This new year will shed light on how we brighten our homes in a more responsible and energy-efficient manner.
Several trends and laws in lighting are in the works - and you don't want to be left in the dark.
Thomas Edison's classic light bulb is one of the most important inventions, but it soon will be nothing more than a museum piece.
Although Congress is still haggling over enforcement details, 2012 will bring the end of production and sales of the 100-watt incandescent bulb.
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, signed by President George Bush, banned importing or manufacturing the 100-watt incandescent bulb as of Jan. 1, and requires that all light bulbs be 25 percent more efficient by 2014.
Store owners will still be allowed to sell the 100-watt incandescent bulbs until supplies run out.
From an energy standpoint, the problem with Edison's incandescent is that nearly all its energy - about 90 percent - is emitted as heat rather than visible light.
Although critics have grumbled about the higher price tag for more energy-efficient light bulbs - about $1.50 to $2 per bulb compared with 25 or 50 cents for the older standard - the savings on homeowner's electric bills should quickly generate relief.
Lower energy usage, and in some cases longer life, from the new bulbs should more than make up for the higher purchase price over the life of the bulb.
There also have been news reports of people hoarding the older bulbs in an effort to stockpile them for future use. While the new law effectively phases out the traditional light bulb, it stops short of banning it. But homeowners who refuse to budge from the old bulbs will be the ones paying the price -- in a higher bill over time.
With the phase-out of the regular incandescent bulb - little changed since Edison's design - comes a phase-in of these more energy-efficient options:
CFL (compact fluorescent) light bulbs: Much-improved over the past five years, the spiral-shaped compact fluorescent light is the incandescent bulb's direct screw-in replacement and uses at least 75 percent less energy.
These are the most popular replacement because of the price -- about $2 to $3 each. The old standard has a life span of 1,200 hours per bulb, but the CFL lasts as long as 8,000 hours.
Some critics say they prefer the light the old incandescent gives off, complaining that CFLs are dimmer and take longer to fully illuminate.
Dimmable CFLs cost more and don't dim low very well. CFLs also contain a small amount of mercury, so used CFL bulbs must be recycled rather than thrown in the trash.
Known for consistency with no flickering, halogen light bulbs do not fade with age. An average halogen bulb lasts 2,250 to 3,500 hours and comes in a variety of sizes and voltages.
Although not as efficient as CFLs, halogens are 25 percent to 45 percent more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs. They're preferred by some because they emit a similarly warm light as their outlawed cousins, and halogens are very popular for mood lighting because they are easier to precisely dim from low to ultra bright. A bulb runs right around $4.
Halogens also are a popular option for lighting everything from a backyard patio to wall paintings, unique arches to home walkways.
AMBITIOUS plans have been laid out by Gainsborough Town Council after cutting their annual precept by 16,762.
The first full-council meeting of 2012 saw the body agree on a precept requirement for the forthcoming year at 417,830.
That's a reduction of more than 3.8 per cent from last year's budget 434,592. The budget includes plans to attract visitors to Gainsborough with a better Christmas market, as well as providing more street furniture.
This will be paid for by cutting costs on things like payroll, ground maintenance and Christmas lights.
Councillors say that the cuts would bring greater value for money for Gainsborough's tax payers - by increasing expenditure on items that will benefit local people while continuing to maintain, and hopefully improve, standards.
"We are committed to ensuring this council provide value for money quality services to the people of Gainsborough," said local Lib Dem leader Coun Trevor Young.
"With this objective in mind we want to develop the good services the council already provides but at the same time explore how the council in partnership with groups in our community can provide a wider range of services while being cost effective - so we aim to provide more for less."
Coun Young added: "We have to plan ahead."
"This budget is the first step towards future budgetary planning which will enable us to develop strategies that look forward."
Other features of the budget approved by the full council for 2012/13 include 10,000 to enable councillors to work more closely with the people in their wards to identify specific needs for the money to be used, 5,000 to develop the Christmas market and attract shoppers and visitors from further afield to a market held a week before the Lincoln Christmas market, doubling the budget for street furniture (mainly for seats and bus shelters), and increasing the play area maintenance budget by 50 per cent.
The council also say that they will continue to support community organisations by through an annual grant scheme, so that organisations can plan ahead in bidding. They also say that they will continue to fund the Riverside Festival, but will forge a new and accountable relationship with the organisers.
To cover the costs of these improved services to taxpayers, the council plan to reduce the funding of the mayor's costs by 1,000 in his new receipted allowance, reducing civic costs by 1,000 and reviewing civic functions, and cutting the cost of our Christmas lights by 5,000 through competitive tendering.
There will also be significant reductions in the operating costs of Richmond Park and Marshalls and Roses recreation ground, by delivering sporting facilities by working in co-operation with external partners.
The council say they will support the Town Centre Partnership, but require guarantees that they will work towards fewer empty shops, an improved market, more town centre events and better publicity before they commit any tax-payers' money.
At first glance, you might mistake the Jaguar XF for the XJ. It shares more than a hint of the bigger Jag. The family look, so to say, has reached the XF too and that means it gets the XJ's beautiful 'raised eyebrow' bi-Xenon headlights, replete with the distinctive J-shaped LED day-light running lights.
The front grille is a bit bigger and the bumper gets subtle tweaks too. Style changes on the rear are limited to the LED tail-lights that are now extended further towards the numberplate. The good thing, however, is that the aggressive XF still looks like a sportscar in a saloon's body.
Step in and it's hard to find the new bits on the facelifted XF but it's all in the details, really. The revised instruments get an all-black layout, the formerly shiny buttons on the centre console now come finished in a more sober black and the steering wheel is slightly different too.
The new function buttons on the dashboard also make it easier to navigate through the XF's 7-inch touchscreen; pity the graphics weren't upgraded too. Also, opening the glovebox is no longer a game of hide-and-seek, with a new chrome button replacing the older car's far too discreet feather-touch release.
There is new stitching on the seats too, but it is the tasteful combination of wood, leather and soft plastics that really makes the XF cabin a special place to be in. The ceremonial welcome, where the gearshift knob rises out of the central tunnel and the AC vents flip open on engine start-up, continues to add a sense of occasion to every drive.
And what a drive the XF is! Its twin-turbo, 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine is incredibly smooth and flexible, enough to instantly go from purring cat to roaring lion as you weigh down on the throttle pedal. What's more, the six-speed gearbox is almost telepathic in the way it shifts ratios in both 'D' and the sportier 'S' mode.
As before, Indian XFs get the raised suspension package. As a result, the Jag rolls a fair bit when pushed hard through corners. Under hard acceleration, the Jag squats down on its haunches and the traction control keeps cutting in as the rear wheels threaten to spin.
On the flipside, ride quality is brilliant as the XF simply steamrolls most undulations. If at all, it would be the slight lack of rear-seat thigh support that could be a minus point for chauffeur-driven owners.
Where the Jag continues to excel is that quintessential feel good factor one comes to expect from something that costs Rs. 52.95 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). The XF has that outlook that's distinct from the more staid and business-man like German rivals. With the styling and interior tweaks, the charming XF has only got better.
A controversial project to refurbish Akron's All-America or Y-Bridge and add a fence to keep suicidal people from jumping to their deaths ended up being more costly — and taking longer — than expected.
The final cost is expected to be nearly $8.7 million, which is $2.5 million higher than the original bid amount. The project was finished — only a few minor tasks remain — Dec. 22, when the final fence panels were installed. This was nearly five months past the original completion date in August and several weeks after a second deadline in November.
City and state officials say the main reason for the additional expense was extra, unforeseen work needed to complete the project, including a section of the bridge deck that was severely deteriorated and had to be replaced rather than resurfaced. They blame the delay on a coating problem with the fence, which was the part of the project that garnered the most criticism, although it wasn't the most expensive.
Akron might pursue liquidated damages against Posen Construction Co., the main contractor, and its subcontractor, Future Fence Co., for the delayed completion. Both companies are based in Michigan.
Still, all of the parties involved in the project, which mostly will be paid through federal and state funds, including stimulus money, seem satisfied with the final product.
"I think it turned out wonderfully," said Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic, adding that he has gotten compliments on the completed bridge.
"It looks better than I thought it would, to be honest," City Council President Marco Sommerville said. He paused and added, "I hope nobody jumps off it. Somebody's going to find a way."
City officials emphasized that the project was about more than a fence. It was about fixing the bridge while adding a fence. Work included redoing the 30-year-old bridge deck, repairing the parapets and the concrete on the underside of the deck, replacing the expansion joints, adding decorative piers and LED lights, and installing a fence that is designed to deter jumpers.
Mike Teodecki, a city engineer who worked on the project, thinks the refurbishments added 12 to 15 years to the life of the bridge and spared Akron from a $40 million project to replace the bridge's deck that might have been only a few years away.
The second big-ticket item — at nearly $185,000 — involved the collection, testing and disposal of the water used during the hydro-demolition process to satisfy a new federal environmental regulation.
Other change orders were much more minor, and included electrical revisions, asphalt and sidewalk repairs, the removal and installation of lights, and the addition of covers to the lights on some of the new, large concrete piers installed on the bridge.
Rounding a corner, I was blinded by a purple light beaming down from a strange skull-shaped building that resembled nothing I had ever seen before, except maybe in animation and fiction.
The building's facade sparkled with a mosaic of ceramic tiles that adorned its surface like glitter, and a few balconies loomed in front of the windows, shaped like skulls with grinning teeth and hollow eyes. The structure reminded me of the devilish countenance of Jack Skellington, the lanky protagonist from "The Nightmare Before Christmas." Outlandish and strangely beautiful, it instantly captured my heart. I was mesmerized.
I saw a sign at the main door that read, "Casa Batllo," a building designed by the architect Antoni Gaudi, and in that instant a new mission emerged for my time in Barcelona. I would stroll the streets and visit all of Gaudi's creations, as if on a date with the genius architect.
It seemed meant to be; my hostel had organized a free Gaudi walking tour, so I went to the meeting point, Placa Reial, a square in the middle of the city. Once there, I met other architectural tourists and the blond history student who would be our tour leader.
He chose Placa Reial as a meeting point for a reason. Although Gaudi is known for his buildings, he actually began his career designing lampposts for Barcelona, and one of them is in this square.
Studying the lamp, I spotted several of Gaudi's signature designs. An intricate iron snake twisted up to the top of the lamp, which was embellished with the winged helmet of Mercury, while an engraving of leaves was emblazoned on another of the lamp's flanks. Because Gaudi suffered from poor health in his youth, including rheumatism, he is said to have spent hours alone, likely sitting outside and observing nature. He incorporated these natural elements in his designs.
From the lampposts of Placa Reial, our tour leader guided us along the famous street of La Rambla. Packed with tourists, La Rambla links countless tributaries and alleyways, where we found Gaudi's Palau Guell mansion tucked away between a kebab shop and a mini-mart.
Designed for the Catalan industrial tycoon Eusebi Guell, Palau Guell demanded attention, drawing glances from almost all the pedestrians, no matter how focused they were on their route.
The building struck me like a medieval fortress, complete with an elaborate wrought-iron ornamentation at the front gate. Gaudi included a crest of Catalan in the gate's spiral metal works, while other doors featured two entangled metal serpents carrying the Guell family initials.
The building is known for its husky features, but my favorite part was its the cartoon-like chimneys, which resembled lollipops with bright colors and playful designs that stretched high into the air.
After the Guell mansion I went back to my earliest Gaudi love, Casa Batllo, which caught my attention on the first night. Already so impressed with its outer facade, I decided to invest 15 euros, or almost $20, to venture inside. As in "Alice in Wonderland," the door into Casa Batllo was my rabbit hole, drawing me into a journey through a surreal world.