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Redefining wellness
by Abi Millar December 20, 2021 January 10, 2022
Leave a Comment on Redefining wellness
Since the start of the pandemic, hotels have needed to be creative and adaptable, in many cases putting the accelerator on trends that were already underway. We run through some of the key changes shaping hotel spas and amenities in light of Covid-19.
Almost two years into the Covid-19 pandemic, hospitality has been altered in far-reaching and perhaps irrevocable ways. The full implications may only become apparent in years to come, but it's clear this is already a changed world.
This is particularly obvious when we look through a spa and amenities lens. For understandable reasons, guests continue to be concerned about contagion. Ensuring nobody catches Covid-19 will remain the priority, with ripple effects across everything from cleaning protocols to the rollout of contactless services.
But the pandemic has also affected hotels in subtler ways. Guests are becoming interested in wellness more generally, especially as it pertains to mental health. And while the sustainability trend is only tangentially related to Covid, words like 'responsible tourism' are now much more than buzzwords.
Below, we run through some of key trends in the spa and amenities space, which have been given an extra push by the pandemic.
Contactless services
The move towards a contactless hotel experience was already underway before Covid, with a number of brands rolling out contactless check-in. Back then, the motivation was simply to save time for tech-savvy travellers, who would rather head straight to their room than queue at the front desk. There was a lot of talk about gearing yourself towards a so-called 'millennial mindset'.
The pandemic, however, has dealt a blow to brands that prided themselves on the human touch. Contactless services are now perceived first and foremost as a safety issue, rather than a matter of brand positioning, and no-touch operations are the norm. Brands are adopting digital keys, in-room dining with QR code menus, self-service kiosks and creative means of delivering contactless housekeeping.
It's hard to say how much of this will be retained in a post-Covid era, but with the technological infrastructure in place, brands will at least have the option of going contactless throughout the guest stay.
Hands-off spas
Spa services suffered greatly in the early days of the pandemic. In the US alone, revenues fell from $19.1bn in 2019 to just $12.1bn in 2020 – and within the hotel sector specifically, revenues dropped by nearly half.
Even once spas reopened, guests were cagey about returning. Spas responded by stepping up their cleaning and sanitation regimes, offering private sessions in the wet areas, removing high-touch items and enforcing social distancing.
Hands-on treatments like massages and facials became less attractive to some, although others were reassured by the presence of face masks and other protective clothing. Meanwhile, hands-off treatments began to make an appearance on spa menus. Resorts have started offering the likes of cryotherapy sessions, flotation tanks and shamanic sound healing, with a view to helping people relax in a Covid-safe way.
Eco-conscious travel
For many people, the pandemic has functioned as a moment of reset, and a chance to think about what matters most. Research suggests that, as a collective, we are more concerned about sustainability, climate change, and ethical consumption than we were pre-pandemic, and we are drawn towards brands with a similar ethos.
Hotels are responding in kind. At the most basic, this involves being savvy about energy and water use – for instance using LED lightbulbs and even placing solar panels on the roof. In the F&B space, it means thinking harder about the provenance of their food, minimising food waste, and in some cases pivoting to plant-based menus.
The big sticking point here is plastic waste, which dramatically increased as the result of the pandemic. Single-use plastics, previously on a steep downward trajectory, were suddenly everywhere in the form of packaging and disposable utensils. Moving forward, hotels will need to rethink this approach and consider what can be done to cut plastic use even while assuring optimal hygiene.
For their part, brands have expressed a willingness to get back on track. Marriott, which for the past few years has looking to swap single-use toiletries with large bottles, has said it is still "committed to reaching its goal", while Mandarin Oriental hopes to eliminate single-use plastic by the end of Q1 2022.
Guests are becoming more interested in nature and the great outdoors, and not only because viral transmission is lower outside. Since the start of the pandemic, many people have turned to nature for solace, while developing a new appreciation for activities like gardening, hiking, biking and wildlife watching.
Hotels that have outdoor spaces have been making the most of them, to the point of creating outdoor meeting rooms. Many others are bringing greenery into the lobby and implementing elements of biophilic design.
Meanwhile, location is more of a selling point than ever before. The figures suggest that hotels located in national parks, or other areas of natural beauty, have weathered the pandemic better than most.
Hotels are also stepping up their provision of outdoor activities, which could include everything from kayaking to guided birdwatching to 'forest bathing'. Even inner-city hotels have started to include outdoor fitness classes in their programming, while highlighting nearby parks and hiking trails in their marketing materials.
Since the start of the pandemic, even the most tech-resistant of us has needed to get used to digital forms of interaction. If something can be done via a screen, chances are it has been done via a screen – and although the likes of Zoom aren't universally beloved, they have certainly played an important role during an era of physical distancing requirements.
Within the wellness space, fitness classes have migrated online and guided meditations increasingly come courtesy of an app. Therapy and life coaching sessions happen remotely, while enterprising massage therapists have started providing self-massage classes via Zoom.
It's no wonder that hotels have jumped on the digital wellness trend. During the early lockdowns, when they weren't allowed to open at all, some found creating online content to be a valuable revenue stream. For instance, Six Senses took its on-property wellness programming and moved it online, providing at-home workouts and video tutorials for guests anywhere in the world.
Even once guests were welcomed back into the premises, digital wellness programming remained a big draw. Rather than entering the hotel gym, a guest might have a yoga mat and some hand weights in their room, along with a selection of online fitness classes to choose from.
At luxury hotels, that extends to connected in-room fitness equipment, such as a Peloton bike. Peloton saw record sales in 2020 and is now eyeing hotels as a probable growth sector.
"Making fitness more accessible beyond offering 24/7 access to a fitness center should be a goal for every property," said Mike Flanagan, chief growth officer at fitness company LifeStart. "Autonomous solutions where guests can book a private training pod with professionally streamed classes, meditation or even personal training will be enhancements that can be made to provide the best experience for guests."
Although digital wellness may run counter to another trend – the idea of the 'digital detox' – the pandemic has highlighted the fact that technology isn't all bad. The conversation today is less about disconnecting altogether, and more about using tech for healthier ends and developing a better relationship with one's devices.
Post-Covid R&R
The pandemic has left many people feeling weary, burnt out and even traumatised. With that has come an appetite for getaways that specifically target rest and recovery.
Hotels, then, have been getting creative with their wellness offerings. A number of resorts have started offering Long Covid packages, which aim to help people suffering with the after-effects of the virus. These include SHA Wellness Clinic in Spain, Lanserhof Lans in Austria and the Rakxa Spa in Bangkok.
These packages are at the pricier end of the spectrum, and are probably out of bounds to the average exhausted guest. However, there are other ways that hotels can promote themselves as offering some much-needed R&R. Many have begun to offer mindfulness, meditation and yoga as a means of calming Covid-related anxieties.
Others are heightening their focus on sleep. 'Circadian Sleep Cycles' was one of Spafinder's top wellness trends for 2021, and some hotels are placing a good night's sleep at the core of their marketing proposition. Equinox Hotels in New York offers a 'proprietary sleep system' in each of its rooms, while LA-based Hotel Figueroa has launched a custom Rest and Recovery Suite, complete with a custom pillow and a muscle massager.
"The Rest & Recovery Suite is specifically designed to soothe pandemic-rattled psyches and counteract what experts are calling 'coronosomnia'," said Connie Wang, the hotel's managing director.
Some final thoughts
At this point in the pandemic, it seems that 'wellness' has begun to mean something different, with important implications for hotels. Whereas in the past, 'wellness' might refer specifically to your fitness programming or certain treatments, today it is something much more comprehensive. Increasingly, it is seen to encompass sleep, access to green spaces, and a sense of integration with the natural world.
At the same time, wellness retains the specific connotation of cleanliness and avoiding disease. At least for the duration of the pandemic, hotels will need to pay attention to both aspects of wellness – the holistic and the antiseptic – with a view to giving guests full peace of mind.
This roundup appears in the Winter 2021 edition of Hotel Management International
Previous Entry A labour of love


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Audrey Watch: The Sellout (1952)
Audrey Quotient: Not Enough
This poster is a particularly odd advertisement for The Sellout (1952). For all the relevance to the plot, it'd be a bit like putting "will R2D2 reunite with C3PO?" on the poster for Star Wars. And it's particularly odd, because the story of The Sellout isn't not just focused on whether Audrey Totter will sell out "her man" (he isn't "her man", anyway) - it's a fascinating take on the cancer of political corruption, and the role of a free press (and what happens when that gets hobbled).
Bucking the usual structure, our lead, John Hodiak, isn't introduced until a full 1/3rd of the way into the movie. Instead, we start with the editor of a mid-sized city newspaper (Walter Pidgeon as Walter Pidgeon) heading out to the 'burbs beyond the city limits to go see his daughter, her husband (a young Cameron Mitchell! It's super weird!) and their child. Heading back out, he runs modestly afoul of local law enforcement who shake him down, as well as one of his employees he's driving back to the city.
Pidgeon doesn't identify himself, and so he's witness to the many corruptions of local law enforcement before someone external does identify him, and he's promptly released and begins a string of stories meant to rally locals into voting a corrupt sheriff out of office. But, suddenly Pidgeon disappears, as do the stories, just as state officials are heading in to check out the situation (Hodiak). Hodiak arrives to find all the witnesses who'd talked to Pidgeon are now clamming up. And a very pretty girl in the hotel bar (Totter) tries to make his acquaintance.
Audrey informs Hodiak that "Linus and Lucy" won't even be written for another 12 years
This movie was shown as part of Totter's spotlight day on TCM's Summer Under the Stars. Unfortunately, despite the fact she's quite good in the film, someone coded as possibly a hooker, she doesn't get a lot of screentime as her part (despite what the poster suggests) is supporting, giving Hodiak a woman to protect as the lawyer learning the law isn't just a career climbing mechanism, it's also about JUSTICE.
The story works surprisingly well, coveying how political corruption manages to survive - especially when that corruption punches down and doesn't impact the folks with their neatly trimmed lawns and can be spun as protecting the good voters. It's a genuinely strong and perpetually timely reminder of the values we like to think America runs on, but how those values get subverted if our duly elected officials are the ones enforcing the law and the press is cowed (not that those ideas have any relevancy to the events our amazing modern age).
I've gone ahead and tagged the film as "noir", although I don't think it quite qualifies. I'm willing to hear arguments, but I'd suggest that this is about a guy finding his moral compass along the way, not losing it because of a dame. Overcoming political corruption and the odds and saluting The American Way doesn't really fit into the same wheelhouse as Double Indemnity. But it is a murky underworld just this side of a the comfortable 'burbs in 1952 - and that may get it some bonus points.
Spoilers: the titular "The Sellout" of the the film is, btw, Cameron Mitchell, I guess. It's a nice twist, as the film does hinge on not quite knowing what's happening til the big reveal at the 11th hour. But for a big part of the movie, I kept thinking "did they just throw that name on this movie and not care that it didn't fit?"
Labels: 1950's, audrey totter, movies, movies 2018, noir
Spooky Watch: The Vampire Bat (1933)
Spooky Watch: Mark of the Vampire (1935)
Noir Watch: Scene of the Crime (1949)
MARVELWATCH PODCAST:! "Incredible Hulk" (2008) - #...

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Glenn has been AAJA's accountant for almost 25 years. He is responsible for all accounting functions of the organization and works with the treasurers from all 21 chapters. Glenn's accounting background includes working with corporate firms as well as non-profit organizations. Glenn received his B.S. in accounting from Loma Linda University. He is an owner and partner of several businesses.


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Father and Daughter Share Last Flight Together As Pilots
By Stacey Leasca November 06, 2017
kathryn and dvaid woodruffe british airways airline pilots father daughter
Credit: © Simon Jacobs/Caters News
Captain David Woodruffe piloted his last flight for British Airways last week before his retirement from the airline after 33 years of flying.
The flight, from New York City to London's Heathrow Airport, would have been just another journey for Woodruffe except for one special addition: his daughter.
Related: Flight Attendant's Photography Shows a Side of Virgin America Passengers Rarely See
On his retirement flight, Woodruffe's copilot was none other than his daughter Kathryn, who is also a pilot for the airline.
While you may think it's a full family affair in the cockpit, Kathryn told the Metro that the two, who have flown more than a dozen flights together, remain professional throughout every single flight.
"Dad and flying have influenced my life massively, so it's really special to have been with him at the end of his amazing career," she said. "I promised him I will carry on the good Woodruffe name!"
And Woodruffe couldn't be more pleased with his daughter carrying on his legacy as a pilot.
"I'm sorry to be leaving BA after so many years, but equally glad that she will be remaining in the airline to continue our legacy, and doing a job I know she has the same passion and enthusiasm for as I do," Woodruffe told the Press Association. According to the duo, Kathryn always dreamed of following in her father's footsteps and from an early age was set up for success.
"My GCSEs and A-levels were picked in order to help me into aviation, dad insisted on physics and maths, and I used to go away with him on his trips as much as possible," she said, adding that it wasn't a hard decision or an idea that her father had to push onto her.
Related: Southwest's New Flights to Turks and Caicos Start at $69
"This wasn't a chore of course, it involved spending an inordinate amount of my childhood in the paradise islands of Barbados, Grand Cayman and Tobago," Kathryn added.
"She has wanted to be a pilot since a child and I have always encouraged her to fulfil her ambition," Woodruffe said.


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Q: Confusion in Proof of "Zorn's Lemma $\implies$ Tukey's Lemma" Definitions: A Subset $C$ of a partially order set $(P,<)$ is said to be a chain if $C$ is linearly ordered by $<$. $u$ is an upper bound of $C$ if $c\le u$ for each $c\in C$. We say that $a\in P$ is a maximal element if $a<x$ for no $x\in P$. A family of sets $\mathfrak{F}$ has finite character if for any set $X$, $X\in\mathfrak{F}\iff Y\in\mathfrak{F}$ for any finite subset $Y$ of $X$.

*

*Zorn's Lemma: Let $(P,<)$ be a non-empty partially ordered set with the property that every chain in $P$ has an upper bound. Then $P$ has a maximal element.

*Tukey's Lemma: If a non-empty family of sets $\mathfrak{F}$ has finite character then $\mathfrak{F}$ has a maximal element with respect to the partial order of inclusion ($\subseteq$)

Proof of $1\implies 2$: Assume $\mathfrak{F}$ is a non-empty family of sets with fintite character, with partial ordering of inclusion, $\subseteq$. If $\mathcal{C}$ is a chain in $\mathfrak{F}$ and if $A=\bigcup\{X\mid X\in \mathcal{C}\}$, then every finite subset of $A$ belongs to $\mathfrak{F}$ and therefore $A\in\mathfrak{F}$. Obviously $A$ is an upper bound of $\mathcal{C}$. Hence we can apply Zorn's Lemma and get a maximal element of $\mathfrak{F}$.
What I do not understand is that why should every finite subset of $A$ belong to $\mathfrak{F}$? I mean suppose $X,X'\in\mathcal{C}$ and let $X_1,X_1'$ be finite where $X_1\subseteq X$ and $X_1'\subseteq X'$. Then obviously $X_1$ and $X_1'$ should be in $\mathfrak{F}$ since $\mathfrak{F}$ has finite character. However $X_1\cup X_1'$ is a finite subset of $A$, and how can we guarantee that it is also in $\mathfrak{F}$?

A: Since $\cal C$ was a chain, every finite subset of $A$ is a subset of some $X\in\cal C$, but since $X\in\frak F$ by assumption, so must be all of its finite subsets.
Therefore every finite subset of $A$ is a finite subset of some $X\in\frak F$, and therefore an element of $\frak F$.

The point here is to take the usual argument using Zorn's lemma in almost any conceivable case: you have a compact property, i.e. a property that holds if and only if it holds for finite subsets (linear independence, being a chain or an antichain, etc.) and to test that the "limit object of a given chain" has this property you merely verify that every finite part of this limit object already had it. And how? Just like the above argument goes.

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Today's episode is with Teresa Truda. Teresa is an entrepreneur and the expert in e-commerce. She is the CEO and Co-Founder of chozun 途赞 – an ecosystem for travelers to discover, book and access the best personalized local experiences & services powered by proprietary AI & Data Science, driven by crypto & the blockchain.
She has been featured in The Age, Sky News and many other publications/ podcasts across Asia for successfully building chozun for Chinese outbound travel market and expanding it across 22 cities in Asia. In addition to that, she has been named one of the World's Top 10 Crypto Experts in 2018 by Cryptocurrency Magazine and was awarded GBC first prize for Female Entrepreneurship across China 2016.
She is also a lecturer and tutor at RMIT University, where she gives lectures on Digital Strategy, Marketing, Online Advertising, Social Media & Innovation. Teresa has obtained a lot of awards, for example, she has got the GBC first prize for Female Entrepreneurship across China in 2016.
Teresa is one of first two women to launch travel crypto and ICO across APAC.


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Q: Xcode linker error, cannot find lib in /usr/lib I am getting a linker error in XCode 3.2 where it claims to not be able to find libs in /usr/lib even though LIBRARY_SEARCH_PATHS = "/usr/lib" and the dylib has been added to the xcode project. The later copy build phase of the project manages to find this file without any problems, but the cannot.
I have tried to scrap the project settings window for a xcconfig setup instead, so may have done something wrong there. Any ideas as to what I am missing?

A: Note that paths such as /usr/lib are prefixed by your SDK setting, so what you think is /usr/lib may in fact be e.g. /Developer/SDKs/MacOSX10.6.sdk/usr/lib (if your SDK is set to 10.6).

A: If you want to link to something in /usr/lib and not in /Developer/SDKs/bla/usr/lib you'll need to use full path to the library when linking. Add it to "Other Linker Flags": /usr/lib/somelib.dylib (note that there is no -l in front of the path)


Pentagon installations is a building company specialising in glazing but covering a broad range of commercial buildings and residential property projects. Founded in 1996 we have gained an excellent reputation across London and the southern counties. Our creative, advisory expertise allows us to assist in your creative design decisions right from the very beginning as well as managing the building project and construction to ensure the high quality finish you expect.
We work in partnership with our clients, architects, planners and other specialists to create projects that are well planned and executed successfully. Our building teams are respectful, trustworthy, highly professional and committed to delivering high standards. If you are considering a residential or commercial project, including extensions, developments or full refurbishment – wherever you are in the process – we would be delighted to hear from you. Call us today on 01243 811277.
We cover the south cost to London. Many projects undertaken in Portsmouth, Brighton, Chichester and Southampton.
As usual eurotunnel's incompetence never fails to amaze me! 3 hour plus delays with no communication!
VAT Registration No. 780 1084 15. Company Registration No. 4657098. Fensa Registration No. 25800.


Ryan is a Senior Associate on the investment team based in New York. Ryan joins us from New Water Capital, where he was an Associate that worked on multiple transactions and portfolio companies across the industrial, automotive and consumer sectors. Ryan was the first junior hire on the New Water Capital investment team and was very excited about joining Middleground's entrepreneurial culture. We sure are glad that we somehow convinced him to move from Boca Raton, Florida to New York City just in time to get settled before winter started. Prior to joining New Water, Ryan was an investment banker in the Aerospace & Defense group at BB&T Capital Markets in Washington DC. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University with a concentration in Finance.
Born and raised in Tampa, Ryan is the last true Buccaneers fan as he actually pays for his tickets! You can ask him about football, basketball or golf, but we suggest asking him about tennis as he went to high school at IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, which has groomed professional tennis players such as Andre Agassi, Maria Sharapova, Tommy Hass, and Boris Becker. Ryan serves as IT director for the New York office, a job he qualified for because he was the only member of the NY Team who could configure the printer!


Morning, June 15th. Cyclists have gathered in the parking lot of the Kroonpress printing plant and are concentrating on the crests and slopes of the 76 km journey ahead. Unknowingly, thousands of people pour themselves a cup of coffee and open up the daily newspaper Postimees, where an A+ label with 66 gCO2 signifies that they'd have to give up 450 m of driving a car to compensate for the emissions. Of those who couldn't care less, the Greenline Print team cleares the footprints of over 3300 subscribers that day by pedalling a combined total of 1572 km.
The participants of the Greenline Print bicycle ride from Tartu to the company's summer get-together in Uhtjärv had the option of riding either the whole distance of 76 km or a trimmed down distance of 32 km. 11 people opted for the longer run, while 23 chose to hitch half the trip on a bus.
In addition to the apparent environmental benefits of going by bike, the ride encouraged a healthy lifestyle and hopefully pushed by-standers and other colleagues into getting a bike or fixing up their old ones. Last but not least, hundreds of passers-by saw that there is real determination and fortitude behind the Greenline Print insignia they were clad in.


The dip-coating techniques can be unglued into five phases, such as immersion, start-up, deposition, drainage and evaporation. Outcome of these stages, dip-coating technique give uniform, high-quality films even on large and complex shapes with different sizes 49. For these reasons, researchers their attentions towards the fabrication of SHP surface using dip-coating techniques. Satapathy et al. 50 synthesized SiO2 nanoparticles by using a dip-coating technique entrenched linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) SHP coatings on glass substrates. Durable SHP coatings with excellent SC property have been studied and fabricated. They have comparative studies of porous and non-porous LLDPE/SiO2 coatings on their performances, further; they also noticed that porous coatings exhibit better durability than the non-porous coatings, and shows great industrial applications. The PBZ/TiO2 modified polyester non-woven fabrics prepared by simple dip coating and subsequent thermal curing method, it reveals that outstanding mechanical durability and strong resistance to UV irradiation. These durable SHPs and superoleophilic fabric was efficient for separating oil/water combinations by gravity with high separation efficiency 51.
The deposition methods of thin film an important in producing useful materials for diverse applications for different types of fields. The layer-by-layer assembly of nanoscale films has established powerful and rising attention to the innovation in the available materials, assembly technologies improvement 56. The fabrication of durable surfaces by utilizing nano-particle filling method, using a simple process to make anti-icing polydimethylsiloxane SHP surface on glass 57. Yong Li et al. 36 have been fabricated environmentally safe, versatile and efficient method for SC coatings based on the self-assembly of modified porous chain-like SiO2 nanoparticles. The SHP coatings simply and quickly restored a number of cycles after damage, which provides a capable strategy to challenge low durability. The Antifouling ability of the SHP coating was tested and presented in Fig. 13.


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Q: Retrieve the formated URL from open_id form I just added OpenID to my website using the PHP janrain libraries, and I got everything working but I have a question about how to do something.
After receiving the openid_url from the user, I pass it to the openid lib, which then processes the url and gets it ready to send to the OP.  How can I retrieve that URL?
Why I ask is because my script currently sees http://mysite.com and mysite.com as different URLs.  I know the library normalizes the URL, I just don't know how to extract it.
I hope I made sense, and thank you for helping.

A: You get the final URL you want to use for tracking purposes back with a Auth_OpenID_SuccessResponse object, in the claimed_id attribute.  (The getDisplayIdentifier() method outputs a version more intended for human consumption, which may or may not be different.)


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The Manners Group
Find the Right Colleges & Get In
SAT & ACT
Beth & Tim Manners
Have No Fear of Freshman Year!
The New York Times: "Regardless of their credentials, many freshmen doubt that they have the necessary brainpower or social adeptness to succeed in college … If they flunk an exam, or a professor doesn't call on them, their fears about whether they belong may well be confirmed. The cycle of doubt becomes self-reinforcing, and students are more likely to drop out … The good news is that this dismal script can be rewritten. Several recent research projects show that, with the right nudge, students can acquire ways of thinking that helps them thrive."
"In a large-scale experiment at an unnamed school … incoming freshmen read upperclassmen's accounts of how they navigated the shoals of university life. The accounts explained that, while the upperclassmen initially felt snubbed by their classmates and intimidated by their professors, their lives started turning around when they reached out to their instructors and began to make friends."
"Other freshmen were introduced to research online showing that intelligence isn't a static trait or the luck of the genetic draw, but can grow through hard work … All students had 'an initial doubt about whether they would fit in,' the researchers point out. What changed in the experiment was that, as freshmen, the participants were more likely to be drawn into campus life, seek out academic help and live on campus."
"Undergraduates will be more engaged and fewer will drop out if universities adopt this two-pronged approach, giving students essential psychological tools and making their success an institutional priority."
Auburn: 'Urban Studio' Develops Downtown
Bahm Now: "Located in downtown Birmingham, the Auburn University Urban Studio is a teaching & outreach program of Auburn's College of Architecture, Design and Construction. The program gives third- an
The Bright Side of Digital College
Vox: "The pandemic, says Kevin Carey, the director of the Education Policy Program at the New America Foundation, is hastening what he thinks is the long-term trend: 'the integration of technology int
Students Itching to Return to Campus
Axios: "Nearly two thirds of college students say they would attend in-person classes if colleges reopen in the fall, even if there is no coronavirus vaccine or cure, according to a new College Reacti
© 2020 by The Manners Group.


2016-03-25 Assigned to INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION reassignment INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BHAGERIA, GOPAL K., EKAMBARAM, VIJAY, RAKSHIT, SARBAJIT K.
A method and system for automatically supplying parts for an assembly line is provided. The method includes generating and executing an action plan specifying movements associated with a robotic apparatus associated with the assembly line, items required for the assembly line, and a vehicle associated with providing the items for the robotic apparatus. The vehicle is directed to a location comprising the items and a first item is selected and retrieved upon arriving at the location. A measured weight of the first item is compared to a predetermined maximum weight threshold for delivery by the vehicle and a resulting delivery process with respect to the vehicle, first item, and robotic apparatus is executed. A notification indicating details associated with the delivery process is transmitted to the robotic apparatus.
The present invention relates generally to a method for supplying parts to a robotic apparatus and in particular to a method and associated system for coordinating vehicles for supplying parts to a robotic apparatus on an assembly line.
Supplying components for manufacturing typically includes an inaccurate process with little flexibility. Coordinating component supplies typically involves an unreliable process. Controlling and directing various supply means with respect to apparatuses in need of additional supplies may include a complicated process that may be time consuming and require a large amount of resources. Accordingly, there exists a need in the art to overcome at least some of the deficiencies and limitations described herein above.
A first aspect of the invention provides a An automated assembly line delivery method comprising: generating, by a processor of an embedded computing device, an action plan specifying movements associated with a robotic apparatus associated with an assembly line, items required for the assembly line, and a vehicle associated with providing the items for the robotic apparatus; executing, by the processor, the action plan; directing, by the processor in response to a command from a user, the vehicle to a location comprising the items such that the vehicle initiates motion and navigates in a specified direction towards the location; selecting, by the processor via the vehicle upon arriving at the location, a first item of the items; retrieving, by the processor via the vehicle, the first item; determining, by the processor based on a feedback signal generated by the vehicle in response to the retrieving, a measured weight of the first item; comparing, by the processor, the measured weight to a predetermined maximum weight threshold for delivery by the vehicle; executing, by the processor based on results of the comparing, a delivery process with respect to the vehicle, the first item, and the robotic apparatus; and transmitting, by the processor to the robotic apparatus, a notification indicating details associated with the delivery process.
A second aspect of the invention provides a computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device storing a computer readable program code, the computer readable program code comprising an algorithm that when executed by a processor of an embedded computing device implements an automated assembly line delivery method, the method comprising: generating, by the processor, an action plan specifying movements associated with a robotic apparatus associated with an assembly line, items required for the assembly line, and a vehicle associated with providing the items for the robotic apparatus; executing, by the processor, the action plan; directing, by the processor in response to a command from a user, the vehicle to a location comprising the items such that the vehicle initiates motion and navigates in a specified direction towards the location; selecting, by the processor via the vehicle upon arriving at the location, a first item of the items; retrieving, by the processor via the vehicle, the first item; determining, by the processor based on a feedback signal generated by the vehicle in response to the retrieving, a measured weight of the first item; comparing, by the processor, the measured weight to a predetermined maximum weight threshold for delivery by the vehicle; executing, by the processor based on results of the comparing, a delivery process with respect to the vehicle, the first item, and the robotic apparatus; and transmitting, by the processor to the robotic apparatus, a notification indicating details associated with the delivery process.
A third aspect of the invention provides a An embedded computer device comprising a processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, the memory unit comprising instructions that when executed by the processor executes an automated assembly line delivery method comprising: generating, by the processor, an action plan specifying movements associated with a robotic apparatus associated with an assembly line, items required for the assembly line, and a vehicle associated with providing the items for the robotic apparatus; executing, by the processor, the action plan; directing, by the processor in response to a command from a user, the vehicle to a location comprising the items such that the vehicle initiates motion and navigates in a specified direction towards the location; selecting, by the processor via the vehicle upon arriving at the location, a first item of the items; retrieving, by the processor via the vehicle, the first item; determining, by the processor based on a feedback signal generated by the vehicle in response to the retrieving, a measured weight of the first item; comparing, by the processor, the measured weight to a predetermined maximum weight threshold for delivery by the vehicle; executing, by the processor based on results of the comparing, a delivery process with respect to the vehicle, the first item, and the robotic apparatus; and transmitting, by the processor to the robotic apparatus, a notification indicating details associated with the delivery process.
The present invention advantageously provides a simple method and associated system capable of supplying components for manufacturing.
FIG. 1 illustrates a system coordinating vehicles for supplying items to robotic apparatuses on an assembly line, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates a factory comprising an assembly line parts structure, robotic apparatuses, and an assembly line structure, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates an assembly line system enabled by the system of FIG. 1 for coordinating vehicles for supplying items to robotic apparatuses on an assembly line, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 4 illustrates an algorithm detailing a process flow enabled by the system of FIG. 1 for coordinating vehicles for supplying items to robotic apparatuses on an assembly line, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 5 illustrates a computer system used by the system of FIG. 1 for enabling a process for coordinating vehicles for supplying items to robotic apparatuses on an assembly line, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
1. Coordinating vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n with robotic apparatuses 120 a . . . 120 n in an assembly shop to enable required items 117 a . . . 117 n (e.g., parts, tools, etc.) to be available in such a way that robotic arm movement is minimized during robotic assembly of components on an assembly line.
2. Identifying required items (e.g., of items 117 a . . . 117 n) with respect to robotic apparatuses 120 a . . . 120 n in the assembly shop. In response, one of vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n retrieves the identified items from associated storage locations and delivers the items in a location adjacent to a robotic arm of an associated one of robotic apparatuses 120 a . . . 120 n. If the item is too heavy for a single robotic apparatus, then two or more robotic apparatuses will retrieve the identified item from associated storage locations and delivers the item to a location adjacent to the robotic are.
a. A maximum number of robotic apparatuses capable of being supported.
c. A proactively calculated robotic arm movement path to prevent a collision with a vehicle.
System 100 of FIG. 1 includes a control apparatus 14 in communication with vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n (comprising items 117 a . . . 117 n such as, inter alia, assembly line parts, tools, etc.) and robotic apparatuses 120 a . . . 120 n via a wireless network 118. Vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n (i.e., control hardware 119 a . . . 119 n internal to vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n) and control apparatus 14 each may comprise an embedded computer. An embedded computer is defined herein as a remotely portable dedicated computer comprising a combination of computer hardware and software (fixed in capability or programmable) specifically designed for executing a specialized function. Programmable embedded computers may comprise specialized programming interfaces. Additionally, vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n (i.e., control hardware 119 a . . . 119 n internal to vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n vehicles) and control apparatus 14 may each comprise a specialized hardware device comprising specialized (non-generic) hardware and circuitry (i.e., specialized discrete non-generic analog, digital, and logic based circuitry) for executing a process described with respect to FIGS. 1-3. The specialized discrete non-generic analog, digital, and logic based circuitry may include proprietary specially designed components (e.g., a specialized integrated circuit designed for only implementing an automated process for coordinating vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n for supplying items 117 a . . . 117 n to robotic apparatuses 120 a . . . 120 n on an assembly line). Monitoring/control apparatus 14 includes a memory system 8, software 17, and control hardware 19 (all sensors and associated control hardware for enabling software 17 to execute a process for coordinating vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n for supplying items 117 a . . . 117 n to robotic apparatuses 120 a . . . 120 n on an assembly line). Control hardware 119 a . . . 119 n may include sensors. Sensors may include, inter alia, GPS sensors, video recording devices, optical sensors, weight sensors, etc. The memory system 8 may include a single memory system. Alternatively, the memory system may include a plurality of memory systems. Each of vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n may comprise any vehicle that does not require a human operator to be located within the vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n such as, inter alia, a remote controlled vehicle (e.g., an aircraft flown by a pilot at a ground control station), an autonomously controlled vehicle (e.g., an aircraft controlled based on pre-programmed flight plans and may include an intelligence algorithm that would enable vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n to know it's location and self-determine a an item delivery route), a pre-programmed vehicle, etc. Alternatively, vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n may comprise any type of vehicle that includes a human operator located within the vehicle (e.g., an aircraft, an automobile, a boat or ship, a train, etc.). Vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n may include, inter alia, an aerial vehicle, a land based vehicle, a marine (water) based vehicle, etc.
System 100 of FIG. 1 enables each of robotic apparatuses 120 a . . . 120 n to estimate its action steps within a next "t" seconds and report the estimate to control apparatus. An action step is defined herein as a robotic arm displacement from an x coordinate to a y coordinate in order to fetch a z object at a location 1. The action steps are provided as an input to a scheduling engine. Additionally, a current location, power, and speed of vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n are provided as an input to the scheduling engine. The scheduling engine is enabled to optimize a delivery plan (using the aforementioned inputs) for reducing a utility factor to optimize assembly by reducing robotic-arm movements. Based on the utility factor, vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n coordinate with each other as well as with the robotic apparatuses 120 a . . . 120 n.
FIG. 2 illustrates a factory 215 comprising an assembly line parts structure 219, robotic apparatuses 215 a . . . 215 n, and an assembly line structure 223 (e.g., comprising assembly items on a conveyer belt), in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Vehicle 214 comprises control hardware 214 a including sensors as described with respect to FIG. 1, supra. Additionally, vehicle 214 may be retrieving items 217 from assembly line parts structure 219 for coordinating vehicle 214 for supplying items 217 . . . 117 n to robotic apparatuses 215 a . . . 215 n for structure assembly on an assembly line. Each of robotic apparatuses 215 a . . . 215 n comprises any type of robotic structure for use on a factory assembly line such as a robotic arm mechanism.
1. System 300 enables a plan for minimizing robotic arm movement and recommends a vehicle to support a robotic apparatus.
3. The vehicle(s) communicates with the robotic apparatus to verify that robotic arms do not become an obstacle to the delivery vehicle(s).
4. The robotic apparatus retrieves and delivers the item.
FIG. 4 illustrates an algorithm detailing a process flow enabled by system 100 of FIG. 1 for coordinating vehicles for supplying items to robotic apparatuses on an assembly line, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Each of the steps in the algorithm of FIG. 4 may be enabled and executed in any order by a computer processor(s) or any type of specialized hardware executing computer code. In step 400, an action plan is generated and executed. The action plan specifies movements associated with a robotic apparatus associated with an assembly line, items required for the assembly line, and a vehicle associated with providing the items for the robotic apparatus. Generating the action plan may include generating an estimated timeframe associated with movement of a robotic arm of the robotic apparatus with respect to a movement distance from a first coordinate to a second coordinate to fetch any items from the vehicle providing the items for the robotic apparatus.
In step 402, the vehicle is directed to a location storing the items such that the vehicle initiates motion and navigates in a specified direction towards the location. In step 404, an item is selected and retrieved via the vehicle. In step 410, a measured weight of the item is determined (via e.g., a weight sensor within the vehicle). In step 412, the measured weight is compared to a predetermined maximum weight threshold for delivery by the vehicle. In step 414, a delivery process with respect to the vehicle, the item, and the robotic apparatus is executed. If results of the comparison of step 412 indicate that the measured weight is less than the predetermined maximum weight threshold, then the delivery process includes: transmitting a command instructing the vehicle to secure the item, directing the vehicle comprising the item secured, to an assembly location of the robotic apparatus, and releasing the item to the robotic apparatus. If results of the comparison of step 412 indicate that the measured weight exceeds the predetermined maximum weight threshold, then the delivery process includes: requesting an additional vehicle(s) for said executing the delivery process, detecting the additional vehicle arriving at the location comprising the items, transmitting a command instructing the vehicle and the additional vehicle to secure (in combination) the item, directing the vehicle and the additional vehicle (comprising the item secured) to an assembly location of the robotic apparatus, releasing the item to the robotic apparatus. In step 416, a notification indicating details associated with the delivery process is transmitted to the robotic apparatus. The notification may indicate: a specified receiving position for the robotic apparatus during delivery of the item and/or a specified time period for delivery of the item to the robotic apparatus.
FIG. 5 illustrates a computer system 90 (e.g., control hardware 119 a . . . 119 n internal to vehicles 114 a . . . 114 n and control apparatus 14) used by or comprised by the systems of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 for enabling a process for supplying items to robotic apparatuses on an assembly line, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.
The computer system 90 illustrated in FIG. 5 includes a processor 91, an input device 92 coupled to the processor 91, an output device 93 coupled to the processor 91, and memory devices 94 and 95 each coupled to the processor 91. The input device 92 may be, inter alia, a keyboard, a mouse, a camera, a touchscreen, etc. The output device 93 may be, inter alia, a printer, a plotter, a computer screen, a magnetic tape, a removable hard disk, a floppy disk, etc. The memory devices 94 and 95 may be, inter alia, a hard disk, a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, an optical storage such as a compact disc (CD) or a digital video disc (DVD), a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a read-only memory (ROM), etc. The memory device 95 includes a computer code 97. The computer code 97 includes algorithms (e.g., the algorithm of FIG. 4) for enabling a process for enabling a process for supplying items to robotic apparatuses on an assembly line. The processor 91 executes the computer code 97. The memory device 94 includes input data 96. The input data 96 includes input required by the computer code 97. The output device 93 displays output from the computer code 97. Either or both memory devices 94 and 95 (or one or more additional memory devices such as read only memory device 96) may include algorithms (e.g., the algorithm of FIG. 4) and may be used as a computer usable medium (or a computer readable medium or a program storage device) having a computer readable program code embodied therein and/or having other data stored therein, wherein the computer readable program code includes the computer code 97. Generally, a computer program product (or, alternatively, an article of manufacture) of the computer system 90 may include the computer usable medium (or the program storage device).
In some embodiments, rather than being stored and accessed from a hard drive, optical disc or other writeable, rewriteable, or removable hardware memory device 95, stored computer program code 84 (e.g., including algorithm) may be stored on a static, nonremovable, read-only storage medium such as a Read-Only Memory (ROM) device 85, or may be accessed by processor 91 directly from such a static, nonremovable, read-only medium 85. Similarly, in some embodiments, stored computer program code 97 may be stored as computer-readable firmware 85, or may be accessed by processor 91 directly from such firmware 85, rather than from a more dynamic or removable hardware data-storage device 95, such as a hard drive or optical disc.
Still yet, any of the components of the present invention could be created, integrated, hosted, maintained, deployed, managed, serviced, etc. by a service supplier who offers to enable a process for supplying items to robotic apparatuses on an assembly line Thus, the present invention discloses a process for deploying, creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and/or integrating computing infrastructure, including integrating computer-readable code into the computer system 90, wherein the code in combination with the computer system 90 is capable of performing a method for enabling a process for enabling a process for supplying items to robotic apparatuses on an assembly line. In another embodiment, the invention provides a business method that performs the process steps of the invention on a subscription, advertising, and/or fee basis. That is, a service supplier, such as a Solution Integrator, could offer to enable a process for enabling a process for supplying items to robotic apparatuses on an assembly line. In this case, the service supplier can create, maintain, support, etc. a computer infrastructure that performs the process steps of the invention for one or more customers. In return, the service supplier can receive payment from the customer(s) under a subscription and/or fee agreement and/or the service supplier can receive payment from the sale of advertising content to one or more third parties.
While FIG. 5 shows the computer system 90 as a particular configuration of hardware and software, any configuration of hardware and software, as would be known to a person of ordinary skill in the art, may be utilized for the purposes stated supra in conjunction with the particular computer system 90 of FIG. 5. For example, the memory devices 94 and 95 may be portions of a single memory device rather than separate memory devices.
1. An automated assembly line delivery method comprising: generating, by a processor of an embedded computing device, an action plan specifying movements associated with a robotic apparatus associated with an assembly line, items required for said assembly line, and a vehicle associated with providing said items for said robotic apparatus, wherein said vehicle comprises a remotely or autonomously controlled aerial vehicle configured to aerially provide said items for said robotic apparatus; executing, by said processor, said action plan; directing, by said processor in response to a command from a user, said vehicle to a location comprising said items such that said vehicle initiates motion and navigates in a specified direction towards said location; selecting, by said processor via said vehicle upon arriving at said location, a first item of said items; retrieving, by said processor via said vehicle, said first item; determining, by said processor based on a feedback signal generated by a weight sensor of said vehicle in response to said retrieving, a measured weight of said first item; comparing, by said processor, said measured weight to a predetermined maximum weight threshold for delivery by said vehicle; executing, by said processor based on results of said comparing, a delivery process with respect to said vehicle, said first item, and said robotic apparatus, wherein said executing said delivery process comprises generating a flight based travel route for said vehicle for travel from said location to said robotic apparatus, wherein said travel route is generated based on a maximum number of robotic apparatuses capable of being supported by said vehicle and a calculated robotic arm movement path configured to prevent a collision between said vehicle and said robotic apparatus such that said robotic apparatus is determined to not be an obstacle to said vehicle; and transmitting, by said processor to said robotic apparatus, a notification indicating details associated with said delivery process.
releasing, by said processor via said vehicle at said assembly location, said item to said robotic apparatus.
releasing, by said processor via said vehicle and said least one additional vehicle, said item to said robotic apparatus.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification indicates a specified receiving position for said robotic apparatus during delivery of said first item.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification indicates a specified time period for delivery of said first item to said robotic apparatus.
generating an estimated timeframe associated with movement of a robotic arm of said robotic apparatus with respect to a movement distance from a first coordinate to a second coordinate to fetch any of said items from said vehicle providing said items for said robotic apparatus.
retrieving, by said processor, current locations, a current power, and a current speed of multiple vehicles that in combination with said vehicle are further associated with providing said items for said robotic apparatus, and wherein said action plan comprises said current locations, said current power, and said current speed of multiple vehicles.
providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in the control hardware, said code being executed by the computer processor to implement: said generating, said executing said action plan, said directing, said selecting, said retrieving, said determining, said comparing, said executing said delivery process, and said transmitting.
9. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device storing a computer readable program code, said computer readable program code comprising an algorithm that when executed by a processor of an embedded computing device implements an automated assembly line delivery method, said method comprising: generating, by said processor, an action plan specifying movements associated with a robotic apparatus associated with an assembly line, items required for said assembly line, and a vehicle associated with providing said items for said robotic apparatus, wherein said vehicle comprises a remotely or autonomously controlled aerial vehicle configured to aerially provide said items for said robotic apparatus; executing, by said processor, said action plan; directing, by said processor in response to a command from a user, said vehicle to a location comprising said items such that said vehicle initiates motion and navigates in a specified direction towards said location; selecting, by said processor via said vehicle upon arriving at said location, a first item of said items; retrieving, by said processor via said vehicle, said first item; determining, by said processor based on a feedback signal generated by a weight sensor of said vehicle in response to said retrieving, a measured weight of said first item; comparing, by said processor, said measured weight to a predetermined maximum weight threshold for delivery by said vehicle; executing, by said processor based on results of said comparing, a delivery process with respect to said vehicle, said first item, and said robotic apparatus, wherein said executing said delivery process comprises generating a flight based travel route for said vehicle for travel from said location to said robotic apparatus, wherein said travel route is generated based on a maximum number of robotic apparatuses capable of being supported bar said vehicle and a calculated robotic arm movement path configured to prevent a collision between said vehicle and said robotic apparatus such that said robotic apparatus is determined to not be an obstacle to said vehicle; and transmitting, by said processor to said robotic apparatus, a notification indicating details associated with said delivery process.
12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein said notification indicates a specified receiving position for said robotic apparatus during delivery of said first item.
13. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein said notification indicates a specified time period for delivery of said first item to said robotic apparatus.
16. An embedded computer device comprising a processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising instructions that when executed by the processor executes an automated assembly line delivery method comprising: generating, by said processor, an action plan specifying movements associated with a robotic apparatus associated with an assembly line, items required for said assembly line, and a vehicle associated with providing said items for said robotic apparatus, wherein said vehicle comprises a remotely or autonomously controlled aerial vehicle configured to aerially provide said items for said robotic apparatus; executing, by said processor, said action plan; directing, by said processor in response to a command from a user, said vehicle to a location comprising said items such that said vehicle initiates motion and navigates in a specified direction towards said location; selecting, by said processor via said vehicle upon arriving at said location, a first item of said items; retrieving, by said processor via said vehicle, said first item; determining, by said processor based on a feedback signal generated by a weight sensor of said vehicle in response to said retrieving, a measured weight of said first item; comparing, by said processor, said measured weight to a predetermined maximum weight threshold for delivery by said vehicle; executing, by said processor based on results of said comparing, a delivery process with respect to said vehicle, said first item, and said robotic apparatus, wherein said executing said delivery process comprises generating a flight based travel route for said vehicle for travel from said location to said robotic apparatus, wherein said travel route is generated based on a maximum number of robotic apparatuses capable of being supported bar said vehicle and a calculated robotic arm movement path configured to prevent a collision between said vehicle and said robotic apparatus such that said robotic apparatus is determined to not be an obstacle to said vehicle; and transmitting, by said processor to said robotic apparatus, a notification indicating details associated with said delivery process.
19. The embedded computer device of claim 16, wherein said notification indicates a specified receiving position for said robotic apparatus during delivery of said first item.
20. The embedded computer device of claim 16, wherein said notification indicates a specified time period for delivery of said first item to said robotic apparatus.
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Big Life Music was formed in 1987 by Jazz Summers and Tim Parry. Since then songs from the Big Life catalogue have regularly appeared in the UK charts.
Big Life currently have around 2000 copyrights of which of approximately 1500 either are or have been active.
Although the majority of our composers are singer/songwriters we have recently had considerable success in obtaining cover recordings.
The Big Life catalogue includes songs by Snow Patrol, Lady Sovereign, Futureheads, Vega 4, Coldcut, Yazz, Lisa Stansfield, Blue Pearl, James Taylor Quartet, Snowboy, Gat Decor, Soup Dragons, The High Fidelity, The Orb, Heather Nova, Oceania, Celetia and Damage.
Recent covers include Fierce, Scooch, Breze, Shola Ama, Hinda Hicks, Honeyz, KGee, All Saints (album title track), Artful Dodger (2 tracks including new single), Alex Boye, Samantha Mumba (2 songs t.b.c.), Wu Tang Clan, Rasmus (P.I.A.S.), Marwenna Diame (songwriter) and Ils & Solo.


FORT WASHINGTON -- One of harness racing's most important tests for developing 2-year old pacers, the Potomac Stakes, will highlight tomorrow's holiday program at Rosecroft Raceway.
This year's Potomac, worth $237,475, features 26 participants all competing in their richest race to date. There will be three separate divisions tomorrow.
Perhaps the most competitive of the three divisions will be division 2 (race 7 on the 13-race all-triple card), as Eicarls W A G (Dave Palone) meets up with Cam's Magic Girl (Cat Manzi. Each is undefeated. Eicarls W A G is the 7-5 morning line choice over Cam's Magic, which is 9-5.
The first division (race 5) has Swift Reflection the morning line favorite at 3-1. The remaining division (race 9) has Direct Assault the 8-5 early choice. Both Swift Reflection and Direct Assault come out of the Steve Elliott stable.
Tomorrow's card includes an $8000 Preferred/Handicap pace. Highlighting this event will be last week's Preferred winner, Steely Glow, which, this week, goes head-to-head with the razor-tough Meadowlands shipper, Ramsey Hanover.
Rosecroft also will simulcast the $192,000 Alfred E. Driscoll pace, headlined by former local all-age track record holder Artsplace, now the sport's fastest ever horse.
Rosecroft will simulcast action from its sister track, Delmarva Downs.
Both tracks feature all triple programs tomorrow. Rosecroft post time is 7:30 p.m.; Delmarva's is at 7:40 p.m.


While bankruptcy does not help you decide who gets the kids and the property, it can help ease issues over who gets the debt. If a couple files a joint bankruptcy before their divorce is final, they can eliminate the issue of dividing debt that is discharged in bankruptcy.
However, many factors should be considered when determining the best course of action when contemplating divorce and bankruptcy. For example, your income and liability on debts may affect the timing of your bankruptcy and the chapter of bankruptcy you file. Likewise, the language in the proposed divorce decree and marital settlement agreement should be carefully reviewed by an experienced bankruptcy attorney to determine your best options in a bankruptcy case.
If a couple does not agree to file a joint bankruptcy, and it does require some cooperation, then care should be taken by the party deciding to file bankruptcy by him or herself. While a joint bankruptcy before a divorce is usually the best option, there are some circumstances when an individual bankruptcy may be preferable.
The need for bankruptcy can sometimes be better assessed after the divorce is final. Keep in mind that if you are liable for a debt, your problems are not over if the divorce court orders your ex-spouse to pay that debt. There is a common misconception that the division of debt in a divorce decree changes who a creditor may pursue when a debt is not paid. However, a creditor can still pursue both parties on a joint debt, regardless of who was assigned the debt in the divorce.
If your former spouse does not pay the debt, the creditor can then collect against you, and you cannot use the divorce court's order to defend against that collection as you are in fact still liable for the debt.
The divorce court's order to pay alimony or child support can never be eliminated by bankruptcy. However, joint debts divided between the parties can be eliminated if evaluated appropriately by an attorney who is familiar with both Chapter 7 bankruptcy and Chapter 13 bankruptcy.
It is important to hire an attorney who handles both chapters because the language in a divorce decree can impact the ability of certain debts to be discharged in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 cases. This is one of the reasons why the decision to consult with a bankruptcy attorney prior to your divorce being finalized is in your best interests if there are joint debts from the marriage.
If you are talking to a divorce attorney while contemplating divorce, you should also consider talking to a bankruptcy attorney to consider whether a bankruptcy before or after the divorce will be the most beneficial. Additionally, if you hire a bankruptcy attorney and divorce lawyer, they can work together to get the best result for you to eliminate debt.
Our lawyers collaborate with family law attorneys to ensure the language in your divorce decree is worded to protect you if you need to file bankruptcy. We frequently see errors in debt and property settlements and in divorce decrees that negatively affect a client's ability to discharge debt in bankruptcy. These errors can be prevented if you get proper counseling from an experienced Chapter 13 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyer in Springfield Missouri.


1. Dear old teddy has made it to the mending pile, 2. My favourite Emily Martin print, 3. Mr three is currently obsessed with cars and scooters, 4 & 5. Winter flowers, 6. Helping build the chicken coop, 7. Pollen hunters.
Or even each time I had to repeat myself when talking to them.
And yet, all the money in the world couldn't replace this morning, when my three-year-old climbed into bed with us and said, 'Mama, I love you', for the first time.
Or the way that Miss five says 'bizert' instead of dessert.
Or the way Master eight compliments me on whatever I am wearing.


text:
"I had rather beg my bread with him than to be the greatest queen in Christendom. And I believe verily……..he would not forsake were to be a king."
These words indicate boundless love and trust a wife has for her husband. She is ready to beg for a living than to be "the greatest queen in Christendom". This shows that the passion and love she has for her husband well enough to assure that he loves her with equal passion, or mare. But the million dollar question is that who is or rather was the woman, who told these golden words? She mothered two children rumored to be the bastards of King Henry VIII of England, she was the maternal aunt of Queen Elizabeth I, one of the greatest and influential monarchs of England; she was the sister of one of the most ill-fated Queen consort England ever hand and cousin of another; she laid the foundation for the rise of her family but was later considered as a disgrace, few even call her a stepping stone towards her sister's success. She was LADY MARY BOLEYN.
It looks as if Mary Boleyn was forgotten after her sister took her place as HeneryVIII's favorite. She belongs to the ambitious family of the Boleyn and the Howards. Her parents were Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire and Lady Elizabeth Howard, countess of Wiltshire. She is a descendent of King Edward I of England, from her maternal side and her paternal ancestors can be traced to George Boleyn, Mary's grandfather and Lord Mayor of London in 1457-1458. Thomas and Elizabeth Boleyn had three children in all who survived to adulthood. They were – George Boleyn and sisters Anne and Mary Boleyn. Her sister Anne became the Queen of England and was later executed for adultery and treason. A similar fate was faced Catherine Howard, a cousin Mary Boleyn.
There are debates over which of the Boleyn sisters is the elder one. The birthdates are also not accurate because infant mortality rate during those days were high and births of baby girls were not considered very important to note. Anne was sent to lower countries for education alongside regent's ward, sharing same education. Thomas Boleyn was one of the three envoys assigned to the Netherlands' court. Connections to Margaret, Archduchess of Austria helped him to secure this appointment. This is an important point due to which Anne is considered elder than Mary by few historians as elder siblings are given such privileges. But a very firm point which makes us change our opinion is that Mary was married before Anne. It was rather unlikely for a younger sister to get married before her elder sister, at least in those days. Later on, during Queen Elizabeth I's reign, Mary's son Henry Carey, Lord Hunsdon asked for the Earldom of Wiltshire. This title belonged to his grandfather and he definitely would have been sure that his mother was older than the Queen's mother, that is Anne, before asking for it. These are important points due to which Mary is considered elder to Anne. Whoever be the elder one Mary was born between 1500 and 1503 at Blickling Hall, Norfolk.
Usually, Mary was considered as prettiest of Boleyn sisters. She managed to catch the eye of King of England, France and also many countries. In her miniature, painted by Lucas Horenbout, we can see that she had brown eyes and cream complexion. She looks a bit on healthier side and from her medium brown eyebrows; we can assume that her hair would have been same color as well. She was taught French by Mademoiselle Semmonet. She was also well accomplishment at dancing, singing, embroidery, good manners, needlework and various other feminine activities. She studied music and could play lute, violin. Like every girl from a noble family, Mary was educated about her genealogy, grammar, history, reading, writing etc. She was also taught horse-back riding and hunting.
Ref: Mary Boleyn by Lucas Horenbout.
In 1514, Mary was amongst the several Maids of Honor who accompanied Princess
Mary Tudor for her marriage to King Louis XII in France. Few weeks later, many maids returned back to England but Mary was allowed to stay because Thomas Boleyn was the new English ambassador at France. Even after the death of Louis XII, she continued her stay in France and attended the new King Francis I's bride, Queen Claude. It was sometime during this period of her stay in France that she and Francis I had their rumored affair. He called Mary his "English Mare" and boasted that how often he rode her. It was for this notorious action that Mary was sent back to England. After her return to England, she was appointed as a Maid of Honor to Queen Katherine or more often known as Katherine of Aragon.
On 4th February, 1520, she was married to William Carey of Aldenham in Hertfordshire, a gentleman of the Privy Chamber and Esquire of Body to the King. Henry VIII too attended the wedding. Just after a year and a half of her marriage, in late 1521 or early 1522, she had a famous and royal affair with King Henry VIII. This affair was more of a setup by her father and uncle for the fulfillment of their ambitions than Mary's own doing. It lasted till 1525/1526.
During this brief period, she gave birth to two children. First was Catherine Carey, born in 1524 and second was Henry Carey, born in 1526. Both of these children are rumored to be illegitimate children of Henry VIII due to their striking physical similarities, but were not acknowledged by Henry VIII, like Mistress Elizabeth Blount's son Henry Fitzroy was acknowledged as well as titled Duke of Richmond. The reason for this was that Henry VIII had started courting Mary's sister Anne Boleyn and had plans to divorce Queen Katherine and marry Anne. Obviously, accepting Mary's kids as his bastards would mean that he had illegal carnal relations with the sister of the Queen – to be, a mark no one would want on their character.
Ref: Catherine Carey Ref: Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon
At 22nd June,1528, William Carey died of sweating sickness, at the age of 28 years. Due to this untimely death of Mary's husband and her children's legal father, Anne was given the guardianship of Henry Carey. Henry Carey was educated by French poet Nicholas Bourbon. After Mary was widowed, not much attention was paid towards her remarriage. The Boleyns and the Howards were much engrossed in planning and plotting for the downfall of Queen Katherine and to make Anne the Queen of England. In 1532, Mary accompanied Henry and Anne to Calais on a state visit to France. It was probably here that she met William Stafford, a soldier and her future husband.
On 1st September, 1532, Anne was declared as Marquess of Pembroke. Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, declared Henry VIII's marriage to Katherine of Aragon as illegal and invalid on 23rd May, 1533 and Henry VIII's marriage to Anne, which was a secret ceremony, held on 25th January, 1533, as valid on 28th May, 1533. Her coronation was held on 1st June, 1533, which was very grandly celebrated. Few months later, on 7th September, 1533, Anne gave birth to Princess Elizabeth. Sometime in 1534, Mary married for second time to William Stafford. This was probably a love match as William's financial status and social rank was well below that of Mary's. Anne, or rather Queen Anne was furious to hear this news and banish her from court. Her family members, all intoxicated by the dose of their success, disowned her for marrying without consent. She was forced to beg to Thomas Cromwell to speak to King and Queen on her behalf as her financial conditions deteriorated. Though Anne helped her to improve her conditions, she refused to see or talk to her. This was the closest encounter between the two sisters, after Mary's so called disgraceful act.
Her life is difficult to trace between 1534–1536. She preferred to stay away from the court. After Anne and George's execution in May, 1536, for adultery and incest, her parents tried to reunite with Mary. It was a great loss for her parents to loose two out of their three children at a single stroke of the axe. Mary's mother died in 1538 and the following year, in 1539, her father died too. She saw her entire family collapse in front of her eyes. She got the custody of Rochford Castle and stayed there till
her death on 19th July, 1543. She lived a simple life, away from the court, after the downfall of her family.
Catherine Carey was married to Sir Francis Knollys on 26th April, 1540, and became Catherine, Lady Knollys. She had fifteen children in all. Mary's son Henry Carey was knighted in 1558 by Elizabeth I and was thereafter known as Henry Carey, I Baron Hunsdon. His marriage to Ann Morgan resulted in the birth of twelve children in all.
After the death of Henry VIII on 28th January, 1547, under the Act of Succession, 1543; Henry's only surviving legitimate son Edward VI ascended the throne. But his reign was very short due to his untimely death. Then Lady Jane Grey ascended the throne according to her predecessor's will but was executed after nine days for high treason. This gave her the title "The Nine Days' Queen". After that Mary I ascended the throne but died due to an illness in 1558. Then finally, Princess Elizabeth was crowned the new Queen of England. A Boleyn descendent was on the throne again and this time not through marriage but attainment under the Act of Succession, 1543. During her long Golden Age, she was very close to her maternal siblings, Mary's children Catherine and Henry Carey. She ennobled Mary's son and Catherine was chief Lady of the Bedchamber to Elizabeth. Henry also became Knight of the Garter on 20th April, 1561. Elizabeth was very generous to her Boleyn cousins as well as their children.
It was really sad that Mary Boleyn did not live to see her family rise to power once again; to see her bastardized niece become the most powerful monarch of her time; to see both her children as favorites of the Queen and lastly to see the Boleyn family descendents – most of them her own descendents as the centre of attraction of the court. Mary is the ancestor of Prince William and Prince Harry, presently second and third in line to the British throne respectively, from their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales' side. But besides all these there is one thing she is famous for, which is being a rebel and marrying for love and below her rank. She did not bother about her family or her sister and married William Stafford, a rather adorable gesture. Even though she had bad financial conditions after her marriage, she had a happy married life, which was more important for her. She and William overcame all the obstacles of life with each other's support and love. This is better explained as – "There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread."
TRIVIA :In future, if Prince William or Prince Harry ascend the
throne, then it would bring a legitimate
descendent of the Plantagenet dynasty back on
the throne because King Edward I of England is
an ancestor of their mother, Diana, Princess of
Wales.