Pittsburgh organizations gathered in Market Square Friday to present alternate means of getting around the city, and the consensus was a simple one: bicycles.
Participants in Friday's event, called Transportation Exploration, learned how to use the bike racks now located on the front of every Pittsburgh Port Authority bus to safely store their bikes while they ride. The event was part of Moving Planet Day, an international effort that aims to persuade political leaders to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Port Authority unveiled new city-wide initiatives that make bike riding easier and safer along bus routes. The 700 newly-installed bike racks allow riders to use buses to cross areas of the city that would be difficult or unsafe on bicycles, according to Heather Pharo, Port Authority spokeswoman.
Before Friday, only 10 of 187 routes had buses equipped with bike racks, Pharo said.
Port Authority also revealed that it is lifting all restrictions for carrying bikes on the "T" light-rail system. Previous regulations limited bikers during peak traffic hours, Pharo said.
Avid bike commuters Lindsay Ruprecht and Jane Hallihan, senior interior design majors at the Pittsburgh Art Institute, who attended Friday's event are optimistic that these initiatives will make biking in the city easier.
"I don't bike as much as I used to because there weren't consistent racks," Ruprecht said. She believes that her daily commutes to school will be easier now, especially in inclement weather.
Hallihan agreed, saying that the unpredictability of whether a bus would have a bike rack used to limit the times of day and areas of the city where she could travel.
"Having the bus racks means I can go wherever I want and stay out later," Hallihan said.
The Transportation Exploration presentation included a Port Authority bus on site so patrons could practice attaching their bikes to the new racks, Pharo said.
Hallihan said this part of the event was especially useful.
"A lot of my friends bike no matter what the weather because they didn't know how the bike racks work," she said.
Along with Port Authority, Bike Pittsburgh, Sustainable Pittsburgh, Zip Car, and other organizations, sponsored the event. The local groups worked under the direction of the Green Building Alliance, the Pittsburgh Climate Initiative and international affiliate 350.org to plan Pittsburgh's Moving Planet Day events. 350.org is an organization dedicated to reducing carbon emissions to 350 parts per million.
Friday 30 September 2011
Thursday 29 September 2011
Students welcome fall with traditional Lunar Festival
As the sunset Tuesday , the OU Vietnamese Student Association hosted its Lunar Moon Festival in the Jim Thorpe Multicultural Center, ushering in the fall season with a flourish of hat dances and colorful dress.
The festival, traditionally known as Tet Trung Thu, originated from a celebration at the end of the fall harvest and took its name from the moon's prominence in the autumn sky.
Yen Tran, University College junior and president of the Vietnamese Student Association, described the story behind the celebration.
"According to Vietnamese folklore, the moon festival originates from the legend of Cuoi, where his wife accidently urinated on a sacred banyan tree," Tran said. "While she was sitting on it, it rapidly grew to the edges of the moon where she was stranded. So every year, children gather around and light lanterns to show his wife the way back home."
Modern interpretation of the event allows Vietnamese American people to respect tradition and invite the community to partake in the enlightening exchange of culture, Tran said. Through the celebration, she said she hopes to spread her heritage.
"Although our organization may be small, we have a lot of heart and passion to want to show OU how special the Vietnamese culture is to us," Tran said.
The event hosted face-painters, singers and dancers, many of whom were dressed in elegant, pastel colors.
One group representing the Society of Vietnamese Students performed a traditional hat dance.
"We wanted to allow students to see a traditional custom in a traditional cultural setting," said Ngoc Tran, finance junior and dance team member.
The team had been working on the dance for three months, Ngoc Tran said.
Architecture senior Leah Schroeder attended the festival at the recommendation of a friend.
"I had actually been watching a lot of Korean soap operas, and that kind of sparked my interest into coming here," Schroeder said.
Schroeder thinks the festival will be a memory not soon forgotten.
"I will certainly remember the part about the wife urinating on the sacred tree," Schroeder said.
The festival, traditionally known as Tet Trung Thu, originated from a celebration at the end of the fall harvest and took its name from the moon's prominence in the autumn sky.
Yen Tran, University College junior and president of the Vietnamese Student Association, described the story behind the celebration.
"According to Vietnamese folklore, the moon festival originates from the legend of Cuoi, where his wife accidently urinated on a sacred banyan tree," Tran said. "While she was sitting on it, it rapidly grew to the edges of the moon where she was stranded. So every year, children gather around and light lanterns to show his wife the way back home."
Modern interpretation of the event allows Vietnamese American people to respect tradition and invite the community to partake in the enlightening exchange of culture, Tran said. Through the celebration, she said she hopes to spread her heritage.
"Although our organization may be small, we have a lot of heart and passion to want to show OU how special the Vietnamese culture is to us," Tran said.
The event hosted face-painters, singers and dancers, many of whom were dressed in elegant, pastel colors.
One group representing the Society of Vietnamese Students performed a traditional hat dance.
"We wanted to allow students to see a traditional custom in a traditional cultural setting," said Ngoc Tran, finance junior and dance team member.
The team had been working on the dance for three months, Ngoc Tran said.
Architecture senior Leah Schroeder attended the festival at the recommendation of a friend.
"I had actually been watching a lot of Korean soap operas, and that kind of sparked my interest into coming here," Schroeder said.
Schroeder thinks the festival will be a memory not soon forgotten.
"I will certainly remember the part about the wife urinating on the sacred tree," Schroeder said.
Wednesday 28 September 2011
Foreign buyers dominate coffee industry
The market for Viet Nam's unprocessed coffee beans could become dominated by foreign companies, according to leading exporters who spoke at a recent meeting held in HCM City.
Foreigners bought 50 per cent of raw coffee from the 2010 and 2011 crops, according to participants.
They took Dak Lak Province which is the country's biggest coffee producers as an example. They said local coffee farmer harvested 400,000 tonnes in the 2010-11 crop, 180,000 tonnes of which were bought by foreign companies for their export plans.
The situation would likely be more serious in the next crop since foreign companies often double the volume they planned to buy every year. Consequently, domestic enterprises now must face a serious shortage of raw coffee for export, they said.
Do Quyet, deputy general director of Dak Lak September 2nd Import-Export Company, said his company purchased 100,000 tonnes of coffee in the last crop, but it expected to buy only 50,000 or 60,000 tonnes in this crop.
A representative of the Tay Nguyen Coffee Investment, Import and Export Joint Stock Company also revealed that the company had to lower its export target from 140,000 tonnes of coffee to 100,000 tonnes this year because of a shortage of raw material.
The meeting heard many reasons raised by coffee exporters to explain foreign companies'market domination.
One of foreign companies'advantages was their strong financial potential. They could get access to low interest loans while they were able to directly sell coffee products on the London Trading Floor, which can enable them to offer attractive prices for local farmers to buy raw coffee, they said.
Worse still, inconsistent legal positions also created opportunity for foreign companies to conquer the domestic raw material coffee market.
Nguyen Toan Thang, an official of the Dak Lak Planning and Investment Department, said the Trade Law and Decree No 23/2007/ND-CP did not allow foreign companies to directly buy commodities from producers. Meanwhile, the Investment Law did not ban this practice.
Consequently, many foreign companies had set up networks to directly purchase raw material coffee from local farmers, he said.
Foreigners bought 50 per cent of raw coffee from the 2010 and 2011 crops, according to participants.
They took Dak Lak Province which is the country's biggest coffee producers as an example. They said local coffee farmer harvested 400,000 tonnes in the 2010-11 crop, 180,000 tonnes of which were bought by foreign companies for their export plans.
The situation would likely be more serious in the next crop since foreign companies often double the volume they planned to buy every year. Consequently, domestic enterprises now must face a serious shortage of raw coffee for export, they said.
Do Quyet, deputy general director of Dak Lak September 2nd Import-Export Company, said his company purchased 100,000 tonnes of coffee in the last crop, but it expected to buy only 50,000 or 60,000 tonnes in this crop.
A representative of the Tay Nguyen Coffee Investment, Import and Export Joint Stock Company also revealed that the company had to lower its export target from 140,000 tonnes of coffee to 100,000 tonnes this year because of a shortage of raw material.
The meeting heard many reasons raised by coffee exporters to explain foreign companies'market domination.
One of foreign companies'advantages was their strong financial potential. They could get access to low interest loans while they were able to directly sell coffee products on the London Trading Floor, which can enable them to offer attractive prices for local farmers to buy raw coffee, they said.
Worse still, inconsistent legal positions also created opportunity for foreign companies to conquer the domestic raw material coffee market.
Nguyen Toan Thang, an official of the Dak Lak Planning and Investment Department, said the Trade Law and Decree No 23/2007/ND-CP did not allow foreign companies to directly buy commodities from producers. Meanwhile, the Investment Law did not ban this practice.
Consequently, many foreign companies had set up networks to directly purchase raw material coffee from local farmers, he said.
Tuesday 27 September 2011
"Designing with LEDs"
Mouser Electronics, Inc., regarded as a top design engineering resource and global distributor for semiconductors and electronic components, today announced its sponsorship of EDN's Designing with LEDs event during the Embedded Systems Conference (ESC) this week at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA.
The September 27thLED seminar will bring together editors of EDN and EE Times, circuit designers, system architects, LED light designers, device packaging engineers, lighting component designers, academic leaders and the industry's movers and shakers to explore the world of High-Brightness (HB) LEDs while learning new design techniques. Mouser suppliers Cree and OSRAM Opto Semiconductors will be among the panelists discussing the importance of light quality in LED design.
Mouser's sponsorship underscores the distributor's commitment to offer the newest innovations in Solid State Lighting (SSL). Mouser has made it a mission to be the distributor with the most advanced lighting solutions by expanding its lighting line card and offering Product Knowledge Center training sites for the newest lighting technologies. This is coupled with Mouser's pledge to offer the latest products in-stock and ready-to-ship, same day,the industry's award-winning site for searching, selecting and purchasing SSL components and modules for quick delivery.
"EDN's Designing with LEDs offers Mouser the opportunity to directly interact and engage with lighting designers," says Russell Rasor, Mouser Vice President of Advanced Technologies. "Mouser is committed to providing the most complete and comprehensive line-up of ready-to-ship LED components and modules, optical solutions, LED driver ICs and supplies, thermal, connecting, and mounting solutions for SSL design. This event helps Mouser demonstrate its commitment to partner with our suppliers in articulating the benefits of solid-state lighting."
The global design-fulfillment distributor is focused on solving the problems of solid-state lighting designers by providing them with the broadest selection of the most advanced technologies. Mouser offers customers 19 global customer support centers and the latest, most technologically advanced components for their newest design projects.
The website is updated daily and searches more than 8 million products to locate over 2 million orderable part numbers available for easy online purchase. Mouser also houses an industry-first interactive catalog, data sheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information, and engineering tools.
The September 27thLED seminar will bring together editors of EDN and EE Times, circuit designers, system architects, LED light designers, device packaging engineers, lighting component designers, academic leaders and the industry's movers and shakers to explore the world of High-Brightness (HB) LEDs while learning new design techniques. Mouser suppliers Cree and OSRAM Opto Semiconductors will be among the panelists discussing the importance of light quality in LED design.
Mouser's sponsorship underscores the distributor's commitment to offer the newest innovations in Solid State Lighting (SSL). Mouser has made it a mission to be the distributor with the most advanced lighting solutions by expanding its lighting line card and offering Product Knowledge Center training sites for the newest lighting technologies. This is coupled with Mouser's pledge to offer the latest products in-stock and ready-to-ship, same day,the industry's award-winning site for searching, selecting and purchasing SSL components and modules for quick delivery.
"EDN's Designing with LEDs offers Mouser the opportunity to directly interact and engage with lighting designers," says Russell Rasor, Mouser Vice President of Advanced Technologies. "Mouser is committed to providing the most complete and comprehensive line-up of ready-to-ship LED components and modules, optical solutions, LED driver ICs and supplies, thermal, connecting, and mounting solutions for SSL design. This event helps Mouser demonstrate its commitment to partner with our suppliers in articulating the benefits of solid-state lighting."
The global design-fulfillment distributor is focused on solving the problems of solid-state lighting designers by providing them with the broadest selection of the most advanced technologies. Mouser offers customers 19 global customer support centers and the latest, most technologically advanced components for their newest design projects.
The website is updated daily and searches more than 8 million products to locate over 2 million orderable part numbers available for easy online purchase. Mouser also houses an industry-first interactive catalog, data sheets, supplier-specific reference designs, application notes, technical design information, and engineering tools.
Monday 26 September 2011
For these local residents, ‘being green’ is an everyday commitment
Almost everyone claims to be concerned about the environment these days. But what they do about it is a different matter.
For some, it's enough to use compact fluorescent bulbs. At the other extreme are stalwarts who waste nothing and live more like 19th century pioneers than citizens of the 21st century. Here is a glimpse into the lives of some of them.
Dianne Aldrich believes her Pilates-yoga studio in Monona is unlike any other in the world. It's a pre-fab cedar yurt, with an oak floor salvaged from the Madison Civic Center. On prominent display in the restroom near the front door is a composting toilet which, she believes, is the only one in the Madison area. It took a fight with local officials to gain approval to install it.
Aldrich, who is deeply involved in water conservation issues, denounces flush toilets as the ultimate water wasters. The yurt, nestled in a forest of native plants beside the home she shares with her partner and son, has no plumbing. The sink in the restroom is portable, so she carries water from her home to the yurt's sink. The combo was much cheaper than traditional plumbing. The self-contained composting toilet cost $1,400 and the sink $800. A plumbed restroom in the 560-square foot yurt would have cost at least $10,000.
After the toilet is used, with ordinary toilet paper, wood chips are sprinkled in the bowl along with a microbe mix to speed the composting process. A crank is turned several times, and composted waste winds up in the bottom box.
"Everything disappears into almost nothing," says Aldrich, pointing at light dust at the bottom of the box. "I installed this in 2009 and I still haven't had to empty it." No installation is required aside from a two-inch pipe that vents outside so there is no eau de outhouse. Finished compost is legally required to go to landfill, but Aldrich says it's actually safe enough to use in the garden.
The toilet attracts the most attention, but Aldrich has a printed list of her other sustainable practices for those who visit her 4Pillars4Health EcoSpace. Her yurt is part of the regular The Natural Step Monona tours, which are held to help other community members establish sustainable practices.
Kate Heiber-Cobb's Monona home may look like a typical suburban residence from the street. But her backyard tells another story.
It was little more than grass when she moved in. But gradually she restored it to the wetland it once was. "The previous owners used chemicals and it was a dead zone."
The little pond she dug supports 15 species of aquatic plants. She also recreated plant "guilds" — groups of species that lived synergistically before human meddling — and are then tweaked to meet modern human needs. Four years ago she founded the Madison Area Permaculture Guild, which works to create sustainable eco-systems for people and animals. Her yard is an epicenter of trial-and-error permaculture projects. "You observe and see what works and what doesn't."
In her "edible food forest" are cherry, plum, peach and apple trees, rhubarb, cranberries, elderberries, ground cherries, gooseberries and hardy kiwi. Other plants become medicines or attract pollinators such as bats, hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.
For some, it's enough to use compact fluorescent bulbs. At the other extreme are stalwarts who waste nothing and live more like 19th century pioneers than citizens of the 21st century. Here is a glimpse into the lives of some of them.
Dianne Aldrich believes her Pilates-yoga studio in Monona is unlike any other in the world. It's a pre-fab cedar yurt, with an oak floor salvaged from the Madison Civic Center. On prominent display in the restroom near the front door is a composting toilet which, she believes, is the only one in the Madison area. It took a fight with local officials to gain approval to install it.
Aldrich, who is deeply involved in water conservation issues, denounces flush toilets as the ultimate water wasters. The yurt, nestled in a forest of native plants beside the home she shares with her partner and son, has no plumbing. The sink in the restroom is portable, so she carries water from her home to the yurt's sink. The combo was much cheaper than traditional plumbing. The self-contained composting toilet cost $1,400 and the sink $800. A plumbed restroom in the 560-square foot yurt would have cost at least $10,000.
After the toilet is used, with ordinary toilet paper, wood chips are sprinkled in the bowl along with a microbe mix to speed the composting process. A crank is turned several times, and composted waste winds up in the bottom box.
"Everything disappears into almost nothing," says Aldrich, pointing at light dust at the bottom of the box. "I installed this in 2009 and I still haven't had to empty it." No installation is required aside from a two-inch pipe that vents outside so there is no eau de outhouse. Finished compost is legally required to go to landfill, but Aldrich says it's actually safe enough to use in the garden.
The toilet attracts the most attention, but Aldrich has a printed list of her other sustainable practices for those who visit her 4Pillars4Health EcoSpace. Her yurt is part of the regular The Natural Step Monona tours, which are held to help other community members establish sustainable practices.
Kate Heiber-Cobb's Monona home may look like a typical suburban residence from the street. But her backyard tells another story.
It was little more than grass when she moved in. But gradually she restored it to the wetland it once was. "The previous owners used chemicals and it was a dead zone."
The little pond she dug supports 15 species of aquatic plants. She also recreated plant "guilds" — groups of species that lived synergistically before human meddling — and are then tweaked to meet modern human needs. Four years ago she founded the Madison Area Permaculture Guild, which works to create sustainable eco-systems for people and animals. Her yard is an epicenter of trial-and-error permaculture projects. "You observe and see what works and what doesn't."
In her "edible food forest" are cherry, plum, peach and apple trees, rhubarb, cranberries, elderberries, ground cherries, gooseberries and hardy kiwi. Other plants become medicines or attract pollinators such as bats, hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.
Friday 23 September 2011
'Moneyball': Brad Pitt knocks it out of the park
Bennett Miller's thoroughly enjoyable baseball comedy "Moneyball" reminds us, in case we needed reminding, why Brad Pitt is a movie star. As Billy Beane, general manager for the Oakland A's, Pitt's as comfortable and casual as a broken-in baseball cap, striding confidently through the movie like the former golden-boy athlete Beane was.
He's funny, irreverent and perpetually amused; even when stressed-out, he's still breathing happier air.
Based on a 2003 book by Michael Lewis (who also wrote the nonfiction book on which the movie "The Blind Side" was based), "Moneyball" is a sports movie without a whole lot of sports in it; instead, it's about men in backrooms debating player averages, and how one of those men came up with a revolutionary way to build a team. (It's also — quite effectively — about that delicious crack of bat meeting ball, but there are far fewer sports-action scenes in this movie than you'd expect, and those with no previous baseball knowledge may well find much to enjoy.)
Beane, frustrated by his team's inability to shine, turned to a young number cruncher from Yale named Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) to help him choose players through statistical analysis of their records. "You don't just put a team together with a computer," scoffs a scout, but that's exactly what Beane does — and it looks like it's working.
Miller, in his long-awaited follow-up to the excellent "Capote," keeps it all as breezy as his star. Working from a funny, swift script by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, he lets us smell the out-of-date aftershave in the A's meeting rooms, lit by weary fluorescent bulbs, and gets splendid work out of his cast.
As Brand, a fish out of water in the A's offices (in his preppy wool sport coat, he always looks uncomfortably warm), Hill wonderfully conveys the constant, goofy nervousness of a young math whiz who's always been just a little afraid of athletes. Philip Seymour Hoffman (who won an Oscar playing the title role in "Capote"), appropriately potbellied, swaggers through the movie as the A's skeptical field manager Art Howe, and Kerris Dorsey, of TV's "Brother's and Sisters," is a charmer as Beane's young daughter.
Only Robin Wright seems ill-used; this fine actress has so little screen time as Beane's ex-wife that you wonder how much of her performance was lost in the editing room.
But this is Pitt's movie, and the turf on the field seems just a little greener whenever he's on screen. His Beane, perpetually beleaguered, is nonetheless never at a loss for words (except when his daughter floors him with a sweet song).
"I'm going to be praying for you and your family," an earnest young player tells him midmovie, in gratitude for being chosen for the team. Beane pauses, only briefly nonplused. "No problem!" is his what-the-hell reply.
He's funny, irreverent and perpetually amused; even when stressed-out, he's still breathing happier air.
Based on a 2003 book by Michael Lewis (who also wrote the nonfiction book on which the movie "The Blind Side" was based), "Moneyball" is a sports movie without a whole lot of sports in it; instead, it's about men in backrooms debating player averages, and how one of those men came up with a revolutionary way to build a team. (It's also — quite effectively — about that delicious crack of bat meeting ball, but there are far fewer sports-action scenes in this movie than you'd expect, and those with no previous baseball knowledge may well find much to enjoy.)
Beane, frustrated by his team's inability to shine, turned to a young number cruncher from Yale named Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) to help him choose players through statistical analysis of their records. "You don't just put a team together with a computer," scoffs a scout, but that's exactly what Beane does — and it looks like it's working.
Miller, in his long-awaited follow-up to the excellent "Capote," keeps it all as breezy as his star. Working from a funny, swift script by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, he lets us smell the out-of-date aftershave in the A's meeting rooms, lit by weary fluorescent bulbs, and gets splendid work out of his cast.
As Brand, a fish out of water in the A's offices (in his preppy wool sport coat, he always looks uncomfortably warm), Hill wonderfully conveys the constant, goofy nervousness of a young math whiz who's always been just a little afraid of athletes. Philip Seymour Hoffman (who won an Oscar playing the title role in "Capote"), appropriately potbellied, swaggers through the movie as the A's skeptical field manager Art Howe, and Kerris Dorsey, of TV's "Brother's and Sisters," is a charmer as Beane's young daughter.
Only Robin Wright seems ill-used; this fine actress has so little screen time as Beane's ex-wife that you wonder how much of her performance was lost in the editing room.
But this is Pitt's movie, and the turf on the field seems just a little greener whenever he's on screen. His Beane, perpetually beleaguered, is nonetheless never at a loss for words (except when his daughter floors him with a sweet song).
"I'm going to be praying for you and your family," an earnest young player tells him midmovie, in gratitude for being chosen for the team. Beane pauses, only briefly nonplused. "No problem!" is his what-the-hell reply.
Thursday 22 September 2011
Surmet Announces the Expansion of its Aluminum Nitride (AlN) Manufacturing Operations
High Brightness LED outdoor lighting products require efficient heat removal to assure peak performance and long life. While alumina is sufficient for low power levels, higher power levels will necessitate the use of AlN because of its unusual and desirable combination of high dielectric strength and high thermal conductivity.
AlN is 8 to 10 times more thermally conductive than alumina, and its conductivity will not deteriorate with rising temperatures. With a relatively low thermal expansion coefficient, AlN structures meet thermo-mechanical requirements for many electronic and device components.
With over 75,000 square feet of manufacturing and R&D space, Surmet’s Buffalo facility has been a leading supplier of high purity Aluminum Nitride to international customers for over 20 years. Surmet is now one of only a handful of companies worldwide that has the capacity to synthesize high quality AlN powder in tonnage quantities. Furthermore, Surmet is the only supplier in the US with the ability to synthesize, process and treat the AlN powder to the required surface area and particle size characteristics. Multiple grades of surface modified powders, suitable for use as fillers in adhesives are also available.
Copper metalized Aluminum Nitride tapes, net-shaped complex 3-D device structures and composites are being developed by Surmet, to meet the growing demand for thermal management. Advanced products such as AlN micro-channel reactors and AlN substrates with novel embedded metallic structures are also under development at Surmet.
In addition to thermal management applications, Aluminum Nitride is the material of choice worldwide, for a variety of high performance Green Tech applications. AlN is being used in Traction, Power Generation and also in Hybrid Electric vehicles where power is generated by conventional motors, and power lost during braking is partially recovered.
Founded in 1982, Surmet Corporation is a specialty manufacturing company. Best known for its lightweight ALON, the leading light weight Transparent Armor candidate, Surmet is vertically integrated from powder synthesis through fabrication of the final precision components. In addition to ALON and Aluminum Nitride, Surmet also specializes in the manufacture of Magnesia Spinel and Titanium Diboride based products. Surmet is head quartered in Burlington, MA, and has facilities in Buffalo, NY and Murrieta, CA.
Surmet’s talented, responsive and innovative technical and customer relations staff are ready to work with you to meet the exacting needs and specifications for your next generation advanced product designs.
AlN is 8 to 10 times more thermally conductive than alumina, and its conductivity will not deteriorate with rising temperatures. With a relatively low thermal expansion coefficient, AlN structures meet thermo-mechanical requirements for many electronic and device components.
With over 75,000 square feet of manufacturing and R&D space, Surmet’s Buffalo facility has been a leading supplier of high purity Aluminum Nitride to international customers for over 20 years. Surmet is now one of only a handful of companies worldwide that has the capacity to synthesize high quality AlN powder in tonnage quantities. Furthermore, Surmet is the only supplier in the US with the ability to synthesize, process and treat the AlN powder to the required surface area and particle size characteristics. Multiple grades of surface modified powders, suitable for use as fillers in adhesives are also available.
Copper metalized Aluminum Nitride tapes, net-shaped complex 3-D device structures and composites are being developed by Surmet, to meet the growing demand for thermal management. Advanced products such as AlN micro-channel reactors and AlN substrates with novel embedded metallic structures are also under development at Surmet.
In addition to thermal management applications, Aluminum Nitride is the material of choice worldwide, for a variety of high performance Green Tech applications. AlN is being used in Traction, Power Generation and also in Hybrid Electric vehicles where power is generated by conventional motors, and power lost during braking is partially recovered.
Founded in 1982, Surmet Corporation is a specialty manufacturing company. Best known for its lightweight ALON, the leading light weight Transparent Armor candidate, Surmet is vertically integrated from powder synthesis through fabrication of the final precision components. In addition to ALON and Aluminum Nitride, Surmet also specializes in the manufacture of Magnesia Spinel and Titanium Diboride based products. Surmet is head quartered in Burlington, MA, and has facilities in Buffalo, NY and Murrieta, CA.
Surmet’s talented, responsive and innovative technical and customer relations staff are ready to work with you to meet the exacting needs and specifications for your next generation advanced product designs.
Wednesday 21 September 2011
Lorenzo Lamas Cycles Rumble for the Heartland
Who’d have thought that a friendship started on the set of a reality TV show would lead to the formation of a brand which celebrates the artistry of custom motorcycles, promotes the motorcycle lifestyle and gives back to our country by conducting charitable events for the Armed Services? When producer/director Chad Greulach and actor Lorenzo Lamas met on the set of Gone Country while filming in Nashville back in 2007, the duo hit it off so well they ended up going into business together to form Lorenzo Cycles, a distributor of custom motorcycles, parts, and apparel.
I know what many are thinking. What the hell do two Hollywood types know about motorcycles? Lamas, like many of us, began riding dirt bikes as a kid, then graduated to the street with the purchase of his first motorcycle, a 1975 Honda 500T. In 1979, he would build his first chopper. Since then, he’s served as an ambassador to Oliver Shokouh’s Love Ride since the mid-80’s and is a staple of the Sturgis scene. He also played a bike-riding bounty hunter in a little show called Renegade, which at one time was broadcast in almost 100 markets throughout the world.
Greulach on the other hand started riding a little later in life. That doesn’t mean he didn’t embrace it with gusto. Anybody who buys a Kawasaki ZX-10 as one of their first bikes means they’re not afraid of diving in headfirst. Greulach’s career choice meant he had to put his passion for motorcycles on hiatus for a few years. During that time, though, he was the producer that helped cast and launch a little show called American Chopper, helping the Teutul gang from Orange County Choppers become a household name, so he wasn’t out of the scene altogether.
We met up with Lamas and Greulach recently at Sturgis during the fourth annual Legends Ride where they were not only supporting the causes of the benefit ride, but were doing double duty promoting their own fundraiser called Rumble for the Heartland.
A couple of days later, the duo would lead a pack of riders from Devils Tower to the Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground where participants were treated to a BBQ dinner and a private concert by Nashville Duo, Moccasin Creek. After that, riders were privy to a concert by Toby Keith and Poison who were performing on the Buffalo Chip’s main stage. The event was two-fold as funds raised went directly to Operation Homefront and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. It also got more exposure for the bike they are raffling off for Operation Homefront, a motorcycle called The Patriot, a rippin’ FXR-inspired hot rod with a 124 cubic-inch S&S Twin Cam engine built by custom builder Ralph Randolph.
I know what many are thinking. What the hell do two Hollywood types know about motorcycles? Lamas, like many of us, began riding dirt bikes as a kid, then graduated to the street with the purchase of his first motorcycle, a 1975 Honda 500T. In 1979, he would build his first chopper. Since then, he’s served as an ambassador to Oliver Shokouh’s Love Ride since the mid-80’s and is a staple of the Sturgis scene. He also played a bike-riding bounty hunter in a little show called Renegade, which at one time was broadcast in almost 100 markets throughout the world.
Greulach on the other hand started riding a little later in life. That doesn’t mean he didn’t embrace it with gusto. Anybody who buys a Kawasaki ZX-10 as one of their first bikes means they’re not afraid of diving in headfirst. Greulach’s career choice meant he had to put his passion for motorcycles on hiatus for a few years. During that time, though, he was the producer that helped cast and launch a little show called American Chopper, helping the Teutul gang from Orange County Choppers become a household name, so he wasn’t out of the scene altogether.
We met up with Lamas and Greulach recently at Sturgis during the fourth annual Legends Ride where they were not only supporting the causes of the benefit ride, but were doing double duty promoting their own fundraiser called Rumble for the Heartland.
A couple of days later, the duo would lead a pack of riders from Devils Tower to the Legendary Buffalo Chip Campground where participants were treated to a BBQ dinner and a private concert by Nashville Duo, Moccasin Creek. After that, riders were privy to a concert by Toby Keith and Poison who were performing on the Buffalo Chip’s main stage. The event was two-fold as funds raised went directly to Operation Homefront and the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. It also got more exposure for the bike they are raffling off for Operation Homefront, a motorcycle called The Patriot, a rippin’ FXR-inspired hot rod with a 124 cubic-inch S&S Twin Cam engine built by custom builder Ralph Randolph.
Tuesday 20 September 2011
Bayonne Medical Center first in N.J. to sign on to EPA's Green Team program
Bayonne Medical Center on Friday became the first hospital in New Jersey to sign onto the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Team program aimed at curbing energy consumption, slashing carbon emissions and cutting waste.
Daniel A. Kane, CEO and president of the Bayonne Medical Center, and EPA Regional Deputy Administrator George Pavlou signed the agreement at a ceremony in front of the hospital on Avenue E.
Under the agreement, the BMC will take part in the EPA’s Energy Star program by slashing energy consumption by 10 percent. “We are an environmentally conscious hospital and committed to our green programs and initiatives,” Kane said. “This commitment reinforces our commitment to improve the lives of our patients by providing high quality cost effective health care in response to the needs of residents of Bayonne and Hudson County.”
New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez said that installing solar panels on the parking garage roof will produce 255,000 kilowatt hours of energy annually the equivalent of reducing carbon emissions by 176 tons a year, officials said.
“There is no questions that the Bayonne Medical Center will become one of the greenest medical centers in America, ” Menendez said.
BMC will also join EPA’s WasterWise program, which aims to boost solid industrial waste recycling, including medical equipment, lamps, fluorescent bulbs, batteries and lamps.
BMC has agreed to compost food waste, install energy efficient HVAC systems, and conserve water by collecting storm water for irrigation.
Daniel A. Kane, CEO and president of the Bayonne Medical Center, and EPA Regional Deputy Administrator George Pavlou signed the agreement at a ceremony in front of the hospital on Avenue E.
Under the agreement, the BMC will take part in the EPA’s Energy Star program by slashing energy consumption by 10 percent. “We are an environmentally conscious hospital and committed to our green programs and initiatives,” Kane said. “This commitment reinforces our commitment to improve the lives of our patients by providing high quality cost effective health care in response to the needs of residents of Bayonne and Hudson County.”
New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez said that installing solar panels on the parking garage roof will produce 255,000 kilowatt hours of energy annually the equivalent of reducing carbon emissions by 176 tons a year, officials said.
“There is no questions that the Bayonne Medical Center will become one of the greenest medical centers in America, ” Menendez said.
BMC will also join EPA’s WasterWise program, which aims to boost solid industrial waste recycling, including medical equipment, lamps, fluorescent bulbs, batteries and lamps.
BMC has agreed to compost food waste, install energy efficient HVAC systems, and conserve water by collecting storm water for irrigation.
Monday 19 September 2011
PRESS DIGEST-Australian Business News - Sept 19
Airlines including Virgin Australia and Qantas Airways are using aircraft interiors and ergonomics as they seek to differentiate themselves from rivals and each other. Virgin and Qantas have both started introducing Boeing aircraft featuring the manufacturer's Sky Interior, which includes Bicycle light that can create a range of colours, while Qantas says new in-flight entertainment systems will mark a "significant differential for Qantas."
Research by investment bank Nomura has found that international assets previously acquired by Australian banks have underperformed by 6 percent or more for total shareholder returns. Nomura analyst Victor German said local institutions, which are looking to diversify away from Australia's low-growth market through acquisitions in Asia, risk paying too much, with cheap acquisitions increasingly rare in Asia's competitive banking sector.
Malaysia's AmBank Group has said it plans to use its link to part-owner Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) to position itself as "Malaysia's preferred banking group with international connectivity." ANZ acquired a 15 percent stake in the bank in 2007 and has since increased its holding to 23.8 percent. AmBank has recorded profit growth of 25 percent annually for the past four years, growing from Malaysia's ninth to fifth largest bank.
Department store Myer's chief executive, Bernie Brookes, yesterday said the retailer's online division was growing strongly, saying, "we're tripling the sales just about every week." Mr Brookes said Myer was investing in making its website more attractive and improving its ability to compete online. However, Mr Brookes said the overall retail market remained difficult, with consumers "quite frugal in what they're spending."
A survey by investment bank UBS of sentiment in the Australian banking sector has found that many managers are expecting a return to strong credit growth within the next 12 months. Some senior officials said the current sluggish rate of 2.7 percent growth could double if the Reserve Bank of Australia cuts official interest rates. However, UBS noted that chief financial and chief risk officers have overestimated credit growth forecasts since December 2009.
Perth-based iiNet will today release its retail pricing package for internet access through the national broadband network (NBN). The third-largest service provider in the country has vowed to offer better prices than industry giant Telstra , which will be comparable to current plans but at higher speeds. "The NBN allows us to deliver what we have always stood for: faster, more reliable broadband for less," iiNet chief executive Michael Malone said.
Suez Environment-owned Degremont is understood to have expressed in interest in the New South Wales government's A$1.8 billion sale and lease back of the Kurnell water desalination plant in Sydney. The French firm's chief executive, Roch Cheroux, indicated that he saw the potential for "significant efficiency improvement" at the facility, adding that it would "consider participating in a consortium to own and operate the plant."
Research by investment bank Nomura has found that international assets previously acquired by Australian banks have underperformed by 6 percent or more for total shareholder returns. Nomura analyst Victor German said local institutions, which are looking to diversify away from Australia's low-growth market through acquisitions in Asia, risk paying too much, with cheap acquisitions increasingly rare in Asia's competitive banking sector.
Malaysia's AmBank Group has said it plans to use its link to part-owner Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) to position itself as "Malaysia's preferred banking group with international connectivity." ANZ acquired a 15 percent stake in the bank in 2007 and has since increased its holding to 23.8 percent. AmBank has recorded profit growth of 25 percent annually for the past four years, growing from Malaysia's ninth to fifth largest bank.
Department store Myer's chief executive, Bernie Brookes, yesterday said the retailer's online division was growing strongly, saying, "we're tripling the sales just about every week." Mr Brookes said Myer was investing in making its website more attractive and improving its ability to compete online. However, Mr Brookes said the overall retail market remained difficult, with consumers "quite frugal in what they're spending."
A survey by investment bank UBS of sentiment in the Australian banking sector has found that many managers are expecting a return to strong credit growth within the next 12 months. Some senior officials said the current sluggish rate of 2.7 percent growth could double if the Reserve Bank of Australia cuts official interest rates. However, UBS noted that chief financial and chief risk officers have overestimated credit growth forecasts since December 2009.
Perth-based iiNet will today release its retail pricing package for internet access through the national broadband network (NBN). The third-largest service provider in the country has vowed to offer better prices than industry giant Telstra , which will be comparable to current plans but at higher speeds. "The NBN allows us to deliver what we have always stood for: faster, more reliable broadband for less," iiNet chief executive Michael Malone said.
Suez Environment-owned Degremont is understood to have expressed in interest in the New South Wales government's A$1.8 billion sale and lease back of the Kurnell water desalination plant in Sydney. The French firm's chief executive, Roch Cheroux, indicated that he saw the potential for "significant efficiency improvement" at the facility, adding that it would "consider participating in a consortium to own and operate the plant."
Friday 16 September 2011
RAIDMAX VIPER Tower Case Debuts
The amazing new VIPER case from a leading PC chassis maker, RAIDMAX, combines ease-of-use and technical excellence with stunning good looks. The VIPER offers PC builders easy access and tool-free installation, advanced cable management, and a unique design with a choice of three colors. Incorporating the latest technologies such as USB 3.0 ports but yet offering at this affordable price level, RAIDMAX once again proves itself an excellent price-performance PC chassis professional.
VIPER's stylish design exudes cool power and makes building or modifying your own PC a breeze. There's nothing else on the market quite like the new VIPER.
Simple click-lock technology makes installation of disk drives incredibly easy: no tools required. Drives just slide smoothly into the bay and lock into place. There's no hassle finding the right sized screws or fiddling with dropped screws.
The RAIDMAX VIPER provides reliable air flow to prolong the life of your valuable PC components. There are three 120mm fans for maximum thermal efficiency. The optional side window mounted 120mm blue led fan not only keeps your system cool but also looks awesome. The VIPER's advanced cable management and protection features improve airflow and keep your cables clear of fans. Mesh expansion slots provide enhanced cooling for your expensive graphics card and other components.
The PC's power supply fits at the bottom of the case to provide rock solid stability and enhanced cooling. A special full-sized PSU fan filter keeps harmful dust out of your system. The filter can be taken out in seconds for cleaning - without opening the case.
Front panel audio and USB ports provide easy access for your peripherals and media devices, but can be hidden when not in use.
RAIDMAX's VIPER future proofs your PC investment with almost limitless expandability and an upgrade path for any scenario. There are 9 drive bays, including 5 external, and space for 7 expansion cards. VIPER's tower format can house full-sized industry standard ATX or Micro ATX motherboards up to 10" x 12". There are even three back panel tube outlets to make advanced water cooling installation easy.
VIPER's stylish design exudes cool power and makes building or modifying your own PC a breeze. There's nothing else on the market quite like the new VIPER.
Simple click-lock technology makes installation of disk drives incredibly easy: no tools required. Drives just slide smoothly into the bay and lock into place. There's no hassle finding the right sized screws or fiddling with dropped screws.
The RAIDMAX VIPER provides reliable air flow to prolong the life of your valuable PC components. There are three 120mm fans for maximum thermal efficiency. The optional side window mounted 120mm blue led fan not only keeps your system cool but also looks awesome. The VIPER's advanced cable management and protection features improve airflow and keep your cables clear of fans. Mesh expansion slots provide enhanced cooling for your expensive graphics card and other components.
The PC's power supply fits at the bottom of the case to provide rock solid stability and enhanced cooling. A special full-sized PSU fan filter keeps harmful dust out of your system. The filter can be taken out in seconds for cleaning - without opening the case.
Front panel audio and USB ports provide easy access for your peripherals and media devices, but can be hidden when not in use.
RAIDMAX's VIPER future proofs your PC investment with almost limitless expandability and an upgrade path for any scenario. There are 9 drive bays, including 5 external, and space for 7 expansion cards. VIPER's tower format can house full-sized industry standard ATX or Micro ATX motherboards up to 10" x 12". There are even three back panel tube outlets to make advanced water cooling installation easy.
Thursday 15 September 2011
This GPS Navigation Device For Cyclists Will Murder You Dead
The sad thing is that there's an alleged safety component to the headphones. The idea is that by shifting the audio and letting your ears guide you, you can then keep your eyes on the road. It's a really fantastic idea, that will kill you dead!
See here's the thing about riding a bike in the streets: you share the street with cars, pedestrians and other cyclists. All of them are dangerous to you. When you see something dangerous, it's avoidable. Or at least: potentially avoidable, assuming you have time to react. The problem comes in when you don't see something. That's when you need your earholes.
Cycling in the city streets demands that you be able to hear. You need to hear the bells rung by other riders, the sound of engines, the voices of pedestrians. You need to be able to hear car horns, busses passing, sirens, brakes, and all sorts of other audible cues that say "you are in danger, look over here!"
Which means wearing headphones is a really, really bad idea. Wearing headphones that you think are making you safer is an even worse idea. An illusion of safety is far worse than the recognition of danger.
Of course, the idea of a navigation device for bikes that lets you keep your eyes on the road is solid! You certainly don't want to be looking down while you are cycling or driving. And while in a car you can hear turn-by-turn directions, that's not always true on a bike. There is a great idea buried in this bad one.
I'd love to see something like, for example, a series of bright LED lights along the handlebar attached to a GPS-equipped phone that indicated where you need to go. That way as you approached a turn, the lights would progressively move towards the right or left edge of a handlebar until they were at the very end. (At which point you turn!) That way you could see when to turn without having to take your eyes off the road ahead. Not only could it help give you directions, and indicate distance to turns, it would make your bike more visible to other people sharing the roadway.
See here's the thing about riding a bike in the streets: you share the street with cars, pedestrians and other cyclists. All of them are dangerous to you. When you see something dangerous, it's avoidable. Or at least: potentially avoidable, assuming you have time to react. The problem comes in when you don't see something. That's when you need your earholes.
Cycling in the city streets demands that you be able to hear. You need to hear the bells rung by other riders, the sound of engines, the voices of pedestrians. You need to be able to hear car horns, busses passing, sirens, brakes, and all sorts of other audible cues that say "you are in danger, look over here!"
Which means wearing headphones is a really, really bad idea. Wearing headphones that you think are making you safer is an even worse idea. An illusion of safety is far worse than the recognition of danger.
Of course, the idea of a navigation device for bikes that lets you keep your eyes on the road is solid! You certainly don't want to be looking down while you are cycling or driving. And while in a car you can hear turn-by-turn directions, that's not always true on a bike. There is a great idea buried in this bad one.
I'd love to see something like, for example, a series of bright LED lights along the handlebar attached to a GPS-equipped phone that indicated where you need to go. That way as you approached a turn, the lights would progressively move towards the right or left edge of a handlebar until they were at the very end. (At which point you turn!) That way you could see when to turn without having to take your eyes off the road ahead. Not only could it help give you directions, and indicate distance to turns, it would make your bike more visible to other people sharing the roadway.
Tuesday 13 September 2011
Comm Ave Road Rage Imperils Biker
A fit of road rage at the start of last night’s rush hour left windows in two SUVs smashed, one bicycle pinned under a car, and one cyclist lucky to have escaped uninjured.
A witness identifying himself only as Jerry, saying he feared for his life, says the driver of a sport utility vehicle jumped from his car and smashed the windows of the SUV directly in front him while both vehicles were stopped for a light at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Essex Street. He says the driver of the first vehicle at the light panicked, hit the gas, and ran over a bicycle in front of him as the cyclist managed to leap to safety.
The cyclist, Stephen Lee, says he feels lucky to be alive. He was so frightened, he says, that he doesn’t remember jumping from his bike.
Casey Graves says the driver of the first SUV at the intersection honked repeatedly at a bicyclist, apparently hoping he would make room for an escape from the irate driver of the other vehicle. Graves says the two drivers smashed each other’s windows and threatened each other, one wielding a baseball bat and one an iron bar, until Boston Police arrived on the scene to end the altercation.
Sarah McDonald was waiting to cross the street at 4:30 p.m., she says, when she heard horns honking. “There was an SUV in the bike lane trying to go across the intersection,” she says. “I heard crunching and realized the SUV went over the bicycle. At first I was sure the bicyclist was pinned under the car, and I was terrified. I called the police. The bicycle got crushed by the cars, but luckily the guy wasn’t on his bike by that time. I later asked him if he was OK.”
Police from Boston, Brookline, and the BU Police Department responded to the incident. Boston Police media spokesperson David Estrada says no arrests have been reported.
A witness identifying himself only as Jerry, saying he feared for his life, says the driver of a sport utility vehicle jumped from his car and smashed the windows of the SUV directly in front him while both vehicles were stopped for a light at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Essex Street. He says the driver of the first vehicle at the light panicked, hit the gas, and ran over a bicycle in front of him as the cyclist managed to leap to safety.
The cyclist, Stephen Lee, says he feels lucky to be alive. He was so frightened, he says, that he doesn’t remember jumping from his bike.
Casey Graves says the driver of the first SUV at the intersection honked repeatedly at a bicyclist, apparently hoping he would make room for an escape from the irate driver of the other vehicle. Graves says the two drivers smashed each other’s windows and threatened each other, one wielding a baseball bat and one an iron bar, until Boston Police arrived on the scene to end the altercation.
Sarah McDonald was waiting to cross the street at 4:30 p.m., she says, when she heard horns honking. “There was an SUV in the bike lane trying to go across the intersection,” she says. “I heard crunching and realized the SUV went over the bicycle. At first I was sure the bicyclist was pinned under the car, and I was terrified. I called the police. The bicycle got crushed by the cars, but luckily the guy wasn’t on his bike by that time. I later asked him if he was OK.”
Police from Boston, Brookline, and the BU Police Department responded to the incident. Boston Police media spokesperson David Estrada says no arrests have been reported.
Fewer Birds Trapped by 9/11 Tribute Lights This Year
Exactly one year after the Tribute in Light at ground zero drew thousands of migrating birds into its beams, the night of September 11 passed without avian incident.
New York City Audubon volunteers who monitored the lights all night reported a peak of about 100 birds around 2 a.m., and about 700 altogether. It was a far cry from last year, when an estimated 10,000 birds were caught over the course of the night, circling in confusion until the lights were temporarily shuttered five separate times.
That night was almost perfectly designed to lure birds traveling down the Atlantic Flyway, one of North America’s four major conduits for birds migrating to South and Central America. Several nights of storms kept birds grounded in the wetlands north of New York City; on the night of Sept. 11, a favorable tailwind released them, but dense cloudcover hid the stars birds use to navigate and calibrate inborn geomagnetic compasses. The Tribute in Light’s bank of 88 7,000-watt xenon searchlights dominated the sky.
“Attraction to light is deep in the ancestral instinct, especially in a situation where there’s cloud cover,” said ornithologist Andrew Farnsworth of Cornell University. “A bright light trumps all.” In the birds came.
Though not in direct physical danger from the lights, a night spent circling can be tiring. In previous years, before the New York Audubon Society started monitoring the lights, reports of Manhattanites waking to find exhausted migrants resting on their balconies were not uncommon.
On this Sept. 11, very different conditions prevailed, said Farnsworth. The weather over several previous nights was favorable for flight, so there was no buildup. On the night of 9/11, light winds from the south, blowing against the birds, discouraged flight. “It’s early in the season,” Farnsworth said. “They’re in no tremendous rush.”
The night was partially cloudy, but not so cloudy as to confuse birds, which last year included various species of tanagers, warblers, thrushes and orioles. The 2 a.m. buildup occurred during a moment of cloudiness, but “the moon popped out for a second, and away they went,” said New York City Audubon volunteer Adriana Palmer.
New York City Audubon volunteers who monitored the lights all night reported a peak of about 100 birds around 2 a.m., and about 700 altogether. It was a far cry from last year, when an estimated 10,000 birds were caught over the course of the night, circling in confusion until the lights were temporarily shuttered five separate times.
That night was almost perfectly designed to lure birds traveling down the Atlantic Flyway, one of North America’s four major conduits for birds migrating to South and Central America. Several nights of storms kept birds grounded in the wetlands north of New York City; on the night of Sept. 11, a favorable tailwind released them, but dense cloudcover hid the stars birds use to navigate and calibrate inborn geomagnetic compasses. The Tribute in Light’s bank of 88 7,000-watt xenon searchlights dominated the sky.
“Attraction to light is deep in the ancestral instinct, especially in a situation where there’s cloud cover,” said ornithologist Andrew Farnsworth of Cornell University. “A bright light trumps all.” In the birds came.
Though not in direct physical danger from the lights, a night spent circling can be tiring. In previous years, before the New York Audubon Society started monitoring the lights, reports of Manhattanites waking to find exhausted migrants resting on their balconies were not uncommon.
On this Sept. 11, very different conditions prevailed, said Farnsworth. The weather over several previous nights was favorable for flight, so there was no buildup. On the night of 9/11, light winds from the south, blowing against the birds, discouraged flight. “It’s early in the season,” Farnsworth said. “They’re in no tremendous rush.”
The night was partially cloudy, but not so cloudy as to confuse birds, which last year included various species of tanagers, warblers, thrushes and orioles. The 2 a.m. buildup occurred during a moment of cloudiness, but “the moon popped out for a second, and away they went,” said New York City Audubon volunteer Adriana Palmer.
Friday 9 September 2011
Peru's stadium facade lighting responds to football fever
Peru's National Stadium's interactive LED lighting system captures the audio levels of the stadium crowd and depicts it visually on a dynamic facade.
Cinimod Studio, a London, UK-based architecture and lighting design firm, has delivered the interactive lighting control system for Peru National Stadium in Lima.
The system gathers the crowd’s noise levels in real-time and translates the audible signal into a visual map that is depicted on the facade’s lighting display.
Cinimod Studio worked as part of an international design and delivery team including lighting designer CAM and software designer ArquiLEDS, both of Lima, Peru, e:cue lighting control company of Paderborn, Germany, and Traxon Technologies, a lighting designer based in Hong Kong.
The facade lighting begins with a network of customized microphones deployed along the stadium’s roof line. This data is then processed by Cinimod’s custom processing hardware and software located in the stadium’s main communications room.
The audible data is analyzed using mathematic calculations and self-calibrating algorithms. The software then communicates a 'mood state' to the e:cue lighting controller, which transmits the relevant DMX control signal to the lighting fixtures on the building’s facade.
The external lighting scheme is designed to integrate seamlessly within the architectural framework of the building. The majority of the lights are laid out as fans of flames that wrap upwards around the form of the structure. The facade’s patterns vary in color, speed, brightness and scale.
The software runs perpetually, constantly evaluating the mood, which varies between celebration at one end of the spectrum to disappointed at the other.
The main mood states include boring, a neutral mood; dxcitement, accompanying a surge in crowd noise and pitch; celebration, typically triggered by a goal and followed by a further rise in noise level; and disappointed, triggered by an excited state followed by a rapid decline in noise level.
The scale of the stadium facade necessitated a very large array of color- and pixel-addressable fittings. The lighting controller provides 62 universes of DMX lighting control output.
Cinimod Studio, a London, UK-based architecture and lighting design firm, has delivered the interactive lighting control system for Peru National Stadium in Lima.
The system gathers the crowd’s noise levels in real-time and translates the audible signal into a visual map that is depicted on the facade’s lighting display.
Cinimod Studio worked as part of an international design and delivery team including lighting designer CAM and software designer ArquiLEDS, both of Lima, Peru, e:cue lighting control company of Paderborn, Germany, and Traxon Technologies, a lighting designer based in Hong Kong.
The facade lighting begins with a network of customized microphones deployed along the stadium’s roof line. This data is then processed by Cinimod’s custom processing hardware and software located in the stadium’s main communications room.
The audible data is analyzed using mathematic calculations and self-calibrating algorithms. The software then communicates a 'mood state' to the e:cue lighting controller, which transmits the relevant DMX control signal to the lighting fixtures on the building’s facade.
The external lighting scheme is designed to integrate seamlessly within the architectural framework of the building. The majority of the lights are laid out as fans of flames that wrap upwards around the form of the structure. The facade’s patterns vary in color, speed, brightness and scale.
The software runs perpetually, constantly evaluating the mood, which varies between celebration at one end of the spectrum to disappointed at the other.
The main mood states include boring, a neutral mood; dxcitement, accompanying a surge in crowd noise and pitch; celebration, typically triggered by a goal and followed by a further rise in noise level; and disappointed, triggered by an excited state followed by a rapid decline in noise level.
The scale of the stadium facade necessitated a very large array of color- and pixel-addressable fittings. The lighting controller provides 62 universes of DMX lighting control output.
Thursday 8 September 2011
Reflections on Labor Day
For the vast majority of human history, our ability to do work was limited by our muscles or the muscles of animals. Only through the industrial revolution and the harnessing of massive amounts of energy are we able to enjoy the technologies and comforts of modern life.
In the past, to live a life of opulence, it took hundreds of people working to provide the kind of luxuries that we take for granted. For example, it took 498 people to prepare each meal for King Louis XIV at Versailles in 1700. Today, the typical supermarket has far more food choices than King Louis XIV imagined and he was King in the world’s richest city. Today’s energy-powered transportation and communications options would also be were also unimaginable to the world’s richest people of the past and yet today even homeless people sometimes have cell phones.
To better appreciate how the use of energy saves human labor, some researched calculated how many humans it would take to generate the energy we consume on a daily basis. According to data from 2005, Jennifer Barker found that a fit person can average a sustained output of about one-tenth of a horsepower. This means that average American would have approximately 147 energy slaves working around the clock to generate the energy necessary for modern life.
Now think about your energy slaves as you go about your day. Every time you leave a 75 Watt light bulb burning, one of these very strong energy slaves is pedaling away as hard as he can to keep it going for you. If that 25 mpg car has a 100 horsepower motor, it’s the equivalent of 1,000 strong people.
If you add up all the power we Americans use, on average, to Bicycle light and heat our homes, transport us, etc. and convert it to the human energy equivalent, it’s an unimaginable opulence by the standards of all the humans who came before us. It is as if our well-being were measured by the number of energy slaves we have learned to command.
The transition from human power to animal power to machine power has made energy the master resource. “Energy will do anything that can be done in the world,” stated Johann Wolfgang von Goethe during the Industrial Revolution. The labor-enhancing, labor-saving characteristic of energy-enabled machinery was described by Erich Zimmermann in the mid-twentieth century as follows:
The shift to machine power changed America from a rural agricultural nation to an industrial giant. It also made men’s lives easier and richer. In 1850, the average American worked seventy hours a week. Today he works forty-three. In 1850, our average American produced about 27 cents’ worth of goods in an hour. Today he produces about $1.40 worth in dollars of the same purchasing power.
In the past, to live a life of opulence, it took hundreds of people working to provide the kind of luxuries that we take for granted. For example, it took 498 people to prepare each meal for King Louis XIV at Versailles in 1700. Today, the typical supermarket has far more food choices than King Louis XIV imagined and he was King in the world’s richest city. Today’s energy-powered transportation and communications options would also be were also unimaginable to the world’s richest people of the past and yet today even homeless people sometimes have cell phones.
To better appreciate how the use of energy saves human labor, some researched calculated how many humans it would take to generate the energy we consume on a daily basis. According to data from 2005, Jennifer Barker found that a fit person can average a sustained output of about one-tenth of a horsepower. This means that average American would have approximately 147 energy slaves working around the clock to generate the energy necessary for modern life.
Now think about your energy slaves as you go about your day. Every time you leave a 75 Watt light bulb burning, one of these very strong energy slaves is pedaling away as hard as he can to keep it going for you. If that 25 mpg car has a 100 horsepower motor, it’s the equivalent of 1,000 strong people.
If you add up all the power we Americans use, on average, to Bicycle light and heat our homes, transport us, etc. and convert it to the human energy equivalent, it’s an unimaginable opulence by the standards of all the humans who came before us. It is as if our well-being were measured by the number of energy slaves we have learned to command.
The transition from human power to animal power to machine power has made energy the master resource. “Energy will do anything that can be done in the world,” stated Johann Wolfgang von Goethe during the Industrial Revolution. The labor-enhancing, labor-saving characteristic of energy-enabled machinery was described by Erich Zimmermann in the mid-twentieth century as follows:
The shift to machine power changed America from a rural agricultural nation to an industrial giant. It also made men’s lives easier and richer. In 1850, the average American worked seventy hours a week. Today he works forty-three. In 1850, our average American produced about 27 cents’ worth of goods in an hour. Today he produces about $1.40 worth in dollars of the same purchasing power.
Wednesday 7 September 2011
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. Acquires Eng-Wong, Taub & Associates
Established in 1988, Eng-Wong, Taub grew into a 40-employee firm and stands out among the region's traffic engineering and planning firms with its extensive work with over 200 public and private sector clients.
The firm has been a call-in consultant to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for over 20 years, and worked closely with municipalities, transportation agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, and other public and private interests to solve the region's most complex, high-profile traffic challenges. Their work on projects like the new Yankee Stadium, World Trade Center redevelopment, Second Avenue Subway, Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, Newark Bicycle light Rail, New York City BRT, and East Side Access will transform the region's landscape and transportation network for years to come.
"I am delighted that we've joined forces with a firm so much like ours," said Marty Taub, co-founder of Eng-Wong, Taub and VHB principal. "We joined VHB because there is a great synergy and chemistry between us and a terrific match in skill sets that will benefit our clients. Plus, VHB has always impressed us with their dedication to client service."
VHB is ranked among the nation's top design and transportation engineering firms. Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. and its New York affiliate, VHB Engineering, Surveying and Landscape Architecture, P.C., provide services for notable projects in the New York/New Jersey region that include Port Authority of New York and New Jersey On-Call Consulting for Airport, Environmental and Financial Services; New York State DOT Construction Inspection Services; Stop & Shop Engineering and Integrated Services, Ronkonkoma Hub Transit Oriented Planning Study, PepsiCo World Headquarters Planning and Permitting, and Princeton University Arts & Transit Neighborhood Engineering.
The merger is effective September 1, 2011. The former Eng-Wong, Taub employees will continue to work from Two Penn Plaza in New York City and One Gateway Center in Newark. Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. and its New York affiliate, VHB Engineering, Surveying and Landscape Architecture, P.C., serve New York and New Jersey clients through five offices and 100 local employees in Albany, Hauppauge, White Plains, New York City and Edison, N.J.
The firm has been a call-in consultant to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for over 20 years, and worked closely with municipalities, transportation agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, and other public and private interests to solve the region's most complex, high-profile traffic challenges. Their work on projects like the new Yankee Stadium, World Trade Center redevelopment, Second Avenue Subway, Hudson-Bergen Light Rail, Newark Bicycle light Rail, New York City BRT, and East Side Access will transform the region's landscape and transportation network for years to come.
"I am delighted that we've joined forces with a firm so much like ours," said Marty Taub, co-founder of Eng-Wong, Taub and VHB principal. "We joined VHB because there is a great synergy and chemistry between us and a terrific match in skill sets that will benefit our clients. Plus, VHB has always impressed us with their dedication to client service."
VHB is ranked among the nation's top design and transportation engineering firms. Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. and its New York affiliate, VHB Engineering, Surveying and Landscape Architecture, P.C., provide services for notable projects in the New York/New Jersey region that include Port Authority of New York and New Jersey On-Call Consulting for Airport, Environmental and Financial Services; New York State DOT Construction Inspection Services; Stop & Shop Engineering and Integrated Services, Ronkonkoma Hub Transit Oriented Planning Study, PepsiCo World Headquarters Planning and Permitting, and Princeton University Arts & Transit Neighborhood Engineering.
The merger is effective September 1, 2011. The former Eng-Wong, Taub employees will continue to work from Two Penn Plaza in New York City and One Gateway Center in Newark. Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. and its New York affiliate, VHB Engineering, Surveying and Landscape Architecture, P.C., serve New York and New Jersey clients through five offices and 100 local employees in Albany, Hauppauge, White Plains, New York City and Edison, N.J.
Tuesday 6 September 2011
The Return of Good Throw Joe
Back in 1996 Ohio State was coming off of a year when it was faced with replacing the Heisman winner at tailback, the Biletnikoff winner at wide receiver and a three-year starter under center. The incumbency was assumed to be a contest between Mark Garcia and Stanley Jackson, but once Garcia was lost to a knee injury junior college transfer Joe Germaine emerged and created the successful platoon that we have been reminded of throughout fall camp.
By the time he had completed his quarterbacking tenure in 1998, Germaine had solidified his legacy as one of the best quarterbacks the Buckeyes have ever produced. He did this without superior speed, arm strength or exaggerated character emotions.
They definitely did not "break the mold" when Germaine was created. We saw Bauserman emulate his style for the half that he played on Saturday. It was not the exceptional, highlight-reel manner that sends the college football hivemind into Heisman candidacy flagellation.
It was, however, star results without star quality. In light of how the Pryor era concluded, this is a very welcome flavor of quarterback play.
Ironically, for a player who will eventually take seven years to complete his college eligibility, Bauserman will not be afforded enough time to match Germaine in either statistics or legacy. If he fails to demonstrate the capacity to be the offensive custodian waiting for its designated stars to either return or emerge, the preseason clamoring for Miller will return.
At worse case, Bauserman holding onto the lion's share of game snaps only allows Miller to acclimate in his first year without the same fiery baptismal that Pryor found himself in 2008.
However, if he continues to establish himself as an efficient and qualified commander as this long-anticipated season progresses, Bauserman will have done the unthinkable: He will have shifted Ohio State's once-precarious quarterback situation from being the problem nobody wanted to the situation everyone wishes they had.
By the time he had completed his quarterbacking tenure in 1998, Germaine had solidified his legacy as one of the best quarterbacks the Buckeyes have ever produced. He did this without superior speed, arm strength or exaggerated character emotions.
They definitely did not "break the mold" when Germaine was created. We saw Bauserman emulate his style for the half that he played on Saturday. It was not the exceptional, highlight-reel manner that sends the college football hivemind into Heisman candidacy flagellation.
It was, however, star results without star quality. In light of how the Pryor era concluded, this is a very welcome flavor of quarterback play.
Ironically, for a player who will eventually take seven years to complete his college eligibility, Bauserman will not be afforded enough time to match Germaine in either statistics or legacy. If he fails to demonstrate the capacity to be the offensive custodian waiting for its designated stars to either return or emerge, the preseason clamoring for Miller will return.
At worse case, Bauserman holding onto the lion's share of game snaps only allows Miller to acclimate in his first year without the same fiery baptismal that Pryor found himself in 2008.
However, if he continues to establish himself as an efficient and qualified commander as this long-anticipated season progresses, Bauserman will have done the unthinkable: He will have shifted Ohio State's once-precarious quarterback situation from being the problem nobody wanted to the situation everyone wishes they had.
Monday 5 September 2011
As Sports Medicine Surges, Hope and Hype Outpace Proven Treatments
It took her from doctor to doctor, cost her thousands of dollars and led her to try nearly everything sports medicine has to offer — an M.R.I. to show the extent of the injury, physical therapy that included ultrasound and laser therapy, strength training, an injection of platelet-rich plasma, a cortisone shot, another cortisone shot.
Finally, in February, she gave up.
“I decided this is never going to heal, so let’s get on with it,” she said.
And so Ms. Basle, a 44-year-old digital media consultant who lives in Manhattan, started running anyway. She has lost a lot of speed and endurance. And, she added, “the stupid hamstring is really no better.”
Medical experts say her tale of multiple futile treatments is all too familiar and points to growing problems in sports medicine, a medical subspecialty that has been experiencing explosive growth. Part of the field’s popularity, among patients and doctors alike, stems from the fact that celebrity athletes, desperate to get back to playing after an injury, have been trying unproven treatments, giving the procedures a sort of star appeal.
But now researchers are questioning many of the procedures, including new ones that often have no rigorous studies to back them up. “Everyone wants to get into sports medicine,” said Dr. James Andrews, a sports medicine orthopedist in Gulf Breeze, Fla., and president-elect of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.
Doctors love the specialty and can join it with as little as a year of training after their residency, as compared with the more typical two to four years for other specialty training. They see a large group of patients eager for treatment, ranging from competitive athletes to casual exercisers to retirees spending their time on the golf course or tennis court.
The problem is that most sports injuries, including tears of the hamstring ligament like Ms. Basle’s, have no established treatments.
Finally, in February, she gave up.
“I decided this is never going to heal, so let’s get on with it,” she said.
And so Ms. Basle, a 44-year-old digital media consultant who lives in Manhattan, started running anyway. She has lost a lot of speed and endurance. And, she added, “the stupid hamstring is really no better.”
Medical experts say her tale of multiple futile treatments is all too familiar and points to growing problems in sports medicine, a medical subspecialty that has been experiencing explosive growth. Part of the field’s popularity, among patients and doctors alike, stems from the fact that celebrity athletes, desperate to get back to playing after an injury, have been trying unproven treatments, giving the procedures a sort of star appeal.
But now researchers are questioning many of the procedures, including new ones that often have no rigorous studies to back them up. “Everyone wants to get into sports medicine,” said Dr. James Andrews, a sports medicine orthopedist in Gulf Breeze, Fla., and president-elect of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.
Doctors love the specialty and can join it with as little as a year of training after their residency, as compared with the more typical two to four years for other specialty training. They see a large group of patients eager for treatment, ranging from competitive athletes to casual exercisers to retirees spending their time on the golf course or tennis court.
The problem is that most sports injuries, including tears of the hamstring ligament like Ms. Basle’s, have no established treatments.
Thursday 1 September 2011
Party pop princess has no filling
She sang about brushing her teeth with Jack Daniel's, vomiting in the closet and drinking with boys in the basement.
Welcome to Ke$ha's Get $leazy Tour. The princess of trashy pop has been to the top of the charts three times (twice on her own, once being featured on Flo Rida's "Right Round") but now she's trying to graduate to headliner beyond the clubs. Her 80-minute concert Tuesday at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St.
Paul showed her to be Britney Spears lite on a low budget -- except Ke$ha not only plays instruments but she also sings live (though not that well, frankly). However, she lacks Britney's sense of showwomanship. In fact, Ke$ha's performance was entertaining but less exciting than her cameo as the headliner last year at KDWB's Star Party at the Epic nightclub.
Ke$ha, 24, the daughter of a hit Nashville songwriter, is not much of a dancer, and neither were the four "dancers" accompanying her. They felt more like props in small scenarios than hoofers stepping to the banging beats. Moreover, Ke$ha's little dramas lacked theatricality and focus save for the dark and dramatic "Cannibal," during which she rhymed "goner" with "Jeffrey Dahmer" and plucked the heart out of male dancer and then drank blood from it. Much of the rest of her bits were filled with R-rated props, potty-mouth propositions and pointless horseplay that didn't fill the smaller-than-an arena room.
Ke$ha is all about faux debauchery. The musical equivalent of "Jersey Shore" with beats, she tries to play all the classic rock 'n' roll cards: sex, rebellion, excess and fun. Her songs are smartly dumbed down and as catchy as the flu. Song writing is clearly her strong suit. (She's written tunes for Miley Cyrus, the Veronicas, Kelly Clarkson and Britney Spears.) Her live singing was gratingly shrill and often sharp. Her rapping was, thankfully, limited because she hasn't mastered musical flow. Her playing of keyboards, drums and guitar was superfluous, though that guitar shaped like a rifle was an eyecatcher.
Welcome to Ke$ha's Get $leazy Tour. The princess of trashy pop has been to the top of the charts three times (twice on her own, once being featured on Flo Rida's "Right Round") but now she's trying to graduate to headliner beyond the clubs. Her 80-minute concert Tuesday at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St.
Paul showed her to be Britney Spears lite on a low budget -- except Ke$ha not only plays instruments but she also sings live (though not that well, frankly). However, she lacks Britney's sense of showwomanship. In fact, Ke$ha's performance was entertaining but less exciting than her cameo as the headliner last year at KDWB's Star Party at the Epic nightclub.
Ke$ha, 24, the daughter of a hit Nashville songwriter, is not much of a dancer, and neither were the four "dancers" accompanying her. They felt more like props in small scenarios than hoofers stepping to the banging beats. Moreover, Ke$ha's little dramas lacked theatricality and focus save for the dark and dramatic "Cannibal," during which she rhymed "goner" with "Jeffrey Dahmer" and plucked the heart out of male dancer and then drank blood from it. Much of the rest of her bits were filled with R-rated props, potty-mouth propositions and pointless horseplay that didn't fill the smaller-than-an arena room.
Ke$ha is all about faux debauchery. The musical equivalent of "Jersey Shore" with beats, she tries to play all the classic rock 'n' roll cards: sex, rebellion, excess and fun. Her songs are smartly dumbed down and as catchy as the flu. Song writing is clearly her strong suit. (She's written tunes for Miley Cyrus, the Veronicas, Kelly Clarkson and Britney Spears.) Her live singing was gratingly shrill and often sharp. Her rapping was, thankfully, limited because she hasn't mastered musical flow. Her playing of keyboards, drums and guitar was superfluous, though that guitar shaped like a rifle was an eyecatcher.
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