Thoughts and ideas from one of the best area home inspectors in the Bloomington Normal area.
Archive for July 21, 2010
Early Monday blaze destroys Guaranteed Home Improvement
666 days
10 things to know before you remodel
666 days
You?ve had just about enough of taping plastic wrap over your windows whenever it rains hard. Your gutter overflow creates rivers in your front yard. So, you?ve decided to renovate your home (finally!)?with Mother Nature in mind. Where to start? If funds are limited, what are the most important remodels to tackle? Here are 10 things to consider before you pick up the sledgehammer:
1. Ask an expert. Even if you are planning a DIY-remodel, you should consult with the folks at your local green homebuilders association (HBA). Such organizations are educational nonprofits that set criteria for the most up-to-date environmental homebuilding processes and practices. They also help you, the consumer, understand what?s going on and why, and they can point you in the right direction when it comes to supplies and starter projects.
2. Energy efficiency. Georgia Pacific?s Barry Reid can?t emphasize energy efficiency enough in a green renovation. And it doesn?t have to drain your 401(k), either. ?You can cut your energy bill 30 percent by making smart, small changes,? he says. He advises renovators to get their green HBA to conduct an energy audit to see where the house is leaking air. Small changes such as adding/updating insulation, caulking windows and sealing ductwork can dramatically reduce your carbon footprint without breaking the bank. Add updated, efficient appliances and you?ve made a big difference already.
3. Windows to your soul. If you have an old home, you might have noticed a chilly draft coming in from old windows?possibly the biggest source of heat loss in your home. It might not, however, be necessary to replace your entire window to make an Earth-conscious renovation decision. Consult your green HBA to see if you can replace just the sash around your window, add storm windows, shade screens, or simply reseal and caulk the edges. According to Carl Seville of Seville Consulting, an Atlanta-based green building consulting firm, ?replacement windows (Replacement windows should be distinguished from new-construction windows. New-construction windows have a “nailing fin” along the outer frame. This fin provides a surface so that the window can be nailed in from the outside of the ho are generally not worth the investment? in all but the most extreme climate zones. Take care to seal the windows and make a world of difference. According to EarthCraft?s renovation guide (www.earthcrafthouse.com/resources/builder-guidelines.htm), ?In many homes, basements are major heat sinks due to poor insulation and air leaks. In addition, radon, mold, dust and other contaminants can collect in the basement and enter the house.? If you?re already insulating the house, you should definitely include the basement and foundation in your renovation plans. If insulation wasn?t on your checklist, you should consider having your basement treated and/or waterproofed to make your home more Earth-friendly. While you?re down there, make sure your pipes are insulated, your doors are sealed and, if necessary, the basement airflow is sealed off from the rest of your house.
5. Nice ducts. Speaking of airflow, Seville says VAC upgrades are some of the most efficient, sustainable changes you can make to your home. ?Spend more money on sealing your home and install a smaller, more efficient ventilation and air conditioning (VAC) unit that is designed properly for your home,? he says. Seville bristles at the notion that bigger is better and also emphasizes that location is just as important. ?Where your VAC system goes matters,? he says, ?Putting ducts in the attic means using more energy to cool your house…which is why you can put a smaller unit in the basement to achieve the same effect with less!? Seville?s motto ?Build it tight; ventilate right!? is more than just a catchphrase. He says this philosophy is ?key to making a house comfortable and efficient year round.?
6. When it rains, it pours. Better water management can be an inexpensive and fantastically effective upgrade to any home. Internal improvements such as blanketing your hot water heater and installing low-flush toilets will help you consume less water and energy, but outdoor fixes can be extremely important, too. You might consider reshaping your landscaping to draw water away from your foundation or ?planting? a grass parking spot to help control storm runoff.
Keeping this water away from your home can only mean good things for the longevity of the building. Reid says, ?People are often surprised by how leaky houses are, by how much water is actually getting into houses through vents or windows or the tops of doors.?
7. Repurpose your old materials. Seville insists that, ?Remodeling is inherently a sustainable business,? and a huge part of this equation is the way in which your contractor repurposes your old materials. Seville advises clients that lumber is easily ground into landscaping wood chips or donated to furniture makers, bricks and stone can be used on other construction sites. The best part about finding new homes for appliances or construction supplies? Many of the organizations accepting the donations are nonprofits, which means you get a tax benefit to boot!
8. Interior details. One of the easiest ways to improve air quality in your house is to rip out the carpet and stop wearing shoes indoors. According to Seville, ?You should use hard surface flooring wherever possible and put down some rugs that you can easily move and clean.? If you feel compelled to put down carpet, make sure you are choosing a sustainably produced carpet (pay attention to the pad and adhesives, too!). Other interior details such as energy-efficient appliances, motion-sensor lighting and low-VOC paint on the walls make it easy to finish off a green renovation.
9. Materials matter. If you?re spending the money for a green renovation, you?re definitely concerned with the materials supporting and finishing your home. While your first instinct might be to use materials that are entirely organic or made from recycled materials, Reid says this isn?t always the best overall choice. ?A rapidly renewable product might put you at risk for water damage because it?s slower to dry and more absorbent.
Sometimes the most forgiving materials with the best longevity are not the most obviously green,? he says. Reid encourages homeowners to consider durability and, based on your specific climate, ?choose materials that support the long-term viability of the home.? What does this mean? Reid says you need to consider what parts of your home are most vulnerable to moisture?generally the basement, kitchen and bathroom. ?Nonpaper faced wallboards in these critical areas can lower your risk for moisture and potential mold,? he says. ?It?s all about choosing a material that?s in line with what you want to accomplish with the space.?
10. Maximize your space. Many people feel they need to expand their home and approach renovation to get more space. Seville urges homeowners to really maximize their current living space?you might be surprised how cozy and comfortable your house could become. ?People have rooms they just don?t use,? he says, citing easy changes like opening up doorways or switching the use of a room as ways to ?add? living space to a home.
If you?ve got an unfinished attic and are looking to convert it into a living space, Seville emphasizes taking care of business while you are up there (insulating, sealing, properly ventilating) to make your house ?bigger? and come out with a lower energy footprint. The same holds true for a basement?seal it from moisture, and it will become a useful space that no longer takes away from the comfort and air quality of your home.
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As Microsoft stumbles forward, is it a good idea to have its head in The Cloud?
666 days
The company that once defined much of personal computing has spent the first half of 2010 suffering indignities large and small. Key executives behind some of the company’s more successful recent efforts have announced early retirements; its unimpressive new Office 2010 software has seen ho-hum sales; and the stock market now values Apple more than Microsoft.
At a speech that kicked off Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference in the District on Monday morning, chief executive Steve Ballmer tried to put a positive spin on things. But a look at three topics discussed in Ballmer’s speech and highlighted in product exhibits at the Washington Convention Center shows the kind of trouble the Redmond, Wash., company finds itself in.
In the interest of being nice, let’s get the worst part out of the way first: mobile devices. In no other market does Microsoft look more lost at the plate.
Back in February, Microsoft publicly abandoned its Windows Mobile operating system when it announced that it was developing a replacement, Windows Phone 7, that wouldn’t work with any hardware or software shipped for that older platform over the past decade.
Would-be buyers of Windows-based phones could only have been more confused two months later when Microsoft unveiled a different, equally incompatible line of smartphones under the Kin brand name. Was this the real hope for Microsoft’s mobile efforts?
Evidently not: In July, less than two months after the Kin One and Kin Two debuted in Verizon Wireless stores, Microsoft terminated the entire project.
Meanwhile, Apple’s new iPhone 4 — reception issues and all — and the latest crop of Google Android-powered smartphones have already vaulted past Windows Phone 7′s promised features with such added capabilities as videoconferencing.
The picture isn’t brighter in tablet computing. Back in January, Ballmer used part of his Consumer Electronics Show keynote to talk up “slate computers” — small, touch-screen models running Windows 7.
Three weeks later, Apple introduced the iPad, which has since sold fantastically well. Meanwhile, HP — the company whose prototype slate Ballmer displayed at CES — seems to have quietly dropped that effort and looks far more likely to ship a tablet running the webOS software of its newly acquired subsidiary Palm.
At WPC, however, Microsoft seemed determined to plow ahead with the same slate vision as before, despite historical evidence of its riskiness (anybody remember the “Ultra Mobile PC”?).
Processing power and battery technology have advanced since that venture flopped in 2006, but it’s still difficult to see how a Windows 7-based slate will outperform tablets based on such mobile operating systems as Android, webOS and Apple’s iOS.
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?250,000 revamp of Darwen Town Hall complete
666 days
?250,000 revamp of Darwen Town Hall complete
5:00pm Saturday 17th July 2010
THE ?250,000 revamp of Darwen Town Hall has been completed, and new shops could be trading within weeks.
Companies are waiting to sign up for three of the five units in the new facade, and interest has been expr-essed in the remaining two.
At this stage, the council said it could reveal what type of businesses they were.
The news has been hailed as ?very encouraging for the town? by local traders and councillors.
Denise Gee, president of Darwen Chamber of Trade, said: ?The units do look fantastic and I hope they bring in new customers, and the old ones continue to support us.
?I?d like to see them filled with shops offering things we don?t already have here.
“It?s a great little market town and initiatives like this only drive it forward.
“It?s very encouraging to know there is a lot of interest in the units. If people can?t get into the units, then I hope they can take some of the empty shops in the main road.?
Eileen Guy, of the Darwen Shop and Business Association, said: ?We?re doing well in Darwen at the moment – we?re riding the storm exceedingly well.
“It?s an exciting time for the town and I hope more people come and have a look at what we have to offer.?
The town hall refurbishment scheme returns the 139-year-old building to its original appearance and includes new and improved public toilets, disabled toilets, babychanging and feeding rooms.
replacement windows (Replacement windows should be distinguished from new-construction windows. New-construction windows have a “nailing fin” along the outer frame. This fin provides a surface so that the window can be nailed in from the outside of the ho and a new staff entrance have also been added.
Coun Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration, said: ?Three shops are currently under offer and we are dealing with expressions of interest for the others.
?These shops are in a prime location in the town centre, linked to the town?s popular market and are sure to be a big attraction for residents and visitors.?
Darwen market hall was built in 1871 to house local council offices.
The original designs included shop fronts opening up on to the town square, but these were replaced at the east end by office space and blocked off compelely at the west side when public toilets
were built there in the 1970s.
The council has contributed ?200,000 to the project and another ?53,000 has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Your Say YourTelegraph
Pot growers taking on Pitt Meadows
666 days
Two people who grow medical marijuana in a house in Pitt Meadows are vowing to fight the city as it amends a bylaw to shut their operation down.
In a cul-de-sac at the end of a quiet residential street, the pair have just harvested a third crop of 98 plants for a woman who suffers from leukemia.
She uses marijuana to control pain by turning it into a tea and blending it with spaghetti sauce.
?We are willing to fight,? said Shannon Rowe, who has a Designated-Person Production Licence from Health Canada ? a permit that allows her to grow legal pot.
She is growing for her uncle Gerald, who has a spinal injury.
?This is a fight for people who are ill, who don?t have the energy to fight,? she added.
The man who owns the Pitt Meadows house, who wishes to remain anonymous, is behind Legal Grow Canada ? a non-profit society that facilitates medical marijuana grow-ops.
He has houses with medical grow operations in Vancouver, Mission, Maple Ridge and Coquitlam ? all functioning without any problems from city officials, he said.
The Pitt Meadows house currently has four people licensed to grow for others ? the maximum allowed by Health Canada.
Rowe said they informed the city and police about the medical grow-op before they set up last year.
They passed an electrical inspection (An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of and had a city building official look at the house.
Three crops and eight months later, city officials sent them a letter saying they had 24 hours to shut down.
The threat was extended to 30 days ? a deadline which has since passed.
In the meantime, Pitt Meadows council gave two readings to an amendment to the city?s land use bylaw to prohibit growing marijuana for medicinal use in residential and agricultural zones.
If the amendment passes, the city will be one of the first in Canada to use a municipal bylaw to restrict an activity that?s allowed under federal regulations.
Growing medical marijuana for personal use will still be permitted in the city, but growing for others as a home-based business will not be allowed.
?Now we want to stay underground,? said Rowe.
?We don?t want to deal with this. We?ve got nothing to hide. Go after the people with guns.?
But city officials point out there were two illegal grow operations found at the house before the residents set up their medical enterprise.
In nearby Maple Ridge, police seized 1,744 pot plants from a medicinal marijuana grow-op last month that was licensed to grow a maximum of 73. There was a shooting at another medical grow-op, while a compassion club has set up in downtown Maple Ridge.
The city has also received complaints from neighbours.
?We just don?t want to see these set up in residential zones,? said city building official Dave Bruce.
?If this was a license for an individual to grow marijuana for personal use, I don?t think it is an issue we would pursue, but when a person does this for commercial purposes, that seems to suggest it should be occurring in more appropriately zoned locations.?
A medicinal cannabis advocate, however, thinks the city should be talking to the growers instead of sending them underground.
Michelle Rainey, a Maple Ridge resident and vice-president of the B.C. Marijuana Party, said everyone involved ??city, growers, activists and Health Canada ? need to open a dialogue.
?I don?t believe the way the city is going about doing things is right. It?s more of a witch hunt than anything else, which is rather sad,? she said.
?They are targeting someone who is ill and has a medical condition.?
A former banker and currently director of marketing for an alternative medicine journal, Treating Yourself Magazine, Rainey said getting a Heath Canada permit isn?t easy. The exemption form is 33 pages and patients must satisfy legal and medical conditions set by Ottawa before a permit to possess marijuana is issued. If the person wants to grow their own marijuana and purchase seeds from Prairie Plant Systems (PPS) ? the only government-approved supplier ? they must complete another application.
If they can?t grow their own crop, a ?designated person? who clears a criminal record check must apply for a licence.
?This falls under federal jurisdiction. This is not municipal, and until Health Canada or the government decides to change that, the only obligation that the growers have is to meet safety standards and keep within their limits,? said Rainey, who also grows marijuana to treat Stage 3 melanoma and Crohn?s disease.
? A public hearing on the amendment is scheduled at Pitt Meadows city hall for July 20 at 7 p.m.
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United States DoD contracts for July 9, 2010
666 days
06:10 GMT, July 12, 2010 CONTRACTS
ARMY
L-3 Communications Westwood Corp., Tulsa, Okla., was awarded on July 7 a $175,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract. This three-year indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract is for the ordering of 30 and 60 kilowatt tactical quiet generator (TQG) sets to ensure the government obtains a seamless supply of TQG sets to provide the necessary and critical power for command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment and combat support systems. This modification is issued to increase the contract ceiling amount by $175,000,000 from $201,000,000 to $376,000,000. Work is to be performed in Tulsa, Okla., with an estimated completion date of March 1, 2011. One bid was solicited with one bid received. CECOM Contracting Center-Washington, Fort Belvoir, Va., is the contracting activity (W15P7T-08-D-A002).
General Dynamics OTS Garland, LP, Garland, Texas, was awarded on July 2 a $58,346,730 firm-fixed-price contract for MK80 series bomb bodies. Work is to be performed in Garland, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2010. One bid was solicited with one bid received. HQ, Army Contracting Command, CCRC-AR, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (W52P1J-05-D-0006).
Inglett & Stubbs International, Ltd., Smyrna, Ga., was awarded on July 7 a $53,942,310 firm-fixed-price contract. The contractor will provide electrical crews and material required for limited electrical inspection (An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of and repair of U.S. occupied camps, not supported by the Logistics Civil Augmentation Program, in diverse areas in Afghanistan. Contractor personnel will be expected to respond to emerging conditions throughout Afghanistan and correct immediate life, health and safety issues. Contractor will field 60 licensed electricians to perform tasks identified in the statement of work. Work is to be performed in Afghanistan with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2011. One bid was solicited with one bid received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Philadelphia District, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (W912BU-10-C-0027).
Textron, Inc., New Orleans, La., was awarded on July 2 a $49,808,772 firm-fixed-price contract. This award exercises options for 52 armored security vehicles; 21 M1200 armored Knights; and 12 special tool sets with Textron Marine & Land Systems. Work is to be performed in New Orleans, La., with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2010. One bid was solicited with one bid received. U.S. Army TACOM, Warren, CCTA-ATB-D, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-C-0532).
Propper International, Inc., Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, was awarded on July 6 a $48,999,993 firm-fixed-price contract for Marine Corps three-season sleep system. Work is to be performed in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, with an estimated completion date of April 1, 2015. Bids were solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities Web site with four bids received. U.S. Army Research Development & Engineering Command, Natick Contracting Center, Natick, Mass., is the contracting activity (W911QY-10-D-0014).
James Construction Group, LLC, Baton Rouge, La., was awarded on July 6 a $38,478,691 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract is for the construction of ?Westbank and Vicinity, New Orleans, Louisiana Hurricane Storm Damage Risk Reduction System WBV-73 Western Tie-In Highway Crossing, St. Charles Parish, Louisiana.? This work consists of, but is not limited to, the construction of: T-walls; a four-lane highway bridge; temporary detour road, excavation and backfill, drainage culverts, catch basins, and headwalls; temporary retaining structures, utility relocations, clearing and grubbing, seeding and mulching; fertilizing, and other incidental work. Work is to be performed in Saint Charles Parish, La., with an estimated completion date of July 10, 2011. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with nine bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District, Hurricane Protection Office, New Orleans, La., is the contracting activity (W912P9-10-C-0069).
GM GDLS Defense Group, LLC, Sterling Heights, Mich., was awarded on July 7 a $30,050,498 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract action directs production cut-in of the revised Stryker performance specifications, which incorporates a modified hull design into 281 vehicles. The double-V hull is an integrated solution that provides improved protection levels to support operations in the Operation Enduring Freedom area of responsibility. Work is to be performed in London, Canada (70 percent), and Sterling Heights, Mich. (30 percent), with an estimated completion date of Feb. 23, 2012. One bid was solicited with one bid received. TACOM, CCRA-AIP, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-07-D-M112).
Oshkosh Corp., Oshkosh, Wis., was awarded on July 2 a $23,634,480 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract is for the procurement of 792 months equal to 66 field service representatives for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All Terrain Vehicle in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2012. Five bids were solicited with five bids received. TACOM, CCTA-ADC-A, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-D-0111).
Marinex Construction, Inc., Charleston, S.C., was awarded on July 6 a $10,546,000 firm-fixed-price contract for ?Maintenance Dredging, Morehead City Harbor, Ocean Bar, Carteret County, NC.? Work is to be performed in Carteret County, N.C., with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2011. Twenty-five bids were solicited with five bids received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, Wilmington, N.C., is the contracting activity (W912HN-10-C-0037).
Alliant Ammunition and Powder Company, LLC, Radford, Va., was awarded on July 2 a $9,393,428 firm-fixed-price contract for ammunition: 194,155 M1/MP, National Stock Number (NSN) 000090042; and 1,376 M1/SP, NSN 000090041. Bids were solicited on the World Wide Web with three bids received. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Contracting Center, CCRC-AR, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity (W52P1J-09-G-0002).
MPRI, a division of L-3 Services, Inc., Alexandria, Va., was awarded on July 6 a $7,300,000 time-and-material contract. This contract is an extension of support services for professional mentoring and training support services with reforming the Afghanistan Ministry of Defense and their subordinate organization, policies and procedures. Work is to be performed in Alexandria, Va. (99.9 percent), and Afghanistan (0.1 percent), with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2010. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Research, Development & Engineering Command Contracting Center, Aberdeen Contracting Division, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W91CRB-05-D-0014).
Rolls Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Ind., was awarded on July 7 a $7,195,380 firm-fixed-price contract. This requirement is for 15 gas turbine engines, Model 250/C30R/3, to support the OH-58D Kiowa safety enhancement program. Work is to be performed in Indianapolis, Ind., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2012. One bid was solicited with one bid received. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone, Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-09-D-0190).
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., was awarded on July 6 a $6,666,930 firm-fixed-price contract. This contract is definitization of not-to-exceed price for the conversion of 9 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters into unique aircraft configuration for the Bahrain Defense Force, Foreign Military Sales Case BA-B-UIR. Contractor will also provide technical publication; integrated logistics support; field service representative; warranty; and ferry flight technical shipping support. Work is to be performed in Stratford, Conn., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2012. One bid was solicited with one bid received. U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command, AMSAM-AC-BH-A, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-08-C-0003).
Atlantic Diving Supply, Inc., Virginia Beach, Va., was awarded on July 2 a $5,800,997 firm-fixed-price contract for 4,700 Special Forces load carriage systems in both areas of responsibility (AOR): AOR 1, desert/arid terrain regions; and AOR 2, temperature/tropical forested terrain regions. This delivery order is also for 900 special warfare combat craft load carriage systems in AORs 1 and 2. Work is to be performed in Virginia Beach, Va., with an estimated completion date of May 9, 2013. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Research, Development & Engineering Command Contracting Center, Natick Contracting Division, CCRD-NA-SY, Natick, Mass., is the contracting activity (W911QY-10-D-0011).
AIR FORCE
Gulf Coast Architectural Group, Inc., Pensacola, Fla., was awarded a $47,500,000 contract which will provide architectural and engineering services in support of the Air Force Reserve Command mission. A t this time, $50,000 has been obligated. AFRC/A7KA, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity (FA6643-10-D-0003).
GE Aviation Systems, Vandalia, Ohio, was awarded a $7,238,924 contract which will design the development, fabrication and testing of a solid state electrical distribution link. At this time, $575,000 has been obligated. AFRL/PKPA, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-10-2-2011).
NAVY
Reyes Construction, Inc., Pomona, Calif., is being awarded a $13,968,450 firm-fixed price task order #0004 under a previously awarded multiple-award construction contract (N62473-09-D-1606) for the repair of main runway 8/26 at Naval Air Facility El Centro. The work to be performed provides for procurement design and construction for airfield pavement repairs. Work includes demolition, removal and disposal of concrete and asphalt pavements; preparation of existing base material and placement treated base material; placement of concrete and asphalt pavements; preparation and repair of concrete panels, spalls, joints, and sealant; and all incidental related work. Work will be performed in El Centro, Calif., and is expected to be completed by September 2011. Funds for this project are provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co., Ltd., Gyeongnam, Korea, is being awarded a $9,577,300 modification under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N62470-10-C-8009) to exercise Option 1 which provides for the procurement of second ship-to-shore container cranes for Military Ocean Terminal, Sunny Point wharf. The work to be performed provides for fabrication of ship-to-shore container cranes used in container handling operations to load and off load ships and other vessels. The cranes are manufactured in different sizes and varying capabilities. The total contract amount after exercising this option will be $27,500,000. Crane manufacturing work will be performed in Changwon, Korea, and crane installation and utilization will be performed in Southport, N.C. Work is expected to be completed by May 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Navy Crane Center, Portsmouth, Va., is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Ross Fresno, LLC, dba Corporate Aircraft, Inc., Fresno, Calif., is being awarded a maximum $9,010,080 fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract for fuel. Other location of performance is Fresno Yosemite International Airport, Fresno, Calif. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. There were originally three proposals solicited with three responses. The date of performance completion is March 31, 2014. The Defense Energy Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va., is the contracting activity (SP0600-10-D-0047).
GKN Aerospace New England, Inc., Manchester, Conn. is being awarded a maximum $7,916,832 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract blade turbine rotor for the F101 turbofan engine. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Air Force. The proposal was originally solicited via the Defense Logistics Agency Internet Bid Board System Web site with two responses. The contract consists of a one-year base with four one-year option periods. The date of performance completion is July 8, 2011. The Defense Supply Center Richmond, Richmond, Va., is the contracting activity (SPM4A7-10-D-0270).
BAE Systems, Information & Electronics Systems Integration, Nashua, N.H. is being awarded a maximum $7,049,968 firm-fixed-price, sole-source, undefinitized contract for electronic frequency convertor units. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Navy. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response. The date of performance completion is Sept. 1, 2011. The Defense Logistics Agency Philadelphia (DSCR-ZC), Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (N00383-05-G-009G-THAM).
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To read or search all U.S. Department of Defence contract announcements published at defpro.com click here: http://www.defpro.com/focus/profile/dod_contracts/.?
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New Fluke TiS Building Diagnostic Thermal Imaging Scanner: Now You CAN Afford Thermal Imaging
666 days
EVERETT, WA–(Marketwire – 07/06/10) – Thermal imaging is now within reach!
Fluke Corporation, the global leader in portable electronic test and measurement technology, has introduced a new entry level Fluke TiS Thermal Imaging Scanner for Building Diagnostics. Specifically designed for building and home inspectors, electricians, energy auditors, HVAC/R professionals, insulators, roofers and window installers, the Fluke TiS is the perfect tool to identify hidden issues, find moisture intrusion, detect energy losses or missing insulation, and spot overheating in electrical components.
Now Fluke quality, durability and performance are available in a thermal imager engineered for the value-conscious building professional. Priced at $2495, the Fluke TiS Building Diagnostic Thermal Imaging Scanner is the top-performing imager in its price class and the most affordable thermal scanner to meet the proposed RESNET infrared standards.
The Fluke TiS Thermal Scanner has the highest resolution (120×120) in its price class and the largest display size (3.7 inches) — that’s 30 percent larger than comparable imagers. And it is the only imager in its class with versatile manual focus. The award winning design includes a three-button menu designed for intuitive operation and navigation.
You can’t earn money with a broken tool so, unlike many competing products, the rugged Fluke TiS Thermal Scanner is tested to withstand a drop of 6.5 feet (2 meters), and is IP54 rated to withstand water and dust. To see why rugged matters, click here.
With a widescreen, full color LCD display, increased thermal sensitivity
The Fluke TiS Building Diagnostic Scanner is designed for applications including:
- Weatherization and Energy Audits: Increase the thermal efficiency of a home or building by scanning for thermal heat loss, air infiltration or exfiltration, or air delivery problems.
- Roofing Surveys: Detect wet areas in roofing systems quickly and efficiently to repair or replace before the entire roof is damaged.
- Moisture/Restoration: Accurately detect moisture issues located behind exterior and interior walls, in ceilings or under carpet-covered floors.
- Mold Remediation: Control mold by finding unknown sources of moisture.
- electrical inspection (An electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of: Detect overheated components in circuits, switch panels, motors, pumps and more.
- HVAC Inspection: Identify leaking ductwork, inspect steam traps and check compressors, motors and pumps.
Pricing and Availability
The Fluke TiS Building Diagnostic Thermal Imaging Scanner is available immediately for a suggested US list price of $2495. For more on the full range of Fluke thermal imaging products, visit www.fluke.com/thermography or contact Fluke Corporation, P.O. Box 9090, Everett, WA USA 98206-9090, call 800-760-4523 or e-mail thermography@fluke.com or visit http://www.fluke.com/thermography.
For more information on Fluke tools and applications, or to find the location of your nearest distributor, contact Fluke Corporation, P.O. Box 9090, Everett, WA USA 98206, call (800) 44-FLUKE (800-443-5853), fax (425) 446-5116, e-mail fluke-info@fluke.com or visit the Fluke
Web site at http://www.fluke.com.
About Fluke
Fluke Corporation is the leader in compact, professional electronic test tools. Fluke customers are technicians, engineers, electricians, metrologists and building diagnostic professionals who install, troubleshoot, and manage industrial electrical and electronic equipment and calibration processes for quality control as well as conducting building restoration and remediation services. In the past five years, Fluke tools won more than 50 industry awards, including Test and Measurement World Best in Test, Control Engineering Engineer’s Choice, and Plant Engineering Product of the Year. Fluke is a registered trademark of Fluke Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Five Filters featured article: Headshot – Propaganda, State Religion and the Attack On the Gaza Peace Flotilla. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.
Parents of autistic children explain struggle, despair
666 days
DALLAS ? Saiqa Akhter, 30, wore handcuffs and a green jumpsuit and said nothing as deputies escorted her to Dallas County jail just before 7 p.m. Wednesday.
She has already been charged in the strangulation of her son, Zain, 5. Charges are pending in the strangulation of her daughter, Faryaal, 3.
Hours before she was booked into jail, the 911 call Akhter made on Monday evening was released, revealing her confession.
“They are autistic,” she told an operator. “Both are autistic… I don’t want my kids to be like that. I want normal kids.”
“My heart just kind of goes into my knees,” said Nagla Moussa, president of the National Autism Association of North Texas.
It’s a network of parents struggling to raise children with the disorder.
“When you have a child with autism, you’re constantly thinking: ‘What’s going to happen to this child when I’m no longer around? Who will be taking care of him or her?’” Moussa said.
Akhter called 911 from her Irving apartment Monday and calmly told an operator she used a wire to strangle her six-year-old son and three-year-old daughter.
But she also revealed what else she had done to them minutes earlier.
“First I tried to kill them with bathroom cleaner,” Akhter said in the 911 call. “I put in their mouth, but they don’t drink it. I want them to drink it. They don’t drink it, so there’s a wire there, so I just grabbed their neck and then I tried so many times, and then they’re no more.”
Parents of autistic children think Akhter lost hope, and likely felt isolated and perhaps ostracized.
Mara LaViola should know. Her son, Zach, suffers from autism.
“I wish I could convey to you what it is like to raise a child on the spectrum who is escaping the house,” LaViola said. “You find them on top of your kitchen cabinets (Kitchen cabinets are the built-in furniture installed in many kitchens for storage of food, cooking equipment, and often silverware and dishes for table service. Appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens are often integra. Breaking things. Throwing things. Most of the time it’s because they’re trying to communicate and they’re not able to.”
What’s still unclear is whether Akhter reached out ?? and why no one intervened.
Parents of autistic children criticize Texas, saying it ranks 49th in services available to the disabled, according to a recent survey by the United Cerebral Palsy organization.
Parents?hope this is an issue that gets more attention in light of such a tragedy.
Email: jwhitely@wfaa.com
Five Filters featured article: Headshot – Propaganda, State Religion and the Attack On the Gaza Peace Flotilla. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.
Energy Efficient Windows Melt Vinyl Siding
666 days
POSTED: 4:18 pm EDT July 21, 2010
UPDATED: 9:22 pm EDT July 21, 2010
Five Filters featured article: Headshot – Propaganda, State Religion and the Attack On the Gaza Peace Flotilla. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.
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