Kenny Irwin Jr. is not one of those brooding, creatively blocked artists, as one glance at his father’s backyard confirms. Ken Irwin Sr. once owned a pristine two-acre spread in a prized part of town. Then he made the generous or foolish decision, depending on your viewpoint, to hand over the property to his son as a place to build and display the astonishing over-scaled sculptures that Kenny Jr. makes by fusing found materials with tons of glue.
Now, Santa’s Battle Wagon and a team of 12 robot reindeer occupy a patch of lawn near the pool, while a 50-foot-tall, 54-ton robot made partly of junked electronics diverts attention from the tasteful desert landscaping.
Georgia Eisner, his older sister, recalled how, years before he took over the backyard, he would appropriate her possessions as material for his art while she was away at boarding school. “It was clear my typewriter ended up in one of his structures,” she said. “My shell collection disappeared. He glued it to the wall.All you need to know about In home display.”
Kenny Jr.The Home energy monitor market continues to struggle for more traction.’s ideas come in a geyserlike rush, he explained, inspired by vivid dreams of aliens and distant planets. His main challenge is keeping up with them. “The amount of energy that goes through me is absolutely, utterly relentless,” he said. “Think of it as the floodgates are unleashed and the flood doesn’t ever stop. It’s been that way my whole life.”
For several years, his creative energy has been channeled into Robo Lights, the ever-expanding holiday display he began in 1986, at age 12. Last year, 20,000 people visited the sprawling installation, which features Santa’s Pink Robot Store and a manger scene with baby Jesus wearing a Sumo-style topknot and wise men bearing gifts of toy microwaves.
“Kenny is one of a handful of people who continue to fascinate me,” Ms. Hoffberger said. “There’s a lot of sci-fi work out there, and it tends to look alike. His work looks like no one else’s.”
LIKE A ONE-MAN RECYCLING CENTER, Kenny Jr. collects old phones, cassette tapes, wood, the innards of slot machines, garbage can lids, pool filters, a neighbor’s wrecked glider, an air compressor from a commercial building — anything he can get his hands on, basically — and using multiple cans of Touch ’n Foam sealant, gives form to his visions.
His sculptures have a Seurat-like quality: a pink Clydesdale looks monumental from a distance; up close, its hooves are revealed as boxy computer monitors, its noble head a printer and fax machine glued together, its mane a tangle of power cords.
Still, the exposure didn’t translate to wider recognition for his art. Kenny Jr. isn’t represented by a gallery, but sells his art out of the house. And beyond the Visionary Art Museum, his work is not championed by museums, including the Palm Springs Art Museum. He works each day in relative obscurity, treating his father’s palm-shaded yard as his Roden Crater, hFind Home Power monitor blood pressure monitor ads in our Miscellaneous Goods category.is Chinati Ranch.
For Kenny Jr., who as a child showed greater affinity for animals than for humans, art is an attempt to connect. “The major reason I create is to share with people,” he said. “I always saw what enjoyment people got out of my art. It made me happy because it makes them happy.”
In addition to his astonishing sculptures, Kenny Jr. makes ballpoint-pen drawings that blend futuristic and Islamic imagery, and strangely beautiful ceramics in which materials like pigeon feathers or cicada skins are encased in resin skulls. As with the sculptures in the yard, the smaller works have started to fill the large house he shares with his father, and Kenny Jr.’s uncontrollable creative output has put a strain on his family.
Either it was the greatest miracle or the greatest mistake of my life,” Ken Sr. said, and laughed. He was sitting in the air-conditioned, vaulted-ceiling living room of the house he designed and built, which has a conversation pit and electric-blue rug that date it to the era when Burt and Dinah roamed Palm Canyon Drive. Viewed through sliding-glass doors, Kenny Jr.’s sculptures loomed impressively on the lawn, as if eyeing the house and its residents for a takeover.
As Kenny Jr. grew older, and his installations consumed more and more of the property, “I had to make some decisions,” Ken Sr. said. What he decided was to become his son’s Lorenzo de’ Medici, supporting Kenny Jr. financially and allowing him to turn prime Southern California real estate into “a canvas.”
Click on their website www.owon-smart.com/category/products/2 for more information.
2013年8月21日 星期三
2013年8月18日 星期日
The consumer price index has only a few services
The
economic growth rate has been falling continuously while the consumer
price inflation, current account deficit in the external sector and
fiscal deficit in the Budget remain at high levels.Find Home Power monitor blood pressure monitor ads in our Miscellaneous Goods category.learn how to choose a Home energy management.
The lack of confidence in the Indian economy is manifested by the
sudden and sharp decline in the value of the rupee vis-a-vis the dollar
in spite of the steps taken by the government and the Reserve Bank of
India. The stock markets are also fluctuating wildly reflecting the
uncertainty in the minds of the investors— both Indian and foreign. The
policy-makers appear to be helpless.
The government has tried to talk the markets up but with little effect. The PM, Finance Minister, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission and Economic Advisor to the PM have all made pronouncements that the economic recovery is around the corner. These predictions over the last two years have been belied as the data in the Table shows. The rate of growth has fallen quarter after quarter since the fourth quarter of 2010-11.
It is true that the rate of growth is still good compared both to that of most other countries in the world or to the projections by the IMF (and others) of the expected rate of growth of the world economy. This growth is also comparable to India’s historical growth rate since independence. However, the current growth path is not comparable with that prior to 1991 because that was not creating inequality and unemployment which the current marginalising growth has been doing.
Post-1991, growth has been fuelled by the private corporate sector with highly capital intensive technology which does not generate much employment and also increases inequality in the economy. Most of the gains have been cornered by a few leaving little to trickle down to others. This is especially true for the marginalised sections like the unorganised sectors and especially the agricultural sector which still deploys more than half of the work force. The impact of the slowdown in the growth rate is that what trickles down becomes even less and those at the bottom of the pyramid suffer even more.
Coupled with the declining economic growth rate is a stubbornly high rate of inflation measured by consumer prices (roughly 10 per cent per annum). While the wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation has moderated, it does not reflect the burden of price rise on the consumer. The WPI-based inflation rate does not reflect the rise in prices of services, like school fees or rents or telephone calls and so on. The consumer price index has only a few services; so it also under-represents inflation. The price rise results in shifting purchasing power from the consumers to businesses and thereby reducing the trickle-down and accentuating disparities.
Add to this the rising black income generation in the economy with corruption spreading and growing in scale.The Power Cost Monitor and other Energy monitor monitoring products. Since the black economy is concentrated in the hands of three per cent of the population, inequalities rise. By raising costs allround, the rate of inflation is raised. Further, the inefficiencies associated with the black economy result in wasteful use of capital and lower employment generation than is poten-tially possible. Through flight of capital it increases the shortage of capital and aggravates the current account deficit on the external sector and leads to BOP problems. Last but not the least, it results in the failure of policies so that targets are not achieved. It affects the collection of taxes and that raises the government’s budgetary deficits which leads to a cut-back in essential expenditures, say, on health and education.
In brief, under the New Economic Policies (NEP) with their pro-corporate sector bias and with a rising black economy, the combination of low rates of economic growth and persisting high inflation results in poor employment generation and mounting inequality. This is a dangerous mix since it can only lead to growing social tensions and political strife in the country 66 years after we achieved political indepen-dence.
Sixtysix years after independence, we have the largest number of poor people, illiterates and so on in the world. It is not that India has not made progress after independence but it is much less than what was expected. It is much less than what many other nations have achieved in a comparable time-span. India appears to be a case of many missed opportunities.
Read the full story at www.owon-smart.com/category/products/2!
The government has tried to talk the markets up but with little effect. The PM, Finance Minister, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission and Economic Advisor to the PM have all made pronouncements that the economic recovery is around the corner. These predictions over the last two years have been belied as the data in the Table shows. The rate of growth has fallen quarter after quarter since the fourth quarter of 2010-11.
It is true that the rate of growth is still good compared both to that of most other countries in the world or to the projections by the IMF (and others) of the expected rate of growth of the world economy. This growth is also comparable to India’s historical growth rate since independence. However, the current growth path is not comparable with that prior to 1991 because that was not creating inequality and unemployment which the current marginalising growth has been doing.
Post-1991, growth has been fuelled by the private corporate sector with highly capital intensive technology which does not generate much employment and also increases inequality in the economy. Most of the gains have been cornered by a few leaving little to trickle down to others. This is especially true for the marginalised sections like the unorganised sectors and especially the agricultural sector which still deploys more than half of the work force. The impact of the slowdown in the growth rate is that what trickles down becomes even less and those at the bottom of the pyramid suffer even more.
Coupled with the declining economic growth rate is a stubbornly high rate of inflation measured by consumer prices (roughly 10 per cent per annum). While the wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation has moderated, it does not reflect the burden of price rise on the consumer. The WPI-based inflation rate does not reflect the rise in prices of services, like school fees or rents or telephone calls and so on. The consumer price index has only a few services; so it also under-represents inflation. The price rise results in shifting purchasing power from the consumers to businesses and thereby reducing the trickle-down and accentuating disparities.
Add to this the rising black income generation in the economy with corruption spreading and growing in scale.The Power Cost Monitor and other Energy monitor monitoring products. Since the black economy is concentrated in the hands of three per cent of the population, inequalities rise. By raising costs allround, the rate of inflation is raised. Further, the inefficiencies associated with the black economy result in wasteful use of capital and lower employment generation than is poten-tially possible. Through flight of capital it increases the shortage of capital and aggravates the current account deficit on the external sector and leads to BOP problems. Last but not the least, it results in the failure of policies so that targets are not achieved. It affects the collection of taxes and that raises the government’s budgetary deficits which leads to a cut-back in essential expenditures, say, on health and education.
In brief, under the New Economic Policies (NEP) with their pro-corporate sector bias and with a rising black economy, the combination of low rates of economic growth and persisting high inflation results in poor employment generation and mounting inequality. This is a dangerous mix since it can only lead to growing social tensions and political strife in the country 66 years after we achieved political indepen-dence.
Sixtysix years after independence, we have the largest number of poor people, illiterates and so on in the world. It is not that India has not made progress after independence but it is much less than what was expected. It is much less than what many other nations have achieved in a comparable time-span. India appears to be a case of many missed opportunities.
Read the full story at www.owon-smart.com/category/products/2!
2013年7月29日 星期一
The basalt reactions are part of a natural weathering
By early August, scientists will have pumped 1,000 tons of pure
carbon dioxide into porous rock far below the northwestern United
States. The goal is to find a permanent home for the carbon dioxide
generated by human activities.
Researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington, began the injections into the Columbia River Basalt formation near the town of Wallula on 17 July. The rock contains pores created as many as 16 million years ago, when magma flowed across what is now the Columbia River Basin. Bubbles of CO2 migrated to the edges of the magma as it cooled, forming layers of holes sandwiched between solid rock.
In pumping emissions back underground, “we are returning the carbon dioxide from whence it came”, says Pete McGrail, an environ-mental engineer at the PNNL who is heading the experiment, part of a larger energy-department program on ways to sequester carbon.
The Wallula project is the second of two worldwide to target basalt formations, which scientists hope can hold — and permanently mineralize — vast quantities of gas. In basalt, dissolved CO2 should react with calcium and magnesium to form limestone over the course of decades. Until the gas is locked away, the porous basalt layers are capped by solid rock that will prevent leaking. That should eliminate concerns about leakage that have dogged other proposals to store CO2 deep underground, often in sandstone reservoirs.
The basalt reactions are part of a natural weathering process that has helped to regulate atmospheric CO2 levels throughout geological time. Scientists have analyzed mineralization in the lab, but it is only now being tested in the field.
Researchers working on the other basalt project, based in Iceland and run by a consortium of US and European scientists along with Reykjavik Energy, made their first CO2 injections last year and will conduct another round this year. Early results look promising, says Juerg Matter, a geochemist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, New York, who is working on the Iceland project. “The mineralization reaction is most likely faster than what we in the community had thought,” says Matter, who has also contributed to the Wallula project. Assuming that holds true for basalt generally, “you reduce the risk of leakage, and you can pretty much walk away from your storage reservoirs”.
In Wallula, researchers are already monitoring a series of shallow wells around the injection site for signs of CO2 leaking into the soil and groundwater. Once the injection is finished,Home energy monitor they will start taking samples from the injection well to monitor water chemistry, track changes in carbon isotopes and check for other evidence of reactions. Lab tests and computer simulations suggest that in general, around 20% of the CO2 should be mineralized within 10–15 years, says McGrail.
The pilot project, however, is operating on a shorter timescale. Fourteen months after the end of injection, the team plans to drill another well and pull up a core of rock to assess the results, says McGrail. “At that point, we are hoping to have some carbonized rock in our hands.”
But achieving sequestration is only half the battle: scientists and engineers must still work out how to capture CO2 from industrial facilities and transport it to the sequestration site cost-effectively. And even if a carbon-mineralization industry took off, establishing it on a global level would require an undertaking on the scale of rebuilding the oil industry.
The cheapest form of carbon sequestration is to keep fossil fuels in the ground in the first place. This is why fossil fuel companies lie so much and try their hardest to confuse people about climate change. They know the science is clear and it means that they will have to leave trillions of dollars of coal, oil and gas in the ground while also having trillions more in infrastructure built to exploit those reserves become obsolete or "stranded" once we start to deal with our climate change problem. All their propaganda and the million$$$ they spend to confuse the public on climate change is merely a rearguard action to postpone serious efforts to combat climate change for as long as possible to keep their multi-trillion dollar revenues coming in each year.
Click on their website www.owon-smart.com for more information.
Researchers at the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington, began the injections into the Columbia River Basalt formation near the town of Wallula on 17 July. The rock contains pores created as many as 16 million years ago, when magma flowed across what is now the Columbia River Basin. Bubbles of CO2 migrated to the edges of the magma as it cooled, forming layers of holes sandwiched between solid rock.
In pumping emissions back underground, “we are returning the carbon dioxide from whence it came”, says Pete McGrail, an environ-mental engineer at the PNNL who is heading the experiment, part of a larger energy-department program on ways to sequester carbon.
The Wallula project is the second of two worldwide to target basalt formations, which scientists hope can hold — and permanently mineralize — vast quantities of gas. In basalt, dissolved CO2 should react with calcium and magnesium to form limestone over the course of decades. Until the gas is locked away, the porous basalt layers are capped by solid rock that will prevent leaking. That should eliminate concerns about leakage that have dogged other proposals to store CO2 deep underground, often in sandstone reservoirs.
The basalt reactions are part of a natural weathering process that has helped to regulate atmospheric CO2 levels throughout geological time. Scientists have analyzed mineralization in the lab, but it is only now being tested in the field.
Researchers working on the other basalt project, based in Iceland and run by a consortium of US and European scientists along with Reykjavik Energy, made their first CO2 injections last year and will conduct another round this year. Early results look promising, says Juerg Matter, a geochemist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in Palisades, New York, who is working on the Iceland project. “The mineralization reaction is most likely faster than what we in the community had thought,” says Matter, who has also contributed to the Wallula project. Assuming that holds true for basalt generally, “you reduce the risk of leakage, and you can pretty much walk away from your storage reservoirs”.
In Wallula, researchers are already monitoring a series of shallow wells around the injection site for signs of CO2 leaking into the soil and groundwater. Once the injection is finished,Home energy monitor they will start taking samples from the injection well to monitor water chemistry, track changes in carbon isotopes and check for other evidence of reactions. Lab tests and computer simulations suggest that in general, around 20% of the CO2 should be mineralized within 10–15 years, says McGrail.
The pilot project, however, is operating on a shorter timescale. Fourteen months after the end of injection, the team plans to drill another well and pull up a core of rock to assess the results, says McGrail. “At that point, we are hoping to have some carbonized rock in our hands.”
But achieving sequestration is only half the battle: scientists and engineers must still work out how to capture CO2 from industrial facilities and transport it to the sequestration site cost-effectively. And even if a carbon-mineralization industry took off, establishing it on a global level would require an undertaking on the scale of rebuilding the oil industry.
The cheapest form of carbon sequestration is to keep fossil fuels in the ground in the first place. This is why fossil fuel companies lie so much and try their hardest to confuse people about climate change. They know the science is clear and it means that they will have to leave trillions of dollars of coal, oil and gas in the ground while also having trillions more in infrastructure built to exploit those reserves become obsolete or "stranded" once we start to deal with our climate change problem. All their propaganda and the million$$$ they spend to confuse the public on climate change is merely a rearguard action to postpone serious efforts to combat climate change for as long as possible to keep their multi-trillion dollar revenues coming in each year.
Click on their website www.owon-smart.com for more information.
2013年7月28日 星期日
whose appearances in our suite
Once the realm of marauding pirates and all manner of nautical
n'er-do-wells, today the waters of the Malacca Strait are as flat as a
mill pond and completely benign, which befits our first full day on
board Silversea's the Silver Shadow, a six-star cruise ship where the
luxury of not having to lift a finger becomes an art form.
Since boarding the ship the previous afternoon in Singapore, my Gentleman Companion and I have acquainted ourselves with what's on offer: Several restaurants, a round-the-clock room service menu, pool, gym, lounges, notable art and the library.
As (nearly) all food and drinks are included in the price - the fine dining restaurant Le Champagne carries a relatively token charge - there's also that ''no worries'' sense that comes with all-inclusive holidays.
But best of all is our young, handsome, attentive, charming, funny (enough already?) butler, Jerry, whose appearances in our suite several times a day become one of the highlights of our trip.
The 640 nautical miles from Singapore to Phuket also offers enough time to sample three restaurants in one day, acquaint Jerry with our drinks of choice with which to stock our fridge, and realise that to make the most of our voyage we must simply kick back and relax.
Due to events of the previous year, this is harder than it sounds but over seven days we give it our best shot. Resistance, really, would be futile.
There is also time on this day at sea to consider the notion of a holiday on a cruise ship. Some may dismiss it as sedentary, soft, just too easy. Right now, I can't think of anything better. Happily, I'm not proved wrong.
The island of Phuket is about the same size as Singapore and, in its geography, like a greener, lusher, considerably hotter Bay of Islands - at 8 am the temperature has crept past 30 degrees, the sun is burning brightly and the humidity is all-consuming.
As with each of the ports we stop at over the coming week there are a number of excursions to choose from - best to let your budget, energy levels and interests guide your choice.
Our half-day Panoramic Phuket tour first takes us through the town of Phuket, home at various times to Arabs, Portuguese, Chinese, English and French, and now a mish-mash of shops, markets, reminders of the island's past as a major source of tin, and quite beautiful Sino-Portuguese mansions in all manner of disrepair.
It's been just over 40 years since European backpackers began discovering the beaches of Phuket. Today, the island's east coast is full of hotels by the score, from cheap to high-end, hair-raising traffic,Home energy monitor trashy bars and shops full of knock-off gear in the nearby towns. With this comes, somewhat inevitably, a sense of paradise lost.
At Chalong Temple, the island's largest Buddhist temple, the cyan blue sky perfectly sets off the literally dazzling gold and red temple buildings, pagodas and shrines.
Buses come and go, tourists queue to worship at, and/or photograph, the various gold Buddhas, and every couple of minutes the happy calm is shattered as strings of fireworks are set off in the brick ''beehives'' dotted around the temple grounds. Instantly the serene becomes the surreal.
Back at the dock a temporary market place awaits. We later compare prices on the knock-off golf shirts we buy - I thought I'd done well with three for US$20 but the Gentleman Companion, initially impressed by my haggling, quickly trumps that with one for $6. (Note: A few months down the track his ''gold'' Daytona ''Rolex'' still keeps perfect time but that became largely redundant when the strap fell apart.)
A morning of sightseeing, shopping and haggling can be thirsty work. Jerry has this covered. Awaiting us in the suite is a hand-written note saying ''Welcome back!'', an ice bucket filled with wine and beer and a plate of sliced fresh fruit.
The suite is our air-conditioned haven for the rest of the day, between short stints on the veranda to catch some sun. The ship's library offers great magazines for me, gripping thrillers for him, and each day a selection of decent movies rotate on TV.
Click on their website www.owon-smart.com for more information.
Since boarding the ship the previous afternoon in Singapore, my Gentleman Companion and I have acquainted ourselves with what's on offer: Several restaurants, a round-the-clock room service menu, pool, gym, lounges, notable art and the library.
As (nearly) all food and drinks are included in the price - the fine dining restaurant Le Champagne carries a relatively token charge - there's also that ''no worries'' sense that comes with all-inclusive holidays.
But best of all is our young, handsome, attentive, charming, funny (enough already?) butler, Jerry, whose appearances in our suite several times a day become one of the highlights of our trip.
The 640 nautical miles from Singapore to Phuket also offers enough time to sample three restaurants in one day, acquaint Jerry with our drinks of choice with which to stock our fridge, and realise that to make the most of our voyage we must simply kick back and relax.
Due to events of the previous year, this is harder than it sounds but over seven days we give it our best shot. Resistance, really, would be futile.
There is also time on this day at sea to consider the notion of a holiday on a cruise ship. Some may dismiss it as sedentary, soft, just too easy. Right now, I can't think of anything better. Happily, I'm not proved wrong.
The island of Phuket is about the same size as Singapore and, in its geography, like a greener, lusher, considerably hotter Bay of Islands - at 8 am the temperature has crept past 30 degrees, the sun is burning brightly and the humidity is all-consuming.
As with each of the ports we stop at over the coming week there are a number of excursions to choose from - best to let your budget, energy levels and interests guide your choice.
Our half-day Panoramic Phuket tour first takes us through the town of Phuket, home at various times to Arabs, Portuguese, Chinese, English and French, and now a mish-mash of shops, markets, reminders of the island's past as a major source of tin, and quite beautiful Sino-Portuguese mansions in all manner of disrepair.
It's been just over 40 years since European backpackers began discovering the beaches of Phuket. Today, the island's east coast is full of hotels by the score, from cheap to high-end, hair-raising traffic,Home energy monitor trashy bars and shops full of knock-off gear in the nearby towns. With this comes, somewhat inevitably, a sense of paradise lost.
At Chalong Temple, the island's largest Buddhist temple, the cyan blue sky perfectly sets off the literally dazzling gold and red temple buildings, pagodas and shrines.
Buses come and go, tourists queue to worship at, and/or photograph, the various gold Buddhas, and every couple of minutes the happy calm is shattered as strings of fireworks are set off in the brick ''beehives'' dotted around the temple grounds. Instantly the serene becomes the surreal.
Back at the dock a temporary market place awaits. We later compare prices on the knock-off golf shirts we buy - I thought I'd done well with three for US$20 but the Gentleman Companion, initially impressed by my haggling, quickly trumps that with one for $6. (Note: A few months down the track his ''gold'' Daytona ''Rolex'' still keeps perfect time but that became largely redundant when the strap fell apart.)
A morning of sightseeing, shopping and haggling can be thirsty work. Jerry has this covered. Awaiting us in the suite is a hand-written note saying ''Welcome back!'', an ice bucket filled with wine and beer and a plate of sliced fresh fruit.
The suite is our air-conditioned haven for the rest of the day, between short stints on the veranda to catch some sun. The ship's library offers great magazines for me, gripping thrillers for him, and each day a selection of decent movies rotate on TV.
Click on their website www.owon-smart.com for more information.
2013年7月14日 星期日
when the smell and sounds of the tank battery
Julie Boyle and her husband plan to move away from Weld County as soon as they can.
Not because of finances. Not because of better opportunities. They’ve just had enough of their neighbors — 20 oil and gas facilities that surround their home north of Gill.
“We’re outta here,” said Boyle, who plans to move to their second home in Lyons as soon as finances permit in the next year or two.
Boyle is a hardy member of the newly formed Weld Air and Water, a group of residents advocating for health and safety amid oil and gas exploration in the county.
She can’t definitively point to oil and gas for the increase in nosebleeds she’s had in the last year. She also can’t say the industry and the nearby wells and tank batteries are the sole reason for her increased sinus problems in the last five years.
But she said she also can’t discount the connection when the smell and sounds of the tank battery near her house chase her out of her garden or off her bike route.
“I’m pretty convinced this probably has a negative impact, but I want some studies (done). We need data, and I want to see that,” said Boyle, who moved to Gill in 1997, when only a handful of oil and gas facilities shared her space.
The Air Quality Control Commission under the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is considering tougher regulations requiring stricter maintenance and reporting procedures on the industry, In home display which already is required to control 95 percent of fugitive emissions from their equipment in the field.
Public comments are being accepted now and, come August, a formal proposal may come about — the fifth time in the last eight years that the state has tightened emissions control standards on the industry. Some believe the industry can capture 98 percent of its emissions.
Weld Air and Water members plan to play a role in the process.
“The requirements that we’ve had have been very successful at minimizing air emissions from the oil and gas industry and other industrial sectors,” Will Allison, director of the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission, said. “But we’re seeing tremendous growth projected for the industry. We want proactive regulations that can enable us to meet that growth.”
That could mean increasing reporting requirements, documenting possible fugitive emissions at every juncture and more regular maintenance with stronger technologies, to name a few — things many in the industry say they already do on their own.
Industry insiders say they, too, are concerned about the environment, and they already go above and beyond current regulations to keep air and water clean.
“We all live here, and breathe the air and drink the water and want to go home safely,” said Korby Bracken, director of environmental health and safety for Anadarko Petroleum Corp., one of Weld’s two biggest operators with roughly 5,300 wells in the field today. “We’re doing our part to help protect things we enjoy every day. What we do in the fields is not because of rules and regulations in place. It’s because it’s the right thing to do.”
The main concern is about what’s called volatile organic compounds unique to the oil and gas industry that contribute to ozone pollution, a chief component of smog.
“About half of all VOC emissions in the state have origins in the oil and gas sector,” said Dan Grossman, regional director for Environmental Defense Fund’s Rocky Mountain office in Boulder. “It’s our belief that if you look at the relationships between increasing activity, and emissions, it’s consistent. As oil and gas goes up, VOC emissions go up. It’s common sense.”
A recent study by the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences in Boulder showed that in 550 air samples taken at an air monitoring station in Erie, in the southwestern-most part of Weld, oil and gas was responsible for 55 percent of the hydrocarbons that contribute to ozone formation in that area.
Click on their website www.owon-smart.com for more information.
Not because of finances. Not because of better opportunities. They’ve just had enough of their neighbors — 20 oil and gas facilities that surround their home north of Gill.
“We’re outta here,” said Boyle, who plans to move to their second home in Lyons as soon as finances permit in the next year or two.
Boyle is a hardy member of the newly formed Weld Air and Water, a group of residents advocating for health and safety amid oil and gas exploration in the county.
She can’t definitively point to oil and gas for the increase in nosebleeds she’s had in the last year. She also can’t say the industry and the nearby wells and tank batteries are the sole reason for her increased sinus problems in the last five years.
But she said she also can’t discount the connection when the smell and sounds of the tank battery near her house chase her out of her garden or off her bike route.
“I’m pretty convinced this probably has a negative impact, but I want some studies (done). We need data, and I want to see that,” said Boyle, who moved to Gill in 1997, when only a handful of oil and gas facilities shared her space.
The Air Quality Control Commission under the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is considering tougher regulations requiring stricter maintenance and reporting procedures on the industry, In home display which already is required to control 95 percent of fugitive emissions from their equipment in the field.
Public comments are being accepted now and, come August, a formal proposal may come about — the fifth time in the last eight years that the state has tightened emissions control standards on the industry. Some believe the industry can capture 98 percent of its emissions.
Weld Air and Water members plan to play a role in the process.
“The requirements that we’ve had have been very successful at minimizing air emissions from the oil and gas industry and other industrial sectors,” Will Allison, director of the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission, said. “But we’re seeing tremendous growth projected for the industry. We want proactive regulations that can enable us to meet that growth.”
That could mean increasing reporting requirements, documenting possible fugitive emissions at every juncture and more regular maintenance with stronger technologies, to name a few — things many in the industry say they already do on their own.
Industry insiders say they, too, are concerned about the environment, and they already go above and beyond current regulations to keep air and water clean.
“We all live here, and breathe the air and drink the water and want to go home safely,” said Korby Bracken, director of environmental health and safety for Anadarko Petroleum Corp., one of Weld’s two biggest operators with roughly 5,300 wells in the field today. “We’re doing our part to help protect things we enjoy every day. What we do in the fields is not because of rules and regulations in place. It’s because it’s the right thing to do.”
The main concern is about what’s called volatile organic compounds unique to the oil and gas industry that contribute to ozone pollution, a chief component of smog.
“About half of all VOC emissions in the state have origins in the oil and gas sector,” said Dan Grossman, regional director for Environmental Defense Fund’s Rocky Mountain office in Boulder. “It’s our belief that if you look at the relationships between increasing activity, and emissions, it’s consistent. As oil and gas goes up, VOC emissions go up. It’s common sense.”
A recent study by the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences in Boulder showed that in 550 air samples taken at an air monitoring station in Erie, in the southwestern-most part of Weld, oil and gas was responsible for 55 percent of the hydrocarbons that contribute to ozone formation in that area.
Click on their website www.owon-smart.com for more information.
2013年7月2日 星期二
With the Supreme Court ruling striking
"The more prominent, more liberal ones who one would have thought
would have been most supportive were not," Wolfson recalled in an
interview. "It's not that they were against it -- I think they didn't
see it as that important or that likely to happen, and in some cases, a
little bit trivial."
A few gay couples had tried to make the argument in the 1970s, following the Supreme Court's declaration that laws prohibiting racial intermarriage were unconstitutional, and were summarily laughed out of court.
At the time, the nascent legal movement on gay rights was focused more on combating anti-sodomy laws, overturning policies that excluded gays from being allowed to enter the country, dealing with issues of workplace discrimination. Some gay rights advocates didn't see the point of pressing for inclusion in a traditional, patriarchal system. For others, marriage seemed a nice notion but a foolish priority, given the hostile landscape of existing injustice.
Wolfson saw it differently. "You can't say you're for equality but acquiesce in exclusion from the central social and legal institution of this and every other society," he said. "What I felt was we needed to transform the movement from 'we want to be let alone' to 'we want to be let in.'"
Wolfson's quest for the freedom to marry -- he used the term same-sex marriage in his paper, but now bristles at its connotation of difference from "regular marriage" -- has been transformed from quixotic to attainable.
With the Supreme Court ruling striking down the Defense of Marriage Act, the federal government is out of the business of discriminating against couples on the basis of their sexual orientation.
Still, for the time being at least, America remains a patchwork nation when it comes to marriage rights. It will require another, major step for the court, one that Wolfson believes is inevitable, to declare that marrying the person you love, regardless of sexual orientation, is a fundamental constitutional right.
Wolfson's story demonstrates the force of idea combined with execution. It demonstrates how society can be reshaped by the power of a seemingly radical idea matched with -- indeed, married to -- a carefully calculated, inch-by-inch strategy for putting it into practice.
The movement toward marriage equality for gays and lesbians in the United States was inexorable, and certainly other advocates have helped drive the debate. But as much as any individual, Wolfson served to shape and accelerate the still emerging reality of same-sex marriage. (Disclosure: Wolfson was a classmate in college and law school.)
Wolfson began practicing law as a prosecutor, first for Brooklyn District Attorney Elizabeth Holtzman, then for Iran-contra prosecutor Lawrence Walsh. But he moonlighted on gay rights issues and eventually joined Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, where he argued, and lost,Home Energy Management System the Supreme Court case involving the Boy Scouts' right to exclude gay scoutmasters.
But marriage remained his priority, if not one universally shared by those gay rights advocates who feared pushing too far too fast. Ten years ago, when Wolfson founded Freedom to Marry, not a single state allowed same-sex couples to marry. Today, 13 states and the District of Columbia recognize the right to marry.
In 2011, after New York joined those ranks, Wolfson married his partner of 10 years, Cheng He, a molecular biologist and management consultant. Just before our interview, Wolfson was consulting with an immigration lawyer about his husband, a Chinese-born Canadian citizen eligible for a green card in the wake of the DOMA ruling.
Still, his work is far from done. For starters, 29 states have constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage. Only a Supreme Court ruling can trump those.
"There's no question where it's going. The only question is how soon we can bring it home, and I believe it's a matter of years, not decades," Wolfson said. "At every stage of this campaign we were told, 'You can't win in court.' We were told, 'You can't win in the legislatures.' 'You can't win Republicans.' 'You can't win beyond the coasts.' 'You can't win at the ballot box.' We've overcome every one of those. We will make this happen."
Click on their website www.owon-smart.com for more information.
A few gay couples had tried to make the argument in the 1970s, following the Supreme Court's declaration that laws prohibiting racial intermarriage were unconstitutional, and were summarily laughed out of court.
At the time, the nascent legal movement on gay rights was focused more on combating anti-sodomy laws, overturning policies that excluded gays from being allowed to enter the country, dealing with issues of workplace discrimination. Some gay rights advocates didn't see the point of pressing for inclusion in a traditional, patriarchal system. For others, marriage seemed a nice notion but a foolish priority, given the hostile landscape of existing injustice.
Wolfson saw it differently. "You can't say you're for equality but acquiesce in exclusion from the central social and legal institution of this and every other society," he said. "What I felt was we needed to transform the movement from 'we want to be let alone' to 'we want to be let in.'"
Wolfson's quest for the freedom to marry -- he used the term same-sex marriage in his paper, but now bristles at its connotation of difference from "regular marriage" -- has been transformed from quixotic to attainable.
With the Supreme Court ruling striking down the Defense of Marriage Act, the federal government is out of the business of discriminating against couples on the basis of their sexual orientation.
Still, for the time being at least, America remains a patchwork nation when it comes to marriage rights. It will require another, major step for the court, one that Wolfson believes is inevitable, to declare that marrying the person you love, regardless of sexual orientation, is a fundamental constitutional right.
Wolfson's story demonstrates the force of idea combined with execution. It demonstrates how society can be reshaped by the power of a seemingly radical idea matched with -- indeed, married to -- a carefully calculated, inch-by-inch strategy for putting it into practice.
The movement toward marriage equality for gays and lesbians in the United States was inexorable, and certainly other advocates have helped drive the debate. But as much as any individual, Wolfson served to shape and accelerate the still emerging reality of same-sex marriage. (Disclosure: Wolfson was a classmate in college and law school.)
Wolfson began practicing law as a prosecutor, first for Brooklyn District Attorney Elizabeth Holtzman, then for Iran-contra prosecutor Lawrence Walsh. But he moonlighted on gay rights issues and eventually joined Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, where he argued, and lost,Home Energy Management System the Supreme Court case involving the Boy Scouts' right to exclude gay scoutmasters.
But marriage remained his priority, if not one universally shared by those gay rights advocates who feared pushing too far too fast. Ten years ago, when Wolfson founded Freedom to Marry, not a single state allowed same-sex couples to marry. Today, 13 states and the District of Columbia recognize the right to marry.
In 2011, after New York joined those ranks, Wolfson married his partner of 10 years, Cheng He, a molecular biologist and management consultant. Just before our interview, Wolfson was consulting with an immigration lawyer about his husband, a Chinese-born Canadian citizen eligible for a green card in the wake of the DOMA ruling.
Still, his work is far from done. For starters, 29 states have constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage. Only a Supreme Court ruling can trump those.
"There's no question where it's going. The only question is how soon we can bring it home, and I believe it's a matter of years, not decades," Wolfson said. "At every stage of this campaign we were told, 'You can't win in court.' We were told, 'You can't win in the legislatures.' 'You can't win Republicans.' 'You can't win beyond the coasts.' 'You can't win at the ballot box.' We've overcome every one of those. We will make this happen."
Click on their website www.owon-smart.com for more information.
2013年6月19日 星期三
who resent the power of the Orthodox Church
A gold and diamonds merchant from Haryana has alleged that jewellery
worth Rs 50 lakh was stolen from him when he put the bag containing the
valuables on the scanning machine at the Chandni Chowk Metro station for
security check.
Ravinder Soni (30) was on his way to catch a train and the theft was reported about 4.30 pm on Tuesday.
Delhi Police has taken up the matter with DMRC and CISF who have been requested to conduct checking of luggage on the scanner only after physical checking of passengers is over so that they are in a position to watch over their own articles.
At present, the passenger is first asked to put the luggage on the scanner, complete the physical check and then proceed to collect their luggage in some stations.
DCP (Railways) Sanjay Bhatia said Soni usually travelled to wholesale jewellery markets in Old Delhi to procure items. "He told us three youth tried to throw ice-cream (kulfi) on his clothes in order to distract him when he was on his way from the market to station. We believe he was followed by the accused to the station. They finally got the opportunity to rob him at the scanner and made good," a senior police officer said. A case has been registered.
CCTV footage of the area has been analyzed and DMRC has been asked to hand over the raw footage to police. "A man is seen walking away confidently with the laptop bag in which Soni had kept the jewellery," the officer said.
The police investigation will also take into account whether there was any lapse by CISF personnel posted at the Chandni Chowk station that contributed to the crime.
Trivoulides is a sculptor who studied art history and classics, and these days, he is living his passion.
Along with a few thousand others he is taking part in the Prometheia festival, which celebrates the ancient Greek hero Prometheus, who helped humans by stealing fire from the gods.
It's the most important annual festival for followers of The Return of the Hellenes - a movement trying to bring back the religion, values, philosophy and way of life of ancient Greece, more than 16 centuries after it was replaced by Christianity.
These people consider Greece to be a country under Christian occupation.
"People want to identify with something in the past - where they came from - so as to know where they are going," says Trivoulides. "If you don't know your past, you don't have a future.
"It's going back to the roots. It makes me feel the continuation through the millennia."
The festival begins with six runners - in full Greek battle gear - racing the six miles (10 km) up Mount Olympus, home of the gods, their shields and long spears clanking as they go.
But as they set out from the small village of Dion at the base of the mountain, passersby hardly seem to notice - they are used to them.
The economic crisis in Greece should be a time of reflection about the values that should govern a society, he says.
The Return of the Hellenes focus on the 12 main gods of ancient Greece - the dodecatheon.
They don't actually pray to Zeus, Hera and the others. They see them as symbols of values such as beauty, health or wisdom.
The followers are an odd mix. There are New Age types who revere ancient traditions, leftists who resent the power of the Orthodox Church, and Greek nationalists who see Christianity as having destroyed everything that was truly Greek.
As the modern-day ancients relax in their camp at the base of the mountain, a few sell philosophy books, CDs, food and jewellery. Some wear modern clothes, others togas, and a few sport a wreath.
Over the course of the three-day event, there are public prayers, two marriages, and a naming ceremony, where followers choose an ancient name - like Calisto, Hermis or Orpheus - and "cleanse" themselves of their modern Christian ones.
Click on their website www.owon-smart.com for more information.
Ravinder Soni (30) was on his way to catch a train and the theft was reported about 4.30 pm on Tuesday.
Delhi Police has taken up the matter with DMRC and CISF who have been requested to conduct checking of luggage on the scanner only after physical checking of passengers is over so that they are in a position to watch over their own articles.
At present, the passenger is first asked to put the luggage on the scanner, complete the physical check and then proceed to collect their luggage in some stations.
DCP (Railways) Sanjay Bhatia said Soni usually travelled to wholesale jewellery markets in Old Delhi to procure items. "He told us three youth tried to throw ice-cream (kulfi) on his clothes in order to distract him when he was on his way from the market to station. We believe he was followed by the accused to the station. They finally got the opportunity to rob him at the scanner and made good," a senior police officer said. A case has been registered.
CCTV footage of the area has been analyzed and DMRC has been asked to hand over the raw footage to police. "A man is seen walking away confidently with the laptop bag in which Soni had kept the jewellery," the officer said.
The police investigation will also take into account whether there was any lapse by CISF personnel posted at the Chandni Chowk station that contributed to the crime.
Trivoulides is a sculptor who studied art history and classics, and these days, he is living his passion.
Along with a few thousand others he is taking part in the Prometheia festival, which celebrates the ancient Greek hero Prometheus, who helped humans by stealing fire from the gods.
It's the most important annual festival for followers of The Return of the Hellenes - a movement trying to bring back the religion, values, philosophy and way of life of ancient Greece, more than 16 centuries after it was replaced by Christianity.
These people consider Greece to be a country under Christian occupation.
"People want to identify with something in the past - where they came from - so as to know where they are going," says Trivoulides. "If you don't know your past, you don't have a future.
"It's going back to the roots. It makes me feel the continuation through the millennia."
The festival begins with six runners - in full Greek battle gear - racing the six miles (10 km) up Mount Olympus, home of the gods, their shields and long spears clanking as they go.
But as they set out from the small village of Dion at the base of the mountain, passersby hardly seem to notice - they are used to them.
The economic crisis in Greece should be a time of reflection about the values that should govern a society, he says.
The Return of the Hellenes focus on the 12 main gods of ancient Greece - the dodecatheon.
They don't actually pray to Zeus, Hera and the others. They see them as symbols of values such as beauty, health or wisdom.
The followers are an odd mix. There are New Age types who revere ancient traditions, leftists who resent the power of the Orthodox Church, and Greek nationalists who see Christianity as having destroyed everything that was truly Greek.
As the modern-day ancients relax in their camp at the base of the mountain, a few sell philosophy books, CDs, food and jewellery. Some wear modern clothes, others togas, and a few sport a wreath.
Over the course of the three-day event, there are public prayers, two marriages, and a naming ceremony, where followers choose an ancient name - like Calisto, Hermis or Orpheus - and "cleanse" themselves of their modern Christian ones.
Click on their website www.owon-smart.com for more information.
2013年5月30日 星期四
The mythology of the first president obscures
A SPECIAL rogues’ gallery at Mount Vernon, George Washington’s Virginia estate, displays portraits of three revolutionary leaders who went astray. Julius Caesar, Oliver Cromwell and Napoleon are portrayed as heroes with clay feet who toppled tyrannies only to grab absolute power for themselves. Washington was different, it is asserted. In guides’ commentaries and schoolboy-friendly action films (featuring artificial snow flurries and seats that throb with cannon fire) Mount Vernon rams home the message that America’s revolutionary commander-in-chief and first president had a genius for well-timed exits. A display depicts him resigning his military commission after biffing the British. The chair in which he decided to retire as president is pointed out as a national treasure. Washington’s supreme virtue, it is suggested—greater even than martial derring-do—was knowing when to leave, ensuring his country’s future as a civilian republic.
There is something to this: throughout his career, self-abnegation was Washington’s shtick. Tall, dashing and posher than most revolutionary leaders, he maintained a pose of “Who, me?” astonishment when called to big jobs, loudly yearning for retirement beneath the “vine and fig tree” at his Virginia estates.
But the conventional view of Washington omits something crucial: he was a politician, too. Though they put his face on the dollar and his bust on countless pedestals, Americans seem to have forgotten this fact. The mythology of the first president obscures the lessons he might teach to the current inhabitants of the city that bears his name.
This is a shame. In today’s politics, 1776 feels about five minutes ago. It is not just that at conservative rallies, chaps in tricorn hats and knee breeches are a staple. Republican speeches ring with warnings from Madison about the need to bind government power, as long as men are not ruled by angels. Jefferson, as a shrink-the-government radical, is a hero of the libertarian right. Mitt Romney’s 2012 running-mate, Paul Ryan, built his campaign on Jeffersonian talk of American rights coming from God and nature, not government. Over on the left, civil-liberties types cherish Jefferson too, citing his hatred of censorship and hostility to state-sponsored religion. Washington is seldom cited.
Yet he had views that still resonate, and set precedents that can be felt to this day. Like other military chiefs who enter politics, he was a national-security hawk with a wariness of war. He favoured neutrality over permanent alliances and foreign entanglements. He was a fiscal conservative, urging his country to spend and borrow sparingly rather than burden future generations. But unlike today’s tea-partiers, he did not despise taxation; he called it unpleasant but vital. As president he dispatched 13,000 militiamen to suppress an anti-tax uprising by whiskey-making farmers (putting modern grumbles about bullying by the IRS into perspective).
He had his vanities and hypocrisies. An irregular churchgoer, he urged religion on others as a prop for morality. Over slavery, the great evil of his day, he trimmed and hedged. As a gentleman farmer, he arranged for his slaves to be freed, but only after his death and that of his widow. As a politician fearing for national unity, he was willing to see abolition postponed for another day.
Long before Barack Obama appealed for Americans to resist division into blue and red states, Washington expressed a horror of party politics. Rather like Mr Obama, the first president’s pious neutrality was a bit of a sham. He governed an America divided between champions of individual liberty and states’ rights, and those favouring a more collective approach. Washington sided with order and federal authority, urging citizens—in effect—to see the government as “us”, rather than a distant, tyrannical “them”. If transposed to modern politics, it is easy to imagine Washington as a patrician Republican, representing Virginia in the Senate and facing a primary challenge from the tea party.
Keepers of the flame at Mount Vernon have a plan for restoring Washington-the-politician to view. Near his colonnaded mansion they are building him what they call a “presidential library”, in a nod to the 13 presidential libraries that serve as archives, think-tanks and shrines to America’s recent ex-chiefs, in a tradition begun by Franklin Roosevelt. Opening in September, it will technically be a “National Library”, reflecting Mount Vernon’s status as a private museum not funded by government.
But its creators talk of promoting their hero “aggressively”. Scholars are to be offered unprecedented access to Washington’s papers and a writers’ retreat on the grounds. Public interest is being wooed with Washington’s annotated copy of the constitution and early acts of Congress, currently on a tour of the modern presidential libraries: a tour also intended to forge bonds between Mount Vernon and that library network.
Just 15 miles down the Potomac river from the Capitol, the estate is a fine place for bipartisan reflection, says Mount Vernon’s president, Curt Viebranz. In an early experiment a gang of eight senators—four Republicans and four Democrats—headed to Mount Vernon in October 2012 to chew over a deficit-reduction plan acceptable to both parties, alas without result. Further such political meetings and retreats are planned.
Washington predicted that partisans would try to set Americans against each other, allowing an “enterprising minority” to hijack the delegated will of the nation. Yet Americans share fundamental manners, habits and political principles, he said in his farewell address as president. There was a whiff of paternalism to the old soldier’s views. But that larger point is still true. Americans are often more united than politicians pretend. A dose of the first president’s sense might do Washington, DC much good.
Click on their website www.owon-smart.com for more information.
There is something to this: throughout his career, self-abnegation was Washington’s shtick. Tall, dashing and posher than most revolutionary leaders, he maintained a pose of “Who, me?” astonishment when called to big jobs, loudly yearning for retirement beneath the “vine and fig tree” at his Virginia estates.
But the conventional view of Washington omits something crucial: he was a politician, too. Though they put his face on the dollar and his bust on countless pedestals, Americans seem to have forgotten this fact. The mythology of the first president obscures the lessons he might teach to the current inhabitants of the city that bears his name.
This is a shame. In today’s politics, 1776 feels about five minutes ago. It is not just that at conservative rallies, chaps in tricorn hats and knee breeches are a staple. Republican speeches ring with warnings from Madison about the need to bind government power, as long as men are not ruled by angels. Jefferson, as a shrink-the-government radical, is a hero of the libertarian right. Mitt Romney’s 2012 running-mate, Paul Ryan, built his campaign on Jeffersonian talk of American rights coming from God and nature, not government. Over on the left, civil-liberties types cherish Jefferson too, citing his hatred of censorship and hostility to state-sponsored religion. Washington is seldom cited.
Yet he had views that still resonate, and set precedents that can be felt to this day. Like other military chiefs who enter politics, he was a national-security hawk with a wariness of war. He favoured neutrality over permanent alliances and foreign entanglements. He was a fiscal conservative, urging his country to spend and borrow sparingly rather than burden future generations. But unlike today’s tea-partiers, he did not despise taxation; he called it unpleasant but vital. As president he dispatched 13,000 militiamen to suppress an anti-tax uprising by whiskey-making farmers (putting modern grumbles about bullying by the IRS into perspective).
He had his vanities and hypocrisies. An irregular churchgoer, he urged religion on others as a prop for morality. Over slavery, the great evil of his day, he trimmed and hedged. As a gentleman farmer, he arranged for his slaves to be freed, but only after his death and that of his widow. As a politician fearing for national unity, he was willing to see abolition postponed for another day.
Long before Barack Obama appealed for Americans to resist division into blue and red states, Washington expressed a horror of party politics. Rather like Mr Obama, the first president’s pious neutrality was a bit of a sham. He governed an America divided between champions of individual liberty and states’ rights, and those favouring a more collective approach. Washington sided with order and federal authority, urging citizens—in effect—to see the government as “us”, rather than a distant, tyrannical “them”. If transposed to modern politics, it is easy to imagine Washington as a patrician Republican, representing Virginia in the Senate and facing a primary challenge from the tea party.
Keepers of the flame at Mount Vernon have a plan for restoring Washington-the-politician to view. Near his colonnaded mansion they are building him what they call a “presidential library”, in a nod to the 13 presidential libraries that serve as archives, think-tanks and shrines to America’s recent ex-chiefs, in a tradition begun by Franklin Roosevelt. Opening in September, it will technically be a “National Library”, reflecting Mount Vernon’s status as a private museum not funded by government.
But its creators talk of promoting their hero “aggressively”. Scholars are to be offered unprecedented access to Washington’s papers and a writers’ retreat on the grounds. Public interest is being wooed with Washington’s annotated copy of the constitution and early acts of Congress, currently on a tour of the modern presidential libraries: a tour also intended to forge bonds between Mount Vernon and that library network.
Just 15 miles down the Potomac river from the Capitol, the estate is a fine place for bipartisan reflection, says Mount Vernon’s president, Curt Viebranz. In an early experiment a gang of eight senators—four Republicans and four Democrats—headed to Mount Vernon in October 2012 to chew over a deficit-reduction plan acceptable to both parties, alas without result. Further such political meetings and retreats are planned.
Washington predicted that partisans would try to set Americans against each other, allowing an “enterprising minority” to hijack the delegated will of the nation. Yet Americans share fundamental manners, habits and political principles, he said in his farewell address as president. There was a whiff of paternalism to the old soldier’s views. But that larger point is still true. Americans are often more united than politicians pretend. A dose of the first president’s sense might do Washington, DC much good.
Click on their website www.owon-smart.com for more information.
2013年5月28日 星期二
who break laws and the aesthetics of the streets
Monday represented the culmination of years of work by Mr. Bloomberg
and his transportation commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan, to promote the
use of bicycles in the city. The Department of Transportation created
350 miles of bike lanes in preparation for the bike-share program, Ms.
Sadik-Khan said.
The city plans to eventually install thousands more bike stations in upper Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn.
"It's going to be great for millions of visitors, providing them another way to see the city," Mr. Bloomberg said. Officials also hope New Yorkers use the bicycles for commuting.
The launch came after a long period of anticipation. The program, funded with private money, was expected to launch last summer but faced delays after technology failures and superstorm Sandy.
Bike sharing has developed a number of critics who argue the program will reduce road safety, absorb parking spaces and mar the streetscape with ugly bike stations.
Protesters turned up at Mr. Bloomberg's Brooklyn Bridge news conference. Georgette Fleischer, an adjunct English professor at Columbia University who lives in SoHo, said the bicycle station at Petrosino Square near her home blocks an area that has long been used for public art displays. She and others are also upset that the bicycles display a commercial logo in an area known for its countercultural flair.
"It's just awful," said Ms. Fleischer, adding: "I have horrors of seeing someone die from my apartment window."
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who generally has been supportive of the bike-share program, said Monday she was concerned about the Citi logos in a landmarked area. She pledged to raise the issue this week with the city Department of Transportation and the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
"I think a good point is raised. It kind of is advertising in landmark districts, which we don't really allow," Ms. Quinn said.
Far from any bike station on Monday, a 74-year-old bicyclist was killed in an accident with an automobile in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn Monday. Also, on Sunday, a Citi Bike was stolen as it was being delivered to a station at Second Avenue and 25th Street, police said.
Neither event was particularly unusual, but both unrelated incidents underscored the fears of bike-share opponents about public safety.
During his news conference, Mr. Bloomberg dismissed concerns about road safety, bicyclists who break laws and the aesthetics of the streets. "I'm sure there will be some teething pains, and there will be some people who need to get a wake-up call," he said.
Later, Mr. Bloomberg hopped on a bicycle but didn't start pedaling. He has demurred when asked about whether he would use one of the bikes to commute to City Hall.
How successful bike-sharing is this summer will partly determine whether the next mayor expands, shrinks or scuttles the program. Campaigning at Memorial Day parades across the city, mayoral candidates had different views. "If it works, I'll expand it," said Bill Thompson, the Democratic former city comptroller.
"I have to see it, but right now, I think we should not block our streets," said John Catsimatidis, a Republican.
The program's success could ultimately be determined by people like Tina Fruehauf and her husband, Pryor Dodge, who went out Monday to try bike share for the first time at a station near their SoHo apartment.
They quickly figured how to dislodge a bike, taking out the key she received in the mail as an annual member, entering it into the dock and waiting for a light to turn green. Then she removed the bike, and within a few minutes, was testing the road on it. She pronounced it stable.
The program allows annual members to use bikes for 45 minutes at a time, and she said she planned to use them for her daily commute to the City University of New York at Fifth Avenue and 34th Street.
Read the full story at owon-smart web.
The city plans to eventually install thousands more bike stations in upper Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn.
"It's going to be great for millions of visitors, providing them another way to see the city," Mr. Bloomberg said. Officials also hope New Yorkers use the bicycles for commuting.
The launch came after a long period of anticipation. The program, funded with private money, was expected to launch last summer but faced delays after technology failures and superstorm Sandy.
Bike sharing has developed a number of critics who argue the program will reduce road safety, absorb parking spaces and mar the streetscape with ugly bike stations.
Protesters turned up at Mr. Bloomberg's Brooklyn Bridge news conference. Georgette Fleischer, an adjunct English professor at Columbia University who lives in SoHo, said the bicycle station at Petrosino Square near her home blocks an area that has long been used for public art displays. She and others are also upset that the bicycles display a commercial logo in an area known for its countercultural flair.
"It's just awful," said Ms. Fleischer, adding: "I have horrors of seeing someone die from my apartment window."
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who generally has been supportive of the bike-share program, said Monday she was concerned about the Citi logos in a landmarked area. She pledged to raise the issue this week with the city Department of Transportation and the Landmarks Preservation Commission.
"I think a good point is raised. It kind of is advertising in landmark districts, which we don't really allow," Ms. Quinn said.
Far from any bike station on Monday, a 74-year-old bicyclist was killed in an accident with an automobile in the Gravesend section of Brooklyn Monday. Also, on Sunday, a Citi Bike was stolen as it was being delivered to a station at Second Avenue and 25th Street, police said.
Neither event was particularly unusual, but both unrelated incidents underscored the fears of bike-share opponents about public safety.
During his news conference, Mr. Bloomberg dismissed concerns about road safety, bicyclists who break laws and the aesthetics of the streets. "I'm sure there will be some teething pains, and there will be some people who need to get a wake-up call," he said.
Later, Mr. Bloomberg hopped on a bicycle but didn't start pedaling. He has demurred when asked about whether he would use one of the bikes to commute to City Hall.
How successful bike-sharing is this summer will partly determine whether the next mayor expands, shrinks or scuttles the program. Campaigning at Memorial Day parades across the city, mayoral candidates had different views. "If it works, I'll expand it," said Bill Thompson, the Democratic former city comptroller.
"I have to see it, but right now, I think we should not block our streets," said John Catsimatidis, a Republican.
The program's success could ultimately be determined by people like Tina Fruehauf and her husband, Pryor Dodge, who went out Monday to try bike share for the first time at a station near their SoHo apartment.
They quickly figured how to dislodge a bike, taking out the key she received in the mail as an annual member, entering it into the dock and waiting for a light to turn green. Then she removed the bike, and within a few minutes, was testing the road on it. She pronounced it stable.
The program allows annual members to use bikes for 45 minutes at a time, and she said she planned to use them for her daily commute to the City University of New York at Fifth Avenue and 34th Street.
Read the full story at owon-smart web.
2013年5月26日 星期日
The cause of action for an insurance claim is the grievance
Prabodh Kothari had an Oriental Insurance householder's policy. In a
housebreaking case, Kothari lost items worth Rs 18.16 lakh, including
jewellery worth Rs 16.96 lakh. After Kothari filed a claim, CP Mehta
& Co,Home electricity monitor
the surveyor appointed by the insurance company, reported the loss
included items worth Rs 13.38 lakh belonging to Kothari's wife. It added
this amount could not be considered, as she was not the insured under
the policy. The insurance company agreed to pay only a paltry sum of Rs
31,186.
Subsequently, Kothari filed a consumer complaint against the insurance company and the surveyor before the Mumbai District Forum. The forum said under a householder's insurance policy, the items of all family members were covered. Therefore, the jewellery belonging to Kothari's wife, listed in the policy taken by her husband, would be covered. Accordingly, it directed the insurance company to pay an additional Rs 13.38 lakh.
After an appeal by the insurance company, the Maharashtra State Commission said the complaint was time-barred, Home energy management as the limitation would be considered from the date of the 'cause of action'- the date when the burglary took place. The commission added there was no deficiency in service, as the initial First Information Report (FIR) lodged with the police didn't include the jewellery belonging to Kothari's wife. Therefore, it set aside the forum's order and dismissed the complaint.
Then, Kothari approached the National Commission. His lawyer,
A A Pirani, argued the limitation wouldn't be considered from the date of the burglary but from the date the claim was repudiated. In this case, though the burglary took place in 2001, part of the claim for the jewellery was repudiated by a letter dated December 4, 2006. To arrive at the limitation, the initial date to be considered would, therefore, be December 4, 2006. As the complaint was filed two years after this, it would be within the limitation.
The commission said the term 'cause of action' was a 'bundle of facts' entitling a person to legal proceedings. For an insurance claim, it would first arise when the incident of loss occurred. The 'bundle of facts' includes the process of assessment of the loss and the admission or rejection of the claim,Home power monitor either wholly or partly. So, the cause of action would arise again when the claim is rejected. Therefore, the commission concurred with the arguments of Kothari's advocate, saying the limitation would commence from December 4, 2006, when the claim was partly rejected. It also said the state commission had overlooked the repudiation letter and arrived at an erroneous conclusion.
The National Commission said though the initial FIR didn't record the loss of the jewellery of Kothari's wife, it was later included and was part of the police investigation. The contract of insurance was a 'householder's insurance policy' that covered various risk heads, including fire and housebreaking. The coverage was for the entire household; it wasn't restricted to an individual. Therefore, the claim for jewellery belonging to Kothari's wife, included in the policy taken by her husband, would be payable, it said.
Accordingly, the National Commission set aside the order of the state commission and restored the order of the district forum, directing the insurance company to pay an additional amount of Rs 13.38 lakh for the loss of the jewellery.
The cause of action for an insurance claim is the grievance about its rejection; therefore, limitation is computed from the date when the claim is repudiated. Also, a claim cannot be simply rejected on the grounds that the loss isn't included in the initial FIR; what is necessary is it should form a part of the police complaint and the investigation. The benefits of a householder's insurance policy extend to the entire family and cover all the items included in the policy.
Subsequently, Kothari filed a consumer complaint against the insurance company and the surveyor before the Mumbai District Forum. The forum said under a householder's insurance policy, the items of all family members were covered. Therefore, the jewellery belonging to Kothari's wife, listed in the policy taken by her husband, would be covered. Accordingly, it directed the insurance company to pay an additional Rs 13.38 lakh.
After an appeal by the insurance company, the Maharashtra State Commission said the complaint was time-barred, Home energy management as the limitation would be considered from the date of the 'cause of action'- the date when the burglary took place. The commission added there was no deficiency in service, as the initial First Information Report (FIR) lodged with the police didn't include the jewellery belonging to Kothari's wife. Therefore, it set aside the forum's order and dismissed the complaint.
Then, Kothari approached the National Commission. His lawyer,
A A Pirani, argued the limitation wouldn't be considered from the date of the burglary but from the date the claim was repudiated. In this case, though the burglary took place in 2001, part of the claim for the jewellery was repudiated by a letter dated December 4, 2006. To arrive at the limitation, the initial date to be considered would, therefore, be December 4, 2006. As the complaint was filed two years after this, it would be within the limitation.
The commission said the term 'cause of action' was a 'bundle of facts' entitling a person to legal proceedings. For an insurance claim, it would first arise when the incident of loss occurred. The 'bundle of facts' includes the process of assessment of the loss and the admission or rejection of the claim,Home power monitor either wholly or partly. So, the cause of action would arise again when the claim is rejected. Therefore, the commission concurred with the arguments of Kothari's advocate, saying the limitation would commence from December 4, 2006, when the claim was partly rejected. It also said the state commission had overlooked the repudiation letter and arrived at an erroneous conclusion.
The National Commission said though the initial FIR didn't record the loss of the jewellery of Kothari's wife, it was later included and was part of the police investigation. The contract of insurance was a 'householder's insurance policy' that covered various risk heads, including fire and housebreaking. The coverage was for the entire household; it wasn't restricted to an individual. Therefore, the claim for jewellery belonging to Kothari's wife, included in the policy taken by her husband, would be payable, it said.
Accordingly, the National Commission set aside the order of the state commission and restored the order of the district forum, directing the insurance company to pay an additional amount of Rs 13.38 lakh for the loss of the jewellery.
The cause of action for an insurance claim is the grievance about its rejection; therefore, limitation is computed from the date when the claim is repudiated. Also, a claim cannot be simply rejected on the grounds that the loss isn't included in the initial FIR; what is necessary is it should form a part of the police complaint and the investigation. The benefits of a householder's insurance policy extend to the entire family and cover all the items included in the policy.
2013年5月23日 星期四
why our government is slowly phasing out incandescent
The United States has taken the lead yet again, but this time, we may
not be so proud. We have surpassed every nation, including China, in
the category of energy waste. Yes, our country wastes the most energy
in the world. The U.S. has an energy efficiency of 42 percent, which
means 58 percent of all the energy we produce is wasted! How can this
happen?!
No single person or enterprise is responsible for our latest "achievement." Every industry has aided in the wastefulness of this country,In home display some more than others. According to the U.S. Energy Administration, estimates show that the industrial sector consumes more energy every year than any other U.S. entity. It has also established that energy use by the residential, transportation, and commercial sectors has drastically increased each year for the past 60 years, and it continues to rise.
Despite the growth of renewable energy sources, the bulk of our power is still produced using coal, petroleum, and natural gas, which tend to lead to inefficiency. The New York Times published a study in 2008 that calculated the main causes of energy waste. It estimated that 71 percent of energy generated for transportation is wasted, 66 percent is wasted in electricity, 20 percent is wasted in commercial and residential buildings, and 20 percent is wasted in industry or manufacturing.
A major culprit across all industries is heat waste, the byproduct of inefficient technology. As a relative example, Home energy management think of a traditional incandescent light bulb. When left on for hours, we notice that the area around the bulb is extremely hot,In home display which indicates that the bulb is not only producing light, but heat as well. Since the sole purpose of a light bulb is to produce light, all of the energy that goes into producing the heat is a complete waste. This is part of the reason why our government is slowly phasing out incandescent bulbs and encouraging the purchase of more efficient bulbs, like CFLs. Although this is a small scaled example, the same concept can be applied to inefficient machinery in a manufacturing plant.
So how do we tame our inefficient tendencies? We've all heard of ways to make our homes more energy efficient, but have we actually made any changes? Adjust the thermostat at night or when no one is home, upgrade to more efficient lighting, wash your clothes in cold water when you can,owon-smart make sure your air filters are clean, and for goodness sake, turn off your lights when no one is using them.
When it comes to transportation, we all know public is the way to go in terms of energy efficiency. But when public transportation is not an option, carpool with your neighbors, ride your bike or walk, and combine shopping trips to limit drive time.
Businesses and industrial facilities have the opportunity to make a big difference, since they are the ones who consume most of our country's energy. Investing in lighting upgrades and adjusting thermostat temperatures are two methods that still apply. Other small changes include limiting the time air conditioners run, installing a smart meter to monitor energy use, and shutting off computers, printers and other energy vampires at the end of every day. On a larger scale, businesses are encouraged to enroll in a demand response program to help limit wasted energy and assist the electric grid in times of excess demand.
The fact that the U.S. is the least energy efficient country in the world may be unbelievable, but it must not be ignored. Each one of us is able to make at least one change in our daily lives. Whether it be carpooling, switching to better light bulbs, or looking for additional ways to reduce heat waste, each change will add up to make a huge difference. If your business is interested in gaining information on ways to become more efficient, look into working with an energy consultant. They will be able to customize a plan for your facility. Energy waste has been present in the U.S. for quite some time, so let's be polite and let another country take the lead in this category.
No single person or enterprise is responsible for our latest "achievement." Every industry has aided in the wastefulness of this country,In home display some more than others. According to the U.S. Energy Administration, estimates show that the industrial sector consumes more energy every year than any other U.S. entity. It has also established that energy use by the residential, transportation, and commercial sectors has drastically increased each year for the past 60 years, and it continues to rise.
Despite the growth of renewable energy sources, the bulk of our power is still produced using coal, petroleum, and natural gas, which tend to lead to inefficiency. The New York Times published a study in 2008 that calculated the main causes of energy waste. It estimated that 71 percent of energy generated for transportation is wasted, 66 percent is wasted in electricity, 20 percent is wasted in commercial and residential buildings, and 20 percent is wasted in industry or manufacturing.
A major culprit across all industries is heat waste, the byproduct of inefficient technology. As a relative example, Home energy management think of a traditional incandescent light bulb. When left on for hours, we notice that the area around the bulb is extremely hot,In home display which indicates that the bulb is not only producing light, but heat as well. Since the sole purpose of a light bulb is to produce light, all of the energy that goes into producing the heat is a complete waste. This is part of the reason why our government is slowly phasing out incandescent bulbs and encouraging the purchase of more efficient bulbs, like CFLs. Although this is a small scaled example, the same concept can be applied to inefficient machinery in a manufacturing plant.
So how do we tame our inefficient tendencies? We've all heard of ways to make our homes more energy efficient, but have we actually made any changes? Adjust the thermostat at night or when no one is home, upgrade to more efficient lighting, wash your clothes in cold water when you can,owon-smart make sure your air filters are clean, and for goodness sake, turn off your lights when no one is using them.
When it comes to transportation, we all know public is the way to go in terms of energy efficiency. But when public transportation is not an option, carpool with your neighbors, ride your bike or walk, and combine shopping trips to limit drive time.
Businesses and industrial facilities have the opportunity to make a big difference, since they are the ones who consume most of our country's energy. Investing in lighting upgrades and adjusting thermostat temperatures are two methods that still apply. Other small changes include limiting the time air conditioners run, installing a smart meter to monitor energy use, and shutting off computers, printers and other energy vampires at the end of every day. On a larger scale, businesses are encouraged to enroll in a demand response program to help limit wasted energy and assist the electric grid in times of excess demand.
The fact that the U.S. is the least energy efficient country in the world may be unbelievable, but it must not be ignored. Each one of us is able to make at least one change in our daily lives. Whether it be carpooling, switching to better light bulbs, or looking for additional ways to reduce heat waste, each change will add up to make a huge difference. If your business is interested in gaining information on ways to become more efficient, look into working with an energy consultant. They will be able to customize a plan for your facility. Energy waste has been present in the U.S. for quite some time, so let's be polite and let another country take the lead in this category.
2013年5月21日 星期二
I see the police working hard to mitigate crime
My wish is for the new Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zaid Hamidi
to head a Crime Watch Society established by the Government for both
urban and rural communities as well as each state to mitigate crime.
Existing crime watch groups can be partners here.
It is time crime gets the highest attention and urgent action.
Policing reduces crime, so does neighbours on guard.
Remember peace and security is the civic duty of all citizens.
The police cannot be at every nook and corner. We must be there to assist them and be their eyes and ears.
So, prevent crime by putting safety first and by making the local police your partners.
You just need to start with simple things like locking up your house before you go to bed. Lack of safety induces criminals to strike.
Reduce the opportunities for criminals to target us.
I feel snatch thieves should just be jailed. Fines will not do anymore.
I see the police working hard to mitigate crime, but we have to help them. Remember a caring community makes the neighbourhood safe. And safety begins with you.
I say, be the mata-mata in your community.
Watch, observe and phone the police if you see anything suspicious. After all, they are on duty 24 hours a day.
We have also started patrolling our neighbourhoods.
Today, I see the public being more aware of the need to take an active role in keeping crime at bay. This is good.Home energy monitor And this is how it should be.
While they do that, their efforts must be supplemented and complemented by the police.
Police presence is most assuring in that it keeps crime at bay.
I see the residents association and RT bases not only nurture unity. They also create a better understanding among the community. And neighbours can help prevent crime as they look out for each other.
I say help yourself to mitigate crime.
Stop jaywalking and be alert to your surroundings.
Be careful as criminals can strike anytime. Be alert and act rationally.
Do not be foolhardy as snatch thieves can be dangerous.
I think one should not put up a fight with such thieves.
There have been many lives lost and it isn’t worth fighting with them.
Your life is more important than saving things like your jewellery, documents or money.
Maybe it is time that religious organisations be included in our agenda.
We should also include representatives of non-governmental organisations, bloggers and other stakeholders who have an interest in the matter.
Also as was recently suggested, ex-convicts should be given the opportunity to get involved based on their experiences.
Ex-convicts usually know more about crime.
It’s better to give them an opportunity, compared to those who know nothing about crime.
As they say, it takes a thief to catch a thief!
The crime rate can be dented somewhat, but the fight against crime should continue with greater effort.
In addition to a lack of financial resources, poverty manifests itself in poor parental supervision,Power monitor lack of educational opportunities, lack of meaningful employment options, poor housing as well as lack of hope and prejudice against persons living in poverty.
We often continue to see the symptoms of crime, whereas we tend to overlook prevention and the root causes.
We should adopt preventive programmes and policies to eradicate crime. Crime prevention is the best strategy to fight crime and what better way than to inculcate safety awareness among school children to better safeguard and prevent them from becoming victims of crime.
And I stress that education must today focus on fighting crime.
They say, “Prevention is better than cure” to reflect the importance of proactively taking steps to keep crime at bay.
Last but not least, always remain vigilant and never take safety for granted.
Existing crime watch groups can be partners here.
It is time crime gets the highest attention and urgent action.
Policing reduces crime, so does neighbours on guard.
Remember peace and security is the civic duty of all citizens.
The police cannot be at every nook and corner. We must be there to assist them and be their eyes and ears.
So, prevent crime by putting safety first and by making the local police your partners.
You just need to start with simple things like locking up your house before you go to bed. Lack of safety induces criminals to strike.
Reduce the opportunities for criminals to target us.
I feel snatch thieves should just be jailed. Fines will not do anymore.
I see the police working hard to mitigate crime, but we have to help them. Remember a caring community makes the neighbourhood safe. And safety begins with you.
I say, be the mata-mata in your community.
Watch, observe and phone the police if you see anything suspicious. After all, they are on duty 24 hours a day.
We have also started patrolling our neighbourhoods.
Today, I see the public being more aware of the need to take an active role in keeping crime at bay. This is good.Home energy monitor And this is how it should be.
While they do that, their efforts must be supplemented and complemented by the police.
Police presence is most assuring in that it keeps crime at bay.
I see the residents association and RT bases not only nurture unity. They also create a better understanding among the community. And neighbours can help prevent crime as they look out for each other.
I say help yourself to mitigate crime.
Stop jaywalking and be alert to your surroundings.
Be careful as criminals can strike anytime. Be alert and act rationally.
Do not be foolhardy as snatch thieves can be dangerous.
I think one should not put up a fight with such thieves.
There have been many lives lost and it isn’t worth fighting with them.
Your life is more important than saving things like your jewellery, documents or money.
Maybe it is time that religious organisations be included in our agenda.
We should also include representatives of non-governmental organisations, bloggers and other stakeholders who have an interest in the matter.
Also as was recently suggested, ex-convicts should be given the opportunity to get involved based on their experiences.
Ex-convicts usually know more about crime.
It’s better to give them an opportunity, compared to those who know nothing about crime.
As they say, it takes a thief to catch a thief!
The crime rate can be dented somewhat, but the fight against crime should continue with greater effort.
In addition to a lack of financial resources, poverty manifests itself in poor parental supervision,Power monitor lack of educational opportunities, lack of meaningful employment options, poor housing as well as lack of hope and prejudice against persons living in poverty.
We often continue to see the symptoms of crime, whereas we tend to overlook prevention and the root causes.
We should adopt preventive programmes and policies to eradicate crime. Crime prevention is the best strategy to fight crime and what better way than to inculcate safety awareness among school children to better safeguard and prevent them from becoming victims of crime.
And I stress that education must today focus on fighting crime.
They say, “Prevention is better than cure” to reflect the importance of proactively taking steps to keep crime at bay.
Last but not least, always remain vigilant and never take safety for granted.
2013年5月16日 星期四
This unit throws open immense possibilities of a thriving diamond
Heralding a new chapter in the industrial development of Bihar, the state's first diamond processing unit was inaugurated at the Patliputra Industrial Area here on Thursday by chief minister Nitish Kumar. The unit has been set up by a leading diamond and jewellery firm of the country, Shrenuj and Company.
This unit throws open immense possibilities of a thriving diamond cutting and polishing industry in the state as about 30% of skilled workers in the diamond hub of Surat are said to belong to Bihar. The new unit currently employs 150 skilled Bihari artisans brought from Surat. When fully operational, the unit will employ 1,500 diamond workers, said Shrenuj's group executive director, Vishal Doshi, on the occasion.
In his remarks at the inauguration ceremony, Nitish took a dig at his bete noire Lalu Prasad without naming him. "Some people used to say that not even a needle factory has come up in Bihar. But now, a diamond unit has been launched by a Gujarati diamond magnate, Shreyas K Doshi, the CMD of Shrenuj and Company. We are happy that Doshi chose this state which sends skilled labour to the diamond industry of Surat and Mumbai," the CM said, adding the diamond processing unit would make huge investment by using small space and generate employment.
Doshi also presented a diamond piece produced at the unit to the chief minister for display at Patna Museum.
The processing unit is located on the second floor of Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) building, which also houses the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) office on the ground and first floors. Soon, the BIS office will be shifted and the whole building will be handed over to the diamond unit. The unit will then have a capacity of handling three lakh diamond units per month.
"The event has marked an industrial revolution of sorts in Bihar," said the chairman of Bihar Foundation, Ravi Shankar Srivastava, who got fulsome praise from CM Nitish Kumar and deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi for his untiring effort to bring the unit here. Kumar also credited the Bihar Foundation for its efforts to set up a leather hub at Fatuha industrial area by utilizing the skilled leather workers of Dharavi, Mumbai.
Vishal Doshi said the processing unit in Patna will boost the exports of the company, which has direct access to rough diamonds from Botswana and South Africa. CMD Shreyas Doshi said that retail growth of gem and jewellery sector has been robust over the past decade. Shrenuj planned to increase its footprint in diamond jewellery retail in India.
A wide range of wedding gowns is the centre of attraction at the sixth International Wedding Exhibition and Fashion Show (IWED) inaugurated yesterday at the Doha Exhibition Centre.
Known as one of the region’s most prominent wedding exhibitions, IWED was opened by Walid Atallah, a Lebanese designer, together with Mohamad Ahmad Al Obaidaly, a member of the board of Qatar Chamber.
Designers are showcasing their best wedding gowns and more than 100 wedding arrangement experts are promoting their products and services at the four-day event.
Gowns from well-known brands like Marchssa, Lazaro and Enzoani, and designers from the region are being showcased at the exhibition. A bridal gown at IWED would cost between QR15,000 and QR40,000, depending on the fabric, design and the designer, according to exhibitors.
However, the exhibition goes beyond wedding gowns. Visitors to IWED can see a wide range of products and services that can be used to organise a memorable wedding. On show are traditional abayas, shoes, handbags, cosmetics, hotel facilities, floral arrangements, jewellery, cakes and much else one could need for the big day.
“We have over 100 exhibitors from 15 countries showcasing their products and services this year, and we are expecting over 15,000 visitors,” said Hadi A Ali, chief executive officer of Qatar Expo, the organisers of IWED.
Speaking of future plans, Ali said, “Next year, the expo will include a section for grooms, which is lacking in IWED.”
There are fashion shows on all four days of the exhibition, with locally and internationally renowned designers showing off their contemporary creations.
Husam Taha from Star Academy will grace the expo as a special guest, bringing a new flavour to IWED by serenading the crowd with songs and music composed exclusively for the show.
IWED will be open to the public until Sunday from 3 pm to 10 pm. Tomorrow will be a ladies only day. Children under 14 years are not allowed into the expo.
This unit throws open immense possibilities of a thriving diamond cutting and polishing industry in the state as about 30% of skilled workers in the diamond hub of Surat are said to belong to Bihar. The new unit currently employs 150 skilled Bihari artisans brought from Surat. When fully operational, the unit will employ 1,500 diamond workers, said Shrenuj's group executive director, Vishal Doshi, on the occasion.
In his remarks at the inauguration ceremony, Nitish took a dig at his bete noire Lalu Prasad without naming him. "Some people used to say that not even a needle factory has come up in Bihar. But now, a diamond unit has been launched by a Gujarati diamond magnate, Shreyas K Doshi, the CMD of Shrenuj and Company. We are happy that Doshi chose this state which sends skilled labour to the diamond industry of Surat and Mumbai," the CM said, adding the diamond processing unit would make huge investment by using small space and generate employment.
Doshi also presented a diamond piece produced at the unit to the chief minister for display at Patna Museum.
The processing unit is located on the second floor of Bihar Industrial Area Development Authority (BIADA) building, which also houses the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) office on the ground and first floors. Soon, the BIS office will be shifted and the whole building will be handed over to the diamond unit. The unit will then have a capacity of handling three lakh diamond units per month.
"The event has marked an industrial revolution of sorts in Bihar," said the chairman of Bihar Foundation, Ravi Shankar Srivastava, who got fulsome praise from CM Nitish Kumar and deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi for his untiring effort to bring the unit here. Kumar also credited the Bihar Foundation for its efforts to set up a leather hub at Fatuha industrial area by utilizing the skilled leather workers of Dharavi, Mumbai.
Vishal Doshi said the processing unit in Patna will boost the exports of the company, which has direct access to rough diamonds from Botswana and South Africa. CMD Shreyas Doshi said that retail growth of gem and jewellery sector has been robust over the past decade. Shrenuj planned to increase its footprint in diamond jewellery retail in India.
A wide range of wedding gowns is the centre of attraction at the sixth International Wedding Exhibition and Fashion Show (IWED) inaugurated yesterday at the Doha Exhibition Centre.
Known as one of the region’s most prominent wedding exhibitions, IWED was opened by Walid Atallah, a Lebanese designer, together with Mohamad Ahmad Al Obaidaly, a member of the board of Qatar Chamber.
Designers are showcasing their best wedding gowns and more than 100 wedding arrangement experts are promoting their products and services at the four-day event.
Gowns from well-known brands like Marchssa, Lazaro and Enzoani, and designers from the region are being showcased at the exhibition. A bridal gown at IWED would cost between QR15,000 and QR40,000, depending on the fabric, design and the designer, according to exhibitors.
However, the exhibition goes beyond wedding gowns. Visitors to IWED can see a wide range of products and services that can be used to organise a memorable wedding. On show are traditional abayas, shoes, handbags, cosmetics, hotel facilities, floral arrangements, jewellery, cakes and much else one could need for the big day.
“We have over 100 exhibitors from 15 countries showcasing their products and services this year, and we are expecting over 15,000 visitors,” said Hadi A Ali, chief executive officer of Qatar Expo, the organisers of IWED.
Speaking of future plans, Ali said, “Next year, the expo will include a section for grooms, which is lacking in IWED.”
There are fashion shows on all four days of the exhibition, with locally and internationally renowned designers showing off their contemporary creations.
Husam Taha from Star Academy will grace the expo as a special guest, bringing a new flavour to IWED by serenading the crowd with songs and music composed exclusively for the show.
IWED will be open to the public until Sunday from 3 pm to 10 pm. Tomorrow will be a ladies only day. Children under 14 years are not allowed into the expo.
2013年5月9日 星期四
Bulgarians Disillusioned Ahead of Vote
Mass protests in Bulgaria against austerity measures and Home energy monitor costs forced out the government in February. Elections set for Sunday could lead to more political turmoil.
Recent public-opinion surveys indicate that the conservative party that led the previous administration and its main, left-leaning challenger are running neck-and-neck, complicating prospects for the formation of a governing coalition.
Unhappiness with low living standards and perceived corruption in the European Union's poorest member state boiled over this past winter, leading to nationwide demonstrations, initially over rising electricity prices.
In a sign of the desperate public mood, at least seven people have set themselves on fire—some explicitly saying they were acting to protest government policies and corruption. Six have died.
"The coming elections are like a joke to me, as is any hope that things will get better," said Yoana Georgieva, a woman in her early 20s living in Sofia. "I feel as if all of the parties and their leaders are irrelevant to me and the life I live."
The former conservative prime minister, Boyko Borisov, submitted his resignation Feb. 20 after marchers in Sofia clashed with riot police, Home energy management saying he wanted to prevent violence from worsening.
Reacting to the outcry over power prices, Bulgaria's energy regulator cut them six weeks ago and the caretaker government has said they would remain capped for a year.
Mr. Borisov, a former bodyguard to Soviet-era dictator Todor Zhivkov, kept a tight rein on spending and navigated the global financial crisis without needing an international bailout.
During the campaign, Mr. Borisov has pledged to continue his drive for austerity in public finances, which he says is based on the German model. He has argued that taking painful steps now will make Bulgaria more competitive in the long run and help it to avoid the fate of Southern Europe.
But his support has been weakened by corruption allegations and a wiretapping scandal.
The rival Socialist party has said that it would work to reduce the tax burden on the poorest people in the country, where the average monthly income is roughly 400 ($520) a month. The party has also promised to raise wages and to improve tax collection to pay for it.
Plamen Oresharski, Power monitor the Socialist candidate for prime minister, has also promised to reduce unemployment by ending policies of the previous government that he said squash aspiring businesses.
But both parties appear far from winning a majority in Parliament.
A poll released Thursday by the Sova Harris agency put both Mr. Borisov's centre-right party, the Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria, or GERB, at 20.9% and the Socialists at 20.4%, Another poll done by Center of Analysis and Marketing put GERB at 21.3% and the Socialists at 18.9%.
"It will be very difficult to form a coalition," predicted Antoaneta Tzoneva, chairwoman of the Institute for Public Environment Development, which advocates for fair elections and judicial reform.
An analyst at IHS Global Insight, James Goundry, said that if neither Mr. Borisov's party nor the Socialists emerge as clear victors, a coalition focused only on specific issues could rule until another round of elections, potentially in September.
Ms. Tzoneva said she expected voter turnout to be low because people are losing hope that the country's prospects will improve and see little hope for change in any parties.
Amid concerns about the potential for election fraud, opposition parties have hired an Austrian company to count election results in parallel with official state agencies, an unprecedented move in post-Communist Bulgaria.
Some international observers led by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe are also coming to monitor the election.
Recent public-opinion surveys indicate that the conservative party that led the previous administration and its main, left-leaning challenger are running neck-and-neck, complicating prospects for the formation of a governing coalition.
Unhappiness with low living standards and perceived corruption in the European Union's poorest member state boiled over this past winter, leading to nationwide demonstrations, initially over rising electricity prices.
In a sign of the desperate public mood, at least seven people have set themselves on fire—some explicitly saying they were acting to protest government policies and corruption. Six have died.
"The coming elections are like a joke to me, as is any hope that things will get better," said Yoana Georgieva, a woman in her early 20s living in Sofia. "I feel as if all of the parties and their leaders are irrelevant to me and the life I live."
The former conservative prime minister, Boyko Borisov, submitted his resignation Feb. 20 after marchers in Sofia clashed with riot police, Home energy management saying he wanted to prevent violence from worsening.
Reacting to the outcry over power prices, Bulgaria's energy regulator cut them six weeks ago and the caretaker government has said they would remain capped for a year.
Mr. Borisov, a former bodyguard to Soviet-era dictator Todor Zhivkov, kept a tight rein on spending and navigated the global financial crisis without needing an international bailout.
During the campaign, Mr. Borisov has pledged to continue his drive for austerity in public finances, which he says is based on the German model. He has argued that taking painful steps now will make Bulgaria more competitive in the long run and help it to avoid the fate of Southern Europe.
But his support has been weakened by corruption allegations and a wiretapping scandal.
The rival Socialist party has said that it would work to reduce the tax burden on the poorest people in the country, where the average monthly income is roughly 400 ($520) a month. The party has also promised to raise wages and to improve tax collection to pay for it.
Plamen Oresharski, Power monitor the Socialist candidate for prime minister, has also promised to reduce unemployment by ending policies of the previous government that he said squash aspiring businesses.
But both parties appear far from winning a majority in Parliament.
A poll released Thursday by the Sova Harris agency put both Mr. Borisov's centre-right party, the Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria, or GERB, at 20.9% and the Socialists at 20.4%, Another poll done by Center of Analysis and Marketing put GERB at 21.3% and the Socialists at 18.9%.
"It will be very difficult to form a coalition," predicted Antoaneta Tzoneva, chairwoman of the Institute for Public Environment Development, which advocates for fair elections and judicial reform.
An analyst at IHS Global Insight, James Goundry, said that if neither Mr. Borisov's party nor the Socialists emerge as clear victors, a coalition focused only on specific issues could rule until another round of elections, potentially in September.
Ms. Tzoneva said she expected voter turnout to be low because people are losing hope that the country's prospects will improve and see little hope for change in any parties.
Amid concerns about the potential for election fraud, opposition parties have hired an Austrian company to count election results in parallel with official state agencies, an unprecedented move in post-Communist Bulgaria.
Some international observers led by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe are also coming to monitor the election.
2013年5月7日 星期二
Teachers are always in search of new ideas
The U.S. Energy Department and the National Science Teachers
Association (NSTA) today announced that registration is now open for
America’s Home Energy Education Challenge (AHEEC), a national student
competition created to help families save money by saving energy.
Administered by NSTA for the Energy Department, America’s Home Energy Education Challenge inspires student interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), while encouraging elementary and middle school students to make smarter energy choices and save energy at home.
“America’s Home Energy Education Challenge is all about helping families save money by saving energy, Home energy monitor while inspiring the next generation of America’s energy leaders,” said Acting Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman. “This competition is giving students across the country the skills and tools they need to reduce energy waste in their homes and to pursue their interests in science and technology.”
“Teachers are always in search of new ideas and creative ways to motivate their students in science,” said Dr. David Evans, Executive Director, NSTA. “America’s Home Energy Education Challenge is a valuable teaching tool for educators, encouraging active learning about conservation and science, while helping to cultivate student interest in the STEM subjects.”
Participation in AHEEC will be broken into two parts: the Home Energy Challenge and the Energy Fitness Award. Each is designed to encourage students to learn about science and home energy savings, Home energy management and participants can chose one or get involved with both. All students from third to eighth grade are eligible to enter for both parts of the challenge, including students in after school and home school programs.
Through the Home Energy Challenge participants will leverage the power of school spirit to engage rival schools in a local home energy savings competition. Participating student teams will monitor and measure their energy consumption over a three-month period between September 2013 and February 2014, and compare it to data from the same period the year before.
Schools of all sizes are eligible to compete and schools without other nearby schools to compete against may hold a competition among classes within their school. After-school programs and students who are homeschooled are also encouraged to participate in this competition. Registration for the Home Energy Challenge begins today and runs through November 15, 2013. The Challenge officially kicks off for school participation on September 1, 2013, and schools can begin their three month competition period any time between then and November 15.
Competing schools and classes will compete within 11 regions for more than $60,000 in prizes that will be distributed at the regional and national levels of the competition. Winning teams will be determined by the decrease in students’ year-over-year home energy use, Power monitor percentage of class or school participation, and the overall creativity and quality of their local competition. The first place regional award winners will qualify for the national competition and will be judged by a panel of educators, scientists, and energy experts.
Through this challenge, students must complete specific tasks, such as interpreting a home energy bill and learning how to conduct a home energy assessment, and then demonstrate their learning and proficiency. Badges of achievement will be awarded at three levels: Joule, Kilojoule, and Megajoule. The Energy Fitness Award is open to any student, including homeschoolers or members of after school science programs and energy clubs.
Administered by NSTA for the Energy Department, America’s Home Energy Education Challenge inspires student interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), while encouraging elementary and middle school students to make smarter energy choices and save energy at home.
“America’s Home Energy Education Challenge is all about helping families save money by saving energy, Home energy monitor while inspiring the next generation of America’s energy leaders,” said Acting Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman. “This competition is giving students across the country the skills and tools they need to reduce energy waste in their homes and to pursue their interests in science and technology.”
“Teachers are always in search of new ideas and creative ways to motivate their students in science,” said Dr. David Evans, Executive Director, NSTA. “America’s Home Energy Education Challenge is a valuable teaching tool for educators, encouraging active learning about conservation and science, while helping to cultivate student interest in the STEM subjects.”
Participation in AHEEC will be broken into two parts: the Home Energy Challenge and the Energy Fitness Award. Each is designed to encourage students to learn about science and home energy savings, Home energy management and participants can chose one or get involved with both. All students from third to eighth grade are eligible to enter for both parts of the challenge, including students in after school and home school programs.
Through the Home Energy Challenge participants will leverage the power of school spirit to engage rival schools in a local home energy savings competition. Participating student teams will monitor and measure their energy consumption over a three-month period between September 2013 and February 2014, and compare it to data from the same period the year before.
Schools of all sizes are eligible to compete and schools without other nearby schools to compete against may hold a competition among classes within their school. After-school programs and students who are homeschooled are also encouraged to participate in this competition. Registration for the Home Energy Challenge begins today and runs through November 15, 2013. The Challenge officially kicks off for school participation on September 1, 2013, and schools can begin their three month competition period any time between then and November 15.
Competing schools and classes will compete within 11 regions for more than $60,000 in prizes that will be distributed at the regional and national levels of the competition. Winning teams will be determined by the decrease in students’ year-over-year home energy use, Power monitor percentage of class or school participation, and the overall creativity and quality of their local competition. The first place regional award winners will qualify for the national competition and will be judged by a panel of educators, scientists, and energy experts.
Through this challenge, students must complete specific tasks, such as interpreting a home energy bill and learning how to conduct a home energy assessment, and then demonstrate their learning and proficiency. Badges of achievement will be awarded at three levels: Joule, Kilojoule, and Megajoule. The Energy Fitness Award is open to any student, including homeschoolers or members of after school science programs and energy clubs.
2013年5月5日 星期日
The premium on the products will rise
Gold again saved the day for Titan Industries Ltd, with the company’s
jewellery business compensating for the poor performance of the watch
division in the March quarter.
The jewellery business is a major contributor to Titan’s overall financial performance, accounting for almost four-fifths of revenues. In the just ended fiscal year, it contributed 81.76% to the firm’s earnings before interest and tax (Ebit), compared with 76.67% a year ago.
In the March quarter too, the jewellery business did well. Volumes increased by 9% from a year ago. Although it was slower than the 12% growth seen in the December quarter, the latter was boosted by festival season sales. Consequently,Home energy monitor revenues increased by 16% from a year ago. Profitability in this business was stronger with its Ebit increasing by 36%, the best in the last four quarters. Titan also saw an improvement in share of studded jewellery last quarter compared to the full year, which boosted margins.
This performance was in stark contrast to the watch business, the second largest category for Titan. Revenue from this division increased by just 1.5% from a year ago. Even that growth was owing to prices that Titan raised over the last year. Watch volumes declined by as much as 10%,Home energy management compared with a growth of about 4% in the preceding two quarters. An excise duty hike and higher material costs also dented the profitability of this business and Ebit declined 15%.
Collectively, the company saw a 28% growth in the March quarter net profit to Rs.185 crore. What next then?
The watch business will depend mainly on an improvement in consumer sentiment, which could be some time away. On the other hand, Titan is planning to add 20 new showrooms this financial year in newer towns which will restrict cannibalization and boost sales. The good news is that jewellery volumes will continue to grow.
“Volume growth is likely to pick up in FY14 due to softening of gold prices and a large number of marriage days are on the list,” an Edelweiss Securities Ltd says in a recent report.
At the current market price of Rs.271, the Titan stock trades at 26.5 times its estimated earnings for the current fiscal year. At these valuations, Power monitor shareholders already seem to be factoring all the positives.
“The RBI’s restriction on the import of gold on consignment basis by banks only to meet the genuine needs of exporters of gold jewellery, will have repercussions on the industry.The premium on the products will rise, the volatility will rise, there will be disparity in the market, disturbance in the supply chain and flourishing of the grey market,” GJF Chairman Haresh Soni said in a statement.
Instead, the government should take steps like banning imports of coins, unlock public coins in market, limit or ban sale of coins by banks, encourage local coin manufacturers, he added and called for introducing measures to identify gold used for investment purpose and for retail consumption.
“The non productive gold lying with exchange traded funds (ETF) should be channelised through nominated agencies in the domestic market, so that the import of the precious metal can be reduced,” he said.
The RBI last week tightened the screws on both bank and NBFCs into gold funding business and restricted banks financing gold import to gold jewellery exporters. The apex bank, while announcing the annual monetary policy, also restricted the lending against gold coins up to 50 gm.
GJF Director Ashok Minawala said the industry does not believe that the apex bank’s latest move this move would help in addressing the issue of widening current account deficit. However, curtailing the import of gold on consignment basis will harm jewellery makers as they won’t be able to secure loans in the form of gold from banks as prevalent in the industry.
“This move will definitely have a negative impact on procurement of gold for manufacturing and distribution and the consumer will eventually face shortages,” he said.
The jewellery business is a major contributor to Titan’s overall financial performance, accounting for almost four-fifths of revenues. In the just ended fiscal year, it contributed 81.76% to the firm’s earnings before interest and tax (Ebit), compared with 76.67% a year ago.
In the March quarter too, the jewellery business did well. Volumes increased by 9% from a year ago. Although it was slower than the 12% growth seen in the December quarter, the latter was boosted by festival season sales. Consequently,Home energy monitor revenues increased by 16% from a year ago. Profitability in this business was stronger with its Ebit increasing by 36%, the best in the last four quarters. Titan also saw an improvement in share of studded jewellery last quarter compared to the full year, which boosted margins.
This performance was in stark contrast to the watch business, the second largest category for Titan. Revenue from this division increased by just 1.5% from a year ago. Even that growth was owing to prices that Titan raised over the last year. Watch volumes declined by as much as 10%,Home energy management compared with a growth of about 4% in the preceding two quarters. An excise duty hike and higher material costs also dented the profitability of this business and Ebit declined 15%.
Collectively, the company saw a 28% growth in the March quarter net profit to Rs.185 crore. What next then?
The watch business will depend mainly on an improvement in consumer sentiment, which could be some time away. On the other hand, Titan is planning to add 20 new showrooms this financial year in newer towns which will restrict cannibalization and boost sales. The good news is that jewellery volumes will continue to grow.
“Volume growth is likely to pick up in FY14 due to softening of gold prices and a large number of marriage days are on the list,” an Edelweiss Securities Ltd says in a recent report.
At the current market price of Rs.271, the Titan stock trades at 26.5 times its estimated earnings for the current fiscal year. At these valuations, Power monitor shareholders already seem to be factoring all the positives.
“The RBI’s restriction on the import of gold on consignment basis by banks only to meet the genuine needs of exporters of gold jewellery, will have repercussions on the industry.The premium on the products will rise, the volatility will rise, there will be disparity in the market, disturbance in the supply chain and flourishing of the grey market,” GJF Chairman Haresh Soni said in a statement.
Instead, the government should take steps like banning imports of coins, unlock public coins in market, limit or ban sale of coins by banks, encourage local coin manufacturers, he added and called for introducing measures to identify gold used for investment purpose and for retail consumption.
“The non productive gold lying with exchange traded funds (ETF) should be channelised through nominated agencies in the domestic market, so that the import of the precious metal can be reduced,” he said.
The RBI last week tightened the screws on both bank and NBFCs into gold funding business and restricted banks financing gold import to gold jewellery exporters. The apex bank, while announcing the annual monetary policy, also restricted the lending against gold coins up to 50 gm.
GJF Director Ashok Minawala said the industry does not believe that the apex bank’s latest move this move would help in addressing the issue of widening current account deficit. However, curtailing the import of gold on consignment basis will harm jewellery makers as they won’t be able to secure loans in the form of gold from banks as prevalent in the industry.
“This move will definitely have a negative impact on procurement of gold for manufacturing and distribution and the consumer will eventually face shortages,” he said.
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