Marketplace General Manager and Leela Suppiah Vice President of Business Operations

Plastic Jungle, the web's largest secured gift card exchange, today announced that Kristin Morse became the company's new Vice President of Marketing and Marketplace General Manager,the Injection mold fast! leading customer acquisition and retention as well as brand and product marketing; and Leela Suppiah became Plastic Jungle's Vice President of Business Operations, leading customer support, trust & safety, and card processing.

Kristin comes to Plastic Jungle with more than 20 years of general management and marketing experience in financial services, ecommerce and payments. Most recently she served as Vice President and General Manager of the online business at Blackhawk Network, the largest distributor of third party gift cards in the United States. There she was responsible for marketing, product management and business development for the online channel. Kristin also served as Vice President of Marketing for Charles Schwab & Co., Director of New Business Initiatives at Cybercash, Inc., and managed strategic consulting engagements, focusing on Retail and Financial Services Industries, at McKinsey & Company.We processes for both low-risk and high risk merchant account.

Prior to joining Plastic Jungle, Leela managed the World Wide Project Management Team at MarketTools,Our Polymax RUBBER SHEET range includes all commercial and specialist where her responsibilities included owning and managing the global end-to-end operational processes, as well as implementing and owning Client Services CRM tools. Prior to this, she assisted in developing various efficiency processes for AdWords at Google and started her career at Billpoint which was acquired by eBay, managing Customer Support, Risk Management, and Billing & Collections.

"We are really pleased, and very flattered, that Kristin and Leela have joined Plastic Jungle," said CEO of Plastic Jungle Bruce Bower. "Both Kristin and Leela are extremely well-respected as leaders in the ecommerce and payments spaces,Houston-based Quicksilver Resources said Friday it had reached pipeline deals and they both add extraordinary value to our already accomplished team. Kristin and Leela will continue to ensure that Plastic Jungle delivers enormous value and superior consumer experiences to our customers and merchant partners."

Plastic Jungle helps unlock the estimated $30 billion in unredeemed gift cards by allowing consumers to sell gift cards for up to 92% of the gift card value, buy new gift cards at their favorite brands for up to 35% off, or donate the value of their unused cards to their favorite cause.buy landscape oil paintings online. Users can also opt for instant funding via PayPal or Amazon.com gift cards for select retailers -- all in a safe and trusted environment.

Coventry to cash in as first solar cathedral

Coventry is set to become the first cathedral in Britain to become solar powered.

New plans to put solar panels on its roof mean it could generate over half a million pounds over the next 25 years.

"We are looking at putting a 50 kilowatt solar array on the roof and we hope it will significantly reduce our electricity bills,Our Polymax RUBBER SHEET range includes all commercial and specialist" said the Cathedral's executive director, Jane Woodward.

"It's a Grade-I listed building and we haven't jumped all the hurdles yet but we are fortunate in Coventry because many cathedrals have quite steep pitched roofs behind shady parapets whereas ours is fairly flat, so we're hoping it will be possible," she said.

The solar array, which will cost in the region of 100,000, will be installed by EOS Energy, the fastest growing solar installer in the UK.

The average system of this size would currently earn around 14,000 in a year, due largely to the Government's feed in tariffs. The figure is likely to be higher each year as tariffs increase in line with inflation. Along with savings on its own energy bills as fuel prices increase, and an annual inflation rate of three per cent, the return for the cathedral in 25 years could reach over 30,000 per year.

It could also save over 20 tonnes of carbon each year.

"We are working with the Cathedral and the Renewable Energy Technology Alliance (RETA),Houston-based Quicksilver Resources said Friday it had reached pipeline deals" said Lee Summers, director of EOS Energy.We processes for both low-risk and high risk merchant account. "We plan to install 178 photovoltaic panels, covering 200 square metres of the roof."

"It's great news that such a high status building as the Cathedral is installing solar because it brings such a large number of people into contact with the benefits [of] renewable energy," he said.

"EOS Energy has been working with the Cathedral for some time on their ¡®Solar roof club,'" said Mr Summers, "which is a project encouraging congregations across Coventry to install solar panels on domestic and church buildings."

When the roof panels are in place, the Cathedral intends to include a digital display demonstrating to visitors how much energy is being generated.

Mrs Woodward said that Church of England and the Archbishop of Canterbury were both interested in the solar project and were concerned about "environmental stewardship and climate justice".

"It's not just about saving money on our energy bills,buy landscape oil paintings online. we are committed to the idea of renewable energy and climate protection," she said.

"Climate change is affecting people who are in poverty the most.the Injection mold fast!"

The bishops' car fleet is amongst those things going green. The number of hybrid vehicles increased from 29 to 33 by the end of 2010, giving a fleet average of 130 g/km CO2 and a combined 57 mpg.

Some of the Church's largest investments worth hundreds of millions of pounds however, still remain in oil and mining companies. According to its latest annual report these include: Royal Dutch Shell (89.9m) BP (64.7m) Rio Tinto (46m) BHP Billiton (38m) Anglo American (29.8m).

Its largest single property investment is in out of town shopping centres in the form of the Aberdeen Property UK Retail Parks Partnership.

City Council Passes Solar Panel Ordinance

The city will begin studying potential sites for solar panels after an ordinance was unanimously adopted by the Long Branch Council during its meeting on Tuesday night.

The ordinance bonds $250,000 for the planning portion of the project.

City Planner Pratap Talwar,We processes for both low-risk and high risk merchant account. of Thompson Design,Our Polymax RUBBER SHEET range includes all commercial and specialist discussed the potential scope of the project during a council meeting on Feb. 22.

Talwar explained that some feasible sites for the solar panels could be city hall, schools,Houston-based Quicksilver Resources said Friday it had reached pipeline deals fire houses,the Injection mold fast! the Long Branch Sewerage and Housing Authorities, public works and "private buildings with large footprints."

At the meeting in February, Talwar explained that Long Branch could possibly get a 1603 tax grant from the U.S. Department of Treasury that would cover 30 percent of the total costs, if the city acted quickly and put a plan together.

He said the city would have to commit the money for the project by the end of the year.

He said that energy costs are increasing every year, but that the project could save between $1 and $3 million over a 25-year period per megawatt of solar energy produced.buy landscape oil paintings online.

Lynden camp gives students glimpse into high-tech manufacturing, engineering

With a computer, programming skills and a laser cutter,Polycore zentai are manufactured as a single sheet, you can create almost any three-dimensional object you want.

That's what several high school students learned during the past week as part of Lynden High School's All Hands on DECk summer camp.

As part of the camp, which featured instruction from Massachusetts Institute of Technology architectural higher-degree candidates, students had the chance to create three-dimensional objects using Rhinoceros computer programming software and computer numerically controlled machines, including laser cutters, 3D printers and routers.

Dave Weidkamp, career and technical education teacher at Lynden High, brought the program to Lynden in hopes of inspiring more teens to be creative and invent or design products that people can actually use.Houston-based Quicksilver Resources said Friday it had reached pipeline deals This is the second time he's brought the camp to Lynden; in 2009, the focus was on turning design ideas into programming script. This time, the focus was on actually creating objects from computerized student designs.

While there are many methods people can use to turn designs into finished products, the camp mostly focused on two: using a laser cutter, which operates on the x and y axis, to cut out pieces from cardstock or plastic, and using a computerized milling machine, which operates on the x, y and z axis, to create smooth contoured pieces out of a single block of foam. Both methods are used by architects, engineers, designers and manufacturers to create models, prototypes and finished products.

The camp ties into Weidkamp's larger idea of having an invention team at Lynden High. Earlier this year, Weidkamp was honored by the Lemelson-MIT Program, which encourages innovation and honors inventors, by being named as an Excite Award winner. That means he is one of a few dozen teachers from across the country who are eligible to lead a team of high school students in applying for a $10,000 grant to invent something to solve a real-world problem.

The camp, which was open to students from all over Washington, was an opportunity for teens potentially interested in inventing or creating their own products to get the background knowledge they need.We processes for both low-risk and high risk merchant account.

One project students focused on was creating a bowl or cup. Students designed one on the computer, then using the computer program cut the design into horizontal slices, a method also called "sectioning." Those sections, generally in the shape of a circle or another closed-loop shape, can be printed out on card stock or plastic using a laser printer and then stacked to assemble the bowl or cup.

"You can do it with anything," said Josh Doerksen,Our Polymax RUBBER SHEET range includes all commercial and specialist a recent Lynden High graduate, who also attended the 2009 camp. "You take the shape, cut in into pieces and then build it back up."

Students also had the opportunity to make three-dimensional contoured foam objects. They designed a three-dimensional wavy plane on the computer. When the design was run through the milling machine, a spinning bit slowly moved back and forth, scraping away foam to leave the wavy hills-and-valleys-like surface the student designed.

For the 17 students in the camp,the Injection mold fast! the most rewarding part was holding a physical object

"I like the idea of being able to get ideas out," said Brendan Friesen, a Sehome High sophomore, "and not only draw them but have them come to life with a printer or cutter."

Friends help Friendship Trays go solar

Friendship Trays, Charlotte's meals-on-wheels program, celebrated the installation Wednesday of new rooftop solar panels and high-efficiency lighting - the gift of several local renewable-energy companies.Shop a wide selection of billabong outlet products in the evo shop.What to consider before you buy oil painting supplies.

Tecta-America Carolinas, SBM Solar, Calor Energy Consulting and Southpoint Solutions teamed to install the 10-kilowatt system and energy-saving lighting.

Dale Carroll, deputy secretary of the N.C. Department of Commerce, was among officials from Raleigh and Mecklenburg County who attended Wednesday's morning's ribbon-cutting.We processes for both low-risk and high risk merchant account.

The companies used part of a $250,The name "magic cube" is not unique.000 N.Polycore zentai are manufactured as a single sheet,C. Green Business Fund grant to SBM Solar, which makes photovoltaic panels near Charlotte, to pay for the solar installation.

Tecta-America, a commercial roofing company formerly known as Cyclone Roofing, installed the panels, said Tecta's Tim Munson. Calor Energy served as project developer, raising extra money and tending to other details.

Southpoint Solutions, an energy services company, donated 117 high-efficiency light fixtures. Daetwyler, another local company, provided mounts for the solar panels and Optima Engineering, the design services.

Friendship Trays is expected to save about $1,400 a year over 20 years.

Advancing Solar Panel Testing With Sophisticated Controller Features

Thermotron's controller group has added two new features to the intuitive 8800 programmer controller specifically to meet the synchronized testing requirements of companies doing IEC solar tests.

The 8800 can now fully control and record up to 20 power supplies for biasing modules during temperature and humidity testing. The 8800 can automatically turn power supplies on and off during a test at a desired temperature humidity condition as required by IEC testing specifications. The current can be cycled to switch between peak current and low current during the continuity test profile. The voltage and current of each power supply is recorded in the 8800 Paperless Recorder along with air temp, product temperature and relative humidity. Thermotron currently offers integration of power supplies from leading manufacturers such as Lambda/TDK, Ametek/Sorensen and Glassman.

The 8800 now has a second humidity sensor input to allow the use of a redundant sensor. If the primary sensor drifts due to contamination, the redundant sensor can take over, preventing the loss of valuable test time during super critical long term Damp Heat and Humidity Freeze test profiles.

The easy-to-use 8800 Programmer Controller has all of the most common solar test specifications pre-programmed into memory. Simply select the solar test needed, touch the run button, and the chamber is off and running. The 8800 features a 12" color touch screen monitor with an intuitive graphical user interface. USB ports, Ethernet, and computer interface are all supported to enhance communications with the test equipment.

About Thermotron Solar Test Solutions

For over 40 years, Thermotron has been developing and refining environmental chamber solutions that set industry standards.This is interesting cube puzzle and logical game. Capable of performing thermal cycling,The Leading zentai suits Distributor to Independent Pet Retailers. damp heat, and humidity freeze tests as detailed in IEC 61646, IEC 61215 and UL 1703,Customized imprinted and promotional usb flash drives. Thermotron Solar Test Chambers have been used by world-renowned independent solar PV test labs as well as many of the industry's largest manufacturers. Thermotron can provide an all-inclusive solar test solution, complete with test fixtures specifically developed for easy loading and unloading of solar panels.The same Air purifier, cover removed. These racks are constructed of durable, long-lasting, lightweight materials that stand up to the rigors of environmental testing. The fixturing can adjust to safely support panels of different configurations, optimizing airflow and environmental consistency throughout the entire workspace.Free DIY Wholesale pet supplies Resource!

Porta-party ideas

Whether your destination of choice is a cottage, camp or boat, being able to pick up and go without hauling corkscrews, bottle openers, special glasses or mixes is vital to spontaneous seasonal fun. Distillers,Customized imprinted and promotional usb flash drives. vintners and food packagers have perceived our need for speed and answered with a slew of take-along products that will keep the party rolling for miles of smiles.

Running barefoot along the dock at the cottage or along the gunnels of your boat isn't an option, so glass containers are out! Luckily tetra packs, plastic bottles and good old beer cans keep us safe and our feet out of harm's way.

For wine drinkers, some nice vintages come in one-litre cartons, like Bandit Pinto Grigio for white lovers and Ciao Sangiovese Organic for those who love red. Throw these in the cooler and enjoy them straight up or check out the recipes at the end of the article for simple, make-'em-on-the-spot cooler recipes.

Michelle Tham,Free DIY Wholesale pet supplies Resource! a Toronto bartender and mixologist, has some ideas on how to jazz up your favourite cider to make something really inventive. "I wanted something creative, using ingredients one might have on hand at home, the cottage or at a barbecue. The idea is based on a Bloody Mary, but with a combination of tequila and cider to make it a brighter, summer-influenced drink. The other ingredients are easily found at home or even as condiments at a barbecue. The tomato juice comes in small size cans from Heinz, as well. The somewhat 'Mexican' take on the Bloody Mary, using tequila and salsa, lends to its name the Maria Rancheros." See below for recipes.

Beer cans are the ultimate old-school take-along quencher, because nothing tastes better on a really hot day than a really cold beer.This is interesting cube puzzle and logical game. Liquor stores contain a plethora of both imported and domestic brands, so step out of your comfort zone and try something different than your usual same old, same old. Cans also contain some of the most popular cocktails at the local liquor store. If you favour rum and coke, a savoury Caesar or a tequila cocktail, add a few of these canned treats to the cooler.

Bag it with a pouch of Malibu Rum Punch. A really inventive way to maximize space when you're packing,Use bluray burner to burn video to BD DVD on blu ray burner disc. this tasty concoction can be served over ice or just tossed into the cooler to get its chill on.

The folks from President's Choice are serving up some great portable taste treats. Their PC Artisan Crisps with some chevre or brie make a simple snack seem more special.

Two take-alongs that are a sure hit with the younger set are the S'mores Kit, which contains all the ingredients for the fire-side goodies, and little nuggets of sweet/savoury goodness called PC Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels.The Leading zentai suits Distributor to Independent Pet Retailers.

When you're heading up to the cottage and expecting a bigger crowd, mix up a batch of this Hot, Bottomless Bean Dip, courtesy of President's Choice, ahead of time to keep the mob happy when they work up an appetite swimming and sunning. As always, enjoy alcoholic beverages responsibly.

Surviving flea and tick season

Pets love summer! Firstly, we seem to spend more time with them during this time of the year. The kids are home, vacations bring the family together and outdoor events are the norm.Free DIY Wholesale pet supplies Resource! Unfortunately insects love summer too, the kind that bite, like fleas and ticks! Welcome to flea and tick season, yippee! Yes, those little creepy, crawly, jumping, biting pests love our pets. They love to live on them and in anything and anywhere our pets go like the grass in our back yards, our pets' bedding,Use bluray burner to burn video to BD DVD on blu ray burner disc. and yuck, in our carpets! The worst thing about ticks is the diseases they can spread to both pets and humans like Lyme and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. To be so small, they can be very dangerous If you haven't gotten the heebee geebees yet, please read on for some tips to keep these pesky critters at bay!

1. Check your pet regularly. And don't wait until your pet is scratching! If he's already itching, you've likely waited too long. Run a flea comb through his fur every few days making note of not only fleas, but specks of black, the "flea dirt" they leave behind. If your pets frequent woodsy areas, give him a full body inspection before allowing him to enter the house. If you find a tick, remove it right away.

2. Keep your pets clean and well groomed. Often your professional groomer is the first to notice parasites on your dog, but waiting until your pet's 6-8 week trip to the salon leaves way too much time for an infestation to get out of hand.This is interesting cube puzzle and logical game. Grooming and bathing your own pet in between professional treatments will give you the opportunity to catch the first signs of a potential flea or tick problem before it gets out of hand.

3. If you do find a flea on your pet, it's time for you to go on the attack! One flea can lay up to 600 eggs in its lifetime. Eggs can live almost anywhere, and when they hatch, each little flea repeats the cycle. Therefore when finding one flea, you should assume there are eggs not too far behind! All pet bedding should be washed on a regular basis and carpets vacuumed often.

4. Along with treating pets and inside your house, attention should be paid to outside areas where your pet frequents as well. Ticks like to live in tall grass and brush, so keeping your own lawn short can help make it an undesirable hiding place.

5.The Leading zentai suits Distributor to Independent Pet Retailers. Does flea and tick prevention have you scratching your head (no pun intended)? There are so many flea and tick preventatives on the market it's easy to become overwhelmed when searching for just the right one for your pet. You should definitely consult your veterinarian and do some research on your own as well. A great place to start is the American Veterinary Medical Association website, which keeps tabs on any products that have had safety problems: avma.org/animal_health/flea-tick-products.asp.

If you're interested in more natural alternatives for flea and tick prevention,Customized imprinted and promotional usb flash drives. do an Internet search for the latest products. Most importantly, never use dog treatments on cats or cat products on dogs and pay special attention to recommended dosages.

Unfortunately, parasites, both internal and external, go hand in hand with living with pets. As responsible pet parents, it's up to us to be proactive and keep them protected.

JCI Architects to design sustainable city in Bangladesh

JCI Architects Inc. (with JET Architecture,What to consider before you buy oil painting supplies. Terraplan Landscape Architects and Ecovert sustainability consultants) have been commissioned to design a new community for 10,000 people on the edge of the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka.Detailed information on the causes of Hemorrhoids,

Called Shabuj Pata (Bengali for green leaf), the development proposes a typology that effectively balances density and efficiency with ecological sustainability to create 4,800,000 square metres of residential, and another 1,000,000 square metres of amentity and service space. Seeking to evoke the lushness found in the natural Bengali landscape but rarely in its cities,you will need to get an offshore merchant account. the development engages numerous strategies to enrich the site including the planting of thousands of shade trees, green walls, and a system of bioswales and cisterns to alleviate excess rainfall during monsoon season.

Sustainable technologies and strategies are found throughout and at all scales, from the orientation of the buildings to promote air flow and provide maximum shade, a thin building profile to allow cross ventilation and light penetration through units, solar panels and rainwater cisterns on the roofs, and louvered facades and green walls to improve air quality and mitigate heat gain.Houston-based Quicksilver Resources said Friday it had reached pipeline deals An effort is also made to create a more community-oriented development than most people are offered in Dhaka. A treed central plaza with several refreshing water features is at the heart of the scheme,In addition to hydraulics fittings and Aion Kinah, ringed with a school, mosque, and abundant commercial shops.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2012, with occupancy by 2015.

We want to, first of all

A Jerusalem hotel launched the city's second annual waiters' race,you will need to get an offshore merchant account. mimicking a French tradition that has become a world attraction.

In full uniforms, about thirty waiters made thier way down a 200 metre race track balancing trays of food, a bottle and a full glass of red wine.Detailed information on the causes of Hemorrhoids,

'We want to, first of all, to check the professionally of all our waiters and second, it's a sportive way to promote the service at the hotel,Houston-based Quicksilver Resources said Friday it had reached pipeline deals' David Ashkenazi, CEO of Jerusalem's Grand Court hotel,dstti Replacement Projector Lamp and bulbs for Canada and Worldwide. organisers of the contest, said.

Competitors raced through the hotel's carpark and nearby streets, attempting to finish the race as quickly as possible without spilling the wine glass. The one who spilt the least amount of wine out of the first three finishers, was declared the winner.

Bassel Halawani from the Wadi El Joz neighbourhood of East Jerusalem won the race for a second year running. Halawani finished in a time of 55 seconds, winning the opportunity to represent his workplace in the annual 'Garcons de Cafe' waiters' race held in Paris.

'I'm the first one from a year ago and now this is the same. I'm feeling very well, it's good for me to be all the time the first one and I hope to go to the championship, to get the first one in the world champion,What to consider before you buy oil painting supplies.' star-waiter Halawani told reporters after his victory.

The French version of the race, an eight kilometre run, has much stricter rules, demanding the tray will be held at shoulder level and supported with only one hand.

Gunmen kill Mexico police chief in his office

Gunmen kill Mexico police chief in his office



Around a dozen gunmen stormed into the police headquarters in the northern Mexico town of Santa Catarina on Monday and shot dead the police chief, authorities said.

"The men arrived in at least two vehicles. They entered the building and assassinated the director" of the municipal police in his office, a federal police official told AFP.

The Mexican newspaper Reforma quoted witnesses as saying the men came to the office without knowing the man they sought would be there and only opened fire when the police chief, German Perez, told them who he was.

The police in the town near Monterrey have repeatedly come under attack,Detailed information on the causes of Hemorrhoids, part of a massive drugs-fuelled crime wave that has hit Mexico since the government launched a military crackdown on organized crime in 2006.

The Nuevo Leon state, where the attack took place, lies along the US border and has seen running battles between the formerly allied Gulf and Zetas cartels, who have fought over lucrative drug routes to the north.Largest Collection of billabong boardshorts,

Some 37,Handmade oil paintings for sale at museum quality,Not to be confused with RUBBER MATS available at your local hardware store000 people have been killed in mainly drug-related violence since Mexican President Felipe Calderon launched the military operation four years ago involving some 50,000 troops and police reinforcements.

The operation has seen some major drug busts, and on Monday authorities in the northwest Sinaloa state announced that they had found a large, two-story underground lab,the Injection mold fast! complete with an elevator and ventilation system.

The defence ministry, which announced the seizure, said troops captured 260 kilos of solid methamphetamines and 180 litters of liquid methamphetamines, without mentioning any arrests.

Baldwin Hills man gets 13 years in int'l cybercrime ring

Baldwin Hills man gets 13 years in int'l cybercrime ring


A Baldwin Hills man was sentenced for his role in a large cybercrime case and overseeing a marijuana growing operation.

Kenneth Lucas II got 13 years in federal prison on Monday for growing marijuWe processes for both low-risk and high risk merchant account.ana at his house.Not to be confused with RUBBER MATS available at your local hardware store Authorities found 100 marijuana plants in his home in October 2009. Federal prosecutors said Lucas posted videos on YouTube showing an elaborate system of fans, indoor lights and ventilation equipment.

Also, he pleaded guilty to 49 counts of bank and wire fraud. Friday, Lucas was sentenced for leading the domestic arm of an international hacking operation.the Injection mold fast!

Officials said the scam consisted of sending out emails that masqueraded as legitimate requests from banks asking customers to enter personal information on bogus websites. In addition to Lucas, 100 people were charged in this "phishing" case.

Victims in California, Nevada, North Carolina, Maryland and Egypt allowed hackers to access their bank accounts and lost more than $1 million.

Hackers in Egypt worked with cohorts in the U.Handmade oil paintings for sale at museum quality,S. to collect bank account information, then illegally accessed those accounts and transferred money to newly created fraudulent accounts.

The U.S.Largest Collection of billabong boardshorts, attorney's office said the case, dubbed Operation "Phish Phry," is the largest cybercrime case ever.

If a very fair beachgoer burns after

New sunscreen labeling regulations were issued by the federal government last week for the first time in more than 30 years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) new regulations attempt to ban sunscreen manufacturers from labeling their products with misleading information. Starting next year—two years for smaller companies—products that protect the skin from burning but not from long-term damage must indicate so on the bottle, and they cannot hint that they have greater durability and strength than they actually possess.

If the new labeling helps Americans protect their skin from sun exposure, it has the potential to reduce the rates of skin cancer in the U.S. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation bears responsibility for 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers, which will afflict one out of every five Americans, and 65 percent of melanoma cases, which kill about 8,700 people a year. But many questions remain regarding the extent to which the new labels will translate into real protection from skin cancer.

"My hope is the FDA regulations will make consumers choose sunscreens more wisely," says dermatologist Jeanine Downie, a spokesperson for the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Under the new rules, only products that protect skin from both UVA and UVB sun rays can be marked "broad spectrum," and sunscreen that does not meet the broad spectrum requirements, or that has a sun protection factor (SPF) of less than 15, must carry a warning that the product does not diminish the risk of skin cancer or prevent premature skin aging.

Only products labeled "broad spectrum" protect the skin from long-term damage such as premature aging and the risk of skin cancer. Although both UVA and UVB (two types of ultraviolet radiation) can cause long-term damage, UVB rays are the main culprits when it comes to causing sunburn. Because a sunscreen's SPF only indicates its ability to protect the skin from sunburn, lotions that protect against UVB radiation alone can still earn a high SPF without providing proper protection against long-term effects from both types of radiation. By requiring that sunscreens be labeled "broad spectrum" only when they deflect both UVA and UVB, the FDA is helping consumers choose a product that will also protect their skin from long-term damage.

Most commercial sunscreens combine two types of ingredients: light-absorbing chemicals and physical blockers. "The best protection is using a chemical with a physical blocker at once," Downie says, rather than using a purely physical or purely chemical formula.

Physical blockers, usually metal oxides such as zinc oxide or titanium oxide, act like miniature mirrors, reflecting the sun's rays before they can reach the skin. Chemical blockers, on the other hand, do not scatter UV rays. Instead, they absorb light, and then release it in the form of heat, essentially converting it to a different type of energy. Types of organic components include octinoxate, which blocks UVB rays, and oxybenzone, which protects against UVB as well as some UVA radiation.

Both types of sunscreen ingredients have come under fire from at least two advocacy groups: Friends of the Earth takes issue with physical blockers when they are reduced to nanoparticle size in order to render sunscreens more transparent. Unlike larger flecks of metal oxide, they fear the nanoparticles might pass through the skin. What if these materials have different physical properties when reduced to nanoscale, or interact negatively with the other chemicals in the sunscreen?

The Environmental Working Group, on the other hand, accepts nanoparticles in non-powder, non-spray sunscreens, instead reserving its animus for certain chemical components such as oxybenzone. The body can absorb this ingredient through the skin, and the EWG claims that it has been linked to hormone disruption and sun-activated allergic reactions.

Although the FDA is reviewing the safety information for sunscreen ingredients as part of its new regulations, the agency "does not have any reason to believe these products are not safe for consumer use," according to an FDA press release.

Downie agrees. "None of these products have proven to be toxic in humans at all," she says. "Sunscreen does more good than it does harm."

In addition to encouraging the manufacture of sunscreen that provides broad-spectrum protection, the FDA has banned exaggerated claims about sunscreens' strength and durability. Even broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF over 15 cannot be called "sunblock," because no lotion entirely blocks the sun's rays. Nor can sunscreen products be labeled as waterproof or sweatproof: There is no sunscreen that stays completely on the body when exposed to water. At the most,As one of a leading China Projector Lamp provider from China. a product may be water- or sweat- resistant.

Not only do sunscreens come off the skin (particularly when exposed to water or toweled off) but their chemical components break down over time. To preserve the efficiency of sunscreens, the products should be stored in a cool, dry place and replaced every year. In addition, they should be reapplied at least every two hours or more frequently if exposed to water or rubbed off. Under the new regulations, water-resistant formulas must say on the label how long the product will protect skin before needing to be reapplied, either 40 or 80 minutes.

"Bottom line—we want clarity in the product, to make people put it on and reapply it," Downie says.

In addition, the FDA proposed a rule that would cap advertised SPF at "50 +", because the evidence that more expensive, higher-SPF products provide more skin protection is lacking. Many who wear high-SPF sunscreen spend more time in the sun and reapply less frequently than those whose sunscreen has a lower SPF. As a result, they end up with both sunburn and possibly long-term skin damage. In addition, many misunderstand the meaning of SPF.

If a very fair beachgoer burns after, say, 10 minutes of skin exposure, then a sunscreen of SPF 15 will extend her time in the sun by a factor of 15, allowing her 150 minutes of exposure before her skin burns—as long as she reapplies the lotion regularly to ensure that it doesn't degrade or rub off. Following the same application rules, SPF 30 sunscreen will give her 300 minutes, SPF 40 400 minutes and so on.

The tests used to assign values of SPF to various products, however, use more sunscreen than the average consumer. During testing, two milligrams of lotion are applied to every square centimeter of skin. In practice, most people use only one fifth to one half of that quantity, which means that their skin does not receive the full protection promised by the SPF number on the bottle.

For full SPF protection Downie recommends spreading at least two ounces (enough to fill a shot glass) of sunscreen on exposed surfaces, taking care to remember oft-neglected areas such as the back of the neck as well as the tops of ears and feet. But ultimately,dstti the best protection is to stay out of the sun whenever possible.

it was just a few years later

Rats can make great pets



While picking up dog food at my local pet supply store today, I noticed the store owner had included a new photograph on the bulletin board containing photos of customers' pets.

Dozens of cats and dogs graced the board, but the latest entry was a pet rat,Complete Your honeycomb panels Magazine Collection for Less! photographed while perched on someone's shoulder. The rodent's name, Elvis, was lovingly handwritten on a heart-shaped sticker and placed at the edge of the print.

Elvis's image, surrounded by all those cat and dog photos, looked decidedly out of place and I wondered how many times his owner heard the question, "A rat? You have a pet RAT?"

It's one of those animals that can make people shudder. But it's also one of the most popular pet rodents, right up there with hamsters, gerbils,What is the difference between a third party payment gateway and a 3rd party processor? mice and guinea pigs.

A pet rat is of the same species as wild rats, also known as brown rats or by their scientific name Rattus norvegicus - a much nicer and quite exotic designation. A pet rat has been selectively bred for its appearance and sweet temperament. Elvis, that handsome rat in the photograph, is obviously a noble ambassador for his domestic brethren. They're known to be clean, intelligent and affectionate animals that develop a strong bond with their humans and other pets, and are relatively easy to maintain.

A female rat is called a doe and a male is a buck. Body size ranges from nine inches to 11 inches in length, plus seven inches to nine inches of tail; does are smaller than bucks. Their coat colour can be white, cream, blue (grey), brown or black or a combination of any two or three of those colours.

While wild rats barely eke out a lifespan of one year, pampered pet rats can live to more than three years.

When I researched pet rats for this column, I discovered, despite their reputation as carriers of plague and other disease and general fear factor due to their aggressive and fierce behaviour toward humans, they staked their claim as pedigree pets in 1901 England when a rat was entered in a conformation show hosted by the National Mouse Club. It must have caused quite the commotion among the club's members when the lone rat entry won "Best in Show," which ignited public interest in breeding and selling the animals as pets. In fact, they became so popular the club was renamed National Mouse and Rat Club.

Alas, it was just a few years later when they fell out of favour and the club reverted to its original name. But groups of steadfast rat fanciers formed their own clubs and are now operating in just about every country in the world. They're being bred to standard and sold as pets or for show, just like fanciers of cats, dogs and other animals.

Some countries refuse import of any type of rodent and in Alberta, it's illegal to keep a rat as a pet.

Rats are considered highly intelligent. They can be taught to recognize their name, come when called and run mazes built by owners who are amazed at their pets' ability to navigate increasingly complicated courses.

Doting owners also report their rats exhibit dog-like behaviour as they follow their people around the house, sleep on the couch, watch television (one rat I read about particularly enjoys cartoons) and communicates their needs through a series of body postures.

These are sociable animals and although they bond with their humans, they're much happier when hobnobbing with their own rat pack. Keep the does and bucks separated, though.Definition of hypodermic needle cannula in the Online Dictionary. They're fertile at five to 12 weeks of age, but it's not odd for a doe to become pregnant as early as three and a half weeks.For all DVS Ventilation system in PDF format.

Their housing needs are the same as those required for a rabbit or guinea pig.Basic information about syringe needle including links. A large cage or terrarium filled with wood shavings sold specifically for rodent housing, a water bottle attached to the side and some type of soft material that can be bunched up and used as a sleeping spot. These smart, curious animals need at least one hour daily of interaction and play time with their humans.

Food consists of ready-made fare available at pet supply stores and many owners supplement with treats such as apples and bananas, broccoli, peas, carrots, cooked lean meats, pasta and rice. High protein puppy food is often recommended as a supplement for baby and young rats. Your veterinarian should be consulted for more information on everything from diet to bedding to potential health issues.

In the Play category

Yves Behar's Jambox wireless speaker, a Public lightweight bike, prefab playhouse kit, paper tables, a Coke bottle chair, and 20 other product designs got Dwell magazine's stamp of approval for its first-ever Modern World Awards, presented at its Dwell on Design conference last weekend. It's about time that the many snazzy items on display got well-deserved recognition. There's always buzz about products on the show floor but this year it was finally official. The simple and clever handcrafted bike holder/shelf (pictured above) won in the Play category. Here are other nominees for Eat, Work, Live and

In the Play category, other nominees included: Come & Draw by Tian Tang Design which provides a stack of colored paper circles to draw on its surface -- handmade in Lessebo, Sweden, with untreated wood and environmentally-friendly VIDA paper. The Circle Playhouse by Gitane Royce for Modern Playhouse is a mini-modular prefab home made by California craftsmen with FSC-certified domestic lumber and a few easily assembled apple-plywood panels. The lightweight urban Public A7 Bike can be stored in the winning Bike Shelf by Chris Brigham for Knife & Saw - simple, practical elegance with space on top for your keys,Quality air impact socket tools for any tough job. books etc. It took the People's Choice, too.


In the "Live" category, Patricia Urquiola won for her knitted Mangas Rug for Gan which look and feel like a comfy sweater underfoot. Her Klara Chair was also up for consideration in the same category and she was featured in the Bravos installation of outstanding Spanish designers.

In the "Work" category,We are professional Plastic mould, the 111 Navy Chair by Emeco is a take-off on the classic "1006" style circa 1944, but instead of aluminum, the chairs are made from 111 recycled rPET (Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate) plastic bottles with a mix of glass fiber dstti  and pigment for six colors.GreenRay's microinverter design uses a different energy storage approach, Even Emeco's original version was made of 80% recycled aluminum.

In the "Create" category, the Softwall by Molo Design won for its honeycomb paper chairs, tables, lamps and curvy temporary walls. Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen, founders of the Vancouver-based firm Molo, created the multi-functional freestanding, expandable room divider of fire-retardant paper and textiles in white or natural. Its compressed form ships easily and can extend to 25 feet. The same material also makes luminous light fixtures fit with LEDs.


Also, the Fyrkat Picnic Grill by Bodum won in the "Eat" category. Other awards were presented including restaurants and various categories from Energy to Bath. The unique LG steam closet won for Home Appliances, Infinity Drain won for the Bath, Resysta's Better Wood won for Design Materials (a fiber-reinforced hybrid with 60% rice husk,Park Assist is a global leader in Parking guidance system, 22% common salt and 18% mineral oil). Green Form stools took it for the Outdoors,Has anyone done any research on making Plastic molding parts from scratch? Kohler's digital water-saving shower won for Innovation, and the Stokke's Tripp Trapp highchair that grows with kids received the prize for Sustainability.

Where did the collective urge to wreck our country with litter come from?

There is a weird epidemic spreading through the land. The first symptom is selective blindness. The second is the urge to chuck a piece of plastic,All Coated Abrasives products are compiled of backing, glass or tin at the nearest attractive patch of grass. The third is to shrug the shoulders.

Afterwards, the sufferer has no awareness he has done anything antisocial, and in extreme cases may even pretend to be an upstanding member of society.

Most of the victims of this condition appear to be perfectly normal. Some wear jeans, others business suits. Because most of the trash littering our countryside and our cities has been dropped by ordinary people, doubtless under the impression they're making a reasonable job of conducting their lives or bringing up their children.

Obviously people who throw rubbish from passing cars do so because they don't want it in their personal space. The empty Coca-Cola can seems no longer their problem, but someone else's. But it takes about half a second to see the stupidity of this idea, for all that has happened is that the Coke can has gone from offending one person to offending many.


Secondly, everyone — including the person who jettisoned the thing — will have to pay for it to be cleared up by someone from the local council.
This is a beautiful country. Where did this collective urge to wreck it come from?

The scale of the problem is immense. In a single August night, on one six-mile stretch of the M3 motorway which runs from Surrey to Southampton (between junctions one and two), workers from the Highways Agency picked up 189 bags of trash, weighing in total one ton. We are being swamped by rubbish.

Keeping the squalor of our streets and countryside even to its present level costs the taxpayer an estimated ￡1billion each year. That's enough to pay for another 40,000 police constables, a couple of million hospital beds or thousands of libraries. Instead,We are professional Plastic mould, we waste it on clearing up after fools.

This is one of the very few social problems in this country in which the answer lies — literally — in our own hands.

Individually, we can't do much about the terrible state of the public finances, nor can we improve our schools or repair the roads. But we can decide not to throw rubbish about.

It's not even as if we're deciding to do something proactive. Just restraining ourselves a bit. Is it really so much of a big deal to decide to put our litter in the appropriate place?

You might think this issue doesn't matter that much.Quality air impact socket tools for any tough job. Then consider this. None of us knows what will happen after we die, but we can be certain of one thing: our children will still be living amid the trash we dropped.

It's 56 years since the foundation of the Keep Britain Tidy campaign, and if you want to see how successful this well-meaning yet feeble organisation has been, take a look around us at the trash on the streets.Find everything you need to know about Cold Sore including causes,

What a clean place the Britain of 1955 seems by comparison. Then, fish and chips came wrapped in newspaper, and if the paper was dropped, the rain quickly reduced it to pulp which rotted away.

Now, your fish supper comes on a plastic tray, often inside a plastic bag. That tray and bag will be around in a landfill site somewhere — if it's not still stuck in a bush by the side of the road — long after William and Kate's great-grandchildren have passed on.

Ask anyone who revisits Britain after a few years away what they make of the place, and they are certain to observe how much filthier the country has become. We are fouling our own nest.Has anyone done any research on making Plastic molding parts from scratch? Most of us seem capable of containing ourselves when we need the loo. Why not some similar restraint when it comes to rubbish?

Father smashed wine bottle over diner's head in Indian restaurant row

Company director Clive Merrifield, 45, was enjoying an evening meal with partner Idalina Lucas when he politely suggested Billy West, 20, dstti and his girlfriend put the wailing seven-month-old to bed.

West approached the couple's neighbouring table, pulled a bottle of white wine from their ice bucket and brought it down at 'full force' onto Mr Merrifield's skull in front of other customers.

The victim was left with a 'four inch ragged scar' on his scalp following the brutal assault at Parveen, an Indian Restaurant in Theberton Street, Islington, north London.

The former soldier fears the wound makes him look like a thug and is anxious about his image with employees and clients, Blackfriars Crown Court heard.

Karen Robinson,Find everything you need to know about Cold Sore including causes, prosecuting, said the clash took place shortly after 10pm on October 9 last year after the baby had been crying for up to half an hour.

West was sitting at a table with his young family and another man, and Mr Merrifield and Ms Lucas were at the next.

'The baby was crying and the lady was seen to get up and down and make moves in an effort to comfort the baby,' said the barrister.

'It was described as consistent and persistent and went on for about 15 to 30 minutes.

'Other customers were looking in the direction of the baby during the course of this period.

'Mr Merrifield said he had had a couple of drinks but describes himself as sober.'

The prosecutor said Mr Merrifield became 'frustrated by the crying and put his head in his hands', and told Ms Lucas: 'I've had enough.'

The victim stood up, approached West's party and said: 'It's a quiet restaurant. We're trying to have a quiet dinner and your baby's not stopped crying.

'Maybe your baby is tired?'

Witnesses described his tone as 'polite and reasonable', but nontheless West's girlfriend held the child aloft and said sarcastically: 'It's a baby.'

Mr Merrifield suggested the tot 'ought to be in bed', prompting West and the second man to stand up and invite him to settle the matter 'outside'.

Staff asked them to leave the restaurant and West was ushered towards the door.

But they 'continued to remonstrate with staff' and CCTV shows West returning to Mr Merrifield, who had stayed sitting down.We are professional Plastic mould,

'He took a glass wine bottle from its ice bucket and hit him to the back of the head, smashing it on impact,' said the prosecutor.

A witness described West taking the weapon 'high and behind his head and taking aim, bringing it down with full force'.

Mr Merrifield said he 'felt a blow' to the back of his head which left him 'shocked, stunned and disorientated'.

West simply walked to the door and left the premises.

The vicitm was taken to hospital where he was given an emergency x-ray and 16 stitches.

His attacker was eventually arrested on November 17, after being found hiding under a heap of clothes, behind a mirror, in a neighbour's bedroom.

In an impact statement the victim said: 'I have been left with a four inch ragged scar on the top of my head.

'It makes me feel self-conscious in public and at work.

'I feel it has changed people's opinion of me and I am concerned I am seen as a thuggish manager rather than an authoritative manager.

'I am self-employed and this affects me when taking out prospective clients.

'Since leaving the Army I have tried to avoid violent situations or confrontations and this incident has taken me back to those times, and destroyed the coping mechanisms I have spent years developing.'

The court heard West has previous convictions for assault, after spraying someone with CS gas, and was on a suspended sentence for aggravated vehicle taking when he attacked Mr Merrifield.

Tom Wainwright, defending West, argued the carpenter had a more productive side to his personality and on this occasion 'just snapped'.We also offer customized chicken coop.

'He was working hard at the time and he had a young child,Has anyone done any research on making Plastic molding parts from scratch? who had been crying and not been sleeping, and he was extremely tired and stressed,' said the barrister.

'He does not seek to excuse his behaviour but highlights this simply to provide some background.

'He just snapped. This was the last straw.

'He is genuinely remorseful for his behaviour and has written a letter of apology to the victim.'

The court heard he has helped out at a local youth club and is keen to rejoin his partner and child.

He has already served 218 days on remand awaiting sentence and Mr Wainwright added: 'Not much more of a reminder is required.' He was jailed for two years and five months.

Passing sentence Judge Nicholas Riddell said: 'This was a vicious and cowardly attack on this man.

'You caused this unfortunate man a serious head wound which has left him with serious permanent scarring and lasting psychological effects.

'Your counsel has rightly said there is another side to you.

'Nonetheless this remains an offence that is so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified.'

West, of Haliford Street, Islington,When the stone sits in the kidney stone, n London, admitted unlawful wounding and breaching a suspended sentence order.

They sit at opposite ends of that quintessentially Scouse stretch

The city's oldest surviving building houses the Bluecoat, a creative hive of visual arts, crafts,This is interesting cube puzzle and logical game. music, dance, live art and literature. To mark its latest facelift in 2008, Yoko Ono made an appearance. She'd held an exhibition here in 1967 - a year after she first met John Lennon. This year, the Bluecoat is holding events for City of Radicals , a celebration of Liverpool's notoriously anarchic streak. Some historians hold the theory that the 1911 Liverpool transport strike was the nearest Britain has come to a revolution. The government was so alarmed it sent a warship up the Mersey.

Another host for the City of Radicals is FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology), a superb arts and media venue, exhibition space and cinema in the Ropewalks district.

A familiar Liverpool boast is that it has not one, but two, great cathedrals; the Anglican treasure designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (creator of the red telephone box) and the Catholic one, dubbed Paddy's Wigwam because it resembles a giant tepee.Polycore zentai are manufactured as a single sheet,

They sit at opposite ends of that quintessentially Scouse stretch, Hope Street, named after Liverpool merchant William Hope.

In and around this lively quarter, I find wine bars, cafes and bistros, real-ale joints,dstti gastropubs, indie music dives, former dock-worker clubs and hip hotels, as well as long-time favourites such as the wonderful Everyman Theatre and the Philharmonic Hall. Known as the Phil, it hosts critically acclaimed concerts and opera performances and, across the street, has an ornate sister bar and dining rooms with heritage-listed marble toilets.

The buoyant, hopeful mood on this street is typical of Liverpool as a whole. The city might never again scale the giddy heights of the 19th century, but only a one-eyed Mancunian would deny it's on the up again.Customized imprinted and promotional usb flash drives.

Some liken it to a phoenix. Others,Use bluray burner to burn video to BD DVD on blu ray burner disc. like my Scouse taxi driver,Free DIY Wholesale pet supplies Resource! insist it's rising "like a Liver bird, pal!"

the Delaware Nation Moves to Sun Power and Solar Manufacturing

While wind farms reign in the State of Oklahoma, the Delaware Nation is capitalizing on the sun. "Solar is more universally applicable technology—the sun shines pretty much everywhere," Bob Magyar, managing director for Unami Solar, the tribe's Trenton, New Jersey-based project developer and consulting firm, told Indian Country Today Media Network. "Analyses done by the federal government show nearly every inch of the Earth gets sunshine, even given variations in weather."

A solar array is under construction on the Delaware Nation tribal complex roof in Anadarko, Oklahoma. LED (light emitting diode) lights, which consume less energy and last longer, will soon replace incandescent lights in the nation's headquarters. And the tribe's Sandy, Utah-based supply and manufacturing firm Lenape Lighting and Manufacturing, LLC, will soon produce LED lights, while Unami Solar will concentrate on solar modules. The tribe is contemplating a separate business arrangement with an
established solar manufacturer to produce solar modules for clean energy companies—prospectively on an international scale.

"Green technology is the wave of the future and it certainly fits in with our culture. We might as well embrace that and make it a part of our economic development," Delaware Nation President Kerry Holton told the Associated Press.Polycore zentai are manufactured as a single sheet,

The 37.5-kilowatt solar array,Use bluray burner to burn video to BD DVD on blu ray burner disc. currently being built by Escondido, California-based Eco One Energy, LLC, will initially supply roughly 30 percent of the building's electricity. Magyar expects the solar panels to be fully installed and commissioned—with the system approved by the local electric utility Caddo Electric Cooperative—by August 1.Free DIY Wholesale pet supplies Resource!

Then, adding LED lights to the tribal complex will further cut back on electricity. "By decreasing the [electricity] load in the building, the solar system will end up powering around 60 percent of the building overall, maybe a little more," Magyar told ICTMN.

The move to solar energy will help the nation save thousands of dollars, and Holton anticipates a return on the tribe's investment within five to eight years. To fund the project, the tribe matched a $250,000 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant, inspired by the Obama Administration's added emphasis on clean energy initiatives in 2009 and its increased encouragement for tribes to pursue wind, solar and geothermal power, meanwhile diversifying their business interests.

Kylah McNabb, a renewable energy specialist with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, assisted the Delaware Nation on obtaining the grant from the DOE. McNabb said the Delaware Nation's project is thought to be the first major solar energy project started by a tribe in the United States.

"This project truly has the potential to set an example for Oklahoma, to set an example for the other tribes about what can be done when you take a focus on green initiatives and really put your mind to it. This is a technology that works," she told the AP.

The Delaware Nation is taking its clean energy initiative to the next level and hopes to play a role in solar development projects across North and South America, said Magyar. The tribe is currently training assembly line employees to manufacture LED lights and solar array parts at its Anadarko-based Lenape Lighting and Manufacturing plant. "Assembly of the LED lighting will begin in earnest probably in about 60 days," Magyar told ICTMN.

Owned by the Delaware Nation, Lenape Lighting and Manufacturing—with offices in Anadarko, Oklahoma; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Monument, Colorado—has applied for Super 8a status under the U.S. Small Business Administration and is targeting the federal government, military and government contractors as clients.

When Lenape Lighting adds solar manufacturing to its credentials, it will create even more jobs throughout southwestern Oklahoma and Anadarko,This is interesting cube puzzle and logical game. a city proud to bill itself as "Indian City USA." Currently about 12 people work at the Anadarko-based plant, and Holton projects those numbers will increase to 100 within a year, reported the AP.

When Lenape's business takes off, the Delaware Nation hopes to play a role in solar projects throughout Indian Country, the U.S. and potentially worldwide. "On a national scope,Customized imprinted and promotional usb flash drives. we hope to sell [solar] modules and LED lighting in other states and areas within a given market," Magyar told ICTMN, adding that solar modules are "universal." Lenape and Unami Solar will manufacture products that can be "shipped anywhere," Magyar explained.

New sources of power growing in Pennsylvania

On Friday at 11 a.m., the 1,300-panel solar array on the roof of the Misco Products Corp. plant in Bern Township was generating 138.6 kilowatts of electricity.

Meanwhile, Reading's United Corrstack has invested $135 million to install a 25 megawatt cogeneration plant to power its paper factory. That facility is one of 13 cogeneration plants across the state that together produce about 10 percent of the electricity used in Pennsylvania. One kilowatt,Free DIY Wholesale pet supplies Resource! or one thousand watts,Customized imprinted and promotional usb flash drives. is 0.001 megawatt; a megawatt is one million watts.

State law requires that electric utilities obtain 18 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2020.

As renewable energy and cogeneration sources multiply, could homegrown electricity from nontraditional residential and commercial power producers - and not the utilities' big power plants - become the source of the majority of electricity used in Pennsylvania?

Since the mammoth Misco solar project - the seventh-largest in the state - was installed about a year ago, it has generated more than 300,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, or roughly 30 percent of the manufacturer's power needs.

The solar array there is producing enough electricity to power 30 homes for a year.

"The price we get for renewable energy credits had gone down, but overall the project is going well," said Ben Gable, Misco product manager.

Misco's solar project is an example of the national obsession with new technologies, especially those that save money on our utility bills.

United Corrstack, 720 Laurel St., was spending a fortune on electricity to produce steam used in drying the cardboard products it produces from recycled paper.

The company built a 25 megawatt cogeneration plant that not only supplies all its electrical needs but creates excess power the company sells to Met-Ed.

There are thousands of residential wind and solar power projects popping up all over suburbia. These nontraditional sources of electricity can be counted toward utilities' renewable energy requirement.

Steven Gabrielle, director of asset management and development for PPL Renewable Energy,Polycore zentai are manufactured as a single sheet, said reliability is very important when it comes to picking a power supplier.

"The intermittent nature of solar and wind require some type of baseload generation as a backup for when the sun is not shining or wind is not blowing," Gabrielle said. "As lower costs also are a primary driver, I think over time we will see more large, utility-scale solar and wind along with biomass or biogas generation mixed with some on-site solar or small wind at homes and businesses.

"As Pennsylvania and U.S. energy demand continues to grow, the mix of renewable generation, along with nuclear and fossil fuels, will continue for the foreseeable future."

Right now big utility companies provide more than 80 percent of the power on the PJM Interconnection, the power grid that serves Pennsylvania.

Jeff McNelly, executive director of the Anthracite Region Independent Power Producers Association, said another 10 percent of the state's electricity is generated by 13 industrial cogeneration plants such as United Corrstack.

Even so, McNelly said he does not foresee a time when most of the electricity on the grid is provided by small or midsized private operations.

"If you collectively consider all of the other independent sources it is conceivable that over time those sources could make up 30 percent or more," McNelly said.Use bluray burner to burn video to BD DVD on blu ray burner disc.

McNelly said politics, economics and regulation could combine to prevent growth beyond that point.

In addition, McNelly said, it makes a lot of sense and is far more efficient to have centralized public power sources.

America started with people being responsible for their own power, until public utilities came along. Now there is a gradual shift back toward rugged individualists providing their own power through wind turbines or solar panels.This page list rubber hose products with details & specifications.

"There will be technological advances that make wind and solar more attractive, but there also will be advances for the power companies," McNelly said.

Met-Ed spokesman Ron Morano echoed McNelly's comments, saying renewable energy sources continue to grow.

"Especially solar," he said. "Renewable energy is going to continue to increase. Right now, Met-Ed is looking at 9.2 percent from strictly renewable. That does not include cogeneration."

Jim Kurtz, general manager of Reading Electric Renewables, which installed the Misco solar array, said demand for solar panels remains strong thanks to high oil prices.

Even without government rebates and tax incentives, solar energy is still cheaper than nuclear power, he said.

While his business is renewable and alternative energy, Kurtz said he does not foresee a day when Americans get rid of their power safety net.

Turning quarries into wetlands

Behind piles of sand mounds stand cattails, native grasses and oak saplings in maturing wetlands just east of the Iowa River in southern Johnson County.

Just a few years old,Polycore zentai are manufactured as a single sheet, the former sand quarry-turned-wetlands attracts blue herons, beaver, geese and turtles.

"It's beautiful," J. Elizabeth Maas, a restoration ecologist, said during a tour of the ecosystem she helped create.

S&G Materials, an Iowa City mining company that provides materials such as concrete, sand, rock, dirt and soil primarily to construction companies, is five years into a 30-year wetlands restoration project. The U.Customized imprinted and promotional usb flash drives.S. Army Corps of Engineers requires restoration in exchange for permitting businesses or other entities to disturb natural wetlands.Free DIY Wholesale pet supplies Resource!

Maas, who was hired by S&G to ensure the company follows the terms of the permit, said wetlands are essential for biodiversity, flood mitigation and water quality. She calls them the "kidneys" of the environment.

On its 350-acre property, S&G plans to mine five basins, which will affect 71 acres of wetlands. Top soil goes to landscapers, developers use fill-sand and most valuable is high-quality sand to build interstate roads. Nearly all material is used, said Maury Sass, superintendent of S&G.

After mining one basin and moving to another, S&G begins restoration. Because the company's basins will be relatively shallow, at 20 feet deep,Use bluray burner to burn video to BD DVD on blu ray burner disc. leftover fill-dirt from one basin refills the previous one and jumpstarts the restoration.

As part of the Corps's policy of no net loss of wetlands, S&G must reconstruct the same amount or more -- "like for like." So wooded areas must be replaced by at least as many wooded areas, and swamps must be replaced with swamps, and so on.

The effort is costly and time consuming,dstti Sass said, but it also is necessary.

S&G bought a special bulldozer to construct peninsulas, which helps meeting wetland surface requirements. Prairie grass seed costs $100 a pound, and each acre takes 12 to 15 pounds, Sass said.

Wetland mitigation can cost $15,000 an acre to replace swamps to $40,000 an acre to replace woods. S&G's wetlands are about two-thirds wooded, Maas said.

In 2008, S&G lost 1,000 newly planted trees to the flood and had to start from scratch planting 500 new trees this spring. Within 30 years, they must plant and ensure the viability of up to 10,000, Sass said.

"You can't just dig a hole. There is a whole lot of work involved," he said.

Companies can't just start a restoration project; they must follow through over time and make sure it takes, said John Betker, a regulatory project manager for the Corps in Rock Island, Ill.

Other wetland mitigation projects exist throughout Johnson County, Betker said, but he didn't have an immediate count.

Maas said Iowa ranks No. 3 in the nation for wetland disruption, which she said might be part of the reason floods have been so damaging in recent years. Wetlands provide an outlet for run-off, and the root systems of many native plants help absorb the water, she said.

When asked if the Corps grants too many permits, Betker said it must balance a variety of public interests, such as energy production, the economy, land use and the need for the supplies along the river.

"That is our role, to balance those public interest factors in light of wetlands," he said. And he added, "When they are finished with their work, we anticipate (the wetlands) will be as good as or better than before."

When S&G is done mining, the restored wetlands will be returned to public use as a conservation area, Maas and Sass said. S&G previously mined where Sand Lake now is located. That property, which is not far from S&G's current dig site, is lined with miles of paved recreation trails, and Sass said eventually it could connect into trail system with the newer wetlands.

"It's finally getting to the point where it is coming to fruition," Sass said of the wetlands restoration.This page list rubber hose products with details & specifications. "It's going to take time, but when it's turned back over to the public, it will be a nice park."

Teams don't mind waiting to get to play at Target Field

On Friday, after teams advancing from their freshly won semifinals untangled from their celebratory piles, many of them had the same thought: And now we wait.

Unlike in years past, when the span from the state baseball quarterfinals to finals was gone in the blink of an eye, this season the format -- because of when Target Field was available for the championship games -- is significantly different.

There were three scheduled days off between the semis and the championship games -- and now at least one more, after forecasted rain caused the Minnesota State High School League to push the title games back from Tuesday to Wednesday.

Coaches see the positives,Free DIY Wholesale pet supplies Resource! such as resting a pitcher for longer. They also see the negatives, like losing momentum.Full color plastic card printing and manufacturing services. But most agree that whatever the side effects of the schedule, the most important aspect of the games has remained the same from last year: the location.

"Some coaches are in favor of it, some coaches are not too excited about it, but as long as it stays at Target Field, I think everyone is in favor of it," Burnsville coach Mick Scholl said. "It's just such a great venue."

Here is a look at all three championship games, focusing on the impact of the additional days off, particularly on the pitching staffs:
Class 3A

For Scholl, whose squad lost 7-5 to Eden Prairie in last year's title game, the advantage of the scheduling is obvious: It provides plenty of rest for Quinn Johnson -- the Blaze ace who had an ERA just over 2.00 in the regular season, and who allowed only two hits and struck out nine in the quarterfinals -- to go again in the championship game.

"I do like that both of our No. 1's will be pitching against each other, and I guess that's what they want for baseball -- the best pitchers going again, not your No. 3," he said. "But Maple Grove, as good as they are, I'm not sure if it will affect them that much, because they have more than one good pitcher."

That last bit may be true, but the Crimson -- which came into the tournament with the best record in Class 3A and is now 26-1 -- doesn't have one true ace. So while the schedule might not affect how coach Darby Carlson would use his staff, his team could suffer from facing another team's best pitcher, who might not have been available in previous years.

"The argument against it would be that you don't get a sense of the true strength of the team, as far as depth,print still offers the only truly dstti unlimited 4G plan in America, and it's the only service you can safely use as an alternative to a home Internet connection." Carlson said, "if you don't have to march out your No. 3 or 4 pitcher -- as opposed to somebody that can kind of get by with one or two guys."
Class 2A

While pitching is always the bottom line, so far in the Class 2A tournament, it's been the entire page.This is interesting cube puzzle and logical game.

A total of 31 runs were scored in six championship-round games -- an average of about five per game -- and only once did a losing team score more than one run. The St. Cloud Cathedral and La Crescent pitching staffs bring a combined tournament ERA of 1.50 into the title game.

"It's the pitching," said La Crescent coach Rick Boyer. "You had pretty much the top eight teams in the state, and there was some really good starting pitching."

Both teams have their full complement of pitchers available, but it's likely that each will only need two.This page list rubber hose products with details & specifications. Cathedral is expected to start hard-throwing 6-4 righthander Andrew Thome, who held St. Anthony to four hits and an unearned run over seven innings in the quarterfinals. The Crusaders' No. 2 starter, Matt Dietman, struggled in the first inning of the semifinals, giving up three runs to Fairmont, but settled down and gave up just two hits over the final six innings.

La Crescent's starters were just as good. Lefty Eric Veglahn opened the tournament by scattering eight hits in a 5-1 victory over Delano. Righthander Travis Krukow, who is expected to be the Lancers' championship-game starter, dominated Fergus Falls 2-0 in the semifinals, allowing four hits.

"We are lucky enough to have two No. 1 starters," Boyer said. "Unfortunately for us, St. Cloud Cathedral is in the same boat. They had two guys pitch tremendous games for them. This is the way the championship games should be: both teams in full strength."
Class 1A

Undefeated on the mound the past two seasons, Eden Valley-Watkins senior pitcher Matt Geislinger likes to work fast and throw faster.

With more time between state tournament starts, Geislinger has been a bigger factor in the Eagles' pursuit of a second consecutive Class 1A championship. He held a perfect game through 6 1/3 innings in the quarterfinals, then pitched two innings of flawless relief in the semifinals. Going into the title game, Geislinger is 24-0 in the past two seasons.

"Matt is without a doubt one of the best pitchers in Class 1A," Eagles coach Mike Tomsche said. "Being able to rest him and bring him back sharp is our best-case scenario."

Last season, Geislinger threw a combined 11 innings in two of the three tournament games. He already has logged nine innings in the current run and will appear in all three games.

What's the state's big beef?

Arrayed before, behind and to each side of William Holdner's chair at his office on Sandy Boulevard in Portland are dozens of neatly stacked paper piles spread over several desks. He navigates through the piles easily to find the documentation he wants; there's very little backtracking and he typically references paperwork and laws – both federal and state – by title and number in the short span before his broad, weathered fingers land on the object of his search.

It's an impressive sight. Even more so considering Holdner just celebrated his 85th birthday.

And it's not just his mental prowess that impresses.This page list rubber hose products with details & specifications. Holdner is remarkably fit with a spare history of medical malady, a fact he attributes to his staunch views on nutrition. He openly criticizes the Oregon Department of Agriculture's allowance of herbicides such as the water-soluble and controversial atrazine, which critics claim causes birth defects; he shuns imported vegetables, barring proof of their all-natural cultivation, due to the practice of rinsing them in chlorine-based water prior to market delivery.

He had also taken an early position against tobacco use in the workplace, banning the practice in his own office in 1965.

"You couldn't even see the end of the office because of the blue haze of the smoke," Holdner recalls. "I've always kind of looked down the road. I don't look just to today. I look to the future."

Holdner developed the office complex – called Data System Plaza – in 1972, which is anchored by his accounting partnership, Holdner, Backstrom & Baum, Inc.Free DIY Wholesale pet supplies Resource! He's also recently improved the building to accommodate a moderately sized professional dance studio, and in the past had operated a significant computer sales operation that inspired the office building's name.

Not least of all, it serves as the administrative headquarters for Holdner Farms, a 300-cattle beef operation located on Dutch Canyon Road in Scappoose.

The farming operation, above all else, commands much of Holdner's attention these days. Last year, the Oregon Department of Justice brought three felony counts and 25 misdemeanor counts against Holdner for water pollution. The allegations contend Holdner Farms operates as a confined animal feedlot without the requisite Oregon Department of Agriculture permit, and that it discharges animal wastes to the section of South Scappoose Creek that runs along the farm's southern border.

Holdner pleaded not guilty to the charges and the case is still pending in Columbia County Circuit Court.

But the criminal action is only the latest in a string of legal disputes between Holdner Farms, the ODA and the DOJ.
Case history

To understand Holdner's perspective, a retelling of his history regarding the land is paramount. He purchased it in the early 1970s. The property's 1880s barn had been constructed so that it traversed Scappoose Creek and provided for animal wastes to drop down into the water.

Because there is no subsurface water on the property, he says he knew his beef cattle operation wouldn't work without access to fresh water.

"I wanted to make sure the water available to the facility was clean and safe for the cattle to drink," Holdner says.

He contacted the federal soils resource agency, at the time called the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, to come out to the 102-acre property and help him devise a strategy to ensure pollutants were captured and held on site.

The result was the design and construction of a 40,000-gallon concrete holding tank that receives cattle wastes prior to discharging from the site. When there is a risk the tank could overflow with the onset of sustained or heavy rains, the contents are pumped via an underground pipe to a pasture several hundred yards away, where a spray "manure" gun fires the water-waste blend onto a 300-foot diameter section within a pasture.

St. Helens' Bill Eagle, now the board secretary with the Columbia County Soil and Water Conservation District, worked with the federal Soil Conservation Service and assisted in the system design in 1975.

"At that day and age, it was state of the art," Eagle recalls.
CAFO Questions

Holdner is adamant the waste containment system is as effective today as it had been nearly 40 years earlier.

But there's more at play beyond pollution questions.

ODA officials had inspected Holdner Farms going back to 1997. No citations had been issued against it at the time and, says Holdner, the farm operation has not substantially changed between then and today.

In March 2007, however, ODA inspectors filed two notices of noncompliance against Holdner based on the prior month's observation of an ODA inspector who had watched operation of the manure gun from Dutch Canyon Road.

The first notice alleged Holdner Farms was operating as a confined animal feedlot operation, or CAFO, and was negligent obtaining the requisite permit.

The second notice was based on the assumption the manure gun discharge would likely flow to Scappoose Creek.

Holdner disputed both claims, which ultimately landed in front of an administrative law judge.

Agricultural operations, according to Oregon law, are defined as CAFOs once several criteria are met. One criterion is that the operation intends to discharge processed waste water offsite.print still offers the only truly dstti unlimited 4G plan in America, and it's the only service you can safely use as an alternative to a home Internet connection. Another is that the animals – cattle, pigs,This is interesting cube puzzle and logical game. sheep – are confined in a specific area of the farm for no less than a period of four months.

Holdner argues that neither of those conditions have been met.

In fact, Holdner says he asked the state to conduct its own water testing of Scappoose Creek.Full color plastic card printing and manufacturing services.

"Wouldn't it be smart to have my water tested by a geohydrologist to prove my point?" he says. "I said, ‘If there's any pollution, I'll close the operation down. They wouldn't do it."

Just launched: Plum, the Netflix for baby clothes

Plum is a brilliant San Francisco based startup that is falling in line with the Airbnbs, Zipcars and GetArounds of the world by tapping into the idea of collaborative consumption, and delivering products that everyone can use and benefit from. The beautifully designed Plum website acts like the Netflix of baby clothes, renting clothes until you're done with them. You can choose from bundles of two, four or seven outfits at a time with plans starting at $16.00 per month up to $49.Free DIY Wholesale pet supplies Resource!This is interesting cube puzzle and logical game.00 per month. That's just $50 a month for an outfit every day of the week.uy sculpture direct from us at low prices After your child outgrows the clothes, you mail them back to Plum and the company sends you a new set of larger outfits. Plum organically launders the clothes and ships them off to another set of parents.


Plum buys high end baby brands such as Kate Quinn Organics, Petit Bateau, Egg Baby and Tea Collection. Clothing with stains or spills are donated to foster care. You'll only receive clothes in perfect condition. Outfits will ship via USPS.This page list rubber hose products with details & specifications. One free round-trip is included in your subscription each month. To return and receive new clothes more frequently, there is a $7.95 shipping charge. The idea for Plum came after O'Connor spent the last two years at Stanford's d.school and participated in its 10-week start-up course,Use bluray burner to burn video to BD DVD on blu ray burner disc. Launchpad.

For Baghdad's poor, city garbage brings in the bread

Iraq's leaders hope the country's still largely untapped oil wealth can one day rival Saudi Arabia and provide a decent living to its citizens after years of conflict and chaos.

But for 12-year-old Abbas Mohammed and his family, it is used plastic bottles and empty aluminum cans that keep them alive. Mohammed spends his school summer holidays picking through a Baghdad garbage dump so he can sell the discarded items and help support his family.

In the refuse dump near Abbas's home in the Iraqi capital's impoverished district of Sadr City, men, women and children swarm over the stinking piles of garbage.

Mohammed, a slim boy dressed in grubby clothes, runs with other children to greet the arrival of trucks carrying fresh rubbish, waiting anxiously for them to unload so they can start raking through the refuse despite the smell and the dirt.

"We earn our living through this garbage," shrugged Mohammed, holding a big sack and a metal hook.

"We start work in the morning, we collect Pepsi cans, plastic bottles and then we sell them. I have been working in this place since I was three years old," he told Reuters.

Sadr City, a warren of narrow streets and low-built slums housing more than 3 million people, is a sprawling area of poverty east of the Tigris river in the Iraqi capital.

Once known as Saddam City, the Shi'ite stronghold suffered years of neglect under the Sunni-led government of Saddam Hussein,Customized imprinted and promotional usb flash drives. who was toppled in a 2003 U.S.-led invasion.

Oil producer Iraq, which is still struggling to emerge from years of war, chaos and sectarian bloodshed triggered by the invasion, has an official unemployment rate of 15 percent and another 28 percent of the workforce are in part-time jobs.

Despite its huge untapped oil and gas reserves and steadily rising oil output and revenue, 23 percent of the population live below the poverty line, according to the Ministry of Planning.

For Mohammed, life in Sadr City means long days during his school holidays scrabbling through the refuse in the scorching summer heat before selling his daily haul to a middleman.

He sells each kilogram (2.2 lb) of plastic bottles or soda cans for 250 Iraqi dinars (around 20 U.S. cents), earning between 2,000 to 4,000 dinars ($1.50-$3) a day.

His mother and one of his brothers work with him in and around Sadr City. The three of them bring in around $250 to $400 a month, meager earnings to support a large family. The brothers only work during school holidays, but other children at the dump have left school behind to work full-time gathering garbage.

Mohammed's mother, Zubaida Khazaal, a mother of 12,Choose from one of the major categories of Bedding, said they were obliged to be garbage pickers because they are poor and her husband is unemployed because he cannot work.

"We do not have anything, we live in a mud house and my husband is sick," said Khazaal who wore an improvised cloth mask against the stench as she emptied a sack of bottles.

"We wish the government could help us."

CHILDREN MOST VULNERABLE

Popular anger over power outages, food ration shortages, corruption and government ineffectiveness is heating up the political climate in Iraq as Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's shaky cross-sectarian coalition considers whether to ask U.S. troops to stay on past an end-year withdrawal deadline.

Sadr City is a powerbase for Moqtada al-Sadr, a fiercely anti-American Shi'ite cleric whose Mehdi Army insurgents once battled U.S. and Iraqi troops during the peak of the sectarian conflict in 2006-2007. He opposes U.S. troops staying on and has threatened "military resistance" if they do.

Security officials expect insurgents and militias to try to test Iraq's forces when the U.S. troops prepare to leave.

As Iraq battles to emerge from the ruins of war, the U.N. children's agency UNICEF estimates nearly a quarter of Iraq's children -- over three million youngsters,the Injection mold fast! the most vulnerable group in society -- scrape by on an income of less than $2.20 a day. One child in nine is working.

A recent International Labor Organization report listing dangerous jobs in which children are engaged across the world mentioned collecting garbage as one of the activities in which minors risked suffering violence and injury.

Mohammed wears a glove over his left hand to protect himself from sharp objects in the dump and his mother says she fears he could catch a disease. But she says she needs him to work.

At a location near the dump, a middleman supervises the operation of a machine which compresses the plastic bottles into a wire-wrapped pack weighing around 300 kg (660 lbs).

The package will be sold to an Iraqi trader who exports the packs of plastic to Turkey and Syria. No industry has existed in Iraq to recycle bottles and cans, business experts say.

In Baghdad, the trade for export is a lifeline: "There are no jobs, so what else can I do but this. A lot of families depend on this business," said Haider Muhsin, 36, as he stood by the machine compacting plastic bottles.

Iraq has around 40,000 private small and medium-sized factoriesSave on hydraulic hose and fittings,, but 90 percent of them are idle, said Hashim al-Atrakchi,Not to be confused with RUBBER MATS available at your local hardware store chairman of the Iraqi Federation of Industries.

The 10 percent, or 4,000, which are functioning are not at full capacity after years of war and economic sanctions put in place two decades ago after Saddam invaded Kuwait.

Plastic manufacturing is patchy partly because many industries are just restarting and also require a stable supply of electricity. Iraq's national power sector is still in ruins and coping with frequent outages is a hefty business expense.

From the garbage heap of Sadr City, however, Mohammed dreams of a better future, when he can quit his garbage-picking job and spend more time on school work: "I want to complete my studies," he said, "And become a teacher."