text:
Academic Cambridge English Education Dictionary
We are committed to reducing our energy-related emissions to zero carbon globally by 2048, with a 70% reduction by 2030.
We are one of the world's leading publishers on climate science and sustainability. We play a global role in education and research, with our publishing helping to inform and shape the debate around some of the world's most pressing challenges.
"We are keenly aware that, as a global publisher of education and research, we help to inform and shape debate around climate change and sustainability. That, really, has been the impetus behind our goal to make the Press a carbon neutral business, and it's a goal that our colleagues have wholeheartedly embraced."
Helen Griggs, Global Director for Environment, Procurement and Supply
From removing plastic cutlery in our canteens to planting a sedum roof, this is a journey made up of multiple initiatives looking at every aspect of what we do. Small details, and engineering feats, they all add up. Some of the highlights so far include: installing one of the UK's largest solar roof installations, removing plastic from our staff restaurants, and being awarded the highest rating of 3 Trees from the World Wildlife Fund for sustainable timber procurement.
New photovoltaic panels on the roof of our Cambridge head office.
With our focus on on climate change and sustainability in our publishing, we naturally decided to set science-based targets. "This means looking at all the data and being honest about the figures, even though some will be hard to find and harder to change", says Helen Griggs.
We are measuring ourselves against the three scopes of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Scope 1 covers direct emissions from activities under our control, such as our offices. Scope 2 is indirect emissions from the electricity we buy. On these two we are on track for a 70 per cent global reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, with zero by 2048, but aiming for 2038, in line with the University of Cambridge.
Scope 3 is harder because it covers emissions from third parties and beyond our immediate control, such as procurement and distribution. But we have set our sights on being carbon zero globally by 2048.
What's happened so far in Cambridge?
In 2017–18 we planted a sedum roof on the University Printing House to filter CO2 and pollutants and encourage biodiversity
In 2019 we installed one of the UK's largest flat roof solar installations. This reduces our carbon footprint in the UK by 20 per cent, and will be able to meet up to five per cent of our power needs. This and other initiatives mean that all our electricity now comes from renewable sources.
We have switched to waste contractors who do not use landfill sites; waste is instead processed using recycling, incinerating and anaerobic digestion methods
Plastic food packaging and cutlery has been removed from our on-site restaurants, and staff fill up their own cups from our water coolers
We are reducing the number of fleet cars and average miles travelled, and have added more electric car charging points. We now have a car sharing scheme and a bicycle pool
Cardboard binders have replaced plastic, and we use pens made from recycled bottles
In 2020 we won the Independent Publishers' Guild Sustainability Award
This is just the start. We operate in more than 50 countries and are working with colleagues worldwide to cut their carbon footprints too. Six working groups of colleagues from around the business are looking at travel, energy, food, product and paper, resources and waste, and freight and supply chain. Their passion is helping to drive this journey forward.
IPG Sustainability Award winners 2020
In 2020 we won the Independent Publishers' Guild Sustainability Award, which recognised the concrete actions we have taken to make our operations more sustainable, the powerful combination of our publishing on climate change and sustainability, and the energy and enthusiasm of our colleagues.
Cambridge Zero
"Climate change is a challenge that affects us all and by highlighting the work everyone, as individuals and as part of a community, is doing to address it – no matter how small or big the contribution – it all adds up."
Dr Antoinette Nestor, Engagement Manager of Cambridge Zero
Cambridge Zero is a bold new climate change initiative from the University of Cambridge, which has committed to harnessing its research and policy expertise to accelerate progress towards a zero-carbon world.
Together we hosted the first Cambridge Zero Climate Festival in November 2020, bringing together expert presentations and panels to share exciting research and initiatives that are really making a difference. The free virtual event took place on our Cambridge Open Engage platform.
Cambridge University Press will continue to be a key partner to Cambridge Zero as their work continues.
We are committed to sourcing all our paper from sustainable sources
As a publisher reliant on sourcing paper and board we have a moral obligation to use only legal and sustainable sources, which is tough as it's not in our direct control. But we can use our international buying power to encourage suppliers to review their own practices. And we evaluate their environmental credentials as part of our tendering process.
To help us, we work with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of World Fauna and Flora (CITES).
75 per cent of books and journals only contain paper and board that is either FSC or PEFC certified. For the remaining 25 per cent, we only buy paper and board from sources rated by the Publisher's Database for Responsible Environmental Paper Sourcing (PREPS).
In 2019 we gained the top Timber Scorecard rating from World Wildlife Fund, a prestigious 3 Trees Award recognising our work to ensure sustainable timber sourcing.
"We went from a 0 Tree score in 2015 to 3 Trees in 2019. It's fantastic for all the colleagues and suppliers involved to see their effort acknowledged." Helen Griggs, Global Director for Environment, Procurement and Supply
View our Sustainable Procurement Policy (PDF)
Our publishing
Many of our authors are at the forefront of climate science, and our publishing ranges from scientific research through to general books from some of the world's highest profile climate activists.
Some of our key environmental titles include:
The Citizen's Guide to Climate Success: Overcoming Myths that Hinder Progress, by Mark Jaccard.
Named one of the best books of 2020 for environment in the Financial Times.
There is No Planet B, Mike Berners-Lee
'Mike doesn't preach, instead he shares his insights with warmth and wit, and his book could not be more timely.' David Shukman, BBC Science Editor
An Open Access journal dedicated to supporting the rapidly expanding area of global sustainability research. It publishes interdisciplinary research, reviews and commentaries that explore human social and economic pressure on the Earth and solutions that will allow us to transform our societies and to live and develop sustainably.
You can view a full list of our environment publishing on Cambridge Core.
Environment publishing highlights
Cambridge Bibles
Cambridge Partnership for Education


text:
Revisiting the 1942-1945 United Nations
June 17, 2015 June 9, 2015 by Thomas G. Weiss
Edward Stettinius, right, United States secretary of state and chairman of the US delegation, with Nelson Rockefeller, US assistant secretary of state, at the San Francisco Conference, held in 1945, creating the UN Charter. UN PHOTO
The 70th anniversary of the signing and entry into force of the United Nations Charter should draw attention to the 1942-45 United Nations Alliance that gave rise to the world body and the underpinnings of contemporary global governance. While anniversaries are in some ways an artificial "hook," they are nonetheless a way not to forget. Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I and the 75th of the outbreak of World War II, and this year the 200th anniversary of the end of the Napoleonic Wars.
These armed conflicts led to experiments in international organization after rampant nationalism and going-it-alone were exposed as vacuous for planning subsequent peace and prosperity. The irony, of course, is that today's growing list of intractable problems, ranging from climate change and migration to pandemics and terrorism, goes well beyond the power of states acting alone. And yet, in Europe the supranational experiment with the European Union seems under attack from many sides; and except for these hallowed halls here on First Avenue in New York, the UN is an afterthought if a thought at all.
What remains unchanged after seven decades is that the policy authority and resources necessary for tackling such problems remain vested in individual states rather than collectively in intergovernmental organizations. The fundamental disconnect between a growing number of global challenges and the current inadequate structures for international problem-solving and decision-making helps explain occasional, tactical and short-term local views and responses instead of sustained, strategic and longer-run global perspectives and actions.
So why go back to the period of 1942 to 1945? Because, to put it quite simply, the rediscovery of the wartime UN contradicts the conventional wisdom that liberalism was abandoned to confront the Nazis and Imperial Japan; it asserts that Kantian ideals were essential to the Hobbesian objective of state survival. The attendant historiographical question is why the wartime UN has disappeared from academic and policy consciousness.
When governments decide to use intergovernmental organizations, they work. The wartime actions of the UN's founders suggest that contemporary global governance is a second-best surrogate for more robust multilateralism. If global problems require global solutions, they also require strengthened intergovernmental organizations, especially those of the UN system.
This proposition belies an infatuation with problem-solving by anything other than such institutions. A decade ago, Anne-Marie Slaughter, in "A New World Order," viewed networks of various types rather than actual organizations as the key variable in problem-solving. More recently, Dan Drezner in a Foreign Policy blog and Stewart Patrick in Foreign Affairs have proposed living with the sum of alternative arrangements and dismissed the universal-membership UN as hopeless and hapless. Apparently, we can only aspire to a variegated institutional sprawl — or what both Drezner and Patrick dubbed "good-enough global governance."
Alas, that is not and will not be adequate without a revitalized UN as an integral component of international society. Skepticism about UN capacity is justified, of course, but we are kidding ourselves about the potential of what the UNDP's 2013 Human Development Report hopes somehow will amount to "coherent pluralism."
Political leaders and civil society actors struggling amid World War II thought otherwise. The Declaration by the United Nations in January 1942 and the Atlantic Charter of August 1941 committed the Allies to multilateralism not only to fight fascism in the short term but also over the longer term to maintain international peace and security and to foster postwar economic and social stability.
Despite the failed League of Nations, neither governments nor analysts considered a return to the world of 1913 a viable option. If that had been the case, Allied governments might have insisted on Spartan educational methods to prepare their populations for the next war; or reciprocal mass atrocities perpetrated against the Germans; or bombing Moscow as an encore to Nagasaki. Something fundamental had changed.
That no such retribution occurred should be puzzling; to win and yet not to seek revenge and to plant the seeds for the next war was not an approach much in evidence in history, save in limited form after 1815. The post-World War II peace was not supposed to reflect a Metternich-like management of nationalisms, however, but cooperation among friends and rivals.
Identifying the conditions under which multilateralism's appeal from 1942 to 1945 overcame the recalcitrance of states to collaborate results in two queries: Must the next generation of multilateral organizations arise as a result of unnecessary and unspeakable tragedies — as the UN did from the ashes of World War II or the Congress of Vienna from the Napoleonic Wars? Or could stronger institutions result from learning lessons about how best to address felt needs that clearly do not respect borders?
The 1940s should give us the courage to formulate more ambitious visions about improving future world orders. In the second half of the second decade of the 21st century, addressing transboundary and collective-action problems requires refurbishing or creating more muscular intergovernmental organizations with wider scope, more resources and additional democratic authority.
Too much current scholarly and diplomatic energy is devoted to elucidating the global sprawl of networks and informal institutions, and too little is given to the requirements for strengthened intergovernmental organizations, most especially the UN. The contrast is stark between good-enough global governance and the approach and operations of the wartime UN — namely a misplaced enthusiasm for ad hoc pluralism rather than for systematic multilateralism. There are many potential and valuable partners in today's variable architecture of global governance, but their limitations should be obvious as well.
Without more robust multilateralism, especially in the form of universal organizations like those launched during and after World War II, states and their citizens will not reap the benefits of trade and globalization, discover nonviolent ways to meet security challenges or alleviate poverty and environmental degradation.
This essay contains excerpts from an address given on June 8, 2015, to the UN Summer Academy at UN headquarters and draws on a new book edited by Dan Plesch and Thomas G. Weiss, titled "Wartime Origins and the Future United Nations" (London: Routledge, 2015).
Don't Miss a Story: Subscribe to PassBlue
The Clamor to Remake the UN Misunderstands Its History by Stephen Schlesinger November 3, 2015
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The Quest for Peace and Calm in the Pacific by Jayantha Dhanapala January 17, 2013
The UN Environment Program, Influential but Lacking Power by Helmut Volger February 5, 2015
Categories WORLDVIEWS Tags "Wartime Origins and the Future United Nations", 2013 Human Development Report, Anne-Marie Slaughter, Atlantic Charter, Dan Drezner, Dan Plesch, Declaration of the United Nations, European Union, intergovernmental organizations, League of Nations, multilateralism, Stewart Patrick, UN 1942-1945, UN Charter, UN Summer Academy Post navigation
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by Thomas G. Weiss, PassBlue

Revisiting the 1942-1945 United Nations

by Thomas G. Weiss, PassBlue
June 9, 2015

The 70th anniversary of the signing and entry into force of the United Nations Charter should draw attention to the 1942-45 United Nations Alliance that gave rise to the world body and the underpinnings of contemporary global governance. While anniversaries are in some ways an artificial "hook," they are nonetheless a way not to forget. Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I and the 75th of the outbreak of World War II, and this year the 200th anniversary of the end of the Napoleonic Wars.

These armed conflicts led to experiments in international organization after rampant nationalism and going-it-alone were exposed as vacuous for planning subsequent peace and prosperity. The irony, of course, is that today's growing list of intractable problems, ranging from climate change and migration to pandemics and terrorism, goes well beyond the power of states acting alone. And yet, in Europe the supranational experiment with the European Union seems under attack from many sides; and except for these hallowed halls here on First Avenue in New York, the UN is an afterthought if a thought at all.

What remains unchanged after seven decades is that the policy authority and resources necessary for tackling such problems remain vested in individual states rather than collectively in intergovernmental organizations. The fundamental disconnect between a growing number of global challenges and the current inadequate structures for international problem-solving and decision-making helps explain occasional, tactical and short-term local views and responses instead of sustained, strategic and longer-run global perspectives and actions.

So why go back to the period of 1942 to 1945? Because, to put it quite simply, the rediscovery of the wartime UN contradicts the conventional wisdom that liberalism was abandoned to confront the Nazis and Imperial Japan; it asserts that Kantian ideals were essential to the Hobbesian objective of state survival. The attendant historiographical question is why the wartime UN has disappeared from academic and policy consciousness.

When governments decide to use intergovernmental organizations, they work. The wartime actions of the UN's founders suggest that contemporary global governance is a second-best surrogate for more robust multilateralism. If global problems require global solutions, they also require strengthened intergovernmental organizations, especially those of the UN system.

This proposition belies an infatuation with problem-solving by anything other than such institutions. A decade ago, Anne-Marie Slaughter, in "A New World Order," viewed networks of various types rather than actual organizations as the key variable in problem-solving. More recently, Dan Drezner in a Foreign Policy blog and Stewart Patrick in Foreign Affairs have proposed living with the sum of alternative arrangements and dismissed the universal-membership UN as hopeless and hapless. Apparently, we can only aspire to a variegated institutional sprawl -- or what both Drezner and Patrick dubbed "good-enough global governance."

Alas, that is not and will not be adequate without a revitalized UN as an integral component of international society. Skepticism about UN capacity is justified, of course, but we are kidding ourselves about the potential of what the UNDP's 2013 Human Development Report hopes somehow will amount to "coherent pluralism."

Political leaders and civil society actors struggling amid World War II thought otherwise. The Declaration by the United Nations in January 1942 and the Atlantic Charter of August 1941 committed the Allies to multilateralism not only to fight fascism in the short term but also over the longer term to maintain international peace and security and to foster postwar economic and social stability.

Despite the failed League of Nations, neither governments nor analysts considered a return to the world of 1913 a viable option. If that had been the case, Allied governments might have insisted on Spartan educational methods to prepare their populations for the next war; or reciprocal mass atrocities perpetrated against the Germans; or bombing Moscow as an encore to Nagasaki. Something fundamental had changed.

That no such retribution occurred should be puzzling; to win and yet not to seek revenge and to plant the seeds for the next war was not an approach much in evidence in history, save in limited form after 1815. The post-World War II peace was not supposed to reflect a Metternich-like management of nationalisms, however, but cooperation among friends and rivals.

Identifying the conditions under which multilateralism's appeal from 1942 to 1945 overcame the recalcitrance of states to collaborate results in two queries: Must the next generation of multilateral organizations arise as a result of unnecessary and unspeakable tragedies -- as the UN did from the ashes of World War II or the Congress of Vienna from the Napoleonic Wars? Or could stronger institutions result from learning lessons about how best to address felt needs that clearly do not respect borders?

The 1940s should give us the courage to formulate more ambitious visions about improving future world orders. In the second half of the second decade of the 21st century, addressing transboundary and collective-action problems requires refurbishing or creating more muscular intergovernmental organizations with wider scope, more resources and additional democratic authority.

Too much current scholarly and diplomatic energy is devoted to elucidating the global sprawl of networks and informal institutions, and too little is given to the requirements for strengthened intergovernmental organizations, most especially the UN. The contrast is stark between good-enough global governance and the approach and operations of the wartime UN -- namely a misplaced enthusiasm for ad hoc pluralism rather than for systematic multilateralism. There are many potential and valuable partners in today's variable architecture of global governance, but their limitations should be obvious as well.

Without more robust multilateralism, especially in the form of universal organizations like those launched during and after World War II, states and their citizens will not reap the benefits of trade and globalization, discover nonviolent ways to meet security challenges or alleviate poverty and environmental degradation.

This essay contains excerpts from an address given on June 8, 2015, to the UN Summer Academy at UN headquarters and draws on a new book edited by Dan Plesch and Thomas G. Weiss, titled "Wartime Origins and the Future United Nations" (London: Routledge, 2015).

This article first appeared on PassBlue and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Group pandas dataFrame by a user defined span of months What is the best approach to group data into winter seasons starting from Oktober to April ? With the evenly distributed frequencies of TimeGrouper I don't get it to output the seasonal sum of wintermonths from seasons 1972/1973, 1973/1974 etc... Maybe a trivial thing, but I don't know how to do this without starting to write a overkill solution.
                 sd_x       sd_y
1972-10-31   0.000000   0.709677
1972-11-30   1.720838   4.366667
1972-12-31  15.893438   5.600000
1973-01-31   6.256230   6.548387
1973-02-28   0.653714  53.142857
1973-03-31   0.000000  70.354839
1973-04-30   0.000000  11.700000
1973-10-31   0.000000   0.096774
1973-11-30   0.000000   4.266667
1973-12-31   0.394652  53.419355
1974-01-31   4.540915  46.645161
1974-02-28   2.978056  35.571429
1974-03-31   0.000000   4.967742
1974-04-30   0.000000   0.000000
1974-10-31   0.000000   0.064516
1974-11-30   0.000000   1.000000
1974-12-31   5.585954  20.096774
1975-01-31  50.498147  24.580645
1975-02-28  35.906097  22.000000
1975-03-31   0.457109   5.483871
1975-04-30   0.000000   0.433333

A: Use pd.offsets.MonthBegin to shift the months back by 4
shifted_months = df.index - pd.offsets.MonthBegin(5)
shifted_months

DatetimeIndex(['1972-06-01', '1972-07-01', '1972-08-01', '1972-09-01',
               '1972-10-01', '1972-11-01', '1972-12-01', '1973-06-01',
               '1973-07-01', '1973-08-01', '1973-09-01', '1973-10-01',
               '1973-11-01', '1973-12-01', '1974-06-01', '1974-07-01',
               '1974-08-01', '1974-09-01', '1974-10-01', '1974-11-01',
               '1974-12-01'],
              dtype='datetime64[ns]', freq=None)

We can then use the .year attribute to groupby and sum
df.groupby(shifted_months.year).sum()

           sd_x        sd_y
1972  24.524220  152.422427
1973   7.913623  144.967128
1974  92.447307   73.659139

We can pretty up the indices with
df.groupby(shifted_months.year).sum().rename(lambda x: '{}/{}'.format(x, x + 1))

                sd_x        sd_y
1972/1973  24.524220  152.422427
1973/1974   7.913623  144.967128
1974/1975  92.447307   73.659139

A: In [94]: df.groupby((df.index - pd.DateOffset(months=4)).year).sum()
Out[94]:
           sd_x        sd_y
1972  24.524220  152.422427
1973   7.913623  144.967128
1974  92.447307   73.659139

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
IMF sees growth of Brazil's GDP of 1.2% in 2023 and 1.5% in 2024
The Civil Guard investigates the disappearance of two men and the death of a third after meeting a commission agent in Manzanares
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Saudi Arabia launches a "traffic visa for visitation" for those arriving by air… electronically
Home » Former Twitter employees file class action gender discrimination lawsuit
Former Twitter employees file class action gender discrimination lawsuit
December 8, 2022 No Comments Tech
Elon Musk has yet another class action lawsuit to contend with over his handling of mass layoffs at Twitter. The latest comes from two former employees who allege "women were significantly affected more than men" in the November layoffs that cut nearly half its workforce.
According to the lawsuit, a total of 57% of women employees were laid off, compared with just 47 percent of men. It goes on to note that the disparity can't be explained "based upon a justification that Musk intended to retain more employees in engineering-related roles" because women engineers were also cut at a higher rate than their male counterparts.
It states that "63% of females in engineering-related roles were laid off on November 4, 2022, while 48% of male employees in engineering-related [roles] were laid off." For non-engineering roles, there was also a "great disparity" between men and women who lost jobs, with 51% of women and 42% of men affected by the cuts.
The lawsuit also cites numerous tweets from Musk that show his "discriminatory animus against women," and claims that his requirements for employees to work up to 12-hour days as part of an "extremely hardcore" Twitter 2.0 is also has a "a disproportionate impact on women, who are more often caregivers for children and other family members, and thus not able to comply with such demands."
The lawsuit is at least the fourth class action suit brought against the company following mass layoffs in November. Former employees and contractors are also suing the company over violations of the US Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, which stipulates companies with more than 100 employees must provide at least 60 days notice ahead of mass job cuts. Another former employee has brought a suit against the company, alleging that Musk's demand forcing all workers back to the office discriminates against people with disabilities.
Elsewhere, Musk is also facing an investigation from San Francisco city officials in the wake of reports that Twitter has set up hotel-like bedrooms inside of its offices for employees.
Source: Engadget
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text:
Q: adding buttons to ui navigation controller bottom bar I am able to unhide the navigation controller bottom bar by using the following code
[self.navigationController setToolbarHidden:NO];

But now I want to change the color of the bottom bar and also add buttons to that bottom bar. Can any one please help me how to do that is there any delegate methods for that?

A: In the viewDidLoad method of each view controller that you are displaying within the navigation controller, add code such as the following:
//set up the toolbar
[self.navigationController setToolbarHidden:NO];
[self.navigationController.toolbar setBarStyle:UIBarStyleBlackOpaque];  //for example

//set the toolbar buttons
 [self setToolbarItems:[NSArray arrayWithObjects:button1, button2, nil]];

In this case, button1 and button2 are IBOutlet properties of the view controller, with the actual buttons defined as UIBarButtonItem within IB (but not part of the view hierarchy within IB).
Alternatively you can use code to create the buttons - like this:
UIBarButtonItem* button1 = [[[UIBarButtonItem alloc] initWithTitle:@"Button Text" style:UIBarButtonItemStyleBordered target:self action:@selector(myAction)] autorelease];


text:
Matt Jancer
The Best Sunrise Alarms to Help You Rise and Shine
Here comes the sun! Get back to a good night's rest with these artificial sun simulators and you'll never have a hard day's night.
Why You'd Want a Sunrise Alarm
Easier Mornings
Homelabs Sunrise Alarm Clock
$50 $30 at Homelabs
A Nice Upgrade
Philips SmartSleep Wake-Up Light (HF3520)
Most Intuitive Design
Casper Glow Light
Sleep should be relaxing, but it's often stressful. Your mind might race as you lay in bed, and waking up is usually an explosion of sound from an alarm clock. Give up the dramatic routines and get yourself a sunrise alarm clock to ease yourself in and out of slumber. There's a better way to fall asleep and wake up than by flicking out the lights at night or drawing open the curtains in the morning as if you're opening the Ark of the Covenant right in your own face. And if you're like most of us, you need more sleep.
Sunrise alarms simulate gradual sunsets at night and gradual sunrises in the morning to help you fall asleep and wake up more naturally by tricking your biological hardware. I've tested the best sunrise alarm clocks—and a few of the worst. These are my favorites.
Check out our many other sleep-related buying guides, such as the Best Mattresses, the Best Weighted Blankets, and the Best Sound Machines, all of which could help you get a better night's sleep.
Updated August 2022: We've added the Amazon Echo Glow. We've also adjusted pricing and availability, as many sunrise alarm prices have actually dropped in recent months.
Photograph: Getty Images
Your body is built to wake naturally with the sunrise and feel sleepy as it sets. The sun rises at a deeply orange 2,000 kelvin and transitions to a rich, golden 3,500 K on its way to a bluer midday sun around 5,500 K. Sunsets do the reverse.
My apartment was the perfect lab for testing these alarms. In my bedroom, I hang blackout curtains because I live on a busy city street that's somehow brighter at night than during the day. I'm a heavy sleeper who doesn't have a problem waking up, but that doesn't mean I enjoy it. Every morning I lurch out of bed like a crash-test dummy flying through an invisible windshield and run for coffee. When I woke up with (most of) these sunrise alarms, I had an easier transition into consciousness.
If you don't have access to a window in your bedroom, or maybe you use blackout curtains like me, a sunrise alarm could make your mornings or nights a little easier.
Yanking it out of the box, the build quality of this thing smacked me right upside the head. A solid metal stand and touch-sensitive buttons for $40!? Hell yes. It's simple to use, and the light on the sunset setting was warm and relaxing. The artificial sunrise was enough to rouse me out of bed, but it wasn't too bright. There are nature sounds, like birds and ocean waves, to help you wake up too.
It did a good job of casting enough light when it was the only lamp in my otherwise dark bedroom, but it's a bit on the small side, and because of its headlamp-like shape it shines most in a particular direction. The light is also not as diffused as the higher-end alarms on this list—certainly enough to read by before bed, but not quite as able to bathe the whole room in light. It's still plenty bright to help wake you up, though.
You can dim or turn off the LED display. For people like me, who have always hated seeing glowing numbers in an otherwise dark room, the latter is a great option. I'll never understand why more alarms don't offer it. It's a steal at $40, especially with the extras like multicolor mood lighting, access to an FM radio, and a center Snooze button that's easy to hit.
$45 $25 at Walmart
Photograph: Philips
Why is this so heavy? And big? Those were my first thoughts when I took Philips' alarm out of the box. It reminded me of my college job at a hot rod shop, lugging around headlights from old 1950s Mercurys and Chevys. That's a good thing. The Philips HF3520 oozes build quality and is easily the nicest alarm in this guide. It has the usual features, such as an audible alarm, five natural wake-up sounds, and an FM radio.
The lens is convex, and some light shines through the back of the casing, so it casts light in more directions than other headlight-shaped sunrise clocks I reviewed, like the Homelabs and Totobay. Light is beautifully diffused, which keeps the rays from being blinding—that's especially nice in a dark room when your pupils are enlarged and particularly susceptible to harsh light. The more upscale Philips SmartSleep model (below) barely beats it out in the quality of light, but the HF3520 has the second-nicest light quality in this roundup. The clock display and touch controls are a cut above the cheaper alarms.
This would be my top pick if it wasn't so expensive; It's five times the price of the Homelabs, but it's not five times the alarm. Perhaps it's worth it if you have a particularly large bedroom and want the extra light for reading as you settle into bed. It is nicer to look at, though.
Photograph: LANDON SPEERS/Casper
You've got to hand it to Casper for intuitive design. To start the sunset program before bed, just flip the alarm over. There's a button on top to pause and unpause it, and when it's sitting on the charging pad, just turn it to adjust the brightness. Everything else, like setting wake-up schedules and adjusting the length of the sunsets and sunrises in 15-minute increments (up to 90 minutes), is controlled through the app.
It has only one shade of light, and while you can adjust the brightness, you can't make it warmer (yellower) or cooler (bluer). But it's a gorgeously warm yellow light. You can pair several together, and they'll sync so you can have one in the living room and another in the bedroom, which will ease your whole apartment into a sunset as you near bedtime. Or just have two on both nightstands. They recharge on a pad the size of a coaster.
Of all the sunrise alarms I tested, this was the best at evenly lighting up a dark room. It's also the only wireless model I tested, so I could start a sunset in the living room and bring it with me into the bedroom later. But it's $130 and doesn't have a clock, a radio, or an audible wake-up buzzer. If you ban your phone from your nightstand every night and need an alarm that can be programmed to scream at you precisely at 6:30 am, you'll need a different sunrise alarm.
$129 at Target
$129 at Casper
The Super-Premium Pick
Philips SmartSleep Connected Sleep and Wake-Up Light Therapy Lamp
After testing some of the more affordable options on this list, I was ready to say I couldn't recommend a $270 alarm clock. But the SmartSleep, formerly known as the Somneo, nailed the basics of what a sunrise alarm should be, then piled on a bunch of customizable features you won't find on other devices. First off, the light spreads over the walls like warm butter. It's somewhat directional, but the hole in the middle and convex shape casts light at wider angles than other directional alarms. The light quality is slightly ahead of the other premium alarms on this list, and you can select from four light profiles.
Setting it up was simple. As soon as I plugged it in, the alarm lit up with directions to download the Philips app on my phone. You can control it through the touch-sensitive controls on the alarm's face, but the best way to operate all its features is through the app, (Don't bother with the non-Wi-Fi model.) You can even follow a guided breathing exercise through the light to relax before bed, and the wake-up sounds aren't gimmicky—I loved waking up to the gentle chirping of birds. Still, it's $200. That's some expensive sleep.
Photograph: Bed Bath & Beyond
Best for Sounds
iHome Zenergy
The Zenergy has the most relaxing sounds before bed and when waking up in the morning. There are 16(!) of them. Some sounds, like those they call Heartbeat and Trance, remind me of science fiction films like Event Horizon, but most of them are more natural and offer a very calming effect. Storm, Chimes, and River are my favorites. There's also a guided breathing exercise where a voice instructs you when to take in breaths, hold them, and release them over a soothing track in the background, and it gets me in the mood for bed every time. The see-through cloth cover allows the digital clock and menu items to shine through while hiding unlit display settings that aren't in use. A premium touch.
Color patterns such as Aurora (a rainbow effect) and Pulse (a colored checkerboard pattern) are fun, but they don't keep me relaxed or wake me up. The Zenergy doesn't light up the room nearly as much as the other alarms, so I wouldn't use it to wind down while reading in bed the way I used the others. It was more like a night light I'd set before climbing into bed and letting it lull me to sleep as it gradually lowered its light.
$70 at Bed Bath & Beyond
Custom Routine With Philips Hue
Using Smart Bulbs
Smart bulbs are one of the best aspects of the smart home concept today. With the right bulbs and a bit of tinkering, you can set up sunrise and sunset routines using your existing lamps and overhead lights. There are lots of good smart bulbs. I used Philips Hue for this article.
You'll need a Hue Smart Hub ($53) to control your smart bulbs away from home, and also Hue bulbs that fit your light fixtures. The 60W-equivalent A19 ($24) is the most common bulb for a typical lamp. Make sure you buy the White Ambiance or Color model (not the base White) so that you can change the color temperature (measure of whiteness to yellowness).
You can set "At Sunrise" and "At Sunset" routines through the Hue app, and choose from custom scenes to vary the light quality as the lights fade in or out gradually at your preferred time. With a color temperature of 2,200 to 6,500 K, Hue bulbs give a wide range of light, from Super Walmart–white to melted-butter yellow. The downside is that if you don't already have light fixtures in your bedroom, it's an expensive way to build a sunrise-and-sunset system. And unlike many sunrise alarms, you won't get sleep sounds.
More Sunrise Alarms
Decent Alternatives
Lumie's Bodyclock Active 250 ($140) looks and feels like something designed more than a decade ago because it was designed more than a decade ago. Operating it is a pain. Even with the manual in front of me, working the various controls was a headache. Yet it fills up a dark room better than the more directional lamps, although the large vents on the back of the lens cast a peacock pattern of light on the walls. It does a good job of diffusing the light, and it has the usual list of features—a loud alarm, a dimmable clock, a Snooze button, and buttons to adjust brightness and the duration of sunsets and sunrises. The Lumie isn't bad, just expensive for what you get in a market full of newer designs.
Hatch's Restore ($130) combines a sunrise alarm with a sound machine for soothing sounds as you fall asleep. Product reviewer Medea Giordano says that although you have to use the app to use both features, it's fairly easy. Just tap the top of the machine to start your bedtime routine. After one free month of the Hatch Sleep Membership, you have to pay $99 per year for the full library of sounds, stories, and meditations, which makes it an expensive buy.
Avoid These
Bad Sunrise Alarms
The La Crosse Soluna C80994's sunset feature is sorely lacking. It's a bomb-pop gradient of orange, pink, red, and blue that you can't change to a more uniform color, and it throws a mostly pink light around the room. It lasts for 30 minutes, and you can't change the timer length. It's also the dimmest sunset light of any alarm I've tested. Even right at the beginning of the cycle when it was brightest, I had difficulty reading. The sunrise mode isn't much brighter, and it ends on a blindingly blue-white shade that's reminiscent of waking up with a flashlight shining in your eyes. The alarm itself looks nice but feels cheaply made. It's $50 but isn't anywhere near my top pick, the HomeLabs, which costs less. I say pass.
The Amazon Echo Glow is marketed specifically for kids and so it prioritizes intuitiveness over features. It's not a hub and doesn't have a microphone, so you need to pair it with an Echo device in order to control it with your voice, although you can control it through the Alexa app without a hub. The Echo Glow reaches a maximum brightness of 100 lumens, but it doesn't seem to get any brighter than a Dollar Tree nightlight. It's like jumping straight to the halfway point of a sunset.
You can set various colors and automatic color-shifting schemes, as well as custom schedules, but that's about it. There are no other features, although it does seem durable enough to survive a toddler's room. For $30, its value is weak. You're better off buying your kid our top pick, the Homelabs, for the same price. Or if you want something intuitive that your kid can use without an app, spring for the Casper Glow Light.
Matt Jancer is a staff writer for WIRED who focuses on reviewing outdoor gear. Previously, he spent a decade as a freelance writer covering automobiles, motorcycles, and lifestyle stories for magazines. Some of his longest gigs were at Car and Driver, Outside, Esquire, Playboy, and Popular Mechanics.
Writer and Reviewer
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Showing 18 results for Uncertainty
Evaluation of Cone Penetration Resistance in Loose Silty Sand Using Calibration Chamber
M.h. Baziar, R. Ziaie_moayed,
Volume 4, Issue 2 (6-2006)
This paper highlights the effect of silt content on cone tip resistance in loose silty sand. In this study, twenty-seven cone penetration tests are performed in saturated silty sand samples with several different silt contents ranging from 10 to 50 percent. The samples are consolidated at three overburden stresses including 100, 200 and 300 kPa. It is shown that, as the silt content increases, the cone tip resistance decreases. In high percent of silt (30-50%), the cone tip resistance decreases more gently compared with low percent of silt (0-30%). It is also concluded that the method proposed by Olsen (1997) for stress normalization of cone tip resistance compared with the Robertson and Wride (1998) method has better agreement with the obtained results. To evaluate liquefaction potential of loose silty sand, the method presented by Robertson and Wride (1998) is also studied. The results showed that the use of Robertson and Wride (1998) method to estimate the fine content from CPT data causes some uncertainty especially for high silt content (FC>30%).
Modern Control Design of Seismically Excited Tall Buildings With Uncertain Dynamic Characteristics
F. Amini, R. Vahdani,
In this research, an innovative numerical simulating approach for time domain analysis of multi degrees of freedom structures with uncertainty in dynamic properties is presented. A full scale finite element model of multi-story and multi bays of three sample structures has been constructed. The reduced order model of structure with holding the dominant and effective Gramians in the balanced state-space realization has been achieved for easy and safe design of the optimal control forces applied to the structure. Some easy selective control algorithms based on the Optimal-Stochastic control theories such as LQG, DLQRY and modified sliding mode control has been programmed with the simulation control sequences. Some real features of accurate control system such as time delay and noise signals in earthquake time histories and also measurement sensors are considered in illustrative simulation models. These models can be analyzed under either various intensity of corresponding earthquakes or desired random excitations passed through the suitable filters providing stochastic parameters of earthquake disturbances. This control procedure will be shown to be very efficient suppressing all the severities and difficulties may arise in design of a multi-objective optimal control system. The obtained results illustrate the feasibility and applicability of the proposed stochastic optimal control design of active control force providing a stable and energy-saving control strategy for tall building structures.
Strength Evaluation of Wet Reinforced Silty Sand By Triaxial Test
S.n. Moghaddas Tafreshi, A. Asakereh,
Volume 5, Issue 4 (12-2007)
Conventional investigations on the behavior of reinforced and unreinforced soils are often investigated at the failure point. In this paper, a new concept of comparison of the behavior of reinforced and unreinforced soil by estimating the strength and strength ratio (deviatoric stress of reinforced sample to unreinforced sample) at various strain levels is proposed. A comprehensive set of laboratory triaxial compression tests was carried out on wet (natural water content) non-plastic beach silty sand with and without geotextile. The layer configurations used are one, two, three and four horizontal reinforcing layers in a triaxial test sample. The influences of the number of geotextile layers and confining pressure at 3%, 6%, 9%, 12% and 15% of the imposed strain levels on sample were studied and described. The results show that the trend and magnitude of strength ratio is different for various strain level. It implies that using failure strength from peak point or strength corresponding to the axial-strain approximately 15% to evaluate the enhancement of strength or strength ratio due to reinforcement may cause hazard and uncertainty in practical design. Hence, it is necessary to consider the strength of reinforced sample compared with unreinforced sample at the imposed strain level. Only one type of soil and one type of geotextile were used in all tests.
Stochastic Sampling Design for Water Distribution Model Calibration
Kourosh Behzadian, Abdollah Ardeshir, Zoran Kapelan, Dragan Savic,
A novel approach to determine optimal sampling locations under parameter uncertainty in a water distribution system (WDS) for the purpose of its hydraulic model calibration is presented. The problem is formulated as a multi-objective optimisation problem under calibration parameter uncertainty. The objectives are to maximise the calibrated model accuracy and to minimise the number of sampling devices as a surrogate of sampling design cost. Model accuracy is defined as the average of normalised traces of model prediction covariance matrices, each of which is constructed from a randomly generated sample of calibration parameter values. To resolve the computational time issue, the optimisation problem is solved using a multi-objective genetic algorithm and adaptive neural networks (MOGA-ANN). The verification of results is done by comparison of the optimal sampling locations obtained using the MOGA-ANN model to the ones obtained using the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method. In the MCS method, an equivalent deterministic sampling design optimisation problem is solved for a number of randomly generated calibration model parameter samples.The results show that significant computational savings can be achieved by using MOGA-ANN compared to the MCS model or the GA model based on all full fitness evaluations without significant decrease in the final solution accuracy.
A Comprehensive Framework for Integrated Management of Opportunities and Threats By Using Dynamic System
M.h. Sebt, A. Gerei, H. Naghash Toosi,
Risks mean cases of uncertainty of project, the impact of which is realized as a threat (negative aspect) and/or opportunity (positive aspect). The traditional viewpoint on risk is a negative viewpoint that implies damages, loss and harmful consequences. Judgments such as this on risk merely emphasize on risks management and pay less attention to opportunities management. It is clear that some uncertainties might be profitable for the project as in many cases, it could be the source of loss. In a developed attitude, focus is made on a common process that could address the integrated management of both opportunities and risks to aim at maximizing the positive effectsopportunities-, and minimizing negative effects- risks-. Therefore, existence of causal-effect relations between risks, relationship, effects of risks and opportunities on each other and variety of strategies in facing risks gives no alternative for risk management team than taking integrated management of risks and opportunities. In another word, reaction to risks, with respect to risks and/or relevant opportunities, separately, will be never effective. In this paper, for the purpose of integrated management of risks and opportunities, the stages of quality analysis and reactions to risk are combined. The method which is used for reaction towards risk is a procedure based on dynamic system. Dynamic system is highly important among uncertainties due to considering the type and intensity of effects. By using dynamic system and attention to the relationship between uncertainties (risks/ opportunities), reaction to risk and decision making on employing suitable strategies to face risks will be more precise and accurate.
The Effects of Variability of the Mathematical Equations and Project Categorizations on Forecasting S-Curves at Construction Industry
M. T. Banki, B. Esmaeili,
Cash flow forecasting is an indispensable tool for construction companies, and is essential for the survival
of any contractor at all stages of the work. The time available for a detailed pre-tender cash flow forecast is often
limited. Therefore, contractors require simpler and quicker techniques which would enable them to forecast cash flow
with reasonable accuracy. Forecasting S-curves in construction in developing countries like Iran in compare with
developed countries has many difficulties. It is because of uncertainty and unknown situation in nature of construction
industry of these countries. Based on knowledge of authors there is a little attempt for cash flow forecasting in
construction industry of Iran. As a result authors produced An S-curve equation for construction project from historical
data which has reasonable accuracy. A sample of 20 completed projects was collected and classified in to the three
different groups. In order to model S-curves for each group, a simple and reliable method of S curve fitting has been
used. S-curves were fitted into each group by using different techniques. Errors incurred when fitting these curves were
measured and compared with those associates in fitting individual projects. At the end, accuracy of each model has
been calculated and an equation has been proposed to forecast S-curves.
A Bi-Level Model for Location-Allocation Problem of Construction & Demolition Waste Management Under Fuzzy Random Environment
Jiuping Xu, Pei Wei,
Volume 10, Issue 1 (3-2012)
In this paper, a location allocation (LA) problem in construction and demolition (C&D) waste management (WM) is studied. A bi-level model for this problem under a fuzzy random environment is presented where the upper level is the governments who sets up the processing centers, and the lower level are the administrators of different construction projects who control C&D waste and the after treatment materials supply. This model using an improved particle swarm optimization program based on a fuzzy random simulation (IPSO-based FRS) is able to handle practical issues. A case study is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Conclusions and future research directions are discussed.
Stochastic Modeling and Calibration of Chloride Content Profile in Concrete Based on Limited Available Data
A. Tarighat,
Volume 10, Issue 4 (12-2012)
Chloride ion ingress in concrete is the main reason of concrete corrosion. In real world both uncertainty and stochasticity are
main attributes of almost all measurements including testing and modeling of chloride content profile in concrete. Regarding
these facts new models should be able to represent at least some of the uncertainties in the predictions. In this paper after
inspiration from classical physics related to diffusion and random walk concepts a stochastic partial differential equation (SPDE)
of diffusion is introduced to show a more realistic modeling/calibration scheme for construction of stochastic chloride content
profile in concrete. Diffusion SPDE provides a consistent quantitative way of relating uncertainty in inputs to uncertainty in
outputs. Although it is possible to run sensitivity analysis to get some statistical results from deterministic models but the nature
of diffusion is inherently stochastic. Brownian motion process (Wiener process) is used in SPDE to simulate the random nature
of the diffusion in heterogeneous media or random fields like concrete. The proposed method can be used to calibrate/model the
chloride ion profile in concrete by only some limited data for a given depth. Then the stochastic chloride ion diffusion can be
simulated by langevin equation. Results of the method are compared with data from some references and all show good
agreements.
Optimal Resource Allocation in Urban Transportation Networks Considering Capacity Reliability and Connectivity Reliability: A Multi-Objective Approach
A. Shariat Mohaymany, M. Babaei,
Since the 1990's, network reliability has been considered as a new index for evaluating transportation networks under uncertainty. A large number of studies have been revealed in the literature in this field, which are mostly dedicated to developing relevant measures that can be utilized for the evaluation of vulnerable networks under different sources of uncertainty, such as daily traffic flow fluctuations, natural disasters, weather conditions, and so fourth. This paper addresses the resource allocation problem in vulnerable transportation networks, in which multiple performance reliability measures should be met at their desired levels, while the overall cost of upgrading links' performances should be minimized simultaneously. For this purpose, a new approach has been considered to formulate the two well-known performance measures, connectivity and capacity reliability, along with their application in a bi-objective nonlinear mixed integer goal programming model. In order to take into account the uncertain conditions of supply, links' capacities have been assumed to be random variables and follow normal distribution functions. A computationally efficient method has been developed that allows calculating the network-wise performance indices simply by means of a set of functions of links' performance reliabilities. Using this approach, as the performance reliability of links are themselves functions of the random links' capacities, they can be simply calculated through numerical integration. To achieve desirable levels for both connectivity reliability and capacity reliability (as network-wise performance reliability measures) two distinct objectives have been considered. One of the objectives seeks to maximize each of the measures regardless of what is happening to the other objective function which minimizes the budget. Since optimization models with two conflicting objectives cannot be solved directly, the well-known goal attainment multi-objective decision-making (MODM) approach has been adapted to formulate the model as a single objective model. Then the resultant single objective model has been solved through the generalized gradient method, which is a straightforward solution algorithm coded in existing commercial software such as MATLAB programming software. To show the applicability of the proposed model, numerical results are provided for a simple network. Also, to show the sensitiveness of the model to decision maker's direction weights, the results of sensitivity analysis are presented..
Predicting the Operation and Maintenance Costs of Condominium Properties in the Project Planning Phase: An Artificial Neural Network Approach
K. J. Tu, Y. W. Huang,
The decisions made in the planning phase of a building project greatly affect its future operation and maintenance (O&M) cost. Recognizing the O&M cost of condominiums' common facilities as a critical issue for home owners, this research aims to develop an artificial neural network (ANN) O&M cost prediction model to assist developers and architects in effectively assessing the impacts of their decisions made in the planning phase of condominium projects on future O&M costs. A regression cost prediction model was also developed as a benchmark model for testing the predictive accuracy of the ANN model. Six critical building design attributes (building age, number of apartment units, number of floors, average sale price, total floor area, and common facility floor area) which are usually available in the project planning phase, were identified as the input factors to both models and average monthly O&M cost as the output factor. 55 of the 65 existing condominium properties randomly selected were treated as the training samples whose data were used to develop the ANN and regression models the other ten as the test samples to compare and verify the predictive performance of both models. The study results revealed that the ANN model delivers more accurate and reliable cost prediction results, with lower average absolute error around 7.2% and maximum absolute error around 16.7%, as compared with the regression model. This study shows that ANN is an effective method in predicting building O&M costs in the project planning phase. Keywords: Project management, Facility management, Common facilities, Cost modeling.
Sa-Ip Method for Congestion Pricing Based on Level of Service in Urban Network Under Fuzzy Conditions
S. Soudmand, M. Ghatee, S. M. Hashemi,
This paper proposes a new hybrid method namely SA-IP including simulated annealing and interior point algorithms to find the optimal toll prices based on level of service (LOS) in order to maximize the mobility in urban network. By considering six fuzzy LOS for flows, the tolls of congested links can be derived by a bi-level fuzzy programming problem. The objective function of the upper level problem is to minimize the difference between current LOS and desired LOS of links. In this level, to find optimal toll, a simulated annealing algorithm is used. The lower level problem is a fuzzy flow estimator model with fuzzy link costs. Applying a famous defuzzification function, a real-valued multi-commodity flow problem can be obtained. Then a polynomial time interior point algorithm is proposed to find the optimal solution regarding to the estimated flows. In pricing process, by imposing cost on some links with LOS F or E, users incline to use other links with better LOS and less cost. During the iteration of SA algorithm, the LOS of a lot of links gradually closes to their desired values and so the algorithm decreases the number of links with LOS worse than desirable LOS. Sioux Falls network is considered to illustrate the performance of SA-IP method on congestion pricing based on different LOS. In this pilot, after toll pricing, the number of links with LOS D, E and F are reduced and LOS of a great number of links becomes C. Also the value of objective function improves 65.97% after toll pricing process. It is shown optimal toll for considerable network is 5 dollar and by imposing higher toll, objective function will be worse.
Efficiency of Methods for Determining Pile Axial Capacity-Applied To 70 Cases Histories in Persian Gulf Northern Shore
A. Eslami, I. Tajvidi, M. Karimpour-Fard,
Three common approaches to determine the axial pile capacity based on static analysis and in-situ tests are presented, compared and evaluated. The Unified Pile Design (UPD), American Petroleum Institute (API) and a SPT based methods were chosen to be validated. The API is a common method to estimate the axial bearing capacity of piles in marine environments, where as the others are currently used by geotechnical engineers. Seventy pile load test records performed in the northern bank of Persian Gulf with SPT profile have been compiled for methods evaluation. In all cases, pile capacities were measured using full scale static compression and/or pull out loading tests. As the loading tests in some cases were in the format of proof test without reaching the plunging or ultimate bearing capacity, for interpretation the results, offset limit load criteria was employed. Three statistical and probability based approaches in the form of a systematic ranking, called Rank Index, RI, were utilized to evaluate the performance of predictive methods. Wasted Capacity Index (WCI) concept was also applied to validate the efficiency of current methods. The evaluations revealed that among these three predictive methods, the UPD is more accurate and cost effective than the others.
Vehicle Routing Problem With Multiple Decision-Makers for Construction Material Transportation in A Fuzzy Random Environment
Yanfang Ma, Jiuping Xu,
In this paper, a bi-level decision making model is proposed for a vehicle routing problem with multiple decision-makers (VRPMD) in a fuzzy random environment. In our model, the objective of the leader is to minimize total costs by deciding the customer sets, while the follower is trying to minimize routing costs by choosing routes for each vehicle. Demand for each item has considerable uncertainty, so customer demand is considered a fuzzy random factor in this paper. After setting up the bi-level programming model for VRPMD, a bi-level global-local-neighbor particle swarm optimization with fuzzy random simulation (bglnPSO-frs) is developed to solve the bi-level fuzzy random model. Finally, the proposed model and method are applied to construction material transportation in the Yalong River Hydropower Base in China to illustrate its effectiveness.
Seismic Demands of Steel Buildings With Perimeter and Spatial Moment Resisting Frames
A. Reyes-Salazar, E. Bojorquez, J.l. Rivera-Salas, A. Lopez-Barraza, H.e. Rodriguez-Lozoya,
The linear and nonlinear responses of steel buildings with perimeter moment resisting frames (PMRFs) are estimated and compared to those of equivalent buildings with spatial moment resisting frames (SMRFs). The equivalent models with SMRFs are designed by using an approximated procedure in such a way that, not only their fundamental period, total mass and lateral stiffness are fairly the same as those of the corresponding buildings with PMRFs, but also other characteristics to make the two structural "as equivalent" as possible. The numerical study indicates that the interstory shears of the PMRFs building may be significantly larger than those of the SMRFs building. The main reasons for this are that the buildings with PMRFs are stiffer and that the dynamics properties of the two types of structural systems are different. The interstory displacements are similar for both structural systems in many cases. For some other cases, however, they are larger for the model with SMRFs, depending upon the closeness between the earthquake corner periods and the periods of the buildings. The global ductility and story ductility demands are larger for the buildings with PMRFs, implying that, since larger ductility demands are imposed, the detailing of the connections will have to be more stringent than for the buildings with SMRFs. It can be concluded, that the seismic performance of the steel buildings with SMRFs may be superior to that of steel buildings with PMRFs. The findings of this paper are for the particular models used in the study. Much more research is needed to reach more general conclusions
A Hybrid Optimal Model for Daily Reservoir Regulation Problem Under Fuzzy Random Environment
Jiuping Xu, Qiurui Liu, Zhonghua Yang,
To fully explain hydropower unit operational problems, an optimal multi-objective dynamic scheduling model is presented which seeks to improve the efficiency of reservation regulation management. To reflect the actual hydropower engineering project environment, fuzzy random uncertainty and an integrated consideration of the natural resource constraints, such as load balance, system power balance, generation limits, turbine capacity, water head, discharge capacities, reservoir storage volumes, and water spillages, were included in the model. The aim of this research was to concurrently minimize discharges and maximize economic benefit. Subsequently, a new hybrid dynamic-programming based multi-start multi-objective simulated annealing algorithm was developed to solve the hydro unit operational problem. The proposed model and intelligent algorithm were then applied to the Xiaolongmen Hydraulic and Hydropower Station in China. The computational unit commitment schedule results demonstrated the practicality and efficiency of this optimization method.
A Decision Making System for Construction Temporary Facilities Layout Planning in Large-Scale Construction Projects
Xiaoling Song, Jiuping Xu, Charles Shen, Feniosky Peña-Mora,
The construction temporary facilities layout planning (CTFLP) requires an identification of necessary construction temporary facilities (CTFs), an identification of candidate locations and a layout of CTFs at candidate locations. The CTFLP is particularly difficult and complex in large-scale construction projects as it affects the overall operation safety and effectiveness. This study proposes a decision making system to decide on an appropriate CTFLP in large-scale construction projects (e.g. dams and power plants) in a comprehensive way. The system is composed of the input, CTF identification, candidate location identification, layout optimization, evaluation and selection, as well as output stages. The fuzzy logic is employed to address the uncertain factors in real-world situations. In the input stage, the knowledge bases for identifying CTFs and candidate locations are determined. Then, CTFs and candidate locations are identified in the following two stages. In the mathematical optimization stage, a multiobjective mathematical optimization model with fuzzy parameters is established and fuzzy simulation-based Genetic Algorithm is proposed to obtain alternative CTFLPs. The intuitionistic fuzzy TOPSIS method is used to evaluate and select the most satisfactory CTFLP, which is output in the last stage. To demonstrate the effectiveness and efficacy of the proposed method, the CTFLP for the construction of a large-scale hydropower dam project is used as a practical application. The results show that the proposed system can assist the contractor to obtain an appropriate CTFLP in a more efficient and effective manner.
A Multi-Objective Optimization Model for Solid Waste Disposal Under Uncertainty: A Case Study of Bangkok, Thailand
Laemthong Laokhongthavorn, Chalida U-Tapao,
This paper has applied operation research to solid waste disposal by which two objective functions are optimized to minimize the expected operational costs (maximize revenues) and the expected net carbon dioxide equivalent (CDE) emissions. Types and uncertain amounts of solid wastes as well as costs of electricity were factored into the selection decision of solid waste disposal, i.e. landfill, incineration, composting and recycling. An optimization model was applied to the solid waste disposal of Bangkok, Thailand. In addition, a multi-objective optimization technique was proposed for a tradeoff decision-making between minimum operational costs and CDE emissions. Composting and landfill are effective alternatives for Bangkok's solid waste disposal system. The operational costs and net CDE emissions are highly correlated with the quantity of solid waste. Policy-makers and plant operators could adopt the proposed optimization model under uncertainty in the selection of an optimal solid waste disposal.
Real Time Identification of Inputs for A Batp System Using Data Analytics
Mr Rakesh Bahera, Mr Anil Kumar, Dr. Lelitha Vanajakshi,
In recent times, Bus Arrival Time Prediction (BATP) systems are gaining more popularity in the field of Advanced Public transportation systems (APTS), a major functional area under Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). BATP systems aim to predict bus arrival times at various bus stops and provide the same to passenger's pre-trip or while waiting at bus stops. A BATP system, which is accurate, is expected to attract more commuters to public transport, thus helping to reduce congestion. However, such accurate prediction of bus arrival still remains a challenge, especially under heterogeneous and lane-less traffic conditions such as the one existing in India. The uncertainty associated with such traffic is very high and hence the usual approach of prediction based on average speed will not be enough for accurate prediction. In order to make accurate predictions under such conditions, there is a need to identify correct inputs and suitable prediction methodology that can capture the variations in travel time. To accomplish the above goal, a robust framework relying on data analytics is proposed in this study. The spatial and temporal patterns in travel times were identified in real time by performing cluster analysis and the significant inputs thus identified were used for the prediction. The prediction algorithm used the Adaptive Kalman Filter approach, in order to take into account of the high variability in travel time. The proposed schemes were corroborated using real-world GPS data and the results obtained are very promising.
© 2019 All Rights Reserved | International Journal of Civil Engineering


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Yoshihiro Takai, Daisuke Mori, Akihisa Sugai, Azusa Sema, Yoko Mitsuguchi, Eriko Sugano, Hiroshi Tomita, Takahiro Kurose, Yoichi Honma; Comparison of neuroprotective effects of oil- and water-soluble fractions of sea buckthorn juice against light-induced retinal degeneration in rats. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2018;59(9):2489.
Purpose : Sea buckthorn is a plant that belongs to the Elaeagnaceae family. It produces yellow or orange berries that are abundant in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, flavones, and fatty acids. Recent studies have shown that sea buckthorn seeds and pomace exhibit neuroprotective effects against light-induced retinal degeneration in rabbits. However, the effect of sea buckthorn juice remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to compare the neuroprotective effects of oil- and water-soluble fractions of sea buckthorn juice against light-induced retinal degeneration in rats.
Methods : Sea buckthorn berries were crushed and separated into juice and pomace. The juice was then separated into oil-soluble fraction (OSF) and water-soluble fraction (WSF) by centrifugation. The fractions were orally administered at doses of 150 mg/kg (low) and 500 mg/kg (high) to 8-week-old male Sprague—Dawley rats before and 12 h after light exposure (7000 lux for 24 h). Photoreceptor function was evaluated by determining the amplitude of the b-wave of electroretinogram on the day after light exposure. To assess retinal structure, the thickness of the outer nuclear layer (ONL) was measured using optical coherence tomography seven days after light exposure.
Results : Light exposure reduced the amplitude of b-wave, while treatment with low- and high-dose OSF retained high b-wave amplitude in a dose-dependent manner. The high OSF group (821.9±448.3 µV, p<0.01) demonstrated a significant neuroprotective effect when compared with the vehicle group. The low WSF (369.7±249.1 µV) and high WSF (245.0±265.9 µV) groups did not exhibit neuroprotective effects when compared with the vehicle group (419.5±195.0 µV). Structural analysis showed that light exposure decreased the thickness of ONL, while treatment with high-dose OSF (47.0±13.7 µm, p<0.05) retained significantly higher ONL thickness than the vehicle group. The low WSF (42.0±13.6 µm) and high WSF (30.4±10.9 µm) groups did not show neuroprotective effects when compared with the vehicle group (39.8±11.7 µm).
Conclusions : As the OSF of sea buckthorn juice showed potent neuroprotective effects by suppressing photoreceptor cell death, it may be used as a potential diet-based approach for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration.


The Highway Patrol says a teenager injured in an accident has died.
Zanesville Post Lt. Matt Boyd says 15-year-old Ryan Tullius passed away just after midnight Monday.
Troopers say the accident took place on State Route 60 in Cass Township just after 7:30 pm on April 6.
Sergeant Jeffrey Jirles says they are still trying to determine who was was driving a Jeep Liberty south on State Route 60 when it swerved right and then left, overturning and ejecting Tullius, who was not wearing a seat belt.
In all five teenagers were taken to Genesis Hospital for treatment.
Lt. Boyd says the crash remains under investigation and will be turned over to the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office for possible charges.


This rich and creamy spiced cocoa has about a third of the calories compared to a coffee shop mocha. Plenty of spice and a hint of warming chili pepper is the secret for making it special. For low sugar diets, use the stevia and cut 17 calories and 4 grams of sugar per serving.
Combine milk, brown sugar or stevia, cocoa powder, cinnamon, allspice and cayenne in a medium saucepan. Warm over medium-high heat until warm, whisking occasionally. Divide between two coffee mugs and serve immediately.
Nutritional Stats Per Serving (1 cup): 177 calories, 8 g protein, 18 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat (4 g saturated), 24 mg cholesterol, 16 g sugars 1 g fiber, 107 mg sodium.


18th November 2012 Annnd 11th birthday! Three more things for you to color!
18th November 2011 Happy TENTH BIRTHDAY! omg! O_O Enjoyyyyy~!
18th November 2010 Happy 9th birthday! And hot damn. We have over 1300 members now. o_O Enjoy!
6th May 2010 Dude, we have over 900 members! TIME FOR A NEW KIRITAR~! ?
Download the the .PSD file of whichever Kiritar you'd like to use. It's bigger than the final version and has information on different layers. Open this in Photoshop.
Select the layer that reads "COLOR THIS LAYER." That's the only layer you should be working on. It's currently filled in with the brown color shown in the filled avatar above, but you can erase that color and fill in your own in accordance to whatever your character looks like! Whatever you do, just make sure you don't delete the layer.
Save your finished avatar as a .png file.
Open the .png file and resize it so that the largest side is 200 px (remember the max avatar size for the board is 200x200).
Save the full size .PNG file of whichever Kiritar you'd like and open it up in your fancy image editor of choice.
Create a new layer on top of the image and set its blending mode to "Multiply."
Color on that layer! Shrink, save, and you're done!
I know most of you also roleplay elsewhere, but I'd really appreciate it if you only used this avatar template for 'Souls characters and only used them on our board. ?
Do NOT upload colored versions to gallery sites such as deviantART or FurAffinity.
Protip: After you shrink your finished .png to forum size, some of the shading/colors might not look as brilliant. To adjust things a little, I usually open up the Image>Adjustments>Levels and play with that a bit until it looks better.


text:
Q: After upgrading Ubuntu, Php is not working on Apache/2.4.52 After I upgraded Ubunt22.04.1,
It has Apache/2.4.52 (Ubuntu) and PHP 8.1.2 (cli),but couldn't display phpinfo.php page,It is not working
Please help with this

A: Try this: It's Working
sudo apt install --reinstall php8.1 libapache2-mod-php8.0
sudo a2enconf php8.1-fpm
sudo service apache2 restart


text:
Q: Which is correct here: THAT or WHICH? Does the use of WHICH and THAT sometimes overlap or is it that only WHICH fits in certain cases, and only THAT in others?
To clarify my question, consider this sentence:
Osho organized an order of his followers, which admitted christians as well as hindus.
And its other version:
Osho organized an order of his followers that admitted christians as well as hindus.
In the first sentence I am merely adding extra information about the 'order', whereas in the second I am identifying the order, i.e., the order (which/that?) admitted both christians as well as hindus.
So strictly speaking, it appears to be more of a choice here between THAT and WHICH.

A:
(1) Osho organized an order of his followers, which admitted both Christians and Hindus.

(2) Osho organized an order of his followers that admitted both Christians and Hindus.

These sentences are both correct.  My intuition is that (1) is more likely to be applicable, but there are circumstances where (2) could work better.  As you surmised, there is a difference of emphasis.  "Which" usually[*] gives you more information about the thing that's been mentioned, while "that" introduces a restrictive relative clause that defines or restricts the scope of the item referred to.
([*]Some people use "which" for both types of relative clause, leaving the distinction between the two down to whether a comma is present, and whether the author has punctuated correctly.  On the other hand, it is definitely non-standard to use "that" for both. "That" should always be used restrictively.)
The use of "that" in (2) might suggest that he organised more than one (and this one admitted both Christians and Hindus) or that he had previously organised one that didn't admit both. ("Osho had initially organised a Hindu-only order. But later he was to organise an order of his followers that admitted both Christians and Hindus.")  Alternatively, it might just highlight the surprising nature of the new information. ("Osho was believed by some people to be anti-Hindu. But he organised an order of his followers that admitted both Christians and Hindus.")


Simply put, strategic planning is assessing our current efforts and charting a course to maintain and/or improve desired services for our citizens. The Strategic Plan helps us make decisions on allocating human and capital resources to achieve the identified goals, strategies, and objectives.
Further, the Strategic Plan encourages collaborations, partnerships and creative thought among County leadership, partners, stakeholders, municipalities and citizens. Finally, the Strategic Plan clearly communicates the County's intended direction over the next five years.
El Paso County is a regional leader providing valued and necessary community services in the most cost-effective manner.
El Paso County is recognized as a national model and proven leader in providing excellent citizen services.
We reflect our community's values and traditions when serving our citizens and guests.
We strive for and embrace partnerships and innovation in developing a sustainable and vibrant regional economy.
We deliver efficient, transparent and effective services.
We are committed to financially sustainable, cost-effective County government that provides core services that are valued by our citizens.
We engage citizens, other local governments, non-profit organizations, and the business community to collaboratively achieve common goals through trust, respect, example, vision, and commitment.
We are responsible for our decisions and actions. We are accountable and transparent.
We value a high standard of excellence and professionalism and take pride in our employees. We invest in our work force.
We are pioneers in creatively providing proactive and responsive customer services that are recognized as models of best practices.
Maintain and promote a financially sustainable County government that is transparent and effective.
Continue to enhance the understanding of civic services and promote participation, engagement and confidence in County government.
Maintain and improve the County transportation system, facilities, infrastructure and technology.
Consistently support regional economic strength.
Strive to ensure a safe, secure, resilient, and healthy community.


Who are these people, and what are they up to on a winter's night? If you have an answer, tell us the story at 518-580-5747, srosenbe@skidmore.edu, or Scope c/o Skidmore College. We'll report answers, and run a new quiz, in the upcoming Scope.
Neal Grasso '96 remembers a different library move: "I'm guessing this was in 1994, just before the library renovations. These boxes of books were going to the Sports and Recreation Center, which served as a temporary library during construction. The expanded library opened in the fall of 1995." (The Scribner Library improvement was one of the bricks-and-mortar components of the $87 million Skidmore Journey fundraising campaign of the late 1990s.) That one-year "gymbrary" is what Robin Wood '98 recalls too: "I was a freshman that year, and I avoided spending time there. It was much easier to do research when we had the real library back." But the eagle-eyed Gavin Bowie '93 reasons that the scene in the photo "can't be when the library was renovated, because the truck is 1970s-era, not '90s-era." And he's right: The back of the photo is labeled "Scribner Library, 1966." The truck must be loading books into the library on the new campus.


text:
Board Game Design
Tabletop Game Design: Theory, Management and Process
View the Living Version of this Document
The purpose of this document is to provide structure to the organization and management of the tabletop game design process. It defines terminology that can be used in accurately discussing game design. Additionally it defines a structured method for how a concept turns into a prototype, and how a prototype turns into a publishable game. The goal is to be technical and accurate and yet unopinionated about how a designer moves incrementally to a final product.
Game Design Theory
Game: A game is a list of versions. Very often the word "game" can refer to a specific version. This is the case in the normative usage of the word and also in this document.
Version: A version is defined by the "Rulebook" and the "Definition".
Rulebook: Conveys the theme of the game and is the source of truth for the mechanics of the game.
Components: The individual units that can be manipulated in the game. This usually means physical pieces, but could include less substantive things such as a timer, phone app, etc…
Mechanics: The rules that limit and govern when and how the components of the game can be manipulated.
End of Game Conditions: The state of the components that ends the game with 0, 1, multiple or all the players being declared the winner.
Victory Conditions: A subset of the End of Game conditions where at least 1 player is declared the winner.
Theme: The theme is the real world nouns and verbs that are represented by the mechanics. Some games may not have a theme.
Craft: Anything the players see that is a result of the game. This includes the components, the shape of the components, the pictures on the components, the box, the rulebook etc…
Design: The design is a subset of craft. Design conveys the relation between the mechanics and the theme.
Experience: The emotional response that the players have to the craft, design and mechanics.
Component Item: An individual component or piece in the game. For example a single "gold coin" piece is a component item.
Component Type: A collection of component items that are all identical to one another. For example the collection of all of the gold pieces is a component type.
Component Category: A group of component types that all are printed in the same way (card, token, dice, etc…). For example the group of gold, silver and bronze coins is a component category.
Game Design Management: The practical methods and tools used to iteratively create versions of a game. The organization of a game and it's versions. The way in which a game and it's versions are expressed.
Game Design Process: The set of phases that take a game from being a concept to a publishable game.
Game Design Management
Placeholder Components: Any component that is only text, but otherwise does not have any design. Note that design can conveys theme, and theme can be conveyed through text, but placeholder components do not usually go beyond text. The line between placeholder components and designed components is not precise, as placeholder components could have images. The goal for the placeholder components is that they all can be expressed in a single file (often a spreadsheet) and can be quickly changed.
Designed Components: Any component that attempts to near-fully convey the theme via design. These components usually come from a print on demand source.
Placeholder Prototype: The collection of component categories that define your game, such that the components are placeholder components.
Designed Prototype: The collection of component categories that define your game, such that the components are design components.
Placeholder Definition Document: The electronic file that completely expresses the placeholder prototype.
Design File: Any electronic expression of a component category such that the components expressed by the file have design, and therefore convey theme. This is often a photoshop file or something similar.
Design Layer: Each design file should have multiple layers that can either be shown or hidden. This directly corresponds to the photoshop "layer". Other designing applications should have similar concepts.
Design Definition: The group of design files that completely expresses the designed prototype.
Folder: Some grouping of files and folders that additionally has a name.
Create a folder for the game. The name of the folder should match the alias title for the game, with the understanding that the actual title may change from version to version.
Create a "Version 0.1" folder underneath the game folder.
Create a "Rulebook" document.
Create a "Definition" document.
When you are ready to create a designed prototype, create a "Design" folder underneath the version folder.
Game Folder
Images and assets should reside in this top level folder so that subversions can all reference and use them.
Version Folder
These generally only contain the definition document and the rulebook document.
Any images or other assets should not be put into the version folders in case future versions also need the image or asset.
When you are about to make significant changes, or you want to try changes but also want to maintain the old version, copy the latest version folder with it's contents and start a new version.
Rulebook Document
Includes the title and version number of the game
Partially convey the theme of the game
Describes and lists the components
Unambiguously conveys the game mechanics and end of game conditions
Definition Document
Create a data sheet for each category that lists the data for each individual component item in this category.
Create print sheet for each category that uses this data sheets to create printouts referencing the data. In the data sheet either each row represents one individual component item or represents one component type.
Create calculation sheets which does any game balancing calculations that can help understand the game as a whole.
Design Folder
Contains the design files for the actual designed prototype.
Each design file contains one category of component.
Each design file contains multiple layers:
Helpers: Anything that helps with creating the design file but will not ultimately be printed out.
Shared: Anything that is shared by all of the items within this component category.
Types: Layers that represent one type of component from this component category. In the end only one type layer should be seen at a time. Sometimes every component type only has one component item (such as when you have a deck of 20 cards that are each unique). Other times some component types may have multiple component items (such as if you have 30 gold and 20 silver). If their is more than one item per type, the count should be listed in the layer title.
The collection of design files should totally define your game, and when moving to the designed prototype stage of the game these files become your game definition (replacing the placeholder definition document).
It may be helpful to continue to maintain the placeholder definition document because this is usually expressed as a spreadsheet and allows for easier change, balancing and referencing.
Game Design Process
Phases of Game Development
Concept Phase
Placeholder Prototype Phase
Designed Prototype Phase
(Optional) Pitch Phase
(Optional) Publisher Changes Phase
Publish Phase
This is when the game does not have a version.
The moment the game has both a rulebook and a definition, the first version of the game is created and the prototype phase has begun.
This is all of the versions of your game that have a rulebook and a definition, but the definition is expressed with placeholder components and not designed components.
The goal in this phase is to focus on mechanics.
Large changes between game versions is likely to occur in this phase.
Categories, types and amounts of game components could swing wildly between versions in this phase.
The designed prototype phase begins when the definition of the game is expressed with designed components and not simply with placeholder components.
The goal in this phase is to focus on experience, while fine tuning mechanics.
Only small changes and adjustments between game versions should occur in this phase.
The categories, types and amounts of game components should stay fairly steady in this phase.
The first version of a game to be pitched to a publisher moves the game into the Pitch phase. In the case of self publishing or internal publishing, this phase is not relevant.
Experience, mechanics, and components should not be undergoing any major changes at this point because these three things will affect what publishers will accept the game.
If the game was pitched, the experience and mechanics could undergo another round of significant changes depending on the contract between the designer and publisher and depending on the needs and desires of the publisher.
Either a designer publisher contract is agreed upon, or a self publisher has arrived at a version that they desire to publish.
The publisher (or self-publisher) is making plans on production, advertising and selling the game.
This document is meant to define at a theoretical level what game design is as well as what a game itself is. Additionally it is meant to provide a practical method of structuring and defining a game as well as the process of game design and the different phases that it goes through. This document purposely does not discuss how one version of a game moves into the next version of the game. This is intentionally left to the individual game designer to fill by his game design expertise. In this way many game designers could ascribe to the game design theory and practice articulated in this document, while at the same time expressing their own creative talents and expertise.
I want you help and contribute! With your help we can arrive at a thorough theory and practice of game design that can be clearly articulated and understood. The goal is for this document to be ambiguous as to the specific tools used, as well as to the specific methods of incrementally, version by version, improving upon a game. In this way the theory, management, and process of tabletop game design can be understood without at the same time limiting the methodology of game designers.
If you have any contributions, suggestions, questions, qualms or disagreements, email me at alexlockhart7@gmail.com with the subject "Tabletop Game Design Theory".
View the Living version of this Document.
Labels: Board Game Design games tabletop