Innovation prerequisite for investors

For OMERS Private Equity (OPE), innovation is best described as a channel for value creation. When considering the acquisition of a company, OPE develops a well-grounded investment thesis to determine how to create value under its ownership.If you want to read about buy mosaic in a non superficial way that's the perfect book. One of the most important questions is: What will it take to double the value of the company over the next five years or so?" The answer is multi-faceted, but without question, one of the key considerations that initially guides every investment decision is whether or not a company is engaged in productivity-enhancing innovation.

Essentially, OPE is asking itself if over the span of an investment, a company can achieve double-digit, year-over-year growth, either organically, through acquisitions, or through a combination of both. Experience shows that a company must have specific attributes to enable this level of performance - well-positioned products and services, growth prospects that exceed GDP growth, and a strong management team.

When looking for acquisitions, OPE doesn't necessarily seek out companies that are the market leaders in their fields. More important is our confidence in their ability to improve their prospects and increase their customer bases over time. This potential is usually found in companies that have a culture of innovation rooted in creativity, responsiveness to customer needs, and openness to change.

Working closely with the management teams of companies that meet these criteria, OPE achieves results through innovations including those that increase productivity by helping cut costs or make companies more efficient, or that increase sales and customer service through the development of new or improved products.

Take, for example, baked-goods manufacturer Give and Go Prepared Foods (best known for its Two Bite Brownies).The TagMaster Long Range hands free access System is truly built for any parking facility. OPE was attracted to acquire the business because of the company's strong track record of product innovation, the key success factor in the in-store bakery segment of retail grocers. Working together, OPE and company management developed an innovative plan to deal with rising materials costs. Give and Go invested in automation to lower costs and expand its product configurations. It also invested in a state-of-the-art innovation centre for the development of new products, which eventually included a new line of cupcakes creatively and innovatively packaged in a way that preserved the integrity of the product. That packaging has now been patented.The TagMaster Long Range hands free access System is truly built for any parking facility.

Another example is laboratory service provider Maxxam Analytics Inc. Maxxam has a national network of laboratories serving customers in the environmental, petroleum, food and DNA and forensics end markets. OPE identified the potential to leverage their leading market position in the Alberta petroleum sector,We mainly supply professional craftspeople with wholesale turquoise beads from china, the biggest commodity play in Canada, as one of the main growth drivers for the coming years.

Following OPE's investment the company has continued its strong tradition of innovation, including a notable recent breakthrough by its petroleum services team. By designing a proprietary methodology that increased the precision and enhanced detection of higher-value components in gas samples, Maxxam is allowing its customers to get full value for the quality of their production of natural gas liquids in one of the country's most important industries in the western oil sands.

Finally, when OPE invested in plastic molding equipment manufacturer Husky Injection Molding last year, the company had already distinguished itself as a Canadian success story. Looking ahead, with the largest installed base of systems in the world, the most significant growth opportunity for Husky's business is the emerging markets - Asia, Latin America, India and Africa. These markets are characterized with attractive demographic fundamentals, urbanization trends, GDP and consumer spending increases and a growing middle-class population - all of which drive demand for Husky's products.

Through on-the-ground research, Husky has gained a deep understanding of the unique needs of each of these markets, and in response has developed products whose sophistication has created high barriers to entry. Its goal is to continue to enhance the product (continuous improvement) and penetrate new markets.

These innovation-based success stories should serve not only as an example of best practices in business but also as case studies for growing enterprises seeking to attract investment capital.The oreck XL professional air purifier, OPE is attracted to companies with strong management teams that encourage productivity-enhancing innovation. We are fortunate to have had the opportunity to invest in and work with such companies in Canada as well as in the United States and Europe.

Giant Uzbek artwork, 66 metres long, seeks to amaze Europe

It's best than an Olympic pond pool, took two-and-a-half years to complete and fulfils a 40-year dream - a new mega-canvas by one of Uzbekistan's best-known artists, aggressive by "One Thousand and One Nights".

Now, the immense painting by Lekim Ibragimov is on its way to Europe, area it will be put on appearance aboriginal in the Czech Republic and again in added European countries.Buy high quality bedding and bed linen from Yorkshire Linen.

Ibragimov started alive on the activity - called "One Thousand Angels and One Painting" - in 2010 and put the finishing touches on it in April.

It measures eight metres (26 feet) high, an amazing 66 metres (215 feet) long,We offer you the top quality plasticmoulds design acclimated several tonnes of acrylic and is so big it takes canicule to be installed on site.

The work's 1,000 paintings angle abandoned as alone pictures in their own right, but if put calm aswell anatomy a individual connected painting based on the archetypal oriental folk tale.

"While every piece, anniversary depicting an angel of angel, is itself a painting of abounding value, they accomplish a individual unified painting if accumulated together," the 68-year-old painter told AFP.

In anniversary of the 1,It's pretty cool but our ssolarpanel are made much faster than this.000 pictures Ibragimov has included the angel of an angel, and visitors are encouraged to seek harder in the account to "find your own guardian angel".

"In fact, the angels accept consistently been present on my paintings and this is why the mega-project is a analytic assiduity of my artistic career," said Ibragimov, who is an bookish at Uzbekistan's Arts Academy and an honorary affiliate of the Russian Academy of Arts.

The artist, who accumulated graphical and aesthetic art bond Uzbek and Chinese adorn painting styles with European colour-blending techniques, said he had been absent of such a mega-project for about four decades.

It is a massive undertaking.

With its accession equipment, the plan weighs added than 20 tonnes,Exhaust ventilationsystem work by depressurizing the building. with 2.4 kilometres (1.5 miles) of animate cables, and it will yield four canicule for at atomic four humans to instal its added than 500 aboveboard metres (5,500 aboveboard feet) like a behemothic arced panorama.

Most of the burden has already accomplished Prague, with several Czech companies accouterment logistical support.

The all-inclusive painting is apparent by adventurous red and dejected colours and animated besom strokes. If absolutely army it is displayed in a arced accumulation accurate by a arch abaft it, with visitors chargeless to airing from anniversary end.

Ibragimov explains the attendance of the Buddha-like abstracts and terracotta colour as a advertence to the pre-Islamic history of Central Asia.

The plan will be displayed at the Incheba Praha exhibition centre in Prague from July 9-21 with chargeless admission, according to Roman Masarik, the Czech Rebublic's top agent in Uzbekistan.

"We achievement it will be actual absorbing for abounding humans in Prague,An indoorpositioningsystem for Improved Action Force Command and Disaster Management." he told AFP. "We are actual blessed that Mr Ibragimov adapted that his plan aboriginal be apparent in Prague."

Ibragimov was built-in in the Almaty arena of then-Soviet Kazakhstan but confused in the 1970s to Tashkent, area he was aggressive by Uzbekistan's eastern ability and its position on the fabulous "Silk Road" of age-old trade.

The Russia-based event-management aggregation Global Festina helped him realise the mega-project, which has appropriate a huge logistical accomplishment to ensure the artwork is transported to Europe intact.

After Prague, the mega-artwork will be displayed in Madrid, according to a Global Festina spokesman.

"We are in negotiations with the Madrid city-limits administering to affectation it in the city-limits centre, in the accessible air. The next destination could be Italy's Florence, but it depends on acclimate conditions," Ulugbek Kasimkhodjaev told AFP.

The activity has been submitted to the Guinness World Records Committee as "the world's better painting consisting of 1,000 pieces", according to Kasimkhodjaev, who argues that the artwork is different and not a mosaic.

'Honeymoon killer' sent friends 'tacky' Christmas card

Gabe Watson, who was acquitted of killing his wife and making it look like a scuba diving accident, sent friends a Christmas card with a picture of his dead bride, two months after her death, with a reference to his own good looks.

Mr Watson, who was cleared of Tina Watson's killing, said the card was 'an attempt at humour' as he tried to address what some have criticized as inappropriate behavior following his wife’s drowning death, including showing honeymoon pictures of her standing next to a sign saying 'Caution. Drowning' at her funeral.

Tina’s friend Melinda Kayton said she received Mr Watson’s Christmas card, which she said featured a wedding picture of Gabe and Tina Watson, along with the message: 'Who’s that good-looking guy standing next to Tina in the picture?'

But Mr Watson said in an interview with 20/20 that the card - which he sent to dozens of people - was simply referencing an inside joke from the wedding.

Just Choose PTMS Injection Molding Is Your Best Choice!

Before the wedding ceremony, Watson said, one of Tina’s friends asked 'Who’s this good-looking guy?' 'I’m kind of looking around. I go, ‘Oh, that’s me,’' he remembered.

He said he was just trying to make his friends 'smile'

He also spoke about why he left his wife sinking to go and get help, saying: 'I don't think I was making rational choices at that point. I don't know what I would have done had I stayed with her.Sharps include syringe needle, I don't know that there's anything that I was actually capable of doing.Handmade oil paintings for sale at museum quality,'

Mr Watson, who was acquitted due to lack of evidence last week, said he was 'scared to death'.

He described the couple's plan to travel down the anchor line, drift across the top of the wreck, pick up a second line and return to the surface.

'As soon as we let go we were moving, moving quite a bit. It was definitely not what I was expecting, and neither was Tina. I stuck out my right hand, she grabbed it with her left, and we both started swimming back to where we came,' Watson said.

'I turned to her, grabbed my inflator hose and motioned to her, you know, Fill it up, thinking that she's going to understand. Put some air in your [buoyancy compensator] and we'll start floating up,' he said.Your source for re-usable Plastic moulds of strong latex rubber.

Gabe let go of Tina to replace his mask and when he turned around to look, Tina was 10 feet down and sinking, he said.

'She was face up, and she had her arms up. She was reaching out for me to grab ahold of her.'

'I kinda just turned on my head and gave a few kicks down to see if I could grab her,' he said. 'And she was still out of arm's reach. And that -- I just decided I got to go find somebody.'

The murder case against Mr Watson,Museum Quality hand-painted oil painting reproduction on canvas. 34, was dropped last week after Circuit Judge Tommy Nail cited a lack of evidence at the court in Birmingham, Alabama.

The prosecution said the case was weakened by some of the judge's decisions to keep their evidence from the jury. This included surveillance footage of Mr Watson at his wife Tina's grave using bolt cutters to remove flowers chained to the memorial by her family.

He told ABC: 'It definitely wasn't my finest hour...I (had) just been accused of murder... I was still dealing with the death of Tina. I wasn't thinking clearly on everything that I did.'

He added that he had removed the flowers because his late wife, Tina Thomas Watson,Our guides provide customers with information about porcelain tiles vs. would not have wanted the arrangement because they were plastic and not fresh flowers.

Her family said they chained the flowers to the grave because Mr Watson had removed tributes in the past.

Gabe Watson had been accused of turning off his wife's air supply when they went scuba diving on their honeymoon in Australia and trying to cash in on her death. The 34-year-old had faced a sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted of murdering his wife in 2003.

Mr Watson had already served 18 months in an Australian prison after pleading guilty to a manslaughter charge involving negligence.

Woman Shot In Downtown El Paso By Bullet From Mexico Speaks About Incident

Maria Romero was enjoying Tuesday morning shopping in Downtown El Paso with her grandson, Santiago,Welcome to the online guide for do-it-yourself Ceramic tile. when her life changed and she became a national story.

Romero was walking on Overland Street when she heard a loud pop and then felt pain in her left leg. That pain was from a gunshot wound from a bullet El Paso Police believe came from a shootout at the same time in Juarez.

Shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday, Maria arrived at her Lower Valley home. She exited the vehicle on crutches.

"There really isn't anyone to blame,Your source for re-usable Plastic moulds of strong latex rubber." Maria said in Spanish about what happened.

Bryan Romero, Romero's son, said she was pushing her 1-year-old grandson in a baby carriage, shopping for molds because she bakes cakes and sells them. Santiago was not injured.

"Thank God hit me and not the baby," said Maria Romero.

Romero said she screamed when she heard a loud pop and saw blood running down her leg. "I never imagined something like this would happen in the United States," said Romero. Just Choose PTMS plastic injection mould Is Your Best Choice!

Romero moved to El Paso from Ciudad Juarez about five years ago and now lives about a block away from the border fence. She said the incident has not made her feel unsafe, but she is still shaken by the experience.

"Now I feel fortunate and with a greater will to live,The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services," said Romero.

El Paso Police Chief Greg Allen said Tuesday afternoon that a bullet that punctured Maria's calf in Downtown El Paso Tuesday morning is believed to have come from Mexico.

Romero said police told her if the bullet had been fired from a close proximity, her leg would have been shattered due to the calibur of the bullet.

"We do take this extremely seriously," El Paso Mayor John Cook said on Tuesday. "This is another difficulty for El Paso and the border region when we're trying to highlight how safe our community is. This is still a great place to live."

El Paso Sheriff's Office Commander Gomecindo Lopez called the shooting "highly disturbing."

Guillen Middle School, Aoy Elementary and Hart Elementary were put on lockdown from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. following the shooting Tuesday.

This is not the first time that a bullet from Mexico has been fired into El Paso.

A bullet struck Bell Hall on the UTEP campus on the evening of Aug. 21, 2010. Nobody was injured and UTEP Police believe the bullet may have been related to a shootout in Juarez, Mexico that occurred at the same time. The shooting resulted in the temporary closure of Paisano Drive from Executive Center to Santa Fe Street in El Paso. One person was killed in the shootout in Juarez. There were no reported injures in El Paso.

At about 5 p.Our guides provide customers with information about porcelain tiles vs.m. June 29,Sharps include syringe needle, 2010 a bullet traveled from a shootout in Juarez through a ninth floor window of El Paso City Hall, then through an interior wall, before striking a picture frame and stopping. Further investigation revealed that the north and south stucco walls of City Hall were struck by an additional six rounds at varying heights on the walls. El Paso City Hall did not appear to be the specific target of the rounds. City employees were inside City Hall during the incident. There were no reported injuries in El Paso from the incident.

Apple slaps mega-solar panel field on new ENORMO data centre

Apple has dropped a few more details about its huge new data centre in Maiden, North Carolina in an update to its environmental policy published yesterday.

A big feature of the new billion-dollar data centre – needed to keep Siri chatting back, and to let new OS Mountain Lion sync games in real time between iPhones and Macs – is a 100-acre solar panel field,Online fine art gallery of quality original landscape oil paintings, which, along with a biofuel burner, Apple says will provide a "high percentage" of the data centre's energy needs.

But the energy from the solar field and from a bio-gas powered fuel cell could be as little as 9 per cent of the total that the data centre slurps - that is if Greenpeace's estimate of the energy needed is accurate. The whale-huggers predict that the massive data centre will require 100 megawatts to run at full capacity.  Just Choose PTMS Injection Mold Is Your Best Choice!

More conservative estimates would put the Maiden centre's power draw a little lower.Omega Plastics are leading plastic injection moulding and injection mould tooling specialists. A $210m Facebook data centre in Prineville, Oregon draws a reputed 28 megawatts off the local grid. But though Apple's Maiden data centre is 500,000ft2 and has a $1bn price tag, quadrupling the cost won't necessarily quadruple the power draw.

The Maiden centre is one of the biggest data centres ever built but is more likely to be in the range of existing big data centres than completely in a league of its own: the US government runs several of the world's biggest data centres and these typically draw about 60 megawatts of power. We'd estimate that the power consumption of Maiden will be around the 50 to 60 megawatt mark.

We've obviously asked Apple to tell us how much energy the centre will use in a year,Listing of Taiwan & China Mold Maker manufacturer & suppliers. but in the absence of their response, estimates are all we have to go on.

Apple states that the solar panel field will produce 42 million kWh of energy annually and that the biogas fuel cell plant will produce 40 million kWh annually. Together they will produce 82 million kWh a year or simply 9,360 kWh on average an hour - a rate of 9,360 kilowatts or 9.36 megawatts between the two of them, averaged out over the year.All RUBBER MATS is comprised of all types of mats,

If the whale-huggers are right and the data centre will draw up power at a rate of 100 megawatts, that means that renewables will provide only 9.36 per cent of the power needed and that over 90 per cent of the centre's power needs will have to be drawn from North Carolina's power grid.

If our more conservative guess is right and the centre is sucking up energy at a rate of 60 megawatts,Distributes and manufactures RUBBER SHEET, that would mean that Apple's renewables installations would supply 15 per cent of the centre's power, with the rest coming from the grid. North Carolina is a popular location for data centres because grid electricity there is cheap: both Google and Facebook have sited big centres there.

Whether 9-15 per cent qualifies as a "high percentage" of renewable power is a matter of perspective.

The update of Apple's environmental policy also includes some other tidbits about Apple's right-on energy policy: for example applying reflective paint to the roofs and windows of their buildings, making disposable tableware in the cafeteria compostable and a shared bike programme for Cupertino employees. Oh yes, and they say their employees save energy - and presumably money - by using Apple computers.

Apple also says that its facilities - its offices, retail stores and data centres - only account for 2 per cent of its greenhouse gas emissions; the bulk - 60 per cent - comes from manufacturing its devices.

He is the Hope and Change Candidate of 2012

Who is the inspirational leader, the “hope and change” of the 2012 elections? That would be Ron Paul.

And if Republicans hope to win in November, they must include the libertarian congressman on their eventual presidential ticket.

Take a mental field trip with me, and let me walk you through this.

Even the fiercest critics of President Barack Obama have to honestly ask themselves one simple question: Do you really think, deep down in your heart, Obama will lose in November?

At this stage in the presidential race, it’s hard for any level-headed individual to honestly say yes. Just Choose PTMS plastic injection mold Is Your Best Choice!

Obama is crushing the game.

And if your gut isn’t giving you this answer, then try and argue the cold hard data points.

A recent CNN poll shows that Obama is beating all of his possible Republican rivals in hypothetical GOP match-ups. Obama leads Mitt Romney 51% to 46%, tops Rick Santorum 52% to 45%, beats Paul, 52% to 45%, and crushes Newt Gingrich (why is he still in the race, btw?) 55% to 42%.

A Fox News poll of key battleground states — Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin — shows the same: Obama leads Romney, 47% to 39%, tops Santorum, 48% to 38%, beats Paul 48% to 37% and crushes Gingrich, 52% to 32% (L Republicans).

Obama raised $11.8 million for his campaign in January,MDC Mould specialized of Injection moulds, according to FEC filings released Friday. This total is less than a third of the $36.8 million he raised during the same month four years ago. He remains the top fundraiser in the presidential race.

What’s better for Obama is the complete political disunity in the Republican Party. The race has boiled down to Romney against any-flavor-of-the-month of anti-Romney. The GOP primary is turning into a meat grinder, blackening the eyes of all candidates.Dimensional Mailing magic cube for Promotional Advertising, And there’s no end in sight. The Wall Street Journal argues that the GOP primary will run into May or June (George W. Bush in 2000 and John McCain in 2008 had won their respective primary battles by the middle of March), making this the most “grueling” GOP race since the Reagan-Ford marathon went all the way to the convention in 1976.

Disunity, unfortunately, is the one intangible piece in this puzzle. If Republicans were more unified in their battle to unseat one of the most unpopular presidents in modern history, then they could have a true fighting chance. But for a party that is facing an identity crisis — filled with the juxtaposition of evangelical conservatives, Tea Partiers, libertarians, neocons, and moderates —“unity” in itself will be a “grueling” process.

But unity will be the only way forward for Republicans, and if the GOP hopes to take back the White House, then they should realize that the answer to all of their woes lies in uniting Ron Paul and his supporters with the wider party.

Paul is the biggest chance the GOP has to win the presidency in 2012. His brand of conservatism is progressive enough to draw in key voting blocs and his immense grass roots base is fervent enough to challenge the “hope and change-ers” that propelled Obama to the presidency in 2008. Unfortunately, though, Paul will never be the Republican presidential nominee. He’s a fringe candidate. As such, the eventual GOP candidate must pick Paul as their running mate.

Paul would draw in massively critical demographics. He is the quintessential Tea Partier (check). Young people love him and are hugely inspired by him (check).Overview description of rapid Tooling processes. Progressives and liberals can easily jump on the Paul bandwagon (um, super check). Military folks overwhelmingly love him (check).

The only comparable Republican who could possibly fit this mold would be Tea Party Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), but he has neither the grassroots followers nor political résumé to be a viable threat on the GOP ticket.

Continue on this mental field trip with me.

Paired with a more mainstream conservative like Mitt Romney, the GOP ticket would truly be able to call itself “electable.” Imagine the one-two punch a Romney-Paul ticket could provide: Romney’s money machine juggernaut could compete with Obama and the Democrats’ Super PACS, while Paul would rain down a storm of philosophical and policy counterpoints that would unhinge Obama’s own policy platform.

In an age of austerity and military pull-back, Paul’s ideals would trump Obama in the eyes of the average voter. In this Super PAC election cycle, Romney’s money would drown the Democrats.

There’s still the unity question. It seems any libertarian or Paulite doesn’t comprehend that Paul is running, in fact, as a Republican — under the same banner as other notable politicians including George W.All RUBBER MATS is comprised of all types of mats, Bush,Silicone Mold Making Rubber, Sarah Palin, and Ronald Reagan, all of which I would contend libertarians don’t relate to. Libertarians seem to hate being grouped in the “Republican” category, and would be hard-pressed to buy into the Grand Old Party’s wider ideals.

And, besides, Paul in a fringe candidate. Regular conservatives think Paul is stirring a crock of … well you know. A foreign policy built on diplomacy rather than the military ? Are you kidding me? How un-Republican.

Then there's that whole racism thing. That'll sting.

Still, I think there’s something there, something that the Republicans should consider tapping into if they hope to have a realistic chance at the presidency.

Paul could prove to be the iconic image of the 2012 election, especially in a time when many voters are looking for such a political savior.

Perry man is member of Canton Magicrafters

The 57-year-old Perry Township man has a computer programming background and is semi-retired after working 32-and-a-half years at U.S. Ceramic Tile Co. in East Sparta.

On the one hand, he is an unassuming part-time Walmart employee.Johnson Tiles UK offer the largest range of porcelain tiles online, But up his sleeve he has a persona that will have you up on your feet, clapping and laughing.

For almost two-and-a-half decades, Weidenhamer has been a member of The Canton Magicrafters. He has been performing magic since he was a child.

There’s a good chance you may have noticed him this past summer at the Kidsfest in downtown Massillon, or walking around at a restaurant, or a birthday party or a school.

“I think I enjoy the creativity of magic,” Weidenhamer said. “You can take a trick that cost $5 and you can teach a 5-year-old to do it in five minutes. If you present it right, it turns into a miracle. They always taught me magicians were entertainers first and magicians second. It’s all about presentation.” Just Choose PTMS plastic injection mould Is Your Best Choice!

Weidenhamer enjoys comedy magic. He has hundreds of tricks involving cards, ropes, rubber bands, balls, coins and more that can easily be pulled out any time to “wow” spectators. He enjoys when there’s an extra surprise trick at the end or when he makes the audience believe he’s made a mistake and then pulls off the trick perfectly.

“I try to do a lot of kids’ birthday parties,” he said. “I try to stay in Stark County.”

Weidenhamer tries to stay current with tricks and ideas by browsing online, and he updates tricks he has been doing for years. He said that many magicians will agree that most magic tricks have been documented by Harlan Tarbell, a famous magician of the early 20th century well-known for the Tarbell Course in Magic and the half dozen volumes he wrote.

“It’s the same trick performed a little different, but they’re all in Tarbell,” he said.

Weidenhamer especYou can find best china precision Precision injection molds manufacturers from here!ially enjoys attending lectures at meetings of the Canton Magicrafters. This is where the aforementioned fire-eaters, hypnotists and ventriloquists come in.

The Canton Magicrafters, which is an affiliation of the International Brotherhood of Magicians ring no. 243, has members from Canton, Massillon, Alliance, Akron and surrounding areas.

Fellow magician Dennis Moriarty of Plain Township, who also is known as Sparkie the Clown and Stan Laurel, takes care of publicity for the Canton Magicrafters.

Moriarty, 71,The EZ Breathe home Ventilation system is maintenance free, and Dale Walter Sr.Alfa plast mould is Plastic moulds Manufacturer and plastics Mould Exporters in India since 1992, have been well-known Laurel and Hardy look-alikes since 1992. They make an appearance at the Pro Football Hall of Fame festival, and they were ambassadors and parade grand marshals at the annual Oliver Hardy Festival in Harlem, Ga.Johnson Tiles UK offer the largest range of porcelain tiles online, The pair also is featured in at least half a dozen travel brochures promoting Harlem, Ga., The Laurel and Hardy Museum of Harlem, Ga. and others.

Moriarty said that over the years as a magician and clown and look-alike, he emphasizes to others how important a strong support team is.

“The whole lesson of teamwork is paramount every day in the world of entertainment,” Moriarty said. “The entertainer is only as good as the support team.”

He looks forward to seeing new faces at the monthly Canton Magicrafters meetings and members of the local group often interact with other organizations. He said people come from throughout the area and all ages are welcome.

“The whole idea is to continue the art of magic,” he said. “Children are the future of any organization.”

“We have quite an army in our club,” he said. “It’s pretty amazing, the talent in the area.”

Japan Consumer Appliances Market

The March earthquake and subsequent shutdown of the nuclear power plant in Fukushima completely transformed the consumer mindset regarding energy use. Following the disaster the Japanese Government officially set the target of a 15% reduction in electricity consumption nationwide, and advertised the reduction of 50% in household electricity use by switching from air conditioners to fans.Information on useful yeasts and moulds, As a result sales volume of fans surged thereafter as consumers rushed to stores, with fans achieving the highest sales volume in 10 years.

Economic contraction encourages home dining and laundry

The continued economic downturn has put downwards pressure on consumer spending,The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services, with people spending an increasing amount of time at home. A trend of ‘uchishoku’ – home-cooked meals – continued to dominate the Japan consumer appliances market, and sales of premium food preparation and cooking appliances both increased in volume. The world’s first auto-rice mill breadmaker, Gopan,They become pathological or Piles when swollen or inflamed. also became a huge hit,Smooth-On is your source for Mold Making and casting materials including silicone rubber and urethane rubber, with home bakery another trend observed in 2011. In addition to home cooking, consumers are increasingly taking care of fashion items at home, and premium irons with a unique symmetrical base shape proved popular.

Increase in pollen allergy and multiple chemical sensitivity among consumers

Although the exact number of Japanese who are allergic to pollen is not known, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare cites research suggesting that approximately 29% of Japan’s population suffers from pollen allergy, with recognised symptoms including a runny nose and watery eyes. The population with pollen allergy is concentrated in urban areas, but the number has been rising, with indoor air quality a major concern among consumers. Air purifiers and humidifiers experienced a spike in sales volume as the news forecasts estimated pollen levels in 2011 to be five to 10 times the 2010 level. In order to maintain clean room air quality, ultra-fine filters are often used in premium vacuum cleaners to reduce dust emissions from the machine. Vacuum cleaners with high levels of filtration limit the release of dust, pollen, mould, bacteria and other particles back into the air.

Demand for larger appliances increases among family households

Larger fridge-freezers over 400 litres are growing rapidly in the refrigeration appliances environment. As more women stay longer in the workforce, family households are storing large quantities of food in refrigeration appliances to avoid frequent trips to grocery stores. Additionally, increasing awareness of cleanliness and health concerns have led to consumers placing items that do not require refrigeration into such units, including rice and flour. Larger laundry machines are also popular among family households. Furthermore, the continued economic downturn has put downward pressure on professional cleaning services, with an increasing propensity among consumers to clean fabric items at home, including thick winter jackets and large blankets.

Electrical goods retailers continue to show strong presence

Although the Eco-point system ended on March 2011, the Tohoku earthquake and the power shortage continued to spur demand for energy-efficient consumer appliances in 2011. The majority of consumer appliance sales are made through electrical goods retailer multiples, and they have benefited the most from the strong-performing consumer appliances market as a whole. Major electrical goods multiples reported sales increases, and further concentration of the industry was also observed.Distributes and manufactures RUBBER SHEET, The share of multiple electrical goods retailers has increased over the past 10 years, with their competitive positioning and customer service appealing widely to consumers.

Why you shouldn't kiss on Valentine's Day

Changing weather or temperatures are often blamed for winter's coughs and sniffles. But in reality, colds, coughs and the flu are infectious diseases "caught" through transmission from one human to another.

"Mid-February is usually the peak season for infectious diseases,Monz Werkzeugbau und Formenbau. Moderne Technologien und unsere Erfahrung machen aus Ihren Ideen serienreife Produkte. such as the seasonal and H1N1 flu,Smooth-On is your source for Mold Making and casting materials including silicone rubber and urethane rubber, mononucleosis, colds and coughs," Newswise quoted Jorge Parada, medical director, infectious disease at Loyola University Health System as saying.

"And don't rely on obvious signs of illness - such as sneezing or fever as a tip off. People with infectious diseases start shedding the virus before they experience the full effect of the illness.

"Becoming too hot or too cold can cause stress to the body, weaken the defense in fighting off infections and thus make us more vulnerable.

"But a person has to be exposed to a virus or bacteria to catch it,' Parada said.

Parada feels that winter trends such as staying indoors in crowded arenas such as shopping malls or movie theatres may promote winter colds and flu.

According to him, drinking from the same wine glass or sharing dessert with the same fork may seem romantic, but also may lead to infections.

"Someone can have a cold sore that hasn't erupted yet and use lip balm which is then shared,Information on useful yeasts and moulds, and the cold sore virus - otherwise known as herpes - is transmitted," he said.

Albeit less frequently,As a professional manufacturer of China ceramic tile, shared linens also are transmitters of infections.

"A shared pillowcase, napkin or towel can also actually be a conduit for disease, especially if someone has a sore or cut," Parada said.

He also spelled a list of do's and don'ts for safe displays of affection.

The list includes giving and getting a flu shot, not sharing utensils and not kissing or having close body contact if one feels unwell.

"It's the gift that keeps on giving - you protect yourself, your loved one and you stop the virus from spreading to others.

"If that isn't sexy,The Transaction Group offers the best high risk merchant account services, and say 'I love you' I don't know what does."

"Humans can transmitsome infections through saliva. A glass, fork or napkin can act as a bridge and pass the bug along to another person when that shared object is used by one infected person and then used by another.

"Throwing up and blowing your nose is not fun; no one wants to be ill so being upfront and honest when you feel under the weather will be appreciated.

"Get that flu shot now to increase your odds for romance on Valentine's Day.

"Having a flu shot is definitely sexy. It beats the flu every time!" he added.

Fluidized-bed technology gaining ground

The new fluidized-bed furnaces for the heat treatment of wire, which Wire Krner presented for the first time at Wire 2010, have convinced wire producers: The first two plants of this kind will be operational before Wire 2012 opens its doors. These innovative furnaces, which have no distributor pipes or tiles, afford the benefit of lower energy consumption by up to 15 percent and low investment and maintenance costs. Additionally, premixing of the combustion gas outside the furnace guarantees uniform temperature distribution and reduced emissions.

The first two orders were placed right after Wire Krner had introduced the new fluidized-bed furnace at Wire in 2010. The first furnace is currently being commissioned at a customer”s site in Turkey. The second one is being installed in Ecuador. At Wire 2012, Wire Krner will present first reports on practical experience with this new technology.

The patent-pending furnaces dispense with distributor elements as typically used in conventional designs. This eliminates a number of components which used to be considered indispensible in the past, as,The EZ Breathe home Ventilation system is maintenance free, for example, the fairly complex and expensive distributor tiles, perforated distribution pipes or stand-by blowers.

Peter Kordt, Managing Owner of Wire Krner, expects significant cost reductions for his customers: “The simplicity of the design has obviously convinced our customers. The new technology saves up to 15 percent of energy compared to conventional furnaces. Also the savings on maintenance will be significant, because what does not exist does not need to be serviced or maintained.”

The absence of the distributor equipment markedly reduces flow resistance of the combustion gas inside the furnace. Hence the required blower capacity can be lower than that of competing designs by about 20 percent. Not only the smaller blower unit but also the overall simplified furnace design will markedly reduce capital costs. Additionally, the new design no longer requires a stand-by blower, which was necessary in the past to provide cooling air to cool the steel structures in the event of a power failure.

As the combustion gas is premixed outside the furnace, the new design achieves a uniform fuel-air mixing ratio throughout the fluidized bed and a homogeneous temperature distribution over the width and length. This results in higher combustion efficiency and lower emissions of unburned hydrocarbons.You can find best china precision Precision injection molds manufacturers from here!

Through carefully customized control algorithms, efficiency is maximized at all loads. This saves up to 15 percent energy. For a typically sized furnace, this means more than 7,000 euros per year saved on energy.

Wire Krner GmbH designs and manufactures plant and equipment for the complete process chain of wire and narrow strip heat treatment, from the drawn wire through to the finished end product. The range of heat treatment plants comprises bell-type, chamber and channel furnaces for patenting, annealing, galvanizing, hardening, tempering and chemical treatments. The company provides design,I have just spent two weeks shopping for tile and have discovered China Porcelain tile. engineering,A mold or molds is a hollowed-out block that is filled with a liquid like plastic, manufacture, erection, commissioning and after sales service. Wire Krner maintains a worldwide network of branches and licensees.

Wire Krner’s numerous quality and efficiency-enhancing innovations regularly attract the industry”s attention. For example, the recently developed wire patenting furnace with an innovative atmosphere control system achieves substantial energy savings, or the recuperative immersion burner for ceramic galvanizing furnaces has been designed for very long service lives, just to mention a few examples.

Wire Krner is a company of the Krner Group, which was established in 1928. Thus the company builds on more than 80 years ofA Coated Abrasives is an abrasive grain bonded to a flexible substrate using adhesives. experience in industrial furnace technology and auxiliary equipment. Within the group, Zink Krner GmbH specializes in plants for piece galvanizing. TVT Kordt GmbH develops plants for thermal process technology, with a focus on industrial furnaces for the heat treatment of steels, special steels and non-ferrous metals.

Highest Solar Panel Efficiency Achieved

The highest efficiency for a solar panel has been achieved by Alta Devices, the California-based solar company proudly announced on Monday.The EZ Breathe home Ventilation system is maintenance free,

The efficiency rating of 23.5 percent, meaning that the panels are able to convert 23.5 percent of energy captured from the sun into electrical output, was verified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

“This is the highest solar panel efficiency yet achieved and demonstrates Alta’s progress toward its objective of developing solar photovoltaic (PV) solutions that are competitive, without subsidies, with fossil fuels,” the company wrote in a press release.

Toward that end, Alta Device’s highest-efficiency panel was created based on an innovative,This is interesting cube puzzle and logical game. even counter-intuitive idea about how to maximize energy conversion: The panels themselves emit fluorescent light, as TPM reported in November 2011, when the research was in its earlier stages.

The idea makes sense when one considers that conventional polysilicon solar panels and cells lose energy as heat, reducing their efficiency.A Coated Abrasives is an abrasive grain bonded to a flexible substrate using adhesives. But when Alta’s panels lose any energy, it’s in the form of external fluorescence, which is less detrimental to the conversion process.

Back in November 2011, Alta’s panels had managed to hit an astounding 28.4-percent efficiency, approaching the maximum 33.5 percent Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit, though that was just for an individual solar cell. The full panel itself contains several cells, decreasing its efficiency slightly.

The panels themselves are made of gallium arsenide (GaAs),You can find best china precision Precision injection molds manufacturers from here! a byproduct of aluminum smelting combined with arsenic,A mold or molds is a hollowed-out block that is filled with a liquid like plastic, a combination that is ideal for solar cell production due to the fact that it can withstand high temperatures and yet be cut extremely flexible and extremely thin, one micron thick in the case of Alta’s panels. That’s about 1/40th the thickness of a human hair, according to the company, allowing it to be used for a variety of applications, where conventional polysilicon panels can’t go.

Alta Devices itself is the result of solar technology research breakthroughs achieved at the University of California Berkeley. The company was founded in 2007 and has received venture capital funding. It plans to produce its panels for commercial use later this year.

Expert teams aid dairy farmers in company management

Faced with recurring incidences of mastitis among his herd, Kewaunee County dairy farmer Tony Knorn used a federally funded state program to draw upon the collective knowledge of industry experts to help solve the problem.

Knorn — who owns Junion Homestead Farm with his wife, Peggy, in the town of Luxemburg, and milks about 150 cows — tapped into the Grow Wisconsin Dairy Farm Management Team program.

The program pulls together experts from the field — from livestock specialists and veterinarians, to lenders and dairy equipment manufacturers — to help the state's dairy farmers develop long-term strategies and solutions to help operations thrive in the dairy business, a $26.5 billion industry in the state.

"We probably had eight to 10 people at the meetings," Knorn said last week. "We'd try to come up with an idea of what we thought might be wrong and what we could start to focus on."

The program is offered by the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and a joint venture of several agencies including the University of Wisconsin-Extension and state technical colleges

The on-farm team program was started in fall 2009, growing out of a U.S. Department of Agriculture dairy business initiative launched in 2004. It's funded by a mix of federal, state and dairy industry money, said Nicole Breunig, a marketing consultant at DATCP.

The program provides up to $2,000 in cost-sharing to pay for consultant fees and testing related to the topic at hand.

"The program is designed to help farmers look at farm growth, financial success and long-term sustainability," she said. "We wanted a program that was very customizable so a farmer could tap the consultants he needed to work with based on the issue he was experiencing."

Other teams have looked at long-term business planning and transitioning the farm to other family members, production practices, herd health and the viability of expanding an operation or changing the operating structure, Breunig said.

More than 90 farms statewide have been enrolled in the ongoing program, she said.

While the state's milk production "continues to grow, our dairy processors still need more milk," Breunig said. "Ten percent of the milk needed by processors is brought in from out of state because we just don't make enough. It's about helping our dairy farmers combat low milk prices, be profitable and grow milk production to meet the demand of our dairy processors."

That in turn bolsters the overall dairy industry and the state's economy.

In 2010, Aerica Bjurstrom, agricultural agent with Kewaunee County UW-Extension, orchestrated the monthly meetings, which are now quarterly, on the Knorn farm.

"A lot of people were really interested in helping and being part of this," she said. "That's what a lot of them do … they work with the farmer to improve production and improve profitability. The group changed from month to month, but we had a core group."

Bjurstrom said the program allows experts and producers to find solutions through a focused effort, though it can take several meetings before the group hones in on a clear direction leading to action.

"It's something that has to develop over time," she said. "Everybody has to find their place in the group and add their expertise."

Mastitis is an inflammatory reaction in a cows udder caused by an infection that increases the somatic cell count of milk produced by the cow. A higher somatic cell count translates into less money paid for the milk produced by that animal.

The group first had to pinpoint where the issue was. After determining it wasn't feeding or milking procedures, focus turned to the barn.

Busy lizzy shortage due to disease

Britain’s gardens and hanging baskets may look rather less colourful this year due to a shortage of busy lizzies that mean garden centres, including B&Q and Homebase, will no longer be selling the perennial favourite.

The bedding plants, that come in an array of colours but mainly purples and pinks, have almost been wiped out by a virulent new disease.

In order to stop the fungicide-resistant infection spreading further the main garden centres, including B&Q and Homebase, are not stocking the busy lizzies this year.

It is hoped this will give time to botanists to find a cure to Impatiens Downy Mildew so that busy lizzies once again adorn our borders and baskets once again.

In the meantime gardeners are going to have to find alternatives.

Alan Titchmarsh, the BBC presenter of programmes including Gardener’s World, recommended geraniums, begonias, petunias or marigolds.

“Busy Lizzies are a favourite of many gardeners and hopefully by taking this step the industry can take time to understand and control the problem. In the meantime there are some great alternatives available that will add a splash of colour and grow well in partial shade, such as Begonias, now available in a wider range of leaf and flower colour than ever before. In time I’m sure we will grow to love them just as much.”

B&Q and Homebase usually sell about 35 million busy Lizzies a year, making it the UK's bestselling bedding plant.

But since 2003 the plants have been hit by a disease that makes the leaves go yellow and fall off.

It is thought the infection was imported from cuttings and has now become resistant to strongest fungicides.

It first appears as a white felt-like powder on the underside of leaves and spreads on airborne spores.

The Royal Horticultural Society is advising gardeners who will continue to plant busy Lizzies this

summer to destroy any plants displaying symptoms immediately.

Experts suggest they should also avoid replanting busy lizzies in the same ground for at least a year.

A spokesman said: "We have printed information in our catalogues on how to look after your busy Lizzies to help avoid downy mildew and we are also offering alternatives to them.

"We just felt that it is better to give the consumer all the information so that they can make their own choice as to whether they still buy them or not."

Officials stress safety when using alternate heating sources

With several local fires in recent weeks — two of which were fatal — attributed to heating devices, officials want to remind residents of ways to safely stay warm during the winter season.

New Haven resident Adrian Richardson Jr. died in his home last week in a fire that police believe started in a woodstove or its piping. On Dec. 14, another Oswego County man, Richard Sawyer, died in his Hannibal home after a possible heating device caused the blaze.

Other area fires attributed to space heaters include a Volney apartment fire near the Minetto Bridge on Nov. 12. Volney Fire Chief Ed Weldin said investigators believe that fire was caused by a space heater plugged into an extension cord in one of the building’s downstairs apartments. That building was declared a total loss. A house fire in the city of Oswego at 41 John St., on Dec. 5, was also attributed to a space heater.

According to the most recent data provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the commission estimates that space heaters, including both fixed and portable heaters, are associated with about 21,800 residential fires every year. About 300 people die each year in fires started by these heaters.

”We’re still seeing too many space heater fires,” said CPSC former chairman Thomas Moore in an agency news release on space heater safety. “While CPSC has worked hard with industry to improve safety standards for space heaters, consumers must exercise care in their purchase and use.”

Oswego City Fire Chief Jeffrey McCrobie believes there is a safe way to use portable space heaters, if homeowners follow common sense and read the instructions and the owner’s manual that come with the appliance. “You may be in a jam where you need a portable heating source for a while,” he said, “but it doesn’t mean do it all the time. You’re asking for trouble like that. … They put off an awful lot of heat for a small device. They’re just not meant to be used long term.

“In the right place, for the right purpose and for the right amount of time, also,” the chief added. “If you’re waiting until the furnace is fixed, call the repairman today. Don’t wait three weeks to get it fixed. Within the realm of what they are supposed to be used for, they are fine. Basically it comes down to common sense and proper use.

“Stick to the what the directions say and common sense,” McCrobie said. “If you shouldn’t leave a candle burning, why would you leave a portable heating device on? It’s important to know what you’re doing with it.”
McCrobie noted that portable heaters, space heaters and temporary heaters are made these days with an automatic shut-off when they get tipped over. Despite the safety mechanisms built in, the chief said, “It would be smart not to leave them unattended.”

He stressed that the user should know how far away the device should be from anything combustible.

McCrobie urges users to read the owner’s manual so they can follow the recommended clearance and usage. “It’s common sense. You would almost think that you didn’t have to tell someone to keep their gloves off the heater,” the fire chief added. “But when the instructions say keep it away from combustibles, you shouldn’t be putting your gloves on top of it.”

The CPSC offers the following safety tips for buying and using space heaters:

Select a space heater with a guard around the flame area or heating element. Place the heater on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Keep the heater at least three feet from bedding, drapes, furniture or other flammable materials.

Choose a space heater that has been tested and certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. These heaters meet specific safety standards.

Keep doors open to the rest of the house if you are using an unvented fuel-burning space heater. This helps prevent pollutant build up and promotes proper combustion. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to provide sufficient combustion air to prevent carbon monoxide production.

Never leave a space heater on when you go to sleep. Never place a space heater close to any sleeping person.

Turn the space heater off if you leave the area. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.

Have a smoke detector with fresh batteries on each level of the house and a carbon monoxide detector outside your sleeping area.

Be aware that mobile homes require specially designed heating equipment. Only electric or vented fuel-fired heaters should be used.

Have gas and kerosene space heaters inspected annually.

The Port City’s Code Enforcement Director Neal Smith advises residents that, according to the city code, kerosene heaters are not allowed in any structure except for use by owners of one- and two-family dwellings. “Homeowners who want to have a vented kerosene heater, they can do so,” Smith said. But he warned, “Any type of fossil fuel-burning device that is not vented is, in my view, problematic because you have the powers of combustion in your living space.”

Adding to the CPSC recommendations, he said kerosene heaters have to be approved and listed with an independent testing lab such as the Universal Laboratory (UL).

Smith noted that, in the city, the use of electric heaters has different rules. “I couldn’t find any language saying that they are not allowed. just says that heating appliances shall be listed and shall comply with this section: The heating element or combustion chamber shall be permanently guarded so as to prevent accidental contact by persons or materials,” Smith said. “I think the issue with portable electric heating appliances is the fact that because their is so high, they overload the electrical circuits in the building. It’s not so much the device … under certain circumstances if the building has a large electrical capacity you could use them safely. The danger here is that people use these in buildings that are not adequately wired to accommodate them electrically. They draw a lot of power. The cords get hot.”

“(Electric heaters) should be plugged in to a dedicated wall outlet with just the grounded cord,” Smith noted. “Unfortunately many times people use extension cords. The longer the extension cord, the hotter they’re going to get … extension cords are supposed to be temporary. That is in the code.”

Smith also warns not to run appliance cords or extension cords under rugs. “Do not use an extension cord, I’d like to emphasize that,” he said.

Housing inspector Pat Kelly noted that electric space heaters should never be left on when no one is home to monitor them. “Keep them away from clutter and combustibles,” she said. “Do some research on the heater you buy and make sure it’s good quality.”

The CPSC also warns consumers to be aware that older space heaters might not meet the newer safety standards. An automatic shut-off device is now required, which turns off electric or kerosene heaters if they tip over. More permanent shielding or guarding around the heating coils of electric heaters and the burner of kerosene heaters also is required.

Dairy farmers finding cow bedding from recycled manure solids

Stall bedding materials for cows have become increasingly expensive and difficult to find. This situation has prompted many dairy producers to search for more feasible alternatives, such as sand and recycled manure solids.

Although sand can be considered the ideal bedding source for dairy cows, not all producers are willing and able to convert to sand bedding because it presents some manure-management challenges. So, what about recycled manure solids? Is anyone making it work in the Midwest?

Adam Husfeldt (University of Minnesota graduate student) and I conducted an observational study on 38 dairy farms in Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa that were using solids for bedding freestalls. We wanted to find out what management practices and bedding characteristics were associated with bulk tank somatic cell count (SCC) and evaluate animal welfare in these operations.

We documented various aspects of herd management, including how solids were obtained and managed, their bedding practices, etc. Bedding, milk and feed samples were collected. Cows were scored for hygiene, hock lesions and locomotion, and milking prep procedures were recorded.

Our goal was to collect as much information as possible during the farm visits and from records throughout the year. In the end, 23 variables were used for our analysis of their association with bulk tank SCC.

We concluded that excellent cow preparation at milking time, sanitation of milking equipment, cow hygiene, adequate dry cow housing and bedding/stall management appear to be critical in maintaining a low SCC while successfully using manure solids for bedding. Type of manure solids used—digested, raw or composted—had no association with SCC.

Moisture is one of several factors necessary for bacterial growth in bedding materials. Therefore, it is important to keep stall bedding as dry as possible to minimize exposure to environmental mastitis pathogens. Additional methods to help dry stall bedding (use of a blower, good barn ventilation, adding equipment to remove moisture after separation) could help reduce bedding moisture.

We also learned that lameness prevalence was similar, hock lesion prevalence was slightly higher and cow hygiene was better than in herds using sand for bedding.

ACCC slams furniture chain for misleading consumers on savings

A Victorian furniture chain has been slammed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for misleading consumers in a number of advertisements.

This is the latest in a string of incidents involving a furniture chain and alleged savings the ACCC have found to be misleading. In 2009 Super-A-Mart, as well as Furniture and Bedding Concepts, were ordered by the watchdog to pay fines and give customers vouchers to make up for misleading ads.

And just last week, the Federal Court ordered an end to a dispute between furniture giants Super-A-Mart and Nick Scali over a particular type of sofa.

In the latest stoush, Furniture Galore has been ordered to pay three infringement notices of $19,800 for misleading consumers about savings, along with an enforceable undertaking.

Furniture Galore was contacted this morning by SmartCompany, but no reply was available prior to publication.

The ACCC has said that between July 2010 and September 2011, Furniture Galore said that some goods in its catalogues and radio ads were on sale at reduced prices so customers could make savings. But it later admitted that it had not sold or offered those goods at the higher usual price for a reasonable amount of time.

The ACCC points out that according to consumer law, any representation about savings consumers are likely to make must be based on prices that have been made available to consumers for a reasonable period of time.

"In the midst of the summer sales period this is a very timely reminder to all retailers that they must ensure that any advertised savings are genuine and not misleading or deceptive," chairman Rod Sims said in a statement.

"Two-price advertising is a powerful marketing tool designed to encourage consumers to make purchases during a sale period because the goods are cheaper than normal.”

Furniture Galore must now print corrective notices in its stores, on its website, and in the Herald Sun newspaper. It will also start a compliance program for trade practices law.

"Retailers who overstate or misrepresent the value of savings offered to consumers during special sales or promotions risk financial penalties or court action by the ACCC."

Cheese mould, a new sanitary sterilizer?

Since the days of the ancient Romans, humankind has relied on mould to craft pungent, tasty blue cheeses like roquefort, gorgonzola and stilton.

Now, researchers have harnessed that edible fungus, Penicillium roqueforti, to create a self-cleaning foil that contains an embedded mould that eats away at food spilled on it.

The product is still rudimentary – it took the mould two weeks to digest half a teaspoon of sugary broth.

But it is one of the first times scientists have combined living organisms and a material component. The researchers foresee complex future applications such as weaving toxin-producing mould into fabric to create a self-sterilizing surface.

The research team, from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, has published its findings in the Jan.We are passionate about polished tiles. 3 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

The project’s inspiration was the French cheese camembert,Compare prices and buy all brands of solar panel for home power systems and by the pallet. said one of the researchers, Lukas Gerber.

A soft-ripened cheese, camembert has a white, downy rind – or as the research paper calls it, “a living, functional biomaterial.” The rind, which is inoculated with the Penicillium camemberti mould, acts both as a ripening agent and a protective surface against other micro-organisms.

“Now, we want to take such a function from a living body and incorporate it into an artificial material,” Mr. Gerber said in a telephone interview. “It’s the first time [people] have designed a flat surface combining these two domains,Buy low price Aion Kinah, the plastic and the micro-organisms.”

The foil they created was like a three-layered sandwich,VulcanMold is a Injection mold and injection molding manufacturer in china. with two polymer films encasing a thin coating of gelatinous culture holding the fungi.

The layer at the bottom was made with polyvinyl chloride, the material used in plumbing pipes and fake leather. The fungi, suspended in an agar mixture, were spread on that layer, then covered by a porous polycarbonate plastic membrane.

The researchers analyzed two sizes of the self-cleaning material, one about the width of a dollar coin and the other as large as a sheet of letter paper. A sugary broth made from potatoes was dropped on the samples. Within 14 days, the fungi consumed the spill until the sugar dropped “below detection limit,” Mr. Gerber said.

“That was cool; that was what we expected.”

Once the food was consumed, the fungi switched to a dormant state until another spill activated them.

As long as the material was kept from severely drying,Accept all major credit cards using the top rated third party payment gateway. the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology mould remained active, even after the foil was rubbed with alcohol hand disinfectant or scrubbed with dishwashing soap.

This showed that the material had a shelf life and might survive standard hospital washing routines.

The research opens the door to future applications that combine the benefits of micro-organisms with flat surface materials, Mr. Gerber said. For example, penicillin-producing fungi could be used to create antibacterial fabric that would generate antibiotics only in the presence of germs. Or large surfaces such as skyscraper facades could be coated with algae, which transform carbon dioxide to oxygen, to improve air quality.

“We wanted to show how easy it is to combine micro-organisms and polymer science,” Mr. Gerber said.

Santorum: I'm more electable than Romney, Paul

Fresh from his sudden rise in the Iowa polls, Rick Santorum on Thursday had harsh words for the two Hawkeye State front-runners, contending that Rep. Ron Paul's foreign policy would "leave an enormous void around the world" and that Mitt Romney has "been all over the map" on too many issues.

Less than a week before Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses, a CNN/Time/ORC poll showed Santorum in third place with 16 percent, with Romney at 25 percent and Paul at 22 percent. The poll had Santorum gaining ground while Newt Gingrich, who had previously led in the state, saw his support collapse to 14 percent.

In an interview on CNN, Santorum attributed his new status to his dogged strategy of visiting all 99 Iowa counties to compensate for a lack of money and organizational support. "Hard work pays off," he said.

He said that Paul, who has the best organization in the state, has given many voters pause with his laissez-faire foreign policy views, which include withdrawing troops at U.S. bases abroad.

"My concern is that Ron Paul would walk in there, day one, pull our troops back and leave an enormous void around the world," Santorum said. "He can do that day one without congressional approval. He can as commander-in-chief, move our troops anywhere in the world, disengage from every place from Europe to the Middle East, China, abandon the Straits of Hormuz, pull the Fifth Fleet back."

Meanwhile, the former Pennsylvania senator said, Romney has not been consistently conservative. He cited the ex-Massachusetts governor's views on overhauling health care and a "cap and trade" proposal aimed at reducing greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. "There's a whole laundry list of issues where Mitt's been all over the map," he said.

Although Romney is often described as the Republican most likely to win over Democratic and independent voters in a general election, Santorum said Romney has never won an election where he campaigned as a conservative and went after those voting blocs.

"I've run as a conservative in a blue state of Pennsylvania and won two elections," he said. "Yes, I lost one in an election year where everybody lost [2006], but in the election years that were contested that are going to be more like 2012 than 2006, those are the elections I won in Pennsylvania, and we can win them again."

Santorum also took a swipe at Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Rep. Michele Bachmann, both of whom have played up their "outsider" status in being willing to take on the Washington establishment.

"What we've seen is experience is a valuable thing," he said. "We had the president, who came in with little experience ... If you look at the track record, I got a lot of things done when we were in the senate." He added that even though he disagrees with the policies of President Lyndon Johnson - a former Senate majority leader - he said Johnson was "a pretty effective president. He was able to understand the dynamics."

Trail-blazing party is a big hit

A FESTIVE event organised by South Tyneside teenagers to break down barriers should be copied across the region, say councillors.This page contains information about molds,

Youngsters from Horsley Hill Community Centre hosted a Christmas party with a difference.

As well as spreading seasonal cheer, the event also had a serious safety message.

The teens hosted a fire safety presentation and acted out plays warning of the dangers of pickpockets and bogus doorstep callers.Hand-painted Chinese porcelain tiles on the floor of a Jewish synagogue in Cochin,

Sunderland councillor Robert Heron, chairman of Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Authority, was so impressed by their actions, he wants to see similar events staged elsewhere in the North East.

The party, at South Shields Community Fire Station, saw teens tell their older guests how they caChoose from our large selection of Cable Ties,n reduce fire risks in the home by ensuring grill pans are clean before cooking, plug sockets are not overloaded and smoke alarms work.

The group then acted out two short plays, with the help of Neighbourhood Beat Manager Pc Dave Rockell, showing how quickly a purse thief can strike and revealing the tricks used by bogus callers to get into a person’s home.

Coun Heron said: “This kind of event breaks down the barriers between the older and younger generation.

“Praise must go to the young people,We're also Australia's leading online Bedding retailer. the fire service, the police and the youth workers who were all involved in the scheme.

“It’s something I would like to see extended around the area covered by Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service.

“I think this is something that will take off. Quite often it’s the simple ideas that have the biggest impact.”

South Shields watch manager Ray Houghton said: “It was a great event and both the young people and their guests enjoyed themselves.

“It was a feel-good afternoon with serious messages behind it, and the young people were excellent.”

Neighbourhood Inspector for East Shields Dave Hudson said: “I think the event was great. To see the young people interacting with the older generation, in my view, broke down some of the barriers that exist between the two groups.

“I also thought the presentations, on fire safety and crime prevention were tremendous and really hit the message home to those watching.”

South Tyneside Deputy Mayor,An Air purifier is a device which removes contaminants from the air. Coun Eileen Leask, said: “It truly was a fantastic event which was very professional.

“I was really impressed by the young people. You could tell they had worked hard alongside the fire service and the police to put the event on.

“Everyone went away from the event learning something and the way they interacted with the guests was fantastic. They chatted with them, and made sure they had cups of tea and were enjoying themselves.

“But for me the nice thing about it was the young people made you feel at ease. They didn’t make you feel like it was a chore talking to you, and that meant a lot, as it showed they wanted to be there and they were keen to ensure everyone had a good time.”

Entertainment for the event was provided by singer and firefighter Tony Chapman.

King of the Modifieds

It's not surprising Everett "Cotton" Owens would have a special gift for machinery. After all,This is interesting cube puzzle and logical game. his grandfather and father were both mechanics. But the idea of actually making a living out of racing automobiles? That seemed far-fetched at best.

Born on May 24, 1921 in Union, S.C., Owens bought his first car when he was 16. He and a friend named Walter Moore spent a lot of time tooling around Spartanburg, S.C., in that vehicle -- when they didn't have to dodge the local police.

"I bought a '34 Ford sedan -- a two-door sedan -- and that was my street car," Owens said. "I was a terror, which you couldn't do today. You could do a lot more than you can now, as far as learning to drive on the streets."

Owens eventually gravitated towards racing -- first as a driver with more than 100 feature wins and two NASCAR Modified championships, then as a mechanic and championship car owner. For his contributions to the sport, Owens was named as one of five persons nominated this year for possible induction into NASCAR's Hall of Fame.

But it wasn't until 1940 that Owens got his first glimpse of stock car racing. It came when Bill France and several other top drivers arrived in town to race at the famous fairgrounds track.

"I had to climb the fence to see that race, and I fell in love with it," Owens said in a story written by freelance journalist Cary Estes. "I'd seen some midget races, but I hadn't seen any stock cars. I watched that one race,I have just spent two weeks shopping for tile and have discovered China Porcelain tile. and that's all it took."

But shortly thereafter, the war intervened. Eventually, Moore went off to fight in Europe,An Air purifier is a device which removes contaminants from the air. where he participated in D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. Upon his return to Spartanburg, Walter -- better known as "Bud" -- and Owens found jobs at a local junkyard.

One day, a driver came in with a race car that had been damaged in an accident and needed a new body. Owens and Moore did the work,Omega Plastics are leading plastic injection moulding and injection mould tooling specialists. the car won the next race, and the two friends realized they had a skill that set them apart.

Not only was Owens a talented car builder, but he excelled on the track as well. In 1950, he won 19 consecutive races, then later added the 1953 and 1954 Modified championships -- earning him the nickname "King of the Modifieds."

"I did have quite a bit of success in the Modified division," Owens said. "We used to have the U.S. Modified championship race that Bruton Smith used to put on in Concord, N.C., in those days. I won four of those,The company pioneered the manufacture of Coated Abrasives, against drivers from all over the United States.

"When you win, that's nice, but when you do it more than once, that stands out. It was poor man's racing, but we ran pretty near all over the East Coast. It was a good division back then."

But Owens realized the money -- and the fame -- was in NASCAR's premier series, known at that time as Grand National, and by 1957 he had switched his allegiance. It paid off handsomely with a win on the Daytona Road and Beach circuit to start the year.

He added a victory in each of the next three seasons -- finishing second in the points to Lee Petty in 1959 -- and won four races as a part-time driver in 1961, including two at Columbia and one at his home track in Spartanburg.

However, Owens hung up his helmet for good in 1964, shortly after getting in a car and beating David Pearson at Richmond in an effort to teach the young driver a lesson in maximizing his potential. Owens admitted lingering injuries from a serious crash a decade earlier was the major reason.