Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and system for developing a time horizon based financial model for investing towards attaining at least one financial objective. Each financial objective is characterized by an event having a financial amount and a future time when the financial amount is expected to be needed. In the present invention, a time horizon is specified in accordance with the financial objectives. In addition, the time horizon is divided into a plurality of segments. An array of future expenses for each of the financial objectives is then provided. The array indicates recurring costs of a specified amount, frequency of the costs, and duration of the costs. A fraction of the future expenses accruing in each time horizon segment is then identified. An investment of a specified amount of money is then modeled during each of the time horizon segments for satisfying the future expenses. The amount of money invested may change as the time horizon changes from segment to segment.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus (10) for separating dirt or dust from an airflow including a frustoconical cyclone (12) having a tangential air inlet (16) located at or adjacent the end of the cyclone having the larger diameter and a cone opening (18) located at the end of the cyclone having the smaller diameter. A collector (20) is arranged so as to surround the cone opening and has a base surface (24) facing towards the cone opening. According to the invention, at least a portion (24a) of the base surface is conical or frusto-conical in shape and a dust-retaining wall (30) is provided spaced from the center of the base surface.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for separating dirt or dust from an airflow comprising a frustoconical cyclone (12) having a tangential air inlet (16) located at or adjacent the end of the cyclone (12) having the larger diameter and a cone opening (18) located at the end of the cyclone (12) having the smaller diameter is described. A collector (20) is arranged so as to surround the cone opening (18) and has a base surface (24) facing towards the cone opening (18). The distance between the cone opening (18) and the base surface (24) is between 4 and 6 mm or between 45 and 60 mm. The apparatus (10) is reduced in size without substantially affecting the separation efficiency.

Abstract: A child's self-contained, interactive toilet training kit made from a relatively rigid material and having a lid that is moveable between an open position and a closed position. The kit includes a plurality of training pants, a plurality of interactivity devices adapted for use by a caregiver for instructing a child in toilet training, and a plurality of activity devices adapted for use by the child for encouraging the child in toilet training.

Abstract: A system and method for managing faults in a distributed system. The fault management system includes a configuration manager that maintains configuration information of components used in the distributed system. A plurality of measurement agents obtain performance information from the components in the distributed system. A diagnostic system has a plurality of rules written according to the configuration information stored therein. The diagnostic system is coupled to the configuration manager and each of the plurality of measurement agents and identifies faults occurring in the distributed system and provides solutions for correcting the faults The diagnostic system receives the configuration information from the configuration manager and the performance information from the plurality of measurement agents and uses the configuration and performance information with the plurality of rules to identify faults and provide solutions for the faults.