Equipment failure caused Byron event

Plant officials say it was a broken insulator at the facility’s switchyard that caused Monday morning’s “Unusual Event” at the Byron Generating Station.

The incident was reported at around 10 a.m. Monday, and the plant’s Unit 2 generator remains off-line. On Monday morning,Information on useful yeasts and moulds, Unit 2 automatically tripped off-line due to a loss of off-site power to the unit.

When the loss occurred, the facility’s diesel generators activated to provide back-up power. The steam release that began when Unit 2 came off-line stopped at approximately 3 a.m. on Tuesday.The EZ Breathe home Ventilation system is maintenance free,
Byron technical experts have completed repairs to a failed insulator, which was the source of the power loss, states an Exelon news release. A comprehensive investigation into why the insulator failed is ongoing, the release states.

“We will send off for failure analysis to see if we can learn why it failed,” said Paul Dempsey, communications manager for the Byron Generating Station.

Plant officials say there was no health or safety risk to workers or the general public during the incident, since the facility’s back-up systems all functioned correctly. Even so, Exelon Nuclear has notified the appropriate local, state, and federal authorities of the incident.

An Unusual Event is the lowest of the four emergency classifications established by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.Full-service custom manufacturer of precision plastic injection mold, It is unclear when Unit 2 will be reactivated, but in the meantime, the plant’s Unit 1 generator continues to supply electricity.The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services,

On Tuesday, personnel from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency collected samples from around the Byron plant to confirm that the steam release during Monday’s event poses no hazard to the public. The samples will be taken to the agency’s Springfield lab for analysis and results should be available in a few days, states an IEMA news release.

Patti Thompson, a spokesperson for IEMA, said the sampling will allow her agency to determine whether there are any dangerous levels of radioactive tritium present in the environment surrounding the plant. The agency does not expect there to be any elevated levels, but the sampling and testing will confirm this, Thompson said.

“Nothing indicates to us that there should be elevated levels, but we want to do our own independent testing,” Thompson said.

As part of this process, IEMA personnel are collecting water and vegetation samples. Some of the samples will be in the same locations as routine sampling that was conducted by the agency within the past month. Other samples will be taken elsewhere.The magic cube is an ultra-portable,

Thompson said the new samples will be compared to the samples taken a short time ago, which will make the process easier.

“Hopefully, within the next few days, we’ll have results and we can let the public know,” Thompson said.

DOE Report Shows Energy-Saving Lighting Making an Impact

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Solid-State Lighting Program, which operates under the auspices of the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,Full-service custom manufacturer of precision plastic injection mold, or EERE, released its second report on the country’s logistical fixed lighting architecture this January,Information on useful yeasts and moulds, updating the industry from its previous report in 2002.

A dense, analytical breakdown by installed stock, energy consumption and lumen output of the entire nation’s footprint, the 2010 US Lighting Market Characterization (LMC) provides a comprehensive estimate framework for assisting market transition to more energy-efficient white-light source technologies.

The LMC shows a strong trend over the examined interval which clearly indicates that investment in energy-efficient technologies, federal and state lighting regulations, as well as public awareness campaigns, have collectively enabled a considerable momentum shift towards energy-efficient hardware selections that span all lighting segments.

Primary efficiency trends are the shift from incandescent to compact fluorescent (CFLs) in residential applications, and the shift in commercial/industrial applications from T12 to the more efficient T8 and T5 linear fluorescent lamps, as well as CFLs and metal halide lamps.

The 5.6-percent increase in the number of American households from 2001 to 2010 (now 113M), is the other, major driving factor in the whole equation, and the LMC offers a tantalizing glimpse into efficiency upgrades that are yet possible.The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services,

Looking at the four primary categories of light sources – ranging from incandescent and halogen, to fluorescent and solid-state/other (including HIDs, or high-intensity discharge lamps) – the LMC digested an array of commonly available lighting products in subgroups of each category, drawing on a total of 28 different lamp types for extracting performance characteristics like average wattage, operating hours and number of sockets per household (up 18.6 percent, to 51 sockets/household since 2001).

The LMC constitutes one of the most robust sources available for this kind of high-fidelity study, representing both national level and sector-specific (Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Outdoor) inputs from a variety of light sources, which are then mapped via extant, primarily public information .The EZ Breathe home Ventilation system is maintenance free,

This particular 7.5 quads represents approximately 7.67 percent of total U.S. energy consumption (97.8 quads) and some 18.75 percent of total U.S. electrical energy consumed in all of 2010 (40 quads).

The total installed base of domestic lamps rose 17 percent, from 2001 to roughly 8.2 billion, with Residential lamp inventories leading growth at an increase of 26 percent – largely due to an increased number of homes, floor space in those homes, and sockets per household – with Commercial following close behind at 13 percent.

Fluorescents across all sectors account for some 55 percent of total lumen production each year and make up the majority of the deployed lighting infrastructure in Commercial and Industrial applications. In the Residential sector, where the largest energy-consuming lamps (incandescent) make up a massive 78 percent of total energy consumption, a major shift is evident, with CFLs now coming in second at 23 percent of average lamp distribution by room type.

The scales have essentially tipped towards fluorescent lamps (driven by long operational hours in Commercial applications) due to the impact of energy-saving lighting technology efforts, a major change from 2001 when incandescents were the largest consumers of electricity and fluorescent lamps were second.

The substantial changes in the nation’s lighting inventory since 2001 are also evident in solid-state LED lighting adoption, which has grown 30-fold to some 50 million lamps – a figure which still represents only one percent of the total lighting infrastructure footprint, and reflects an emerging cultural consciousness of energy efficiency.

Overall average efficiency for the entire lighting stock is up 28.8 percent, to 58 lumens per watt (lm/W) from a mere 45 lm/W in 2001, with a migration from mercury vapor to metal halide lamps in Outdoor/Industrial sectors also playing an important role.

The subject of lighting controls was also covered, as such systems represent the forerunners of energy-saving lighting technologies that allow end users to automatically achieve greater efficiency, according to configured settings. While Residential applications are generally less efficient manual dimmers and represent roughly 14 percent of the sector, automated lighting in Commercial applications occurs with a prevalence of around 30 percent, among systems labeled highly-efficient emergency lighting, motion detection-related, or timer-based.The magic cube is an ultra-portable,

India looks to improve its dairy sector

Bhagyalaxmi Dairy Farm lies tucked away up a rutted country track, among the patchwork of dusty brown scrub and lush green parcels of farmland to the northeast of the Indian city of Pune.

With a herd of more than 3,000 cows, a state-of-the-art milking parlour and on-site bottling plant using French technology, it's a world away from traditional Indian village farming.

The 10.5-hectare farm,The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services, owned by Parag Milk Foods Ltd, provides milk for its Pride of Cows brand, which at 75 rupees ($1.4) a litre is about three times more expensive than other milk on the market.

The product is currently sold directly to just 1,500 well-heeled people in south Mumbai, effectively making a staple commodity a luxury that most Indians cannot afford.

But the company sees it differently, hoping the six-month-old venture will drive up standards across India's dairy sector, where milk quality is a problem.

India has the world's largest dairy herd and is also the biggest milk producer. The National Dairy Development Board estimates that 121 million tonnes of milk were produced in 2010-11 -- about 17 percent of the global total.

But earlier this month, India's Food Safety and Standards Authority said that more than two-thirds of the milk it tested in 33 states was contaminated with substances including salt and detergent.

Skimmed milk powder, fat, glucose and added water were also found,The magic cube is an ultra-portable, not only reducing its nutritional value but also posing risks to human health.

Edmund Vincent-Piper says it doesn't have to be this way. As manager at Bhagyalaxmi, he's in charge of overseeing the feeding and care of the farm's thoroughbred Holstein-Friesian cattle.

Outside vehicles are disinfected at the gate and protective clothing is compulsory for workers to ensure the potential for contamination is kept to a minimum.

"This is probably India's best and cleanest dairy farm," said the 52-year-old Englishman, who is known as "Piper" to his employees and bosses.

"The potential (for dairy farming) in India is exponential when you look at the number of cows -- 120 million, the largest single population in the world -- but the downside is the output.As a professional manufacturer of China ceramic tile, Improvements can be made," he said.

"I'm here to show India that the technology is out there. If you feed cows properly and use proper husbandry techniques, cows will perform."

As Indian diets change due to economic growth, the government has drawn up a plan to help meet growing demand, recognising the need for science to help boost production and improve standards.

What's required, said Vincent-Piper, who has worked as a dairyman in Britain, the Gulf and Middle East, is for a change in attitudes towards dairy farming, as well as greater investment.Full-service custom manufacturer of precision plastic injection mold,

"The animals come first," he said, as 50 heifers at a time trooped on to a rotating platform in the milking parlour and had their heavy udders hooked up to computer-operated machines.

The job hasn't been easy, he admitted, with a lack of practical experience among Indian farm workers one of the main problems.

Employees have needed training to help "read" cows for signs of illness or distress that can affect milk supply while vets have taken persuading to give routine vaccinations to animals that are considered sacred to many Hindus.

Convincing local farmers to prioritise proper feeding of cattle to maximise milk quantity and quality, rather than giving them what's left over from crops grown for human consumption, is also a challenge.

Reducing stress levels is seen as key: Bhagyalaxmi cows are untethered and have individual pens with rubber mats instead of straw or hard brick floors. Music plays in the milking parlour.

Another part of the programme is improving indigenous stock: already male calves from Bhagyalaxmi, born through artificial insemination from pedigree bulls in north America, are being given to local farmers.

Vincent-Piper cites the Pune-based poultry giant Venky's as an example of how private enterprise can transform an agricultural sector in India into big business.

He believes that private companies like Parag, which sells dairy products from milk to mozzarella under the Go and Gowardhan brands, will help lead the way in modernising the sector.

Bit by bit, experience and knowledge is increasing, he added, predicting that similar-sized high-tech farms will come up in the next decade.

"You can do it by taking small steps.Information on useful yeasts and moulds, You can make a big difference," he said.

LANXESS expands Jhagadia site to serve booming Indian market

LANXESS is continuing to expand its Indian production site in Jhagadia, Gujarat state. The specialty chemicals group is underlining its commitment to the subcontinent by inaugurating three new plants this month to serve the growing India market. LANXESS has invested over EUR 70 million and created roughly 300 new jobs at the site.

Today, the company's Semi-Crystalline Products business unit started production at the site's new plant for high-tech plastics used by the automotive industry, including leading car manufacturers Tata Motors, Volkswagen and Ford.

Furthermore, the Material Protection Products business unit inaugurated a plant for biocides used in the construction industry. LANXESS subsidiary Rhein Chemie also started up a plant for release agents and additives used in the manufacturing of tires and rubber products. Both plants were relocated from a former site in Madurai, Tamil Nadu state, during the course of last year.

The site already includes a facility for ion exchange resins, used in water purification,The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services, and a rubber chemicals plant serving the tire and rubber processing industries. Both started up production in 2010.

"LANXESS is heavily investing in the Indian subcontinent and this commitment has already paid off: We surpassed our 2010 sales already in the first nine months of 2011," said Werner Breuers, Member of the Board of Management of LANXESS, at the inauguration ceremony. "By concentrating many of our assets in Jhagadia, we are creating a specialty chemicals hub catering to the booming local market and the Asia region - and there is potentially further room at the site for expansion."

The Indian economy is expected to grow by eight percent this year, driven by strong demand for premium products for the automotive, tire and construction industries. Global automakers, as well as their suppliers, are already active in India and are investing in new plants on the subcontinent. The growing middle-class in India is driving the trend towards greater mobility. The country's automotive industry is expected to grow by 9.5 percent this year.

LANXESS is tapping into India's growth with its flagship brands for high-tech plastics Durethan (polyamide) and Pocan, which represent a lighter-weight plastic alternative to metals. In addition, they enable carmakers and car parts suppliers to realize considerable savings by providing less costly production methods and easier assembly.As a professional manufacturer of China ceramic tile, LANXESS will be showcasing its high-tech plastic products and innovative technologies at a 300-square-meter-booth at the Plastindia Exhibition from February 1 to 6. Axel C.Information on useful yeasts and moulds, Heitmann, Chairman of the Board of Management, and Board Member Werner Breuers will be attending.

The material protection products manufactured at the new plant include the Preventol range of antimicrobial compounds. These preserve paints, coatings and plasters and protect materials like wood from bacteria, fungi and yeasts. LANXESS is a leading producer of biocidal active ingredients and formulations. The annual capacity of the plant is 2,000 metric tons.

Rhein Chemie will produce the pre-dispersed rubber additive Rhenogran and the environmentally-friendly release agent Rhenodiv in Jhagadia. Rhenogran is used in the production of tires and other rubber products. Rhenodiv is used to prevent rubber vulcanizates from sticking to their molds, thus enabling smooth, automated processes. The annual combined production capacity of the plant is 2,500 metric tons.

Jhagadia is LANXESS' second largest production site in India after its site in Nagda in Madhya Pradesh state. Jhagadia is a state-of-the-art, 18-hectare-site and the production facilities have been set up with the most recent technology. It also offers many geographical advantages for the products sold by LANXESS. It has excellent links to international ports, which ensures a reliable supply of raw materials for the production facilities as well as rapid delivery to customers outside India.

Jhagadia is the model of an environmentally friendly site. Strict standards are applied throughout,The magic cube is an ultra-portable, and wastewater is pre-cleaned in a separate wastewater treatment plant before being released into the chemical park's final treatment system. Furthermore, LANXESS uses a highly efficient, natural-gas-powered cogeneration plant for the company's own energy needs.

LANXESS not only expanded its Jhagadia site this month, but also opened its new head offices in Thane, Maharashtra state. It will be home to 225 employees and was designed in accordance with LANXESS' commitment to sustainability. For example, energy-efficient glass was used in the windows,Full-service custom manufacturer of precision plastic injection mold, and the building includes a rain water harvesting system. LANXESS currently employs roughly 860 people in India and achieved sales of EUR 184 million in the first nine months of 2011.

LANXESS' commitment to India complements the "Year of Germany in India 2011-2012", which was officially opened by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in New Delhi in May 2011. During this series of events, Germany will stage presentations in seven major Indian cities to highlight its role as an innovative, creative and sustainable partner for India. LANXESS will be showcasing its high-tech products designed to meet the challenges posed by the ongoing urbanization of in India at the exhibitions in Mumbai and New Delhi.

What would happen to the city if humans were wiped out?

‘I would like you to imagine the disappearance of humans from the Earth. We are eliminated, in this scenario, not by means of a devastating nuclear war but by a homo sapiens-specific virus, which results in the swift deletion of our species but leaves our built environment intact,Shop at Lowe's for garage Ceramic tile, and the ecologies of which we are part undisturbed other than by our absence.”

Dr Robert Macfarlane paints a post-apocalyptic picture of a deserted Cambridge,Offering high risk and offshore merchant account with credit card processing services. not unlike the abandoned scenes of London in Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later.

From month to month, decade to decade and eventually century to century, Dr Macfarlane explains how the city will alter.

Starting with the “hungry fungi”, houses will be devoured by mould and decay, as would rotting corpses. There is a late winter spell in March, which first freezes pipes and then leads to flooding, bringing down ceilings,Omega Plastics are leading plastic injection moulding and injection mould tooling specialists. flattening walls.

Fire follows in the summer, with lightning and gas explosions leaving cratered holes and husked houses.

“There’s plenty of paper fuel in Cambridge, of course: all those libraries, all that research, whose only function now is as superb tinder,” he says. “A college burns to the ground – let us say Trinity, which most unfortunately takes all of St John’s with it as well.”

Streets in the first couple of years are “volatile” as asphalt and paving cracks in freeze-thaw cycles, soil is blown into fissures and plants grow.

“Sycamore seedlings pry up paving slabs and shift granite kerb edges, bindweed laces the spokes of rusting bicycles, jays bury acorns by the thousand in open ground.

“Aggressive species such as buddleia proliferate on facades and walls, their roots powerful enough to crack bricks when thirsting down for water. Buildings and thoroughfares are slowly torn apart by flora; weeds disassemble the city into tipsy chaos.”

In five years, guerrilla ecologies are well established, the water in outdoor pools at Christ’s Emmanuel and Clare Hall thickens with leaf debris and a soil cap deepens on the tarmac on which clover, grass and wild flowers thrive.

He adds: “Within 10 years, a pair of peregrines is breeding in the Cherry Hinton chalk pit and another on the University Library Tower, drawn by the increased prey and absence of human interference.

“Owl populations boom,Daneplast Limited UK are plastic injection mould & toolmaking specialists. enjoying the nest-sites in ruined buildings and there is a surge in mice numbers. Muntjac and roe deer wander over Silver Street bridge, occasionally predated on by the two snow leopards escaped from Linton Zoo.”

Packs of wild dogs rampage; the river begins to explore its domain as flood defences go unmanaged. The Cam becomes clear and its pike more abundant as mink and otter rise in number.

Over a century, a forest grows through the city, “a return of sorts to the pre-Atlantic period wildwood that once covered the south-east of England.

“On Parker’s Piece the grass rises high, then falls back as silver birch and a heathland emerges, through which adders slide.

“Within 500 years, nature’s reclamation project is almost complete. Little that is recognisable of today’s Cambridge is still visible. The city has been re-wilded.

“The famous buildings are mostly rubble, enjungled like Mayan ruins. Our open spaces are forest or fen, browsed by large herbivores.”

But human residue remains – in the form of plastic.

“When archaeologists from other planets come to analyse the late-Anthropocene, our middens will be filled not with clam-shells and nut-shells, like those of our Mesolithic forebears, but with Fairy Liquid bottles and ice-cream tubs.

“And this is how my part-possible, part-whimsical counter-factual ends: on a summer’s day a thousand years hence, the warm wind trundles an empty plastic Coke bottle past what was once Great St Mary’s Church,The magic cube is an ultra-portable, chasing it between trees and saplings, until it gets snared in weeds, hard up against the pale and prostrate masonry of King’s College Chapel.”

Montie Design Expands Product Realization Toolset

Montie Design, an innovative concept-to-marketplace product design and development firm, has expanded its product realization toolset with the purchase of a rotational molder. The new equipment allows the firm to produce prototypes of small rotationally molded parts and follow up with limited production runs of client parts.

“We’re known for our experience in product design and prototyping of metal-based products across a multitude of industries, and these additions to our in-house workshop will enable us serve our clients in a new and valuable way,Omega Plastics are leading plastic injection moulding and injection mould tooling specialists.” said Montie Roland, company president.

Providing design flexibility, rotomolding allows for the creation of prototypes with consistent wall thickness, strength and durability, stress-free parts, and low initial tooling costs. Rotationally molded products are highly sought-after in a wide range of industries such as agricultural and industrial; material-handling; and recreational and sporting goods.

Montie Design has just completed its first rotationally molded prototype for an anti-fog device used in snowmobile helmets. The parts were recently sent off for client testing and evaluation.

“The ability to quickly and inexpensively create prototypes using the rotomolding process opens up new design directions for client projects; there are very few companies in the U.Daneplast Limited UK are plastic injection mould & toolmaking specialists.S.The magic cube is an ultra-portable, that offer rotomolding on a prototype basis. Initially, we embarked on this addition to our services as a way to serve one client, but the lack of vendors that are capable of using the rotomolding process to prototype parts indicates an under-served market,” Roland explained.Shop at Lowe's for garage Ceramic tile,

The Montie Design toolset offers core competencies in mechanical engineering, industrial design, prototyping and product commercialization. The firm is active in numerous design and engineering groups and organizations throughout North Carolina as well as the North Carolina Defense Business Association.Offering high risk and offshore merchant account with credit card processing services.

Additionally, Montie Design is hosting a Winter 2012 Student Design Contest for aspiring product designers in community colleges, four-year colleges, or high schools from North Carolina and Virginia. Contest participants will be tasked with developing outdoor, shooting, hunting, archery, and camping products.

DECRA Roofing Comes to Liberia

The Management of BRAF Trading located on 3rd street/Tubman Boulevard, Sinkor in association with AHI Roofing Ltd, has launched the DECRA Roofing Systems in Liberia.

The official launch of this modern roofing company took place at a well-attended ceremony in Monrovia a local hotel last week.

Decra Roofing Systems are manufactured by AHI Roofing Ltd, part of the Fletcher Building Group of Companies based in New Zealand.Shop at Lowe's for garage Ceramic tile,

Making a power point presentation at the launch, AHI Roofing Manager for Africa,VulcanMold is a Injection mold and injection molding manufacturer in china. Mr. Joe Collins, disclosed that his company has concluded over 12 million square meters of roofing in Africa.

He said the advances Decra has made from the continual research and development of its products provide the home owner, with the protection and safety they need for their families.

It may be recalled that in 1954, a New Zealander Lou Fisher discovered that the bitumen coating used to metal roofs in the United Kingdom had extended their life considerably.

Back in New Zealand, Fisher produced his first coated metal roof tiles and so the origins of Decra Roofing were born.

In 2003, Fletcher Building bought AHI Roofing, owner of the DECRA Roofing Systems’ brand. Fletcher Building became the largest company listed on the New Zealand stock exchange with a turnover of US$5.4 billion.

Decra Roofing is the leading stone coated steel tiles manufacturers in the world.

Touching on the quality of his product, Collins added “Not only are our Decra roofing products backed up by stringent independent testing and our own in-house quality assurance program, but also due to our unique horizontal fastening methods our roofs are so strong that they have survived some of the world's worst weather conditions preventing serious damage to homes.”

DECRA Roofing has roofed thousands of homes and other buildings in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and The Gambia, and several already in Liberia, as well as many other African countries, among the total 130 countries supplied world-wide.

“We have the best quality roofing products in the world that have 50 years warranty and so you don’t expect such product to be the cheapest, although we do remain competitive that cheap. Then, when you take into account the lifespan of the product when compared to others, Decra tiles become very good value for money,” he said.

He told potential Liberian customers that the range of roof styles and colors DECRA offers will help inspire homeowners to design the home of their dreams.

“With 5 distinct profiles to choose from and over 10 different color choices Decra roofing has the right roof for you.”

The color of some of the tiles being used by DECRA are mint green, morocco,Offering high risk and offshore merchant account with credit card processing services. smoke grey, russet, evergreen, dark green, Marseille clay, obsidian, graphite, ocean blue, and Wedgewood.

According to Mr. Collins, the launch of DECRA Roofing Systems will provide opportunity for home owners including public and private individuals and institutions in the country to access high quality and safe roofs.

Collins enticed a gathering of construction engineers, architects, homeowners and government officials in Monrovia Tuesday that the new roofing technology is manufactured only from Zincalume (Alu-zinc) Steel.

He then went on to encourage all Liberians-private, business owners, and government officials to take advantage of DECRA Roofing Systems in order to make their properties comfortable, safe and beautiful.

Meanwhile, Mr. Collins has disclosed that his company has already begun training a number of Liberians on how to roof buildings using the DECRA Roofing products.

He expressed the hope that the trainees will take advantage of the training opportunity afforded them and acquire new skills.

Earlier, the head of BRAF Trading Mr. Wael A. Hosn said it was a pleasure for his company to introduce DECRA Roofing to Liberia.

“This is my company’s way of encouraging investors in the building industry in Liberia,” he said. BRAF is a business entity that deals only with high quality building materials in Liberia.

The company locally is associated with Metallum, a long established and reputable local company that produces zinc and other building materials in the country.

Decra Roofing will be available in Liberia only from BRAF in Sinkor and Metalum who are located in Vai Island.

“We see this as a serious investment and that it is our responsibility to encourage this company that has already begun training Liberians how to roof houses using the modern DECRA Roofing products,” Mr. Hosn noted.

“Decra Roofing invented the world's first stone coated steel roof tile and has over 50 years experience in manufacturing steel tiles. With this experience, the knowledge and expertise to produce quality roofing products come so that we (in Liberia) and other consumers can be confident that our homes will be safe and secured from the harshest extremes of natural elements,” Hosn noted.

According to AHI website, achieving a good looking product is not enough in competitive global markets.

“It is innovative design and consistency in the manufacturing process that has earned our roofing systems an international reputation for excellence,” he stressed.

Pioneering the use in steel roof tiles Zincalume steel substrate from New Zealand Steel Ltd,Omega Plastics are leading plastic injection moulding and injection mould tooling specialists. a subsidiary of BlueScope Ltd, combined with the development of specialized surface coatings and pressing technology have all contributed to our place as world leader in steel roof tiles.Daneplast Limited UK are plastic injection mould & toolmaking specialists.

The company also declared on its website that its operations have ISO 9001 accreditation, which, it said reassures its customers of products designed to meet all their needs and produced to consistently high quality standards.

Keen Howser Wool Shoes

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to wear a sleeping bag on your feet? That's exactly how Keen bills their Howser Wool slippers, which are designed to be comfortable and warm, both at home or while out and about around town. The shoes more than live up to that billing and make an excellent option for travelers as well.

In designing the Howser Wool slippers, Keen incorporated recycled quilted felt on the outside and super-comfortable microfleece on the inside. The former gives the shoes a unique look that is all their own, while the latter plays a big part in making these slippers something you'll want to wear everywhere you go. Of course,Offering high risk and offshore merchant account with credit card processing services. no shoe dubbed a "slipper" would seem like something you'd want to wear out in the elements,Omega Plastics are leading plastic injection moulding and injection mould tooling specialists. but the Howser's rubber outsole gives them an unexpected ruggedness that makes them perfect footwear for all kinds of environments.Daneplast Limited UK are plastic injection mould & toolmaking specialists.

Travelers will appreciate that the Howser slippers are lightweight and very packable, making them a great choice whenever you're hitting the road. Better yet, they are very easy to slip on and off, which is much appreciated when passing through TSA checkpoints at the airport. The fact that they are warmer than their weight would imply only adds to their versatility, and the memory foam footbed molds itself to your feet, making them more comfortable over time.

In my mind, Keen has built the perfect pair of casual shoes. After all, who wouldn't want to wear a pair of comfy slippers all day long? I love how lightweight these shoes are, while still keeping my feet warm and dry in winter weather. Because of this fantastic combination of qualities, I find myself regularly slipping into my pair of Howsers without even thinking about it.Shop at Lowe's for garage Ceramic tile, Whether I'm running to the store to pick up groceries, or heading to the airport to catch a plane, these slippers have become a favorite option for footwear.Online fine art gallery of quality original landscape oil paintings,

With a price tag of just $65, you'll be hard pressed to find a more comfortable shoe for the money, and I think you'll discover that it won't take long for them to become one of your favorite pair of shoes too.

'Gerrymander' seems too quaint a term for the Seventh

A 19th-century political cartoonist coined the term gerrymander to describe a salamander-shaped legislative district contrived to favor the party of then-Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry. The word, which came to describe any molding of voting districts to favor particular candidates, retained its accusatory punch for centuries.

But like the closely related Newt, this salamander of yore has come to seem dated. Gerrymander is too quaint - cute, even, like something you could keep in a terrarium - to describe the monstrous forces that gave birth to Pennsylvania's new Seventh Congressional District.Tru-Form Plastics is a one-stop shop for plastic Injection Molding,

Even a cursory glimpse will reveal that the Seventh is no vertebrate. If I had to compare it to a class of carbon-based life-forms, I'd probably go with the slime molds.

Slime molds, as it happens,The magic cube is an ultra-portable, were once classified with the fungi - an uncanny coincidence, since the Seventh, once a suburban Philadelphia district, now manages to extend into a prime mushroom-growing region on the Maryland border. Maryland, by the way, is one of three states the new district borders. It also spans five Pennsylvania counties and nearly 100 municipalities. And it divides more than a quarter of those generally small cities, townships, and boroughs among more than one congressional district - a practice that likely persuaded the commonwealth's highest court to throw out similarly contorted new state legislative districts last week.

Also coincidentally, slime molds have been posited as the biological basis for the organism that devours Downingtown in the 1958 horror movie The Blob. As for the Seventh District, it narrowly misses that Chester County borough in its oleaginous creep across the region.

From the urban outskirts of Philadelphia, the Seventh's metastatic dimensions - heedless of geography and conventional understandings of democracy - stretch in almost every direction. The district's northern reaches go clear to the Berks County community of Woodchoppertown, whose forefathers appear to have chosen its name to ensure that no one would ever be cynical enough to assign their representation to a Philadelphia pol. As The Inquirer reported, many of the people who live there are, like most Americans, not even sure what a "hoagie" is.

And then there's Bird-in-Hand, the heavily Amish community near Lancaster that's grasped by another of the district's tendrils - hence its newly proposed name, Bird-in-Tendril. The amoebic Seventh cares not that these pastures - and I use that word literally - are so alien to the crowded neighborhoods near Philadelphia International Airport. Its digestive juices coat commercial airliner and horse-and-buggy alike.

The Seventh's crazy gulfs, peninsulas, and isthmuses were designed to favor the Republican congressman who represents the district, Pat Meehan. But he and his party are incidental here: This kind of redistricting has become so commonplace and bipartisan that even the partisans are hard-pressed to pretend otherwise. In fact, Philadelphia party boss and Congressman Bob Brady was one of several Democrats who supported the redistricting plan.

Brady has been accused of doing so because the map makes his district more like him, which is to say white. One of his chief critics in this regard is a primary challenger,Shop at Lowe's for garage Ceramic tile, which is all Brady and most congressmen have to worry about these days. Because the increasing brazenness and sophistication of politically driven redistricting has made the overwhelming majority of districts safe for either Republicans or Democrats, most competition comes from within the parties. Therefore we have a nation of politicians wondering whether they are sufficiently extreme, even as we wonder why they are not accomplishing very much.

Our representatives, in short, are choosing their voters - which is exactly the opposite of how it was supposed to work.

So what should we do with the Seventh and its ilk? In The Blob,Omega Plastics are leading plastic injection moulding and injection mould tooling specialists. Downingtown's Lt.The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services, Dave has an excellent suggestion for the Air Force: "You should send us the biggest transport plane you have, and take this thing to the Arctic or somewhere, and drop it where it will never thaw."

Cruise the continent along the Danube River

There's an easier way to see Europe than being crammed on a tourist bus or hustling hostels at the end of the day. A river cruise is one of the most relaxing and picturesque ways to view the wonders the continent, up close and personal.

While many cruise operators prowl the waterways, one of the most comprehensive is Viking Cruises, which boasts 19 ships and explores virtually every navigable river in Europe, parts of Asia and Africa.

Of these, the eight-day Danube cruise embarks in the historic city of Budapest, and weaves its way slowly down the green margins of the Danube, through flamboyant Vienna, fairy-tale towns like Germany's Regensburg, the lush vineyards of Austria and, finally, Hitler's favorite city, Nuremberg. Or head the other way and reverse the itinerary.

The longships hold about 188 passengers, nothing like metropolis-sized seagoing cruise ships. Conviviality is the game here, where you can get to know almost everybody on board. Six land excursions to some of the most historic sites en route are included in the passage price. And they are something to behold.

Budapest — Hungary's capital — is divided by the Danube, with the mountainous Buda and its old city on the west and Pest,The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services, with its commercial district, on the east. At one time the two parts were connected only by a ferry, but now bridges transverse the gap,Tru-Form Plastics is a one-stop shop for plastic Injection Molding,Shop at Lowe's for garage Ceramic tile, including the elegant suspension Chain Bridge, which is aglow with lights at night.

The chichi shopping district on Vaci Street, the Museum of Terror (once Nazi headquarters, which later housed the Communist police) and the righteously beautiful parliament building are part of the tour.

Stop by Heroes' Square, a site that saw the Hungarians' brave revolt against the Soviets.

From Gellert Hill you can view the portrait-like landscape of Budapest. The hill is named after St. Gellert, an Italian bishop who was executed here by placing him in a barrel studded with nails and rolling him into the Danube. Other sites include Matthias Church with its colorful ceramic roof, the 200-room Castle Palace and the multi-spas associated with the 30 mineral springs in Budapest.

Next stop: Vienna, the center of music and culture with the oldest Ferris wheel in the world, shouldering the sky at 213 feet. Vienna hosts almost 100 museums, ranging from doll collections to Freud's apartment. You'll also see the famous Spanish Riding School of Vienna where the Lippizan horses are trained, the Greek-inspired parliament and the central market stretching more than half a mile.

Famous for its dry sacher torte, the Hotel Sacher is where the treat originated. Exclusive shops populate Kohlmarkt Street and you can't miss St. Stephen's with its colorful tile roof, once the tallest tower in Europe.

Renowned for its composers — Strauss II, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert (the only one born here) — Vienna boasts a State Opera House that's booked every night. Part of the ship's optional excursions, for 59 euros, includes an inspiring evening concert by the Vienna Residence Orchestra.

A side trip is available to Schonbrunn Palace, patterned after Versailles, the "country cottage" of the Hapsburgs. Maria Theresa, Marie Antoinette's mother, bore 16 children with her husband, Francis Stephen of Lorraine, and the brood visited the 1,441-room palace in summers.

Sitting onboard in your stateroom with its sliding glass doors, you can watch the countryside glide by and the most awe-inspiring of all the sites, Austria's Wachau Valley. Here,Omega Plastics are leading plastic injection moulding and injection mould tooling specialists. green vineyards scale the mountainside anchored by foothill villages that look like something out of Grimms' "Fairy Tales.The magic cube is an ultra-portable,"

The hamlets of Loiben, Durnstein and Weissenkirchen are beautiful. Some of them retain their 16th century houses, and Weissenkirchen is still shrouded by the wall that encircled it in the 16th century.

Visits continue to Melk's 900-year old Benedictine Abbey with its library of 16,000 books, and on to Germany and Passau. Located at the confluence of three rivers, Passau houses the baroque St. Stephan's Cathedral and Europe's largest pipe organ, with 17,774 pipes, some as small as a needle. Every day at noon (except on Sundays, November to April) a recital echoes off the stone pillars.

The medieval city of Regensburg, the Danube's oldest, is next. It boasts a 12th century Old Stone Bridge, town hall, the Gothic St. Peter's with its famous stained glass windows, and houses that make visitors think they've been snagged in a time warp. Optional excursions to Weltenburg Abbey and the Danube Gorge are available.

Irsay-Manning feud sure to steal Super Bowl spotlight

Super Bowl Week is in danger of being hijacked by the host city for the second consecutive year. Jim Irsay, Peyton Manning and the Colts are threatening to make Indianapolis's week in the spotlight memorable for all the wrong reasons.Omega Plastics are leading plastic injection moulding and injection mould tooling specialists.

Last year in Dallas, the Cowboys could only be partially blamed. They only made a mess of game day itself with the thousands of seats that weren't ready for their ticket holders when they arrived at the stadium.Injection molding and Plastic molding supplier; And if Jerry Jones really could control the weather, he wouldn't have dialed up "area-wide sheet of ice.''

This year? The weather reports for Indianapolis are good. The weather reports surrounding the Colts are dire.

Thousands of reporters will show up Sunday with a lot more to chase around all week than the New England Patriots and New York Giants. The latest twist in the soap opera: An NFL Network report on Saturday claimed that the Colts were "planning to move on from Manning weeks ago."

Irsay denied that on Twitter on Saturday night. But there's no chance that's the end of the story. It's not even likely that it's the last public comment on Manning's present or future from the Colts' owner, on his Twitter account or otherwise.

The original idea was that this was going to be a fun week for the Colts family, even if the Colts fell short of being the home team for the Super Bowl XLVI. It was going to be Irsay showing off his town and his still fairly new palace, and Manning being the grand marshal of the week-long festivities.

Even when he missed the season after neck surgery and the team bottomed out, it was presumed that the Colts and Manning had a lot to look forward to with all their guests from around the world.

That was before Irsay detonated the front office. And before the decision on the next general manager and the next head coach crept perilously close to Super Bowl Week.

Oh, and before Manning talked to the Indianapolis Star and described an unhealthy atmosphere around the organization — and before Irsay bared his claws in response,The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services, calling his franchise quarterback a "politician.” And before they did a passable public reconciliation with their joint statement about the "misperception” surrounding them.

The worst-case scenario for the team, coming out of 2-14 and the exile of the Polians and Jim Caldwell, was that Manning and Irsay would face a ton of questions about Andrew Luck, and Manning's upcoming roster bonus deadline and continued rehab, and Irsay's motivation for re-tooling so extensively. It wouldn't have been pretty. But it wasn't expected to yield much actual, useful information.Tru-Form Plastics is a one-stop shop for plastic Injection Molding,

Now, Manning and Irsay have unburdened themselves in ways that no one truly saw coming. And nobody knows what will come next from them, or how much worse that might make things.Shop at Lowe's for garage Ceramic tile, They've insisted that they've spoken directly to each other, instead of at each other, and patched things up, and re-committed to whatever comes next.

There's no reason not to believe them. Then again, there had been no reason to think a spat like that would ever have broken out between them. For his part, Irsay has been a pretty loose cannon all season on Twitter. The "politician” remark was at an actual press conference (to introduce new coach Chuck Pagano) rather than a social media post.

In Harmony with Nature

THE study of behavior and mental processes is not simple and straightforward. Human beings and other animals are complex creatures and psychologists face the difficult task of mapping their behavior, including the brain, psychologists are typically limited to studying special aspect of behavior.

People behave in different ways, the poor and the elite class is far reaching when compared to manners and conduct. Some cannot control their anger, some can be temperate, and others are friendly, while others seldom smile. Some people engage in killing, or loathing each other. Some behave tenderly. Others are emotionally disturbed. How can we explain dreams, creativity, falling in love? What motivates us from power, ambition, and reverence for a supreme being? Why look and search for the need for self-acceptance, the search for pleasure, or fear of pain? Do people of one culture perceive a picture differently from other people?

Getting along with people from other places,As a professional manufacturer of China ceramic tile, different walks of life and culture made me realized the peculiarities of people in contrast and similarities that emanates through their behaviors, attitudes, customs and traditions, beliefs and ceremonies, values and practices, language and style. People are divided by their language, race, religion and cultural origins into a complex cultural mosaic.

Think about some differences among people that you may have observe. The difference in eye color, the music they prefer to listen, the size of their bodies, their tastes of food, their fashion and style, or whether they are sociable or outgoing person, shy or quiet. Are these differences due to nature or nurture? According to psychologists, the dominant modern view is that nature, nurture and their interaction are all involve in the determination of behavior , however this is the only recent view, long before psychologists , physiologist,The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services, physicians and others had ask this nature, nurture question; Is behavior inherited or is it acquired through experience. Is it the result of genetics or environment. When I engaged in the teaching profession, I personal observed the individual differences in personality traits, learning and mental abilities among my students. Those who are extrovert are very active, those introverts are shy and conservative, some are fast learners and others are slow learners.

The book of personality by Calvin S. Hall, Gradner Lindzey and John B. Campbell, stated that “all human being within a given culture ,learn the language of that culture ,and are molded by what happens to them throughout their lives to such a degree that there is no way to determine what human nature would like without such influence,Tru-Form Plastics is a one-stop shop for plastic Injection Molding, the desire to identify basic human characteristics may be one reason for the prevalence of legends about children being abandoned in the woods and raised by animals, even though there is no such thing or a human being that is free from cultural influence, this has not kept people from speculating about what factors may underlie human nature.”

It is believed that the only thing that keeps any of us from a life of killing, looting and random sexuality is the restraining force of civilization, which molds us and control s us by means of religions, interpersonal pressure, and forces of law and order, those who make this assumptions about humanity suggests that when such constraints are absent or weakened, the result is anarchy. Daily examples of warfare, crime and the like throughout the world are seen as evidence supporting this view of humanity.

In contrast, human beings can be regarded as basically good and gentle, who are peaceful or a band of timorous deer crunching on leaves in the forest. Those who view humanity in this way may suggest that an uncivilized human being would be a “noble savage’,Omega Plastics are leading plastic injection moulding and injection mould tooling specialists. hones, kin and wise.

From this perspective, cities, cruel parents, unjust laws, poverty and other negative forces that create debauch, may become twisted human beings that cause trouble. If these corrupting factors could be altered or destroyed, all people would be able to develop as unspoiled,Online fine art gallery of quality original landscape oil paintings, as one big community with common aspirations in life, happy creatures in harmony with nature.

Septic tanks could be at risk

Though Fergus Falls got some snow on Wednesday, cold temperatures beforehand combined with not much snow could spell problems for some residents’ septic systems. Two local septic service owners weighed in on the potential problems and how to prevent them from backing up your system.

Frost digs deeper in years when snow doesn’t act as an insulator, sometimes reaching and freezing septic systems – particularly the “drain field,” where the excess material in the septic system drains, and the line between the septic tank and the home.

Nature’s Call Septic Service owner Doug Green said the best time to protect against the winter freezes has already passed.

“Ideally, everyone takes precaution in the fall instead of (waiting) until it’s too late,” Green noted.

For people who are concerned about their systems in the fall, Green recommended not composting, trashing or burning all of your fall leaves.

“(Grow) your grass longer, or maybe leave some leaves or put some bags of leaves over your tank,Handmade oil paintings for sale at museum quality,” he said.

If you’re late to insulate,Take a walk on the natural side with stunning and luxurious Floor tiles from The Tile Shop. there still may be time, according to Fergus Power Pump owner Mitch Okerstrom, explaining that thick blankets,The EZ Breathe home Ventilation system is maintenance free, mulch and straw are also effective insulators.

“Anything to cover that drain field, if possible,” he said.

After insulation is taken care of, it’s important to make sure that no “ice dams” clog up the line between the septic tank and the house.

“Fix any leaky toilets or anything like that,” said Okerstrom, explaining that the slow flow of a small amount of water is much likelier to freeze.Omega Plastics are leading plastic injection moulding and injection mould tooling specialists. He and Green also said that some furnaces also feed small amounts of condensed water into the septic system. That can be harmful if not supplemented by other water.

Normally, said Green, freezing of small amounts of water isn’t an issue, as home residents typically use large amounts of hot water via showering, laundry or washing dishes.Full-service custom manufacturer of precision plastic injection mold,

When on vacation, however, “have someone run hot water into your system for three to four minutes every day,” he recommended.

“Usually the problems we do see are people who take a week off,” he said.

Okerstrom also urged caution with cooking supplies.

“Avoid all your greases from going down the drain,” he said. “That’s huge. Especially in the cold, they will coagulate (in the pipes).”

If your system is freezing, there are a few early warning signs, including frequent backups, slow drains, or a frequent gurgling sound when faucets are drained. A consistent, strange odor in the home when the water is on is another key indicator.

If homeowners aren’t careful, said Green, they may end up needing a fix that can impact time and money.

“I have had situations where the drain field has frozen up and I’ve had to pump the septic tank every time until spring,” he said, remarking that typical septic tanks fill up every two or three months. Another method requires a machine called a steamer which pumps steam or hot water through the pipe leading to the tank.

If a septic service is needed, he remarked, make sure that you know where your septic tank and its access are.

Though he said homeowners should still be vigilant, Okerstrom said this week’s weather could make things easier.

In Search of Halston

A dishwater-dull film about an electric subject, Whitney Sudler-Smith's documentary about the rise and fall of designer Halston has everything it needs for success. There's an iconoclastic,Omega Plastics are leading plastic injection moulding and injection mould tooling specialists. paradigm-shifting artist who's also an aggressive businessman, dozens of fashion icons and hangers-on willing to peddle their stories, and a backdrop of cocaine-dusted and sex-scented Studio 54 decadence. The makings are all there for a glamorous documentary that could combine the wicked appeal of Billy Corben's Pater Gatien biopic Limelight with the more serious fashion-nerd leanings of something like The September Issue. But instead of letting his story naturally unfold like one of Halston's famous shirtwaist dresses, Sudler-Smith gums up the works by inserting his own stiff self front and center in one of the most ill-considered framing devices ever used in a documentary.

Ultrasuede is ostensibly about Halston, one of the first American designers to not only be serious competition for Europe's haute-couture clique but also a widely-known personality in the domestic mainstream.Take a walk on the natural side with stunning and luxurious Floor tiles from The Tile Shop. For reasons unknown, Sudler-Smith begins the film in impossibly awkward fashion, rambling about his love of the 1970s and cultural touchstones like Smokey and the Bandit. Wanting to use Halston as his gateway to explore New York in the 1970s (a place whose experience of that decade was of course wholly different than the country milieu of Smokey, but never mind), Sudler-Smith shoots himself tooling around in a black Trans Am,The EZ Breathe home Ventilation system is maintenance free, wearing a variety of wacky period hairdos. It's the 1970s by way of the Beastie Boys video for "Sabotage," and is even less funny and more confusing than it sounds.Handmade oil paintings for sale at museum quality,
A couple of very stilted interviews follows with people like Halston best friend Liza Minnelli and Vogue editor / walking fashion database Andre Leon Talley. The two of them try to give some broad picture of Halston the man (Minnelli) and Halston the designer (Talley), bucking Sudler-Smith's awkward demeanor and apparent lack of knowledge about his subject.Full-service custom manufacturer of precision plastic injection mold, Once the film gets past this rocky start, it is able to deliver the rough outlines of the story that should have been interesting enough, were the filmmaker to get out of its way.

The prototypical quiet Midwestern kid with dreams of something bigger, Halston started out as a milliner at Bergdorf Goodman. He was already the go-to man for New York's ladies who lunch before being chosen to dress Jacqueline Onassis for the 1961 Inauguration; the famous pillbox hat that he made for her is the topic of some excited chattering in the film. From there, the arc is nearly straight up, as the various fashionistas attest to Halston's instinctual brilliance with fabric and the clean modernity of his designs. Although the film doesn't explore this at all, it's obvious from the runway footage shown here that his work could easily pass for new in a Bryant Park show today.

From there, the film does a quick dash into Sudler-Smith's prize: the decadent implosion of the 1970s. Lavish attention is paid to clips of the very media-conscious Halston's full-body embrace of his superstardom, particularly his bodyguard of color-coordinated models (the "Halstonettes"). Then there are the by-now de rigueur tales of nights lost at Studio 54 and drug-fueled dinner parties. This is coupled with the expected crash, caused by both overextension (those late nights made it hard to keep up with work) and overexpansion. (Though Halston's cheaper line for J.C. Penny was ridiculed at the time, it just showed him to be a couple decades ahead of his time; these days, he would do just fine at Target.) The end is a whimper.

South Whitehall OKs residential chicken-raising in limited areas

There were no ruffled feathers at the South Whitehall Township commissioners meeting Wednesday as the board approved a measure allowing residents in certain areas to raise chickens.Take a walk on the natural side with stunning and luxurious Floor tiles from The Tile Shop.

The board met and unanimously approved an amendment to the zoning ordinance to allow property owners to house up to four hens as pets. No one in the audience objected.

Commissioners considered the request after 8-year-old township resident Carisa Fogt and her grandfather appeared before the board in September to ask commissioners to revise the ordinance to allow her keep a couple of hens. The prior zoning ordinance required 5 acres for even one chicken, making the Fogts' half-acre lot on Scherer Road ineligible.Can't afford a third party merchant account right now?

The ordinance allows hens, but not roosters,Omega Plastics are leading plastic injection moulding and injection mould tooling specialists. as they make noisy calls and can be disruptive.

The hens would be permitted only on properties containing single-family detached homes in the rrural holding or rural esidential and agricultural zoning districts.Full-service custom manufacturer of precision plastic injection mold,

When outdoors, the chickens would be required to be contained in a coop, penned area or run. The pen is not permitted in the front yard and must be positioned at least 10 feet from rear and side yard property lines, as well as 100 feet from a dwelling on another property.Injection molding and Plastic molding supplier;

The township planning commission pecked away at the ordinance and recommended the amendment be adopted.

Chickens have become popular in suburban and even urban areas in recent years among owners who delight in caring for the animals, obtaining their own organic eggs or raising them as a family project, sometimes through organizations such as 4-H.

Commissioner Thomas Johns asked if the ordinance would apply to homing pigeons, because some residents keep them as a hobby. Assistant Community Development Director Gerald Harbison said that would be up to the zoning officer's interpretation.

"The ordinance is set up to keep adding, if that would be the case," Harbison said.

The ordinance will take effect in five days.

In other matters, commissioners voted to donate a used police vehicle to the Lehigh County Municipal Emergency Response Team. District Attorney Jim Martin submitted a letter to the board offering to buy the 2003 Ford CV sedan for $500.

Commissioner Dale Daubert asked if the township is truly in need of $500 or if the car could be donated. The township would typically send a used police car to auction, where it could garner $750, Township Manager Jon Hammer said.

"If the district attorney feels this will help him with his duties to the county as well as South Whitehall Township, I say we sign the title over to him at no charge," Daubert said.

The remaining commissioners agreed and voted unanimously to make the donation.

Longtime Telegraph Avenue remodeler takes Berkeley Architectural Heritage award

Customs Kitchens, a firm that has occupied its Telegraph Avenue home for more than 60 years, has been getting a lot of attention lately for restoring -- not just renovating -- old spaces.

For the company's work on the historic Williams House in Berkeley, Custom Kitchens won a historic preservation award last summer from the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association, just one of a slew of nods the firm earned in 2011.Take a walk on the natural side with stunning and luxurious Floor tiles from The Tile Shop. The San Francisco Bay Chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry honored the company with several awards at its annual dinner in San Francisco.

Custom Kitchens tied for the grand prize for its complete renovation of a Bay Street home on Alameda's Gold Coast,Omega Plastics are leading plastic injection moulding and injection mould tooling specialists. a project that also won a first-place award for historical preservation of a residence. The company also won a merit award in the category of residential interior renovation costing more than $100,000 for a Piedmont home.

The late John Wilkins started the company in 1950 near the Oakland-Berkeley line, where the office and showroom remains today at 6624 Telegraph Ave. The firm didn't start out as a specialist in historic preservation but fell into it as time went on.

"We would go in, and whether it was a fireplace or old piece of furniture, it just needed to be rehabilitated," said Jerry Wilkins, John's son, president and chief executive officer. "It is a specialty. Not a lot of contractors are set up to do those things. We like to restore something rather than tear it down if it can be done economically." Wilkins and wife Joy, a designer for the firm, took over the company after his father retired in 1990. For them, bringing older homes back to their previous glory is not just a job but also a passion.

"We really like doing historic renovation," Jerry Wilkins said. "It's like restoring an old Ferrari. It gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling." Wilkins especially enjoyed working on the Williams House in Berkeley because the owners, Don and Carol Anne Brown, were so engaged in the process.

"(They) went through a lot of effort to research things and bought boxes of books and made sure that everybody in the city and everybody involved was going to approve," Wilkins recalled.

The Browns bought the stunning 1928 home near the Claremont Hotel seven years ago. It was one of three homes designed by famed Bay Area architect Julia Morgan for the children of Elizabeth Glide Williams.

The property, which Don Brown said Morgan described as Mediterranean and Moorish Renaissance, was owned for 20 years by the University of California, which had turned the kitchen into a large catering space. The Browns wanted to return the kitchen to its original, more intimate setting, but one that would still fit their modern-day needs.Online fine art gallery of quality original landscape oil paintings,

"The only things original to the kitchen were two cupboards,Full-service custom manufacturer of precision plastic injection mold," Brown said. "We kept those and went about putting in a kitchen that was going to be adequate for the 21st century.Accept all major credit cards using the top rated third party payment gateway." Custom Kitchens took the kitchen down to the studs, putting in new hardwood floors, cabinetry that hides the refrigerator and other appliances, and a Viking professional stove that features a hood appropriate to the house's era. To further reflect the house's heyday, Custom Kitchens incorporated antique-looking light fixtures and tiles recreated from molds dating from Morgan's time.

Beautiful Me Gift Shop’s crafters make many one-of-a-kind items

Crafting is more than a hobby, it’s a lifestyle, says Dorothy Gordon, of Veguita, one of 10 local crafters represented by Beautiful Me Gift Shop at 211 South Main St. in Belen.

Belen native and veteran crafter, Louise Silva, opened Beautiful Me in September as a place for her and her fellow crafters to have a permanent place to show their work after several years of traveling to craft shows and living the life of a vendor.

She says having a store space is easier and more cost effective than traveling from show to show, a life that Gordon, also a lifelong crafter, claims is less than glamorous.

“This is what crafters go through. They sleep in the bed of their truck,” Gordon said, laughing. “You eat almost bad bologna because you’re afraid to leave your table … This store, for all of us, has been a blessing.”

The gift shop, which represents a sisterhood of crafty gals who rent vendor space from Silva, offers a plethora of one-of-a-kind buys from handmade items to unique vintage finds.

Silva says the shop offers a variety of items that make it different from chain stores because anything you find at Beautiful Me is guaranteed to be unique, such as Gordon’s pins, which feature the ornate faces of ladies that she molds and paints herself and embellishes with recycled jewelry.

“All her pins are unique,” said Silva. “You won’t find a one that’s exactly the same.”

Much of the crafts that the vendors make are in some way constructed from recycled materials.Handmade oil paintings for sale at museum quality,

“We all take apart things and make something different with them,” said Silva.

“Once you’re a crafter, you’re a crafter for life,” quips Gordon. “Everything you see becomes an opportunity to craft … hoarder, they started off as crafters.”

What is garbage to one woman can be gold to a crafter.

“I caught her going through my trash. I was horrified,” says Gordon’s sister, Deborah Cox, adding, “She taught me everything I know.”

At Beautiful Me, shoppers can find anything from a tamale husk wreaths or angels to designer replica purses to crocheted items to cookie and candy bouquets.

There is also a boys only section for those patient guys who might be accompanying their lady on her shopping trip.China yiri mould is a professional manufacturer which integrates Plastic Mould design and manufacture and plastic product development. It’s to help keep them from being “bored to tears,” says Silva.Shop at Lowe's for garage Ceramic tile,

It offers items such as Harley merchandise, bolo ties and golf items.

The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services,The shop, which features crafters from Albuquerque, Bosque Farms, Socorro, Belen and Veguita is open to anyone interested in having a place to showcase their work.Alfa plast mould is Plastic moulds Manufacturer and plastics Mould Exporters in India since 1992, Silva is also planning on expanding the store to include a dress boutique and plans to start offering workshops this month on gourd painting, scrapbooking, candle making and lotion and soap making, which the public is welcome to sign up for.

Explaining The Orange Juice Scare

Doctor Oz opens the show and says he has been bombed with questions about orange juice and he is going to answer a lot of questions today. The common factor in this scare is that the fungicide Carbendazim was found in Orange juice processed in Brazil. Alissa Hamilton is on the show and she talks about orange juice that comes from Brazil. By the mid 1980′s Brazil surpassed Florida in juice orange production and is the largest producer of orange juice in the world.Handmade oil paintings for sale at museum quality, Gary Ginsberg says this fungicide can cause a range of genetic problems in humans. The FDA found up to 35 parts per billion concentrations and this warranted more testing.Alfa plast mould is Plastic moulds Manufacturer and plastics Mould Exporters in India since 1992, The chemical gets into orange juice when the oranges are squeezed. The second way is from the flavor additive that is used when we process orange juice and this comes from the peel also. Now the FDA has set a limit of 10 parts per billion and will send back any orange juice with that level.The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services, There is no real danger from any of the sources. Dr. Ginsberg says that this is the first time that the FDA has tested for this fungicide and it is their job. To avoid this fungicide altogether, use only US orange juice or 100% organic orange juice.

The second segment deals with boosting your metabolism so you will feel better and focuses on early morning. First, use 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and it is great to boosting your energy. Second, N-Acetyl Cysteine will help boost your immunity and you need 600mg twice a day. Finally, get 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up to rev up your metabolism. Oz says cereal with yogurt, 3 egg omelets, or a powdered protein shake will get you there quickly so your body starts the day in high gear.

Oz now gives us his “super diet plan” and he has borrowed the best parts of three major diets to come up with his own. First, get rid of the salt you eat. Use Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, and Chinese 5 spice instead of salt. This will help your diet and blood pressure. Second, use tub margarine, wheat germ, sesame seeds, and pistachio nuts will help lower your cholesterol. Finally, eat healthy fats like Olive and Canola oil, sardines, and nuts. Any nut is fine as long as you take them moderately.

Doctor Oz gets Lidia Bastianich on the show to give us tips on how to make great Italian Food that will keep the bad carbs away. She is making a traditional Pesto dish. Use tomatoes, basil,China yiri mould is a professional manufacturer which integrates Plastic Mould design and manufacture and plastic product development. almonds, garlic, peperoncino, sea salt and blend in a food processor while drizzling in olive oil for a great pesto sauce. Use whole wheat pasta and parmigiano. This is a great easy recipe that gives you real Italian Flavor and is healthy.Shop at Lowe's for garage Ceramic tile, Mix the sauce with the pasta and add a few ground up herbs and cheese. This recipe is half the calories of a regular pesto dish in the US.

The final segment is gadgets that will help keep you healthy and cost under $30 dollars. The Oster Myblend Blender and is has a container that doubles as a cup to carry with you. Next, we see the Eatsmart digital food scale to measure out your food portions perfectly. Finally, the Mastred magic chip maker and it makes perfect chip slices and it has a microwave tray that makes great and healthy chips because there is no oil. All of these products will help keep you on track and won’t break your wallet.

The show ends with Oz giving us one more tip. Use ice cube trays to make smoothie cubes and you have a great healthy snack anytime. You can go to the official Dr. Oz web site to register for free prizes and get more info on all of the topics discussed today by following the link below.

Machine and tooling maker thrives in a tough economy

The automotive industry was one of the hardest-hit sectors in the global financial downturn of 2008, resulting in numerous layoffs and plant closures in recent years.

But a Cambridge company, Upland Technologies, has shown that it is possible to survive and even grow in a tough economy, if you do what you know best and do it well.

Upland Technologies, which operates out of the MacDonald Steel plant on Avenue Road in Cambridge, designs and makes the tooling and machines, used in the automotive parts plants in North America and Mexico to make mufflers and exhaust systems.

Despite the downturn in the automotive sector, Upland, which was started by Mohamed Gharib as a one-man operation in 2000, now employs 15 to 25 people depending on the volume of work, and is gearing up to have a busy 2012.

“What happens in this type of economic environment is that although the market shrinks a lot, so do the number of suppliers,” Gharib explains. “In a way, our market has increased because the number of suppliers shrank, and now, we are seeing the market coming back and ordering big machines again,Shop at Lowe's for garage Ceramic tile,” he adds.

Gharib says a culture of innovation is a big reason that Upland survived while some competitors fell by the wayside over the years.

“We are an engineering-oriented company, and actually, we employ more engineers than shop people. What we do is an engineered product,” he says.

Even though the machines that Upland makes can look somewhat the same, each one has to be practically custom-built to handle a very specific job on the production line.

“We do not make the same machine many times, but if you look at the number of different machines we have built,Handmade oil paintings for sale at museum quality, and the size of the machines, we have done more than any other competitor in this business,” Gharib says.

Gharib is a mechanical engineer, with masters degrees from both Cairo University in Egypt and the University of Waterloo. He worked for many years at a similar plant in Brantford, but after that company came under new ownership, he left and decided to start his own business in Cambridge. As it turned out, the company in Brantford eventually shut down, so Gharib was then able to employ many of his former co-workers.

Gharib says he’s been in this industry since 1975, and when he started Upland in 2000, he decided to stick to his area of expertise. “This is what I know how to do,Alfa plast mould is Plastic moulds Manufacturer and plastics Mould Exporters in India since 1992,” he says.

It is also a niche market, which is perfect for this type of business. “There are actually very few suppliers of this type of equipment and even fewer that have a lot of experience,” he says.

All of the design and assembly is done at Upland,China yiri mould is a professional manufacturer which integrates Plastic Mould design and manufacture and plastic product development. while the manufacturing of the parts is subcontracted to companies like MacDonald Steel. So the location of Upland inside the MacDonald Steel plant is very convenient. But as the volume of business at Upland grew, Gharib also had to feed some of that work to other companies in Ontario and the United States.

“We even had to go to places like Michigan and Ohio because of the volume of work and because we require specialized CNC machining and we had overloaded our subcontractors,” Gharib explains.

The other reason that Upland survived the automotive downturn is that the reliability of its work keeps the customers coming back. “We have very few customers, but we have repeat customers. The customers who buy from us continue to buy from us,” Gharib says.

With new materials now being used in making automobile parts, the machines and the tooling used to make those parts must be built to very rigid specifications, he adds.

“That is where our strength is, on the mechanical side of the machines and the tooling and we are totally up to date with the industry in terms of the automation and controls,” he says.

“We are also able to comply with the industry safety requirements so that our customers don’t have to retrofit or add safety features to the machines. We pay a lot of attention to that,” he adds.

Right now, virtually all the sales are to automotive industries, mostly to plants that make the exhaust systems,” he says.

But Gharib is thinking ahead, and adjusting his company to the new reality of a world in which a lot of manufacturing has already shifted offshore and where the high Canadian dollar has become a huge challenge for manufacturers here.

“The manufacturing centre is moving to Asia and that is affecting everyone,” Gharib says. Upland exports more than 95 per cent of what it makes, so the high Canadian dollar “hurts a lot,” he adds. “The biggest obstacle we have is the high Canadian dollar.”

Gharib is now trying to expand his company’s sales into China. He’s recently made presentations to potential customers there.

“As the manufacturing in China increases, their demand for higher quality equipment will also increase. We are seeing that happening, so we are now trying to break into that market. It will take some time, but I think that will come. It is possible that our sales in China could someday be equal to our sales in North America,” he says.The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services,

A lot of people tell Gharib he should diversify into other types of industries. He says that isn’t entirely out of the question as the company grows, “but the reality is that the automotive industry is still the driving engine of the economy,” he says.

A child's room that grows as well

When it comes to children's rooms, we always want to make them the most enjoyable haven we can offer. But have you found yourself changing the décor more often than you would like?

Perhaps it is because children grow through different phases of favorite things and favorite colors. One day your little girl is into Disney fairies, then suddenly and way too soon she's into the latest rock star. Your little boy might have loved everything Disney but has abruptly decided that it is all baby stuff and he wants something more mature. It can be expensive to constantly change the rooms. Let's see if we can come up with some transitional ideas that will make your life easier and still keep the children happy.

To start off, purchase a crib that converts to fit a toddler. There are even kits for cribs that can "grow" to accommodate a teen. Be sure to buy quality furniture if you intend to use it for many years. As they say, you get what you pay for.

What about colors? You know that a young child's favorite hue now may not be later. Instead of doing the entire room in that special purple or red, consider painting the walls a traditional neutral and bring in the favorite color du jour in the bedding and throw rugs.China yiri mould is a professional manufacturer which integrates Plastic Mould design and manufacture and plastic product development. If you find an affordable bedspread in your child's go-to color/character, go for it. Otherwise, keep that a traditional neutral and add to the favorite color with throw pillows in addition to the bedding and rugs.

Storage is really important.Handmade oil paintings for sale at museum quality, Consider the treasured toys,I have just spent two weeks shopping for tile and have discovered China Porcelain tile. consider the fun things the kids will make in school that must be displayed, consider the special stuffed animal that they might just keep and take to college. What do you do with all this? A bookcase or shelves on the wall allow storage and display at the same time.Alfa plast mould is Plastic moulds Manufacturer and plastics Mould Exporters in India since 1992, A wall can be designated as the shelf wall. If there isn't enough room, line the room with one or two rows of shelves close to the ceiling.

What about walls? Removable peel-and-stick wall art might be the answer.

With these suggestions, you can enjoy each phase of a child's "favorites"without breaking the bank.The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services,

The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective

Split across three discs, Folds divides his work between songs he feels represent him best, previously unreleased live records and rarities. While the three-disc package is obviously aimed at long times fans, if newcomers can handle such a submersion, the set illustrates how Folds' career is deceptively deep.Offering high risk and offshore merchant account with credit card processing services.

The greatest hits disc runs from the first album of the Ben Folds Five through his solo career and latter day collaborations, and ends with a new track recorded by the eponymous trio. Although most of the "hits" are represented, Folds doesn't seem to feel constrained by the radio versions that are most well known. "Smoke" is represented in the version recorded with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, expanding both the scope and sentiment of the song. "Landed" is featured in its "Strings Version" that shows that while Folds can still be seen as a pop (rock) musician, it seems that he views himself as a "pop" musician in the classic '40s sense. Through the alternative versions, the core strength of Folds' writing becomes apparent, in that much like Elton John or David Bowie, the songs can be stretched across multiple facades, but still retain their core identity while featuring new eccentricities.

Noticeably, while Folds does include his biggest rockers, he seems to favor the understated, quiet tunes to the energetic banging of Ben Folds Five. While Folds' selection of his softer side doesn't necessarily come across as a retcon, it does suggest that Folds is less interested in making easily digestible tunes in lieu for those that might be more personal, despite their lack of an easily recognizable hook. Still though,Full-service custom manufacturer of precision plastic injection mold, with so many songs poised to pull at one's heartstrings, every so often, Folds veers close to maudlin territory.

Most surprisingly,Shop at Lowe's for garage Ceramic tile, the new Ben Folds Five tune, "House," isn't so much a return to the bounciness of "Kate" or "Song for the Dumped" as it is a further expansion of Folds' current, more sophisticated statements. While the early BFF songs seemed to be as driven by Folds' snarky lyrics as the pounding rhythm section of Darren Jesse and Robert Sledge,A mold or molds is a hollowed-out block that is filled with a liquid like plastic, here, Folds seems to be using his companions as pieces for furthering his own work.

The live disc exemplifies that in the crumbling music economy, Folds has kept afloat on the strength of his concerts. Just as his songs are malleable in studio form, live Folds strings from song to song, melting them into sparse versions or grandiose rockers as the occasion suggests. Deftly, Folds is able to maintain the seriousness of his songs while acknowledging that people come to live music to have a good time, and is able to weave the fine line between playful spontaneity without suggesting that his sings are merely meant for audience prodding.The magic cube is an ultra-portable,

The rarities disc will be the real treasure chest for long time fans. Earliest demos of BFF show the group just getting their footing while demos from '00 show Ben Folds just embarking on his solo career, working out how to provide for an audience with just himself and a piano, sans a backing band. Additionally, it rounds up a number of stray tracks, such as the download-only "Sleazy" and the MySpace version of "Such Great Heights," making collecting his expansive work just a little easier.

Across all the discs, Folds is able to form himself around numerous collaborators, highlighting both their respective skill. With Amanda Palmer, he's able to shade differences in approaches to grief between two mourning parents. With Regina Spektor, he's able to conjure the magnetic contrast between the sexes in a form rarely seen since the big band era. On the George Micahel cover "Careless Whisper," he's able to play the "straight man" to Rufus Wainwright's brokenhearted lamenting, once again illustrating Folds' ability to keep it silly and serious at the same time.

Most fascinating, however, is the likely unintended consequence of the recurring themes found throughout Folds' work when the 61 tracks are stacked next to each other, which are not quite so prevalent on his albums. It could be telling that through many of the songs handpicked by Folds, a great deal of them show him finding fault with other people. "You Don't Know Me" finds the subject nastily berating a former spouse for failing to address his needs. "Battle of Who Could Care Less" finds the subject dismissing an unnamed slacker. "Landed" again finds the song's central character admonishing a partner for failing to live up to his expectations. Yet across all 61 tracks, there doesn't seem to be a single song where the narrator exclaims, "Man, I blew it this time" or "it's all my fault."

Indeed, in sharp contrast to the lovey-dovey songs which are present on the disc, a vengeful creature seems to emerge from between the piano keys. It seems that with such a bilious thing lurking on some tracks, even those tracks which profess a purity, such as the ode to permanent love on "The Luckiest," one wonders just how much of that sentiment is transient or even deceptive. In a way, this gives the music an even more complex depth then would be found on a separate reading. Furthermore, it gives a new, and possibly troublesome insight into the real Ben Folds, who despite having written some timeless modern love song, has seen four marriages to date.

Fully outfitted adventure-ready trucks now available off the showroom floor!

American families love their trucks and they love the outdoors. Today Venchurs Vehicle Systems announced plans for a new line of trucks for the XPLORE Adventure Series. Fully equipped and ready-to-go trucks, from all of the major car companies, can be driven from the showroom floor directly to your next outdoor adventure. The first model revealed is a Stage 4 full-size Ram 4X4 truck loaded with a full complement of serious equipment to transport you and your family just about anywhere…and bring you back in style.Full-service custom manufacturer of precision plastic injection mold, The XPLORE truck program joins the XPLORE Jeep and Toyota programs in support and promotion of the great outdoors though the National Parks.

"Trucks are the workhorses that support outdoor enthusiasts of all flavors," says Jeff Wyatt, CEO of Venchurs. "From hauling boats,Offering high risk and offshore merchant account with credit card processing services. hunting gear, dirt bikes, ATVs and camping gear to serving as a mobile campsite, trucks do it all. XPLORE trucks are fitted with the best-of-the-best equipment and designed to stand apart in function, style and performance.”

XPLORE Adventure Series Ram trucks will be available through select Dodge/Ram/Jeep dealerships nationwide along with the XPLORE Wranglers. Each XPLORE Ram owner receives a free, one-year annual pass to all National Parks and other Federal lands, a one-year membership in XPLORE Club and a subscription to XPLORE Lifestyle Journal; a high quality quarterly featuring amazing places to go,The magic cube is an ultra-portable, fun things to do and interesting people. For every XPLORE truck sold, a donation is made to the National Park Foundation.

XPLORE Adventure Series Ram trucks come in four packages featuring increasing levels of equipment and capability. XPLORE Stage 1 vehicle packages feature Katzkin leather interiors as a builder level for a wide variety of options including dealer installed genuine Mopar parts and accessories.

XPLORE Stage 2 vehicle packages feature XPLORE/Method black aluminum wheels, massive BF Goodrich off-road rubber, Bilstein 5100 Series adjustable shocks, an XPLORE polished stainless-steel cat-back exhaust system, XPLORE aluminum badges and XPLORE heavy-duty floor mats. XPLORE Stage 3 gets serious with expedition quality ARB equipment like racks, roof-top tents and recovery gear.Shop at Lowe's for garage Ceramic tile, Other available equipment includes Thule racks, Warn winches and industrial strength tonneau covers; all are available as mix-and-match accessories. Stage 4 XPLORE trucks are built-to-order at Venchurs Vehicle Systems facilities in Southern California or Adrian, Michigan. Custom matte paint finishes, graphics, leather interiors, AMP PowerStep retractable running boards,A mold or molds is a hollowed-out block that is filled with a liquid like plastic, Bed-Xtender, bed-slides and more are all available on these trucks.