Exhibitors bringing their best to NBAA

The Wichita Aero Club will unveil the new logo touting Wichita as the Air Capital at a reception Monday at the GWEDC booth on the convention floor.

"Working with other area partners and the state, we're using it to convey the message to the entire industry that this is the region with the business, the infrastructure and the partnerships that allow aviation companies to succeed," said Dave Franson, executive director of the Wichita Aero Club.

U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo, Kansas Lt. Gov. Jeff Coyler and Kansas Secretary of Commerce Pat George will be guests at the reception.

The city of Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas Department of Commerce, Wichita Airport Authority,Has anyone had any experience with this led light bulbs light? Image Resources Group, National Institute for Aviation Research, National Center for Aviation Training, K-96 Corridor, Wichita Aero Club, Apex Engineering, Metal Finishing Co. and Assystem are part of the delegation.

PWI's focus at the show will be to showcase a new product — a retrofit for King Air lighting. The kit will replace the current interior fluorescent lighting with LED lighting.

The kits can be installed through modification shops, maintenance facilities and Hawker Beechcraft Service Centers. The change takes only two to three hours and is available now, said PWI president Robi Lorik.

PWI partnered with Lee Engineering to come up with the design.

"We're very excited," Lorik said.

Bob Kiser, president of Winglet Technology, will introduce an elliptical winglet designed for the Hawker 200. It also will be available as a retrofit on Premier I and Premier IA jets.

Winglets will increase the maximum range and performance of the plane, Kiser said.

The company will have a scale model of the Premier I with the winglet and a full-scale winglet on display at its booth at the convention hall.

"I'm optimistic about the attention and the interest in our products," Kiser said.OceanLED is by MJ-808 far the most popular and most widely distributed marine lighting brand in the world

NBAA will present native Wichitan Clay Lacy with its highest honor, the Meritorious Service to Aviation Award.

Lacy was an Air Force and airline pilot, a national air racer,9 Dec 2010 – What would the perfect fluorescent lights be? and a director and videographer specializing in air-to-air sequences for Hollywood movies and TV commercials.

Participants in a roundtable session following the presentation include actor and pilot Harrison Ford; Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Randy Babbitt; Gene Cernan, Apollo XVII commander and the last person to walk on the moon; Bob Hoover, former show pilot and Air Force test pilot; and Lloyd "Fig" Newton,1200LM Bicycle light,LED flashlight,LED headlamp,hid,bike light,bicycle light former lead pilot for the Air Force Thunderbirds.

An opening general session will feature Babbitt, National Transportation Safety Board chairwoman Deborah Hersman,Manufacturer of マジコン for diving, bicycling, outdoor sports and law enforcement. and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, among others.

David Hendricks: Company with global outlook moving to S.A.

David Hendricks: Company with global outlook moving to S.A.
GreenStar Products Inc. wants to light the world.

The Boerne-based company that is moving its headquarters and U.S. manufacturing facility to San Antonio as one of CPS Energy's “new energy economy” partners is truly international.

GreenStar dates to a meeting in Milan, Italy, in July 2009 where the founders met. It's in the second phase of investment, and money is coming from places like Venezuela and Mexico. The company has divided the world into four markets — the United States/Canada, Latin America, India and Europe — and plans to sell to nearly every corner of the globe. It already manufactures in India as well.

The company was founded after a meeting in Milan between Boerne businessman Paul Duran (now GreenStar CEO and president) and Chuck Chakravarty, (now GreenStar's chief operating officer) a native of India who was living in Poland at the time.

The company basically combines technologies from Philips Lumileds Lighting Co. of California and Texas Instruments Inc. of Dallas with its own patents to manufacture two basic product lines: indoor and outdoor lights.

In agreeing to move its headquarters to San Antonio from Boerne, GreenStar initially will make at least 25,000 LED (light-emitting diode) streetlights in San Antonio for the city's streets.

The LED streetlights use 60 percent less energy than standard sodium lights. That energy savings can rise to 80 percent when a microprocessor is added that can dim or brighten the lights based on traffic and ambient light sensors. The lights are designed to last 12 to 15 years, cutting maintenance costs.

The sensors, which can detect colors, and microprocessors in the lights can communicate with other streetlights, like networks. The lights therefore eventually could be used for commercial security and law enforcement purposes, Chakravarty said. Remotely operated cameras could be plugged into USB outlets on light poles.

Its indoor lighting products are for warehouses, factories and parking garages.

The current GreenStar staff of 17 people in Boerne will move later this year to its new headquarters and plant at Alamo Downs Business Park in Northwest San Antonio, increasing its staff initially to more than 30. The company will be hiring sales personnel and electrical and test technicians.

After the company was founded by Duran and Chakravarty, the second round of investors included the Venezuelan family of Gabriel Senior, now chief financial officer and vice president for business development.

Other individual investors are José Antonio Fernández, chairman of Monterrey-based FEMSA, Mexico's largest beverage company, and Raúl Rodríguez Barocio, a former managing director of the North American Development Bank and now a University of the Incarnate Word professor.

More investment rounds will be needed as the company grows and more production plants are started, Senior said. At some point, the company could go public with a stock offering.

“The whole world of lighting will have to change,” Senior said. “LEDs will become mainstream.” Nations, both developed and developing, will be attracted to LED lighting because it can reduce the need for new power plants, Chakravarty said.

“Goodbye, Thomas Edison,” added Rod Gray, GreenStar executive vice president for sales and marketing. “Hello, LED.”

Recommendation Letters From Swampscott High

Recommendation Letters From Swampscott High
For over twenty years, I’ve been teaching a variety of subjects, from English to TV Production to Media Literacy. I’ve worked with students aiming for careers in politics, film, television, advertising, teaching, computers and so many other fields. But until I met Ben Smith, I had never met a student who, at age 17, would tell me with a straight face that his career goal was to be a philosopher.

The thing is,You can easily say that it is a passion or a way to express yourself. So what's the story? Ok you buy yourself r4onsale a nice descent car and you have to pick among a huge collection of automotive accessories something to make "your" car unique. I believe him – and I believe in him. I am happy to give him the highest possible recommendation to you. I say this not simply because he’s the only student I’ve ever met who wants to be a philosopher. It’s not even that he is the brightest student I have ever had, although he may come fairly close. It’s mostly that he is one of the most intellectually curious and deeply reflective students I have ever encountered.

By deeply reflective, I mean that his love of learning extends far beyond most students’ enjoyment of the acquisition of knowledge. He does love the gaining of factual information, but even more than that, he is fascinated by epistemology, by the concept of how we know what we know. This kind of “meta” analysis – thinking about thinking – is far beyond what most high school teachers have time or inclination to promote in this era of genuflection to standardized tests, but Ben’s pure and eager love for challenging intellectual adventures is reflected in something remarkable he has done in the past year. Rather than wait for his guidance counselors (or parents) to tell him what courses to take next, as too many students do, he has sought out and enrolled in as many courses as possible from those teachers who, for whatever reasons of curricular flexibility and/or inclination, inspire this specific kind of intellectual focus at Swampscott High School. As he said to me last spring about Media Literacy,An other advantage of using bluecrystal these bulbs is that they can also work in very cold weather which various other lights are unable to do. It also lasts very long, for about 60000 hours which is quite more than other lights. “This course is about the closest I can find to an actual course in Philosophy.”

In other words, despite Ben’s relatively laid-back demeanor, he has been admirably relentless in his pursuit of intellectual mentors who can stimulate him. And once he finds them, he enthusiastically takes advantage of what he clearly sees as true opportunities for growth. In Media Literacy class, he was an avid, open-minded and engaged audience for challenging films by directors like Truffaut, Godard and Kubrick. In Health and Media class, he and a friend gave the best of the numerous student presentations, filling two one and a half hour periods with video clips and probing questions about atheism, facilitating one of the most lively and intellectually rich student-led class discussions I’ve ever seen.

Like everyone, Ben has weaknesses. I believe they are minor compared to his brilliant mind and potential, but I am trying to be objective and not portray Ben as the second coming.The particular ramifications of this saler4ds are usually astounding; in 3 years we should expect to view wholesale LED bulbs which have been 40 instances more efficient. Therefore, I will say that he does procrastinate at times, especially when it comes to written work. Also, even though his contributions to discussion are extremely thoughtful and certainly more frequent than average, his quiet nature (and his habit of thinking before he speaks) result in his not quite contributing to class discussions as often as I wish he did. In a good high school class discussion, the ideas and opinions fly at high speed, and Ben sometimes sits back and lets other students do most of the talking, at least until the topic really moves him.

But when he does get excited,The best way to justify the cost and savings and to brightcrystal truly see how the transition to LED will impact your business is to do a detailed energy audit of existing conditions and compare them to the energy savings and maintenance costs found on the post-LED retrofit report. he’s wonderful to see and hear. He’s an articulate and smart young man, but he’s also a young man with a lot of deep feelings, and since I’m not sure you’ll necessarily see them in his essay or even in his interview, I want to stress this. He’s not just a good student and a deep thinker. True, his focus may be on a scientific, rather than a spiritual, explanation of the cosmos. He may have a somewhat subdued manner. He may even still believe, as he said last year, that he’s not really interested in sex and love - or did he only say that about sex and not about love? Either way, it struck me as a unique opinion for a 17-year old boy, albeit one I suspect has to do mostly with the fact that for now he has all he can handle dealing with his complex, busy mind.It pays to go to professionals with bestlight a proven track record in LED lighting, a vast selection of excellent quality products from various vendors that live up to their label, and a history of successfully completed projects. I would guess that he will make room for love at some point in his busy life as he matures.

10 Ways to Boost Your Smartphone's Battery Life

10 Ways to Boost Your Smartphone's Battery Life
For all of their power and versatility, smartphones--even the best of them--are cursed with abysmal battery life.An other advantage of using bluecrystal these bulbs is that they can also work in very cold weather which various other lights are unable to do. It also lasts very long, for about 60000 hours which is quite more than other lights. Unless you use your phone very sparingly (and who does that?), you're lucky to make it home at the end of the day with enough juice left in the battery for one more call. But with the right apps and a little insight, you can double your smartphone's battery life--and work (and play) longer than ever before.
Though some phones live a little longer than others on a single charge, all smartphones suffer from the same basic problem: They do too much. Any 3.7-volt battery small enough to fit into your phone's tiny chassis stands no chance of lasting multiple days under a steady workload of running apps, browsing the Web, sending e-mail,An other advantage of using bluecrystal these bulbs is that they can also work in very cold weather which various other lights are unable to do. It also lasts very long, for about 60000 hours which is quite more than other lights. and doing whatever else phones are expected to do. (Oh yeah, making calls.)
Most smartphone batteries today are rated at around 5 watt-hours, meaning that they can deliver a constant charge of 1 watt to the device over a period of 5 hours. If your phone actually uses 1 watt per hour, and you pull it off the charger at 7:00 a.m.Although police doesn't like it very much but one thing is certain, that your car will certainly stand out from the rest lightonsale vehicles on the road You don't have to make something "hardcore"., you can expect it to be dead by lunchtime. So the key to increasing your phone's battery life is to reduce the amount of power the handset uses per hour.

One obvious way to reduce your phone's energy draw is to use it less (yeah, right). A more practical approach is to manage the phone's power consumption by turning off unneeded features and turning down adjustable features. Turning off your phone's radios when you're not using them, reducing the screen's brightness, and killing apps that run in the background are among the tricks that can help your phone's battery last longer. They and other tricks and apps will help extend your phone's overall workday by reducing its moment-to-moment energy requirements.
1. Dim the Screen

You love your smartphone's large, colorful display, but it's the battery's mortal enemy. More than any other component of your phone, the display consumes battery life at a devastating pace.The particular demise with the incandescent bulb bluebright continues calmly yet non-stop and in less as compared to any year or two today the sole goods stocked in stores is going to be lower electricity bulbs, Most phones include an auto-brightness feature that automatically adjusts the screen's brightness to suit ambient lighting levels and system activity. This mode uses less power than constantly running your screen at full brightness would, of course,You want someone that has the experience in LED lighting to guide you to the right product shinebright that is best suited to your project. but you'll get even better results by turning your screen's brightness down to the lowest setting that you can tolerate and leaving it there. Even if you do nothing else suggested in this guide, following this one tip will extend the life of your battery dramatically.
2. Keep the Screen Timeout Short

Under your phone's display settings menu, you should find an option labeled 'Screen Timeout' or something similar. This setting controls how long your phone's screen stays lit after receiving input, such as a tap. Every second counts here, so set your timeout to the shortest available time. On most Android phones, the minimum is 15 seconds. If your screen timeout is currently set to 2 minutes, consider reducing that figure to 30 seconds or less.

Dubal mulls shifting to LED lighting

Dubal mulls shifting to LED lighting
Dubai Aluminium (Dubal), operator one of the world's largest single-site primary aluminium smelters, is evaluating the feasibility of converting its lighting system to energy efficient LED lighting, said a senior official.Philips LED business is inside of Philips lighting so it Led light is more difficult to determine whether they are meeting expectations.

“LED technology is not only well tested and proven to be extremely energy efficient but also has become more affordable,” added Tayeb Al Awadhi,Compact fluorescent lights have solved LED lighting supplier many of the problems associated with traditional filament light bulbs. vice president: power & desalination, Dubal.The replacement lighting we feel is far led downlight superior to that of the LED lighting. “The aim is to embark on plant-wide full scale LED lighting conversion at Dubal as soon as practicable.”

“Furthermore,In many ways LED lights compact fluorescent provide the best of both worlds. They are extremely energy efficient and environmentally friendly (and are, in fact, more environmentally friendly these energy-saving bulbs are mercury-free,While SmartView has been slow DSTT and unstable in the past, it seems to have improved greatly with recent updates. making them environment friendly during disposal.”

Dubal has also taken steps to minimize the air-conditioning load by setting the units’ thermostats to 24 degrees Centigrade during working hours and 27 degrees during non-working hours, with advisory stickers being pasted on every thermostat controller to remind users of the initiative.

In addition, a review is currently in progress to convert Dubal’s electrically-driven air-conditioning chillers to a much more efficient system using absorption chiller technology, Al Awadhi said.

“Being steam-driven, absorption chiller technology uses approximately 75 per cent less electrical power than conventional air-conditioning system,” explained Al Awadhi.

“Phase 1 of the project — which entails trialing absorption chiller technology at Dubal’s desalination control building — should begin by the end of 2011. Once operational, the absorption chiller is expected to reduce Dubal’s power consumption by approximately 2 million kWh per annum.”

Dubal will ensure that all unnecessary lights are switched off after working hours, wherever applicable; and that all computers/monitors are also switched off when employees leave after a shift at the office, Al Awadhi added.

“A dedicated committee has been formed within Dubal with the mandate to implement these and other energy-saving initiatives,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service

Wolverton: LED light bulbs gaining traction

Wolverton: LED light bulbs gaining traction

You may have started to see some odd-looking -- and expensive -- light bulbs show up at your local home improvement store.

Earlier this year, Home Depot started selling a Philips AmbientLED bulb that is designed to replace the standard 60-watt light bulb used in lamps and other fixtures. If you'd seen it, you might have quickly passed it by after seeing its price: a whopping $40 each.

But it's worth another look, if only because many people are betting that the bulb represents the future of home lighting.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, there are some 971 million 60-watt light bulbs in use in the United States, mostly in homes. To encourage energy efficiency, the government is in the
Green Energy

process of raising energy standards for light bulbs, which will mean that incandescent bulbs will be banned in coming years.

Currently, the main alternative to incandescent bulbs are compact fluorescent lights. But while CFLs have grown in popularity in recent years, many consumers have resisted them. CFLs are far more energy efficient than their incandescent equivalents and last much longer, but have significant drawbacks.

One big negative for CFL bulbs is that they contain mercury, meaning that they're unsafe to be thrown out in the regular trash and require thoughtful cleanup when they break. Many are slow to reach full brightness, even those that are billed as "instant on." And though their price has come down markedly in the
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past 10 years, CFLs still cost significantly more than incandescents.

What's more, while CFLs outlast incandescents, they've tended to have life spans shorter than advertised. Most CFLs can't be dimmed. And many consumers despise the blue-green light that many CFLs emit.

For those reasons, many lighting experts in government and the lighting and technology industries are betting that LED bulbs will be the eventual replacement for incandescents. They don't contain mercury, are truly instant-on, and the new 60-watt-equivalent bulbs typically can be dimmed.

Meanwhile, LED bulbs are expected to have life spans that are several times that of even CFLs. And they've been designed to emulate the light of incandescent bulbs.

At about 12 to 13 watts, they use slightly less energy than CFLs, and less than one-quarter of the energy of a 60-watt bulb. And unlike CFLs or incandescents, they're based on the same rapidly improving semiconductor technology found in the chips inside your PC and smartphone.

Thanks to that, LED bulbs should get more efficient in coming years. The Department of Energy has set a target to have a 60-watt-equivalent bulb use just 10 watts -- and some folks in the industry think they can get the energy use down even lower in coming years.

LED bulbs have been around for many years, but the initial 60-watt-equivalent bulbs mostly were made by off-brands and startup companies and sold only by enthusiast websites. While you could find some LED bulbs in major stores over the past year or so, they tended to be for use in recessed lighting or for replacing lower output incandescents.

Now they're being produced by major lighting companies, including Philips and Sylvania, and are being backed by major retailers, including Home Depot and Lowe's.

Lowe's started selling Sylvania's 60-watt-equivalent bulb online late last year and recently began offering it in its stores. In addition to the Philips bulb, Home Depot has begun selling a 60-watt-equivalent LED bulb from Lighting Science Group in some of its stores under its house brand, EcoSmart.

In recent months, I've been testing out both the Philips and the EcoSmart bulbs. The best thing I can say about them is that as strange as they may look -- the Philips bulb has yellow glass segmented by three metal grooves and the EcoSmart bulb has what looks to be a squashed glass head -- the light they give off is unremarkable. It's bright and warm, but, to my eye at least, basically indistinguishable from what would be produced by an incandescent light.

The bulbs give off more light -- measured in lumens -- than a standard 60-watt bulb. And the coatings used on their glass are designed to filter the light they emit so that it appears more "natural."

You probably will want to hold off on buying such bulbs for now, because their cost outweighs their advantages. Even factoring in the LEDs longer expected life spans -- which have yet to be confirmed -- CFLs are a better deal for now.

But keep an eye on the LED bulbs. They're a bright idea in lighting and very likely the bulbs of the future.

Petrol-electric A3 E-Tron concept leads the charge for Audi in Shanghai

Petrol-electric A3 E-Tron concept leads the charge for Audi in Shanghai
Audi is set to unveil a stunning technical study – the A3 e-tron concept – in Shanghai. The four-seat notchback saloon integrates the full breadth of the brand’s technological expertise – from the enhanced MMI operating system, to the high-end infotainment system, to the drivetrain. And with its two powerplants and lithium-ion batteries that store enough energy to propel the car on electric power alone for up to 54 km (34 miles), the plug-in hybrid also delivers high fuel efficiency.

Design and body
The Audi A3 e-tron concept is a four-seat notchback saloon. It measures 4.44 metres long and 1.84 metres wide, but just 1.39 metres high – proportions that underscore its dynamic character.

The styling has all the features of the typical Audi design language. The single-frame grille is integrated into the front end, giving it a sculptured look. Its frame is made of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP), and the transversely mounted, three-dimensional aluminium louvres emphasise the showcar’s width. The headlights merge with the bevelled upper corners of the single-frame, forming a transition that marks the starting point of the prominent lines of the bonnet.

The headlights represent a new stage of evolution in LED technology, a groundbreaking innovation from Audi. They become broader as they extend outward, and a line underneath makes them seem to float. Above the front spoiler is a full-length air intake, also made of CFRP, framed by a metal clasp. The spoiler features a splitter that increases the downforce on the front wheels.

When viewed from the side, too, the A3 e-tron concept is instantly recognisable as an Audi – with its harmonious proportions, taut, muscular surfaces and a low roof dome with fluid lines flowing into a flat, coupe-like C-pillar. The shoulder area transitions elegantly into the tailgate. Characteristic of Audi design, the greenhouse accounts for one-third of the height, while the sheet metal makes up the remaining two-thirds.

Powerfully flared wings hint at the power of the engine. Two striking lines accentuate the flank: the undercut tornado line beneath the window edge and the dynamic line above the sills. The exterior mirrors, made of aluminium and CFRP, are perched on top of the window-channel strips. The door handles with their brushed-aluminium clasps are recessed flush with the door. When the driver touches them, they power-extend.

The intelligent interplay between surfaces and lines also defines the tail end of the A3 e-tron concept. The broad, flat tail lights are sculptured and culminate in a point on the inside, and the tailgate bears an elegant spoiler edge. The rear apron includes a diffuser insert of CFRP and metal, which in turn surrounds the two large tailpipes for the exhaust system.

Ultra-modern components, design methods and joining techniques keep the body weight low. One example of this are the custom-tailored blanks (panels of various thicknesses) in the floor area. The doors, bonnet and tailgate are made of aluminium. With its high levels of rigidity, the body provides the basis for the saloon’s precise handling, excellent vibrational comfort and low weight – the Audi A3 e-tron concept tips the scales at just 1,720 kg.

Popular Bathroom Trends 2011

Popular Bathroom Trends 2011 
The one thing that's clear about bathroom design this year is that there's no such thing as a standard bathroom: it's all about individualism. The top bathroom companies have unveiled stunning new 2011 ranges, but it's up to the creative homeowner to mix and match and put together a bathroom that's both unique and very personal.

If you are thinking about refurbishing an old bathroom, or are planning a completely new one, take a good look at all your options before making your final choices. In particular, be sure to look out for examples of the following trends that are destined to become very popular not only for 2011, but also for many years to come.

Eco friendly bathrooms
The best news about bathrooms in 2011 is that you don't have to give up luxury in order to be kind to the planet.

Save electric by switching to low-energy lighting and choosing highly efficient heated towel rails or radiators. Save water by installing a dual flush toilet, taps with built-in sensors that only deliver water when it's needed, and an aerating showerhead that allows you to enjoy an invigorating shower with a fraction of the water used in a conventional shower.

Designing a new bathroom is also the ideal time to invest in renewable solar energy. Using the sun to heat all that lovely hot water will reduce your carbon footprint - and your fuel bills!

Natural materials
Real wood, stone, bamboo, jute and all kinds of other natural materials are strongly featured in today's bathroom fittings and décor. If you've always wanted a free standing wooden bathtub, basins carved from solid crystal, or beautiful marble walls, the only problem will be choosing from all the available products.

Versatile lighting
Forget making do with a single - and usually inadequate - light in the centre of the ceiling. The 2011 bathroom allows you to adjust the lighting according to your needs and moods: good, clear lights shining out from mirrors and illuminating vanity units so you can see what you're doing, coloured LED lights for a soft glow when you want to relax, concealed lighting, statement sculptural light fittings, and windows, skylights or reflective surfaces that make the most of natural daylight.

Strong colour
White and neutral shades are still popular for bathrooms, but there's a growing trend to add a splash of strong, contrasting colour. Kingfisher, plum, forest green or burnt orange can be overpowering if used on every surface, but they can give an otherwise unremarkable room that wow factor when used to emphasize a feature or act as a focal point. For an up-to-the-minute look consider the difference a single stripe of scarlet glass tiles, purple bath panels, or royal blue storage cubes would make.

The main trend in 2011 bathroom design is to combine imagination, modern technology and some clever plumbing to achieve something amazing. To ensure your dreams don't turn into a nightmare seek expert advice on the technical aspects of your plans, and if you want a professional finish be sure to use well qualified and experienced craftsmen.

Australian households can plug into electricity cuts

SURGING power prices have been increasing the financial pressure on households, and worse is still to come.

Prices have climbed about 30 per cent over the past four years, according to a report by Rod Sims, a Multi-Party Climate Change Committee table lamps adviser."While electricity prices have traditionally increased by less than household income, this has recently changed with significant effects on low-income earners," it says.

We can't offset all the price rises, but a few small changes can add up to big reductions in our annual power bills.

"You don't have to be an environmental scientist to save energy," says Origin Energy's efficiency advocate, Anne Armansin. "Look for signs that you may be using more energy than you need. Leaving lights on in unused rooms, soaring energy bills and wearing shorts in the middle of winter are probably real giveaways."

Here are 10 ways to help cut your household power costs.

1. LIGHTS OUT

Turning off unnecessary lights is a no-brainer, but replacing old bulbs with energy efficient ones can also save you money.

"The average household replacing six 75 watt table lamps incandescent bulbs with 15 watt compact fluorescent lamps could save about $100 a year in running costs," Armansin says.

2. IN THE LAUNDRY

Using a clothes dryer costs about $1 a load, so if you a regular user the cost will quickly add up.

Armansin says upgrading laundry appliances can help.

"Front loading washing machines use around 60 per cent less water and energy than top loaders," she says.

"Switch to a sensor dryer that turns off automatically when the load is dry."

3. STANDING BY

Solar Shop Australia general manager Daniel Edgecombe says about 5 per cent of the nation's household energy is wasted on standby power.

"Consider using a power board with a remote off switch," he says.

"For example, a television, stereo and DVD player plugged into a power board with a remote switch can be turned off at once, eliminating any unnecessary standby power use."

Cutting standby power can save an average household $180 a year.

Exchange old newspapers for gifts tomorrow

Members of the public can trade in their old newspapers for special gifts during a recycling campaign jointly organised by Crown Square Shopping Centre and See Hua Group in conjunction with World Earth Day.

Ten packets of 80g Daddy Mee or one bottle of 370g Royal-B Honey awaits anyone who hands over 10kg of old newspapers.

See Hua Group newspaper subscribers are entitled to the above items in exchange for 8kg of old newspapers upon presenting the original subscription receipts.

The exchange period will be from 10am to 4pm tomorrow (April 9) at Crown Square.

The gifts are limited to the first 100 persons.

The money collected from the sale of old newspapers will be donated to charitable bodies.

The recycling campaign is followed the next day at the same venue by a Creative Table Lamp Making Contest to encourage the public to be creative in designing table lamps from recyclable materials.

Each contesting group comprises two contestants with no age limit.

Contestants have to bring their own materials for the contest.

There will be three grand prizes (shopping voucher worth RM300 each) and 10 consolation prizes (worth RM100 each).

Fix up your new home on a budget

Once the whirlwind of a new home — offers, inspections, packing and boxes — winds down, new homeowners start noticing the little, and not-so-little, imperfections in their space.

But closing costs, new furniture and legal fees can quickly reset your renovation budget to zero. Luckily, there are some table lamps big transformations that can be done on the cheap.

The biggest change is always a coat of paint. “It’s a great way to personalize your new home, to wash the previous owner’s marks and scratches off the walls and to make a new house feel crisp and fresh,” says designer Sam Sacks.

With fresh colours on the walls and a clean coat of paint on the ceiling, a new homeowner might also want to look down to the floor, says Sacks, as refinishing scuffed or dated-looking floors “can make an older space seem new again.” Refinishing can also extend the life of your hardwood for a few more years, until it’s more feasible to replace it.

Working off the new canvas and colour palettes, the next step is to create a space for all your belongings says, interior designer Evelyn Eshun, owner of the Artella Group and design expert at TheRedPin.

A little imagination and personalization can make a big difference in off-the-shelf finds. Sacks says great pieces of table lamps furniture can be found at big box stores, but in order to keep the space from looking like a catalogue, you need to put your own creative stamp on it.

“For example, a slip covered sofa can be found for under $800 at places like West Elm, Ikea or Crate & Barrel,” Sacks says. The covers can be tossed in the wash when they start to get dirty, or replaced if there’s a stubborn stain. “But to really get a fun, personalized look, get a few yards or gorgeous fabric and have a sewer copy your slip covers in it.” That way, she says, for under $400 extra you’ll have “two fantastic, distinctly you chairs to compliment your living room.”

A Romantic Bedroom Makeover

Interior designer Emily A. Clark came to the rescue for one newlywed couple in need of a serious bedroom makeover. The couple's eggplant and lavender master bedroom looked like a little girl's room -- no surprise, since they were using her childhood furniture.

The couple wanted a room that felt more grown up. How'd they fare? You be the judge.

BEFORE: With little light from their table lamps and heavy dark drapes shutting out natural light, this master bedroom was dark and uninviting. The cluster of purple throw pillows only burdens the space, while the night stands look straight out of a college dorm room.

AFTER: Light and bright. Clark replaced the couple's fuddy-duddy bedframe with a bold black (and extra romantic!) canopy bed. She had fun with patterns too, choosing bedding in an elegant, not-too-feminine print. Pillows were custom ordered in Dwell Studio fabric and a monogrammed throw pillow adds just a bit of just-married cheer. A black and white rug breaks up the room without having to change the carpeting entirely.

Even though there was little space for a sitting area, Clark made room for a salvaged thrift store bench. We love that she snuck in extra drawer space by using small bureaus as nightstands. Add in a grown-up lamp and a pop of color thanks to red flowers and this space looks like a mature bedroom.

Design team uses $1,000 to make over family's room

We often hear about store promotions like lavish trips or big shopping sprees, but you don't hear much about the winners.

HomeGoods opened a new store in SouthPark this summer and it turns out one of our employees won the grand prize.  WCNC.com Managing Editor Amy Lehtonen won a $1,000 gift card to the store.

Charlotte Today gave Charlotte designers Tony Johnson and Dan Boyett of Knock Knock Designs a big challenge.  We asked them to make over Amy’s family room only using the gift card.

Amy and her family spend most of their time in the family room.  From watching movies with the girls, to feeding the baby, they use the family room a lot, especially for entertaining.

Tony and Dan visited Amy’s house to look at the family room they’d been asked to makeover.

It didn’t take Dan Boyett long to find the first problem.

“The rooms (family room and kitchen) are very disconnected in so many ways,” Dan said.

The kitchen is cream and red, while the family room right next to it has a definite blue, green and brown color scheme.

"So there's not that flow," Dan said. "Instead it's like sitting room, kitchen area, instead of one big open space."

Dan and Tony say it's paying attention to the little things that make a room feel special.

"Little details are typically what people miss the most," Dan said.

For example: windows.  A fabric valance above the two windows in the family room is hung too low.

"We're all sensitive to light.  The more light the bigger the room," Dan said. "Even taking (the valance) up three to four inches so it's more at the top of the window.  You wouldn't believe the couple of extra inches of light. Visually it will make your ceilings look taller."

Amy has a sleeper sofa in the room that they want to keep along with a leather ottoman that doubles as storage for the kids' toys.

Tony and Dan suggested Amy paint the ceiling a lighter color and get rid of the entertainment center in the corner for their plasma television. They suggested mounting the television to the wall to free up more space.

Then, with Amy's $1,000 gift card in hand, Tony and Dan went shopping at HomeGoods. They found a black side table for $49 with a matching table for $99.  To help pull the red from the kitchen into the family room, Tony and Dan bought a red fabric chair for $199. They also purchased three table lamps along with a reading lamp.

"I think she's going to be so happy with the end result," Tony said as they wrapped up their shopping trip.

"Well, we hope so," Dan said. "That's what they pay us for."

In the meantime, Amy hired painters to paint the ceiling a lighter color that Tony and Dan selected.  The painters also touched up the molding.

To save money, engineer Karl from NewsChannel 36 showed Amy just how easy it is to mount the television to the wall.

With fresh paint and the television mounted, the room was ready for Tony and Dan.

After bringing the new pieces into the room, Tony and Dan worked on the little details. They glued a silver tray to the end table so its size would be in proportion to the sofa and chair. They used a side table they purchased for $99 to store the DVD player and cable box.

Tony and Dan hung a new picture above the fireplace to bring in the green, red and browns of the room.

Then, they were ready for the big reveal.

"We're excited to see it," Amy said as she walked into the house with her husband and two kids.

Everyone loved the new room.

"Oh, Tony and Dan, this is fabulous," Amy said.

Amy's 3-year-old daughter was happy to see the ottoman with all of her toys was still in the room.

"We added wheels to this so that you can pull it over (in front of the sofa)," Tony explained. "You could always put a tray on it and use it as a coffee table."

Everything Tony and Dan brought in the room was kid-friendly and practical.

"It's very usable space," Tony said. "We didn't bring anything in that you couldn't use."

Amy said she liked the strip of red fabric that was added to the brown valances.

"We took your existing valances and we raised them up so that more light can come into the room," Tony said. "We also kind of freshened them with pops of red."

"I thought, 'Brown and red. I don't think I'm going to like that.' But I love it," Amy said.

On the sofa table, Tony and Dan added a basket for pictures.

"We also have a place for your pictures. You can go back and date them. That way it becomes a conversation piece," Tony said.

The new room was a topic of conversation in the neighborhood. Everyone was anxious to see it.

"Oh my gosh, it looks so pretty," one neighbor said.

"It looks fabulous," another said.

Tony and Dan stuck to the original $1,000 budget, only going over by five bucks.

And, the pieces Amy had in the family room that they didn't use were rearranged in the living room.

A pair of 1970s Guzzini Sirio space age table lamps

A pair of 1970s Guzzini Sirio space age table lamps

Not just one lamp, this auction is for a pair of Guzzini Sirio space age table lamps.

Designed back to the 1970s (as you might have guessed) and the work of design duo Lampa and Brazoli for Guzzini, each lamp is comprised of two half-spheres, spaced slightly apart and held together by chrome 'bolts'. They even fix to the wall, with the auction including original clamps for that, said to be 'rare'.

Condition is 'good', with no cracks in the lucite and just minor traces of use. Right now, the price for the two is just 62 pence.

15 easy decor tips!

Home in need of a spruce up? A design expert shares his decor-savvy.
1. When hanging art over a mantle or console, measure the vertical space, and hang objects closer to the mantle or console rather than in the exact middle of the space. This will lend a more human scale to the grouping.

2. When considering a floor plan, start by placing your furniture in the middle of the room and work toward the walls. You'll get a more exciting result.

3. Be sure to keep your floor plan to scale and be realistic as to what will fit. Don't ask your room or furniture to do more than is possible. This will eliminate unpleasant surprises during installation as well as give the room better traffic flow.

4. Antique porcelain and books give integrity to a room. Group sets of books and porcelains together to give a more luxurious feel.

5. Use multiple light sources - table lamps, floor lamps, art lights, sconces, chandeliers - for illumination. This gives it a more flattering glow.

6. Visually broaden a room by painting the ceiling darker than the walls.

7. Bring balance to any space by using equal amounts of warm and cool colours.

8. Add more texture by layering accessories of different materials, such as leather, wood, porcelain, silver, tole, lacquer, and crystal.

9. Use antiques with strong colours, and mix them at will. As the colour ages, it acquires a certain patina that makes it work well with a range of other hues. A new piece in the same colour, however, will often clash.

10. Before hanging a mirror on a wall, consider what it will be reflecting and make sure that the object is interesting.

11. When entering a rectangular-shaped room from the corner of one end, bear in mind that the focal point is the opposite corner rather than the centre of the room.

12. Lower a chandelier to make it appear larger.

13. If you are hanging a grouping of art or objects above a piece of furniture with a distinct shape, such as a camel-back sofa, allow the grouping to follow the shape of the furniture rather than hanging it in a straight line.

14. Electrical cords that cannot be hidden, such as those on table lamps, will be less noticeable if they are pulled straight down and tacked to the top of the skirting.

15. For ease in hanging a group of objects, measure the wall space and designate an area of the same dimensions on the floor. Place the objects within this template and make any desired changes before transferring the grouping to the wall. This is especially important when hanging objects on paneling, or walls that have special paint finishes. 

Consider the basics when giving your basement a makeover

Outside of homes in the older sections of Reno, not many houses in the Truckee Meadows are built over basements, but if you have one or you have a walk-out or daylight basement, you either have some extra living space or a dark, dank, damp storage pit.

If it's the latter, that underappreciated basement could be more.

If that's the case, consider first things first before diving into an underground decorating project.

Before you even splash a coat of paint on the walls, make sure the space is usable -- legally.

"The first thing to consider in order to make your basement legal, you must have egress other than the stairs," said Steve Stegmeir, a master trade specialist for plumbing at the Home Depot in Spanish Springs.

That means there must be more than one way out of the basement in case of an emergency.

It can be a window, for instance. And that's easy enough to install, even with a concrete or cinder block foundation, Stegmeir said.

Then there's the problem of water or dampness.

Basements "are dank and damp," Stegmeir said. "There are products, such as UGL paint, a system that waterproofs cinder block and concrete.

"Ideally, first make sure the concrete is sealed from the outside to keep from trapping water inside the concrete," he said.

If the outside ground slopes toward the house, build it up so water does not run down toward the house. Then use the paint on the interior walls.

"You can leave it at that or put sheet rock over the top," he said.

UGL is actually paint, but it's difficult to tint and is designed mainly to cover cinder blocks because it expands and fills in cracks, Stegmeir said. Consider applying it as a sealer, then paint over it with a color.

With flooring for a basement or a walk-out basement, Stegmeir said tile adheres well to a concrete basement floor.

"You do not have to do multiple steps. You do not have to put stuff on a subfloor for tile floors," he said. "There's no middle step as far as underlayment."

The only flooring material to avoid in a basement is wood, Stegmeir said, because moisture in the floor can cause the wood eventually to buckle. Read directions on laminate flooring, he said, but because it's a floating floor system, it can be installed right over the concrete.

Helpful tips

Stegmeir provided several other tips to consider before starting a basement makeover:

» Concrete walls need specialty anchors for shelf brackets. By using furring strips -- 1-by-2-inch strips attached to the concrete -- sheet rock walls can be installed over the concrete. Then, items can be hung on walls as on any sheet rock wall, but "remember you have only 3/4 inch of space, so if you put in a 2-inch nail, it'll hit concrete," Stegmeir said.

» Basement ceilings often are exposed floor joists where wiring and plumbing run. If the ceiling is to be covered with sheet rock, make sure to determine the placement of any ceiling lighting first, "so you do not have to cut it open again," Stegmeir said. "If (the ceiling) is already covered, you'll have to go into it" to install ceiling lighting.

"If it is not a finished basement, you might not want to try to make a living space, but a game room or a study," he said.

Once the basics are considered, think about what use to make of this part of the home that's usually relegated to storage or utility status.

"The place can be transformed into a luxurious hangout," said Maryann Decker of Designing Women Interiors in Sparks.

Decker agreed that protecting the space from dampness is the most important primary consideration.

"Second, select flooring. If it's concrete, you can select to paint the floor and use area rugs to give warmth, or tile, laminate or wall-to-wall carpeting," Decker said.

Consider turning the area into a game room with a pool or poker table, a pinball machine or video game.

"It also could be used as a home bar/theater/child's play area," Decker said, "an extra closet for summer-winter clothing for the family to free up space in bedroom closets, an exercise room with wall mirrors to open up and lighten the space. ... Wall mount a TV or (make) a wine cellar.

"Or have the whole area painted with a Tuscan/Italian scene," Decker said. "It will make you feel like you have escaped and gone to the wine country."

Basement spaces usually have lower ceilings and limited views, said Sheri Kovac of Kovac Design in Reno. Generally, there's one window set high on a wall and the view outside the room is a staircase.

To make the room more interesting, Kovac likes to drape an entire wall to add texture and warmth and to hide doors that lead into such areas as laundry rooms.

Before wallpapering, apply "blank stock" to the wall to keep the grooves of wood paneling or cinder blocks from showing through the final wallpaper.

Also consider just painting the walls or even leaving the cinder block showing and hanging carved-frame pictures or mirrors for an "industrial chic" look, Kovac said.

Kovac suggested keeping color palettes monochromatic -- variations on one color, or analogous -- colors that are next to each other on the color wheel such as blue-green-yellow. Then soften their values when enveloping the space.

In daylight or walk-out basements, create a walk-off area with porcelain tile at the entryway, Kovac said. These tiles can extend outdoors for a continuous feel.

Wood Table Lamps Enhance Style

What makes wood table lamps perfect for a given space? The color of the lamp base can be a huge selection point, but remarkably enough; there are other design details that are also important in terms of choosing the best lamp to enhance a room. Selection should take into consideration the four elements of interior lighting design - Ambient Lighting, Task Lighting, Accent Lighting, and Décor Style.

In the daytime, much of the ambient lighting (also referred to as general lighting) generally comes from the light entering through the windows. Table lamps work well filling out some dark spots in the room. In the evening, these lamps are an excellent source of ambient lighting assuming that there is some transparency to the shade.

Task lighting is also an important aspect of lighting selection when one needs to focus light on a particular object in order to enhance vision. Lamps can be used to light a specific area as is the case for a desk lamp or bedside lamp. Table lamps actually provide both ambient lighting and task lighting.

Accent lighting in reference to table lamps refers to lighting that brings light to a specific location in the room such as on a buffet table, a foyer table, or other area where the intent is to bring attention to a certain area. Table lamps with lower wattage bulbs or opaque shades provide a good source of accent lighting.

Lamps are not typically the piece of furniture that a room is designed around. Yet, they are an important accessory piece to tie the entire design together and compliment the style of the room. Wood table lamps come in a variety of styles and finishes and are good at bringing warmth to a room. If the room is has bright colors, a painted wood lamp or dark wood lamp may be more suitable. If the room is more muted and subtle in its design, a lamp in a lighter shade may be more appropriate.

Contemporary Table Lamps

Lamps do more for your home than simply provide light. They can enhance a room's décor, create a mood, or simply add grace and beauty to any room in your home. Today's contemporary table lamps run the gambit from highly functional to the most exquisite decorative lighting you can imagine. There are so many different styles to choose from in contemporary table lamps that making a decision on which lamp to buy may be more difficult than your think. To make that decision a little simpler here are a few tips on what to consider when choosing decorative lighting for your home.

Function, Atmosphere Or Both

Depending on where you use your contemporary table lamp you may need a lamp that is highly functional such as a curved neck lamp on the stand next to a favorite reading chair. In other cases, you may want a lamp that creates more of an atmosphere such as soft romantic glow in the bedroom while at other times you may need a lamp that serves both purposes at once. Knowing what purpose you want your contemporary table lamp to serve will help you to look for the right lamp for the purpose you need.

Look For a Lamp that enhances your room's décor

As well as having a lamp that suits a set purpose your contemporary table lamp should also fit your room's décor. For example, a gorgeous driftwood lamp may be perfect for that beach house a room with an ocean style décor but will simply detract from the overall effect of an ultra modern living room. While a beautiful bauble chrome lamp may look perfect and even add a touch of chic drama to a modern living room, it will look out of place in a country style kitchen or Victorian dining room. So, make sure when you choose a contemporary table lamp that it going to enhance your décor and not detract from it.

Three Uses of Glass For Table Lamps

It is possible to use glass in the construction of table lamps in many imaginative ways. In some cases it can be a little difficult to tell that the material used in the construction of the lamp shades is glass, such is the highly decorative way in which it has been treated. Below are three vastly different ways in which glass can be used to create table lamps.

These glass variations are stained glass lamps, amber glass lamps and frosted glass lamps. With each of these types of lamps the glass is used to form the lamp shades but the end product features very different looks.

Stained glass table lamps are probably the most popular way in which glass is used. The best known types of stained glass lamps are Tiffany lamps and they are available in great numbers and an extraordinary range of sizes, colors and designs. There are other types of stained glass lamps available other than Tiffany lamps and they should also be sought out for a look that is a little more unique.

For a more traditional or at least an older style of lamp shade take a look at amber glass lamps. These lamp shades provide a softer illumination thanks to the orange or yellow glow that is cast through the glass. The most common type of lamps created using amber glass are known as mica table lamps and they look very appropriate in a room that has been decorated in an older style.

Another very popular variation of glass is frosted glass and it provides a diffused light in a number of different styles. Frosted glass is used just as effectively in contemporary table lamps as that which was used in the manufacture of antique lamps. It is a simple matter of adding etched detail to the surface of frosted glass to turn the lamp shades in to highly decorative pieces.

Glass is not a boring material that results in the same shape over and again. It can be shaped, blown and molded into many different forms and can also be treated so that many different colors and decorative patterns result.

This tip is so simple; you can implement it immediately and start seeing results you want! But it doesn't stop there. You can actually take this a step further and increase your understanding using another simple technique. The problem is, I don't have the space here to share it. It is, however, on my website.