Running on a Faster Track: Researchers Develop Scheduling Tool to Save Time on Public Transport

ScienceDaily (Feb. 28, 2011) — What matters for commuters is not just if the train will be on time, but how long the journey will take. It's an important factor in public transportation and can make the difference in helping commuters choose mass transit over more polluting and costly transport like cars or airplanes.

Dr. Tal Raviv and his graduate student Mor Kaspi of Tel Aviv University's Department of Industrial Engineering in the Iby and Aladar Fleischman Faculty of Engineering have developed a tool that makes passenger train journeys shorter, especially when transfers are involved -- a computer-based system to shave precious travel minutes off a passenger's journey.

Dr. Raviv's solution, the "Service Oriented Timetable," relies on computers and complicated algorithms to do the scheduling. "Our solution is useful for any metropolitan region where passengers are transferring from one train to another, and where train service providers need to ensure that the highest number of travellers can make it from Point A to Point B as quickly as possible," says Dr. Raviv.

Saves time and resources

In the recent economic downturn, more people are seeking to scale back their monthly transportation costs. Public transportation is a win-win -- good for both the bank account and the environment. But when travel routes are complicated by transfers, it becomes a hard job to manage who can wait -- and who can't -- between trains.

Another factor is consumer preference. Ideally, each passenger would like a direct train to his destination, with no stops en route. But passengers with different itineraries must compete for the system's resources. Adding a stop at a certain station will improve service for passengers for whom the station is the final destination, but will cause a delay for passengers who are only passing through it. The question is how to devise a schedule which is fair for everyone. What are the decisions that will improve the overall condition of passengers in the train system?

It's not about adding more resources to the system, but more intelligently managing what's already there, Dr. Raviv explains.

More time on the train, less time on the platform

In their train timetabling system, Dr. Raviv and Kaspi study the timetables to find places in the train scheduling system that can be optimized so passengers make it to their final destination faster.

Traditionally, train planners looked for solutions based on the frequency of trains passing through certain stops. Dr. Raviv and Kaspi, however, are developing a high-tech solution for scheduling trains that considers the total travel time of passengers, including their waiting time at transfer stations.

"Let's say you commute to Manhattan from New Jersey every day. We can find a way to synchronize trains to minimize the average travel time of passengers," says Dr. Raviv. "That will make people working in New York a lot happier."

The project has already been simulated on the Israel Railway, reducing the average travel time per commuter from 60 to 48 minutes. The tool can be most useful in countries and cities, he notes, where train schedules are robust and very complicated.

The researchers won a competition of the Railway Application Section of the International Institute for Operation Research and Management Science (INFORMS) last November for their computer program that optimizes a refuelling schedule for freight trains. Dr. Raviv also works on optimizing other forms of public transport, including the bike-sharing programs found in over 400 cities around the world today.

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Posted in: Science

Vietnam planning to sign Free Trade Agreement with the EU

Vietnam is planning to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU) including 27 member countries.

With the commitment of widely and deeply opening the market of participants (such as completely eliminating for various import tariffs, opening services, issues on technical barriers and antidumping, etc.), if being signed, Vietnam-EU's FTA would surely have an enormous impact on the business prospects of the industries and Vietnam's economy, since the EU is one of Vietnam's largest trading partners.

For businesses and associations to have more information about the EU's intention, thereby have better preparation for their long-term business strategies as well as conduct appropriate advocacy activities with Vietnamese negotiation agencies, on March 2, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), with the support of the Multilateral Trade Assistance Project (MUTRAP III), will hold a seminar called "Vietnam – EU FTA negotiation, opportunities and challenges for Vietnam".

At the seminar, predictions about the negotiation prospect to sign the Vietnam – EU FTA would be presented to delegates. In particular, Professor Claudio Dordi, an EU expert of MUTRAP III would talk about two important issues.

First, what Vietnam would learn from countries that have signed FTAs with the EU. Prof Dordi would analyse the objective of the EU while signing FTA; the commercial reality of the countries after signing FTAs with the EU and explanations; look at the examples of Chile, Mexico, and South Africa; lessons for Vietnamese government and businesses before the negotiation on Vietnam – EU FTA, relating to matters of tariffs, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) - Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), and trade defence; etc.)

Second, regarding the section on opportunities and challenges for Vietnam while signing FTA with the EU, Prof Dordi would thoroughly analyse the impacts on export-import and trade balance; prices, wages, investment, and specific impacts to a number of important economic sectors such as textile and garment, footwear, automobile, electronic and banking sectors.
from: http://www.intellasia.net

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Posted in: Business

Jewellery producer fulfils 89pct of year plan with 220.7b dong of profit

Phu Nhuan Jewellery Joint Stock Co (coded PNJ) announced to gain Q4 after tax profit of 34 billion dong, dropping by 28.8 percent year-on-year, raising the accumulative profit to 220.7 billion dong, fulfilling 89 percent of the year plan of 89 percent and EPS of 3,679 dong, up 8 percent against the previous year

In details, the company posted net revenue in Q4 at 2.781 trillion dong, increasing by 31 percent compared to that of last year, of which the principal sales cost counted for 2.641 trillion dong, resulting in combined profit of 139.7 billion dong.

In the last three months of 2010, the company's sales cost increased by 69 percent to 88.6 billion dong, enterprise management cost up 43 percent to 28.6 billion dong, but after tax profit slumped by 28.8 percent to 34 billion dong and EPS at 571 dong.
From: http://www.intellasia.net

Accumulatively, the company's net revenue was estimated at 13.752 trillion dong, an increase of 34 percent year-on-year, after tax profit of 220.7 billion dong, up 8 percent and fulfilling 89 percent of the year plan and EPS of 3,679 dong.

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Posted in: Business

VTS gains net profit of 16b dong

The northern bourse-listed Viglacera Tu Son Joint Stock Co (coded VTS) released the 2010 audited financial reports with net profit of 16 billion dong, down by 13 percent year-on-year, equivalent to whole year EPS of 12,399 dong.

The company posted 2010 whole year revenue at 79.3 billion dong, a slight increase of 5 percent against that of the previous year.

In comparison with the targeted year plan of 97 billion dong in revenue and 22.5 billion dong in pre-tax profit, VTS only fulfilled 82 percent and 83 percent respectively.

The company held annual shareholders meeting on February 28 at the company's factory in Den Rong St, Dinh Bang Ward, Tu Son Town, Bac Ninh province.
http://www.intellasia.net

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Posted in: Business

Vietnamese authorities must release Dr. Nguyen Dan Que

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE

Amnesty International is calling for the immediate release of Dr. Nguyen Dan Que, a Vietnamese political and human rights activist, who was arrested on Saturday, 26 February 2011, by the Ho Chi Minh City Police Investigation Agency.

In an official media report, the Vietnamese authorities described Dr. Que as being caught "red-handed keeping and distributing documents" calling for the overthrow of the government. The police seized documents and a computer from his home. Article 79 in the national security section of the 1999 Penal Code provides for between five years and life imprisonment, or the death penalty for "overthrowing" the state.

"Amnesty International is shocked to learn that Nguyen Dan Que has been arrested yet again,” said Donna Guest, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific Deputy Director. “Dr. Que is a staunch and peaceful defender of human rights and free speech, for which he has paid a heavy price, including spending almost 20 years in prison.”

“Media reports suggest that his arrest may be linked to a statement he made in the last week calling for people to rise up against the government, with a reference to the democracy movements in the Middle East and North Africa. It also seems to be no coincidence that his arrest comes on the same day that an article by Dr. Que critical of the Vietnamese authorities’ position on human rights was published in the Washington Post,” said Donna Guest.

“Dr. Que has never used nor advocated violence. The authorities should immediately end its draconian attempts to stifle peaceful dissidents which have seen more than 20 activists jailed in the last 12 months. Amnesty International calls for Dr Que's immediate release,” said Donna Guest.

Background

Dr Que is has been a former Amnesty International prisoner of conscience on three previous occasions. He became an international member of Amnesty International in January 1990. He has been imprisoned previously three times for a total of almost 20 years.

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Posted in: Society

Word of the Day

cosset \KOSS-it\, verb:

1. To treat as a pet; to treat with excessive indulgence; to pamper.

noun:
1. A pet, especially a pet lamb.

Sumner's parents, for instance, were routinely attended by butlers, maids, coachmen and grooms while little Sumner and his sister, Emily, were pampered and cosseted from infancy by nurserymaids and governesses.
-- Benjamin Welles, Sumner Welles: FDR's Global Strategist
Assunta played a larger role in the lives of her children, whom she cosseted and cared for as best she could.
-- Patricia Albers, Shadows, Fire, Snow: The Life of Tina ModottiIn these two years, Adolf lived a life of parasitic idleness -- funded, provided for, looked after, and cosseted by a doting mother, with his own room in the comfortable flat in the Humboldtstrasse in Linz, which the family had moved into in June 1905.

-- Ian Kershaw, Hitler: 1889-1936 Hubris

Cosset comes from the noun cosset, "a pet lamb."

(con cừu non được nâng niu)

v: Nuông chiều

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Posted in: Learning English

Vietnamese surrogate mothers to return home

The Vietnamese women hired as surrogate mothers in Thailand will be repatriated this week and their unborn babies will eventually be taken care of by the Vietnamese government.

Public Health Minister Jurin Laksanavisit said the authorities were preparing to take legal action against a Taiwanese company on charges of human trafficking and illegal detention.

The questioning of the Vietnamese women was completed yesterday and their evidence would help in the investigation, he said.

Mr Jurin joined Thai officials from many agencies at a meeting yesterday to discuss how to proceed after a raid last week on the alleged illegal surrogacy firm Baby 101, run by a Taiwanese man in Bangkok, and the arrest of 15 Vietnamese women.

Present at the meeting were staff from the Public Health Ministry, the Social Development and Human Security Ministry, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Vietnamese embassy in Thailand, the Immigration Bureau, the Department of Special Investigation, the Medical Council and the Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

The meeting decided legal action would be taken against the medical premises and doctors involved in the artificial insemination of the women.

The legal action would be based on the 1982 Medical Profession Act and the 1998 Medical Premises Act.

Mr Jurin did not name any specific medical premises but said the Medical Council would discuss the issue and transfer the matter to its ethics subcommittee on March 10.

The minister said the pregnant Vietnamese women who had originally intended to seek abortions had changed their minds and decided to continue with their pregnancies.

"All the women will return to Vietnam this week .. The babies to be born to the Vietnamese surrogate mothers will be under the care of the Vietnamese government," he said.

A Department of Special Investigation representative told the meeting the Taiwanese operator had been arrested in Taiwan. He entered Thailand in 2008 and resumed business here in 2009.

Accounts from the Vietnamese women indicate the Taiwanese firm had offices in Thailand and Cambodia and insemination took place in Thailand.

Meanwhile, representatives from a group fighting human trafficking yesterday urged authorities to block the company's website - http://www.baby-1001.com/eng/about.htm - as it remained accessible.

The Vietnamese government blocked the company's site but it was still accessible in Thailand, the Anti-human Trafficking Network said.

The website provides a registration form for clients who want to use the company's surrogacy service as well as applications for women who want to become a surrogate mother.

The DSI said last week it would ask the Information and Communication Technology Ministry to block the website because advertising for surrogate mothers through the internet was against the law.

From: bangkokpost.com

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Posted in: Society

Rubber and its use

Rubber is said to be a native of South America. Even today is grows wildly in Basil. Legend says that some of the sailors of Christopher Columbus during the early exploration of America, found children playing with a kind of ball that could bounce. In 1736 La Condamine discovered that it came from a tree. Later an English chemist called Priestly discovered that it could be used for rubbing out pencil marks.

Rubber trees were planted in Malaysia only recently. These trees were first imported from Kew Gardens in London. In Malaysia it is known as “green-gold” for it is the chief earner of foreign exchange in the form of gold. At this time of the twentieth century rubber is cultivated wildly in Malaysia and Malaysia is said to be the chief exporter of this product.

From the latex, rubber is turned out in many forms such as sheets and foam rubber sheets. The development of the electrical industry in Britain and the increasing need for more rubber tyres created a big demand.

Rubber is also known as India rubber because originally rubber reached England from the West Indies.

The uses of rubber know it to be the most important product in the Electrical and motor-car industries. Tyres and tubes for vehicles, insulation for wires, hoses, shoes and others are made from rubber.

In the scientific field also rubber tubes and implements play important parts. Rubber is also used in the manufacture of soles, cushions and mattresses. In some countries roads are made of rubber. In oil rich Texas the United State nearly two miles of roads are constructed completed of hard rubber sheets.

Had it not been for rubber Malaysia could not have been as prosperous as it is today. Most of our rubber is exported to Europe and America. We could not forget to thank the pioneers mostly Bristish planters, who introduced the trees here.

Người ta nói là cây cao su xuất phát từ vùng Nam Mỹ. Thậm chí ngày nay được trồng hoang dại ở Bazil. Truyền thuyết nói rằng vài thủy thủ của Christopher Columbus lúc khám phá ra châu Mỹ, đã thấy bọn trẻ chơi với một loại bóng mà có thể nảy lên. Năm 1736 La Condamine phát hiện ra rằng nó phát xuất từ một loại cây. Sau này, một nhà khoa học người Anh Priestly thấy rằng nó có thể tẩy dấu do viết chì viết ra.

Sau đó cây cao su chỉ được trồng ở Mã lai. Đầu tiên những cây này được nhập khẩu từ Kew Gardens ở London. Tại Mã lai nó được gọi là vàng xanh vì nó là nguồn kiếm lợi chính để trao đổi với vàng. Vào thời điểm đó của thể kỷ XX cao su được trồng một cách hoang dã ở Mã lai và nó trở thành sản phẩm xuất khẩu chính của nước này.

Từ nhựa, cao su được chuyển ra các dạng khác nhau như miếng và tấm nệm. Sự phát triển của công nghiệp điện ở Anh quốc và nhu cầu tăng về vỏ xe đã tạo ra lượng cầu lớn.

Cao su cũng được biết đến như là cao su Ấn vì nguồn gốc cao su của Anh đến từ Tây Ấn

Sự hữu dụng của cao su trong ngành điện và cộng nghệ xe hơi là sản phẩm quan trọng nhất. Vỏ và ruột xe dùng cho xe cộ, dây, ống, giày và các vật liệu cách điện khác được làm từ cao su.

Trong lĩnh vực khoa học ống và những đồ dùng cao su cũng đóng vai trò quan trọng. Cao su còn được dùng trong sản xuất đế và nệm. Ở một vài nước những con đường cũng làm từ cao su. Vùng Texas giàu có về dầu có hơn 2km đường được xây dựng hoàn toàn bằng tấm cao su cứng.

Nếu không có cao su Mã lai không thể thịnh vượng như ngày nay. Hầu hết cao su của chúng ta được xuất khẩu qua châu Âu và châu Mỹ. Chúng ta không quên cám ơn công dân Anh, người tiên phong trồng và giới thiệu cây cao su ở đây.

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Posted in: Learning English

US Secret Service Moves Tiny Town to Virtual Tiny Town: Teaching Secret Service Agents and Officers How to Prepare a Site Security Plan

ScienceDaily (Feb. 16, 2011) — Chemical releases, suicide bombers, air and subsurface threats: the U.S. Secret Service needs to be prepared to handle these real-life incidents. Training to respond to such incidents, however, has been more theoretical than practical.

---

Now, with help from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate (S&T), the Secret Service is giving training scenarios a high-tech edge: moving from static tabletop models to virtual kiosks with gaming technology and 3D modeling.

For the past 40 years, a miniature model environment called "Tiny Town" has been one of the methods used to teach Secret Service agents and officers how to prepare a site security plan. The model includes different sites -- an airport, outdoor stadium, urban rally site and a hotel interior -- and uses scaled models of buildings, cars and security assets. The scenario-based training allows students to illustrate a dignitary's entire itinerary and accommodate unrelated, concurrent activities in a public venue. Various elements of a visit are covered, such as an arrival, rope line or public remarks. The class works as a whole and in small groups to develop and present their security plan.

Enter videogame technology. The Secret Service's James J. Rowley Training Center near Washington, D.C., sought to take these scenarios beyond a static environment to encompass the dynamic threat spectrum that exists today, while taking full advantage of the latest computer software technology.

The agency's Security and Incident Modeling Lab wanted to update Tiny Town and create a more relevant and flexible training tool. With funding from DHS S&T, the Secret Service developed the Site Security Planning Tool (SSPT), a new training system dubbed "Virtual Tiny Town" by instructors, with high-tech features:

• 3D models and game-based virtual environments
• Simulated chemical plume dispersion for making and assessing decisions
• A touch interface to foster collaborative, interactive involvement by student teams
• A means to devise, configure, and test a security plan that is simple, engaging, and flexible
• Both third- and first-person viewing perspectives for overhead site evaluation and for a virtual "walk-through" of the site, reflecting how it would be performed in the field.

The new technology consists of three kiosks, each composed of a 55" Perceptive Pixel touch screen with an attached projector and camera, and a computer running Virtual Battle Space (VBS2) as the base simulation game. The kiosks can accommodate a team of up to four students, and each kiosk's synthetic environment, along with the team's crafted site security plan, can be displayed on a large wall-mounted LED 3D TV monitor for conducting class briefings and demonstrating simulated security challenges.

In addition to training new recruits, SSPT can also provide in-service protective details with advanced training on a range of scenarios, including preparation against chemical, biological or radiological attacks, armed assaults, suicide bombers and other threats.

Future enhancements to SSPT will include modeling the resulting health effects and crowd behaviors of a chemical, radiological or biological attack, to better prepare personnel for a more comprehensive array of scenarios and the necessary life-saving actions required to protect dignitaries and the public alike.

The Site Security Planning Tool development is expected to be completed and activated by spring 2011.

source: Sciencedaily

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Posted in: Science

Feeling

After a short trip from Bienhoa to Nhatrang and back.
On the way to Nhatrang, I am on train. The train is clean and tiny, the view when I look out sight is wonderful, a lot of small land with rice, blue dragon, rubber and many other kinds of tree. the trip is quite good except some dark point such as the train run slow and it have to wait for another train passed first. with a distance of 450km, it costs nearly 8 hours to finish. Actually, this is a reason make Vietnam economy run not good. This means that the infrastructure here is not well-equipment.
Getting to the destination I do not have much time to go a round this occasion. I just went to a beach next to Tranphu street. The sea is awesome with mountain, island and so many tree along the seacoast, but some people still having a bad habit is throwing garbage in the wrong places. This make this sight worse some day. I hope we will not meet that days.
The way to come back home is really terrible.
I use coach on way back. The company of this coach is C.T. the coach did not start on time. This case I have a ticket and of course I have my own position like a berth. It run from Nhatrang to Camranh with many 'stop' play for picking passenger and when it come to Phanrang this vehicle is full of people like a city bus. Many people lay on the floor which using as a path of ticket people. Each time one of them would like to go to a toilet they have to pass over some. I think this problems need to be solved by the government and especially is traffic police.
Other company with this kind of coach do not act like C.T company. We can think that is driver fault, but we also understand with other side.
I found that there are some foreigner in this trip. I do not know what they think about this behavior.
This old issue has existed for long time in almost backpacking tour in Vietnam
Wish we would not be in this matter any more.

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Posted in: Tour in Vietnam