "Tokyo OnlyPic 2008". Currently screening in Montreal at Fantasia the film is made up of various "Olympic events" created by animators like Takanobu Mizuno, Toru Hosokawa, Takashi Taniguchi, and Hiroyuki Nakao amongst many others. The Race for Love, Giant Sumo Wrestling, the Womens' Hell Marathon, all of these events can be witnessed in "OnlyPic", but of all that I've seen from the film nothing is more flat out hilarious than the 10-minute opening ceremony complete with dancing pigeons, a very sadistic take on the Olympic flame relay run and... well, don't let me spoil it for you. Check it out below while it's still on YouTube. It's comedy gold! Olympic gold that is...