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By Chris Tomkins
The last few decades has seen a rapid growth in awareness of the environmental problems associated with burning fossil fuels to produce energy. The spread of alternative energy use has not been anywhere near as rapid. Many people have been prevented from switching to environmentally sound options by poor availability, insufficient efficiency and high prices of renewable energy systems.
It has been particularly difficult for people to turn to environmentally friendly energy production in their own homes. They do not have the resources, in terms of either funding or space, necessary to build a wind farm of put up ranks of solar panels. They have instead been offered small solar panels, solar water heaters and small wind turbines. These can rarely provide enough power for the entire home, and they tend to be too expensive for the average family. Ecofriendly electricity companies are beginning to remedy the situation by providing clean energy, but generating power on a small scale is still difficult.
Solar water heaters may be the exception. They use the sun’s heat directly, to warm water for use in the home. They are affordable and work well, particularly during the summer. Solar heaters can provide hot water and heat the home.
Clean methods of energy production for domestic heating are an important part of the UK’s efforts to become more environmentally friendly. About 40% of carbon dioxide emissions are produced by the heating of buildings.
An alternative method of heating the home that is more efficient and reliable than solar water heaters is now spreading through the UK. This technology has been available for about 50 years, but until recently, it has not made much of an impression in this country. Geothermal or ground source heating takes heat energy from the ground and distributes it through the house. It can also heat water for domestic use, and cool the home during hot weather. It can be relied on throughout the year, requires little maintenance and is not impossibly expensive.
These systems redistribute heat through a series of pipes running underground and through the house. The temperature underground remains much more constant than that above ground. This means that it is warmer underground in winter and cooler in summer. A geothermal system takes advantage of this fact by redistributing heat energy from the ground into the house.
The energy comes from underground pipes that are buried near the house, vertically or horizontally. A liquid runs though these pipes. It is pumped down into the ground then back up into the house, where it passes through a heat exchanger. The liquid then continues around into the ground again. As it passes around this loop, its temperature changes. It grows warmer when it moves underground, absorbing heat from the warm earth surrounding the pipe. In the heat exchanger, it loses this heat to a cooler liquid that is being pumped around a separate loop.
This second liquid, in its separate loop, is turned into gas as it absorbs heat. The gas passes into a compressor, which pushes the molecules of gas closer together, raising their temperature even further. The ground heat raised it to about 12 degrees Celsius. Compression increases it to over 65 degrees Celsius.
The hot gas is used to heat water and/or air. The water which it has heated can be used in the home, just like hot water produced by any other method. It can also be used in the heating system (e.g. radiators). The heated air is pumped through a system of ducts to warm the house, while a second duct system brings cooler air back to the heat exchanger.
During the summer, when the house is hot and the ground cool, the heat exchange can be reversed to cool the house.
Geothermal systems use pumps that run on electricity, so while this power source is still based on fossil fuels they are not entirely environmentally friendly. The systems are very efficient, however, producing three to four kilowatts of heat for every kilowatt of electricity used. This means that they reduce the use of other types of energy. If a renewable electricity source is also used, then the system becomes completely clean.
Geothermal heating systems are efficient and reliable. They can heat water and maintain a steady temperature in the home, heating it in winter and cooling it in summer. They can work with traditional home heating systems such as radiators and underfloor heating. A geothermal system can reduce energy bills by 70%. The initial cost will be high, but it can be reduced by government grants, available under the Clear Skies scheme.
About the Author: For more information about
ground source heating
options click here
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Saturday, March 4, 2006
Los Angeles County prosecutors have brought three felony charges against Stephen Heller for stealing documents from his employer, the law firm Jones Day.
The legal documents discussed the legal ramifications of activist allegations that Diebold Election Systems had used uncertified voting systems in Alameda County elections beginning in 2002. Jones Day represented the controversial electronic voting machine manufacturer at the time. The firm’s lawyers concluded that if such uncertified systems were used, then Diebold could be sued by Alameda County for millions of dollars. The memos also discussed whether the California’s secretary of state had the authority to investigate Diebold.
Mr. Heller has been charged with felony access to computer data, commercial burglary and receiving stolen property. He has pled not guilty.
Blair Berk, Heller’s attorney said, “It’s a devastating allegation for a whistle-blower. Certainly, someone who saw those documents could have reasonably believed that thousands of voters were going to be potentially disenfranchised in upcoming elections.”
Friday, October 20, 2017
Research published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B on Wednesday by Albert Le Floch and Guy Ropars of French University of Rennes claims dyslexia may be caused by the way the photoreceptors in dyslexic individuals’ eyes are arranged. Co-author Ropars said, “Our observations lead us to believe that we indeed found a potential cause of dyslexia”.
In dyslexic individuals, the pattern of photoreceptors in the right eye is similar to that on the left and produces a “mirror image”, while in non-dyslexic individuals, there are two different patterns in the two eyes, researchers found in their study. Individuals with dyslexia have difficulty reading, especially distinguishing between letters that are mirror images of each other, like the characters ‘b’ and ‘d’ or ‘p’ and ‘q’.
In the back of the eye, there is a site called the fovea which contains cone cells, of three kinds responding either to red, green, or blue light. In one patch within the fovea, there are cone cells for red and green but none for blue. In the dominant eye, with greater connectivity to the brain, this spot was found to be round while in the other eye, it was asymmetrical. This, researchers speculate, allows the brain to choose just one of the two images to work with. The researchers observed the dyslexic individuals have round spots in both eyes, which produces mirror images, and the brain can not decide which one to consider.
“For dyslexic students their two eyes are equivalent and their brain has to successively rely on the two slightly different versions of a given visual scene,” the researchers said. According to Ropars, this may also serve as a means of diagnosing dyslexia.
Using an LED lamp, researchers observed images from the two eyes do not reach the hemispheres of the brain at the same time, with there being a delay of about ten thousandths of a second. The researchers were able to use a flashing LED light, which was flashed at high frequency that it became invisible to the observer’s eye to allow the study participants to process only one image by “cancelling” one of the two produced in each eye.
Research participants called this LED light the “magic lamp.” Ropars said more testing is to be done to confirm this technique’s efficacy in treating dyslexia.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
On the second day today of a three day visit to India the President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, has signed multiple economic deals with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.File:Xi Jinping October 2013 (cropped).jpg
China would set up two industrial parks in India, one in Gujarat and one in Maharashtra. The deals encompass Chinese investment of US$20 billion in infrastructure projects, modernisation of the Indian Railways, and agreements on trade, space exploration, and civil nuclear energy. China has also committed itself to opening its markets to Indian pharmaceuticals and farm products. A final settlement of the unresolved dispute over the Chinese–Indian border in the Himalayas is also to be sought; the dispute, over which the Sino-Indian War of 1962 was fought, arises over where the border should be.
In a message to Chinese journalists on Tuesday, Indian Prime Minister Modi used the slogan “Inch towards Miles”, (standing for “India and China towards Millennium of Exceptional Synergy”) to express his hopes as to the future direction of the two nations’ bilateral ties. The Indian Prime Minister further emphasised the shared history and culture of the two nations which could be further enhanced for a brighter shared future.
The Chinese president’s visit comes amid tension over Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea, clashing with claims of several other countries, including Japan. In a five day visit to Japan in the beginning of this month, Modi said “The world is divided in two camps. One camp believes in expansionist policies while the other believes in development.” Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also came to an agreement which would see Japanese investment in India rise to US$33.6 billion in the next five years.
Another unresolved tension between the two nuclear powers India and China is continued Chinese support of India’s rival Pakistan.
Xi’s visit to India, which began yesterday following visits to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, is part of an initiative Xi likens to the creation of a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
byAlma Abell
Industrial and manufacturing facilities rely heavily upon the precise operations of various different machines. When these machines are working optimally, production is usually at peak efficiency. However, with the preciseness of this type of machinery, it doesn’t take anything more significant than a small glitch to bring a manufacturing or industrial facility to a grinding halt. That is where a Machinist near Pascagoula Mississippi can come in quite handy.
These technicians are experienced at laser precision details when it comes to their work. Whether it’s lathing, grinding, gearbox replacement or other delicate repairs or replacements, the services of these technicians can help avoid lengthy and expensive downtime in regards to manufacturing or industrial facilities.
What many people fail to realize is that these types of facilities that use such specialized equipment have been fashioned in such a way to run at optimal efficiency during operating hours. Any dip in that production can cause disastrous financial repercussions. Because the demand to run at peak efficiency all of the time is so great, when a facility gets behind because of equipment that isn’t working properly, it’s very difficult to catch up. The services of a qualified Machinist near Pascagoula Mississippi helps to avoid these issues from ever becoming a reality.
In addition to this, there’s a great deal of convenience that comes with the services found at Usmachineservices.com. One of the things that people in this industry understand is that sometimes the types of machines that need the services of a machinist are rather large. Sometimes facilities have been built around them so removing these large pieces of equipment may be difficult if not impossible. However, machinist services, outside of having expansive workshops, also have the ability to be mobile and come to a facility where machines require laser alignment, repairs or part replacements.
If you run a manufacturing or industrial facility, you know the preciseness and the efficiency of the machines used in these facilities are essential to the success of day-to-day operations. That’s why, if there’s an issue, machinists can be the type of professionals that your business will depend on greatly. Whether it’s a simple fix or something more involved, these types of facilities can’t afford a great deal of downtime and a professional machinist can help your facility avoid this difficult situation.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Bindeez beads, a children’s toy from Australia and manufactured by Moose Enterprise in Hong Kong, is being pulled off toy store shelves in the United Kingdom after traces of an illegal drug, which is converted into gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) when ingested, was found inside the toy. At least 20 million toys are affected.
So far at least three children from the U.K. and at least two from Auckland, New Zealand have fallen seriously ill and are currently receiving medical attention. The toy is also sold in the United States as Aqua Dots, with two reports received by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) of children needing hospitalization after ingesting the beads.
“We’ve asked all our customers to take them off the shelf while we retest everything to make sure the toys comply with all regulations,” said the company in a statement, although no mandatory recall has been issued for the product. The statement also says that the plant in Hong Kong was not using a chemical mixture approved by the company.
“This substitution was not at any time approved by Moose nor was Moose made aware of any substitution by the supplier,” added the statement.
The toys were supposed to contain a non-toxic chemical known as 1,5-pentanediol, but instead 1,4-butanediol, which is mainly used in creating the illegal drug GHB, was used in the toys. When humans consume 1,4-butanediol, the body converts it into GHB and could make the individual seriously ill, causing headaches, seizures, dizziness and in some cases death. GHB is a natural chemical found in a variety of things such as beef, wine and some varieties of citrus fruits. It is also used as a pharmaceutical which is sold as Xyrem.
Recent animal research indicates that drugs are available for human use which may work as antidotes to the poison, either by hindering its conversion to GHB with 4-methylpyrazole (fomepizole, Antizol) or by blocking GHB’s effectiveness at the receptor (SCH 50911). Rodent testing has found the lethal dose of 1,4-butanediol to range from 1.4 to 2.5 grams per kilogram body weight, but an antidote can increase the lethal dose by a factor of 10.
It is not known how the chemicals got mixed up, but officials for the toy company say that they are continuing the investigation. The toy is currently banned in all of Australia, but the company says all those who bought it will be refunded their money.
“The issue of how a dangerous substance was used in these beads and not the non-toxic substance … that is going to take us a few more days to uncover,” said Australia’s Fair Trade Minister, Linda Burney in a statement to the press.
The toy was recently named Australia’s number one toy for 2007.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Researchers say that new, ten million-year-old fossils found in Ethiopia, prove that the theory that humans may have evolved from a species of great apes eight million years ago, may not be true, but that humans may have split from apes as long as 10.5 million years ago.
At least nine fossilized teeth, one canine tooth and eight molars, of a previously unknown species of apes found in Africa were discovered by a team of researchers from Ethiopia and Japan who then compared the 3-D make up of the teeth to other fossils that date back as far as 8 million years and found that the fossils are likely a “direct ancestor” of apes currently living in Africa and that the new ape fossils were that of a species of gorilla who ate mostly plants high in fiber.
Current fossils and research say that the evolutionary split from apes to humans occurred at least eight million years ago. The new fossils say that the split may have happened as long as 10.5 million years ago.
“Based on this fossil, that means the split is much earlier than has been anticipated by the molecular evidence. That means everything has to be put back,” said researcher at the Rift Valley Research Service in Ethiopia and a co-author of the study, Berhane Asfaw.
Despite the finds, other researchers are not convinced that the findings are correct.
“It is stretching the evidence to base a time scale for the evolution of the great apes on this new fossil. These structures appear on at least three independent lineages of apes, including gorillas, and they could relate to a dietary shift rather than indicating a new genetic trait,” said a Professor at the London Natural History Museum in the United Kingdom, Peter Andrews who also added, “but the fossil evidence for the evolution of our closest living relatives, the great apes, is almost non-existent.
Researchers have named the newly discovered species Cororapithecus abyssinicus whose remains were found in the Afar Region of Ethiopia, the same place where the remains of Lucy were discovered in 1974.
By IPRWire Staff Writer
If you want to make money on eBay, you need to drive as many visitors as you can to your auction listings and turn them into buyers! Here are some advanced tips to help you maximize your eBay sales:
*Be a buyer as well as a seller. This will introduce you to other eBay sellers and encourage them to check out your “About Me” page to find out more about you. Not only that, but you can learn a lot from other sellers what they’re doing right that you can adopt and what mistakes to avoid.
*Set up different eBay identities for each category of item you sell. Let’s say you sell two totally different types of items: discounted trendy clothing and household tools. You might name one selling ID “trenz4less” and the other “handymanspecials.” You’ll be taken more seriously if you can build a reputation as the “go-to” person for a particular kind of product.
*Send automated email messages in response to questions about your auction items. This lets potential customers know that you received their email and that you will respond to them personally at your earliest convenience. It’s also the perfect opportunity to provide more information about your business like your shipping policies, for example. You can even include a link to your other auctions.
*Promote backend products to your mailing list. Send email to your opt-in list featuring more of your items. A person who has bought one thing from you is FAR more likely to buy something else if it’s related to their initial purchase.
Just make sure you do NOT market to your customers unless they have explicitly opted in it’s against eBay policy!
*Turn your buyers into customers for life. When it comes to running a business, there is NO greater asset than a loyal customer! Not only are they more likely to come back to you and buy more of your products, they’ll also tell their family and friends about you and spread the word about your site!
Make sure you send them emails thanking them for making a purchase after they’ve bought something from you. Do everything you can to make sure your customers are completely satisfied.
These are just some of the ways you can ramp up your auction sales to make money on eBay. For more auction tips, from novice to advanced, check out http://www.AuctionTips.com.
About the Author:
auctiontips.com
was founded in 1996 by Internet marketing expert Corey Rudl, The Internet Marketing Center focuses on researching, developing, and testing cost-effective e-business marketing strategies and eBay selling and making money on eBay.
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Saturday, February 2, 2008
At least 151 passengers and an unknown number of crew on board a Lloyd Aereo Boliviano (LAB) Boeing 727-200 have escaped after the aircraft crash landed in swampland in Bolivia.
Local airline LAB had been operating the chartered passenger flight from La Paz to Cobija on behalf of Transporte Aereo Militar (TAM) when poor weather conditions caused the jet to be diverted. LAB has recently been handling excess passengers for TAM as an unusually severe rainy season has washed away many roads across the nation.
A flight engineer said that during the flight the engines failed due to a mechanical problem. The plane came down in a swampy forest clearing approximately 2 miles (3.3km) from a runway at the new destination of Trinidad, 370 miles from the intended destination. Several passengers were injured in the accident, and all on board were taken to hospitals for checks. One pilot received a clavicle fracture.
The plane was severely damaged, with the New York Times reporting that photographs of the scene showed at least one wing of the aircraft to have separated from the fuselage.
Survivors confirmed this. Paolo Bravo, a Bolivian senator on board the plane, said to local radio network Erbol “We noticed the engines went out, and there was this calm… Then they told us, ‘Crash positions! crash positions!’ and it was just another two or three seconds before we hit… The plane fell, the wings broke off, but the fuselage was OK.”
Experts from the Auxiliary Aerial Navigation Service and an airport commented that it is possible that the soft mus in the area absorbed some of the impact forces, allowing the plane to be salvaged and returned to service. LAB’s operations chief Gustavo Viscarra made a statement saying “The crew members did not suffer any problem and there is no blood… The airplane has minimum damages, there is no structural damage, there was not any fire nor smoke. It was a forced landing planned by the pilot and it was not caused by our enterprise’s negligence nor lack of maintenance of our airplanes.”
Passenger numbers are unclear, with LAB reporting 151 and some media sources saying 155.
An investigation has been launched. It has been established that an undisclosed technical problem prevented the plane from departing for an hour.
Legal and financial difficulties have seen LAB suspend operations for almost a year, but the carrier has recently begun a limited return to charter services.
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