Could Europe witness a PCR retread revival?

There is no question that as sales of low-cost tyre imports have increased passenger car retreading has seriously declined. However, it seems news of the industry’s death may have been overstated.HOWO is a well-known tractor's brand and howo tractor suppliers are devoted to designing and manufacturing best products. No one is suggesting that there is going to be any kind of sudden explosion of passenger car retreading, but the way the market is shaping up recent developments suggest there are a number of opportunities for creative individuals seeking to carve out a niche for these products. The right conditions for a resurgence of any kind are not likely to be uniformly distributed across the continent, so for the purposes of this article let’s focus on the UK market where things could be looking up for passenger car retreads.

The last passenger car tyre retreader to exit the UK business was C-Tyres, which shut its doors at the end of 2007 after producing the Colway and Greenway brands for about six years. In January 2008 the Colway brand and equipment owned by County Durham-based C-Tyres was bought by Polish retreading company, MarkGum. The business had begun in 2002 when Gary Oliver and Peter Morris formed C-Tyres by purchasing the assets of retreaders Colway and Motorway from the receivers. Tyres & Accessories’ coverage of this story at the time notes that “one or two quizzical eyebrows were raised” when it became known that C-Tyres would focus on passenger car retreading. You can expect one or two more if current market speculation materialises. In short, there are signs Colway could be making a comeback.

Four years after MarkGum bought C-Tyres’ brand and its assets, Tyres & Accessories understands that Eastern and Western Europe retreaders are cooperating and that the Polish company is in the process of developing a UK-orientated Colway manufacturing programme.Where can i get a reasonable price dry cabinet? When he sold the company to MarkGum at the start of 2008, C-Tyres managing director Gary Oliver was clear about his hope that a British company would take ownership of the assets. Not its seems these hopes are being fulfilled. MarkGum boss George Krzyzagorski always believed in the strength of the Colway brand, but now it seems the business’ Polish owners are standing behind the brand and hoping to get the business moving over here.Capture the look and feel of real stone or ceramic tile flooring with Alterna. According to those in the know, this idea is relatively straightforward: export British casings to Poland for remoulding and re-entry under one of the Colway brand names.

The business plan appears to focus on sourcing the right quality and quantity of casings from British retailers before producing retreaded tyres that capitalise on both the production cost advantages and foreign exchange rate benefits the zloty in particular and Poland in general have to offer. This product is expected to be marketed as something of volume item, offering both an economic and ecological advantage over new tyres as well as a more acceptable alternative to part worn tyres. However, getting the economies of scale right will also be key seeing this enterprise off the ground. It is, of course, also highly dependent on secure casing supply. Suddenly you can understand retreaders’ renewed antipathy for the recent in growth in part worn sales. But who is likely to take up the passenger car retreading mantle in such a scenario? A market stalwart, a new player or a combination of the two?

Perhaps the best known passenger car tyre retreader in Britain is Kingpin Tyres, which was founded in 1973 by Jack Crangle (who remains the company’s chairman today). Apart from the likes of Panther Tyres, which has a niche business supply taxis from its base in Liverpool, this firm is pretty much the only player remaining in this segment – all of which tells its own story about the decline of passenger car retreading in the UK as well as Europe. Nevertheless Kingpin continues to produce retreads against no small measure of prevailing wind in the market plus three significant fires during the course of the last five years and losing its Tyre Industry Federation Responsible Recycle status back in 2008.

At its peak Kingpin supplied in excess of 20,000 retreads a week directly to the domestic market, a figure that was only exceeded by Technic Group. Prior to its demise at the turn of the millennium Technic was making as many as 50,000 passenger car retreads a week, many of which were destined for export. Shortly after Technic Group entered the hands of the receivers, Technic Tyre plc saw the business resurrected through the sale of the business to Phil Blood (one of the original company founders) and Lucia Farmer.

Now the word on the street is that a team of experienced tyre and retreading professionals is in the advanced stages of plans to get a new local car tyre remanufacturing operation off the ground. The idea is to produce a new range of niche market retreads on a the platform of ex-Technics machinery returned to the UK from the mothballed Canadian plant that bought it a few years ago. In order to implement the plans,Our guides provide customers with information about porcelain tiles vs. the group currently known as Evo-Tech Europe,Features useful information about glass mosaic tiles, is aiming at upgrading the moulds and modifying the older machinery. All this is being done with a view to producing specialist products such as run-flats for 5-7 year old BMWs and other less than brand new luxury models.

Fast broadband more important to house buyers than parking

Homebuyers now rank a fast broadband connection above off-street parking and local amenities when considering a new property, a poll reveals.

Modern movers rely on the internet so much for work and leisure that a good connection speed can even add 5 per cent to a property's value.

That adds a staggering 15,000 pounds to the value of a typical 300,000 pounds house.

Indeed 19 per cent ensure broadband is the first new service they activate when moving in - placing it ahead of gas, 10 per cent, and TV, 8 per cent.

Electricity is the only utility to be given a higher priority, with 21 per cent seeking a supplier first, the study by broadbandchoices.co.uk found.

And estate agents have revealed house adverts showing broadband connection speeds secure double the number of viewings.

One in five homebuyers have checked broadband speeds when evaluating a house before they have even walked around the area.

And one in ten have rejected a potential new home because it had a poor connection, the study of 2,000 homebuyers found.

Knowing a property has good broadband speeds is routinely ranked as more important than off-street parking, access to shops and a nearby pub.

The local road network, public transport and mobile phone signal strength also ranked lower.Different Sizes and Colors can be made with different stone mosaic designs.

Furthermore, 54 per cent considered broadband speed before moving in but just 37 per cent looked at the crime rate.

The government recently announced a 114 million pounds investment in key cities to ensure Britain has the fastest broadband in Europe by 2015.

But speeds currently vary hugely across the country, with the difference having an impact on the property market.

Miles Shipside, from Rightmove, said: "In this digital age, a fast broadband connection is becoming much more important for home-hunters.

"People don't just rely on a good internet connection for web browsing, but also streaming television and working from home.

"As the consumer technologies which rely on the internet expand, the need for a strong connection will be added to more home mover wish-lists."

Independent estate agents Delaney's, from Braintree, Essex, found adverts displaying broadband speeds secured double the number of viewings in trials.It is intended for use by ventilation system designers,

And online adverts which included the speed alongside house price and number of rooms attracted 40 per cent more page views than those without.

Rob Delaney, from Delaney's, said: "As with good schools and south-facing gardens, people are now on the hunt for homes with fast broadband.

"It is a sign of the times.

"But we were still really surprised with the results of our trial.Find detailed product information for Hot Sale howo spareparts Radiator.

"We're now displaying broadband speeds on all our property details because it's clearly what customers are looking for."

As well as making a property more appealing, the study also revealed broadband could add to the value of a house.

One in five prospective buyers, 18 per cent, said they would be happy to pay more for a property with a good connection.

A third claimed they would pay between two and five per cent extra.

Dominic Baliszewski, from broadbandchoices.co.uk, said: "When it comes to buying a home it seems it's more a case of broadband, broadband, broadband than location, location, location.

"Broadband has become something people are not prepared to live without, so it's little wonder it's now such a major factor for homebuyers.

"It's much like a central heating system or running water.

"It is very easy to check broadband speeds in a specific area so we'd urge potential home buyers to do this rather than be left disappointed.TBC help you confidently buymosaic from factories in China."

First-time buyers Charlotte Frost, 24, and Matthew Anderson, 26,Choose quality sinotruk howo concrete mixer products from large database. dismissed one of their favourite shortlisted properties due to its slow connection.

Charlotte, from West Byfleet, Surrey, said: "We had looked at numerous houses within Surrey and had fallen in love with a small cottage in Cobham.

"We thought it was 'the one' and were about to sign on the dotted line when my boyfriend asked about the internet connection at the house.

"The estate agent admitted he didn't know, so we spoke to both the seller and did independent speed tests online for the postcode and found it was very poor.

Homes ready for sale at Red Rocks Valley

Red Rocks Valley, a Redlands subdivision off South Camp Road near Monument Road, was first brought into the market in late 2008, with plans to build 98 homes, starting with the higher density patio homes in the center of the subdivision.

The projected sales price for those patio homes was set at more than $500,000. The financial meltdown and subsequent recession wreaked havoc on many plans and projections, including those for the subdivision, which went through foreclosure.

The Pauls Corporation out of Denver purchased the subdivision in 2011 and has been busy doing its homework to bring a high quality product that will appeal to buyers in the local real estate market.

“We really feel like there’s a market for single-family homes,” said Jay Fellhauer with RE/MAX Two Rivers, who is the listing agent for the property, along with fellow broker,Choose from our large selection of cable ties. Jeff Hanson. “We’re trying to build nice homes in an upscale neighborhood at an affordable price.”

There are six homes currently under construction, and prospective buyers have written a contract on one of the six homes. The first home has a certificate of occupancy and will be staged and used as a sales office.Find detailed product information for Hot Sale howo spareparts Radiator. The next few homes will be completed every other week. Prices for the homes range from $309,900 to $389,900.

“We’ll have an on-site sales office, just like we’ve had an on-site construction office,” Fellhauer said. The construction supervisor was on site during construction, usually with a tape measure or level in his hand and a hard hat on his head to make sure that the quality of the homes remained high.

The homes at Red Rocks Valley will all have stucco and stone exteriors, and all of the single-family homes sit on large, half-acre lots, which makes them somewhat unusual in today’s market.

“The biggest complaint with new home buyers today is that there’s no back yard in most new homes,” Felhauer said. That will not be the case at Red Rocks Valley. Nor will homeowners turn from South Camp Road into a neighborhood of large garages with homes attached, even though every home will have a three-car garage. The large lots allow more flexibility in the placement of the driveway and the doors, so the garage doors aren’t the first thing you see when you look down the street.

The homes at Red Rocks Valley range from 1,711 square feet to a possible 2,800 square feet. There are two, three and four-bedroom floor plans available, and most of the homes have a home office,HOWO is a well-known tractor's brand and howo tractor suppliers are devoted to designing and manufacturing best products. too. Every home has multiple large windows to take advantage of impressive views that are right outside. The 10-foot ceilings and eight-foot doors add to the spacious feeling that pervades the homes.

Kitchens are open and inviting, with stainless steel appliances, 18-inch ceramic tile flooring, hickory or maple cabinetry and solid granite countertops. A pantry closet helps make sure there’s room for everything.The TagMaster Long Range hands free access System is truly built for any parking facility.

The living areas have Heatilator gas fireplaces, ceiling fans and are wired for surround sound, with speakers in the ceiling. The covered back patios also have surround sound.

The available homes all have a split-floor plan design, with a private master suite away from the other bedroom or bedrooms. The five-piece master baths have plenty of room to share and lots of natural light.

All the walls are hand-textured, even in the garage.

“The company is using local subcontractors,” Fellhauer said. “These guys are so happy to have the work that they are doing an amazing job.”

The Pauls Corporation has plans to start eight more homes within the next month. Prospective buyers are welcome to come and look at the plans and make customizations.Browse the Best Selection of buy mosaic and Accessories with FREE Gifts. A $10,000 earnest money deposit is required for pre-sold homes. Some customizations could raise the price of the home. Buyers can also choose lots and homes that aren’t currently on the existing construction schedule.

The neighborhood is within biking distance to the Colorado National Monument and the bike trails of the Tabeguache/Three Sisters area. It’s over the hill from Redlands Mesa Golf Course, and is also within walking distance of Wingate Elementary School, on a walking path through various neighborhoods that avoids South Camp Road.

Jundt receives ‘Gift of the Artist’

Sharing the Jundt Gallery’s space with the St. Ignatius of Loyola exhibit this semester is the eclectic “The Gift of the Artist.”

The 25-piece exhibit consists of pieces personally given to Gonzaga by their respective artists. Some of the pieces featured have been in GU’s permanent collection for a long time, while some are more recent additions.

“There are things that get passed over for one reason or another, so I really went through and looked for things that I thought were different and thought-provoking. I was looking for things that were a mix of techniques and approaches,” said Karen Kaiser,cableties interim director of Jundt.

The exhibit includes different media such as ceramic sculpture,Visonic Technologies is the leading supplier of rtls safety, tile sculpture, drawings, paintings, prints and digitally altered photographs.

Although each work is created by different artists, and with different materials, the exhibit contains an amazing coherence in color and atmosphere.

“I wanted a lot of color because we’re dealing with another exhibit that’s really devoid of color. I wanted it to be contrasted,” Kaiser said, referencing the Ignatius exhibit.

For instance, one wall of the space holds the works “Moss Wraith” by Kathleen Adkison and “Afterthought” by Michelle Forsyth. The audience is able to see pieces by two different artists that are so similar in color they look like they belong together.

Another aspect that keeps the exhibit from looking too random is the personal atmosphere that many of the pieces exude. Harriet Sanderson’s “Bedrest” is among the most personal of the pieces. This piece is a mattress hung on the wall with a conte crayon rubbing on it of what the imprint of her body looks like when she lies down on her side.

Kaiser said of the piece, “It’s a real personal kind of way to do it … it’s just thought provoking. At first I think it’s sort of scary, it’s kind of dingy. But generally, what artists do is profoundly personal. Even if it has universal interpretations and ramifications, it’s generally a very personal kind of statement.”

“The mattress piece is fascinating because it takes an ordinary and everyday, but very personal object, and transforms it into art,” said junior Clara Shands. “There is something revealing about showing the public where you sleep every night.”

“Remember When” by Elizabeth Dove and “Autobiography” by James G. Todd are two works that play with the concepts behind the entire exhibit. While they appear to contrast in color, content and style, they have more in common than meets the eye. Dove’s piece is a photograph of writing on her own hands converted into a print, while Todd’s is a print made of woodblocks. Although Dove is experimenting with new ways of printmaking and Todd is using the most traditional way, the two artists are both incredibly personal and introspective.

“This is about his life, the influences in his life. You have references to other artists, references to Mexican printmakers, Russian icons, cowboys, the Day of the Dead images — so these are very personal,Find a cry stalmosaic Manufacturer and Supplier.” Kaiser said of Todd’s piece

The exhibit has a personal GU tie with the piece by Robert Harrison titled “The Three Graces: Chinese Memories.” Harrison, who used a mixture of ceramics,Sinotruck Hongkong International is special for howo truck. tiles, and found objects in his piece, taught at GU from 1981 to ’83.

“I think the personal nature of the exhibit improves the art itself.Sinotruck Hongkong International is special for howo truck. My favorite pieces are the ones that have a deep meaning for the artists, and are used as a vehicle for the artist to express themselves in a pleasantly ambiguous manner,” Shands said of the entire exhibit.

Character Driven

Three times a week, Micah Ortega becomes a donut.

“I’m ready, man!” he exclaims in a deafening, raspy, Randy “Macho Man” Savage baritone as he enters Whoo’s Donuts on a recent Wednesday.

“I need to kinda get the mojo going—you know, turn up the engine,” he says, making a revving motion with his hands.

Ortega says he gets his mojo from “L-O-V-E, baby,” and after donning a glittery, Michael Jackson-style glove, he begins his transformation.

Today, he’s wearing black pants, a red athletic shirt, gold-framed glasses, Mardi Gras beads and a striped top hat. For good measure, he throws in a Party City-purchased pimp cane with a sparkly handle.

“The more glitter you have on, the more people are like, ‘Whoa! What’s going on over there? Is that an alien?’” he says, bursting into a maniacal cackle. In the bakery’s production area, he approaches a giant felt donut costume.

“This is an intimate moment right here,” he says, making sense out of a pair of suspenders that hold the front and back parts of the costume together, then gently putting it on.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning for the past three months, this has been Ortega’s routine: After checking in with the staff at Whoo’s, the 36-year-old former pre-med student dons a life-sized donut costume and stands curbside, hyping the fritter emporium.

It’s not easy, but Ortega has the dedication—and zaniness—to make it work.

“Regular people think I’m homeless, and homeless people think I’m crazy,” he says.

“I’ve had people throw money [at me] and say, ‘Hey man, here ya go.’ Who cares? It’s beautiful. I get drunk people coming, and they’ll play the instruments with me. It’s like a big party, actually,” he laughs. “It’s supposed to be, you know?”

Although being the only giant fritter in the city might seem isolating, Ortega isn’t alone today: His father, Tim Ortega, is unloading some tricks of his own from the pair’s Mitsubishi Montero. After being estranged for most of Micah’s adult life, they now work in tandem.

“I just moved here a year ago, man. Just to be with Dad,” the human donut says. “I wanted to reinvent myself. I wanted to do something different, you know, and this is working out for both of us.”

The elder Ortega takes a shiny Bach Mercedes trumpet out of its case, props himself next to the entrance to Whoo’s parking lot and starts playing “Stormy Weather” like a pastry Pied Piper.

“It takes it to a higher level, and people sure do enjoy it,” he says between notes.

He gazes at his son’s quirky getup.Save up to 80% off Ceramic Tile and plastic moulds.

“He was always an entertainer,” Ortega Sr. says of his son, “trying to make people laugh [and] be comfortable with themselves, consoling them when they have a problem, even though he’s not certified.”

“I’m a certified something, though!” Donut Man says, having visited the neighboring Body Up Nutrition for his “lifeline,” a black and green tea with a shot of energy.

But for Ortega, the costumed performance is more than just entertainment—it’s a bona fide business model. His one-man marketing business, Second Glance Promotions, has become so popular that Ortega has run out of hours in the work week, and he’s on the hunt for like-minded hires.

“I’m looking for some more freaks…freaks like me,” he says as he walks to the corner of Cerrillos Road and St. Francis Drive—or,Browse the Best Selection of buy mosaic and Accessories with FREE Gifts. as he likes to call it, “the intersection of the universe.”

“Yeah, baby!” he shouts at oncoming traffic. Initially, he gets no response; it’s still early, and people seem like they’re in a hurry to get to work. “The buses are awesome; they honk all the time,” he says—but even the bus drivers don’t seem to notice him.

“She was probably blinded by the light or is having a crappy day,” he says of one impervious driver. “You get old people here; you get cholos—everybody loves donuts; people are just a little sleepy today.”

Determined, he starts beatboxing to the music in his head. “The main thing is to connect with the audience,Different Sizes and Colors can be made with different stone mosaic designs.Our guides provide customers with information about porcelain tiles vs.” he says, the maniacal laugh making a thunderous encore.

The third time’s a charm: The operator behind the wheel of the whisking Rail Runner gives him an approving nod.

“What up, Santa?” he roars. “What up, beautiful? Call me,” he tells a lass in a VW Beetle,Looking for the Best air purifier? his aforementioned mojo newly vindicated.

He’s breakdancing and engaging passersby with undeniable gusto; the energizing tea is clearly living up to its claims—he’ll see Justin Timberlake’s SNL Omeletteville character and raise it an Accu-Check blood glucose monitoring system. As Ortega performs, the melodious sound of his father’s trumpet floats across the busy street.

Why the iPhone 5 means the end of the swipe and cards

It took almost two decades for credit card payments (followed by debit cards) to become globally ubiquitous,Visonic Technologies is the leading supplier of rtls safety, so it might be reasonable to think that a paradigm shift at the POS will take years to become mainstream. Why would you spend money deploying expensive NFC-enabled (Near Field Communication) POS terminals unless consumers were going to use them, right? Is this why Apple chose to snub NFC technology in its latest iPhone?

In normal circumstances, if there were no competition, this would make good business sense. The problem for the banks and networks is that they think the "card" is defensible -- that this product has enough inertia for consumers to not be bothered by the fact that they can't yet pay with their phone at every POS terminal. In the U.S., this inertia has not only meant a slow roll out for NFC, but has also seen U.S. merchants slip seven to eight years behind their EU counterparts. In the EU, already 75 percent of cards support the EMV standard, and more than 90 percent of terminals, whereas in the U.S. only 30 percent of merchants support EMV. So we hear frequent stories of U.S. travelers in Europe unable to pay for the simplest of purchases or transactions with long-outdated card tech. Worse for the U.S. card industry is that the industry is paying 3c of every transaction in preventable fraud right now due to outdated signature and mag-stripe tech.

Maybe Apple is simply waiting for NFC to become mainstream before it jumps in. That's undoubtedly part of the reason, but I think there are other explanations that present real problems for the incumbent card networks and banks.

Not a chance. In fact, the lack of NFC roll out is actually creating significant momentum behind a much more serious and disruptive trend.Capture the look and feel of real stone or ceramic tile flooring with Alterna. The trend to go cardless and POS-less completely.

While banks and networks have been debating the merits of NFC, and while US merchant acquirers and card issuers have been debating the roll-out of EMV and new POS technologies, there has been a quiet but steadily growing shift towards payment experiences that don't require a swipe or tap paradigm at all. Pay with Square, PayPal merchant payments, Amazon checkout, closed-loop mobile apps like Starbucks' app, or clever applications of back-end payments like Uber, Apple Store (app) and iTunes are rapidly growing in credibility, both at the POS and online through e-Commerce.

The beauty of NFC, for the banking industry, is that the industry could simply have migrated customers from card to phone and all the existing value chain stayed in place. You still needed a bank relationship, they issued you a card number (or Primary Account Number -- PAN, as it is known in industry speak) and you still went along to a merchant and used your bank generated account (now theoretically on a mobile phone with an NFC chip) to pay a merchant through their POS terminal. It is a simple way to keep the card and swipe paradigm going and it meant that both the issuing banks and the card networks kept getting interchange fee because there was no alternative to their incumbent rails.

The problem for the industry is that right now we're doing away with the swipe paradigm altogether, primarily because there wasn't a rapid enough adoption of NFC-enabled payments. We've simply circumvented the poor user experience of the swipe card, for a richer user experience on the mobile device.

The driver for reinventing payments is not putting the card into the phone to get rid of the plastic in our wallet -- it is about reinventing and leveraging a payment instance married with data.Find detailed product information for Hot Sale howo spareparts Radiator. The trouble for the incumbents is that you just don't need a card, a swipe or even a POS terminal when it gets down to it. A rapid transition to NFC would have saved the swipe-at-a-POS paradigm by allowing for a rich data support envelope around the payment.

If you've tried Uber, for example, you would have pre-registered your account online or through an app and then the time comes for your first trip in an Uber car around town. You book a car through the app, and it shows you the driver coming your way via GPS and how far away he is. Then you're in the car and off to your destination. When you arrive you exit the car and you receive a receipt for the trip on your phone via the app. No card, no swipe, a seamless payment and ride experience. It's the new paradigm of payment -- seamless,How It's Made Plastic injection molds. frictionless,Kitchen floor tiles at Great Prices from Topps Tiles. and information rich.

Alternately you may have recently walked into Starbucks to order a no-whip, skim soy mocha Frappuccino and a bagel (toasted), but at the point of sale you simply pull out your phone scan the app-generated bar code and you're off. Soon you'll be able to just say your name via Pay with Square at the register and the payment will be processed.

Here’s what $70 million will bring to Youngstown

When doctors at a prominent Ohio hospital were planning the best way to operate on a patient with a gaping 3-inch hole in his skull, they turned to a plastics manufacturer near Cleveland for a solution.

Engineers were able to take a CT scan provided by doctors and replicate the exact dimensions of the skull using three-dimensional imaging software. A blueprint was created.

Using additive manufacturing, a prototype was developed in just days. A refrigerator-sized machine interpreted the file and designed a unique program to manufacture the skull from scratch — all in one machine.Purelink's real time location system protect healthcare workers in their daily practices.

Afterwards, surgeons used the manufactured skull to map where exactly screws would be placed on a cranial mesh protecting the brain. It enabled them to practice their operation and provided a reference model during surgery.

Last month, Youngstown, along with the rest of Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, were anointed pioneers of the technology for use in mainstream manufacturing. It came via the government’s announcement of a $70 million National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute.

NAMII will bring together 65 colleges, universities, private companies and nonprofit organizations to vastly improve additive manufacturing, which essentially uses plastics, resins and metals to “print” a product by adding layers, unlike traditional manufacturing which subtracts or cuts out raw material to create parts.

Research and development aimed at further commercializing the technology will be conducted at the advanced manufacturing hub, opening on Thursday, at the Youngstown Business Incubator’s annex on West Boardman Street.

What the consortium will achieve cannot be answered easily.

But in more than a dozen interviews conducted by The Vindicator over the last month, a clearer picture has emerged on what will happen at the advanced manufacturing hub, how the nascent technology works and what it means for both Youngstown and American manufacturing.

For decades, restrictive trade barriers, high tariffs, cheap labor and pinched consumers seeking low-price goods have created a legion of adversity for American manufacturing to contend with.

The consortium signals a coming shift in the industry. Fading are the days when the American worker relied on his hands and mind to operate a lathe or a stamping press. The world itself is becoming increasingly driven by technology advances. The manufacturing industry is no different.

Manufacturing always has relied prodigiously on energy, raw material and labor to mass produce products.

To build a simple hand tool, a mold is required, metal parts need casting, and the product requires extensive machining to finish.

Foreign competitors have paired cheap labor and high-tech to persistently one-up American manufacturers for years.Visonic Technologies is the leading supplier of rtls safety, Other parts of the world already are ahead of the additive manufacturing curve.

“The last few decades of job losses have shown us what happens when we do not remain on the cutting edge of investment in equipment and our workers,” said Barbara Ewing, chief operating officer at the YBI. “When an industry is evolving, you can either lead the charge, or you can get run over by the early adopters.”

The machines require far fewer workers, they use far less material,Choose from our large selection of cable ties. and it takes less time to manufacture parts. If the technology is further developed, mass production and labor would no longer be the linchpin of successful manufacturing — the technology has the ability to give American manufacturing greater dominance.Browse the Best Selection of buy mosaic and Accessories with FREE Gifts.

“The government has identified that this technology needs to become resident and institutionalized in the United States because of the effect, because of the capital sea change it’s going to have on manufacturing in the future,The TagMaster Long Range hands free access System is truly built for any parking facility.” said Mike Garvey, president of M7 Technologies, a Youngstown manufacturer and NAMII partner.

Currently, additive manufacturing is used in academics and niche industries. Its capabilities are limited to small-scale production, with an ability to produce around 2,000 units. General limitations in size of product, strength of material and how fast machines can deposit or print material restrain the technology from operating on a grander scale.

“The goal is to take the technology from where it is today to a level where it can be more easily incorporated and it is more widely used and economically advantageous,” said Martin Abraham, dean of the STEM college at Youngstown State University, referring to the consortium’s mission.

Great Australian Ute Stories

The tool shed on wheels was invented by Ford in 1934 and grew into a national icon, even exported to the US as a 'kangaroo chaser'.

Here in Australia, utilities became synonymous with workers and farmers and, for decades, they have driven across our vast landscapes carting loads, transporting dogs and carrying tools from one job to the next.

But for many,HOWO is a well-known tractor's brand and howo tractor suppliers are devoted to designing and manufacturing best products. utes are more than just a vehicle. They are a love affair and, for John Bryant, they're a lifetime's work. Bryant started Bluey's Ute World - Australia's first ute-gear store - in Melbourne and Sydney in 1994 and has written about his favourite vehicle in numerous magazines and publications.The indoor positioning industry is heavily involved this year

Now, he has compiled a collection of 80 first hand stories from ute lovers around the country who share their passion, drive and commitment to the utility.

I can't remember a time when me and Brad weren't good mates. We went through school together, starting in kindy and finishing at the end of high school. When it came to choosing jobs we both decided to do plumbing and got apprenticeships with two different plumbers. This was the first time we'd ever really spent much time apart. When we finished our apprenticeships we decided to go into business together, and opened the doors of Down Under Drainage. At first we drove worn-out old utes, but after two years our accountant suggested we lease new vehicles to help minimise our tax. After nearly a month of non-stop debate we finally decided to climb into two new 3-litre 4x4 Isuzu D-MAX single cab utes.

Although Brad and I had the same interests, we were very different. He was slow and serious and methodical, whereas I tended to rush into things a bit too quickly. The one thing we both enjoyed was taking the piss out of each other whenever possible, and our new utes provided an unexpected opportunity for a bit of fun.

One day Brad left his ute parked at my place overnight so I crawled underneath and fastened a large nylon cable tie around Brad's drive shaft. I didn't cut off the protruding end of the cable tie; I left it long. I then coiled the long loose end of the cable tie back around the drive shaft, and then wrapped a length of tape around it to secure it.

The next day we both took off in our utes to meet up at a job. As Brad got going the rotation of his drive shaft gradually frayed the tape, which eventually came off, leaving the loose end of the cable tie slapping against the underside of the ute.Check out the collection crystal mosaic of Marazzi. The noise of the slapping sounded like the transmission was about to blow up. Brad arrived at the job and then spent an anxious half-hour underneath his ute before he discovered the problem and removed the cable tie. He automatically assumed that the dealer had somehow forgotten to remove the cable tie before delivering the ute. That is, until a mutual friend whispered in his ear that I was the responsible party.

Unknown to me, Brad started plotting his revenge. He got hold of a small, round boiled-lolly tin, about 100mm in diameter. He gave the bottom a belt with a hammer, so that the middle of the base of the tin was slightly raised. He inserted four ball bearings in the tin, and then taped the lid on. When I wasn't looking he taped the tin underneath my passenger-side seat, out of sight.Airgle has mastered the art of indoor tracking,

The result was that most of the time the ball bearings slid soundlessly around the inside of the tin. But whenever I went around a sharp corner, or hit a decent pot hole, a metallic sound came from what sounded like underneath the ute. This noise drove me nuts.Sinotruck Hongkong International is special for howo truck. For months I searched the engine, transmission and suspension for a solution. I took the ute back to the dealer four times in two months. They couldn't even hear the noise, let alone fix it. After almost six months Brad decided he'd had enough fun, so he told me that he was going to fix the noise for me. I told him that I doubted he'd be able to fix it, as both the dealer and I had done absolutely everything possible to locate the source of the irritating noise, without luck. Brad bet me fifty bucks he could fix it overnight, so we swapped vehicles and each drove home. Of course he simply removed the tin from underneath the seat and returned my ute the next day. After a couple of weeks I was convinced that the noise was gone, so I handed over my money and was forced to admit that Brad was a mechanical genius.

Germany's Wind Power Chaos

On Friday, September 14, just before 10am, Britain’s 3,500 wind turbines broke all records by briefly supplying just over four gigawatts (GW) of electricity to the national grid. Three hours later, in Germany, that country’s 23,000 wind turbines and millions of solar panels similarly achieved an unprecedented output of 31GW. But the responses to these events in the two countries could not have been in starker contrast.

In Britain, the wind industry proclaimed a triumph. Maria McCaffery, the CEO of RenewableUK, crowed that “this record high shows that wind energy is providing a reliable, secure supply of electricity to an ever-growing number of British homes and businesses” and that “this bountiful free resource will help drive down energy bills”. But in Germany, the news was greeted with dismay, for reasons which merit serious attention here in Britain.

Germany is way ahead of us on the very path our politicians want us to follow – and the problems it has encountered as a result are big news there. In fact, Germany is being horribly caught out by precisely the same delusion about renewable energy that our own politicians have fallen for. Like all enthusiasts for “free, clean, renewable electricity”, they overlook the fatal implications of the fact that wind speeds and sunlight constantly vary. They are taken in by the wind industry’s trick of vastly exaggerating the usefulness of wind farms by talking in terms of their “capacity”, hiding the fact that their actual output will waver between 100 per cent of capacity and zero. In Britain it averages around 25 per cent; in Germany it is lower, just 17 per cent.

The more a country depends on such sources of energy, the more there will arise – as Germany is discovering – two massive technical problems. One is that it becomes incredibly difficult to maintain a consistent supply of power to the grid, when that wildly fluctuating renewable output has to be balanced by input from conventional power stations.Sinotruck Hongkong International is special for howo truck. The other is that, to keep that back-up constantly available can require fossil-fuel power plants to run much of the time very inefficiently and expensively (incidentally chucking out so much more “carbon” than normal that it negates any supposed CO2 savings from the wind).

Both these problems have come home to roost in Germany in a big way, because it has gone more aggressively down the renewables route than any other country in the world.This page list rubber hose products with details & specifications. Having poured hundreds of billions of euros in subsidies into wind and solar power, making its electricity bills almost the highest in Europe, the picture that Germany presents is, on paper, almost everything the most rabid greenie could want.Choose quality sinotruk howo concrete mixer products from large database. Last year, its wind turbines already had 29GW of capacity, equivalent to a quarter of Germany’s average electricity demand. But because these turbines are even less efficient than our own, their actual output averaged only 5GW, and most of the rest had to come from grown-up power stations, ready to supply up to 29GW at any time and then switch off as the wind picked up again.

Now the problem for the German grid has become even worse. Thanks to a flood of subsidies unleashed by Angela Merkel’s government, renewable capacity has risen still further (solar, for instance, by 43 per cent). This makes it so difficult to keep the grid balanced that it is permanently at risk of power failures.Energy-intensive industries are having to install their own generators, or are looking to leave Germany altogether.

In fact, a mighty battle is now developing in Germany between green fantasists and practical realists. Because renewable energy must by law have priority in supplying the grid, the owners of conventional power stations, finding they have to run plants unprofitably, are so angry that they are threatening to close many of them down. The government response,Features useful information about glass mosaic tiles, astonishingly, has been to propose a new law forcing them to continue running their plants at a loss.

Meanwhile, firms such as RWE and E.on are going flat out to build 16 new coal-fired and 15 new gas-fired power stations by 2020, with a combined output equivalent to some 38 per cent of Germany’s electricity needs. None of these will be required to have “carbon capture and storage” (CCS), which is just an empty pipedream. This makes nonsense of any pretence that Germany will meet its EU target for reducing CO2 emissions.

In brief,It is intended for use by ventilation system designers, Germany’s renewables drive is turning out to be a disaster. This should particularly concern us because our Government, with its plan to build 30,000 turbines, to meet our EU target of sourcing 32 per cent of our electricity from renewables by 2020, is hell-bent on the same path. But our own “big six” electricity companies, including RWE and E.on, are told that they cannot build any replacements for our coal-fired stations which last week were supplying more than 40 per cent of our power – unless they are fitted with that make-believe CCS. A similar threat hangs over plans to build new gas-fired plants of the type that will be essential to provide up to 100 per cent back-up for those useless windmills.

Female Mounties feel there is little consequence

Female Mounties are afraid to come forward with allegations of sexual harassment and bullying on the job because they don't have faith their complaints will be taken seriously and they believe it will be them — not the problem officers — who will ultimately be punished, an internal RCMP report has found.

The report, conducted in response to a number of high-profile allegations of sexual harassment, details the results of focus groups involving 426 RCMP officers and employees from B.Find detailed product information for shamballa crys talbeads wholesale,C., many of whom told their own stories of being bullied, belittled and in some cases sexually harassed and assaulted by colleagues and superiors.

Those same officers said the force and its senior officers are ill-equipped or even unwilling to properly deal with the problem.

"There was an overwhelming perception, based on personal observations, that there are no consequences for the harasser other than having to transfer and/or be promoted," says the report, obtained through access-to-information laws.

"This perception of no 'real' consequences left participants feeling that coming forward was not worth it. . . . Overall, the participants felt the consequences for filing a harassment complaint outweighed the complaint itself."

But Insp. Carol Bradley, the team leader for the B.C. RCMP Respectful Workplace Action Plan, said the report concluded harassment wasn't rampant but was a problem.

"We agree that any amount of harassment is not acceptable,HellermannTyton manufactures a full line of high quality cable ties in a variety of styles," said Bradley.

Bradley said the report was a result of a pro-active initiative by Deputy Commissioner Craig Callens, the commander of the force in British Columbia, who sought the opinions and concerns of employees.

It also follows a string of lawsuits and media reports involving sexual harassment.

The most widely reported case involves Cpl. Catherine Galliford, a former media relations officer who detailed years of abuse she says left her with post-traumatic stress. The RCMP has denied her allegations.

The internal report, completed in April by Simmie Smith, an RCMP diversity strategist in B.C., suggests gender-based harassment was common among the women who participated in the focus groups.

Participants recalled a range of problems, including aggressive male supervisors, cases in which women were assigned to menial tasks and ignored in meetings, sexual innuendo, inappropriate touching and indecent exposure.

If they or their colleagues attempted to complain, the participants said,Visonic Technologies is the leading supplier of rtls safety, they often faced retribution. They believed their careers would suffer and they risked being transferred to new jobs or locations as their superiors targeted them, not the offending officers, to deal with the problem, the report said.

Participants attributed the problem to an "old boys' club" mentality they said permeates the force, in which officers with connections "never have to worry about being held accountable."

"I would never report harassment," one participant said during the focus groups. "I have seen what happens to those who have and their life was made hell by those in management positions who have used their authority to intimidate."

"We wear a bulletproof vest to protect ourselves from the bad guys out there," another participant said, "but really we need to be wearing the vest to protect ourselves from the bad guys inside our own organization.Find detailed product information for sino howo tipper truck."

At the same time, the report reveals a widespread belief within the force that such complaints, and the media coverage of them, have been exaggerated and blown out of proportion.

Indeed, the report notes statistics related to complaints don't show significant numbers of harassment cases. But the report suggests that discrepancy is likely due to the fact that women aren't reporting abuse when it happens.

"The result is a significant failure to report incidents and an unwillingness to discuss the issues with supervisors or management," says the report.

"This failure has, in turn, resulted in the release of a pent-up need to have the issues addressed. This, in part, seems to explain the recent spate of revelations to the media."

The report makes a number of recommendations, including the creation of a dedicated unit to investigate harassment complaints.

In response to the report, Callens, announced the creation of a 100-member team dedicated to investigating harassment complaints.

"I acknowledge, without reservation, that we have some issues that we need to deal with," he said when he announced the team in April.

"I'm committed to ensuring that we take the type of action that our employees deserve."

The report also recommends the creation of a system to track complaints and identify the worst offenders, improved resources for officers who are considering filing a complaint, and new anti-harassment education programs for officers and civilian members of the RCMP.

Bradley said the RCMP is glad so many employees came forward and shared their concerns and solutions.

"We're developing a respectful workplace action plan and we have a number of initiatives that are intended and designed to address the concerns of employees, and,Choose quality sinotruk howo concrete mixer products from large database. in fact, contain many of the suggestions they made for improvement," she said.

Since Galliford made her complaints public, several other Mounties have also come forward with similar allegations in lawsuits of their own.

Those cases include a class-action lawsuit that is making its way through the courts. That suit was launched by Janet Merlo, who alleges she suffered through 19 years of harassment and discrimination during her career at the detachment in Nanaimo.

Miner fatigue

Two commentators from the Fairfax newspapers have got their hands on reports that reflect rather poorly on the trajectory of Australia’s mining sector. One of them indicates that the boom was starting to cool months ago. Meanwhile, another three examine the lightened dance card of Billabong International, with two concluding that it mightn’t be just the embattled retailer that’s embarrassed.

Fairfax’s Adele Ferguson has got her hands on a report that points to a construction industry indicator that shows the mining boom was starting to ease well before BHP Billiton and Fortescue Metals Group announced their project deferrals. This was going on way back in March-June.

“A survey of 20 of the country's biggest construction companies reveals that work won in the mining sector dived a huge 27 per cent in the June quarter. In dollar terms, this represents a downturn in mining work from $27 billion in the March quarter to an estimated $19 billion in the June quarter. In the March quarter last year, work won was more than $30 billion. The figures, released to this columnist by Infrastructure Partnerships Australia and forecasting group BIS Shrapnel, put into perspective why most mining services companies will have to follow the lead of Boart Longyear, Macmahon Holdings and NRW Holdings and lower earnings guidance for 2013.”

Fairfax’s Malcolm Maiden has also flipped through a mining industry-related report, this one from the Mineral Council of Australia, released this week.Sinotruck Hongkong International is special for howo truck. While the writer admits the material is undoubtedly self-serving for the council, it also speaks of the vulnerability of Australia’s golden age.SICK's ultrasonic sensor use sound to accurately detect objects and measure distances.

“Resources sector construction wages that account for between a third and half of mine development costs grew by 9 per cent a year on average in the decade to 2011. Engineering wages here are 60 per cent above the world average. Six years ago, 63 per cent of our thermal coal production was on the bottom half of the global cost curve. Now only 28 per cent of it is. The cost to build an extra tonne of iron ore capacity was $US61 a tonne here in 2007, and $US73 a tonne in the rest of the world. Now is it $US195 a tonne, and the rest of world average is $US150 a tonne. The response? Get project development and operating costs down, and returns up to a point where investment is sucked in, the MCA says. It says the miners are already working to reduce costs (they should be, after writing blank cheques during the boom to expand capacity), but says micro-economic reform is also needed. It is at that point that the dimensions of the problem emerge.Where can i get a reasonable price dry cabinet?”

Meanwhile, the big corporate story to come out of yesterday was the abandonment of Billabong International by one of its private equity suitors, widely reported to be Bain Capital.

Fairfax’s Elizabeth Knight explains how much weaker Billabong is with just one private equity suitor interested in a $1.45 offer, as well as how far valuations have fallen for the company.

“A single-buyer auction is about the worst place for any seller – particularly if the asset is a dilapidated business. Billabong has become an international house of brands – some of which are travelling better than others and the best of which have been sold off to redress balance-sheet issues. Its iconic Billabong brand has been under pressure and its business model has been called into question. The major shareholder Gordon Merchant (with 16 per cent) rebuffed a golden opportunity to accept a more generous offer from TPG of $3.30 in February.”

The word most widely used to describe the news for Billabong was “embarrassing”. But as The Australian’s John Durie argues, there could be some egg on the face of Bain as well.

“Big private equity houses like Bain are full of smart professionals so it beggars belief that it did such little due diligence prior to its grand entry and was forced to walk at first sight of the books. Maybe the thing that made them exit is so shocking.Features useful information about glass mosaic tiles, We will understand the reasons when TPG also walks, but given that Billabong has just done a capital raising, we can only assume that Kunkel isn't hiding any secrets.”

Business Spectator’s Stephen Bartholomeusz flat out questions the immediate assumption that Bain took one look at the books and fled.

“That isn’t necessarily the case. TPG has been stalking Billabong since the start of this year and would know the company as well as anyone outside of it and it’s still there and is still conducting a due diligence process that self-evidently is more exhaustive than Bain’s, given that it both informally and formally started earlier and is continuing. TPG also has a lot of experience with retail businesses, here and offshore, to draw on and may be more comfortable that it can execute a turnaround and extract the considerable upside latent within Billabong than Bain, even in a global economic environment studded with significant risks. Certainly, in two weeks Bain couldn’t have collected the insights TPG would have into the business.”

In other corporate news, Fairfax’s Adele Ferguson isn’t surprised that CVC Asia Pacific managing director Andrew MacKenzie is moving on.Choose quality sinotruk howo concrete mixer products from large database. While the private equity executive has had a few wins in Australia, the CVC business here is dogged by three particularly bad investments that MacKenzie has presided over – Nine Entertainment, I-Med and Stella/Mantra.

The Australian’s Bryan Frith takes his readers through the complicated structure that Singaporean gaming billionaire KT Lim has had to engineer to keep his hands on a stake in Echo Entertainment.

In domestic economic news, Fairfax’s Eric Johnston delivers the findings of the International Monetary Fund glance at the Australian banking sector.

Admittedly, they’re rather predictable – ‘Gee, it’s rather large and borrows an awful lot from overseas’.

Alright, enough unfair teasing. The Fund puts its neck out to say that the sector could cope with a US-style housing collapse.

The Australian Financial Review’s Jennifer Hewett starts what The Distillery hopes will morph into a growing discussion about what private equity actually does and why the stereotype about the slash-and-dash play doesn’t help anyone.

On China, Fairfax’s Asian affairs reporter Peter Cai says China’s latest manufacturing data shows the sector has stabilised, but there’s no firm sign yet that it will return to the levels seen a year ago. And The Australian’s Glenda Korporaal engages in an interesting discussion about political science pertaining to revolutions, specifically China.

Deal Reached On New Taxi System

A new system will be introduced on a trial basis for taxi operators in downtown St John's effective October 3.

This agreement was reached at a meeting on Tuesday that thrashed out concerns by executive members of the St John's Taxi Association relating to a new parking arrangement and the effect this would have on a franchise agreement with the St John's Development Corporation (SJDC).

Also involved in the meeting were representatives of the police, the Cruise Tourism Association and Antigua & Barbuda Transport Board.

Taxi Association President Evanson Ellis and SJDC Chairman Sylvester Browne said the police began enforcing part of the agreement yesterday by reserving some areas for taxis.

The taxi drivers had objected to the SJDC's plan to relocate them from Heritage Quay without seeking their input.

Ellis said his association and the SJDC have now set aside their differences and have decided to move forward together.Visonic Technologies is the leading supplier of rtls safety,

"We're going to have two different dispatch areas so we're not going to have members in one place anymore," he said.

"If we don't have any outside drivers involved I think it would work 100 percent because we're not going to have anyone saying its $15 when we say its $20."

The details of the new arrangement was discussed Wednesday afternoon with members of the taxi association.

The SJDC chairman agreed that the meeting on Tuesday The TagMaster Long Range hands free access System is truly built for any parking facility.was very successful and would lead to the resolution of the parking dilemma.

The decision to relocate the taxis fits in with a master plan to transform the Heritage Quay area. The plan also mandates the removal of the building housing the Ministry of Health to accommodate taxis.

The latter proposal has been met with resistance from some residents who have called for the building, constructed since the 1950s, to remain.

Contractor George Ryan yesterday questioned the decision, stating that the roof is the only thing that needs to be replaced and would not cost an exorbitant amount.

"That's a good piece of real estate for government. It is stronger than some of what they're putting up today.HOWO is a well-known tractor's brand and howo tractor suppliers are devoted to designing and manufacturing best products. In fact, it’s stronger than any building that the Chinese have constructed to date and would outlast any building they have put up here," he asserted on Observer Radio's Voice of the People yesterday.

"So therefore, why destroy that building? There are lots of places around St. John's that can be made for parking."

Leader of the Opposition Lester Bird has threatened to mount a court challenge of the demolition of the building, due to its historical value and structural soundness.

In a statement released just over a week ago, he pointed out that it once served as the office of the First Chief Minister and the only two Premiers, and which was temporarily the Economic Secretariat of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.Capture the look and feel of real stone or ceramic tile flooring with Alterna.

Bird's Research Officer Lionel Max Hurst also called in on the programme charging that the SJDC is not following the law which governs its operations.Where can i get a reasonable price dry cabinet?

He urged the corporation to first address the state of the area which, he said, is untidy and has a smell that would not be encouraging to tourists.

"I would wish, Sir, that before you begin tackling so big a problem as knocking down buildings or putting up additional buildings, that the small problems be attended to and that would including making that part of the city so clean and smell so good that people would want to visit it," he advised Browne.

"You must obey the law, Sir, because the law requires you to call public meetings and have the public's expression of support appended to any document which you submit to the Cabinet."

Hurst was referencing Section 15 (4) of the St John's Development Corporation Act.

This states: "The Corporation shall submit the plan of development or amendment thereto along with any information received from a statutory undertaker under subsection (2), any submission thereon and a record of the public meetings, if any, to the Minister, who shall submit them to Cabinet for approval of the plan of development or amendment."

Foreign Policy Is Domestic Policy

Pundits and campaign staff who claim that this election is not about foreign policy are doing the American people a disservice.Find detailed product information for Hot Sale howo spareparts Radiator. The hubris that the external behavior of the United States has no impact on the domestic condition of the country—widespread in the years following the end of the Cold War—can no longer be indulged. In addition, the de facto bargain of the last several decades—that voters elect presidents and members of Congress based on what they can deliver domestically but otherwise give them a relatively free hand to pursue foreign policy—is not sustainable.

None of the goals that either President Barack Obama or Governor Mitt Romney have laid out for America's domestic condition can be achieved in isolation from the foreign policies that they would pursue. The famedSinotruck Hongkong International is special for howo truck. "overseas contingency operations" that the United States has engaged in since 2001—notably the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan—have run up a bill of $1.3 trillion dollars in additional funding beyond a base defense budget which itself has doubled in the last ten years. The creative accounting of supplemental funding has in the past disguised the true costs of American military and reconstruction activities around the world, but the president will increasingly be in a position where the desire to engage in a "war of choice" will require him to consider what parts of his domestic agenda he is willing to sacrifice, as America's access to easy credit overseas begins to tighten.

An armed attack on the U.S. homeland or an existential threat to vital U.S.HellermannTyton manufactures a full line of high quality cable ties in a variety of styles,Different Sizes and Colors can be made with different stone mosaic designs. interests would likely rally the populace to support sacrifices. But will the electorate be as willing in the future to give the chief executive a blank check to engage in humanitarian interventions around the world if it means taking further cuts in entitlements or raising taxes? Perhaps it might be time to recall George Washington's advice in his farewell address, read every year in Congress (but apparently given no heed) when, in calling on Americans to cherish public credit, he recommends using "it as sparingly as possible, avoiding occasions of expense by cultivating peace."

With sluggish domestic demand likely to be a reality for the next several years, the motor for economic growth will be, as it was in past times for the United States, in foreign trade. America remains not only a major supplier of natural resources for the world but a producer of high-end goods and services. But a commercial republic focuses its foreign policy on opening access to international markets. It does not seek, as a point of departure, to divide the world into friends and foes, nor to take sides in the quarrels of other states that do not directly impact its own interests.

Once again, Washington advised his fellow Americans that "the great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is in extending our commercial relations." President Obama has already begun to take steps to make foreign economic relations the priority in his interactions with the leaders of other states, but it is still quite easy for that agenda to be derailed. The long road to graduating Russia from the requirements of the Jackson-Vanik legislation to permit permanent normal trading relations between the two countries—something President George W. Bush promised Vladimir Putin he would move quickly to secure eleven years ago—and the delays in getting free trade pacts approved with close allies and partners speaks to the continued difficulties of making trade the central organizing principle of U.S.Save up to 80% off Ceramic Tile and plastic moulds. foreign policy.

The example of our northern neighbor at the recent APEC summit in Vladivostok may provide a guide with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper making trade deals with Pacific Rim countries, including a major foreign investment promotion and protection act concluded with Chinese president Hu Jintao.

The United States has identified the Asia-Pacific region as the future locus of American security and prosperity. So how should the pivot to Asia be handled? Here Washington again has apropos advice. The United States already has an existing network of security alliances in the region and has made a number of defense commitments. The first president would counsel, "So far as we have already formed engagements let them be fulfilled, with perfect good faith." But just as Washington urged restraint in having the United States attempt to navigate the shoals of late eighteenth century European geopolitics, his advice may be apropos for dealing with the Asia of the early twenty-first century: "She must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence, therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves by artificial ties in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities.”

Media Bias Designed to Save Obama’s Presidency

The constant refrain from the media that the “anti-Islam” film somehow “triggered” or “sparked” the violence in Libya, Egypt and other countries is a transparent lie that follows the Obama Administration’s attempt to divert attention away from the fact that the “Arab Spring” promoted by Obama has been a complete failure for U.S.Sinotruck Hongkong International is special for howo truck. interests. Media bias is to be expected, especially during a foreign policy debacle that threatens Obama’s perceived expertise in foreign policy.

Our media understand that, in the same way that Jimmy Carter lost Iran and America was humiliated during the Iranian hostage crisis, there is a danger that Obama will be perceived to have lost Egypt to the Muslim Brotherhood, as violent demonstrations continue in the Middle East and other Arab/Muslim areas of the world.Where can i get a reasonable price dry cabinet? Hence, attention is being directed to a film that has been on the Internet since July. It is a diversion intended to save Obama’s presidency.

What is particularly interesting is how Senator John McCain is now disputing the claim that the attack in Libya which killed four Americans was spontaneous. McCain endorsed Obama’s policy of military intervention in Libya, without the consent of Congress, but now seems to be backing away from it, at least in terms of what happened in Libya on 9/11. He said, in the wake of the murders of the Americans, that “most people don’t bring rocket propelled grenades and heavy weapons to a demonstration,” and that it was a preplanned terrorist attack. It was another good McCain sound bite but begs the question of what these terrorists are doing in Libya in the first place, and why McCain backed Obama’s policy of military intervention there.

McCain should be asked by the media if he also intends to review his criticism of the conservative members of the House of Representatives who raised concern about Muslim Brotherhood influence in the Obama Administration. McCain had defended Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s aide, Huma Abedin, against charges that she was too close to the Muslim Brotherhood. McCain became a media hero for standing up for Abedin and against people like Rep. Michele Bachmann. Dana Milbank of The Washington Post actually said in print that Abedin helped her boss with suits and handbags and logistics and had no influence over policy. It was “McCarthyism” to suggest otherwise, he wrote.

Yet, it is significant that Hillary Clinton has been leading the charge against the film, rather than take responsibility for the lack of security in Benghazi, Libya, where the murders of the Americans occurred.The TagMaster Long Range hands free access System is truly built for any parking facility. Clinton denounced the film and federal authorities directed the apprehension of the filmmaker, using the pretext that he was wanted for questioning about unrelated legal matters. This unprecedented attack on the First Amendment right of free speech demonstrates the Muslim Brotherhood influence over the State Department that Bachmann and other members of the House had warned about. The Muslim Brotherhood regards any critical depiction of Islam’s prophet Muhammad as blasphemy that must be suppressed.

In effect, our own federal government, supposedly committed to protecting our constitution, has sided with Sharia, or Islamic law, which prohibits insulting the prophet.Airgle has mastered the art of indoor tracking,

If Abedin is not a factor behind this policy, who is? The answer, of course, is the President himself, who knows exactly what he is doing. Whereas we have no access to Abedin’s security clearance form 86, which should have disclosed her foreign connections, Obama was never required to fill one out.

But this is more than a political ploy by the media to protect Obama.Argo Mold limited specialize in Plastic injection mould manufacture, The coordinated attack on the First Amendment threatens the lives of Americans who dare to criticize Islam and organize to expose Muslim Brotherhood operations on U.S. soil. Coptic Christian Joseph Nassralla, who has been falsely linked in media reports to the content of the film, tells Pamela Geller: “There has been a campaign of disinformation and smears about the film ‘Innocence of Muslims’ and my involvement in it. I have been forced to leave my home, and I have received numerous death threats. It grieves me that my intent was to call attention to the relentless, bloody persecution of the Copts, but that issue is of no interest to the media at all.”

Centre-Right Way in Africa

Chairperson, our valued colleague, Dr. Kizza Besigye.Learn how Toyota's Solar Powered ventilation system uses the sun's rays... distinguished guests, members of the media, ladies and gentlemen.

It is a great pleasure to be here among like-minded people and an honour to be asked to give the keynote address at this conference.

Welcome again to our visitors. Akwaaba is our word of welcome.

You might have discovered on arrival in our country that the decibel level is quite high. The reason for this, just in case you haven't found out yet, is you are here right in the middle of the campaign towards our presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7.

For Ghana to host this year's annual DUA conference is of immense symbolism. Some 80 days from now we return to the polls,AeroScout is the market leader for rtls solutions and provide complete wireless asset tracking and monitoring. for the sixth uninterrupted time under the Fourth Republic, to elect a president and members of parliament. For the third time, and the first time in Africa's history, we expect power to change hands democratically from one political party to the other under the same uninterrupted constitution. Myself, as leader and presidential candidate of your sister party, the New Patriotic Party, wishes to assure all of you that we will play a very proactive role in ensuring that this year's election is peaceful, free and fair. At least, those of you observed our elections in 2008, know that I have personally tasted the painful experience of losing an election by the slimmest of margins in Africa's history, 0.46% (some 40,000 votes), after leading the first round of the ballot by over 100,000 votes. I am sure that you will all agree with me that it is about time that I taste some success, as well. But, the success that we seek is not of a personal or partisan kind. We seek to succeed in the all-important push of creating a free and fair society of opportunities and prosperity in Africa for every African. Africa must, Africa can and Africa will succeed in this new and exciting challenge that confronts us in the 21st century. We believe the path to this victory is democracy and freedom.

However, there are still many parts on our continent where this basic right to decide how you should be governed is denied. And even where there is constitutional rule, the democracies are fragile. Two months ago, a senior adviser to the President of Ghana was quoted as saying he doubted that the return to constitutional rule had been a worthy decision. Six months ago, there was a coup d'etat in one of our neighbouring countries, Mali. Up until that coup d'etat, Mali had been cited as one of the success stories on the continent. They had had three successful elections and were thought to be doing reasonably well. A group of soldiers seized the presidency and that nation is back in crisis.

My friends, as the saying goes, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. The theme for this conference "Sustaining Democracy and Economic Development in Africa - the Centre Right Way" is very apt and should concentrate our minds on what we need to do.

We have certainly come a long way, but we should not take it for granted that everybody has accepted this mode of governance. There are those who would rather have authoritarian rule, because they claim Africa is underdeveloped and democracy is cumbersome and we need to get things done in a hurry. We still have some work to do to convince such people that we are all safer under democracies.

The struggle for freedoms and liberties on this continent has consistently been led by those of us on the centre right of the ideological divide. The man who is regarded as the doyen of Ghana politics and who led the first political party to fight for independence, Joseph Boakye Danquah, of most blessed memory, articulated clearly, some fifty years ago at the height of the Cold War, the policy which continues to guide us. And I quote: "Our policy is to liberate the energies of the people for the growth of a property-owning democracy in this land, with right to life, freedom and justice, as the principles to which the Government and laws of the land should be dedicated in order specifically to enrich life, property and liberty of each and every citizen."

It has taken us this long for a consensus to emerge in our country that the democratic form of governance is preferable and that rapid growth of the private sector in an open market is the better route to prosperity of our society.

There are many young Ghanaians, who are going to be first time voters on December 7. They should know that there was a time when Ghana was a one-party state and everybody had to belong to that party. Recently, I was talking to some young people and the subject of military coup d'etats came up. One young lady sounded bemused that the government could be overthrown or taken over simply by a soldier seizing Broadcasting House and making an announcement on the radio: "but what about the other FM stations?", the young lady asked. In her lifetime, she has only known multiple radio and television stations and she was unaware that radio,How It's Made Plastic injection molds. television and newspapers used to be exclusively owned by the government. She did not know that, not too long ago, if you wanted to hear any voice in opposition to any government policy, you would probably have to tune in to a foreign radio station like the BBC. With more than 100 private radio stations around the country today,HellermannTyton manufactures a full line of high quality cable ties in a variety of styles, she was unaware that we had to fight to have private radio stations even when the Constitution of the Fourth Republic had given that right. She was unaware that a culture of silence used to reign in this nation.

Because we fought for these rights and they have become part of the everyday landscape in our politics, all Ghanaians are today the beneficiaries. This has been the longest period of stable constitutional governance in our history and the benefits are showing. Freedom of speech is taken for granted today; Parliament is making a good fist of exercising its oversight duties; the Judiciary demonstrates its independence and engenders confidence in the citizens and all who live in the country.

We are not quite there yet, but there is far more self-confidence among Ghanaians today than there has been since the very early days of self-government. Freedom and the principles of democratic accountability are strengthening the determination of Ghanaians to build a new Ghana that is neither pawn nor victim.

But, my friends, it is not enough to hold successful elections every four years or to be able to criticize the government and to have a choice of 100 radio stations. The biggest challenge that we face on the continent today is widespread poverty and, until we eradicate widespread poverty, Africa cannot really join the international comity of nations on an equal basis.

The ideological battles, as far as the handling of economies go, have been fought and won and I think it is fair to say that the centre right way has been shown to be the fastest and most sustainable way of creating wealth for a nation.

We all must feel very proud to belong to the Democrat Union of Africa (DUA).Find detailed product information for sino howo tipper truck. Ours is a proud heritage. We, in the centre-right, have won the ideological battle of the last century and, today, the centre-right philosophy is the one that has taken and continues to take millions of people out of poverty.

SC Transportation Department Is “Broken”

Our system of funding roads is just about as broken as it gets, with a recent decision by the State Transportation Infrastructure Bank being the prime example.

Last month, the Infrastructure Bank took a vote to build an eight-mile extension of the Mark Clark Expressway in Charleston, despite the fact that its bonding capacity is used up and the project is wildly unpopular locally. Or to put it in language folks outside the State House might use, the bank spent money we don’t have on a project we don’t need and the people don’t want.

Worse, the bank is force-feeding asphalt to Charleston, while the rest of South Carolina is on a starvation diet.

Seeing this, the conservative S.Find detailed product information for shamballa crys talbeads wholesale,C. Policy Council and the environmentalist Coastal Conservation League — two groups who are rarely singing off of the same sheet of music — have teamed up to point out just how corrupt our system for funding infrastructure has become.

I think they’re on to something.

Anybody who drives has seen the sorry shape of our roads. In my neck of the woods, we have see-through bridges, with more holes than Swiss cheese. In Cowpens, Exit 83 is in such disrepair that you have to drive through the parking lot of Mountain View Baptist Church to get back onto Interstate 85. I-26 is a parking lot on many weekends between Charleston and Columbia.

Meanwhile, since the Infrastructure Bank was created in 1997, it has doled out about $4 billion, with a little more than $2 billion going to just two counties — Charleston and Horry. In fact, only 11 of our 46 counties have ever even gotten a penny of funding.

The state Department of Transportation estimates that it would cost $20 billion just to bring all our roads and bridges up to what is considered “adequate.”

Let’s think about that for a second: We need $20 billion to make our existing roads safe, and the Infrastructure Bank is busy spending another $4 billion on new roads in the backyards of politically connected legislators and the tourism lobby. It’s like a farmer borrowing money to buy a new Corvette when the wheels of his tractor are falling off.

That latest Charleston boondoggle — which,Find detailed product information for Hot Sale howo spareparts Radiator. it’s worth remembering, was built with promised money above and beyond what we’re already authorized to borrow — has never even been ranked by the state Transportation Department as a funding priority. It’s only ranked 15th on a list of Charleston priorities.

Why do we even have a separate board from the Transportation Department buying bells and whistles for our road system?

Of course, it’s not like the Transportation Department is any better. What’s its top priority? An interchange for an interstate that hasn’t even been built, and may never wind up being built. I-73,Sinotruck Hongkong International is special for howo truck. which is supposed to go from Detroit to Myrtle Beach, will cost us more than $1 billion just to reach the N.C. line.

Now I’m no expert, but the times I’ve been to Myrtle Beach and looked around at the license plates, it didn’t seem to me like folks from Michigan and Ohio are having any trouble getting here.Browse the Best Selection of buy mosaic and Accessories with FREE Gifts.

The seven-member Transportation Department and the seven-member State Infrastructure Bank are driving our state into a ditch. Fourteen people making road-funding decisions. As the old saying goes,Different Sizes and Colors can be made with different stone mosaic designs. “When everybody is in charge, no one is in charge.”

It’s true in business, and it’s true in government. We have a rogue Infrastructure Bank committing money that doesn’t exist to a project we don’t need and a state Transportation Department where an unaccountable commission controls everything from traffic lights to curb cuts.

If we’re going to move our state forward, we’ve got to stop funding infrastructure based on favor swapping and horse trading. We’ve got to put first things first: Fix the roads we have and stop building new ones based on which legislator has the most pull or which special interest screams the loudest.

I pledge to work with the Policy Council, the Coastal Conservation League and any other group that wants to make this the reality for South Carolina.

Illegal Immigration Emerges as New Crisis for Greece

It is early in the afternoon at this important port 125 miles from Athens and two Greek navy officers are patrolling the docks, each wielding sticks with mirrors to peek under trucks. They have seen nothing so far.

Suddenly, three young men burst from behind a massive container and take off down a dock. The officers begin a chase, but the drama is over before it starts. Within a minute, the three men, faster and more desperate, have escaped into a dilapidated industrial complex.

The men, says one officer, are illegal immigrants, who apparently spent the night on the dock hoping to sneak onto a ferry to Italy. They are part of a deluge of undocumented workers trying to reach Europe through Greece, and slipping past authorities is just part of the process. "Day in, day out, the same story," the officer lamented, trying to catch his breath.

Greece, of course, is well-known for its role in the euro-zone crisis, with a massive debt load and sclerotic economy that threatens the single currency. But from Brussels to Oslo, government leaders are fretting about another issue that imperils the integrity of free access across an entire continent: porous Greek borders.

The country quietly has become a steppingstone for a wave of Middle East and South Asia workers fleeing job markets ravaged by years of government turmoil. In 2011, an extraordinary year because of the uprisings in North Africa, 140,980 people were detected entering the EU illegally, up 35% from the year before, according to Frontex, the EU's border-control agency. Of those, 40% came through Greece. Through July this year, 23,000 people were apprehended crossing the border illegally, roughly 30% ahead of last's year pace.

Border control in Greece isn't a new problem.Features useful information about glass mosaic tiles, But the country's economic malaise and budget restrictions are hampering many of its efforts to reduce the flow of illegal immigration. Hoping to come to the rescue, the Europe Commission—the EU's executive branch—began pouring €255 million ($331 million) into border protection for Greece over the past two years. But that is still less than it gives some countries with far smaller border problems. And whatever it gives, years of bloated bureaucracy and now new public hiring restrictions in Greece have stalled some of the best-laid plans. According to one confidential EU report, the country has hired only 11 staffers to help process asylum cases, despite funding last year for 700 positions.Wholesale Agate beads from Low Price agate beads,

Add deplorable detention conditions at immigration centers, according to EU officials and human-rights groups, and mounting domestic unrest over the influx of foreign arrivals, and Greece finds itself with yet another Olympic-size crisis.

In response, government officials say they are doing the best they can under difficult circumstances. The country's new minister of public order, Nikos Dendias, says Greece takes border protection seriously, but that the influx from abroad is reaching crisis proportions. He calls Greece a "buffer zone of Europe" that carries "a disproportionate burden."

Greece is part of Europe's so-called Schengen zone,HellermannTyton manufactures a full line of high quality cable ties in a variety of styles, which allows passport-free travel among most EU members, and some neighboring nations. Its failure to protect its border has only heightened political tensions at countries already resentful about the country's impact on the euro, and worried that their own tight job markets can't handle too many immigrants. Hugo Brady of the Centre for European Reform, a London-based think tank, says it is all just fanning a "poisonous" political atmosphere.

Much of the problem is taking place in Greece's northeastern border with Turkey, an 80-mile fault line dominated by the river Evros that has become Europe's most porous and politically potent frontier. But ports like Patras have become a favored gateway from Greece to the rest of the European Union for many illegal immigrants. From here, they travel across the Ionian and Adriatic seas to Italy, where they will stay or sneak into more countries. In the Schengen zone, travelers don't have to show documentation but some countries are increasingly conducting spot checks to apprehend illegal immigrants when they cross borders.

According to border-control statistics, almost 60% of Greece's illegal immigrants are from either Afghanistan or Pakistan.Different Sizes and Colors can be made with different stone mosaic designs. Political asylum is sought by some—more than 2,400 Syrians fleeing the country's civil war have been apprehended at the Greek-Turkish border since last July. But the vast majority are young men and families seeking work because the job market where they lived was devastated by war or terrorism. Nearly all must pay smugglers, who in some cases deposit them in small plastic dinghies to cross rough river waters. Those who survive—police say a few dozen have drowned—may face horrific conditions in Greece trying to make the next leg of their journey.

Here in Patras, the third biggest port in the country, evidence of this hardship is easy to find. A couple hundred yards from docked ferries, the stench of dried urine under scorching sun announces squatters. By the old train tracks, a dirt path leads to a derelict industrial site. The Piraiki Patraiki factory, once a nationally renowned textile manufacturer, was for months inhabited by dozens of illegal immigrants, according to border officials. Along with Afghanistan and Pakistan, they were from Sudan, Morocco and Somalia,Find detailed product information for Hot Sale howo spareparts Radiator. with a few from the Ivory Coast. Though recently cleared by police, some 80 men slept and ate in gutted rooms where cotton was once woven for export.

Black Hills Doll Club celebrates 40 years

Dolls teach their collectors lessons about art, history and culture, but those aren't the reasons that Candi Brunnelle collects them.

"I play with mine. I do. The dolls that I've got I play with them all. I dress them," said Brunnelle, a grandmother who has never outgrown her girlhood love of dolls.Where can i get a reasonable price dry cabinet?

Brunnelle was among the doll lovers who gathered last weekend for a 40th anniversary luncheon and program of the Black Hills Doll Club in Rapid City.

Brunnelle no longer belongs to the club, but she joined many of the club's current 20 members and other passionate doll collectors from across the Black Hills region to "play dolls" and celebrate the club that charter members Evelyn Heidepriem, Helene Steen and Doris Brodrick helped start back in 1972. Women came from came from United Federation of Doll Clubs from as far away as Nebraska and North Dakota.

The three Rapid City women are described as living "encyclopedias" of doll knowledge. Steen and Brodrick make dolls and Heidepriem is a former regional director for UFDC. Their expertise has taught new members like Jan Goen much about the business and the art of dolls.

"I'm the newest member of the club, and I probably have about 15 of all different sizes," said Goen, who joined a few months ago. "I started my collection so I could sew for them."

Goen sews, crochets and knits outfits for all sizes of dolls.

"I have over 100 patterns for different sizes and types. I like to add a little bling," she admits. She and Brunelle are among several smaller groups of doll enthusiasts who meet to sew clothes or build furniture for their collections.

Most club members have much larger collections, but asking a doll collector exactly how many dolls she has, or what their value is, is a social faux pas akin to asking a South Dakota rancher how many head of cattle he owns. It just isn't polite.

"In my case, I don't really know how many I have," said Heidepriem. "I keep track of my dolls by maker, mostly, because I have favorite makers that I like."

Her favorite doll makers haven't changed over the years, but the prices they charge for them certainly have, she said. Popular doll makers include the venerable Effanbee Doll Company to the current-day Robert Tonner dolls. Heidepriem often "set aside a few dollars out the grocery money" to buy the dolls she wanted, and her investment has paid off over time.AeroScout is the market leader for rtls solutions and provide complete wireless asset tracking and monitoring. "I haven't lost money on them," she said.

More than being a good investment, doll collecting has been an enjoyment, said Heidepriem said.

"I'm a born collector,Sinotruck Hongkong International is special for howo truck. I guess. I've been called a pack-rat. I bring everything I see home, especially if it's shiny and pretty. But in the world of collecting, dolls are a good way to collect something you enjoy living with on a day-to-day basis," she said.

Heidepriem has been collecting dolls since 1959, when she was living in Deadwood at the time of a forest fire that threatened the town. Forced to evacuate her home in an emergency, she grabbed three things: a new black cocktail dress, her Labrador dog and a box containing two old, broken dolls from the late 1890s.

"My aunt had given me her two old dolls. They were of German descent and they were falling apart," she said. For some reason, Heidepriem thought they were important — and they launched her collecting hobby. By the time the 1972 Black Hills Flood hit, Heidepriem was living in Rapid City. Even though the first floor of her home was underwater, her doll collection stayed safe on the second floor.

Doll-making history is what Goen enjoys about the doll club. The Black Hills Doll Club meets the first Wednesday of each month and its focus is on the art and the science behind doll collecting.

"There's a lot of history behind these dolls," she said. Who made them, what materials were used, how much they are worth today or might be in the future?

"Our focus is education. For every meeting, one of the members researches and prepares a presentation on things such as: doll repairs, wig making, restringing, identifying genuine antiques vs. reproductions, new information on old dolls, where to find certain dolls or materials," said club member Bev Jacson.

Some members collect antique dolls from a certain period in history.

"Some collect antique dolls and study what a doll might tell us about the economic and social climate of a bygone era. For example, prior to World War I, Germany’s largest export were their bisque dolls. During and following this war, doll molds were “smuggled” to Japan where copies were made and exported," Jacson said.

Others focus on dolls from their childhoods.

"Finding the doll they lost, or the doll they always wanted," she said. The latter category, among doll collectors, is almost limitless: Madame Alexander, American Girl, Toni the teenager, Sweet Sue; or the rare, sad-faced baby doll named Poor Pitiful Pearl that club member Wini Michaels had on display.

Bisque-faced dolls, composition dolls,Looking for the Best air purifier? cloth dolls or tiny, miniature dolls all were on hand at the club's 40th anniversary luncheon Sept. 8 at a local hotel. The luncheon theme — Native American Doll heritage — included a presentation on indigenous dolls from the Arctic, Alaska, Florida, the Plains and the Southwest, and the European productions of them that were made to display the tribal regalia.

Despite the enormous popularity of the American Girl doll series among young girls,HOWO is a well-known tractor's brand and howo tractor suppliers are devoted to designing and manufacturing best products. Heidepriem blames computer games and other high-tech gadgets for usurping an interest in dolls among today's generation of girls, own great-granddaughter included, she said.