Well, this partial mars map example reminds me on somthing - i think they call it fog of war in RTS games?Not sure, but it basically means a visibility map per faction. Could be just two bits in your cell data, at minimum. And you can use it to block the path finding for example, or LOS tests, etc.And it's important for the player too, who sees only parts of map he has already explored / occupied.Ideally he associates a growing visibility with increasing power, or tension,

When a sickness is tearing through your home, you may not feel like cleaning, whether because youre down and out yourself, or youre taking care of a family member who isor maybe both. Unfortunately, when someone in the household has a virus, its more important than ever to stay on top of your disinfecting game.But how much cleaning do you actually need to do? It can be tough to know where to begin, especially if youre feeling ill, so heres a guide on where to start.Disinfecting is more important than just cleaningRight now you don't just need to clean, you have to disinfect. Viruses that cause sickness can stay on surfaces after normal cleaning, so you need to take extra steps to kill them. Look for products that have the word "disinfectant" front and center, or make your own disinfectant using diluted bleach. You can also consider using an EPA-certified disinfectant. Don't spend too much effort on this step, however: Lysol is an effective disinfectant, and you can get two cans for under $14. Start by cleaning your surfaces with soapy water as normal (this is perfectly fine place to stop if no one in the house is sick). During flu season or after someone's fallen ill, the next step is disinfecting. Spray your surfaces with disinfectant or diluted bleach, then let it sit for 10 minutes before wiping it off. Which surfaces to prioritize when there's sickness in the houseWork smarter, not harder, when you're cleaning up during and after a bout of sickness, and focus on the surfaces and areas that matter most. These are high-touch, high-use spots like the following:The bathroom, including the toilet, the faucets, and all hard surfacesThe kitchen, including dishes and cups that were touched by the sick person, as well as drawer and refrigerator handles, shelves, keypads on appliances, and all hard surfacesAll the door handles in the homeAny fabrics touched by the sick person, including clothes, robes, towels, stuffed animals, and bedding (which should be washed on the hottest setting in your machine)All the hard surfaces, including light switches, tables, remotes, and especially anything in the area the sick person tends to stayElectronics, like phones and tabletsThe garbage cans around the houseKeys, wallets, and anything that is regularly grabbed, touched, or toted aroundAll of these items should all be cleaned and disinfected. Some viruses can linger on surfaces for days or even weeks, so disinfect regularly for at least two weeks after you think the sickness has passed. Other steps to consider:Toss out the family toothbrushes and replace them with new ones. The same goes for sponges in the kitchen, or any other disposable cleaning products you only use for a short time. When cleaning each room, use different cloths, sponges, or cleaning tools to avoid bringing germs from one location into another. Change pillowcases daily, especially for the sick person(s), and leave the final bedding cleaning until the sickness is over. As mentioned, you need to wash all linens on the hottest setting in your washing machine. Wash them by themselves and use a disinfecting detergent for good measure.How soon do you need to clean when youre sick?Clean during the sickness to the best of your ability. Take garbage out daily and disinfect the cans. Wipe down surfaces and try to keep a supply of clean laundry on hand. The quicker you rid your home of the germs that are clinging to your stuff, the bettereven if the most you can manage in your time of illness is spraying everything down with the Lysol, it's a good start.Unfortunately, viruses can have some longevity on different types of surfaces, so it's important to start the disinfecting routine as soon as the first person gets sick.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.If youve got a sliding door in your home, or even a regular window, youre probably familiar with the dirt and grime that has a tendency to gunk up the track. Cleaning that track might not be a regular priority, but when it starts slowing down the door (or causing it to stick altogether), its time to tackle the job. Luckily, its a fairly easy taskheres what youll need to do.What you need to clean a sliding door track You dont need special tools or expensive cleaners to get in between the metal tracks of your sliding door. Instead, just use hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to lift the dirt and clean the track without any scrubbing. The items you need are: Hydrogen peroxideBaking sodaA microfiber cloth or paper towelsA vacuum cleanerSteps to cleaning the sliding door track Vacuum the track firstFirst, grab your handheld vacuum (or a vacuum with a hose attachment) and vacuum out any loose, visible dirt. Larger vacuum attachments aren't great for this, especially if you have a really small track or one with a bunch of levels and components inside. If that's the case, grab a cardboard tube, the kind you're left with when you run out of toilet paper. You just stick it to the end of your vacuum hose or stick like you would any other attachment, as shown in this Instagram Reel from A Clean Bee. Bend the unattached edge of the roll to make a slit and shove it into the small space. It works really well for pulling dirt out of crevices and, since you can manipulate the cardboard easily, you have control over how precise you can be.Pull up dirt that is stuck deeper down in the trackOnce you've gotten the large bits of dirt out of the way with the vacuum, you need to take on any crusty, caked-on, or smaller debris deeper in the sliding door track. Take your baking soda and sprinkle a fine layer of powder to thoroughly cover the track. Next, grab your hydrogen peroxide and pour it onto the metal track, over the powder, and let it sit for five to 10 minutes. The baking soda and hydrogen peroxide combination will create a reaction that pushes all dirt, seen and unseen, right to the top. Clear everything out to fully clean the sliding door trackAfter the dirt has lifted, you'll see it; the mixture you created will look pretty funky. Take a cleaning cloth or paper towel and wipe down the track, taking care to fold it small enough that you can really stuff it in the grooves. You can use a little water to rinse and remove any leftover residue, if needed. Finish off by using a dry paper towel or rag to dry the track out, since the last thing you want is to create new layers of residue and gunk on what you just cleaned.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.I'm a sucker for outdoor lights. I've tried many over the years, from solar spotlights, to step lights, to smart string lights. One brand that usually comes out on top for most categories is Govee. I've had their Govee Smart Outdoor String Lights 2 for some months and can recommend it to anyone looking for quality waterproof smart outdoor string lights. At the moment, you can get the 144-foot length for $100.29 (originally $169.99) after using the 41% on-page discount, the lowest price it has been according to price tracking tools. If that's too many string lights for you, the 96 and 48-foot options are also discounted. Light Source Type: LED, Power Source:Corded Electric, Light Color: Multicolor, Theme: Patio Govee Outdoor String Lights 2, 144ft (41% on-page coupon) $169.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $169.99 at Amazon Light Source Type: LED, Power Source:Corded Electric, Light Color: Multicolor, Theme: Patio Govee Smart Outdoor String Lights 2, 96ft ($40 on-page coupon) $129.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $129.99 at Amazon Light Source Type: LED, Power Source:Corded Electric, Light Color: Multicolor, Theme: Patio Govee Smart Outdoor String Lights 2, 48ft ($20 on-page coupon) $79.99 at Amazon Get Deal Get Deal $79.99 at Amazon SEE 0 MORE Before I started using smart string lights, I would have to manually plug and unplug my lights anytime I wanted to use them. I would also need to change them out for the holidays, which was a pain. Smart lights can turn on with a set routine (like programming it to turn on and off at sunset and sunrise), can be controlled remotely with voice assistants through your smart speaker, and some can change colors to fit different moods or holidays. I've been able to do all of this (and more) with the Govee Outdoor String Lights 2.Govee's app is well-made and what sets it apart from competitors. It provides all kinds of color options to choose for ambient light, as well as themes. You can set up red and green Christmas light patterns or spooky blinking Halloween lights. One feature that I've used plenty of times is the music mode, which is essentially a party mode that syncs with your music through the Govee app to pulsate to the beat. The string lights are waterproof and are estimated to provide 25,000 hours of light (which is almost three years).If this sounds like fun to you, make sure to measure the distance you need properly; getting extra lights is expensive, and you'll need to figure out where to put the extra bulbs.

The weeklong speedrunning marathon Awesome Games Done Quick 2025 wrapped up in the wee hours of Sunday morning, and organizers say it managed to pull in a total of $2,556,305 for Prevent Cancer Foundation.As could be expected, the event in Pittsburgh brought a good mix of skill and silliness: there was a Crazy Taxi speedrun featuring a live band; FunkopotamusWes played the piano during his run of New Super Mario Bros. Wii, using his head and feet to control the game via motion controls; and Dr. Doot did an Elden Ring bosses speedrun using an electric saxophone. Yes, the saxophone did make little doot doot sounds the entire time.The marathon ran continuously from January 5-12, so there are many, many more great moments besides these to catch up on if you missed it. Everything can be found on the Games Done Quick YouTube channel.AGDQ is one of several charity-focused events held by Games Done Quick every year, and the next one, Back to Black is coming up in February. Highlighting Black hosts and speedrunners, that event (Feb 6-9) will raise money for the racial justice nonprofit, Race Forward. Over the years, Games Done Quick has raised more than $54 million for various charities including Prevent Cancer Foundation and Doctors Without Borders. AGDQ raised about $2.5 million during its marathon last year, too.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/awesome-games-done-quick-raises-another-25-million-for-a-cancer-nonprofit-202228938.html?src=rss

Investors can aim not only to make money but to benefit society while doing so. But few of those impact investors follow up on whether their strategy is having a positive impact, we found in a study published in the Journal of Business Ethics.Impact investing aims to generate financial returns while also creating positive social or environmental outcomes. But having the intention of doing good by selecting the right assets doesnt guarantee that you will. We call this uncertainty impact risk.After conducting 124 interviews with impact investors and an experiment with 435 participants, we found that, rather than evaluate impact risk directly, many impact investors presume that they will succeed at having a positive effect on the world when they assess their investment options.In other words, they assume that certain businesses, such as solar energy companies or microfinance initiatives, are inherently good for society. This win-win mindset leads investors to focus primarily on financial performance rather than on evaluating whether their investments are achieving social or environmental impacts. Often, this means that investors cant determine whether specific investments perform better than others on social metrics.We found that this mindset discourages investors from seeking information that might point to shortcomings in an investments social performance.Why it mattersImpact investment, a rapidly growing area of finance, surpassed US$1.5 trillion globally by the end of 2024, according to the Global Impact Investing Network. The industry has attracted a range of investors, including wealthy individuals, banks, development finance institutions, corporations, foundations, pension funds and religious institutions.Nearly 75% of younger individual investors, including millennials and Gen Z, prioritize aligning investments with their social values.With much of the projected $84 trillion in wealth expected to be inherited from older people by 2045 flowing to millennials and other younger Americans, in what has been called the great wealth transfer, financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Vanguard are trying harder to appeal to impact investors. They now offer a range of investment options promising both social impact and financial performance.We found, however, that good intentions alone may not deliver consistent social impact. Without robust risk assessments and ongoing evaluations of whether investments have the intended outcomes, impact investments may fall short of their goals.What still isnt knownMany questions remain about how investors can effectively assess impact risks without creating potentially onerous reporting requirements for themselves or their clients. Some of our related research has determined that financial managers are concerned about this potential burden.But new regulations are likely anyway. For instance, a proposed Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rule would require public corporations in the U.S. to disclose risks associated with climate change. Yet, due to pending litigation, the rules implementation has been delayed perhaps indefinitely.Whats nextOur next phase of research is building on these findings by examining how impact investors seek out and respond to evidence of underperformance. With additional colleagues at the University of Virginia, we are currently investigating whether moral clarity the extent to which people feel confident in their ethical decision-making influences investors behavior.By continuing to research connections between impact and financial performance, we aim to contribute to a broader conversation, both in academia and in practice, about how to ensure investments truly benefit people and the planet.Lauren Kaufmann is an assistant professor of business administration at University of Virginia.Helet Botha is an assistant professor of business policy and strategy at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Theres so much simplicity in the LEGO Salt & Pepper shakers design that it almost feels like the most natural interpretation of what salt or pepper shakers should be. Designed to look like oversized individual LEGO 11 stud bricks, these shakers actually come from LEGO, featuring the companys famous logo on the top of the stud. Fill them with salt and pepper and you have the perfect themed shakers for your kitchen or dining table.The shakers come in black and white, doing a brilliant job of simply explaining things without really relying on labels, details, or anything extraneous that would take away from their brick-based design. The best part, however, is that they actually function like LEGO bricks, stacking one above the other for some fun at the dinner table!Designer: LEGOClick Here to Buy NowThe shakers are, according to LEGOs own stats, a whopping 600x bigger than the standard 11 LEGO brick. Theyre perfectly sized for gripping, have optimized holes that allow seasoning to pour through with absolute ease, and stack vertically in a way that almost feels like a fidget interaction. Id probably buy a bunch of them just to make a tower or some LEGO contraption!You fill the shakers by accessing the opening below. Rubber gasketing ensures the opening closes shut with a tight seal so that salt and pepper dont spill out accidentally mid-shake. The opening is also fairly thick, accommodating the reverse-stud design that allows the shakers to nestle into one another, creating a 21 tower.The shakers are available on LEGOs website as well as on Amazon, but I honestly wish LEGO came up with a few more colors, just for a variety of other seasonings. Yellow for turmeric or curry powder, dark brown for cinnamon, light tan for onion or garlic powder, red for paprika. Wouldnt it be just fun to have an entire colorful spice rack thats actually a row of LEGO brick spice shakers? Well, although LEGO doesnt make other colors, theres always the option of 3D printing them (you can get the CAD files online). Just make sure theyre well-printed or they might break or become ridiculously difficult to use/clean!Click Here to Buy NowThe post These Adorable LEGO Salt and Pepper Shakers Add Some Stackable Fun To Your Kitchen first appeared on Yanko Design.

Apple's Messages app has a built-in safeguard to prevent links or phone numbers in unsolicited messages on iPhones from being clickable, and now scammers are trying to trick the unwary into enabling them.If only all scam calls and text messages were this easy to spot.By default, if you receive a text message on an iPhone or other Apple device from an unknown sender, any links therein are disabled. Once you reply to a message, however, the Messages app then allows clickable links, reports Bleeping Computer.Scammers and other threat actors have developed a way around this restriction that savvy users will spot easily, but novice users might fall for. Often, this "smishing" attack comes in the form of a notice of an unpaid bill for a small amount, or a "failed delivery" notification. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Join our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn MoreAfter six decades of dreaming and experimenting, we might be on the cusp of a technology-enabled revolution in education. The Arizona State Board for Charter Schools recently approved the application by Unbound Academy for a new online school that will replace traditional teachers with AI teaching assistants, promising to deliver 2.4 times the academic growth for students compared to results from conventional schools.This advance is not the result of another incremental tech experiment instead, it represents the latest chapter in a 60-year quest in computer assisted instruction (CAI) to transform education through technology. This time, the evidence suggests a true breakthrough might be near. If this Academy and similar initiatives are successful, it will mark the fulfillment of a long-held dream.The idea of using computers to assist student learning dates to the 1950s, with the first application Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations (PLATO) appearing in 1961. PLATO offered interactive lessons and real-time feedback using terminals connected by telephone lines to a time-share computer system. Like other time-share systems, PLATO ultimately failed due to the high expenses required.Other attempts at immersive, experimental learning famously included Second Life a virtual world accessible through the Internet where people participated as avatars in the early 2000s. Although not explicitly a CAI tool, Second Life demonstrated the potential for immersive virtual learning environments. At one point at least 300 universities around the world including Stanford and Harvard taught courses or conducted research on the platform. Ultimately, Second Life struggled due to a poor user interface (UI), robust technical requirements, a steep learning curve and an inability to scale.The advent of generative AI in 2017 marked a turning point in CAI, with tools like Writable and Photomath enhancing both teaching and learning. Writable, for example, uses AI to provide feedback on student writing, helping teachers manage large workloads. As reported by Axios, Writable uses ChatGPT to produce comments and observations that are sent to the teacher, who is expected to review and tweak them before providing the feedback to the students.Such tools highlight AIs growing role in addressing the long-standing resource constraints of traditional education. In some school districts in the U.S., primary class sizes exceed 40 students. If a teacher spent 10 minutes reading and critiquing a writing assignment from each student, that would be 400 minutes, or more than 6.6 hours outside of class time, to provide feedback for one assignment. That seems untenable, especially in combination with evaluating other student assignments. A boost from technology will help to address this challenge.AI-powered tutoring at scaleIn a more comprehensive approach, the Khan Academy, led by founder Sal Khan, has been offering free online education tutorials since 2008. In 2023, the company launched Khanmigo, an interactive AI tutor for students that incorporates ChatGPT.In a 2023 TED Talk, Khan talked about the potential of Khanmigo for improving student performance. In the talk, he discussed a 1984 paper titled The 2 Sigma Problem by Professor of education Benjamin Bloom, then at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University.Caption: Khan Academy founder Sal Khan discusses AI-powered tutoring in a 2023 TED Talk. Source: The often-cited paper argued that students receiving individualized tutoring performed two standard deviations better than those receiving only traditional classroom instruction. However, Bloom was aware that this level of tutoring was impractical due to resource constraints including the costs of obtaining human tutors. Bloom believed the solution was to devise more economical interventions that could approach the benefits of tutoring.Khan argues that though the application of AI-infused technology, Khanmigo effectively overcomes the resource constraints. As noted in a Harvard Business School case study, Khan said that Khanmigo might be that holy grail weve all been reading about in science fiction for years, about an AI that could emulate a human tutor.Students who receive 1:1 human tutoring tested two standard deviations better than those who did not have individual tutoring. Source: https://web.mit.edu/5.95/www/readings/bloom-two-sigma.pdfSome have pointed to flaws in the Bloom paper, questioning the evidence supporting his conclusion and dismissing the claims as being farfetched. In an effort to separate science fiction from science fact, Paul von Hippel, a professor and associate dean for research in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, opined that the two standard deviation claim is both exaggerated and oversimplified. Nevertheless, there is little question that the application of technology tools could improve educational outcomes.Balancing efficiency and human connectionWhile AI tools show immense promise in addressing resource constraints, their adoption raises broader questions about the role of human connection in learning. Which brings us back to Unbound Academy. Students will spend two hours online each school morning working through AI-driven lessons in math, reading, and science. Tools like Khanmigo and IXL will personalize the instruction and analyze progress, adjusting the difficulty and content in real-time to optimize learning outcomes. The Charter application asserts that this ensures that each student is consistently challenged at their optimal level, preventing boredom or frustration.Unbound Academys model significantly reduces the role of human teachers. Instead, human guides provide emotional support and motivation while also leading workshops on life skills. What will students lose by spending most of their learning time with AI instead of human instructors, and how might this model reshape the teaching profession?The Unbound Academy model is already used in several private schools and the results they have obtained are used to substantiate the advantages it claims. Yet, it is not clear how a computer-based model will impact a students ability to foster human connections outside of a traditional school setting. These issues and questions highlight the complex trade-offs schools like Unbound Academy must navigate as they redefine the educational landscape.Is the revolution here?The Academy is not the only instance of AI being used in schools. Khanmigo is being piloted in 266 school districts in the U.S. in grades three through 12.As reported by CBS, the software is used by teachers as well as students. This pilot program offers a glimpse into how AI could integrate into existing education systems, supporting both teachers and students by enhancing lesson planning, saving time and providing real-time insights into student progress.CAI has come a long way since PLATO, although it has taken more than 60 years. If AI-driven models succeed, they could democratize access to high-quality instruction. While AI has the potential to widen existing disparities, it also offers unprecedented opportunities to bring quality education to underserved communities.As schools like Unbound Academy and those piloting Khanmigo pioneer AI-driven teaching models, they are not just testing a new educational approach they are challenging our fundamental assumptions about how learning happens and what role human teachers should play in that process. The results could reshape education for generations to come.Gary Grossman is EVP of technology practice at Edelman and global lead of the Edelman AI Center of Excellence. 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