text:
\section{INTRODUCTION}

In power network topologies, especially in microgrids \cite{hatziargyriou2007microgrids}, multiple DC power sources connected in parallel (see Figure \ref{fig:MCS}), each interfaced with DC-DC converter, provide power at their common output, the DC-link, at a regulated voltage; this power can directly feed DC loads or be used by an inverter to interface with AC loads . Voltage controllers form an integral component of DC-DC converters in such systems. A paralleled architecture for multiple power sources  is preferred  since it enables higher output power, higher reliability and ease of use \cite{thottuvelil1997analysis}. Here two main control architectures are adopted - (1) {\em master-slave} control, where the voltage regulation error from the master converter is utilized to provide an error signal to all the parallel connected converters \cite{thottuvelil1997analysis, sha2010cross}, (2) {\em decentralized} control, where each converter utilizes an independent and variable voltage reference depending on the output of each unit \cite{panov1997analysis, guerrero2007decentralized}. Irrespective of the control framework, controllers at each converter are to be designed such that the  voltage  at the DC-link is regulated at a prescribed setpoint. Another important control objective is to ensure that the DC sources provide power in a prescribed proportion, which may be dictated by their power ratings or external economic criteria.  The main challenges arise from the uncertainties in the size and the schedules of loads, the complexity of a coupled multi-converter network, the uncertainties in the model parameters at each converter, and the adverse effects of interfacing DC power sources with AC loads, such as the $120$ Hz ripple that has to be provided by the DC sources.
\begin{figure}[!t]
	\centering
	\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{MCS.png}
	\vspace{-0.5em}
	\caption{{\small A schematic of a microgrid. An array of DC sources provide power for AC loads. Power sources  provide  power at DC-link, their common output bus, at a voltage that is regulated to a set-point. The control system at the respective DC-DC converter that interfaces with a source is responsible for regulating the voltage at he DC-link.    An inverter that connects to the DC-link converts the total current from the sources at the regulated voltage to  alternating current (AC)   at its output to satisfy the power demands of the AC loads. This paper describes an approach for control design of the multiple converters systems associated with power transfer from sources to the DC-link (shown by the dotted line).}}
	\label{fig:MCS}
	\vspace{-1.5em}
\end{figure}

Problems related to robust and optimal design of converter controllers have received recent attention. In \cite{olalla2010lmi}, a linear-matrix-inequality (LMI) based robust control design for boost converters has resulted in significant improvements over conventional PID-based controllers. Use of $\mathcal{H}_\infty$ framework in context of inverter systems has also been studied in \cite{weiss2004h, hornik2011current, salapaka2014viability}. While the issue of current sharing is extensively studied \cite{panov1997analysis, ashley1996current, batarseh2010method, wu1993load}, most methods assume a single power source. A systematic control design that addresses all the challenges and objectives for the multi-converter control is still lacking.

In this paper, we develop a control architecture that addresses the following primary objectives for multi-converter control - (1) {voltage regulation} at the DC-link while guaranteeing { robustness} of the closed-loop system  performance to load and parametric uncertainties, (2) { prescribed power sharing} among a number of parallel converters, (3) { controlling the tradeoff between $120$ Hz ripple on  the total current provided by the power sources and the ripple on the DC-link voltage}, and (4) $120$ Hz DC {output ripple sharing}  among converters.  The tradeoffs with $120$ Hz ripple in objectives (3) and (4) result from a direct consequence of interfacing DC-power sources with AC loads (see Figure \ref{fig:MCS}). If we assume negligible power losses at the inverter and the load bus,  the power provided by power sources at the DC-link should equal to the power consumed by the AC loads, that is, $Vi=(\bar V\sin\bar\omega t)(\bar I\sin(\bar\omega t+\phi))=\dfrac{\bar{V}\bar{I}}{2}(\cos\phi+\cos(2\bar\omega t+\phi)$. Since the instantaneous power has a $2\bar\omega=120$ Hz ripple, the current $i=\sum i_k$ at the DC-link has to provide for this $120$ Hz component. The total ripple demand posed by the AC-grid side  is met partly by the ripple current sourced by a capacitor $i_C$  which reduces the magnitude of the ripple current to be provided by the DC source via the converters. However, greater the ripple magnitude in the capacitor current greater will be the ripple in the capacitor voltage, thus adversely affecting  voltage regulation. Therefore a compromise  has to be reached in the allowable ripple in the capacitor current and the ripple provided by the DC sources. The control scheme presented in the article provides a ``knob" to adjust the relative ratio of how the $120$ Hz ripple is shared between the two quantities - the sourced current $i$ and the output voltage $V$. Moreover in a scenario where multiple and different types of DC sources are employed, it is often the case that the tolerance to ripple varies. Here it becomes important to allocate greater percentage of ripple load to tolerant DC sources while reducing the ripple load on vulnerable DC sources. The article presents a controller synthesis procedure where the $120$ Hz ripple on the current $i$ can be shared among the paralleled DC sources ($i_k$) in a pre-specified proportion.

An important aspect of the proposed control architecture is that it is decentralized and addresses all the objectives {\em simultaneously}. Moreover we show that for the control approach described in the paper, the control design and the closed-loop analysis of the multi-converter system can be completely characterized in terms of an appropriate single-converter system; thereby significantly reducing the complexity in addressing multi-converter systems. This architecture exploits structural features of the paralleled multi-converter system, which results in a modular and yet coordinated control design. For instance, it exploits that  the voltage regulation objective is common to all the converters, and that the differences in demands on different converters are mainly in terms of their output currents; accordingly   at each converter, it
 employs a nested  (outer-voltage inner-current) control structure  \cite{erickson2007fundamentals}, where the outer loop is responsible for robust voltage regulation and the inner loop for shaping the currents. The structure of control  for each inner-loop is so chosen that the  entire closed-loop multi converter system  can be reduced to an equivalent  single-converter system  in terms of the transfer function  from the desired regulation setpoint $V_{des}$ to the voltage $V$.  Furthermore, for the outer-control design, the load current is treated as an external disturbance and the voltage regulation problem is cast as a disturbance rejection problem in an optimal control setting. This design, besides achieving the voltage-regulation objective, provides robustness to deviations from the structural assumptions in the control design. Note that this viewpoint is in contrast to typical methods in  existing literature, where voltage regulation in presence of { unknown} loads is addressed either using { adaptive control}  \cite{oucheriah2013pwm}, or by letting the voltage droop in a controlled manner.

\section{Modeling of converters}\label{sec:avg_model}
In this section, we provide dynamic models for DC-DC converters, which convert a source of direct current (DC) from one voltage level to another. The  models presented below depict dynamics for signals that are averaged over a switch cycle.

\begin{figure*}[!t]
	\begin{center}
	\begin{tabular}{ccc}
	\includegraphics[width=0.64\columnwidth]{boost.jpg}&\includegraphics[width=0.64\columnwidth]{buck.jpg}&\includegraphics[width=0.64\columnwidth]{buck_boost.jpg}\cr
	(a)&(b)&(c)\end{tabular}
	\vspace{-0.5em}
	\caption{{\small Circuit representing (a) Boost converter, (b)Buck converter, and (c) Buck-Boost converter. Note that $i_{\text{load}}$ includes both the nominal load current, as well as ripple current. The converters are assumed to operate in continuous-conduction-mode (CCM). Boost converters step up the voltage at the output, while buck converters step down the voltage. A buck-boost converter can achieve both the objectives.}}
	\label{fig:model_boost}
	\vspace{-2em}
	\end{center}
\end{figure*}
A schematic of the Boost converter is shown in Fig. \ref{fig:model_boost}(a).
 A dynamic model (averaged over switching cycles) is given by,
\begin{small}
\begin{equation*}\label{eq:boost_model1}
	L \dot{i_L}(t) = -(1-d(t))V(t) + V_g, \quad	C \dot{V}(t) = (1-d(t))i_L(t) - i_{\text{load}},
\end{equation*}\end{small} where $d(t)$ represents the duty-cycle (or the proportion of {\em ON} duration) at time {\em t}, which by defining $d'(t) = 1-d(t)$ and $D' = \frac{V_g}{V_{\text{des}}}$ can be rewritten as
\begin{small}
\begin{equation*}\label{eq:boost_model2}
	L\dot{i_L}(t) = \underset{\tilde{u}(t) := V_g - u(t)}{\underbrace{-d'(t)V(t) + V_g}}, \quad
	C\dot{V}(t) = \underset{\approx D'}{\underbrace{(D'+\hat{d'})}}i_L(t) - i_{\text{load}}.
\end{equation*}\end{small} Here $V_{\text{des}}$ represents the desired output voltage and $\hat d=d'(t)-D'$ is typically very small, which allows for a
 linear approximation around the nominal duty-cycle, $D = 1-D'$ given  by,
\begin{small}
\begin{equation*}\label{eq:boost_model3}
	L\frac{di_L(t)}{dt} = \tilde{u}(t), \quad
	C\frac{dV(t)}{dt} \approx D'i_L(t) - i_{\text{load}}.
\end{equation*}
\end{small}

Fig. \ref{fig:model_boost}(b) depicts the circuit schematic of a buck converter with an ideal switch. The averaged model of a buck converter is given by,
\begin{small}
\begin{equation*}\label{eq:buck_model}
	L\frac{di_L(t)}{dt} = \underset{\tilde{u}(t) := -V(t) + u(t)}{\underbrace{-V(t) + d(t)V_g}}, \quad
	C\frac{dV(t)}{dt} = i_L(t) - i_{\text{load}}.
\end{equation*}
\end{small}

The electronic circuit of a buck-boost converter is shown in Fig. \ref{fig:model_boost}(c). As in case of a boost converter, we define nominal duty-cycle, $D = \frac{V_{\text{des}}}{V_{\text{des}}-V_g} = 1-D'$. A linear approximation of the above dynamical equations yields,
\begin{small}
\begin{equation*}\label{eq:buck_boost_model2}
	L\dot{i_L}(t) = \underset{\tilde{u}(t) := V(t) + u(t)}{\underbrace{V(t) + d(t)(V_g-V(t))}}, \quad
	C\dot{V}(t) \approx -D'i_L(t) - i_{\text{load}}
\end{equation*}
\vspace{-1em}
\end{small}

\section{Control framework for a single-converter}\label{sec:one_control}
In this section, we describe the inner-current outer-voltage control architecture for a single DC-DC converter. The key objectives of the  control design are - (1) voltage regulation in presence of uncertain loads, and (2) $120$ Hz ripple sharing control between $i_L$ and $i_C$. We first consider the case of a boost converter control design, the dynamics of which is given by
\begin{small}
\begin{equation}
	i_L(s) = \frac{1}{sL}(V_g(s) - u(s)), \quad
	V(s) = \frac{1}{sC}(D'i_L(s) - i_{\text{load}}(s)),
\end{equation}
\end{small}
 and the corresponding  block-diagram representation of above set of equations is shown in Fig. \ref{fig:plant_representation}, the control objectives are to design $u$ (equivalently $\tilde u$) such that voltage regulation error $V_{\text{des}}-V$ is made small irrespective of load disturbances $i_{\text{load}}$ and  variations in parameters $L$ and $C$, and achieve a prescribed tradeoff between $|i_L(j2\pi120)|$ and $|i_C(j2\pi120)|$.
\begin{figure}[tphb]
	\centering
	\vspace{-0.5em}
	\includegraphics[width=3.0in]{plant_representation.png}
	\caption{{\small Block diagram representation of a boost-type converter. The control signal $\tilde{u}$ is converted to an equivalent PWM signal to command the gate of the transistor acting as a switch.}}
	\label{fig:plant_representation}
	\vspace{-1em}
\end{figure}

These two objectives are achieved using a nested  inner-current outer-voltage control architecture, shown in Fig. \ref{fig:single_inner_controller} (here $G_c = \frac{1}{sL}$ and $G_v = \frac{1}{sC}$). The voltage controller $K_v$ generates a current reference for the current controller $K_c$. The current controller $K_c$ is designed to achieve a high closed inner-loop bandwidth with ripple control as an objective, whereas the voltage controller $K_v$ is designed to achieve a relatively lower closed outer-loop bandwidth  with DC (zero frequency) voltage regulation as its primary objective. We assume that the quantities - output voltage $V$ and inductor current $i_L$ are available for measurement.

\subsubsection*{Design of the outer-loop controller}\label{sec:robust}
 For a given controller $K_c$ for the inner-loop, the closed outer-loop signals of interest are given by (see Figure \ref{fig:single_inner_controller})
\begin{small}
\begin{eqnarray}
	V_{\text{des}}-V &=& SV_{des} + G_vSd + Tn \label{eq:trade_off1}\\
	i_L &=& \tilde{G}_cK_vSV_{des} + \frac{1}{D'}Td-K_v\tilde{G}_c Sn \label{eq:trade_off2}\\
	i_{\text{ref}} &=& K_v(SV_{des} + G_vSd) - K_vSn, \label{eq:trade_off3}
\end{eqnarray}
\end{small}
where $d$ denotes the load current $i_{\text{load}}$ (shown as disturbance to the plant), $n$ denotes the voltage measurement noise, $\tilde{G}_c$  represents the closed inner-loop transfer function from $i_{\text{ref}}$ to $i_L$,
and $T(s)$ and $S(s)$ are closed-loop {\em complementary sensitivity} and {\em sensitivity} transfer functions respectively, described by,
\begin{small}
\begin{eqnarray}\label{eq:SnT}
	T(s) &=& (I+G_vD'\tilde{G}_cK_v)^{-1}(G_vD'\tilde{G}_cK_v), \nonumber \\
	S(s) &=& (I+G_vD'\tilde{G}_cK_v)^{-1}.

\end{eqnarray}
\end{small}
\begin{figure}[tphb]
	\centering
	\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{single_inverter_controller.png}
	\vspace{-2em}
	\caption{{\small Block diagram representation of the inner-outer control design. Exogenous signals $V_{des}$ and $i_{\text{load}}$ represent the desired output voltage and disturbance, respectively. The quantities $V$ and $i_L$ represent the available measurements.}}
	\vspace{-.5em}
	\label{fig:single_inner_controller}
\end{figure}
The voltage-regulation objective, as evident from  Eq. \ref{eq:trade_off1}, requires designing $K_v$ such that  $|S(j\omega)|$ is small at the frequencies where disturbance $d$ is prominent. However this implies that   the effect of $d$ on the inductor current $i_L$ (see Eq. \ref{eq:trade_off2}) is larger since $|T(j\omega)|$ is larger in those frequencies (from Eq. \ref{eq:SnT}). Therefore there is a fundamental trade-off between voltage regulation and minimizing effects of disturbances (or load current $i_{\text{load}}$) in $i_L$. Also to diminish the effect of noise on voltage regulation, the control design should be such that the closed-loop map $T$ rolls of at frequencies beyond the disturbance bandwidth. Furthermore low $i_{\text{ref}}$ is ensured if $K_vS$ can be made small. The controller $K_v$ is obtained by casting these multiple objectives in the following optimal control problem     \cite{skogestad2007multivariable},
\begin{small}
\begin{equation}\label{eq:stacked_h_infinity}
	\min_{K_v \in \mathscr{K}} \left\| \begin{array}{c}
	W_sS\\
	W_uK_vS\\
	W_tT
	\end{array} \right\|_\infty,
\end{equation}
\end{small}
where the weights $W_{s}$, $W_{t}$ and $W_{u}$ are chosen to reflect the design specifications of robustness to disturbances and parametric uncertainties, tracking bandwidth, and saturation limits on the control signal. For example, the weight function $W_s(j\omega)$ is chosen to be large in frequency range $[0,\omega_{BW}]$ to ensure a small tracking error $e = V_{des}-V$ in this frequency range. The weight function $W_t(j\omega)$ is designed as a high-pass filter to ensure that $T(j\omega)$ is small at high frequencies  to provide  mitigation to measurement noise. The design of constant $W_u$ entails ensuring that the control effort lies within saturation limits. The resulting controller is robust to disturbances up to $\omega_{BW}$, which accounts for variations in load disturbances as well as parametric uncertainties.

\subsubsection*{Design of the inner-loop controller}\label{sec:inner_controller}
The outer-loop control design assumed the inner closed-loop $\tilde G_c$. Here we propose an inner-loop control design that results in a second-order transfer function $\tilde G_c$, thereby ensuring a relatively low-order optimal controller $K_v$. The main   objective for designing the inner-loop controller $K_c$ is to decide the trade-off between the $120$ Hz ripple on the voltage $V$ (equivalently on the capacitor current $i_c$) and the output current $i$ (equivalently $i_L$) of the converter.  Accordingly, we design   $K_c$  such that
\begin{small}
\begin{equation}\label{eq:Gc_tilde}
	\tilde{G}_c(s) = \left(\frac{\tilde{\omega}}{s+\tilde{\omega}}\right)\left(\frac{s^2+2\zeta_1\omega_0 s+\omega_0^2}{s^2+2\zeta_2\omega_0 s+\omega_0^2}\right),
\end{equation}
\end{small}
where $\omega_0 = 2\pi 120$ rad/s. $\tilde{\omega}, \zeta_1, \zeta_2$ are design parameters. Here the parameter $\tilde\omega>\omega_0$ is simply chosen to implement a low-pass filter that attenuates undesirable frequency content in $i_L$ beyond $\tilde\omega$. Note that in this design of $\tilde{G}_c$, there is a notch at $\omega_0=120$ Hz,  the size of this notch is determined by the ratio $\frac{\zeta_1}{\zeta_2}$ (see Figure \ref{fig:bode_zeta}). Lower values of this ratio correspond to larger notches, which  in turn imply smaller $120$ Hz component in $i_L$, since  $\tilde G_c$ represents the inner closed-loop transfer function from $i_{\text{ref}}$ to $i_L$. Furthermore since $i_C=i_{\text{load}}-i_L$,  this in turn implies higher ripples in $i_C$. Thus the ratio $\frac{\zeta_1}{\zeta_2}$ can be appropriately designed to achieve a specified  tradeoff between $120$ Hz ripple on $i_C$ and $i_L$.
\begin{figure}[tphb]
	\centering
	\includegraphics[width=0.9\columnwidth]{bode_zeta.jpg}
	\vspace{-0.5em}
	\caption{{\small Bode magnitude plots of the closed-loop plant $\tilde{G}_c$ for various $\zeta_1$ values. $\tilde{\omega}$ is chosen to be 600$\pi$ rad/s. Note that a relatively larger value of $\tilde{\omega}$ is in accordance with choosing a fast inner-current controller.}}
	\label{fig:bode_zeta}
	\vspace{-.5em}
\end{figure}
The stabilizing second-order controller $K_c$ that yields the above closed-loop plant $\tilde{G}_c$ is explicitly given by,
\begin{small}
\begin{equation}\label{sec:Kc}
	K_c = L\tilde{\omega}\frac{\left(s^2+2\zeta_1\omega_0 s + \omega_0^2\right)}{\left(s^2+2\zeta_2\omega_0 s + 2(\zeta_2-\zeta_1)\omega_0\tilde{\omega} +\omega_0^2\right)},
\end{equation}
\end{small}
which is again a low-order (second-order) controller design.

\subsubsection*{Extension to buck and buck-boost converters}\label{sec:ext_to_buck}
The extension of the proposed control design  to Buck and Buck-Boost DC-DC converters is  easily explained after noting that their averaged models are structurally identical to Boost converters, except that the dependence of duty cycles on the control signal $u$ or constant parameter $D'$ are different. The differences in how duty cycles depend on $u(t)$ do not matter from the control design viewpoint since duty cycles for pulse-width modulation are obtained only after obtaining the control designs (that use the averaged models).

\section{Extension to a system of parallel converters}\label{sec:many_control}
In this section we develop a decentralized control framework that achieves voltage regulation, power-sharing, and ripple-sharing among a system of parallel boost converters sharing a common load.

\subsection{Control framework for a system of parallel boost converters}\label{sec:control_scheme}
Fig. \ref{fig:many_control} represents a decentralized inner-outer control framework for a system of $m$ parallel connected converters. Here we have incorporated a constant gain parameter $\gamma_k$ at the inner-loop of $k$th converter, the choice of which dictates power sharing as will be shown below.   After noting that the voltage-regulation objective is common to all outer controllers, in our architecture, we impose  the same outer-controller for all the converters, i.e., $K_{v_1} = K_{v_2} = .... = K_{v_m} = K_v$. This enables a significant reduction in complexity of the control design for the multi-converter system as will be shown below.
\begin{figure}[tphb]
	\centering
	\includegraphics[width=3.0in]{multi_avg_controller.png}
	\vspace{-0.5em}
	\caption{{\small Control framework for a many-converters system. Note that in the proposed implementation, we adopt the same outer controller for different converters, i.e., $K_{v_1} = K_{v_2} = .... = K_{v_m} = K_v$.}}
	\label{fig:many_control}
	\vspace{-1.5em}
\end{figure}

First, with this assumption of $K_{v_k}=K_v$, the general decentralized architecture in Figure \ref{fig:many_control} can be simplified as in Figure \ref{fig:many_control1}. This implies that $K_v$ can be computed by solving $\mathcal{H}_\infty$-optimization problem (as discussed in the previous section) similar to the  {\em single} converter case by assuming an available  design for the summed closed inner-loop map $\tilde{G}_{c,n}$  (the {\em nominal} closed inner-loop plant)  and a {\em nominal duty-cycle} $D_n = 1-D_n'$. Then by appropriately designing individual inner-loop parameters, we can design the nominal closed inner-loop plant to be given by
\begin{small}
\begin{equation}\label{eq:nominal_plant}
	\tilde{G}_{c,n}(s) = \left(\frac{\tilde{\omega}}{s+\tilde{\omega}}\right)\left(\frac{s^2+2\zeta_{1,n}\omega_0 s+\omega_0^2}{s^2+2\zeta_{2,n}\omega_0 s+\omega_0^2}\right),
\end{equation}
\end{small}
where the ratio $\dfrac{\zeta_{1,n}}{\zeta_{2,n}}$ determines the  tradeoff of $120$ Hz ripple between $i=\sum_ki_k$ and the capacitor current $i_C$. Note that for the cumulative closed inner-loop plant in Figure \ref{fig:many_control1} to behave as the nominal plant $\tilde{G}_{c,n}(s)$,  we require  closed inner-loop maps to sum up to the nominal closed inner-loop plant, that is $\sum_k\gamma_kD_k' \tilde G_{ck}=D_n'\tilde{G}_{c,n}$. Accordingly we design $K_{c_k}$ in each
inner loop such  that
\begin{small}
\begin{equation}\label{eq:nominal_plantx}
	\tilde{G}_{c_k}(s) = \left(\frac{\tilde{\omega}}{s+\tilde{\omega}}\right)\left(\frac{s^2+2\zeta_{1}^{(k)}\omega_0 s+\omega_0^2}{s^2+2\zeta_{2,n}\omega_0 s+\omega_0^2}\right),
\end{equation}
\end{small}
where $\zeta_{1}^{(k)}$ are appropriately chosen to reflect the relative tradeoff of $120$ Hz ripple among converter current outputs $i_k$. Explicit design of such $K_{c_k}$ exists and is analogous to the design in (\ref{sec:Kc}), which was obtained for the same structure of the inner-closed loop in the single-converter case.   The parameters $\gamma_k$ are designed to apportion power among the power sources, since DC gains of individual closed inner-loop plants $\gamma_k\tilde G_{ck}D'_k$ are equal to $\gamma_kD'_k$ since $\tilde G_{c_k}(j0)=1$ by design for all $k$.  We make these design specifications more precise and bring out the equivalence of the control design for the single and multiple converter systems in the following theorem.
\begin{figure}[tphb]
	\centering
	\includegraphics[width=3.0in]{multi_avg_controller1.png}
	\vspace{-0.5em}
	\caption{{\small A multiple-converters system with shaped inner plants. Note that the shaped plants $\tilde{G}_{c_k}$ share the same denominator as $\tilde{G}_{c,n}$.}}
	\label{fig:many_control1}
	\vspace{-1.5em}
\end{figure}

\begin{theorem}\label{thm1}
Consider the single-converter system in Figure \ref{fig:single_inner_controller} with inductance $L$, $D'=D'_n$ and $\tilde{G_c}=\tilde{G}_{c,n}(s)$ as given
in (\ref{eq:nominal_plant}); and  the multi-converter system described in Figures  \ref{fig:many_control} and \ref{fig:many_control1} where $\tilde{G}_{c_k}(s)$ are given by (\ref{eq:nominal_plantx}),  $\sum_k\gamma_kD_k' \tilde G_{c_k}=D_n'\tilde{G}_{c,n}$, and $\sum_k \gamma_k=1, \gamma_k>0$ for $1\leq k\leq m$. \\
\noindent 1. [Performance Equivalence]: Any outer-loop controller $K_v$ that stabilizes the single-converter system
yields identical performance when applied to the multi-converter system; more precisely, for the same exogenous inputs - the reference $V_{\text{des}}$, the load disturbance $i_{\text{load}}$, and noise $n=\sum_k\gamma_kn_k$, the steady-state regulated signals $(V_{\text{des}}-V,\dfrac{D_n'}{L}\tilde{u}, V)$ for the single-converter system are  the same as the regulated signals $(V_{\text{des}}-V,\sum_k\dfrac{D_k'}{L_k}\tilde{u}_k, V)$ for the multi-converter system.\\
\noindent 2. [Power Sharing]: If the parameters  $\gamma_k$, and $\zeta^{(k)}_1$, $1\leq k\leq m$ are chosen such that $\gamma_k = \frac{\alpha_k D_n'}{D_k'}\ \text{and}\ \sum\limits_{k=1}^{m}\alpha_k\zeta^{(k)}_1 = \zeta_{1,n}$, then the output current at the DC-link get divided in the ratio $\alpha_1:\alpha_2:....:\alpha_m$, where $0\leq\alpha_k\leq 1$, and $\sum\limits_{k=1}^{m}\alpha_k = 1$; more precisely the steady-state zero-frequency components $|i_1(j0)|:
|i_2(j0)|:\cdots: |i_m(j0)|$ are in the same proportion as $\alpha_1:\alpha_2:....:\alpha_m$.\\
\noindent 3. [Ripple Sharing]: If further the parameters $\zeta^{(k)}_1$ are chosen such that $\zeta^{(k)}_1 = \frac{\beta_k\zeta_{1,n}}{\alpha_k}$, where $\sum\limits_{k=1}^{m}\beta_k = 1$, and $0\leq\beta_k\leq 1, \forall k\in\{1,..,m\}$, then, the proposed design distributes the load current ripple (at 120Hz) in the ratio $\beta_1:\beta_2:...:\beta_m$; more precisely the steady-state $120$ Hz-frequency components $|i_1(j2\pi120)|:
|i_2(j2\pi120)|:\cdots:|i_m(j2\pi120)|$ are in the same proportion as $\beta_1:\beta_2:...:\beta_m$.
\end{theorem}
{ Proof: see appendix}

\section{CASE STUDIES: SIMULATIONS}\label{sec:case_studies}
In this section, we report simulation case studies, which use {\em non-ideal} components (such as diodes with non-zero breakdown voltage, IGBT switches, stray capacitances, parametric uncertainties) and switched level implementation to include nonlinearities associated with real-world experiments.
\begin{figure*}[!t]
	\begin{center}
	\begin{tabular}{ccc}
	\includegraphics[width=0.64\columnwidth]{uncertainty.png}&\includegraphics[width=0.64\columnwidth]{avg_sharing.png}&\includegraphics[width=0.64\columnwidth]{ripple_sharing.png}\cr
	(a)&(b)&(c)\end{tabular}
	\vspace{-0.5em}
	\caption{{\small (a)Voltage regulation in presence of modeling uncertainties and $120$ Hz ripple at the output. The inner-outer controller regulates the output voltage to the desired voltage, $V_{des} =24$V. (b) Average current (power) sharing between two converters in the ratios $1:1$ and $7:3$. (c) $\omega_0$ average ripple sharing between two converters in the ratios $1:1$ and $7:3$.}}
	\label{fig:multi_sim}
	\vspace{-2em}
	\end{center}
\end{figure*}

\subsection{Voltage regulation in presence of parametric uncertainties} \label{subsec:uncertain}
Conventional proportional-integral (PI) based control designs exhibit satisfactory performance when the actual system parameters ($L$ and $C$) lie `close' to nominal system parameters. However, a slight deviation from the nominal values of $L$ and $C$ may result in rapid degradation in the tracking performance. This issue becomes even more critical for a disturbance rejection framework, where a controller is designed without the knowledge of the uncertain load. The $\mathcal{H}_\infty$ robust control framework, where we seek an optimizing controller with guaranteed margins of robustness to modeling uncertainties will be adopted. Fig. \ref{fig:multi_sim}a shows the tracking performance of a boost converter for a $20\%$ uncertainty in both $L$ and $C$ values. The controller is designed for a boost converter with nominal $L = 2.4$mH and $C = 400\mu$F, while the actual system parameters are chosen as $L = 2$mH and $C = 500\mu$F. The input source voltage $V_g$ and the output desired voltage $V_{des}$ are chosen to be $12$V and $24$V, respectively. The design parameters for the inner-controller $K_c$ are: damping ratios $\zeta_1 = 3.2$ and $\zeta_2 = 4.5$, and $\tilde{\omega} = 2\pi 300$rad/s. The outer-controller $K_v$ is obtained by solving the stacked $\mathcal{H}_\infty$ optimization problem (see Eq. \ref{eq:stacked_h_infinity}) \cite{skogestad2007multivariable} with the weighting functions: $W_s = \frac{0.5s+2\pi 50}{s+0.06\pi 50}$, $W_u = 0.9$, and $W_t=\frac{s+2\pi 40}{0.05s+2\pi 80}$. The resulting reduced fifth-order controller $K_v$ is given by:
\begin{small}
	\begin{equation}
		K_v = \frac{0.256(s+113.9)(s+0.001)^2(s^2+4.05e4s+5.65e8)}{(s+9.56)(s^2+0.002s+4.8e-6)(s^2+9606s+8.8e7)}\nonumber
	\end{equation}
\end{small}
The load resistance is $R = 24\Omega$, and the ripple current is $I_{ripple} = 0.2\sin(2\pi 120t)$A.

\subsection{$120$ Hz ripple sharing between $i_L$ and $i_C$} \label{subsec:zeta_1_compare}
Fig. \ref{fig:zeta_1_compare} shows the effect of $\zeta_1$ for $120$ Hz ripple current sharing between inductor current $i_L$ and capacitor current $i_C$. Clearly, smaller values of $\zeta_1$ impart {\em notch-like} effects at $120$ Hz, thereby reducing the magnitudes of $120$ Hz ripple in inductor currents. The model and controller parameters are chosen as before.
\begin{figure}[tphb]
	\centering
	\includegraphics[width=3.0in]{zeta_1_compare.png}
	\vspace{-0.5em}
	\caption{{\small Bode plots of inner-shaped plants $\tilde{G_c}$ and inductor currents for different $\zeta_1$. While the average (or DC) current remains the same as desired, the smaller values of $\zeta_1$ result in relatively smaller magnitudes of $120$ Hz ripple in inductor currents.}}
	\label{fig:zeta_1_compare}
	\vspace{-2em}
\end{figure}

\subsection{Average current sharing between two converters} \label{subsec:avg_sharing}
Fig. \ref{fig:multi_sim}b shows the average current sharing between two different converters with inputs $V_{g_1} = 12$V and $V_{g_2} = 10$V, respectively for two scenarios - (1) $\alpha_1 = 0.5, \alpha_2 = 0.5$, and (2) $\alpha_1 = 0.7, \alpha_2 = 0.3$. The other model and system parameters are chosen as before.

\subsection{Average $120$ Hz ripple sharing between two converters} \label{subsec:ripple_sharing}
Fig. \ref{fig:multi_sim}c shows the average $120$ Hz ripple sharing between the two converters for two scenarios - (1) $\beta_1 = 0.5, \beta_2 = 0.5$, and (2) $\beta_1 = 0.7, \beta_2 = 0.3$. The other model and system parameters are chosen as before. Note that the converters are tuned for equal average current sharing, i.e. $\alpha_1 = 0.5, \alpha_2 = 0.5$.

Thus all the objectives of the control synthesis procedure: robust voltage regulation, load power demand shared in a prescribed ratio, and the ripple current shared in a prescribed ratio are simultaneously met by our design.

\section*{APPENDIX}

\subsection{Proof of Theorem 1: Performance Equivalence}
\begin{proof}
	Let $S_n$ and $T_n$ denote the sensitivity and complementary sensitivity transfer functions of the single-converter system, respectively (as described in (\ref{eq:SnT})). For any converter $k$ in the multi-converter system in Fig. \ref{fig:many_control1}, we have $i_k = \gamma_kD_k'\tilde{G}_{c_k}K_v(V_\text{des}-V-n)$. However from Figs. (\ref{fig:many_control}) and (\ref{fig:many_control1}), we observe that $V = G_v\left(\sum\limits_{k=1}^{m}i_k-d\right)$. Thus $\sum_k\gamma_kD_k'\tilde{G}_{c_k} = D_n'\tilde{G}_{c,n}$ yields
\begin{small}
\begin{equation}\label{eq:app2}
	V_\text{des} - V = S_nV_\text{des} + G_vS_nd + T_nn,
\end{equation}
\end{small}
which is equivalent to the map $V_\text{des} - V$ in (\ref{eq:trade_off1}) for a single-converter system. Similarly, let $G_{c_k} = \dfrac{1}{sL_k}$ denote the inner-plant in the $k$th converter, then from Fig. (\ref{fig:many_control}), it can be shown that
\begin{small}
\begin{equation}\label{eq:app3}

	\tilde{u}_k = \frac{\gamma_k}{G_{c_k}}\underset{\tilde{G}_{c_k}}{\underbrace{G_{c_k}K_{c_k}S_k}}i_{ref} = sL_k\gamma_k\tilde{G}_{c_k}K_v(V_\text{des}-V-n).
\end{equation}
\end{small}
Thus, using $\sum_k\gamma_kD_k'\tilde{G}_{c_k} = D_n'\tilde{G}_{c,n}$, we have
\begin{small}
\begin{equation}\label{eq:app4}
	\sum_k\frac{D_k'}{L_k}\tilde{u}_k = sD_n'\tilde{G}_{c,n}K_v(V_\text{des}-V-n) = \frac{D_n'}{L}\tilde{u},
\end{equation}
\end{small}
which establishes the required equivalence.
\end{proof}

\subsection{Proof of Theorem 1: Power Sharing}
\begin{proof}
	Note that from Fig. (\ref{fig:many_control1}), we have
	\begin{small}\begin{equation}\label{eq:app5}
		i_k(s) = \gamma_kD_k'\tilde{G}_{c_k}(s)i_\text{ref}(s).
	\end{equation}\end{small}
	Thus, using the fact that $|\tilde{G}_{c_k}(j0)| = 1$ and with the given choice of the parameter $\gamma_k = \left(\alpha_kD_n'/D_k'\right)$, we obtain $\left(|i_k(j0)|/\sum_k|i_k(j0)|\right) = \left(\gamma_kD_k'/\sum_k\gamma_kD_k'\right) = \alpha_k$. Thus, the steady-state zero-frequency component of the output current at the DC-link gets divided in the ratio $\alpha_1:\alpha_2:....:\alpha_m$.
\end{proof}

\subsection{Proof of Theorem 1: $120$ Hz ripple sharing}
\begin{proof}
	From (\ref{eq:app5}) and observing that $|\tilde{G}_{c_k}(j\omega_0)| = \left|\dfrac{\tilde{\omega}}{j\omega_0 + \tilde{\omega}}\right|\dfrac{\zeta_1^{(k)}}{\zeta_{2,n}}$, the ratio of $120$ Hz ripple magnitude in steady-state is given by $\left(|i_k(j\omega_0)|/\sum\limits_{k'=1}^{m}|i_{k'}(j\omega_0)|\right) = \left(\gamma_kD_k'\zeta^{(k)}_1/\sum\limits_{k'=1}^{m}\gamma_{k'}D_{k'}'\zeta^{(k')}_1\right)$. Substituting $\gamma_kD_k$ $= \alpha_kD_n'$ and $\sum\limits_{k=1}^{m}\alpha_k\zeta^{(k)}_1$ $= \zeta_{1,n}$ yields $\left(|i_k(j\omega_0)|/\sum\limits_{k'=1}^{m}|i_{k'}(j\omega_0)|\right)$ $= \left(\alpha_k\zeta^{(k)}_1/\zeta_{1,n}\right)$. But, by our choice of the damping parameters, $\zeta^{(k)}_1 = \left(\beta_k\zeta_{1,n}/\alpha_k\right)$, yields $\left(|i_k(j\omega_0)|/\sum\limits_{k'=1}^{m}|i_{k'}(j\omega_0)|\right) = \beta_k$. Thus, the ripple currents get divided in the ratios, $\beta_1:\beta_2:...:\beta_m$.
\end{proof}

\bibliographystyle{IEEEtran}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


You could be forgiven for not noticing much difference in this latest Mercedes-AMG S63 Cabriolet, an update of the 2014 model.
That's because, says product boss Dirk Fetzer, acceptance of the car's styling remains so high that AMG chose to focus investment on the technical side. As a result, there's plenty that's new under the cover: a 4.0-litre V8 bi-turbo unit replacing the 5.5-litre, a nine-speed wet-clutch automatic gearbox and a host of fancy technology recently introduced on the S-Class saloon.
For the sake of diligence, exterior changes include a new AMG panamericana grille and front apron with jet wing, plus new side skirts and OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) tail-lights.
The panamericana grille on the S63 ensures the model looks different to the two other S-Class cabriolet models: the entry-level S560 and the top-of-the-range S65. The S65 also has a panamericana grille but with a V-shaped cooling air intake, while the S560 has a standard Mercedes grille.
Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but given that the coupé equivalent starts from £127,515 and the outgoing S63 cabriolet cost £135,675, you can expect the new model to be around £141,000. When you consider rivals the Aston Martin DB11 and Bentley Continental GT – typically considered more prestigious than Mercedes – are in the same price category, the S63 Cabriolet has a lot to prove.
It's worth noting that our American test car is 4Matic four-wheel drive, which will be the only option for the S63, unless you live where we do. In the UK, it will only be available in rear-wheel drive.
We were already a fan of the outgoing S63 Cabriolet, and AMG has managed to make this updated model more focused where desired but also more broadly appealing to all.
Whereas getting in a DB11, as much fun as it is, feels slightly claustrophobic and distinctly more sports car-like, getting behind the wheel of the S63 is intuitive, making it the ultimate cruising grand tourer.
This is a car you can throw around corners with aplomb, knowing that it has all the grip and flexibility you need. It weighs a hefty 2185kg, compared with the DB11's 1760kg (though its forthcoming Volante will be slightly lardier), but despite that, it's not something that's an issue on bends. That said, the DB11 feels more compact – it's 293mm shorter but wider – and is slightly more purposeful into those bends. That's not surprising when the DB11 is trying to be fewer things to fewer people.
The S63 Cabriolet is also a car where you can put your foot down and marvel at the sheer speed, thanks to 612bhp (26bhp more than the outgoing model), 664lb ft of torque, four-wheel drive and a nine-speed multi-clutch automatic, first seen in the E63. It hits 0-62mph in a hasty 3.5sec. That's 0.5sec faster than a DB11 V8, 0.7sec faster than its predecessor and, notably, 0.7sec faster than the new S65 Cabriolet.
Mercedes claims that difference is largely down to the S63's four-wheel-drive system; the S65 uses rear-wheel drive. And so, for UK buyers, who will only get a two-wheel-drive S63 Cabriolet, acceleration increases to 4.2sec.
And then there's the comfort and refinement. Despite offering this sort of speed and handling prowess, even in soft-top form, refinement and ride are impressive.
Of three key modes, Comfort will be used most by drivers, reckons Mercedes. And it is this mode that enables the S63 to behave like a normal non-AMG car, but just a really good one. The worst complaint of Comfort is that steering isn't super-sharp but that's only in contrast to the two other modes, Sport and Sport+. These alter elements such as gearbox mapping, steering weight, dampers and engine responses to various degrees. It is in Sport+ that the S63 starts to compete on driving roads with the DB11.
Inside, the S63 gets the new widescreen cockpit plus a few extras such as sat-nav and cruise control. Then there are some options worth adding too – most notably a £1600 Driver Assistance Pack that features all the clever semi-autonomous technology found on the S-Class saloon.
We tested the active distance control and active steering assist, which essentially allows you (if it were legal) to take your hands off the wheel for up to 30 seconds and can not only speed up and down but also steer around bends. It's impressive stuff, even if means the Germans are just catching up with Tesla.
The biggest dilemma here is brand preference. For many, a Bentley or Aston Martin will have more prestige than a Mercedes, which sells in shedloads by comparison.
Nonetheless, it is an exceptionally well-rounded car, exceeding its rivals in offering an impressive blend of comfort, handling and speed.
For those set on a S-Class Cabriolet, it's also worth considering the cheaper S560. The £116,000-ish car isn't nearly as sharp but may well be respectable enough to keep the majority of punters happy, and for a lot less money.
I'm not the slightest but interested in the twice laboured badge snobbery.
My only niggles are that whilst the power is certainly mighty. the engines are getting less special and 4 litres is just a little bit puny. This is ultimately an S560 with more boost.
I'm not the slightest but interested in the twice laboured badge snobbery. My only niggles are that whilst the power is certainly mighty. the engines are getting less special and 4 litres is just a little bit puny. This is ultimately an S560 with more boost.
Affalterbach must be churning out that 4.0 like sausages.


text:
Let's Ensure No Husky Goes Hungry This Summer
Posted on July 31, 2019 by Stephanie Pao. This entry was posted in Volunteerism, Whole U Program Information. Bookmark the permalink.
Imagine commuting on the bus to an 8:30 am class without eating a nutritious breakfast. Imagine trying to be productive at work with a growling stomach. Imagine coming home from a long day on campus unsure if you have enough food for a fulfilling dinner. And yet, in the US, an estimated 15-25 percent of college students do not get enough food due to affordability and other costs associated with a college education.
Food insecurity negatively affects physical, mental and emotional health, making it difficult for people to perform well at school and work. Food is not only something people need to survive, but also something people share. That's why The Whole U is hosting an August drive, to coincide with our Raise the Bar summer wellness challenge, for the UW Food Pantry with a goal of donating 1,000 pounds of nonperishable food and other necessity items to the pantry.
1,000 pounds might sound like a lot, but it's really only about 2-3 items per person participating in Raise the Bar!
We encourage everyone to donate as much as you can spare. Check this link for all the details about the many ways you can get involved, guidelines for donating, and areas of greatest need. As if you needed any more incentive, keep track of the number of items you individually, or your entire team donate to participate in our Items Donated Competition!
First, register. All you have to do is keep track of the item count, take a photo before you drop off your donations to verify, and submit it to us when we email you at the end of the challenge. The team and the individual with the most items donated will receive a cool prize! We'll be in touch at the end of the drive for your numbers, so focus on donating now and measure your total later—your contribution could be the world of difference in a fellow Husky's day, week, or year.
Now you know where to go to help, so read on to learn more about why UW Food Pantry was founded and its initial, immediate impact on our Husky community.
Any Hungry Husky—Goals and Accomplishments
With a rising cost to living, working, and studying in the Seattle area, people are increasingly being forced to make financial choices that can lead to states of food insecurity—the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. That's why in 2016 a multi-departmental UW task force developed Any Hungry Husky: a suite of resources that help to reduce hurdles for students in their pursuit of a degree.
Any Hungry Husky Launched in Fall 2016.
A part of that effort, UW Campus Food Pantry was launched in October 2016 as an on-campus resource that provides low-barrier access to nutritious and culturally relevant food to any students, staff members, or faculty who might find themselves in need.
"Part of what we're trying to do in the short term is alleviate hunger and the stress that comes with not being able to afford groceries because you're having to pay for living in Seattle," says Melodie Reece, Any Hungry Husky's Program Management and Communications intern.
Approximately 73% of the 400 shoppers who made use of the pantry in the last year live off campus. Rents across the region rose 48 percent from 2012 to 2017, adding an extra $550 a month to a typical renter's bills according to The Seattle Times.
Any Hungry Husky operates by hosting a pantry at locations on UW's Seattle campus every two weeks—most often at the HUB and the Ethnic Cultural Center. The Any Hungry Husky team takes appointments for people who can't get to the pop-ups or who need food in the interim. Anyone with a Husky Card benefits.
Though other food resources exist throughout Seattle, Reece notes there is a considerable difference between shopping amongst peers at a university versus a local food bank.
""Students have largely been receptive to our pop-up pantry model," Reece says. "A number of student shoppers have noted our judgment-free setting—this feeling is garnered by the dignifying experience that we strive to provide."
She describes the Pantry as a grocery-style shopping experience. "We usually have 8 to 9 categories [students can select a certain number of items from] ranging from canned fruits and vegetables to toiletries and household products."
In its 2016-17 pilot year, 400 shoppers visited pantries a total of 640 times. Each visit provides shoppers with approximately $25 worth of food to supplement 4-5 days of an individual shopper's diet. An estimated 700 additional family members, roommates, and others were also impacted as a result.
At checkout, volunteers bag the items and have shoppers fill out a short survey so the pantry can learn to better serve their needs. But even with this data, it can be difficult to anticipate what the need will be from week to week.
"We can never really predict how many people are going to show up at each pantry," says Sophie Win Htet, the Campus Food Pantry coordinator, who manages the daily operations of the UW Campus Food Pantry including volunteer engagement. "It's very much a balancing act."
Immediate need, immediate impact
While the 2016-2017 pilot year for the Campus Food Pantry reached hundreds of hungry Huskies, only ~1% of UW students took advantage of the program. National data indicates that 10-20% of college students experience food insecurity on a monthly basis.
But in order to expand its reach, the first step is to become more efficient in food procurement. The more food the pantry has on hand, the easier it is to flexibly accommodate those who currently shop at the Pantry as well as expand the service to others in the community who might be experiencing insecurity of their own.
In its first full year, UW student groups, offices, and departments have chipped in, holding 43 donation drives which collected 4,000+ pounds of donated food worth $11,000. Housing & Food Services hosted a cooking demo and taught shoppers to cook well-balanced recipes with ingredients available through the pantry. Bay Laurel Catering provided hot soup at one pantry and 15 fresh grab-and-go items, while UW Farm provided fresh produce, including spinach, carrots, and parsnips at three pop-up pantries.
The efforts and inputs in the program's pilot year have been far reaching, but for
Reece, her work at the pantry resonates most on a personal level.
"I was food insecure growing up. I was also an undergrad here at UW and remember having to utilize the U District Food Bank a few times just because that's where I was."
The opportunity to work as a part of Any Hungry Husky and Campus Food Pantry arose as Reece was returning to campus for graduate work at the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, where her focus will be on education policy and student success.
"It meets all the boxes of giving back to a community that I live for and love and that I was a part of," she says. "That personal connection was really important to me. It feels really good to help someone in a tangible way that you can see the immediate impacts of and also longer term impacts."
That immediate impact is also what sophomore Sophie Win Htet finds so rewarding about her work with the Pantry. "People are going to take these items home to make a whole, hearty meal," she says. "That is a direct, positive impact you can make on the community."
A good meal goes a long way—relieving hunger and the stressors that accompany it in the short term, but also leading to more far-reaching outcomes: giving someone the ability to cook a substantive meal at home compounds to help whole communities grow stronger, more secure, and ultimately more successful.
Reece relates an anecdote about a shopper who was also a long-distance runner, but since starting grad school, had to stop running because they didn't have enough money for the food it takes to sustain a body that's exercising.
"It's so easy to fall into temporary poverty and that could easily be anyone," Reece says. "It's true for people who are studying, for people who are doing sports, for people who are just living. I think people should donate because it's a real investment in students and in other staff members."
"By donating, you're investing in your community and in yourself."
To learn about upcoming dates, times, and locations for pop-up pantries, visit the UW Food Pantry Facebook page. Students and staff who are interested in volunteering may fill out this interest form online. To donate food, you can drop off items at the Ethnic Cultural Center front desk, Monday-Friday from 9 am through 5 pm.
To make a monetary contribution, you can visit the giving page and make a gift to the Husky Hunger Relief Fund. The Husky Hunger Relief Fund helps stock and sustain the Campus Food Pantry, and supports other food security initiatives on campus. A $25 donation provides 4-5 days' worth of food for one UW community member.
One Thought on "Let's Ensure No Husky Goes Hungry This Summer"
On August 5, 2019 at 7:13 PM, Perry Acworth said:
The UW Farm (UWBG/College of the Environment) donates fresh, student grown produce every week to the Student Pantry. We could really use some volunteers to help wash, pack and deliver to the Pantry on Tuesdays. Visit our Volunteer page here: https://botanicgardens.uw.edu/center-for-urban-horticulture/gardens/uw-farm/volunteer/#/?i=1

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Question doesn't refresh when I close it Just like the title says.  I have to refresh the page manually.
Don't know if this is affecting ordinary users on the fifth close vote or not (I'm a diamond moderator).

A: I fixed this over the weekend.
Please let me know if you see any more instances of this happening.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
The Huerfano County Courthouse and  old Walsenburg jail now the Walsenburg Mining Museum, are historic buildings in Walsenburg, Colorado in Huerfano County. The courthouse was built in 1904. The jail was built in 1896. The buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 23, 1973. The courthouse is located at 400 Main Street. The jail is located at 112 West Fifth Street. The jail held Bob Ford, who killed Jesse James, and labor leader Mary "Mother" Jones.

See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Colorado

References

External links

Walsenburg Mining Museum website Huerfano County Historical Society

Buildings and structures in Huerfano County, Colorado
Courthouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Colorado
County courthouses in Colorado
Government buildings completed in 1904
Romanesque architecture
Museums in Huerfano County, Colorado
National Register of Historic Places in Huerfano County, Colorado
Mining museums in Colorado
1904 establishments in Colorado

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


This extra special tutorial shows you how to make two stunning diamond quilt patterns using jelly roll blocks. Though the Springtime Diamond Lattice and Diamond Extra Quilts are made from the same gorgeous, jewel-toned jelly roll quilt pattern, the Diamond Lattice pattern is made up of vibrantly-colored layer cakes criss-crossed with white sashing. In contrast, the Diamond Extra features intricate blocks of quarter square triangles. It'll be hard to pick a favorite between these two eye-catching spring quilts.


text:
Tanaoctena ooptila is een vlinder uit de familie van de stippelmotten (Yponomeutidae). De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort werd in 1913 gepubliceerd door Turner.

De soortnaam is afgeleid van het Grieks en betekent "ovaalvleugelig". Het typespecimen werd aangetroffen te Kuranda nabij Cairns in Australië. Het mannetje wordt 14-16mm groot.

Stippelmotten


Hard Drive low on disk space - What is the process of moving B1 Server App?
The partition the SAP B1 Server App is installed on is running low on disk space. I would like to move the APP from the D:\ to a new, faster, hard disk we have installed.
What is the process for uninstalling and reinstalling the server app to a new partition.
Is there any documentation that outlines this process?
What are concerns I should have for doing this?
You need not move the entire B1 App from c:\ drive to d:\. Instead you can move your company DB of SQL Server alone to D:\ Drive.
Sorry.. I assumed that you are an End Customer.


When you connect your Google Drive account to SPOTIO, you will notice that a SPOTIO folder appears in your actual Google Drive account. This is where SPOTIO stores the information and allows you to have centralized access to all the information inside the Google Account.
These folders have matching areas inside SPOTIO's Apps. If you have added any company documents, you will be able to download them directly from Google as well.
The PIN Docs & Images section will be broken into many folders. Each of these folders will correlate with the address that the PIN Doc's & Images are tied too. If your user adds pictures of the address/building/home to the PIN when they are working inside SPOTIO, you will see these inside this section. You can click on any of the address folders to see the pictures inside.
Please note, SPOTIO will only create a folder for the address WHEN a picture is added for the first time. You won't see a folder for each of the PINs that you have dropped in your account unless you add pictures or documents to each of those PINs.
IMPORTANT: To ensure your images are saved, you will have to first create the pin, once saved you can either view or edit the pin to upload your image.


text:
Buckland Hill is Perth's number one forgotten landmark, and that's only because we can't remember the other ones. It has featured prominently in the history of Perth since 1697, before fading into relative obscurity during the 1980's.
Unforgettable views of the Indian Ocean from a somewhat forgettable landmark.
Buckland Hill is located just north of the mouth of the Swan River, and was originally part of a group of coastal hills known as the Seven Sisters. The Sisters were mined extensively during the 1890's for their limestone, which was a popular building material in the early days of colony. Fortunately, the hill's most important guest landed in 1697, well before the Tonka trucks appeared.
Looking across to Fremantle Harbour and Garden Island.
Back in 1696 a Dutch explorer called Willem de Vlamingh, was sent on a mission to locate survivors from a missing trading ship called the Ridderschap van Holland. It was presumed shipwrecked on the Western Australian coastline during 1694, with 325 people on board. At that time the world knew next to nothing about our coastline, so Vlamingh was heading into unchartered territory.
Rottnest Island from Buckland Hill.
The three vessels of his expedition anchored offshore on 29 December 1696, and first explored the uninhabited Rottnest Island. They became intrigued by the great number of fires burning on the mainland after sunset. Buckland Hill was the highest coastal peak, and presented an ideal landing site for an investigation of the mysterious camp fires. So at sunrise on 5 January 1697, they set ashore with a well-armed expedition of 86 men. It was during this morning that the expedition would have likely climbed Buckland Hill, becoming the first Europeans to sight the greater Perth metropolitan area.
Perth City from Buckland Hill.
Even after anchoring offshore, and climbing up Buckland Hill, the expedition did not immediately notice the Swan River. In all likelihood only a small despatch of the full contingent would have climbed the hill. Missing the waterway was no big oversight, as the river was harder to spot back in those days. There were no lines of cleared vegetation to enhance their view, and the river mouth was blocked by a limestone bar. Furthermore, the expedition was tormented by flies, which still distract the attention of residents to this very day.
The river is easy to spot today, as the vegetation has been cleared for housing, and their million dollar views.
That afternoon, at what is now known as Freshwater Bay, the expedition first encountered the river. Seeing it was a large basin of brackish water, they initially assumed it was only a lake. The obstructive limestone bar at the mouth of the river, had made the water rather stagnant, and the opening less obvious to a vessel anchored offshore. They camped there overnight.
Freshwater Bay. First point of contact with the river and overnight camping site of the expedition.
On the morning of 6 January 1697 they spilt up into three groups, to seek out the elusive local inhabitants. They discovered some huts and footprints, but did not encounter any people. Unfortunately, several members of the expedition ate some fruit, and became very sick. The ill explorers made a difficult retreat back to the shore, and were evacuated to the ships. Those members of the party who did not consume the dodgy nuts, stayed onshore. They explored the beach, and territory in proximity of the river, still looking for wreckage from the Ridderschap van Holland. No wreckage was found, though they had the good fortune to discover the obscured river mouth.
The remaining crew returned to the fleet on 7 January 1697, and confirmed the discovery of the river. They had captured two young Black Swans, prompting Vlamingh to name the river, "Zwaanenrivier", better known today as the Swan River. Encouraged by this discovery they revisited the river on 10 January 1697, with long boats. The expedition managed to travel upstream as far as Heirisson Island, becoming the first Europeans to sight the future location of the Perth central business district.
Pictured left, is a map drawn in Amsterdam after the expedition, by a cartographer named Gerard van Keulen.
You can see the Swan River, and the limestone bar which once obscured the river mouth. The bar was removed 200 years later when the port was constructed. Rottnest Island can be seen opposite the river mouth. The narrow island near the mainland is called Garden Island.
Perth Water. Where the 1697 river expedition turned around after their 16-20km journey upstream.
They returned to their vessels on 12 January 1697, and sailed away the next day. Despite concerted efforts, they were unable to establish contact with the indigenous population, or find any conclusive evidence of the Ridderschap van Holland. Unfortunately, Vlamingh, and later expeditions gave the western coastline a rather bad rap, which discouraged exploration of the region for quite some time. In fairness, this was a time before air conditioners, and roll on fly repellent.
Buckland Hill Today. BASE Jumping is prohibited. Probable height as it appeared to Vlamingh in 1697.
Buckland Hill has featured prominently in the history of Perth, though back in 1697, it was a more prominent feature. It is now somewhat flatter, after extensive limestone quarrying during the 1890's, and being levelled for the construction of a water reservoir in 1924. Just prior to the reservoir, Buckland Hill was a healthy 66 metres high. Today it is a disappointing 60 metres above sea level. When Vlamingh first sighted Buckland Hill, nearly two centuries before the quarrying started, it was a significant coastal landform, and a much more attractive proposition to climb.
Exaggerated height when depicted in Europe (1700's).
Pictured here is an engraving (1726), based on an earlier drawing which was lost from the expedition of 1696-97. It shows Vlamingh's ships at the mouth of the Swan River, and a healthy number of Black Swans. Importantly, and on the left of image, is the first known depiction of Buckland Hill. Early European artists had a habit of greatly exaggerating Australian landforms, based upon their interpretations of geographical features found in Great Britain, and Europe. The landscape is a lot flatter around the Swan River, though the image still serves to highlight the significance of Buckland Hill for the expedition.
Earliest depiction of Buckland Hill around 1726.
Buckland Hill had to wait another 130 years for what was in historical terms a near miss. Captain James Stirling surveyed the area in 1827, prior to the arrival of the first settlers in 1829. Buckland Hill was in the mix as a possible site for the initial settlement. However, after a rather unfortunate beaching at Arthur's Head in Fremantle, they decided to simply pitch their tents there. Stirling's insight has not been lost on the owners of the multi-million dollar residences, which now populate the Buckland Hill precinct.
Buckland Hill (Earth)
Regretfully the hill was never named after Willem de Vlamingh. Captain James Stirling decided upon "Buckland" Hill, in honour of Mr William Buckland. He was an English theologian, and early palaeontologist, who made a name for himself, by making a name for the first dinosaur fossil. Mr Buckland never climbed the hill, or even set foot in Perth. He even had a ridge on the Moon named after him, and we're 100% sure he didn't climb that one either.
William.
Willem.
Dorsum Buckland (Moon)
Willem de Vlamingh may been short changed in the naming stakes, but how can you compete with the guy who discovered the Megalosaurus. Just like Buckland's dinosaur, Vlamingh literally vanished off the face of the earth. We can partially blame the culture of his employer, the Dutch East India Company. They punished their mariners with heavy fines for slow passage, and only evaluated expeditions from their potential trading opportunites. Vlamingh reported negatively on the coastline, and the possibilty of trade. His original charts were locked away in a company vault, and eventually lost. Perth was established as a British colony, and he never fully received the recognition he deserved.
Scholars are not even sure the above painting is actually of Willem de Vlamingh, though we think it looks like him. To smooth things out, a nearby parkland, and road was named in Vlamingh's honour in 1998, some 300 years after his expedition.
Boasting an impressive coastal presence Buckland Hill has been used as both a navigational aid, and a surveying point. A beacon was erected on the hill as early as 1850, to provide a guiding light for shipping, and land transport. In 1875 a triangulation station was constructed on the peak, as the consequence of an extensive coastal survey of Western Australia in 1873/74. A more permanent marker was constructed between 1878 and 1880, using local limestone, and convict labour. This structure became known as the Monument or Obelisk, and in many ways defined the hill for generations to come.
The Monument Today.
In 1924 a concrete water reservoir was constructed on the southern side of the obelisk, and was later extended during 1935/36. The extensions had a big impact upon the Obelisk, leaving it surrounded by fresh drinking water. This made life difficult for employees of the Land and Surveys Department. However, some of the former workers recalled some great times around the obelisk, and the occasional negative split on the swim back to shore.
In 1983 it was deemed necessary to cover the reservoir with a roof. A decision was made to relocate the Obelisk 48 metres south west of its original position. This was a big deal as it was a primary point in the Geodetic Survey of Western Australia.
Monument Island. The Aquatic Years 1935-1983.
Many academics held differing positions on its relocation, though they finally settled on Latitude 32 01' 04.6" Longitude 115 45' 35.3". To the casual observer it is located on the west side of the hill, overlooking the ocean.
Current position of the Monument on Buckland Hill. (Subject to change without notice.)
There has always been an air of mystery about this unusual structure. It has stood ominously on top of the hill for well over a century, and when illuminated at night freaks everybody out. It has appeared in the coat of arms of a local government authority, and in the nightmares of local school children. Such was the mental imagery of the monument, residents soon referred to the hill as Monument Hill. This name is now used interchangeably with Buckland Hill. It is affectionately known as the "Monnie", and is probably in need of some in the next few years.
Scaring good folk since 1880.
Admittedly, Perth has never been invaded by a hostile force, though during World War Two we had the big guns ready. Two 6 inch gun placements were constructed between 1942/43 on Buckland Hill. Located just north of the mouth of the Swan River, this elevated position was ideal for picking off enemy ships. Fortunately the ships never arrived, and the big guns never fired a shot in anger.
Pictured Right is a 3.7 inch Heavy Anti-Aircraft gun. It might not work, but it sure looks real from a small dinghy bobbing 100 metres off shore on an overcast day with no visual aids.
Anti-Aircraft Gun.
A top secret underground tunnel system was excavated beneath Buckland Hill to provide operational support for the guns. Over 300 metres of tunnels were carved through the limestone rock, to connect several strategically located rooms. These rooms were used for various purposes, including storing the ammunition, sleeping, and observing the enemy. The Leighton Battery remained operational until 1963.
Pictured Left is the Observation Post. All the display mannequins have been decorated in World War Two uniforms, and have neutral facial expressions, because they never fired a shot in anger.
Observation Post.
Admittedly, the opportunity of ever firing a shot in anger had somewhat diminished after the war had finished, though not to be discouraged the Battery continued to shoot off a daily round. The fun stopped in 1963 when the Coastal Artillery Branch was disbanded. Today (Well actually Sundays 1000-1500) you can follow a guide through the tunnels, and experience life below the ground in a World War Two artillery battery.
Pictured Right. A complex tunnel system links the underground rooms. Always maintain visual contact with your tour group, or a small search fee may be charged.
Tunnel system under Buckland Hill.
The Australian Department of Defence has reminded me that if you live overseas and are thinking of invading Perth, we can get those bad boys back in action real quick.
Between 1928 and 1964 a wild and dangerous motor cycle race known as the Harley Scramble, was run around the slopes of Buckland Hill. Resulting in injury, and tragically death, the Scamble met its own demise after some residential development projects encroached on the track. The start/finish line has been commemorated by a roadway named Harley Terrace, which has been sensibly restricted to a 50km/hr speed limit.
Eastern view of Buckland Hill showing Harley Terrace.
These are five great reasons to visit Buckland Hill, and that doesn't include the stunning views of the Indian Ocean, and surrounding metropolitan area. You'll even catch a glimpse of the Swan River, something the Vlamingh expedition initially missed in 1697.
Admittedly you will find more challenging climbs in a school playground, though on a positive note it won't take long to get to the top. We recommend the coastal route, as border disputes with private residences have restricted the alternative ascents. Start your climb early in the day. You will avoid the sea breeze, and free up the remainder of your morning. Take plenty of water, as there is none available on the summit. Well, that is not quite true, but the reservoir is only available to residents connected to the local water scheme.
You can walk around the reservoir, though you should stay on the path near the fence. Always be mindful of snakes. Weather on the summit should not be a problem. Frostbite is unheard of, however fly bite has been reported. Following several incidents of twisted ankles, BASE jumping has now been prohibited from the hill.
The popular coastal route up the western face of Buckland Hill.
Just a small word of warning. Buckland Hill is a lonely place, which is something that comes with being a forgotten landmark. Always visit it during daylight hours with a friend, or perhaps even two. The Vlamingh expedition numbered 86 when they first climbed the hill, though we doubt this is still necessary today.
Enjoy the climb! Remember.... "It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves."


How to Convince Your Parents to Buy You an Apple Macbook?
Apple, one of the most popular and expensive brands in the technology world. Almost, All of us have a dream to use the Apple product whether its an Apple MacBook or Apple Smart Watch etc. If you are a businessman or employee, then you have to earn $$$$$ to buy a MacBook else if you are a student then you have to convince your mother & dad to buy you a new Apple MacBook. But these tasks are not much more straightforward.
Basically, In this post, we are mainly focused on the 2nd one i.e. How to convince your parents to buy you an Apple Macbook.
Everyone loves to use the apple product just because of its impressive design and specification. Ya..! I know you have to burn your pocket to purchase an any Apple product. The case is different when it comes to MacBook. Don't know about you! But I am still struggling for a new MacBook.
A convincing parent may be the most straightforward task, or it may be the hardest! Its all depend upon the type of Parent you have. There are various other factors. Among all, Money plays an important role.
I mean to say that if you belong to a wealthy class family, then this convincing or manipulating your parents to purchase you a new Mac is a little bit easier task. But if you belong to a middle-class family, then you have to face problems during this process.
I enjoyed while writing this post as I have also convinced my parents to buy me a new mac but the results will amaze you. Finally, in the end, Its all end up with an HP Laptop. But within a few months, My dream to use Apple Mac is fulfilled, and the funny part is that I am writing this article on my MacBook Pro.
Here are the few tactics which I used to apply when I am trying to convince my parents for a New MacBook. The best part is that these tactics work perfectly for me, Hope the same for my lovely readers. These words work smoothly for both Indian and foreign parents. Check out the great idea which helps you in achieving your goals.
This is one of the easiest tasks which allows you to get your first new Mac. All you have to do is to study hard and grab kind remarks. If you are successful in getting good grades, then your parent will automatically ask you for the present. Then you can share your MacBook dream with them. If money is not concerned, then these tricks work sleekly.
Start sharing your Mac purchasing ideas with your close relatives during your birthday month. There are 100% chances of getting Mac on your birthday via your relatives.
You can apply the same formula to your parents. Chances are there too. Lets us know among these two which method works perfectly for you.
Start sharing the limitations and problems of your windows laptop ( if you are using any ). Run 50+ Application at a time in your notebook, This makes your computer in a hang state. Now show the same to your parent and tell them to its a time to buy a new lappy of the premium brand.
Start sharing your views about the advantage of having a MacBook. This will also help you in convincing your parents.
If your parent does not get assured in one, go then never force your parents for the same. It is better to remain silent in that case.
Use the Electronic gadgets like Laptop or PSP in a limit as your parents will think that you are wasting your precious time in these kinds of stuff.
Request your parent for the MacBook on popular festivals as during these days parents are in a good mood.
LOL…Patience is the key to the Mac. Hehe…Be patient if you are demanding anything from anyone.
Always be obedient to your parent then only you can convince your parents.
This is the easiest way in which you can grab a MacBook deal. Your grandparents love you the most, and they help you in chasing your dreams.
That's all for this post on How do I convince my parents to get you a new Apple Macbook. If you are looking for more parts for Macbook then you can assist our expert engineer at MacbookProRepair.in, Hope these tactics will work for you. If you want to add any tricks to manipulate or convincing parents, then please leave it in the comment section, we will add it to the post.
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ASSUME THE POSITION 2013
Assume the Position 2013: Wide Receiver
We come to the end of the line. And we still don't really know anything.
By Patrick Vint Aug 30, 2013, 10:00am CDT
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Joe Robbins
Assume the Position is our offseason guide to the Iowa Hawkeyes football depth chart. The math is difficult, so take it from us: As time moves on, we'll know more. That's why we rank the positions from most certain to least certain.
Previously on Assume the Position 2013:
1. Tight End
2. Linebacker
3. Running Back
4. Defensive Tackle
5. Cornerback
6. Offensive line
7. Quarterback
9. Defensive End
Today: Wide Receiver
QUICK STAT: This is the first season since at least 1999 that Iowa does not have a four-star recruit on the roster at quarterback, running back, or wide receiver. HOT TAKE: That probably matters, at least a little, when we can't fill a three-wide formation without putting all three in the slot.
My biggest question coming out of ATP13 is this: Can't we sell success on the recruiting trail? Iowa put five defensive linemen in the NFL, including a first round draft pick, in 2011 and 2012, yet the depth chart is largely devoid of defensive ends, and those with the pedigree to inherit the role are still larval. Likewise, Iowa graduated -- well, kind of graduated, for one of them -- the two best wide receivers in program history in 2011 and 2012, a pair of converted high school quarterbacks who turned into legitimate pro prospects. One of them got drafted. And yet the depth chart at wide receiver is even more barren than the defensive end list. Does the coaching staff not understand how graduation works, that players eventually lose eligibility and leave? Why were we not filling the pipeline from the success of those prior players? Why were we not pitching every able-bodied four-star tight end or linebacker that he could be the next Adrian Clayborn with a redshirt and a position change? Why were we not telling three-star wide receivers that, if we could do that with McNutt and DJK, imagine what we can do with you? Does this happen?
Yeah, I have no idea.
The Hyphenated One
Kevonte Martin-Manley (#11, Junior (RS), 6'0, 205 lbs., Brother Rice HS (Pontiac, MI))
I'm going to get this out of the way right away: I love KMM. He's one of my favorite players on this team, an overlooked two-star recruit with MAC offers who has made himself one hell of a slot receiver. He had that incredible game against Pitt in 2011 (4 catches, 76 yards, 2 TD) on his way to a solid 30-catch campaign. He built on it as a sophomore on a team that had literally no passing game to speak of, catching 52 passes for 571 yards, both team highs. He's really good, far better than anyone could have imagined when he signed.
But KMM is a slot receiver. He's a mere 6'0 tall, he doesn't have blazing speed, and so he doesn't get separation from top corners with any regularity or position to muscle the cornerback out of the way. He's a route runner, a fearless pair of hands over the middle, a possession receiver. There are plenty of roles for that guy in this or any other offense, but WR#1 is generally not one of them.
Can Martin-Manley make it work? Sure, if only because he's confounded expectations before. But if the purpose of the offense is to get playmakers the ball in the best position to gain yardage, with space or blocks to help, and putting KMM on the outside defeats that purpose. Hopefully, Iowa finds a burner and a big receiver to pair on the outside, and KMM can resume his duties as a phenomenal slot receiver.
The Unknown Quantity
Tevaun Smith (#4, Sophomore, 6'2, 200 lbs., The Kent School (CT))
If he isn't the starter Saturday, it's likely only a matter of time before Tevaun Smith takes the top spot. He's young, he's athletic, and coaches like him. With a complete lack of additional information, this is as good as we can do.
Smith is originally from Ontario; we won't hold it against him. He left to attend the Kent School to generate some further interest from college programs. Iowa, UConn, and Temple took notice and made offers (Miami coach Al Golden had originally noticed him at Temple and kept an eye on him at Miami, but an offer never came). Iowa won that race, and Smith shirked off a redshirt and made three catches as a freshman.
We don't yet know how that will translate onto the field: A 16-yard catch against Northwestern and a pair of short receptions against Purdue doesn't change that. But as previously mentioned, the coaches like him, and on a roster full of young receivers, Smith looks like he belongs. Upperclassmen like Don Shumpert will likely get the first shot, but that shot won't last long.
The Speed Merchant
Damond Powell (#22, Junior, 5'11, 180 lbs., Snow C.C. (UT))
Iowa has had really fast receivers before, guys like Paul Chaney Jr. and Bashir Yamini who spent their fall playing football and their spring winning sprints. Coaches have never really known what to do with those guys -- Chaney ran an end around almost every time he entered the game; Yamini just ran fly routes -- mostly because those guys have never really had the hands to be anything more than a gimmick or decoy.
There's something a bit different about Powell. For one, he comes from a football background. Powell, who is originally from Toledo, caught 41 passes last season for an absurd 1,231 yards. That's 30 yards per catch, the top average yards per reception of any JUCO player. He had twice as many touchdown receptions as the entire Iowa roster. It's certainly true that those stats were compiled at a level significantly lower than the Big Ten, but there's no question that he can run routes, catch the ball, and make guys miss after the reception. Iowa needs all of those things.
The other big difference isn't so much about Powell as it is about Iowa's current staff. Ken O'Keefe never criticized the receiving corps for lack of speed, even when he was relying on Ramon Ochoa and Ed Hinkel to get deep. Davis (and Kennedy, now) want a different level of athleticism on the outside and, with their experience at Texas, they know how to use it. Powell's not on the depth chart right now, which only goes to show how stupid the depth chart is. He'll play, and he'll contribute.
Don Shumpert (#8, Senior, 6'3, 200 lbs., Hazelwood East HS (St. Louis, MO))
It's not often that a guy plays as a true freshman at Iowa and then never breaks through, but it's probably going to happen with Shumpert. He played on special teams as a freshman. He played early in his sophomore season, again on special teams. He won a starting job early last season and caught six passes in the first two games, but was effectively jettisoned from the depth chart after a plague of dropped passes. He didn't make another reception.
Shumpert is listed as the starting wide receiver again this year, but unless he had a hand transplant over the offseason, it feels extremely ceremonial. He would need to convince the coaches that he can catch the ball, contrary to all the evidence from earlier seasons. If he does that, there's possibly a role for him.
Jacob Hillyer (#17, Sophomore (RS), 6'4, 205 lbs., Somerset (TX) HS)
Hillyer, a consensus three-star prospect, impressed coaches as a true freshman enough that he made the travel team. When Drew Ott did this at defensive end last year, he eventually ended up in the game. Hillyer wasn't so lucky, and the redshirt stuck. He played on special teams last year, and caught one pass against Northwestern when Davis unofficially threw up his hands and played anyone with a pulse and a 4.5 40.
Hillyer has the right frame and an absurd level of high school production -- 2,700 yards and 26 touchdowns in his last two high school seasons -- that should eliminate any question of his ability as a receiver. And with Iowa so desperate to find four or five receivers that Hillyer has to enter the mix this season.
Jordan Cotton (#23, Senior (RS), 6'1, 192 lbs., Mt. Pleasant (IA) HS)
After four years lost on a modest depth chart, the light came on for Cotton as a return specialist in 2012. He managed to lead the conference in kick return average, including a 92-yard kick return touchdown against Penn State. Cotton was one of the few Hawkeyes to make the all-Big Ten team. It was a good year.
As a receiver, though, he's a work in progress running out of progression time. Cotton went three years before he finally caught a pass, then got 19 receptions last season (most memorable for the flea flicker catch against Minnesota). There are route-running issues, especially in the Davis sight read system. There is not a lot of confidence emanating from the staff, but a player can move up this depth chart quickly if the problems get resolved.
While You Wait for the Others
A.J. Jones (#88, Freshman, 6'3, 190 lbs., South Oak Cliff HS (Dallas, TX))
Andre Harris (#84, Freshman, 6'0, 170 lbs., Kirkwood (MO) HS)
Derrick Willies (#18, Freshman, 6'4, 205 lbs., Rock Island (IL) HS)
Derrick Mitchell, Jr. (#85, Freshman, 6'1, 190 lbs., Vashon HS (St. Louis, MO))
Matt VandeBerg (#89, Freshman, 6'1, 170 lbs., Brandon Valley HS (Brandon, SD))
Iowa went crazy in wide receiver recruiting this February, basically offering anyone who can run a sub-4.7 40 and catch a pass. But while Ferentz hasn't definitively said that they're all getting redshirts, his comments have fairly clearly ruled out any of these guys doing anything this year. We'll save them for later.


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Blue skinny jeans (nothing underneath, and I do admit they fit me better like this), a black t-shirt, and a colored pattern cardigan over it.
Just a dressing gown. It feels nice.
Last view: 29 days Black shorts with white stripes, with a gray shirt.
A teal dress with a dark blue buttonless cardigan over it, and black tights.
My favorite black sweater, brand new AC/DC t-shirt, and brand new blue jeans.
Jeans, T-Shirt. Just comfy clothes.
Purple and black dress (specifically this one; yes, that is me) with black leggings, black socks. And no coat, it was warm enough I didn't need one.
This post also doesn't fit the retro theme.
Hee hee, mismatching socks. I've been known to wear them in winter around the apartment, just to keep my feet warm. Like if I can't find matching ones because I've been too lazy to do the laundry.
Last view: 1801 days This sweatshirt.
And yes, it's just as awesome and comfy as it looks.
I bet that looks cute, haha. Sure looks like a good shirt too.
I'm wearing...uhm.. just shorts and socks.
Black loafers, black tights, a dark blue pleated skirt, a black shirt, and a dark blue cardigan.
Jeans, t-shirt.. again. Just a different pair.
Batman tee, shorts and socks.
This outfit was a mistake, I didn't realize how cold it would be inside the lab building... *shivers* Now I'm wearing my coat inside.
A teal T-shirt with a dark blue cardigan over it, and blue skinny jeans.
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In the past few months we've seen Samsung move away from its all-plastic style to introduce two news phones that incorporate metal into the design. Last week the company opened up pre-orders for its metal-framed Galaxy Note 4, and today the Galaxy Alpha is available to purchase in the U.S. through an exclusive deal with AT&T.
The Galaxy Alpha offers a similar design to the Note 4, with a ring of metal running around the sides of the new handset. It has a smaller 4.7-inch 720p display though, and somewhat lackluster specs compared the company's latest flagship phones. The device comes equipped with a 2.5GHz quad-core processor, a 12-megapixel camera, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a 1860mAh battery and runs Android 4.4 with Samsung's own software on top.
AT&T is selling the Galaxy Alpha for $612.99 without a contract, though you can grab the new handset for $199 with a new two-year contract, or through one of the company's Next installment plans, as well. That's an OK deal considering what you get, but if you're willing to pay an extra $100 it might be worth waiting until October when the Galaxy Note 4 starts to ship. There's nothing really wrong with the Galaxy Alpha, but we just don't think it offers nice enough hardware to be worth the flagship-level price Samsung is asking for.


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MUST READ: Lebanon Daily News Op-ed from Ann Lewis: Children's issues close to Hillary Clinton's heart
From:burns.strider@americanbridge.org To: CTRFriendsFamily@americanbridge.org Date: 2015-01-28 12:11 Subject: MUST READ: Lebanon Daily News Op-ed from Ann Lewis: Children's issues close to Hillary Clinton's heart
*Lebanon Daily News: Children's issues close to Hillary Clinton's heart <http://www.ldnews.com/opinion/ci_27405337/childrens-issues-close-hillary-clintons-heart>* By Ann F. Lewis January 27, 2015 6:24 p.m. EDT What do Hillary Clinton, former Republican Whip Tom DeLay, and the founder of Wendy's have in common? Hint: It isn't politics. This unusual coalition worked together to make a better life for children in orphanages and foster care; work that has made a real difference for tens of thousands of young people. Orphans and foster care children are not a high-powered political group in Washington. There were no lobbyists; no one demanding Clinton take this on. I was working in the White House at the time, so I got to watch up close, but otherwise I might never have known. So why did she do it? Because Clinton believed it was the right thing to do. From working at the Children's Defense Fund right after law school to her efforts to expand early learning for children today, Hillary Clinton has worked throughout her adult life — in and out of public office — to improve the lives of children. Her work on behalf of orphans and foster care children is not an exception, but an important example. As First Lady, Clinton made adoption and foster care one of her priorities. She worked across the partisan aisle, with two unlikely partners: former Republican Minority Whip Tom Delay of Texas and business leader Dave Thomas of Wendy's, a lifelong Republican. Together, they held events at the White House to raise awareness, and built support for legislation that would encourage adoptions, provide more aid for foster familie, and help foster children find permanent, safe, loving homes. The first piece of legislation was the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, which provided support and services for adoptive families and increased foster adoptions by 64 percent by 2002. The Washington Post called the law "the most significant change in federal child-protection policy in almost two decades." The second piece of legislation, the Foster Care Independence Act of 1999, was focused on children who "age out" of the foster care system when they turn 18. Too often, these children leave their foster home with only a green plastic bag of their belongings — and too little hope. The purpose of this legislation was to make the transition easier for these kids and to give them, as President Bill Clinton said, "the tools they need to make the most of their lives." Access to health-care, education, housing assistance and counseling services are just some of the tools this law provided. Clinton introduced legislation in the Senate to help interested adults learn more about adoption. She was also a member of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption and partnered with Democrats and Republicans alike to remove barriers to adoption and support the adoption of children in foster care. At the State Department, Clinton brought the issue to the world stage. She appointed the first ever special adviser on international children's issues and worked with other countries to improve foster care programs worldwide. Adoption and foster care are not likely to be an issue in any political campaign. But they're important to Hillary Clinton. That is what her life has been about: building coalitions, working with partners, doing whatever it takes to make a real difference on issues that make a real difference in people's lives — beginning with the very youngest among us. That's the Hillary Clinton I know. *Lewis served as White House director of communications from 1997-2000.*


Yet hours later, Trump did attack Syria ― without consulting Congress. The United States, joined by France and Britain,launched strikesagainst Syrian research, storage and military targets.
In recent days, Trump tweeted about potentially launching missile strikes on the Syrian government in response to President Bashar al-Assad's latest suspected use of chemical weaponson his own people.
As the House lawmakers pointed out, Trumpmay not have the constitutional authorityto unilaterally bomb Syria without their sign off.
Trump can't make that argument for launching missile strikes on Syrian government targets, even if House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)says it's fine if he does.
But as lawyers at the nonpartisan Protect Democracy note, U.S. military action in Syria is unlikely to be limited to a single engagement. Instead, they say, it is likely to lead to larger and ongoing conflicts, which sounds a lot more like the beginnings of war than a surgical attack. Hence the growing concerns among lawmakers about Trump's next step. Trump received plenty of support from members of his own party Friday night after he announced the attacks. But some were unhappy at not being consulted.
These offensive strikes against Syria are unconstitutional, illegal, and reckless. The next speaker of the House must reclaim congressional war powers as prescribed in Article I of the Constitution.@SpeakerRyanhas completely abdicated one of his most important responsibilities.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said one night of U.S. airstrikes would not be "a substitute for a clear, comprehensive Syria strategy" and said Trump must go to Congress to receive congressional authorization "by proposing a comprehensive strategy with clear objectives that keep our military safe and avoid collateral damage to innocent civilians." A White House spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment on the letter. Amanda Terkel contributed reporting. Clarification: The letter from the 88 members of Congress misidentifies at least two lawmakers' state and/or party affiliations. It listed Rep. Kurt Schrader as a Republican from Washington state. In fact, he is a Democrat from Oregon.


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Iford Honored with Prestigious 2013 TIPA Photo Award
Marly, Switzerland - ILFORD, the leading developer and manufacturer of professional quality media for both inkjet printing and colour photographic processes, today announced that its GALERIE Prestige Gold Mono Silk has been awarded the 2013 TIPA award for Best Inkjet Photo Paper. Designed specifically for printing fine art monochrome images, TIPA (Technical Image Press Association) praised the new Gold Mono Silk for bringing out a rich, vibrant tonal range and transition in black and white prints.
Enabling photographers to achieve inkjet prints reminiscent of those they developed in the traditional darkroom era, the acid and lignin-free fibre-based paper simulates the qualities of traditional silver halide black and white photographic paper. By focusing on all of the elements needed to create the perfect monochrome image, ILFORD have designed Gold Mono Silk with exceptional Dmax and Dmin values to create a product that offers seamless contrast and transition between shadow and highlight areas.
"Winning a TIPA Award for our inkjet photo papers for the second consecutive year is a true honour for ILFORD," said Paul Willems, CEO of ILFORD. "TIPA Awards are the most globally sought-after and admired recognition for photo products, and a clear distinction that further demonstrates our commitment to offering the very best in professional inkjet media."
He adds, "This latest award is also a real compliment for our technical and R&D teams as it reaffirms not only our industry-leading capabilities to design, develop and bring to market relevant products, but also that we are investing the time to listen to and understand the needs of photographers."
Gold Mono Silk has already picked up a Photokina Star Award on its debut in Germany and more recently a Digital Camera Grand Prix Gold Award from Japan. The product was launched alongside four new ILFORD fine art inkjet papers in a growing top-of-the-line range of award-winning GALERIE Prestige media which includes Gold Cotton Smooth 330gsm, Gold Cotton Textured 330gsm, Fine Art Smooth 220gsm and Fine Art Textured 220gsm. Since its release, ILFORD has continued to expand its professional offerings with the introduction of Canvas Natural 340gsm in early 2013, as well as its global brand presence with the recent acquisition of TECCO GmbH.
Gold Mono Silk 270gsm is fully compatible with both pigment and dye-based printers and is available in various sheet and roll dimensions.


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Q: jQuery autocomplete add Select All option I am using jQuery autocomplete, and its working great.
I would like to add an option "select all" to select all the result showed, Please check my code below :

$( "#prd" )
      .on( "keydown", function( event ) {
        if ( event.keyCode === $.ui.keyCode.TAB &&
            $( this ).autocomplete( "instance" ).menu.active ) {
          event.preventDefault();
        }
      })
      .autocomplete({
        source: function( request, response ) {
          $.getJSON( "php/productsList.php", {
            term: extractLast( request.term )
          }, response );
        },
        search: function() {
          // custom minLength
          var term = extractLast( this.value );
          if ( term.length < 2 ) {
            return false;
          }
        },
        focus: function() {
          // prevent value inserted on focus
          //return false;
            $(this).find('#prd').select(); $(this).select();
        },
        select: function( event, ui ) {
          var terms = split( this.value );
          // remove the current input
          terms.pop();
          // add the selected item
          terms.push( ui.item.value );
          // add placeholder to get the comma-and-space at the end
          terms.push( "" );
          this.value = terms.join( ", " );
          return false;
        },
        close : function (event, ui) {
            if (!$("ul.ui-autocomplete").is(":visible")) {
                $("ul.ui-autocomplete").show();
            }
        }
      });

Thanks in advance for your help.


Silbury Hill – one of the most mysterious and striking monument in Britain – was a prehistoric 'cathedral', built layer by layer over 100 years, a new study suggests.
The 4,000 year old earth mound, which towers over the Wiltshire countryside, was the tallest man-made structure in Europe until the Middle Ages.
It was suggests that the 120 ft high hill was not built to a grand blueprint, but was assembled by at least three generations of Bronze Age Britons between 2400 and 2300 BC.
A study of soil, rocks, gravel and tools inside the hill show that it went through 15 distinct stages of development.
Of all the historical landmarks spread throughout the British Isles Silbury Hill is one of the most remarkable.
Why Silbury Hill pyramid was choose for this moment?