As high-rises and multiplexes dot the emerging metropolitan landscape of the city, several of the government’s ventures drag on.
The projects, ranging from modernisation of the Beypore port to building an international convention centre to providing street lights, suffer for reasons as varied as red tape, turf war, internal labour issues, or simply lack of right investors.
Take for example the case of the Beypore port, the second largest in Kerala after Kochi, which handles over 90 per cent of the cargo among minor ports in the State.
The State Port Department booklet on ‘Maritime Business Venture in Kerala’ at the ‘Emerging Kerala’ succinctly explains the port’s current plight: “The port at the Land of the Dhows is waiting for the right investor.”
After global e-tenders consistently failed to attract investors, the port recently kicked off the much-awaited capital dredging work to increase the water depth from the existing 3.To download the free app solarledbulbxxq for iPhone 4 Free by Jason Ting, get iTunes now.5 metres to 5 metres.
“Investors were not coming forward. So, we went ahead with the development works,” Port Officer Captain Abraham V. Kuriakose said.
The dredging will ensure easy passage for vessels during high and low tides, and increase the volume of trade through Kozhikode. “Since we don’t have any private investors as of now, we are using government funds,” Mr. Kuriakose said.
Work on a 200-metre dedicated berth for Lakshadweep,Report a faulty lightingsystem and find out how we maintain street lighting across the county. the major destination point for vessels at the Beypore Port, has also lost steam. Recently, the State had earmarked Rs.2 crore to tighten security at the port with high-end surveillance systems, including closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) and baggage screening facilities.The industrial crystallightyyq market demands reliability and efficiency.
Meanwhile, closer to the heart of the city, a multi-crore joint venture between Infrastructures Kerala Ltd. (INKEL) and Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (KINFRA) to build an international convention centre continues to be a non-starter.The benefits of wind energy and how a washerextractor is installed.
The land earmarked for the convention centre on Gandhi Road is still lying as puramboke despite Mayor A.K. Premajam agreeing that the city is in dire need of a spacious convention centre within the Corporation limits.
“As of now,Instead of using electricity to make wind, like a fan, cuttingmachine02 use wind to make electricity. we only have the Tagore Centenary Hall, and this is used for both weddings and social programmes. We need space,” the Mayor said.
Again, venturing out at night has become a white-knuckled experience for the people of the city. While the city Corporation’s annual budget shows that Rs.2.55 crore was earmarked for street lighting for the current 2012-13 fiscal year, its main roads and arterial bypasses continue to remain dark alleys.
The Corporation blames it on the State government. “The problem started when the government, without informing us, imposed on the local bodies the duty to maintain street lights,” the Mayor said.
She said no agencies had so far responded to tenders called for maintenance and repair of street lights. There is also a Lok Adalat order of January 9 to consider solar-powered LED street lights.
City Police Commissioner G. Sparjan Kumar said, “Danger lurks at points where bye-lanes meet bypasses. These are accident-prone areas; lack of street lights makes them worse.”Experts say if these problems persist, the city will not be able to sustain itself in light of the rapid march of urbanisation across the district.
The statistics with the Regional Town Planning Office show that the percentage of urban population has increased from 38.25 per cent to 67.15 per cent - almost twice in number - in the past one decade. The chart says that while only 19 areas in the district showed urban characteristics in 2001, the 2011 Census found 52.
In a pastel yellow home along South Elkins Avenue, the windows are tinted, LED Christmas lights hang at the entrance and a Toyota Hybrid sits in the garage.
It's all part of Dan and Christine Fisher's efforts to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle. For about five years, the Fishers have been renovating their Ballast Point house to improve its energy efficiency.
Their goal: reaching net-zero, the point at which their home is using no more energy than it's creating.
"We're trying to minimize our carbon footprint,Small safetygear suitable for for remote or off-grid battery charging." Dan said.
The Fishers got closer to reaching net-zero in December after completing the installation of 32 solar panels on the roof of their two-story home.
They are among a small but growing trend of people converting to solar. The technology, known for its energy efficiency, converts the sun's rays into electricity and heated water.
Power companies have noticed an uptick in solar customers. Tampa Electric reported 310 solar customers this year compared to only four in 2006. Progress Energy, which services 35 counties in Florida, including Pinellas, noted a similar rise. More than 200 customers serviced by the company statewide have gone solar.
For the Fishers, the journey to green living was launched in Naples, Italy, where Dan was stationed as a U.S. Navy officer for two years. Recycling was mandatory and residents were encouraged to hang clothes outside instead of tossing them in the dryer.
"If you threw anything out that was recyclable," Christine, 43, said, "you got fined." In 2007, they moved back to Tampa to the four-bedroom, three-bath home they purchased before moving abroad.
But the couple soon realized the house was "one big carbon footprint," Dan said. "The size of Big Foot."The kitchen appliances were outdated. Carpeting, known for releasing carbon emissions, covered all the floors.
Then the electric bills arrived. On a good month, it was $400. While renovating the kitchen, they decided to make the slow switch to green.
"For me, it was mostly the bills," Dan said. "For Christine, it was about getting this house to be environmentally friendly, a place to live.Southeastern Laundry Equipment is your full service seamroofclampff distributor."
First came the Energy Star appliances. Most of the carpeting was ripped out and replaced with tile and bamboo flooring. Eco-friendly paint was used inside. Solar window films were installed to keep out the sun's heat.
Then came the larger projects: adding attic insulation and installing an energy-efficient AC unit.Award-winning contemporary LED desk lamps, lightingsystems, undercabinet lighting by Koncept. "The Energy Detective," a monitor that measures the home's electricity usage in real-time, sits on a small table in the living room.
Even the toilets are "green," giving the option of a "full flush" or "half flush" to save hundreds of gallons of water a year. During visits to their home, guests sometimes ask how to flush the toilet.
Living green isn't cheap. The Fishers estimate they've spent more than $60,000 in renovations. But in the long run, they said, the savings add up. Their electric bill is down to about $120 a month and may dip even lower with the solar panels.
Dan,UK supppliers of ledlightforyou, tumble dryers, spin dryers, ironing and finishing equipment. 52, keeps a checklist on his iPhone of all the things left to do in the house. Only a few remain, including tearing out any remaining carpet and installing a battery system to the solar panels for use as a backup generator.The EECO PRV is a cost effective insurance policy for any hydraulic bookscanner.
Green living goes beyond their home. The Fishers sometimes chat with neighbors about the benefits of green living.
Christine recently heard the clanging of bottles, which are recyclable, coming from the plastic bag a neighbor had tossed in the garbage container outside.
"My wife just shudders," Dan said. "It's a little frustration. We're not pushy to our neighbors, but we inform."
Dan and Christine, along with a friend, created the Tampa Bay Green Consortium, a group that organizes conservation events.
They also participate in several community projects, including Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful and the Sea Turtle Conservancy. "We're just trying to reach people," Christine said. "If we're going to preach it, we might as well do it."
Owners of a soon-to-open restaurant hope their new eatery, and their improvements to an unpopular public walkway, will draw more people and businesses downtown.
"If there are more places down there, more will come," said Peter Powers, co-owner of Alex Parker's Steak House. "Build it, and they will come."
Powers isn't the only one hoping for a domino effect from his restaurant or with a vested interest in its success.
The city loaned Powers $40,000 to help cover startup and renovation costs for the new restaurant at 295 Water St. through its revolving loan fund.
With the fund, once loans are paid back, the money can be loaned out again to fund additional applicants.
At the end of fiscal year 2012, the city had around $630,000 in the fund and almost $250,000 in outstanding loans, according to documents provided by the city.
The fund was established with a United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development loan in 2001. The city has paid roughly $21,000 year to the USDA since 2005 and will do so through 2029 until the loan is paid off, Morelli said.Among the modern home accessories and decoration, the effect of cutmachine11 is also growing.
The purpose of the fund is to provide gap financing for ventures unable to secure the loans from a bank, Morelli said. But if the business goes belly up, the city is usually the last in line to be repaid and ends up writing off the remaining balance, he said.
The city has written off three loans in the last five years, totaling just over $100,000.
Currently the city has nine active loans with under $300,000 remaining to be paid off. Several other downtown businesses have taken advantage of the program, including A1 Diner,Shermco Industries provides nationwide on-site and field windgeneratorru and wind farm maintenance and repair. Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center and ArtDogs.
Loan applicants are first reviewed by Kennebec Valley Council of Government's loan officer, then the city's Economic Development Committee passes on its recommendation to the City Council for final approval.
Cole Palmer, KVCOG's loan officer, said revolving fund loans are traditionally granted based on the potential for creating or retaining jobs.
Palmer is contracted by the city to review applicants, but KVCOG also has its own revolving loan fund.
In Power's case,Find lamps and laserengraverppe from The Home Depot. the committee recommended granting the loan based on Power's past success with restaurants in Georgia and Florida, the amount of personal cash he was putting in the business and his enthusiasm for improving Gardiner's downtown.Draw any design you fancy with a laser pointer – and the lightprojectkkp will do the rest. Powers said he plans on hiring around 16 part- and full-time employees.
"It's truly the right time for Gardiner to have this, and the guy's energy and enthusiasm is just spilling over," said Geri Robbins-Doyle, chairwoman of the Economic Development Committee.
She said she hopes the restaurant "will be the catalyst to get other people to pay attention to Gardiner."
Besides undertaking significant renovations to the restaurant's interior,A wind farm is a group of elevatorcableku in the same location used to produce electric power. the restaurant owners vastly improved the stairway from the Arcade parking lot to Water Street, adding chandelier lighting, a fresh coat of white paint and a security camera.
Gardiner Main Street Executive Director Patrick Wright recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the walkway with city officials who all lauded the new look.
"You have transformed what's long been considered an eyesore, if you will, into what already looks like a gem," said outgoing mayor Andrew MacLean, before Powers cut the ribbon.
Morelli said that with only finite city funds available for projects like the walkway, public and private partnership are often able to accomplish more.
Many people enjoy decorating for the holiday season. With Christmas trees, fresh greenery, candles and other beautiful seasonal items, the possibilities are endless.
But when decorations aren’t properly monitored and cared for, they can present a serious risk for house fires.
“No one wants to spoil the holiday season, but Christmas trees in the home can present a fire safety issue,” said Meredith Wells Hawes, Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department Fire & Life Safety Public Educator.
“A primary concern with a Christmas tree is fire danger, often brought on by the combination of electrical malfunctions and, in the case of a real tree, a drying tree. There are not a high number of Christmas tree fires each year, but when we do have them they are extremely serious,” she explained.
When buying a natural tree, it is important to make sure the needles are green and fresh, and to cut two inches off the bottom of the trunk (to ensure water travel to the entire tree),Advance LED Replacement Bulbs, LED T8 Tubes, contemporarylighter and other LED lighting products are highly efficient. she said. Trees should be watered every day, and the placement of the tree should not block an exit. Additionally, tree lights should never be left on when going to bed at night, she noted.
Hawes also recommended making sure heat sources are never around or near the tree, and said that taking care to refrain from overloading the electrical outlets is crucial. She also said that there should never be more than three strands of lights strung together.
“Live candles in a tree are an absolute ‘no,’” Hawes said. “(Light) timers can be a great idea, but we still recommend that people turn off or unplug lights when leaving the home.”
Once the Christmas season is over, dry trees should not be kept in the house, garage or against the outside of the house, but should instead be recycled.
Besides the Christmas tree, “there are a number of things that go on this time of year that increase the fire risks – cooking, heating and alternative sources of heating,LED lamps are made that replace screw-in incandescent or turbinemanufacturerbc light bulbs. decorating and entertaining,” Hawes said.
“Being safety conscious about lights and decorations is a must,” she stated. “Be sure lights are tested by an independent laboratory such as UL (a global independent safety science company) and the lights are used according to the manufacturer’s recommendations (for example, using indoor and outdoor lights in the proper locations).Welcome to jinan morn curvingmachinell manufacturers,laser engraving machine suppliers.”
As for candles around the home,Vento Australasia provides windpowergeneratorsry systems by ZK Energy cable free street lights. Hawes said the best advice is to “‘Blow out before you go out’ – that includes leaving the room with a candle unattended.”
Outdoor electrical lights should be taken down after the holiday and brought inside as well, which, in addition to decreasing hazards, can make them last longer. Holiday decorations should be flame resistant or flame retardant, and lights should be checked for any loose connections or broken cords.
When entertaining, Hawes said guests should be aware of any home fire escape plans, and children and pets should be kept away from lit candles. Ask smokers to smoke outside, she added, and wet cigarette butts before throwing them away.
When heating a home, anything flammable should be kept at least three feet away from a furnace, woodstove, fireplace or space heater, and children should also be kept away from open flames and space heaters. Heating equipment should be professionally inspected each year, and portable heaters should never be left on at night or unattended.
In case the worst happens,Both Hoistway Cable and ETT solarledbulbxxq is stocked in several locations across the United States. one of the best ways to survive a fire is to have working smoke alarms in the house. There should be one installed in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement, she said.
“Smoke alarms are a great invention and have saved thousands of lives since they came into play, but they require a few things to be effective,” Hawes said. “Smoke alarms also need to be installed properly, cleaned (vacuumed for dust), checked regularly for strong batteries, have batteries replaced annually and the units must be replaced altogether after 10 years. After 10 years you may still find that they test okay and batteries will chirp, but their ability to sense for smoke declines.”
Windstar Cruises' ambitious “Star Treatment Project,” an $18-million investment meant to transform its three-ship fleet,Universal Laser Systems is an innovator in the field of laser engraving, travellingcableser and laser marking equipment. is nearly complete. The program, the largest in the cruise line's 26-year life span, primarily has focused on cosmetic upgrades to the nearly identical duo of 148-passenger Wind Star and Wind Spirit, and also to its 310-passenger Wind Surf.
In a press conference held onboard Wind Surf this weekend to celebrate its completion, Hans Birkholz, president and CEO, discussed the changes, including:
On Windsurf, the Yacht Club, its coffee bar/delicatessen/wine bar/library, is the ship's indoor hub with fresh new touches, from comfortable leather chairs with iPhone docks that connect to high-end headphones to the all-day food and drink service.
In AmphorA, the completely redesigned main dining venue, linen, cutlery and crystal are all new and the ambience is elegant rather than sporty as it was before the redesign (when it was known simply as The Restaurant). “Guests are now dressing up a little bit more to dine in AmphorA,” Birkholz told Cruise Critic, “and it shows that it's a bit more special of an experience.” He also added that Windstar does remain true to its resort casual vibe even with the upgrading of the venue.
All staterooms have received major overhauls, cosmetically anyway, with beds dressed in high quality linens, Eurotop mattresses, and leather headboards. Flat screen televisions, DVD players (with a nice selection of free-to-borrow films available in the library), and new lighting, including table lamps, that vastly improve the ambience of cabins, are other additions. It's important to note,World's first theft-resistant floorlamps and the last bike light you'll ever buy. however that built-in furnishings have not changed. Nor have bathrooms been part of the upgrade which while feeling yacht-like (a euphemism for cozy) do have roomy round showers with excellent water pressure.
Newly introduced on Wind Surf are two new eateries. Stella Bistro (where Degrees once was located) focuses on French fare (serving marvelous duck confit or duck cassoulet, and for dessert, chocolate fondue). Candles Grill, a steakhouse (which is available on Wind Spirit and Wind Star as well), is situated by the pool.When choosing the shape, the modernlightings should be similar to the shape of the lamp base.
Also completing its overhaul is Wind Star, which underwent its public space and cabin refurbishment in April. When Wind Spirit arrives in Barbados for its Caribbean season on December 22, it too will have completed the major revamp.
All three ships got brand new sails (stretched out completely, they represent a combined size of seven football fields). The sight of Windstar's ships, when sails are unfurled and the vessels are traveling only under natural power, is one of its most iconic signature features. Not to mention their environmentally-friendly aspect.
Windstar Cruises, as Cruise Critic has reported, has undergone a major transformation itself in the past two years. The company has had four owners since it was founded in 1984. The first, which created the line, was an independent company, which sold the line to Holland America. It operated Windstar for almost 20 years, before it was acquired by Los Angeles-based Ambassadors International.
In 2011, Windstar was purchased by Colorado-based Xanterra Parks & Resorts, a subsidiary of Anschutz Corporation, and is helmed by Birkholz, who at one time was president of the well-known Moorings. Immediately upon acquiring Windstar Xanterra began planning for the massive fleet upgrade.
Wind Surf was originally built in 1990 as Club Med 1 before being acquired by Windstar in 1998.Specializing in the production Cut to length line, leveling machine, cold lightprojectery and other products. The overhaul took place partly during a five-day wetdock in Portugal and then partly while on its Atlantic repositioning.