text:
Establishing and updating reputation scores in online participatory systems
The establishment and adjustment of the reputation score of a party in an online transaction system is described. A party may provide consideration to a transaction portal. In response, the transaction portal may increase (or initially establish) a reputation score for the party based upon the consideration. The portal may return to the party at least a portion of the consideration in response to a favorable event. The portal may decrease the score based upon factors such as the value of transactions weighted by user ratings. The transaction portal may also increase the score based upon a function of commissions made in transactions involving the party.
Schwarz, Michael (Berkeley, CA, US)
G06Q10/00; G06F17/40
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GEORGALAS, ANNE MARIE
VERIZON MEDIA INC. (NEW YORK, NY, US)
1. A computer-implemented method, in an online transaction system, for determining a reputation score for a party involved in a transaction, the method comprising: increasing the reputation score based on consideration received from the party; and providing the score for display on a client.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing the reputation score comprises establishing an initial reputation score.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the score comprises providing the score if the score satisfies a threshold condition.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing the score comprises increasing the score by at least a portion of the amount of the consideration.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the score based upon a user rating of the transaction.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the score based upon the number of negative user ratings.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the score based upon the value of the transaction weighted by a user rating of the transaction.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising returning to the party at least a portion of the consideration in response to a favorable event.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein reputation score is decreased based upon the amount of returned consideration.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the event comprises the score exceeding a threshold.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein the event comprises the party receiving less than a predetermined number of negative user ratings over a period of time.
12. The method of claim 8, wherein the event comprises receiving at least a predetermined number of positive user ratings over a period of time.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction system is an auction system.
14. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the party to participate in transactions based upon the reputation score exceeding a predetermined threshold.
15. A computer-implemented method, in an online transaction system, for determining a reputation score for a party involved in a transaction, the method comprising: determining the score based upon commissions made in transactions involving the party; and providing the score for display on a client.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the score is also based upon at least one attribute of the transaction selected from the group consisting of: value of the transaction; user rating of the transaction; and reputation of the user providing a rating of the transaction.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the score comprises determining the score based upon (a non-decreasing function of the commissions) and (the value of transactions conducted by the party weighted by user ratings).
18. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the score comprises determining the score based upon (a non-decreasing function of commissions paid by the party as seller) and (the value of sales conducted by the party as seller weighted by user ratings).
19. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the score comprises determining the score based upon (a non-decreasing function of commissions paid by the party as seller) and (the value of transactions conducted by the party that received negative user ratings).
20. The method of claim 19, wherein determining the score is further based upon the total number of transactions by the party.
21. The method of claim 15, wherein providing the score comprises providing the score if the score satisfies a threshold condition.
22. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the score is also based upon a number of negative user ratings.
23. The method of claim 15, wherein the transactional system is an auction system.
24. The method of claim 15, further comprising increasing the score based on consideration received from the party.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising decreasing the score by the at least a portion of the consideration in response to a negative rating of the transaction.
26. The method of claim 24, further comprising refunding at least a portion of the consideration in response to a favorable event.
27. A computer-implemented method, in an online activity, for determining a reputation score for a party involved in the online activity, the method comprising: increasing the reputation score based on consideration received from the party; allowing the party to participate in the activity based upon the reputation score; and returning to the party at least a portion of the consideration in response to a favorable event.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the event comprises the score exceeding a threshold.
29. The method of claim 27, wherein the event comprises the party receiving less than a predetermined number of negative user ratings over a period of time.
30. The method of claim 27, wherein the event comprises receiving at least a predetermined number of positive user ratings over a period of time.
31. The method of claim 27, wherein increasing the reputation score comprises establishing an initial reputation score.
32. The method of claim 27, wherein allowing participation is conditioned upon the score satisfying a threshold condition.
33. The method of claim 27, further comprising adjusting the score based upon a user rating of the party's participation in the activity.
34. The method of claim 27, further comprising decreasing the score by the at least a portion of the consideration weighted by a user rating of the party's participation in the network.
35. The method of claim 27, wherein the online activity is an online social network.
36. An apparatus, in an online transaction system, for determining a reputation score for a party involved in a transaction, the apparatus comprising: logic for increasing the reputation score based on consideration received from the party; and logic for providing the score for display on a client.
37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein increasing the reputation score comprises establishing an initial reputation score.
38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein providing the score comprises providing the score if the score satisfies a threshold condition.
39. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein increasing the score comprises increasing the score by at least a portion of the amount of the consideration.
40. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising logic for adjusting the score based upon a user rating of the transaction.
41. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising logic for adjusting the score based upon the value of the transaction weighted by a user rating of the transaction.
42. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising logic for returning to the party at least a portion of the consideration in response to a favorable event.
43. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the transaction system is an auction system.
44. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising logic for allowing the party to participate in transactions based upon the reputation score exceeding a predetermined threshold.
45. An apparatus, in an online transaction system, for determining a reputation score for a party involved in a transaction, the apparatus comprising: logic for determining the score based upon commissions made in transactions involving the party; and logic for providing the score for display on a client.
46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein determining the score is also based upon at least one attribute of the transaction selected from the group consisting of: value of the transaction; user rating of the transaction; and reputation of the user providing a rating of the transaction.
47. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein determining the score comprises determining the score based upon (a non-decreasing function of the commissions) and (the value of transactions conducted by the party weighted by user ratings).
48. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the transactional system is an auction system.
49. An apparatus for determining a reputation score for a party involved in an online activity, the apparatus comprising: logic for increasing the reputation score based on consideration received from the party; logic for allowing the party to participate in the activity based upon the reputation score; and logic for returning to the party at least a portion of the consideration in response to a favorable event.
50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the event comprises the score exceeding a threshold.
51. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the event comprises the party receiving less than a predetermined number of negative user ratings over a period of time.
52. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the event comprises receiving at least a predetermined number of positive user ratings over a period of time.
54. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein allowing participation is conditioned upon the score satisfying a threshold condition.
55. The apparatus of claim 49, further comprising logic for adjusting the score based upon a user rating of the party's participation in the activity.
56. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the online activity is an online social network.
57. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for determining a reputation score for a party involved in a transaction in an online transaction system, the instructions for: increasing the reputation score based on consideration received from the party; and providing the score for display on a client.
58. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein increasing the reputation score comprises establishing an initial reputation score.
59. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein providing the score comprises providing the score if the score satisfies a threshold condition.
60. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein increasing the score comprises increasing the score by at least a portion of the consideration.
61. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, further comprising instructions for adjusting the score based upon a user rating of the transaction.
62. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, further comprising instructions for adjusting the score based upon the number of negative user ratings.
63. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, further comprising instructions for adjusting the score based upon the value of the transaction weighted by a user rating of the transaction.
64. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, further comprising instructions for returning to the party at least a portion of the consideration in response to a favorable event.
65. The computer-readable medium of claim 64, further comprising instructions for decreasing reputation score based upon the amount of returned consideration.
66. The computer-readable medium of claim 64, wherein the event comprises the score exceeding a threshold.
67. The computer-readable medium of claim 64, wherein the event comprises the party receiving less than a predetermined number of negative user ratings over a period of time.
68. The computer-readable medium of claim 64, wherein the event comprises receiving at least a predetermined number of positive user ratings over a period of time.
69. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, wherein the transaction system is an auction system.
70. The computer-readable medium of claim 57, further comprising instructions for allowing the party to participate in transactions based upon the reputation score exceeding a predetermined threshold.
71. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for determining a reputation score for a party involved in a transaction in an online transaction system, the instructions for: determining the score based upon commissions made in transactions involving the party; and providing the score for display on a client.
72. The computer-readable medium of claim 71, wherein determining the score is based upon at least one attribute selected from the group consisting of: value of the transaction; user rating of the transaction; and reputation of the user providing a rating of the transaction.
73. The computer-readable medium of claim 71, wherein determining the score comprises determining the score based upon (a non-decreasing function of the commissions) and (the value of transactions conducted by the party weighted by user ratings).
74. The computer-readable medium of claim 71, wherein determining the score comprises determining the score based upon (a non-decreasing function of commissions paid by the party as seller) and (the value of sales conducted by the party as seller weighted by user ratings).
75. The computer-readable medium of claim 71, wherein determining the score comprises determining the score based upon (a non-decreasing function of commissions paid by the party as seller) and (the value of transactions conducted by the party that received negative user ratings).
76. The computer-readable medium of claim 75, wherein determining the score is further based upon the total number of transactions by the party.
78. The computer-readable medium of claim 71, wherein determining the score is also based upon a number of negative user ratings.
80. The computer-readable medium of claim 71, further comprising instructions for increasing the score based on consideration received from the party.
81. The computer-readable medium of claim 80, further comprising instructions for decreasing the score by the at least a portion of the consideration in response to a negative rating of the transaction.
82. The computer-readable medium of claim 80, further comprising instructions for refunding at least a portion of the consideration in response to a favorable event.
83. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions for determining a reputation score for a party involved in an online activity, the instructions for: increasing the reputation score based on consideration received from the party; allowing the party to participate in the activity based upon the reputation score; and returning to the party at least a portion of the consideration in response to a favorable event.
88. The computer-readable medium of claim 83, wherein allowing participation is conditioned upon the score satisfying a threshold condition.
89. The computer-readable medium of claim 83, further comprising instructions for adjusting the score based upon a user rating of the party's participation in the activity.
90. The computer-readable medium of claim 83, wherein the online activity is an online social network.
Trust is an important element for users dealing with each other in the online marketplace. As an indicator of trust, Internet transaction sites, such as auction houses, provide users with seller and buyer reputation scores. Reputation scores provide useful information to the user in deciding whether to enter into a transaction. User ratings of prior transactions with the seller or buyer typically determine the reputation score.
One problem with conventional reputation systems is that new participants start with a reputation score of zero. This makes it difficult for them to join the marketplace, especially as sellers. Moreover, after a seller has established a reputation with one online market, it is difficult for the seller to switch to another market because the seller has to establish reputation again in the new market, resulting in "stickiness."
Second, an unscrupulous seller may manipulate existing reputation systems. For example, eBay computes reputation score as the difference between the number of positive and negative ratings received by a buyer (or seller). A seller can develop a high reputation score by creating a large number of small (possibly fictitious) transactions. Then the seller can use the high score to sell one very high value item, take payment and not ship the item. In fact, there is a "market for feedback" in which sellers can "buy reputation" to increase their score. See J. Brown, et al., "Reputation in Online Auctions: The Market for Trust," California Management Review, Vol. 49, No. 1 (Fall 2006), pp. 61-81 ("Brown" ). Brown suggests, as one solution, offering transaction-weighted reputation statistics based on the dollar value of the trade, rather than the current practice where the sale of high and low value items have the same reputational effect. Brown, at 18. Brown, however, does not provide further details as to implementation.
It is desired to develop improved techniques for establishing and updating reputation in online markets.
Embodiments of the invention provide for the establishment and adjustment of the reputation score of a party in a transactional system. A party may provide consideration to a transaction portal. In response, the transaction portal may increase (or initially establish) a reputation score for the party based upon the consideration. The portal may require a minimum reputation score as a condition for participation in the transaction system. The portal may provide the score for display on the client computers of other users of the system, so that those users can decide whether to transact business with the party based upon the party's reputation score.
The portal may return to the party at least a portion of the consideration in response to a favorable event, such as the score exceeding a threshold after a predetermined period of ti-me, the party receiving less than a predetermined number of negative user ratings over a period of time, or the party receiving at least a predetermined number of positive user ratings over a period of time.
The portal may adjust the the score based upon user ratings of transactions, and, in particular, upon the value of each transaction weighted by a user rating of the transaction.
By using a transaction system implementing the above approach, a new entrant to the system may immediately establish a reputation. This overcomes the problem of "stickiness" in conventional systems.
The same principles may be applied to allowing user participation in social networks and other online activities based upon establishment and maintenance of a reputation score. In those embodiments, the transaction portal may return to the user, in response to a favorable event, at least a portion of the consideration used to establish an initial reputation.
In some embodiments, the transaction portal may increase the score based upon a non-decreasing function of commissions made in transactions involving the party. The transaction portal may also adjust the score based upon other attributes of transactions such as value of the transaction, user rating of the transaction, and reputation of the user providing a rating of the transaction. For example, the portal may determine the score based upon (a non-decreasing function of commissions paid by the party as seller) and (the value of sales conducted by the party weighted by user ratings).
FIG. 1 illustrates a computer network environment according to embodiments of the invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates a computing system that may be employed to implement processing functionality in embodiments of the invention.
FIG. 1 illustrates a computer network environment according to embodiments of the invention. The network environment includes an online transaction portal 100 (e.g., a server) coupled through a communications network 102, such as the Internet, to buyer and seller client computers 104 and 106, respectively. The transaction portal may coordinate electronic commerce between a buyer and a seller in the context of a transaction such as an auction, classified advertisement, or the like. The transaction portal 100 is also coupled, either directly or through the Internet (as shown), to a transaction services intermediary 108 for coordinating fulfillment of transactions implemented at the transaction portal 100. The transaction services intermediary may handle payment processing and shipping, for example. The above-recited elements provide the means for implementing the functionality of the embodiments of the invention described herein.
According to embodiments of the invention, a party, denoted for convenience here as a "primary party," may establish a reputation score (or increase an existing reputation score) by providing consideration to the transaction portal 100 (i.e., the transaction portal facilitates the transfer of consideration to an entity designated to receive the consideration). The primary party may be a buyer or a seller. In this manner, the primary party effectively "buys" reputation to establish trust with other parties to a transaction. The consideration may take the form of an online payment, a credit toward commissions on future trades, or the like. In some embodiments, the transaction portal 100 may require consideration as a condition for the party's participation in transactions through the portal 100.
In some embodiments, the transaction portal 100 may treat the consideration as non-refundable, or refund all or part of the consideration based upon one or a combination of favorable conditions, such as, for example, the party's reputation score exceeding a threshold score after the passage of a given length of time, the passage of a given length of time itself, the receipt of at least a given number of positive user ratings from other parties dealing with the party over a given period of time, the receipt of fewer than a given number of negative user ratings over a given period of time, or the like. (As an example, a "positive" user rating may exceed or equal a rating threshold of 0.5, whereas a "negative" user rating may fall below the rating threshold of 0.5 on a scale of 0 to 1, where 0 represents complete dissatisfaction and 1 complete satisfaction with a transaction.) The transaction portal 100 may provide the refund automatically, or upon request of the primary party. The transaction portal 100 may reduce the reputation score by a value representing all or a portion of the returned consideration.
In response to receipt of the consideration, the transaction portal 100 may increase the score by all or a portion of the amount of the consideration. The transaction portal 100 may provide, over the communications network, the primary party's reputation score for display on other parties' client computers. The user at a client computer can then decide whether to participate in a transaction based upon the reputation score. In some embodiments, the portal 100 may provide the score only upon satisfaction of a condition, such as the score exceeding a predetermined value. By allowing a user new to the transaction portal 100 to establish a reputation, embodiments of the invention avoid the stickiness problem that hinders user movement in conventional systems.
Whether or not reputation is established in the above manner, the transaction portal 100 may adjust the reputation score based upon user ratings. The transaction portal 100 may display on the client computer "+" and "−" buttons on the screen for the user to enter respective positive or negative ratings of the transaction with the primary party, for example. In one embodiment, these inputs may be translated into discrete values respectively falling above and below a rating threshold, such as 0.5 on a scale of 0 to 1, for example.
In some embodiments, where consideration has been provided, the transaction portal 100 may decrease the score based upon a user rating of a transaction. (And, as discussed below, in some embodiments, the transaction portal 100 may also increase the score based upon commissions for the transaction.) In addition or as an alternative to employing the value of a user rating, the transaction portal 100 may decrease the reputation score based upon the number of negative ratings, from unique users, of transactions by the primary party. In some embodiments, the transaction portal 100 may require a threshold number of negative ratings from unique users to arise before decreasing the score.
As another aspect of embodiments of the invention, the transaction portal 100 may increase reputation score based upon commissions paid to the transaction portal 100 by the primary party. For example, the transaction portal 100 may apply a linear or nonlinear operator (such as square root) to the commission for each sale to give greater weight to smaller sales, based upon the assumption that a seller is less likely to build reputation with many fraudulent small sales than with a few large sales. The transaction portal 100 may compute the commission itself based upon the value of sales transactions by the primary party. For example, the transaction portal 100 may compute the commission as a percentage of sales. Note that, except where otherwise indicated, the reputation score to which adjustments are made may, or may not, have been established or increased by the deposit of consideration.
More comprehensively, the transaction portal 100.may compute the reputation score based upon a function of attributes of the transaction, including a user rating of the transaction, according to the recursive equation
Si+1=Si+Q(Ai)
where Q is non-decreasing function, and Ai represents one or more attributes of the i-th transaction, such as, for example, the value of the transaction, the commission, a user rating of the transaction, and a reputation of the user who rated the transaction. The transaction portal 100 may update the primary party's reputation score after a new transaction occurs and is rated, for example. The reputation of the user who rated the transaction may be based upon the principles described herein, or any other reputation scoring technique.
More particularly, the transaction portal 100 may compute the reputation score based upon a function of the commission less the value of each transaction weighted by a user rating for that transaction. This may be represented, for example, by the following equation:
Si+1=Si+[f(ci)−xi(1−ri)]
where f(ci) is a non-decreasing function of the commission ci paid by the primary party as a seller (and/or, in some embodiments, the commission paid by the seller in which the primary party is a buyer), xi is the value of the i-th transaction, and ri is a user rating of the i-th transaction, which may range from 0 to 1 for lowest to highest user ratings, for example. In this example, i may range over all transactions or a predetermined number of the most recent transactions, for example.
This algorithm may be further limited to account only for instances where the primary party is a seller, by letting i range only over all sales (but not purchases) or a predetermined number of the most recent sales, for example.
As an example of the effect of one transaction on the above equation, assume that a new seller at the transaction portal 100 deposits consideration of $100 to establish a reputation score of 100. Assume that, the first transaction is valued at $100, the commission is 10% or $10, and that an unsatisfied buyer gives the transaction a rating of 0.1 on a scale of 0 to 1 (or a rating normalized to that value), with zero again representing complete dissatisfaction, and 1 full satisfaction.
The transaction portal 100 may increase the score by the value of the commission (10) and decrease the score by the value of the transaction weighted by the user rating, e.g., by x(1−r)=100(1−0.1)=90, resulting in a score of 100+10−90=20, where x is the value of the transaction, and r is the user rating. The resulting score of 20 would damage the seller's reputation, making it difficult to attract buyers for items valued more than $20 in the future. That is, in some embodiments, such a reputation score would represent that the seller would, at most, forfeit $20 for a fraudulent transaction, where the $20 would otherwise be available for a refund to the primary party.
To account for the reputation of the user ui who provided the rating ri, ri may be represented, for example, by a function ri(S(ui)) of the reputation score S of the user ui, so that, for example, ri(S(ui)) (falling between 0 and 1) gives increasing weight to the user's rating ri depending upon the user's reputation score.
As another example, instead of accounting for the value of the rating, the score may more simply be decreased based just upon the transactions receiving negative user ratings.
Si+1=Si+[f(ci)−x31 i]
where x−i represents the value of the i-th negatively rated transaction receiving a negative user rating. This method can be simplified further by accounting only for negatively rated sales transactions instead of all (buy and sell) transactions. In these examples, i may range over all negatively-rated transactions or a predetermined number of the most recent negatively-rated transactions, for example.
The transaction portal 100 may compute reputation score by also accounting for the number of transactions, e.g., as a sum of non-decreasing functions of the commission plus a non-decreasing function of the total number of transactions (including buy and sell transactions) minus the total value of transactions receiving negative feedback, as follows:
Si+1=Si+[f(ci)−x−i]+g(T)
where x−i is a transaction that received a negative user rating, and g(T) is a non-decreasing function of the total number T of transactions x. For example, g(T) may simply represent T multiplied by a positive constant, with f and g selected to normalize S to fall within a desired score range.
In the embodiments herein, the transaction portal I 00 may employ a function of the commission f(ci) that depends upon the consideration provided by the party. For example, the transaction portal 100 may use the consideration effectively as an "account" from which the commission for each transaction may be withdrawn as payment for the party's participation in a transaction. In the above equations, the transaction portal 100 may set f(ci)=0 until after the account falls to less than or equal to an account threshold (e.g., 0), after which time the transaction portal 100 will allow f(ci) to take on non-zero values when the party is again required to pay a commission from outside the prepaid account.
The above techniques may be applied outside the context of buying and selling goods or services. Reputation computed using the above methods may be used to allow participation in an online participatory activity, such as an online social network. For example, the transaction portal 100 may allow a party to participate in the activity only if the party's reputation score exceeds a score threshold.
Similar to the systems described above, the transaction portal 100 may enable a party to increase or establish a reputation score based upon the receipt of consideration from the party. Similar to the above-described embodiments, the transaction portal 100 may adjust the party's score based upon a user rating of the party's participation in the activity. For an online participatory activity, the transaction portal 100 may decrease the score by at least a portion of the consideration in response to a negative user rating, or by the consideration weighted by a user rating. Note that, for example, a user may give the party a negative rating if the user finds the party's participation in an online social network to be offensive.
Similarly, the transaction portal 100 may cause at least a portion of the consideration to be returned to the party in response to a favorable event, such as one or more of those described above.
While the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and illustrative figures, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention is not limited to the embodiments or figures described. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the operations of the various embodiments may be implemented using hardware, software, firmware, or combinations thereof, as appropriate. For example, some processes can be carried out using processors or other digital circuitry under the control of software, firmware, or hard-wired logic. (The term "logic" herein refers to fixed hardware, programmable logic and/or an appropriate combination thereof, as would be recognized by one skilled in the art to carry out the recited functions.) Software and firmware can be stored on computer-readable media. Some other processes can be implemented using analog circuitry, as is well known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Additionally, memory or other storage, as well as communication components, may be employed in embodiments of the invention.
FIG. 2 illustrates a typical computing system 300 that may be employed to implement processing functionality in embodiments of the invention. Computing systems of this type may be used to implement the transaction portal, the buyer and seller client computers, and the transaction services intermediary, for example. Those skilled in the relevant art will also recognize how to implement the invention using other computer systems or architectures. Computing system 300 may represent, for example, a desktop, laptop or notebook computer, hand-held computing device (PDA, cell phone, palmtop, etc.), mainframe, server, client, or any other type of special or general purpose computing device as may be desirable or appropriate for a given application or environment. Computing system 300 can include one or more processors, such as a processor 304. Processor 304 can be implemented using a general or special purpose processing engine such as, for example, a microprocessor, microcontroller or other control logic. In this example, processor 304 is connected to a bus 302 or other communication medium.
Computing system 300 can also include a main memory 308, such as random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic memory, for storing information and instructions to be executed by processor 304. Main memory 308 also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions to be executed by processor 304. Computing system 300 may likewise include a read only memory ("ROM") or other static storage device coupled to bus 302 for storing static information and instructions for processor 304.
The computing system 300 may also include information storage system 310, which may include, for example, a media drive 312 and a removable storage interface 320. The media drive 312 may include a drive or other mechanism to support fixed or removable storage media, such as a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, a CD or DVD drive (R or RW), or other removable or fixed media drive. Storage media 318, may include, for example, a hard disk, floppy disk, magnetic tape, optical disk, CD or DVD, or other fixed or removable medium that is read by and written to by media drive 314. As these examples illustrate, the storage media 318 may include a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein particular computer software or data.
In alternative embodiments, information storage system 310 may include other similar components for allowing computer programs or other instructions or data to be loaded into computing system 300. Such components may include, for example, a removable storage unit 322 and an interface 320, such as a program cartridge and cartridge interface, a removable memory (for example, a flash memory or other removable memory module) and memory slot, and other removable storage units 322 and interfaces 320 that allow software and data to be transferred from the removable storage unit 318 to computing system 300.
Computing system 300 can also include a communications interface 324. Communications interface 324 can be used to allow software and data to be transferred between computing system 300 and external devices. Examples of communications interface 324 can include a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet or other NIC card), a communications port (such as for example, a USB port), a PCMCIA slot and card, etc. Software and data transferred via communications interface 324 are in the form of signals which can be electronic, electromagnetic, optical or other signals capable of being received by communications interface 324. These signals are provided to communications interface 324 via a channel 328. This channel 328 may carry signals and may be implemented using a wireless medium, wire or cable, fiber optics, or other communications medium. Some examples of a channel include a phone line, a cellular phone link, an RF link, a network interface, a local or wide area network, and other communications channels.
In this document, the terms "computer program product," "computer-readable medium" and the like may be used generally to refer to media such as, for example, memory 308, storage device 318, or storage unit 322. These and other forms of computer-readable media may be involved in storing one or more instructions for use by processor 304, to cause the processor to perform specified operations. Such instructions, generally referred to as "computer program code" (which may be grouped in the form of computer programs or other groupings), when executed, enable the computing system 300 to perform features or functions of embodiments of the present invention. Note that the code may directly cause the processor to perform specified operations, be compiled to do so, and/or be combined with other software, hardware, and/or firmware elements (e.g., libraries for performing standard functions) to do so.
In an embodiment where the elements are implemented using software, the software may be stored in a computer-readable medium and loaded into computing system 300 using, for example, removable storage drive 314, drive 312 or communications interface 324. The control logic (in this example, software instructions or computer program code), when executed by the processor 304, causes the processor 304 to perform the functions of the invention as described herein.
It will be appreciated that, for clarity purposes, the above description has described embodiments of the invention with reference to different functional units and processors. However, it will be apparent that any suitable distribution of functionality between different functional units, processors or domains may be used without detracting from the invention. For example, functionality illustrated to be performed by separate processors or controllers may be performed by the same processor or controller. Hence, references to specific functional units are only to be seen as references to suitable means for providing the described functionality, rather than indicative of a strict logical or physical structure or organization.
Although the present invention has been described in connection with some embodiments, it is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein. Rather, the scope of the present invention is limited only by the claims. Additionally, although a feature may appear to be described in connection with particular embodiments, one skilled in the art would recognize that various features of the described embodiments may be combined in accordance with the invention.
Furthermore, although individually listed, a plurality of means, elements or method steps may be implemented by, for example, a single unit or processor. Additionally, although individual features may be included in different claims, these may possibly be advantageously combined, and the inclusion in different claims does not imply that a combination of features is not feasible and/or advantageous. Also, the inclusion of a feature in one category of claims does not imply a limitation to this category, but rather the feature may be equally applicable to other claim categories, as appropriate.
Moreover, it will be appreciated that various modifications and alterations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention is not to be limited by the foregoing illustrative details, but is to be defined according to the claims.
Previous Patent: Multi-channel commerce-related data management
Next Patent: FEATURE MANAGEMENT OF A COMMUNICATION DEVICE

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
AppHarvest, a Pioneering Developer and Operator of Sustainable, Large-Scale Controlled Environment Indoor Farms, Becomes a Public AgTech Company
February 2, 2021 February 1, 2021 urbanagnews0
AppHarvest and Novus Capital Complete Business Combination
AppHarvest to Begin Trading on Nasdaq as "APPH" on February 1, 2021
Company Reaffirms Full-Year 2021 Guidance
MOREHEAD, Ky. — AppHarvest ("the Company"), a leading AgTech company and Certified B Corp building and operating some of the country's largest high-tech indoor farms to sustainably grow affordable, nutritious, chemical pesticide-free non-GMO fruits and vegetables at scale using 90 percent less water than traditional open-field agriculture and 100 percent recycled rainwater, and Novus Capital Corp. (Nasdaq: NOVS) ("Novus Capital"), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, announced today that they have completed their previously announced business combination and related charter amendments. The resulting company is named AppHarvest, Inc. and its common stock and warrants will commence trading on Nasdaq under the new ticker symbols "APPH" and "APPHW," respectively, on Monday, February 1, 2021. AppHarvest has qualified to list on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, which is the highest of three tiers based on certain financial, liquidity and corporate governance requirements that the company met. The combined company will be led by Jonathan Webb, AppHarvest's Founder & Chief Executive Officer.
The Boards of Directors of AppHarvest and Novus Capital unanimously approved the transaction, and the transaction was also approved at a special meeting of Novus Capital shareholders on January 29, 2021.
AppHarvest, committed to ESG principles and social impact, is redefining and transforming American agriculture by developing modern, large-scale and efficient indoor farms in Central Appalachia, a water-rich region strategically located within a day's drive of approximately 70% of the U.S. population. AppHarvest has strong relationships with the leading agricultural and construction firms and universities in the Netherlands, the world's leader in high-tech controlled environment indoor farms. The Netherlands, despite a land mass similar in size to Eastern Kentucky, is the world's second-largest agricultural exporter behind only the United States due to its extensive network of controlled environment agriculture facilities. These relationships allow the Company to leverage the most recent proven technologies in an effort to sustainably increase crop yields, improve access to nutritious, non-GMO food, build a consistent and safe U.S.-grown food supply for national grocers, and increase investment and employment in Appalachia. The Company operates a 60-acre controlled environment agriculture facility in Morehead, Kentucky — one of the largest high-tech greenhouses in the world — and has an active development pipeline for up to 12 large-scale indoor controlled-environment farm projects through 2025.
AppHarvest has achieved several key commercial milestones since announcing the business combination on September 29, 2020:
January 19, 2021: Announced first-ever harvest of Beefsteak tomatoes from its 60-acre Morehead, Kentucky, flagship indoor farm, and began shipping to select national grocery retailers. The Morehead facility alone is expected to produce about 45 million pounds of tomatoes annually.
October 26, 2020: Announced the start of construction on a third high-tech controlled environment agriculture facility in Central Appalachia and expansion into growing leafy greens. Located in Berea, Kentucky, the farm, when complete, will be 15 acres.
October 20, 2020: Announced the start of construction on a second high-tech controlled environment agriculture facility in Madison County, Kentucky. The farm, when complete, will exceed 60 acres and will double AppHarvest's existing growing space in Central Appalachia.
"Today marks an important milestone for AppHarvest and for American agriculture as we drive the next chapter of our growth as a public company," said Jonathan Webb, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AppHarvest, "The capital we raised in this transaction will further advance our mission of transforming agriculture by developing large-scale sustainable food production in the heart of Central Appalachia. We currently import nearly half of all fresh vine crops sold in the U.S. To create a more resilient food system, we must farm more efficiently and closer to where the food is needed."
David Lee joined AppHarvest as president on Jan. 25, having previously served in the CFO and COO roles at Impossible Foods and bringing decades of experience across retail and consumer industries driving business transformation and optimizing organizational effectiveness from Del Monte to Zynga to Impossible Foods. He will focus on accelerating infrastructure buildout, strengthening marketing and establishing effective product development processes as AppHarvest works to build an iconic brand that disrupts traditional agriculture.
"In a marketplace where consumers are more knowledgeable and conscientious than ever about the food they buy, we have a tremendous opportunity at AppHarvest to build a trustworthy sustainable foods brand that people care about," said AppHarvest President David Lee. "Customers are craving better quality food options—and ones they can feel better about because the company is socially conscious and environmentally responsible. With our first harvest already underway and produce shipping to major grocery outlets, we reiterate our full-year 2021 guidance."
Supported by early sales from its first harvest, AppHarvest reaffirms guidance on full-year 2021 net revenue of $21 million and Adjusted EBITDA of ($41) million provided during its Analyst Day presentation on December 15, 2020. Note, Adjusted EBITDA excludes stock-based compensation and other non-cash items.
"Jonathan Webb and his talented team at AppHarvest have established a unique platform for rapid growth and value creation that will be further strengthened by this transaction and entrance into the public markets," said Bob Laikin, Chairman of Novus Capital. "We look forward to seeing the team capitalize on the attractive opportunities that lie ahead given the heightened investor focus on ESG initiatives and the secular shift to plant-based foods, as AppHarvest continues to redefine American agriculture."
Transaction Overview
As a result of this transaction, AppHarvest has received approximately $475 million of gross proceeds, including $375 million from the fully committed common stock PIPE anchored by existing and new investors – including Fidelity Management & Research Company, LLC, Inclusive Capital and Novus Capital. The transaction provides AppHarvest over $435 million of unrestricted cash, which will primarily be used to fund operations, including building additional high-tech controlled environment indoor farms, support growth and for other general corporate purposes.
A more detailed description of the transaction terms will be included in a current report on Form 8-K to be filed by AppHarvest, Inc. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), as well as Novus Capital's previous filings with the SEC. Once AppHarvest's common stock and warrants commence trading on Nasdaq under the new ticker symbols "APPH" and "APPHW," the Novus Capital units ("NOVSU") will cease trading on Nasdaq.
Cowen served as sole placement agent and capital markets advisor, and Blank Rome LLP served as legal advisor to Novus Capital. Cowen served as financial advisor and Cooley LLP served as legal advisor to AppHarvest.
Tagged BusinessGreenhouse
Current Launches Next Gen Indoor Vertical LED Fixture: Arize Lynk²
GoodLeaf Farms is hiring
Forbes discusses vertical farming and robotics
October 31, 2019 October 29, 2019 urbanagnews
GreenTech Americas program focuses on 2 main themes


CNN.com reports that hundreds of Syrian demonstrators stormed the Royal Danish Embassy in Damascus, Syria today and set the building ablaze. This is the latest reaction to the publishing of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed by Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.
Many Muslims are offended because they find the cartoons disrespectful and blasphemous; others object because various hadiths prohibit any depiction of the Prophet, regardless of what the images contain (although Wikipedia notes that representations of the Prophet have existed in Islamic art for quite some time).
See Wikipedia's Jyllands-Posten Muhammed cartoons controversy for a chronology of events and international reaction. Make sure to also read the posts by Allan Jenkins and Neville Hobson, both of which offer an analysis from a communications perspective.
I predict that this explosive situation is only the beginning of other similar international incidents we'll see in the coming months and years. I'd venture to guess that others (see, for example, Media Orchard's post Newest Beer Pitchman: Jesus Christ) would agree.


Time out is vital to our wellbeing. Experts agree it can lead to a longer life. We have a myriad of options to suit all downtime requirements – from idyllic islands to spiritual sanctuaries. The Seychelles spread across the Indian Ocean like glittering gemstones. North Island is a paradise like no other that offers Jurassic-like beauty. Thatched villas and decks over private plunge pools or sunken bath tubs allow a complete retreat and revival. The beaches are brilliant white, the bars are torchlit and refined. There's no place here for stress.
The wilderness retreat of Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island is an eco-chic destination with amazing views and service. Perched on a clifftop, the coastline panoramas are dramatic and the food here is locally sourced wherever possible.
Cleanse the soul as much as the body with the spiritual experience of Aarti, along the banks of the Ganga River at sunset. Oil lamps set a scene of relaxation and meditation, while our expert guides you through the sounds of hymns, sung by saffron-robed gurus. Take this peace back with you to Ananda Resort and Spa Dehradun, world renowned for its Himalayan location and spectacular spa.


text:
Q: How to search a .txt file for a string and hashcode? (Java) Prompt: I am writing a Login program that asks the user for their username and password. All user info is stored in a password.txt file and passwords are stored as a hashcode. If the user enters an invalid username or a password that does not have the same hash as the hash in the entry, then the program should print "Unsuccessful login." If the user enters a valid username and the password has the same hash as the hash in the entry, then the program should print "Login successful."
The password.txt file is set up like so:
Real name:username:password_hash

Question: How do I search a .txt for a String and hashcode?
This is the code I have for now:
   public static void main(String[] args) {
            Scanner sc = new Scanner(System.in);
            Scanner sf = new Scanner("passwords.txt");
            String Username;
            String Password;

            System.out.println("Login ");
            System.out.println("Please Enter Username: ");
            Username = sc.next();

            System.out.println("Please Enter Password: ");
            Password = sc.next();

            String login = Username + ":" + Password.hashCode();
            System.out.println(login);

            while(sf.hasNextLine()){
                    if((login.equals(sf.nextLine().trim()))){
                            System.out.println("Login Successful!");
                            break;
                    }

                    if(!(login.equals(sf.nextLine().trim()))){
                            System.out.println("Login Unsuccessful!");

                    }
            }

I'm trying to search the code for a String that looks like username:hashcodePassword
Problems: The code doesn't print either if statement and gives me this error when running the program
Error:
Exception in thread "main" java.util.NoSuchElementException: No line found
        at java.util.Scanner.nextLine(Scanner.java:1540)
        at LoginApplication.main(LoginApplication.java:29)

A: Simple explaination: your code checks if the file has a next line, so it check the first nested if but here it reads a line from the file and the pointer to the file is moved to the next line. Then it checks the next if statement and here another line of your file is read.
The problem appears because you are actually reading two lines of file at one time.
The solution is
while(sf.hasNextLine()) {
                final String currentLine = sf.nextLine().trim();
                if(login.equals(currentLine)){
                        System.out.println("Login Successful!");
                        break;
                } else {
                        System.out.println("Login Unsuccessful!");
                }
        }

then if you need to have more if statements you can use the currentLine variable instead of reading another line of file.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Lenka Peterson (Actor)
Lenka Peterson appeared in early TV anthology programs Hallmark Hall of Fame, Philco Television Playhouse, and Actors Studio. She was nominated for a Tony in 1985.
She appeared in the following 3 episodes of Radio Mystery Theater
01/17/1975 0207 Ghost Talk A man dies and his wife is devastated by it. He finds out that he can communicate with her and she promises to never forget him. But later he finds out from an angel that if he persists in keeping his memory alive, she will be stuck in eternal limbo. So he must achieve the nearly impossible task of making her forget about him.
02/26/1975 0229 The Strange Case of Lucas Lauder A man sentenced to death informs a prison guard that he was Jack the Ripper in a previous life and that after his death, Ripper's soul will possess him and he will murder his wife.
07/11/1975 0307 The Widow's Auxiliary When his boss invites him to join the local men's association, a young engineer is extremely flattered. What he doesn't know is that the club plans to use his mechanical skills for their own agenda; and it is up to the young man's wife to save him.
Be the first to comment on Peterson Lenka


The first of 30 specialist Mitsubishi vehicles destined for the Highways Agency has rolled off the production line and is ready for action.
The agency has ordered 30 4x4 Shoguns all of which will be built at the carmaker's state-of-the-art Specialist Vehicle Operations Centre, which refits, adapts and upgrades standard Mitsubishi models to meet individual client requirements.
With each vehicle taking up to 24 hours to complete, staff at the Cirencester-based operation have been working hard to deliver the order.
Dan Pigot, Corporate Sales Manager at Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, believes this latest deal in an ongoing relationship with the Highways Agency, is testament to the quality of the Mitsubishi brand.
He said: 'The Shogun is a tough, practical vehicle but it is also extremely comfortable to drive. For eight hours of the day the vehicle is their office so it needs to be comfortable and the feedback from the traffic officers is that they really like the Shoguns.
The bespoke Shoguns include light bars, grill lights and Highways Agency livery.
Earlier this year Mitsubishi supplied 138 specialist vehicles to the Environment Agency, including 70 new Outlanders.
Dan added: 'This latest contract shows Mitsubishi is continuing to tick all the boxes with specialist fleet operators.
Mitsubishi Specialist Vehicle Operations (MSVO) is also working on an array of high-profile fleet operators including National Grid and Ministry of Defence.


Best Dermatologists in Wood Dale, IL with Verified Reviews – Book Online!
Need to make a dermatologist appointment this week? Use Zocdoc to find dermatologists in Wood Dale who take your insurance. It's simple, secure and free.
Friendly and took great care of me.
Dr. Garden was great! He spent a lot of time explaining exactly what he recommended and why. He was very knowledgable and made me feel comfortable to ask any questions I had.
Everyone in the office was very polite and very friendly.
Great Doctor. I highly recommend him and his staff.


text:
<?php

// This file is part of Moodle - http://moodle.org/
//
// Moodle is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
// (at your option) any later version.
//
// Moodle is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
// GNU General Public License for more details.
//
// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
// along with Moodle.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

defined('MOODLE_INTERNAL') || die();

$string['answerdisplay'] = 'Mostrar Respuestas';
$string['answerdisplay_help'] = 'Dragdrop (Arrastrar y soltar) muestra una lista de palabras que pueden ser arrastradas hacia los huecos, gapfill (llenar_huecos) muestra los huecos sin opciones de palabras, dropdown (desplegable) muestra  la misma lista de respuestas correctas (y posiblemente incorrectas) para cada campo';
$string['casesensitive'] = 'MAYÚS/minúsculas';
$string['casesensitive_help'] = 'Cuando se elige esta opción, si la respuesta correcta fuera GATO, entonces gato se señalaría como una respuesta equivocada.';
$string['delimitchars'] = 'Caracteres delimitadores';
$string['delimitchars_help'] = 'Cambia los caracteres que delimitan un campo y que por defecto son [ ] ,lo que resulta útil para preguntas sobre lenguajes de programación';
$string['disableregex'] = 'Deshabilitar Regex';
$string['disableregex_help'] = 'Deshabilitar el procesamiento de expresiones regulares y realizar una comparación estándar de cadenas. Esto puede ser útil para preguntas HTML en donde los paréntesis cuadrados  (< and >)  deberían de tratarse literalmente, y en matemáticas, en donde los símbolos como * deberían de verse literalmente en lugar de verlos como expresiones';
$string['displaydragdrop'] = 'arrastrar_y_soltar';
$string['displaydropdown'] = 'desplegable';
$string['displaygapfill'] = 'llenarhueco';
$string['duplicatepartialcredit'] = 'El crédito es parcial porque Usted tiene respuestas duplicadas';
$string['gapfill'] = 'LLenarhueco .';
$string['moreoptions'] = 'Más opciones.';
$string['noduplicates'] = 'Sin duplicados';
$string['noduplicates_help'] = 'Cuando se elige, cada respuesta debe ser única, lo que es útil donde cada campo tiene un operador  | (or) ; por ejemplo, ¿cuales son los colores de las medallas olímpicas? y cada campo tiene [oro|plata|bronce] ; si el estudiante escribe oro en cada campo, solamente el primero tendrá puntuación (aunque los otros si tendrán su palomita de correcto). Realmente es más que nada descartar las respuestas duplicadas para fines de puntuación.';
$string['pleaseenterananswer'] = 'Por favor escriba una respuesta';
$string['pluginname'] = 'Tipo de pregunta LLenar_hueco';
$string['pluginnameadding'] = 'Añadiendo una pregunta de LLenar Hueco.';
$string['pluginnameediting'] = 'Editando LLenar Hueco.';
$string['pluginname_help'] = 'Ponga las palabras para completar dentro de paréntesis cuadrados. Por ejemplo: Tres tristes [tigres] comen trigo en el [trigal]. Los modos de arrastrar_y_soltar y desplegables permiten que una lista aleatorizada de respuestas se muestre y que pueda incluir respuestas opcionales erróneas o distractores.';
$string['pluginnamesummary'] = 'Una pregunta del tipo de llenar hueco. Menos características que una pregunta tipo Cloze (multipregunta), pero con sintaxis más sencilla';
$string['questionsmissing'] = 'Usted no ha incluido ningún campo en su texto de pregunta';
$string['wronganswers'] = 'Distractores.';
$string['wronganswers_help'] = 'Lista de palabras incorrectas diseñadas para distraer de las respuestas correctas. Cada palabra está separada por comas, solamente aplica en modo de arrastrarysoltar/desplegable.';
$string['yougotnrightcount'] = 'Su número de huecos llenados correctamente es {$a->num}.';

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Javier Eduardo Assad Ramírez (born July 30, 1997) is a Mexican professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Career
Assad signed with the Chicago Cubs as an international free agent in 2015.

He made his MLB debut on August 23, 2022, against the St. Louis Cardinals.

References

External links

1997 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Tijuana
Major League Baseball players from Mexico
Major League Baseball pitchers
Chicago Cubs players
Arizona League Cubs players
Eugene Emeralds players
South Bend Cubs players
Myrtle Beach Pelicans players
Naranjeros de Hermosillo players
Tennessee Smokies players
Iowa Cubs players
2023 World Baseball Classic players

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Designed for medium-weight woven fabrics or firm knits.
FABRICS: Tweeds, Boiled Wool, Synthetic Leather, Synthetic Suede, Ponte, Fleece.
NOTIONS: A, B, C: 11/2 yds. (1.4 m) of 1/2" (1.3 cm) Wide Single-Fold Bias Tape. A: 11/4 yds. (1.2 m) of 7/8" - 11/4" (2.2 cm - 3.2 cm) Ribbon. B: Eight of 5/8" - 1" (1.5 cm - 2.5 cm) Buttons.
45"*** 21/4 21/4 23/8 23/4 27/8 3 yds.
60"*** 15/8 13/4 17/8 2 21/8 21/4 yds.
45"*** 25/8 23/4 27/8 33/4 37/8 4 yds.
60"*** 17/8 23/8 23/8 23/4 27/8 27/8 yds.
45"*** 17/8 2 2 21/8 21/4 23/4 yds.
A 181/2 19 191/2 20 201/2 21 ins.
B C 251/2 26 261/2 27 271/2 28 ins.


text:
{% extends 'checkout/layout.html' %}

{% block js %}

{% endblock %}

{% block content %}

Авторизация

        <form action="." method="post">{% csrf_token %}

E-mail

                            Введите адрес своей почты
                                *

                            <input type="email" id="id_email" name="email" {% if form.email.value %} value="{{ form.email.value }}"{% endif %}>

Мы отправим подтверждение вашего заказа на этот адрес

У вас есть пароль?

                            <input type="radio" id="id_password_no" name="have_password" value="no">
                            Нет (аккаунт будет создан автоматически)

                            <input type="radio" id="id_password_yes" name="have_password" value="yes">
                            Да, мой пароль:

                            <input type="password" name="password">

                            {% if wrong_password %}

Пожалуйста, проверьте свой пароль. Забыли?

                            {% elif busy_email %}

Пользователь с таким e-mail уже существует. Напомнить пароль?

                            {% endif %}

            <button class="btn btn-primary">
                Продолжить

            </button>
        </form>

{% endblock %}


Preventive dentistry is the best possible means of improving oral health and will help give you a beautiful, healthy smile. Our approach includes routine dental cleanings and checkups as well as education and advice that can help every member of your family practice good oral hygiene.
care designed to provide you with the best immediate and long-term results.
We recommend routine preventive dental care visits two times a year. Each routine visit includes a comprehensive cleaning and oral examination. We will screen for decay, gum disease, periodontal disease, TMJ, teeth grinding, oral cancer, and problems with your bite. Our goal is to prevent diseases from happening in the first place or to catch problems in their early stages when they are easier and less expensive to treat.
We can also discuss any cosmetic dentistry concerns during your regular appointment or with a free consultation to enhance your smile and help you look your best.
We ask that you please give us 24-hour advanced notice if you need to change or cancel your appointment.


I got this one from THE PATIENCE OF WILLOW.
If you'd like to copy the questions yourself without having to delete my answers, just click on the above link.
Anyway, this questionnaire, popularized by Proust, according to Vanity Fair (from whence it sprang), has been making the rounds. I, myself got it from Willow who got it from Embeecee.
Here are the questions — with my answers. As I said, if you want the questions without the answers, just click on the link.
The Proust Questionnaire had its origins in a parlor game popularized (though not devised) by Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, who believed that in answering these questions, an individual revealed his or her true nature.
So, is this my "true" nature? I have no idea what my true nature really is because I have been in a state of permanent change as long as I've been alive. So have fun. Just … don't get too serious. I've never much cared for Proust or his writing.
Also, there are no answers, right or wrong. So no matter what you say, I'm not sure what it's supposed to prove. Quizzes without answers are kind of weird, don't you think?
My life with about twice the income and enough savings to cover "stuff" that comes up. Also, add to that, good health, a sturdy, comfortable car with 4-wheel drive, happy dogs, someone to come in twice a week to clean. An on-call driver so neither one of us has to drive plus someone sturdy, young, and interested to take care of the house. Heavy stuff, like snow shoveling, serious cleaning.
Can I also get a cook a few times a week? Not every night. Just a few nights … like maybe three? That would do it for me!
__2.__What is your greatest fear?
Talking too much and thinking too little.
Stupidity, ignorance, bigotry, and bad speech.
__5.__Which living person do you most admire?
Admire? Maybe, at this exact moment in time, Elizabeth Warren. You could ask me this tomorrow and I'd say something different. I am not embarrassed that I change my opinions. Isn't change what it's all about?
__6.__What is your greatest extravagance?
Housewares. Linens, blankets, towels, bathmats. Cookware. And, sadly, antiques.
Pretty good. A little worried about stuff coming up. Garry's surgery. His recovery.
Hoping that I'm able to do what I need to do. I have good days and not such good days. I need a bunch of good ones all strung together. I absolutely do NOT have time for bad days!
__8.__What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Some people think I'm a lot wise than I am. My "wisdom" is more like a compilation of tens of thousands books I've read, conversations I've had, the courses I've taken. It's not me. It's all the authors I've read, conversations I've had. The great thoughts of other people I've absorbed.
Maybe that really IS wisdom, but I've always thought wisdom was more Zen and magic, and less like research.
__9.__On what occasion do you lie?
I always tell people they look fabulous, no matter what I really think. Everyone needs a boost. No one wants to hear they look like crap.
__10.__What do you most dislike about your appearance?
I look kind of like a stump with a bad back. I try not to look very hard. It is what it is and at least I can still walk. Or limp.
Whatever you call it, I can still do it. On my own and these days, that's no small thing.
__11.__Which living person do you most despise?
__12.__What is the quality you most like in a man?
Intelligent openness. The ability to understand — to "get it" — the first time and the openness to accept ideas that are new and might require change.
Same as for a man plus a determination to laugh at tragedy.
Really. Very. Actually. I am an adverbial overdoser.
The past 30 years have been great. Yes, I know. I had cancer twice and major heart surgery and I forget how many other illnesses and surgeries … but still, they have been great years.
I have never been happier, even when everything seemed to be falling apart, including me.
__17.__Which talent would you most like to have?
I wish I could still sing. I miss my voice.
__18.__If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I'd make my back function like a real spine!
__19.__What do you consider your greatest achievement?
__20.__If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
I can't answer that. I have no idea.
__21.__Where would you most like to live?
I'm pretty happy here, actually. If we could also take a midwinter vacation to someplace warm — Arizona for example — it would be perfect.
I like the seasons and I love New England. It just isn't my favorite place in the middle of winter.
__22.__What is your most treasured possession?
I don't think I have one. I have many things I love and enjoy, but "most treasured" implies a level of caring for a "thing" that I no longer possess. It's one of those time-sensitive issues.
"Things" meant more to me when I was younger than they do now. I am more inclined to love living things than inanimate things.
Growing up. Childhood was ugly.
__24.__What is your favorite occupation?
__25.__What is your strongest characteristic?
__26.__What do you most value in friends?
__27.__Who are your favorite writers?
That's not fair. I like many authors and who is at the top depends on the genre and my current mood. And what I read last.
__28.__Who is your fictional hero?
Do I have a fictional hero? If you'd asked me that as a kid, I'd probably have said "The Black Stallion." He might still be my hero. I really like horses.
__29.__Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Identify with as in "feel some sense of being like them?" Or is this an "I wish I was like" sort of question?
I wish I were Eleanor Roosevelt, but I'm not. Many of the people I identify with have lived a life similar to my own. They are not necessarily the people I most admire, but I understand them. I "get" them.
__30.__Who are your heroes in real life?
Garry is. My friends are also my heroes. They live real lives and overcome real adversity. And they laugh anyway.
__31.__What are your favorite names?
I don't really have favorite names. I had a terrible time picking a name for my own baby. I had thousands of potential names and picking one was really hard. Fortunately, I had a husband with a passion for awful names so, anything he suggested, I automatically rejected. He weeded out a lot of bad ones for me.
If he liked it, I just knew it would be cruel to a child. Gwynellin? Seriously?
__32.__What is it that you most dislike?
__33.__What is your greatest regret?
Not saving more money. Or possibly, not earning more money that I could save. Maybe these are the same thing.
Regardless, I think you can put it down to my haunting lack of ambition.
__34.__How would you like to die?
Do the most you can with what you've got. Life won't be perfect, but you will have given it your best shot.
So now that I've filled it all the answers, how do I find out what my true nature is? Anyone have any ideas? I'm listening.
Wonderful read!! And you m'am ARE wise. Common sense is something you have a lot of and that's so precious in our current reality…it tends to make a person wise IMHO. I agree wholeheartedly with #s 2 and 32…I'd never thought of spiders in the bed before though….dang. Brrrrr. Spiders are awful. #10 ??! You don't look like a stump at all and I am so jealous of your beautiful hair. If you ever feel like riffin' on yourself (putting yourself down etc), take a gander at your hair. It's glorious.


Which Heimishe Hechsherim do you trust?
Home › Forums › Kashruth › Which Heimishe Hechsherim do you trust?
This topic contains 59 replies, has 25 voices, and was last updated by Joseph 3 months ago.
Have you researched the different heimishe kashrus organizations & decided on which can be trusted?
Some hechsherim are good about this (Chof-K may be the best) others, R edited would make me wait at least 3 months after I supervised a factory production. R edited did not know how to check for t'loim, and was unconcerned when my I was not paid on time and my hourly pay rate was cut by my employers from 14 to 11 dollars per hour. I ask you, what kind of a person would work for this pay? Probably not someone you would trust in your own home.
I retired 5 years ago, and now rarely eat out anywhere, and only after research in both the Yorah Deah of the Rav HaMachsir, but his Choshen Mishpat as well. Let the buyer bewhare.
This reply was modified 3 months, 1 week ago by YW Moderator-29 👨💻.
If this isn't LH, MSR I'm not sure what is.
Yisroellazear you say you were a Mashgiach worried about Yoreh Deah and Choshen Mishpat. What about the laws of Loshon Hora? Why aren't those laws important? You could have made the same point about pay without mentioning the names of a Rav HaMachshir. Also, although I hear your point, you make your whole statement suspect by ranking out a Rab Hamacshir for your hurt I'm waiting for pay. (Don't get me wrong they should have paid you right away, but IbthinI think you get my point).
If hymish means that the mashgiach blybt in deer hym then don't trust it.
Joseph says he trusts the CRC. Why do you trust them? Did you research their policies & mashgichim? Please explain what your trust is based on so that we can be more educated in kashrus.
How about non heimishe hecsheirim? Do peop l e trust them?
All American heimish hechsheirim depend and rely on the OU hechsheirim for their products.
Therefore, I would only rely on the non-heimish hechsheirim, i.e., OU; OK; Star K.
Cherrybim: I would assume that heimishe hashgachos research the mashgichim when they trust ou.
"All American heimish hechsheirim depend and rely on the OU hechsheirim for their products.
That logic doesnt follow at all.
Due to potato chips have to be bishul yisroel? The OU says no others say yes. All agree that the food coloring/preservatives contained therein are not oleh al shulchan melachim and do not require bishul yisreoel.
How many public recalls did the CRC have since it's inception?
There is lots of Ka$h to be made in Ka$hrus.
I trust them all unless I'm given a good reason not to. As far as I can tell, most mashkichim end up supervising under various different haskachos. Like how Blooms and Liebers slap a label on an OU bag of Twizzlers.
As a joke, there was a shochet/katzev/rav who was very much machmir considering everything tref. They said to him you are a machmir like a dog who wants to make everything tref in order that he should get everything, as the Torah commands to throw tref to the dogs.
The Blooms and Liebers Twizzlers has full time masgichim watching its full run.
Please explain how a human being can know the level of ones yiras shamayim.
Even the man from the Monsey chicken scandel didn't know his own level so certainly others can't know.
Joseph, if the Bloom Twizzlers have OU's, why would they need their own full time mashgichim?
The twizzlers went to the mikva before packaging.
as well as the rest of the Shul.
in Canada , Europe or Isreal.
harmful chemicals in their food products.
50,000 Chinese kids in the hospital.
AJ: To insure that Twizzler doesn't cheat when the OU mashgiach isn't there.
As we've said on the CR before in regards to national hechsherim: internet forums are not bound by libel restrictions that would keep us from openly discussing which hechsherim are "bad." Unlike the CRC, we don't have a publish a massive list of "good" hechshers and leave everyone to do the math when we all know people just want to know which ones are bad.
My point is, for efficiency's sake, why not invert the question. Which hachshers in this variety do people not like?
Joseph, are you simply guessing and making things up? As per Twizzlers website, Twizzlers is also advertised as a vegan product ( no meat or dairy products or components) so, what cheating are they afraid of.
AJ: So why any hechsher at all is needed for Twizzlers, per your argument? Just eat it without any hechsher altogether, per your position.
Twizzlers advertises vegan, so you can assume it never comes into any contact with any utensils or machinery that contacted dairy, meat or other non-kosher food. No supervision whatsoever needed.
Joseph, they have supervision, the OU. Do you have proof that the OU can"t be trusted? Has Bloom told you that's why they are there or are you making up stories again.
I said nothing of the sort. I simply explained that there's a higher level of full time supervision. OU doesn't supervise full time.
How do you know this ? Just because you say it doesn't make it true.
The "better supervision" for a Blooms label on Hershey candy is a myth. All they do is pay for a run of the candy and make sure that the mashkiach's process is one that they are comfortable with. Most of the time the mashkiach doesn't even know that he's watching for a heimishe hechsher instead of OU or OK.
How do we know you're Jewish? Your claiming so doesn't make it so.
Yserbius, that is not true. Most of the time there is no OU mashgiach at production time. If there is one, the heimishe hechsher doesn't automatically rely on him, it depends on who he is. If he is someone they feel comfortable with, then yes, they'll just rely on his being there and decide they don't need to do anything more. But if he isn't someone they trust so much, then they'll send their own person.
I do know one person who was supervising for the OU when a heimishe rov walked in, took one look at him, and said "if you're the mashgiach here then I'm sure everything is good", and walked straight out. He thought this meant the rov was not doing anything to give his hechsher. I pointed out that he had done all he needed; he didn't just rely on the OU, he went out there and saw who was in charge, and that is very valuable information for those who rely on his hechsher.
anoymous Jew, everyone knows the OU — like all the other mainstream hechsherim — does not supervise products full time. This is not a secret, and the OU openly acknowledges it. The mashgiach visits every two months and does a thorough audit, concentrating not so much on what he can see on a quick walk through the facility as on a careful inspection of the records, and on this basis the product can advertise itself as kosher. Some people might not like that, for whatever reason, and want an actual mashgiach there while the product is being made.
I was once at a factory which had three hechsherim for its various products. The non-Jewish quality control manager was asked what differences he observed between the three and he answered: the only difference I can see is that Agency A visits every two months, Agency B visits every three months, and in the seven years I've been here I've never seen anyone from Agency C.
Even with the best hechsheirim it matters who the mashgiach temidi is. For example if an establishment does something or bring something unauthorized into the store will he call the Vaad or just tell the establishment to remove the item & won't sanything because is scared of losing his job. A good mashgiach will call the Vaad even if it mean losing his job.
Anon you said "Do you have proof that the OU can"t be trusted? " I dont see where Joseph said this. In fact the reverse is true, as the "hemisish hashgacha" DOES rely on the OU. It depends for what.
Even if a Twizzler run is certified by a mashgiach temidi it has ingredients that werent.
By definition when relying on a hechsher you accept certain piskei halacha that you (or your Rav wouldnt hold of) A famous example is OU tuna fish which is not good according to R' Moshe (who requires each fish to be inspected for simanim) Others argue and thats fine. But by accepting the OU blanketly you are accepting their pesakim. With bishul akum the OU is quicker to label things "aino oleh al shulchan melachim" with Grape flavor there are kulos.
Again and I cant stress this enough, I rely on the OU and in no way is this a criticism. And nobody is saying they cant be trusted, this isnt about lack of trust. Their poskim hold you dont have to check each individual tuna fish, other poskim argue. .
To summarize. when you rely on a hechsher, you are relying on their standards AND their ability to enforce those standards.
A chashuve Rov once told a friend of mine that a car is to get you from Point A to Point B.
– You can hold by a basic, acceptable level of kashrus, and you have a solid, dependable car.
— You can hold by a strong level of kashrus, like the community Vaad, and you have a really good car.
— Some are exceptional and want only the highest quality. They want the Lexus (in this Rav's terms). There is no reason to look down on someone driving a Ford or an Infinity. But there is something special about a Lexus.
As for what is basic and what is exceptional, that's for you and your Rav to define. Personally, knowing many rabbanim at leading kashrus organizations, having seen in person, the operational expertise of these organizations, and speaking my rabbanim, I prefer centralized community kashrus organizations for suburban communities, and national organizations for industrial products.
In local communities, the mashgichim visit very often, know the owners, the suppliers etc. When in cities or dealing with industrial food, I prefer the major national hashgachas. They have a level of professionalism and knowledge that is unmatched. If you want to add an extra chumra or standard above them, get products with both the major national names and the heimishe names. This way you know the technical details were covered by those that truly understand the science and machinery, and the extra standards were added by the heimishe team.
But to quote Rav Nebenshal who once saw a pizza store in Yerushalayim with a Bdatz but not a Rabbanut (which is illegal), it may be mehadrin, but there's no telling if it's kosher.
After reading 40 posts, I get the feeling that you have a bunch of blind men describing the elephant that hone has ever "seen". There seems to be no clear and explicit definition of what is meant by a "heimeshe hashgacha" or what metrics of "trust" one is referencing There were some who believe that only a top of the line chassideshe hashgacha can be trusted until there were a few isolated allegations of incidents where the mashgichim knowingly or unknowingly allowed treifus to be sold in establishments under their supervision.
If you go to a grocery store in NYC, it's very clear what people mean by "heimish hechshers." To your credit, I think if I had never been to a grocery store in NYC, I would have no idea what people were talking about either.
Joseph said Bloom requires full time mashgichim to prevent cheating when OU mashgichim aren't around. To me, that says they don't trust how the OU supervises.
Joseph, how big is the Neblitz hashgacha? How many mashgichim do they employ? Where is the Twizzler plant located? Again, this is a vegan product so what is Bloom afraid of that they can afford full time mashgichim? You mentioned possible using utensils that might have come into contact with meat,milk or trief. In other words, you don't trust the OU. When a utensil needs replacement, what does Bloom do to assure kashrus?
Does Bloom mandate full time mashgichim at every plant of every product they supervise? If so, how do they afford it?
I only eat Triangle-K and Tablet K. Everything else is treif.
It also depends on your priorities in Kashrus; and there are conflicting types of hashgachos.
For instance, some food items are Yoshon but not Cholov Yisroel or Pas Yisroel.
While other food items are Cholov Yisroel or Pas Yisroel but not Yoshon.
Some foods are Glatt, but not as reliable as the non-Glatt alternative.
Other hashgachos rely on the oven light for Pas Yisroel or a timed ignition while some want a live person to light the fire. Some will rely on a camera to act as a mashgiach while others want a live person.
M'ikor hadin, based on percentages, reading the ingredient content on the wrapper or box is good enough. I heard this from a Torah giant many years ago.
I miss the good times when that's all we had to do.
A tzadik like you should be fasting every day.
I dont see where Joseph said that. I searched the thread, you said cheating not him.
If I tell you I require a mashgiach to be yotzeh venichnas for a potato chip run but to be there full time at a butcher. Does that mean don't trust HIM to just check in on the butcher once in a while.
Different products require different standards.
Different consumers have different standards.
The "heimish hahgacha" trusts the OU to do their inspections. They just feel that there should be more inspections .