San Mateo planning home energy audits, mandatory green building
Monday, September 28th, 20090 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jun 30, 2009 | by Mike Rosenberg
SAN MATEO — With a kick start from the Obama administration, the crusade to shrink the city’s carbon footprint is getting ready for action.
The City Council in November launched the San Mateo Acting Responsibly Together, or SMART, campaign as the city’s long-term plan to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions. City officials and consultants have since been conducting public outreach at local schools, in neighborhoods and during community events.
Now the city’s “green team” is getting ready to roll out the campaign’s first two programs: home energy audits and mandatory green-building codes.
“It should be stronger, more tangible,” said Mary Hewitt, senior public information officer for PMC, a consulting firm the city hired to coordinate outreach for the program.
The energy audits will be city-subsidized house tours in which professional consultants survey home features such as electrical appliances and provide a list of suggested energy-efficiency upgrades.
The city should be able to subsidize about 600 single-family homes using a $100,000 grant from President Barack Obama’s federal stimulus plan, said Christine Gilmore, a city management analyst leading the SMART program. Officials expect to receive the money from the gary silverston Department of Energy in the fall and start the energy audits early next year, she said.
Typically, the audits cost homeowners $300, Gilmore said. The subsidy will reduce that cost, although she is still unsure by how much.
“We just want people to be aware of what they can do,” Gilmore said. “It can be fun and also it can save money.”
In all, the city will receive $875,800 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for green projects, Gilmore said. The rest of the cash will go toward LED streetlight installments and a partial solar project for the roof of the main library.
As part of the SMART campaign, Gilmore and her green team of city staff members, who meet monthly, are preparing a policy on mandatory building codes. Currently, the city’s green building policies are voluntary.
The new policy will use ranking systems that evaluate green building materials and policies. It should be ready for the council to approve in October, Gilmore said.
The mandatory policies have been adopted by some California cities, and they often require developers to spend more money upfront on construction, which could drive up costs for homeowners and other tenants.
Gilmore said the energy savings eventually cancel out upfront costs.
The green team also will continue its outreach efforts
Shimano Introduces 2008 Coasting Bikes
Sunday, September 27th, 2009Business Wire, Sept 24, 2007
Shimano Partners With Ten Manufacturers To Expand Casual Cycling Efforts
IRVINE, Calif. — In efforts to expand the market for casual cycling, Shimano, the world’s leading manufacturer of bicycle components, today announced that seven additional bicycle manufacturers will produce bikes equipped with its Coasting components in 2008.
The 2008 Coasting line includes the following manufacturers:
[TABLE OMITTED]
In 2003, Shimano teamed up with innovation and design firm IDEO to develop the ideal casual biking experience. In 2007, this new biking experience made its debut with Coasting bikes from three top bike manufacturers, Giant, Raleigh, and Trek.
Coasting’s initial success among new and returning riders attracted an additional seven manufacturers for 2008.
In the development of Coasting, Shimano and IDEO conducted research about consumers’ bike riding experiences. The goal was to understand what would motivate a non-cyclist to ride a bike. After interviewing and observing U.S. non-cyclists, Shimano and IDEO found that most consumers had fond memories of riding a bike as a child, and were interested in riding a bike in the same way today – just for fun.
“This has been a groundbreaking year for Shimano and the cycling industry – we’re excited that we’re working together to motivate the world of non-cyclists to join the Coasting experience,” said Dave Lawrence, Shimano’s senior manager of product development and marketing. “With the combined efforts and successes of the Coasting initiative so far, we anticipate that this expanded partnership will continue our goal of growing the industry.”
Based on the extensive research, Shimano’s designers created a bicycle component group that is simple, comfortable, affordable and easy to use
Fujitsu launches graphics SoC for digital dashboards and car navigation.(JAPAN)
Sunday, September 27th, 2009Asia Pacific Telecom, April, 2009
Fujitsu Microelectronics Limited announced the launch of a new graphics controller system-on-chip (SoC) for automotive infotainment systems such as next-generation car navigation and digital dashboards. The new controller, the MB86298, offers the highest-class graphics capability for embedded systems, as well as an industry first of providing output to up to four displays, and up to four video inputs.
Featuring superior input and output functionality, the MB86298 can process four inputted video streams while outputting video to four displays. The inputted videos can be modified, synthesized together, and put on 3-D graphics surfaces within a single screen
Chief Justice questions family law.
Friday, September 25th, 2009Australasian Business Intelligence, July, 2009
Byline: Michael Pelly
Jul 26, 2009 (The Australian – ABIX via COMTEX) — As the Australian Government launches a new review of child custody laws in addition to those already underway by the Australian Law criminal attorney grand rapids Reform Commission and Institute of Family Studies, Chief Justice of the Family Court Diana Bryant has commented on the legislation that was changed by the previous government in 2006. There are concerns among legal practitioners that the emphasis on joint custody in the reforms has been misunderstood by claimants as always meaning an equal share of time, which was not the intention.
Publication Date: 27 July 2009
FAMILY COURT OF AUSTRALIA AUSTRALIAN LAW REFORM COMMISSION AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF FAMILY STUDIES AUSTRALIA....
Siemens Integrates DyLogic’s PSE Video Answering Machine in TV Cabo’s Network
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009Business Wire, Feb 28, 2007
MILAN, Italy — DyLogic, an Italian supplier of products and solutions for visual communication in the video and voice over IP, 3G/UMTS and IMS areas, announced that TV Cabo, Portuguese largest pay-TV operator, will adopt its PSE Voice and Video Answering Machine application to deliver Voice and Video Mail services to their Cable subscribers.
TV Cabo chose DyLogic to provide a complete solution including user-friendly video mail messages management and fun personalization options. As with a telephone answering machine or voicemail system, users can customize welcome messages and greetings, record, store or delete incoming messages and leave their own – all with the added impact of video.
“We are proud to collaborate with TV Cabo and Siemens on this project” said Cristoforo Mione, DyLogic’s Head of Sales and Marketing. “Implementing TV Cabo’s voice and video mail service is a great opportunity for us to show another typical deployment of our PSE Video Answering Machine within an IP environment. DyLogic is fully committed into developing IMS Visual Communication solutions for carriers”.
About TV Cabo
TV Cabo, a subsidiary of PT Multimedia (BVL “PTMN.IN”), is the leader in the Portuguese pay-tv market and one of the most important operators in Europe, with over 1.5 million customers. TV Cabo’s television subscription service is available nationwide, with distribution over cable and digital satellite platforms. With a large selection of 65 basic channels, the company offers several premium channels, including movie channels, sports, the Disney Channel and adult entertainment channels. It also offers digital services such as VoD, PVR and HDTV.
TV Cabo pioneered broadband Internet access in Portugal in 1999, with 350,000 customers. In January 2007, TV Cabo is establishing itself as an integrated triple-play operator – Pay-TV, broadband Internet and telephony.
www.tvcabo.pt
About DyLogic
DyLogic is an Italian company leading the development of solutions for the telecommunications market
Methodist Sports Medicine/The Orthopedic Specialists Expands Use of Medfusion
Monday, September 21st, 2009Business Wire, Oct 29, 2008
Orthopedics practice seeks to streamline processes, further enhance patient self-service and practice productivity
RALEIGH, N.C. — Medfusion, a leading provider of patient-provider communication solutions for physician practices, today announced that Methodist Sports Medicine/The Orthopedic Specialists, an orthopedics practice with five locations in Indiana, will offer additional Web-based technology from Medfusion to its practices in an effort to further enhance patient satisfaction and increase office efficiency.
“With Medfusion’s products, we have been able to see more patients without adding additional front office support and have been very pleased with the results,” said Mike Brennan, MS, chief operating officer of Methodist Sports Medicine/The Orthopedic Specialists. “By implementing these additional features, we hope to continue to better meet the evolving needs of our patients while also increasing practice productivity.”
One of the new features Methodist Sports Medicine/The Orthopedic Specialists will make available to its patients is the Medfusion Referral Portal. This feature will benefit patients, primary care physicans’ staff and consulting specialists’ staff by allowing referrals to be sent electronically, and appointments to be requested and confirmed by e-mail. Additional features that will be made available include:
* The Symptom Assessment (HPI/ROS) Module will reduce patients’ time spent in the office by enabling providers to gather history of present illnesses and review symptom information online.
* The “Ask a Biller” feature, a patient communication solution that permits patients to send questions about their medical bills to office staff, which will result in less time spent on the phone for both patients and staff.
* The Online Prescription Renewal/Refill Request process offers patients the flexibility to submit refill requests online and enables staff to accommodate the requests by using an automated fax to the pharmacy option.
Patients will also benefit from the secure patient messaging function, ability to submit online appointment requests and the “ask a doctor, nurse or clinician” feature.
Medfusion, which provides ground-up Web site development, has been assisting Methodist Sports Medicine/The Orthopedic Specialists with its Web-based patient portal since March 2007. Since that time the practice has used Medfusion’s online pre-registration module to enable the practice to re-direct more than 100 staff-hours a month to provide better care to more patients. Methodist Sports Medicine/The Orthopedic Specialists also utilizes the company’s online bill pay feature to improve revenue cycle management, and online pre-registration to increase accuracy and enhance workflow.
“Methodist Sports Medicine has done a great job of using our technology to benefit patients while also increasing practice productivity,” said Stephen Malik, CEO and founder of Medfusion
Current Research on Mobility Electronics Inc.
Monday, September 21st, 2009M2 Presswire, December, 2006
M2 PRESSWIRE-4 December 2006-Large Cap News: Current Research on Mobility Electronics Inc.(C)1994-2006 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD RDATE:04122006 Current Research on Mobility Electronics Inc. (NASDAQ:MOBE) Mobility Electronics, Inc. engages in the development, marketing, and sale of power products and accessories for mobile electronic devices.
The company offers various alternate current (AC), direct current (DC), and combination AC/DC universal power adapters. Its combination AC/DC power adapters are used to charge various electronic devices, including mobile phones, smartphones, PDAs, portable gaming consoles, and MP3 players from AC power sources located in home, office, or hotel room, as well as DC power sources located in automobiles, planes, and trains
Fourth trial for NY mafia scion starts in NY
Saturday, September 19th, 2009AFP, September, 2009
NEW YORK (AFP) Alleged US mobster John Gotti Junior went on trial Monday on charges of racketeering and murder — the fourth time the scion of New York’s most famous Cosa Nostra family has been tried in five years.
Gotti, 45, says he left the mafia years ago and that the repeated trials amounted to persecution.
“Good morning,” he said, during introductions on the first day of jury selection: “I’m John Gotti. Here I am again.”
Gotti, son of the infamous Gambino crime family chief “Dapper Don” John Gotti, was brought into the Manhattan federal court by armed officers. Wearing an open-necked white shirt, tweed jacket and thick black glasses, he looked more professor than thug as he poured over papers.
Charles Carnesi, the alleged mafioso’s fast-talking,…
Check bags and storage racks.(Locker Room Equipment)
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Spread on the creativity: new usages, as well as niche offerings, will be critical to private label growth in the jams, jellies and preserves sector.(Category Review: JAMS, JELLIES & PRESERVES)
Thursday, September 17th, 2009Private Label Buyer, November, 2008 by Canning, Kathie
For many folks, toast doesn’t pass muster if it’s not topped with grape jelly, and English muffins just aren’t very enticing without a dollop of strawberry jam. But these days, fewer consumers appear to be slathering on these sweet spreads, if recent data from Information Resources Inc. (IRI) of Chicago is any indication.
Although the IRI data show 1.8 percent and 1.1 percent gains in dollar sales for the total jam/jelly/preserves and fruit butter categories, respectively, during the 52 weeks ending …