Des Plaines residents won't see digital billboards popping up along the two bordering tollways anytime soon.
The city's legal and licensing committee last week shot down an idea to craft a policy allowing LED boards along Interstate 90 and Interstate 94, pointing to the city's hostile history with billboards, and the zero revenue the city would make from the signs.
"I don't really see much benefit to the municipal government at all," said Ald. Matt Bogusz, who added residents near static billboards might be upset if the signs changed to digital. "I'm not certain that it's the right thing for the city."
Des Plaines restricts LED billboards, which were first proposed in the city in 2007, said City Attorney Dave Wiltse.
At that time, the northwest suburb was embroiled in a federal lawsuit with Covenant Media, which claimed the city's billboard ordinance was unconstitutional, partially because of the $15,000 licensing fee. As a result, the city dropped the fee, took away the city manager's right to negotiate the contracts, and no longer requires a council vote on permits. Des Plaines ultimately won the case.
Since then, the city has allowed new styles and sizes for digital signs, starting with a whole new zoning district for the Rivers Casino.
The City Council recently approved a text amendment to allow a small-size LED board at an office park, provided the sign is used for on-site advertising and limited city messages. Aldermen also in December gave their blessing for businesses to build larger and brighter electronic message signs, pending variance approval.
"It seems appropriate at this time that if the city is going to embrace or at least look at…the issue of LED billboards, this would be a time to bring that forward," Wiltse said.
Besides one-time permit fees, the city could not make any money from the signs unless it owns the property, Wiltse added. He said light intensity can also be altered during the day.
During the discussion, Ald. Dick Sayad said he had mixed feelings about the idea and wondered if digital billboards might be a distraction for drivers. Ald. Jim Brookman agreed, adding the city has existing billboards that are almost in residents' backyards near River Road and Touhy Avenue.
"Having a sign like this with a changing message…they're already extremely upset (billboards are) there at all," Brookman said.
John Vebber, a real estate manager for Clear Channel Outdoors, said his company would support stringent regulations for the digital signs. He added the messages change about every 10 seconds.
"Frankly, the Amber Alerts and the public messaging and the weather messaging..they've proven to be very beneficial for all the communities we've worked in," Vebber said.
Ald. Mike Charewicz said he wanted to go ahead with the digital signs and said the city should check if Des Plaines Park District and Des Plaines Theatre events could be advertised on the boards. He asked if the city could legally put an expiration on permits, which may be another revenue stream for the city.
2012年1月31日 星期二
2012年1月30日 星期一
I-lighting Offers Complete Stairlighting Solution for Enhancing Indoor & Outdoor Stair Safety
I-lighting, the leading manufacturer of extremely easy-to-install, reliable and cost-effective interior and exterior lighting applications, has enhanced the effectiveness of its indoor and outdoor StairLighting System with the introduction of a newly-designed LED display that illuminates each individual step.
The newly-introduced fixture is designed to specifically increase safety, reduce injuries resulting from falls on poorly-lit stairways and help contractors, builders and home owners nationwide to meet the latest codes mandating the illumination of interior and exterior stairways. This includes the latest set of regulations issued by the International Code Council (ICC), which clearly details the need to light the treads and landings of interior stairways to "levels not less than 1 foot-candle" and install lighting in "the immediate vicinity of the top landing of exterior stairs."
"Staircase falls injure thousands of people each year," says Scott Holland, I-lighting's president and CEO. "Improper maintenance, obstruction and poor lighting coupled with health issues are often the leading culprits of injuries, which can range from fractures and sprains to death. Unfortunately, the elderly and those with impaired vision are even more susceptible to these forms of incidents.
"As a result, we've enhanced our Indoor and Outdoor StairLighting Kits to offer even greater illumination for each and every stair. Many stair lights focus their beams from the center of the step to the outside ridge. Our new LED fixtures are not only cost-effective and extremely easy-to-install, they target their rays so the vast majority of every step from front to back is bathed in light."
According, to The National Safety Council nearly 12,000 deaths are attributed to stair falls in the United States with half of these fatalities occurring in the home. As a result, stair accidents are second only to automobile accidents as the major cause of unintended injuries in the United States. In addition, the Home Safety Council (HSC) reports that falls account for approximately one-third of all home injury deaths, while falls involving stairs or steps are the number two cause or fall-related deaths.
I-lighting's new Modern LED Stair Lights are available for use as either interior or exterior kits to extend the visibility and safety of stairs located virtually anywhere in or around the home or office. This includes basement and interior staircases, porches and decking that exist in poorly-lit spaces and pose potential tripping and falling hazards.
Each kit has everything necessary for installations including light fixtures with unique LED spotlights, patented plug A into B wiring harness and all fastener accessories necessary for complete installations. The Stairlighting Kit can also be purchased to support installations with or without access to the back of stairs or for spiral, carpeted or wooden stair applications.
Virtually maintenance-free, the system's LED lights are easily attached by simply plugging together each fixture's A into B connectors. Simplicity, cost-effectiveness and longevity are all keys to the system, which also includes a lifetime warranty on the LED bulbs. In addition, each LED light uses approximately 80 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and is rated for 100,000 hours of operation or 12-plus years if used 24-hours-a-day/seven-days-a-week.
The newly-introduced fixture is designed to specifically increase safety, reduce injuries resulting from falls on poorly-lit stairways and help contractors, builders and home owners nationwide to meet the latest codes mandating the illumination of interior and exterior stairways. This includes the latest set of regulations issued by the International Code Council (ICC), which clearly details the need to light the treads and landings of interior stairways to "levels not less than 1 foot-candle" and install lighting in "the immediate vicinity of the top landing of exterior stairs."
"Staircase falls injure thousands of people each year," says Scott Holland, I-lighting's president and CEO. "Improper maintenance, obstruction and poor lighting coupled with health issues are often the leading culprits of injuries, which can range from fractures and sprains to death. Unfortunately, the elderly and those with impaired vision are even more susceptible to these forms of incidents.
"As a result, we've enhanced our Indoor and Outdoor StairLighting Kits to offer even greater illumination for each and every stair. Many stair lights focus their beams from the center of the step to the outside ridge. Our new LED fixtures are not only cost-effective and extremely easy-to-install, they target their rays so the vast majority of every step from front to back is bathed in light."
According, to The National Safety Council nearly 12,000 deaths are attributed to stair falls in the United States with half of these fatalities occurring in the home. As a result, stair accidents are second only to automobile accidents as the major cause of unintended injuries in the United States. In addition, the Home Safety Council (HSC) reports that falls account for approximately one-third of all home injury deaths, while falls involving stairs or steps are the number two cause or fall-related deaths.
I-lighting's new Modern LED Stair Lights are available for use as either interior or exterior kits to extend the visibility and safety of stairs located virtually anywhere in or around the home or office. This includes basement and interior staircases, porches and decking that exist in poorly-lit spaces and pose potential tripping and falling hazards.
Each kit has everything necessary for installations including light fixtures with unique LED spotlights, patented plug A into B wiring harness and all fastener accessories necessary for complete installations. The Stairlighting Kit can also be purchased to support installations with or without access to the back of stairs or for spiral, carpeted or wooden stair applications.
Virtually maintenance-free, the system's LED lights are easily attached by simply plugging together each fixture's A into B connectors. Simplicity, cost-effectiveness and longevity are all keys to the system, which also includes a lifetime warranty on the LED bulbs. In addition, each LED light uses approximately 80 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and is rated for 100,000 hours of operation or 12-plus years if used 24-hours-a-day/seven-days-a-week.
2012年1月29日 星期日
Gustavo Dudamel conducts Mahler's Fifth and Sixth
In the summer of 1901, Mahler celebrated his 41st birthday and began his Fifth Symphony. For all that was new about his first four symphonies, they were nonetheless song-filled, poetically and spiritually inspired products of 19th century German Romanticism. Although Mahler's moods were many, dark tunnels still promised light at the end. With the Fifth, and more so with the agitated Sixth, Mahler took the hard-edged, modernist plunge into a future and fate unknowable.
On Thursday, the day Gustavo Dudamel celebrated his 31st birthday, his Mahler Project turned the troubling 20th century corner in an imaginative performance of the Fifth Symphony with the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela in Walt Disney Concert Hall. The next night, Dudamel led the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a driving, riveting Sixth.
When Dudamel recorded the Fifth five years ago, he took a score with which many conductors have trouble finding a trajectory, pretty much on its contradictory, if exciting, face value. Now his confidence has grown to ask unanswerable questions.
A possible way to read this symphony is as the farewell to one age and a wary but game readiness for the next. In five movements and three parts, it begins with a funeral march, introduced by solo trumpet dirge, the battle lost, the battlefield a plain of sorrow. The slow Adagietto, famous as memorial music, was not originally meant to be played snail-slow but as a robust song of love. That leads to a cheerful, contrapuntal rondo, its role in the drama unclear.
Dudamel and his huge Bolivar band readily underscored Mahler's wildness and most extravagant emotions. But most telling was his Adagietto, which is scored for strings and harp. It was quite slow but redolent of tender romance not tragedy, with the Bolívar harpist even sprinkling a dash of salsa dust. The Rondo sneaked in no longer boisterous but slyly full of an expectation for music heading in new directions.
The Sixth heads into those new places but with a reputation for being unrelentingly grim (it is called the "Tragic"). In four movements, with no extra-musical program, it is Mahler's most traditional symphony. But Mahler merely needed a trustworthy vessel in which to contain his startling musical experiments.
On Friday Dudamel was not, as he was in the Fifth, fancy. But neither was he grim. He attacked the Sixth with a frank rhythmic intensity that presaged Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring," which premiered in 1913, a decade after Mahler begin the Sixth and two years after he died. Dudamel tapped the L.A. Phil's incomparable responsiveness for Mahlerian ferocity and ephemeral delicacy. The sound, whether needing booming bass or evanescent percussion, maintained extraordinary tactile immediacy.
Mahler may have had Armageddon in sight in the Sixth, but he knew the world's wonders, and the sheer vibrancy of the L.A. Phil's instrumental dabs of color made this performance practically -- and usually for the Sixth -- a celebration of life. Gorgeous lyricism sprang, seemingly out of nowhere. Cow bells rang invitingly from onstage and off, as if the lush mountainside beckoned.
The slow movement is even more beautiful than the Fifth's Adagietto. The maws open in the Finale, but with such colors as music had never known, and these obviously interested Dudamel as much as the hurtling rhythmic energy.
On Thursday, the day Gustavo Dudamel celebrated his 31st birthday, his Mahler Project turned the troubling 20th century corner in an imaginative performance of the Fifth Symphony with the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela in Walt Disney Concert Hall. The next night, Dudamel led the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a driving, riveting Sixth.
When Dudamel recorded the Fifth five years ago, he took a score with which many conductors have trouble finding a trajectory, pretty much on its contradictory, if exciting, face value. Now his confidence has grown to ask unanswerable questions.
A possible way to read this symphony is as the farewell to one age and a wary but game readiness for the next. In five movements and three parts, it begins with a funeral march, introduced by solo trumpet dirge, the battle lost, the battlefield a plain of sorrow. The slow Adagietto, famous as memorial music, was not originally meant to be played snail-slow but as a robust song of love. That leads to a cheerful, contrapuntal rondo, its role in the drama unclear.
Dudamel and his huge Bolivar band readily underscored Mahler's wildness and most extravagant emotions. But most telling was his Adagietto, which is scored for strings and harp. It was quite slow but redolent of tender romance not tragedy, with the Bolívar harpist even sprinkling a dash of salsa dust. The Rondo sneaked in no longer boisterous but slyly full of an expectation for music heading in new directions.
The Sixth heads into those new places but with a reputation for being unrelentingly grim (it is called the "Tragic"). In four movements, with no extra-musical program, it is Mahler's most traditional symphony. But Mahler merely needed a trustworthy vessel in which to contain his startling musical experiments.
On Friday Dudamel was not, as he was in the Fifth, fancy. But neither was he grim. He attacked the Sixth with a frank rhythmic intensity that presaged Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring," which premiered in 1913, a decade after Mahler begin the Sixth and two years after he died. Dudamel tapped the L.A. Phil's incomparable responsiveness for Mahlerian ferocity and ephemeral delicacy. The sound, whether needing booming bass or evanescent percussion, maintained extraordinary tactile immediacy.
Mahler may have had Armageddon in sight in the Sixth, but he knew the world's wonders, and the sheer vibrancy of the L.A. Phil's instrumental dabs of color made this performance practically -- and usually for the Sixth -- a celebration of life. Gorgeous lyricism sprang, seemingly out of nowhere. Cow bells rang invitingly from onstage and off, as if the lush mountainside beckoned.
The slow movement is even more beautiful than the Fifth's Adagietto. The maws open in the Finale, but with such colors as music had never known, and these obviously interested Dudamel as much as the hurtling rhythmic energy.
2012年1月19日 星期四
DRP Group Adds Chroma-Q Color Force to Production Inventory
The lighting division of UK live event and communications agency, DRP Group, has made its first investment in Chroma-Q products with the purchase of 24 Color ForceTM 48 LED battens.
DRP is a single source supplier to a multiplicity of corporate presentations, live events, festivals, awards shows, parties and charity works. Their HQ is in the Midlands; they also have offices in London and Manchester and work all over the UK and internationally.
Richard Parmenter, DRP's Head of Lighting explains that they specifically wanted an LED batten fixture that would light walls, cyc, banners and architectural features with a smooth, linear wash.
After comprehensive comparisons between a number of fixtures, Chroma-Q was selected as the brand of choice for DRP. Rikki and his colleague MD Adam Pardoe were both equally impressed and soon made the decision to invest in the Color Force.
Apart from seeing Color Force in action for themselves, Chroma-Q had also been recommended by several of their regular freelancers.
They liked the richness of the colours and the fact that the Color Force offers a clean white which can be either cold or warm by seamlessly blending amber alongside the RGB LEDs for an enhanced colour gamut. This also delivers a better range of warmer colours – from the most bold, striking saturates and primaries to a near infinite selection of delicate, subtle pastels.
Another key factor for the DRP lighting team was the smooth fades to blackout, which Rikki describes as "completely seamless" and "virtually imperceptible from those of generics", with no flickering or juddering. This is due to the Color Force's finely tuned 'theatrical grade' dimming curve, which Rikki explains "makes them excellent for using and blending in with conventional incandescent and other light sources."
Since buying the Color Force fixtures, they have been in demand for a diversity of projects. The Color Force 48 version also happens to be the same width as DRP's standard modular set panels, which are 4 x 10 ft. When used for lighting sets, "They can really bring depth and additional dimension to our designs with their colour and intensity" states Rikki.
They have been perfect for all the applications DRP had in mind – illuminating cycs, backdrops, banners, and an assortment of large areas. The cyc lens plate – devised for throws of up to 5 metres – is proving very useful for these applications. They have also been used extensively for side-stage lighting and at sites/in venues where power is limited.
DRP recently used the fixtures for lighting the Hereford & Worcester Chamber Business Awards 2011, staged in the elegant ecclesiastical environs of Worcester Cathedral.
They were placed on the floor and used to gently highlight 14 imposing pillars running along the Nave, in the process also lighting areas of the ceiling 20 metres above, such is the intensity of the units. They were programmed to produce red and white looks – the corporate colours of the Chamber of Commerce – beautifully picking out the many detailed architectural features in their path.
Rikki also comments on the robust build quality, which is another essential consideration for a busy operation like DRP, where reliability is absolutely paramount.
DRP is a single source supplier to a multiplicity of corporate presentations, live events, festivals, awards shows, parties and charity works. Their HQ is in the Midlands; they also have offices in London and Manchester and work all over the UK and internationally.
Richard Parmenter, DRP's Head of Lighting explains that they specifically wanted an LED batten fixture that would light walls, cyc, banners and architectural features with a smooth, linear wash.
After comprehensive comparisons between a number of fixtures, Chroma-Q was selected as the brand of choice for DRP. Rikki and his colleague MD Adam Pardoe were both equally impressed and soon made the decision to invest in the Color Force.
Apart from seeing Color Force in action for themselves, Chroma-Q had also been recommended by several of their regular freelancers.
They liked the richness of the colours and the fact that the Color Force offers a clean white which can be either cold or warm by seamlessly blending amber alongside the RGB LEDs for an enhanced colour gamut. This also delivers a better range of warmer colours – from the most bold, striking saturates and primaries to a near infinite selection of delicate, subtle pastels.
Another key factor for the DRP lighting team was the smooth fades to blackout, which Rikki describes as "completely seamless" and "virtually imperceptible from those of generics", with no flickering or juddering. This is due to the Color Force's finely tuned 'theatrical grade' dimming curve, which Rikki explains "makes them excellent for using and blending in with conventional incandescent and other light sources."
Since buying the Color Force fixtures, they have been in demand for a diversity of projects. The Color Force 48 version also happens to be the same width as DRP's standard modular set panels, which are 4 x 10 ft. When used for lighting sets, "They can really bring depth and additional dimension to our designs with their colour and intensity" states Rikki.
They have been perfect for all the applications DRP had in mind – illuminating cycs, backdrops, banners, and an assortment of large areas. The cyc lens plate – devised for throws of up to 5 metres – is proving very useful for these applications. They have also been used extensively for side-stage lighting and at sites/in venues where power is limited.
DRP recently used the fixtures for lighting the Hereford & Worcester Chamber Business Awards 2011, staged in the elegant ecclesiastical environs of Worcester Cathedral.
They were placed on the floor and used to gently highlight 14 imposing pillars running along the Nave, in the process also lighting areas of the ceiling 20 metres above, such is the intensity of the units. They were programmed to produce red and white looks – the corporate colours of the Chamber of Commerce – beautifully picking out the many detailed architectural features in their path.
Rikki also comments on the robust build quality, which is another essential consideration for a busy operation like DRP, where reliability is absolutely paramount.
2012年1月18日 星期三
Five ways nanomanufacturing improves manufacturing today
This March, nanomanufacturing experts will be gathering in Boston to share their knowledge with other manufacturing professionals at the NanoManufacturing Conference and Exhibits organized by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. In addition to discussions on mid- to long-term applications of this smallest of technologies, there will be information on how it is already impacting the industry as evidenced in these five ways.
1) Materials – Nanotechnology is creating exceptionally light, yet extremely tough, materials, such as graphene. Nano composites are uniquely customizable to adhere to other materials. They are currently used in golf clubs and tennis rackets, with expectations that they will transform the aerospace, defense and transportation industries in the not-too-distant future.
2) Coatings – Nanotechnology is enabling coatings to have numerous beneficial properties that are proving very marketable. Nanocoatings are known to be a thermal barrier, flame retardant, ultraviolet resistance, self and easy cleaning, wear resistant, friction reducing, corrosion resistant, anti-scratch resistance, antibacterial and anti-fingerprint. They can even be self healing. Nanocoatings are used in myriad industries including automotive, defense, household cleaners, construction and exterior protection, with a very promising future in many more fields.
3) Energy Collection and Storage – Surface-to-volume ratios give nano particles most of their power. For example, a golf ball by volume equals the surface of a playing card. That same golf ball by nano particles has a surface area equivalent to four football fields. These particles use light more efficiently which is improving the efficiency and cost of solar panels.
4) Lighting – Quantum dots are nanoparticles of a semiconductor material with unique optical and electrical properties. A manufacturer can precisely control the size of a quantum dot to determine the color of light emitted. In addition to enabling the manufacturing of LED lights, quantum dots are used in electroluminescent displays and solid-state lighting.
5) Manufacturing Processes – Self-assembly is a branch of nanotechnology in which objects, devices and systems form structures without external prodding. Biological systems use self-assembly to construct various molecules and structures. Think of it as LEGOS that assemble themselves. This process is currently being used in computer chips, and has potential benefits for water purification, sanitation, agriculture, alternative energy and medicine.
"More than 1,300 products have already made it to market using nanotechnology, with many more in the pipeline," said Lauralyn McDaniel, the conference manager. "This conference provides an opportunity for manufacturers from almost any industry to either be introduced to nanomanufacturing or discover the latest advances in the technology."
The NanoManufacturing conference is co-located with the MicroManufacturing Conference and Exhibits. Both events have been designed based on feedback attendees have given that the most valuable part of attending an SME conference is the people they meet and the resources they gain.
To encourage the synchronistic collaboration, the sessions are shorter and breaks are longer, the exhibits have been arranged "in the round" to promote discussion, and the Conversation Connection areas are ideal for having in-depth conversations with colleagues. Attendees of either conference can go back and forth between the two and tailor this event to their own interests and needs.
1) Materials – Nanotechnology is creating exceptionally light, yet extremely tough, materials, such as graphene. Nano composites are uniquely customizable to adhere to other materials. They are currently used in golf clubs and tennis rackets, with expectations that they will transform the aerospace, defense and transportation industries in the not-too-distant future.
2) Coatings – Nanotechnology is enabling coatings to have numerous beneficial properties that are proving very marketable. Nanocoatings are known to be a thermal barrier, flame retardant, ultraviolet resistance, self and easy cleaning, wear resistant, friction reducing, corrosion resistant, anti-scratch resistance, antibacterial and anti-fingerprint. They can even be self healing. Nanocoatings are used in myriad industries including automotive, defense, household cleaners, construction and exterior protection, with a very promising future in many more fields.
3) Energy Collection and Storage – Surface-to-volume ratios give nano particles most of their power. For example, a golf ball by volume equals the surface of a playing card. That same golf ball by nano particles has a surface area equivalent to four football fields. These particles use light more efficiently which is improving the efficiency and cost of solar panels.
4) Lighting – Quantum dots are nanoparticles of a semiconductor material with unique optical and electrical properties. A manufacturer can precisely control the size of a quantum dot to determine the color of light emitted. In addition to enabling the manufacturing of LED lights, quantum dots are used in electroluminescent displays and solid-state lighting.
5) Manufacturing Processes – Self-assembly is a branch of nanotechnology in which objects, devices and systems form structures without external prodding. Biological systems use self-assembly to construct various molecules and structures. Think of it as LEGOS that assemble themselves. This process is currently being used in computer chips, and has potential benefits for water purification, sanitation, agriculture, alternative energy and medicine.
"More than 1,300 products have already made it to market using nanotechnology, with many more in the pipeline," said Lauralyn McDaniel, the conference manager. "This conference provides an opportunity for manufacturers from almost any industry to either be introduced to nanomanufacturing or discover the latest advances in the technology."
The NanoManufacturing conference is co-located with the MicroManufacturing Conference and Exhibits. Both events have been designed based on feedback attendees have given that the most valuable part of attending an SME conference is the people they meet and the resources they gain.
To encourage the synchronistic collaboration, the sessions are shorter and breaks are longer, the exhibits have been arranged "in the round" to promote discussion, and the Conversation Connection areas are ideal for having in-depth conversations with colleagues. Attendees of either conference can go back and forth between the two and tailor this event to their own interests and needs.
2012年1月17日 星期二
The dream lives on in Lake City
When an assassin's bullet struck down Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the balcony of a Memphis motel on April 4, 1968, his legacy had already been firmly established.
His passionate speeches calling for racial equality and an end to segregation changed the way people of different races perceived each other and led to laws protecting the rights of minorities and women.
King's death at St. Joseph's Hospital at 7:06 p.m., 65 minutes after he was shot, silenced the 39-year-old civil rights leader's voice forever. But the bullet filed from assassin James Earl Ray's rifle failed to kill the dream.
For thousands of people who lined the Lake City parade route honoring King on Monday, it was an opportunity to remember his legacy.
The parade began at the Department of Transportation office on South Marion Avenue, led by two Lake City Police patrol cars with sirens blaring and lights flashing.
Hundreds participated in the march along the more than a mile-long parade route, including public officials, bands from both high schools and Richardson Middle School, junior ROTC units and church groups from the area.
Floats were filled with children waving signs such as "We are the Future," "From the Outhouse to the White House. The Power of a Dream," and "We Remember Your Labor of Love."
Watis McNeil, of Lake City, said Monday was a paid holiday from his job at the Veteran's Administration Hospital but he chose to watch the parade as it passed in front of his workplace as a way to pay tribute to King.
"I came here because of history and pride," McNeil said. "If we forget our heritage, we'll lose our soul and what we can be in the future."
McNeil said he has seen great improvements since King's death.
"We have evolved as a society," he said. "You get God to lead you and you'll get to where you need to be."
Mike Goodyear, of Lake City, said he was watching the parade for the second time. But it was the first time for his 6-year-old daughter, Nicole.
"It''s a good thing for people to do," he said of the parade. "It reminds everyone what Martin Luther King Jr. stood for."
Daphne Jones, of High Springs, said she was happy so many youths participated in the parade or stood on the parade route.
She believes King, who died when she was 2 years old, helped people realize that everyone, regardless of race, has much in common.
"You take away the skin color and we're all the same," Jones said. "It [the parade] makes me think of the entire struggle everyone went through."
His passionate speeches calling for racial equality and an end to segregation changed the way people of different races perceived each other and led to laws protecting the rights of minorities and women.
King's death at St. Joseph's Hospital at 7:06 p.m., 65 minutes after he was shot, silenced the 39-year-old civil rights leader's voice forever. But the bullet filed from assassin James Earl Ray's rifle failed to kill the dream.
For thousands of people who lined the Lake City parade route honoring King on Monday, it was an opportunity to remember his legacy.
The parade began at the Department of Transportation office on South Marion Avenue, led by two Lake City Police patrol cars with sirens blaring and lights flashing.
Hundreds participated in the march along the more than a mile-long parade route, including public officials, bands from both high schools and Richardson Middle School, junior ROTC units and church groups from the area.
Floats were filled with children waving signs such as "We are the Future," "From the Outhouse to the White House. The Power of a Dream," and "We Remember Your Labor of Love."
Watis McNeil, of Lake City, said Monday was a paid holiday from his job at the Veteran's Administration Hospital but he chose to watch the parade as it passed in front of his workplace as a way to pay tribute to King.
"I came here because of history and pride," McNeil said. "If we forget our heritage, we'll lose our soul and what we can be in the future."
McNeil said he has seen great improvements since King's death.
"We have evolved as a society," he said. "You get God to lead you and you'll get to where you need to be."
Mike Goodyear, of Lake City, said he was watching the parade for the second time. But it was the first time for his 6-year-old daughter, Nicole.
"It''s a good thing for people to do," he said of the parade. "It reminds everyone what Martin Luther King Jr. stood for."
Daphne Jones, of High Springs, said she was happy so many youths participated in the parade or stood on the parade route.
She believes King, who died when she was 2 years old, helped people realize that everyone, regardless of race, has much in common.
"You take away the skin color and we're all the same," Jones said. "It [the parade] makes me think of the entire struggle everyone went through."
2012年1月16日 星期一
Top 2012 Trend: LED Lighting
Lighting control is nothing new for most CE pros. But 2012 could bring a big boost to the category thanks to LEDs (light emitting diodes) - those long-lasting, energy-efficient and often colorful gems that are quickly replacing the disgraced incandescent.
First, the ROI on LED bulbs is well chronicled, and the return is becoming increasingly attractive as prices continue to drop. Ikea, for example, sells LED bulbs for $14 for a 45-watt replacement.
He notes three key selling points: "Bulbs can last three to five years; the light looks natural; and there's no 'tinging' when dimming down like with incandescent."
He says the light-swap pays for itself in about two years.
The plain-old-LED business was so good for integrator Jim Sweeney that he launched an entire business around it. The new company, Eco-Tronics, has landed several six-figure commercial jobs simply by charting the ROI for facilities' managers.
Sweeney says he can demonstrate a two-year ROI on LED replacement for most commercial facilities - in an environment that usually requires a five-year payback on such outlays.
"When you can show them 50 to 70 percent savings on electricity, you quickly become their friends," Sweeney says.
On the residential side, he encourages customers to "Call me to see how to save up to $20 per month on your electric bill." That savings, he says, is like "getting your security monitoring for free."
Beyond their energy-saving appeal, LEDs increasingly are being used for fun. Manufacturers of colored LED fixtures and controllers - even from such unlikely sources as Stewart Filmscreen - were seen in record numbers at the CEDIA Expo in September 2011.
Concurrent with that trend, we are seeing a greater demand in the U.S. for DMX-based control. DMX is a standard for lighting control that is most prevalent in Europe and in commercial venues. The technology is especially robust for managing complicated RGBW color schemes.
Dealers are creating some inventive lighting scenes these days for both ambiance and entertainment. A recent Electronic House Home of the Year Awards winner featured a dazzling exterior "light show" created by ForTech Solutions, of Granada Hills, Calif. In that job, the metal halide lights were replaced with energy-saving and long-lasting LED fixtures from Philips Color Kinetics. The 23 new LED fixtures used a total of 875 watts - just a fraction of the 11,000 watts used previously.
"Wattage was traditionally the best way to make your buying decisions when it came to selecting light bulbs in the past," explains Martha Delgado, product marketing manager for Bulbrite. "However, now that more efficient bulbs can produce similar light levels while consuming less energy, the old theory that 'The higher the wattage, the brighter the lamp' isn't true anymore," she says.
When buying LED bulbs, shop lumens, not watts. An LED lamp that replaces a typical 60-watt incandescent, for example, might only use 12 to 13 watts, which makes it much more energy-efficient, but if you want to replace the brightness of a 60-watt incandescent, it will need to produce 800 to 850 lumens.
First, the ROI on LED bulbs is well chronicled, and the return is becoming increasingly attractive as prices continue to drop. Ikea, for example, sells LED bulbs for $14 for a 45-watt replacement.
He notes three key selling points: "Bulbs can last three to five years; the light looks natural; and there's no 'tinging' when dimming down like with incandescent."
He says the light-swap pays for itself in about two years.
The plain-old-LED business was so good for integrator Jim Sweeney that he launched an entire business around it. The new company, Eco-Tronics, has landed several six-figure commercial jobs simply by charting the ROI for facilities' managers.
Sweeney says he can demonstrate a two-year ROI on LED replacement for most commercial facilities - in an environment that usually requires a five-year payback on such outlays.
"When you can show them 50 to 70 percent savings on electricity, you quickly become their friends," Sweeney says.
On the residential side, he encourages customers to "Call me to see how to save up to $20 per month on your electric bill." That savings, he says, is like "getting your security monitoring for free."
Beyond their energy-saving appeal, LEDs increasingly are being used for fun. Manufacturers of colored LED fixtures and controllers - even from such unlikely sources as Stewart Filmscreen - were seen in record numbers at the CEDIA Expo in September 2011.
Concurrent with that trend, we are seeing a greater demand in the U.S. for DMX-based control. DMX is a standard for lighting control that is most prevalent in Europe and in commercial venues. The technology is especially robust for managing complicated RGBW color schemes.
Dealers are creating some inventive lighting scenes these days for both ambiance and entertainment. A recent Electronic House Home of the Year Awards winner featured a dazzling exterior "light show" created by ForTech Solutions, of Granada Hills, Calif. In that job, the metal halide lights were replaced with energy-saving and long-lasting LED fixtures from Philips Color Kinetics. The 23 new LED fixtures used a total of 875 watts - just a fraction of the 11,000 watts used previously.
"Wattage was traditionally the best way to make your buying decisions when it came to selecting light bulbs in the past," explains Martha Delgado, product marketing manager for Bulbrite. "However, now that more efficient bulbs can produce similar light levels while consuming less energy, the old theory that 'The higher the wattage, the brighter the lamp' isn't true anymore," she says.
When buying LED bulbs, shop lumens, not watts. An LED lamp that replaces a typical 60-watt incandescent, for example, might only use 12 to 13 watts, which makes it much more energy-efficient, but if you want to replace the brightness of a 60-watt incandescent, it will need to produce 800 to 850 lumens.
2012年1月15日 星期日
Lezyne Mini Drive LED Front Light
Lezyne's new family of lights are very pretty and our Shaun rated the Super Drive when he reviewed it, so how does it's little brother, the Mini Drive, stack up?
The Mini Drive is a compact wee thing with a bright and shiny silver case. It's a pleasing package although the chunky bracket means that it takes up more bar space than you might expect. Inside there's a single led, powered by a LIR123a li-ion battery. The battery is accessed by unscrewing the back of the light and replacements are cheap and easily available. Lezyne make a point of telling you this, which is unusual.
Batteries in rechargeable lights are usually either bespoke or hard to get at in a your-warranty-will-go-up-in-flames-if-you-try kind of way. It's a nice touch and with a light that only has a one hour runtime on full power, potentially useful, although having to manage a recharging regime with such a small turnaround isn't my idea of a good time.
The battery supplied is only rated at 600a/h but there should be enough space inside the casing to accomodate a battery with a heftier charge should you want to upgrade, and given the runtime you might.
Lezyne quote 150 lumens for the Mini Drive. That's on the cusp of serious light territory, but the payoff is a distinctly modest runtime.
Being a torch style light the beam is a well defined spot, with a modest amount of side spill. On dark roads and unlit paths the main beam is just powerful enough to get by with but things tend to loom at you out of the darkness and I wouldn't fancy it on a proper back lane or a twisty descent. Lower settings are usable, but only on roads with a good surface or that you know well. Testing the various power levels on an unlit stretch of canal path I actually scared myself a few times as birds and rabbits appeared in front of me as if from nowhere.
This is an odd little light really, neither powerful enough for seriously dark lanes nor practical enough for commuting through the week. There's no side illumination and that runtime would start to vex me, even with the benefit of USB chargeability (with a pitch-black commute of around 30min I'd be charging it up pretty much every day).
It might be useful as a supplementary helmet light, Lezyne don't supply it with a suitable mount as standard but there is one available. To be honest though on the road, you'd be better off spending a similar amount of money on a more dedicated commuter light or saving your pennies for a more powerful light with a better runtime.
The Mini Drive is a compact wee thing with a bright and shiny silver case. It's a pleasing package although the chunky bracket means that it takes up more bar space than you might expect. Inside there's a single led, powered by a LIR123a li-ion battery. The battery is accessed by unscrewing the back of the light and replacements are cheap and easily available. Lezyne make a point of telling you this, which is unusual.
Batteries in rechargeable lights are usually either bespoke or hard to get at in a your-warranty-will-go-up-in-flames-if-you-try kind of way. It's a nice touch and with a light that only has a one hour runtime on full power, potentially useful, although having to manage a recharging regime with such a small turnaround isn't my idea of a good time.
The battery supplied is only rated at 600a/h but there should be enough space inside the casing to accomodate a battery with a heftier charge should you want to upgrade, and given the runtime you might.
Lezyne quote 150 lumens for the Mini Drive. That's on the cusp of serious light territory, but the payoff is a distinctly modest runtime.
Being a torch style light the beam is a well defined spot, with a modest amount of side spill. On dark roads and unlit paths the main beam is just powerful enough to get by with but things tend to loom at you out of the darkness and I wouldn't fancy it on a proper back lane or a twisty descent. Lower settings are usable, but only on roads with a good surface or that you know well. Testing the various power levels on an unlit stretch of canal path I actually scared myself a few times as birds and rabbits appeared in front of me as if from nowhere.
This is an odd little light really, neither powerful enough for seriously dark lanes nor practical enough for commuting through the week. There's no side illumination and that runtime would start to vex me, even with the benefit of USB chargeability (with a pitch-black commute of around 30min I'd be charging it up pretty much every day).
It might be useful as a supplementary helmet light, Lezyne don't supply it with a suitable mount as standard but there is one available. To be honest though on the road, you'd be better off spending a similar amount of money on a more dedicated commuter light or saving your pennies for a more powerful light with a better runtime.
2012年1月5日 星期四
Master Gardener: African violets make great houseplants
When most people think of gardening, growing plants outside immediately comes to mind. But for some, growing houseplants is an important gardening activity.
The African violet (Saintpaulia) is one of the most popular. African violets are hybrids from species native to Central and East Africa. Plants form clusters of roundish or pointed succulent, fuzzy leaves that are dark green on top and paler underneath. Flowers appear any time of year and can be blue, purple, white, pink or magenta. The plant's shape may be single, semi-double or fully double. Some are even rimmed with white.
African violets need a moisture-retaining, yet fast-draining potting mix. I use commercial African violet potting mix, but some Master Gardeners combine three parts peat moss with one part perlite and one part compost or sterilized loam.
Normal household temperatures are great for growing African violets. The plants need good light but shade from direct sunlight. These plants also do very well in office settings under fluorescent lights.
It's easy to start your own African violets from leaf cuttings, just ask the staff at the Master Gardener office. Our counters are decorated with cute pots containing violets of all sizes. Some are huge and loaded with blooms, others contain leaf cuttings. Mature leaves are used for cutting and are taken with the stems. They may be rooted either in water, being careful to keep the leaf itself dry, or in potting mix. Each cutting usually results in several plants.
However, I have successfully rooted them in water, only to lose them after transferring them to mix. One reason is that roots formed in water differ from ones formed in soil. Now I dip all my cuttings into rooting hormone,
stick them four per 4-inch pot of mix, then water well. Further watering is done on the same weekly schedule as my mature potted plants.
Patience is helpful because it may take several months for new plants to emerge. When little plants crowd the pot, the plants are carefully separated and individually repotted into 4-inch pots, in which the plants remain until the outer leaves begin to extend over the rims of the pots. I repot one more time into 6-inch pots, the size used for all my mature African violets.
Water on a weekly schedule with room-temperature water containing commercial African violet fertilizer diluted to package directions. Violets may be watered either from the top or from the bottom. If watered from the bottom, do not let water stand in the saucer more than two hours.
Have you noticed the double plant pots that are so popular in the stores? These are perfect for growing African violets. Just be sure to check the water level every so often.
Pick off old blooms and limp, faded, lower leaves. When plant stems get too elongated, it's time to repot. This is easy to do. Remove plant from the pot, pick off lower leaves to reshape the plant and simply repot deeper. New roots will form along the stem, and your plant will suffer little or no shock.
The African violet (Saintpaulia) is one of the most popular. African violets are hybrids from species native to Central and East Africa. Plants form clusters of roundish or pointed succulent, fuzzy leaves that are dark green on top and paler underneath. Flowers appear any time of year and can be blue, purple, white, pink or magenta. The plant's shape may be single, semi-double or fully double. Some are even rimmed with white.
African violets need a moisture-retaining, yet fast-draining potting mix. I use commercial African violet potting mix, but some Master Gardeners combine three parts peat moss with one part perlite and one part compost or sterilized loam.
Normal household temperatures are great for growing African violets. The plants need good light but shade from direct sunlight. These plants also do very well in office settings under fluorescent lights.
It's easy to start your own African violets from leaf cuttings, just ask the staff at the Master Gardener office. Our counters are decorated with cute pots containing violets of all sizes. Some are huge and loaded with blooms, others contain leaf cuttings. Mature leaves are used for cutting and are taken with the stems. They may be rooted either in water, being careful to keep the leaf itself dry, or in potting mix. Each cutting usually results in several plants.
However, I have successfully rooted them in water, only to lose them after transferring them to mix. One reason is that roots formed in water differ from ones formed in soil. Now I dip all my cuttings into rooting hormone,
stick them four per 4-inch pot of mix, then water well. Further watering is done on the same weekly schedule as my mature potted plants.
Patience is helpful because it may take several months for new plants to emerge. When little plants crowd the pot, the plants are carefully separated and individually repotted into 4-inch pots, in which the plants remain until the outer leaves begin to extend over the rims of the pots. I repot one more time into 6-inch pots, the size used for all my mature African violets.
Water on a weekly schedule with room-temperature water containing commercial African violet fertilizer diluted to package directions. Violets may be watered either from the top or from the bottom. If watered from the bottom, do not let water stand in the saucer more than two hours.
Have you noticed the double plant pots that are so popular in the stores? These are perfect for growing African violets. Just be sure to check the water level every so often.
Pick off old blooms and limp, faded, lower leaves. When plant stems get too elongated, it's time to repot. This is easy to do. Remove plant from the pot, pick off lower leaves to reshape the plant and simply repot deeper. New roots will form along the stem, and your plant will suffer little or no shock.
2012年1月4日 星期三
Pranks: funny and not-so-funny
We have been "entertained" locally by the story of five Monmouth College girls who got it into their head that it would be funny to move the Holy Family from the square to the residence of Monmouth College president Mauri Ditzler. The local authorities have thought it less funny.
This prompted me to reflect on pranks of the past and why we are quicker to condemn them today than we once were. First of all, there is the question of definition. Acts that are relatively harmless and funny should not be lumped with those that are designed to cause harm or hurt. Among the latter I would put voting in the other party's primary, with the intent of saddling them with an impossible candidate. Some think this merely a good joke, with the laudable intent of giving the country the best possible president. I see it as political vandalism, much like stealing campaign signs.
Those of us who remember Nixon's dirty tricks see this practice as undermining our political process. For those too young to remember, this began as a series of "pranks" such as ordering pizzas for a rally, then letting the Democrats figure out how to pay for them. Nixon was vaguely aware of most of this, and when it crossed the line, like proposing to rent a yacht at the Democratic convention in Miami, then staff it with prostitutes and take photos, he said to forget it.
Watergate, in contrast, had no connection with pranks at all — it was an illegal intelligence gathering operation from the beginning.
After the Watergate Scandal became public, Nixon's chief of staff, Bob Haldeman reportedly turned to Tuck and said, "You started all of this." Tuck replied, "Yeah, Bob but you guys ran it into the ground."
Most pranks have no political context — like the five sorority sisters mentioned above. Sometimes pranks border on malicious, like the Monmouth fraternity boys who retaliated on a neighbor who complained about their noise by stealing his Christmas lights; and the more he complained, the more lights they took.
Sometimes they are just stupid, like the college boys who harvested a Christmas tree downtown, then dragged it back to campus, only to be promptly arrested by the policemen who had followed the trail in the snow.
Occasionally pranks have consequences. The boys who arranged for a skeleton to be lowered over President Tom McMichael while he was addressing students in chapel learned that it was a big mistake to have borrowed an incomplete skeleton — Mrs. McMichael had had a leg amputated, and the president assumed (probably incorrectly) that this was a reference to her. They were promptly expelled.
No such fate awaited those boys who unscrewed all the seats in the auditorium and remounted them facing backward. It was an expensive prank in one sense — it took the Green Army days to put things right.
A cow was gotten down from the college cupola rather faster than that, but lowering it over the edge of the roof was a strain on both bovine and human nerves. Everyone who hears this story has one quick question, "How did they get the cow up there?" No one is quite sure, but there may have been a stairway; and while a cow may go up a stairs, if you ask it to go down, it will just stare at you.
This prompted me to reflect on pranks of the past and why we are quicker to condemn them today than we once were. First of all, there is the question of definition. Acts that are relatively harmless and funny should not be lumped with those that are designed to cause harm or hurt. Among the latter I would put voting in the other party's primary, with the intent of saddling them with an impossible candidate. Some think this merely a good joke, with the laudable intent of giving the country the best possible president. I see it as political vandalism, much like stealing campaign signs.
Those of us who remember Nixon's dirty tricks see this practice as undermining our political process. For those too young to remember, this began as a series of "pranks" such as ordering pizzas for a rally, then letting the Democrats figure out how to pay for them. Nixon was vaguely aware of most of this, and when it crossed the line, like proposing to rent a yacht at the Democratic convention in Miami, then staff it with prostitutes and take photos, he said to forget it.
Watergate, in contrast, had no connection with pranks at all — it was an illegal intelligence gathering operation from the beginning.
After the Watergate Scandal became public, Nixon's chief of staff, Bob Haldeman reportedly turned to Tuck and said, "You started all of this." Tuck replied, "Yeah, Bob but you guys ran it into the ground."
Most pranks have no political context — like the five sorority sisters mentioned above. Sometimes pranks border on malicious, like the Monmouth fraternity boys who retaliated on a neighbor who complained about their noise by stealing his Christmas lights; and the more he complained, the more lights they took.
Sometimes they are just stupid, like the college boys who harvested a Christmas tree downtown, then dragged it back to campus, only to be promptly arrested by the policemen who had followed the trail in the snow.
Occasionally pranks have consequences. The boys who arranged for a skeleton to be lowered over President Tom McMichael while he was addressing students in chapel learned that it was a big mistake to have borrowed an incomplete skeleton — Mrs. McMichael had had a leg amputated, and the president assumed (probably incorrectly) that this was a reference to her. They were promptly expelled.
No such fate awaited those boys who unscrewed all the seats in the auditorium and remounted them facing backward. It was an expensive prank in one sense — it took the Green Army days to put things right.
A cow was gotten down from the college cupola rather faster than that, but lowering it over the edge of the roof was a strain on both bovine and human nerves. Everyone who hears this story has one quick question, "How did they get the cow up there?" No one is quite sure, but there may have been a stairway; and while a cow may go up a stairs, if you ask it to go down, it will just stare at you.
2012年1月3日 星期二
Entergy Mississippi Offers Customers Power-to-Save Tools
Winter blew into the state with its typical chilly introduction, leaving many Mississippians challenged with both staying warm and managing the costs that go with it.
Entergy Mississippi, Inc. reminds customers to save money and stay comfortable by following a few simple steps.
"Heating a home can account for as much as half of your monthly energy bill," said Gloria Johnson, customer service director for Entergy Mississippi, Inc. "Cold air can be an expensive, unwanted visitor, finding its way through many openings that often go unnoticed, such as wall seams, attic doors, and electrical outlets.
"Small spaces can add up to big energy losses."
While there are many things homeowners can do to protect themselves from cold weather, here are the top five energy-savers:
Adjust the thermostat. During winter months, set the thermostat to 68 degrees. Every degree higher can add three percent to your energy bill.
Conserve hot water. Wrap your electric water heater with a water heater blanket and set the thermostat to 120 degrees or medium. Insulate pipes running to and from the heater and check for leaky faucets.
Replace air and furnace filters every 30 days. Air conditioning and heating remain the top energy cost for a home, so keeping them in good condition makes sense.
Use energy-efficient bulbs when replacing light bulbs. Entergy recommends ENERGY STAR(r)-qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs, which use 70 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
Seal and insulate your attic and any location where there may be a path from the inside of your home to the outside. That includes places you may not think of - such as attic hatchways, electrical outlets and switches.
Find answers to a variety of energy-related topics, including what influences energy costs in a home. Entergy also encourages customers to consider one of the many billing options the company already has in place that can simplify managing and paying monthly energy bills. Level Billing protects against spikes in electricity bills even when usage is higher than normal. Pick-A-Date allows customers to choose a due date that is most convenient for them.
Entergy Mississippi, Inc. provides electricity to more than 435,000 customers in 45 counties. It is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. Entergy is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations.
Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, and it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
Entergy Mississippi, Inc. reminds customers to save money and stay comfortable by following a few simple steps.
"Heating a home can account for as much as half of your monthly energy bill," said Gloria Johnson, customer service director for Entergy Mississippi, Inc. "Cold air can be an expensive, unwanted visitor, finding its way through many openings that often go unnoticed, such as wall seams, attic doors, and electrical outlets.
"Small spaces can add up to big energy losses."
While there are many things homeowners can do to protect themselves from cold weather, here are the top five energy-savers:
Adjust the thermostat. During winter months, set the thermostat to 68 degrees. Every degree higher can add three percent to your energy bill.
Conserve hot water. Wrap your electric water heater with a water heater blanket and set the thermostat to 120 degrees or medium. Insulate pipes running to and from the heater and check for leaky faucets.
Replace air and furnace filters every 30 days. Air conditioning and heating remain the top energy cost for a home, so keeping them in good condition makes sense.
Use energy-efficient bulbs when replacing light bulbs. Entergy recommends ENERGY STAR(r)-qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs, which use 70 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
Seal and insulate your attic and any location where there may be a path from the inside of your home to the outside. That includes places you may not think of - such as attic hatchways, electrical outlets and switches.
Find answers to a variety of energy-related topics, including what influences energy costs in a home. Entergy also encourages customers to consider one of the many billing options the company already has in place that can simplify managing and paying monthly energy bills. Level Billing protects against spikes in electricity bills even when usage is higher than normal. Pick-A-Date allows customers to choose a due date that is most convenient for them.
Entergy Mississippi, Inc. provides electricity to more than 435,000 customers in 45 counties. It is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation. Entergy is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations.
Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, and it is the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.7 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
2012年1月2日 星期一
Answers on the new light bulb standards
The nation's new light bulb rules take effect in 2012. What exactly do they require, and what's their likely impact, since Congress barred funds to enforce the efficiency standards? Here are some answers:
Q: What's included in the new standards?
A: The standards require light bulbs be at least 25% more efficient and carry labels on the front and back of packages to explain their brightness, annual operating costs and expected life span.
The labels apply to all light bulbs made or imported after Jan. 1, but the efficiency standards apply only to traditional 100-watt incandescents on that day. The efficiency rules will begin applying to the old-fashioned 75-watt bulb in January 2013 and 40- and 60-watt bulbs in January 2014. Retailers can sell leftover bulbs as long as they weren't made or imported after their deadline.
Q: What's wrong with the old bulbs?
A: The incandescent that Thomas Alva Edison invented is notoriously inefficient. It wastes 90% of its energy as heat rather than light, which is why it's so hot when in use.
In 2007, the U.S. Congress passed the bipartisan Energy Independence and Security Act, requiring light bulbs to use at least 25% less electricity for the amount of lumens, or light, produced. For example, a bulb that yields 1,600 lumens (typical in a 100-watt bulb) can now use only 72 watts or less of power.
Q: Do the standards ban all incandescents?
A: No. Edison's bulbs won't meet the rules, but the halogen incandescent will. So, too, will the CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) and the LED (light-emitting diode), each of which is at least 75% more efficient than the traditional incandescent. Also, the rules don't apply to less commonly used incandescents such as appliance, three-way and colored bulbs.
Q: Why did Congress ban enforcement?
A: On Capitol Hill, a group of mostly GOP lawmakers opposed the standards as an infringement on individual rights. They sought to repeal them but failed to gain enough support. Earlier this month, they attached a measure to a massive one-year spending bill that bars the Department of Energy from enforcing the efficiency standard through September 2012. The bill does not apply to the Federal Trade Commission, which will enforce the labeling rules, says FTC lawyer Hampton Newsome.
Q: Will the more efficient bulbs cost more?
A: They'll cost more to buy but will save money in the long run by using less energy. For example, at Home Depot, a 72-watt EcoVantage halogen incandescent costs about $1.50 to buy (if bought in a two-pack) but $8.67 annually to use. Its brightness equals the 100-watt traditional bulb, which costs less to buy but $12.05 annually to use.
A 23-watt EcoSmart CFL, which produces as much light as the old 100-watt incandescent, costs about $4 to buy (if bought in a two-pack) but $2.77 annually to use and lasts up to 13 times longer. LEDs tend to cost even more to buy but less to operate.
Q: Do these efficient alternatives have a yellowish light?
A: Not necessarily. The back of each light bulb package will list the "light appearance," or color, of the bulb, measured on a temperature scale known as Kelvin (K). Lower Kelvin numbers mean the light is more yellow, while higher numbers mean it's whiter or bluer.
The traditional incandescent, which gives off a warm and almost yellowish light, has a temperature of 2,700 to 3,000K - similar to most halogens. Newer CFLs have a wider range, from warm (2,700K) to cold (6,500K). LED temperatures range from 3,300K to 5,000K.
Q: What's included in the new standards?
A: The standards require light bulbs be at least 25% more efficient and carry labels on the front and back of packages to explain their brightness, annual operating costs and expected life span.
The labels apply to all light bulbs made or imported after Jan. 1, but the efficiency standards apply only to traditional 100-watt incandescents on that day. The efficiency rules will begin applying to the old-fashioned 75-watt bulb in January 2013 and 40- and 60-watt bulbs in January 2014. Retailers can sell leftover bulbs as long as they weren't made or imported after their deadline.
Q: What's wrong with the old bulbs?
A: The incandescent that Thomas Alva Edison invented is notoriously inefficient. It wastes 90% of its energy as heat rather than light, which is why it's so hot when in use.
In 2007, the U.S. Congress passed the bipartisan Energy Independence and Security Act, requiring light bulbs to use at least 25% less electricity for the amount of lumens, or light, produced. For example, a bulb that yields 1,600 lumens (typical in a 100-watt bulb) can now use only 72 watts or less of power.
Q: Do the standards ban all incandescents?
A: No. Edison's bulbs won't meet the rules, but the halogen incandescent will. So, too, will the CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) and the LED (light-emitting diode), each of which is at least 75% more efficient than the traditional incandescent. Also, the rules don't apply to less commonly used incandescents such as appliance, three-way and colored bulbs.
Q: Why did Congress ban enforcement?
A: On Capitol Hill, a group of mostly GOP lawmakers opposed the standards as an infringement on individual rights. They sought to repeal them but failed to gain enough support. Earlier this month, they attached a measure to a massive one-year spending bill that bars the Department of Energy from enforcing the efficiency standard through September 2012. The bill does not apply to the Federal Trade Commission, which will enforce the labeling rules, says FTC lawyer Hampton Newsome.
Q: Will the more efficient bulbs cost more?
A: They'll cost more to buy but will save money in the long run by using less energy. For example, at Home Depot, a 72-watt EcoVantage halogen incandescent costs about $1.50 to buy (if bought in a two-pack) but $8.67 annually to use. Its brightness equals the 100-watt traditional bulb, which costs less to buy but $12.05 annually to use.
A 23-watt EcoSmart CFL, which produces as much light as the old 100-watt incandescent, costs about $4 to buy (if bought in a two-pack) but $2.77 annually to use and lasts up to 13 times longer. LEDs tend to cost even more to buy but less to operate.
Q: Do these efficient alternatives have a yellowish light?
A: Not necessarily. The back of each light bulb package will list the "light appearance," or color, of the bulb, measured on a temperature scale known as Kelvin (K). Lower Kelvin numbers mean the light is more yellow, while higher numbers mean it's whiter or bluer.
The traditional incandescent, which gives off a warm and almost yellowish light, has a temperature of 2,700 to 3,000K - similar to most halogens. Newer CFLs have a wider range, from warm (2,700K) to cold (6,500K). LED temperatures range from 3,300K to 5,000K.
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