Abstract: A telecommunications system testing arrangement is disclosed that verifies the operation of a large distributed system of endpoints. This test system simulates actual real-time user actions on a live system that is under test. The disclosed system may improve the testing process by (1) using the actual endpoints themselves to generate traffic/actions, and (2) monitoring the system response. The disclosed system may also be configured to automatically encode test scripts based on user actions on a endpoint device, and/or to convert specific information into variables. These variables may facilitate cross platform use of the test script.

Abstract: A bendable portion for a toy figure includes a bendable internal piece, a first rigid element coupled to the bendable internal piece to prevent it from being bent in the region to which the first rigid element is coupled, and a resilient outer layer covering the bendable internal piece and the first rigid element. The bendable internal piece has a shape that permits the bendable internal piece to be bent about a first axis to establish different configurations, that retains those configurations after being bent, and that impedes bending of the bendable internal piece about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis such that a force required to bend the bendable internal piece about the second axis is more than twice a force required to bend the bendable internal piece about the first axis. The resilient outer layer defines an outer surface of the bendable portion.