THERMAL -- To understand the conditions at the Duroville mobile home park here, a half-hour drive from Palm Springs, just look at the windows. Dotting the walls are stretches of plywood, cardboard, blankets and even tin foil. Replacing the glass just costs too much for many of the residents to consider.
Duroville is a collection of more than 200 trailers that serve as homes for farmworkers who, at this time of year, work 12-hour days plucking grapes and digging up onions in triple-digit temperatures. There is no sewer: a patchwork of plastic pipes repaired with duct tape winds underground to a swampy pond. Cars kick up a load of dust on the dirt road, which quickly turns to mud when it rains.
By now, residents were supposed to be getting ready to move out, to a new mobile home park that would seem luxurious by comparison. But that plan has suddenly been delayed by bureaucratic regulations that stem from California's financial struggles.
A federal judge ruled in 2009 that conditions in Duroville were so bad that it had to be shut down. Reasoning that there would be a "humanitarian crisis" without a suitable alternative, the judge also ruled that replacement affordable housing had to be available for Duroville's families, who now pay about $375 a month in rent and utilities.
Riverside County officials stepped in with a plan: They would use redevelopment funds to entice a new builder to create a mobile home development. They figured
that the project would cost about $28 million in federal and state money and take about two years to built.The first troubles arose in 2010, when officials assumed they could count on federal funds, which were later lost amid the debates over earmarks. The money eventually came through, paying for a sewer and water system on the new property.
But last year, Gov. Jerry Brown moved to shut down redevelopment agencies in the state, saying that the money often went to needless projects like downtown bars and would be better used to finance schools, particularly with the state facing a budget crisis.
John J. Benoit, a member of the county's Board of Supervisors, bristles at that kind of attack. In the area he represents, which stretches to the eastern edge of California, redevelopment money is primarily used for housing -- often for farmworkers who live in squalid conditions.
"You can't possibly look at this and say that it's not a good use of money," Benoit said, adding that "people deserve basic services just like everyone else."
The state will now only disperse money for existing contracts. Because Riverside did not approve a $12 million contract for the new homes until January, it will not get any of the funds, officials said last month.
The county says the state's standard is absurd because the project has been in the works for more than three years and there was no way to begin building the homes until the infrastructure was completed last year.
Source: www.mercurynews.com
Final voyage: USS Iowa on its way to South California where it will be transformed into a naval museum - Daily Mail
|
A famed battleship that saw action during World War II and the Korean War and carried President Franklin D. Roosevelt to a wartime summit traveled along the California coast on Sunday on its final voyage.
The iconic USS Iowa left San Francisco Bay on its way to its new home in Southern California.
Surrounded by pleasure boats and other vessels, the 887-foot long, 58,000-ton battlewagon was towed through the bay and passed under the Golden Gate Bridge at about 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Historic: The USS Iowa passes under the Golden Gate Bridge as it is towed out of San Francisco on Saturday, May 26, 2012
Crowds watched from both sides of the bridge as the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Sockeye provided an official escort and the San Francisco fireboat Phoenix led the way.
At the St. Francis Yacht Club on San Francisco's shoreline, officers and crew members of the USS Decatur, outfitted in their dress whites, saluted as the Iowa drifted past, Rogers said.
Club members also honored the Iowa with a farewell gun salute and a signal flag message - 'Farewell My Dear Friend.'
'Everything has gone beautifully,' said spokesman Bob Rogers of the Pacific Battleship Center, a nonprofit organization that will operate an interactive naval museum on board the USS Iowa at the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro. 'The Phoenix was spraying water in every direction. She took her right out the Gate.'
Important: Retired military vessel USS Iowa ferried the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt across the perilous Atlantic waters to a historic meeting with Winston Churchill and Josef Stalin in the dark days of World War Two
Impressive: Smaller boats surround the USS Iowa battleship as it passes by San Francisco en route from Richmond, California to Los Angeles on May 26, 2012
Iconic: The 887-foot long, 58,000-ton battlewagon passes under the Golden Gate Bridge on its journey to being transformed into an interactive naval museum
The Iowa, first commissioned in 1943 and again in 1951 and 1984, saw duty in World War II and the Korean War.
The ship once carried Roosevelt to a summit with Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin and Chiang Kai-shek. It also took part in escorting tankers in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq war before being decommissioned in 1990.
In recent years, the Iowa sat in the cold and fog, anchored with other mothballed ships in nearby Suisun Bay. Last year, the Pacific Battleship Center beat out the San Francisco Bay Area city of Vallejo when the U.S. Navy awarded the ship to the organization.
The center's future plans include an interactive tour experience that will allow the visitor to experience what life at sea was like during active duty.
Popular: A large crowd gathers to watch the USS Iowa as it's towed away from the Port of Richmond on its journey to the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro
Artefact: The Iowa will have a permanent mooring in Los Angeles, where it will serve as a floating museum
Farewell: Mark Meyer waves the Stars and Stripes as the USS Iowa is towed away
Among the highlights will be viewing the inside of one of the main gun turrets, seeing the 17.5-inch armored conning station on the bridge and viewing Roosevelt's stateroom.
The ship was recently moved to the Port of Richmond, not far from where 'Rosie the Riveters' built ships in the 1940s. Workers scrubbed and painted the ship's exterior, replaced the teak deck and reattached the mast in preparation for the museum commissioning in July.
The Iowa was scheduled to leave on May 20 but was delayed because of a storm system. As it turned out, its departure came on the same day as weekend celebrations were under way marking the Golden Gate Bridge's 75th anniversary.
The trip down the coast is expected to take about four days.
Background: The ship took part in escorting tankers in the Persian Gulf during the Iran-Iraq war before being decommissioned in 1990
Crowds: Well-wishers gather to see the USS Iowa off on her final voyage
Admirer: Jonathan Canfield, 12, salutes as the USS Iowa is towed from the Port of Richmond on its final voyage
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
California's Coronado named best US beach - au.news.yahoo.com
Coronado, flanked by the iconic hotel featured in Marilyn Monroe's 1958 film Some Like It Hot, has been named the number one beach in the United States in the 2012 survey by "Dr Beach" professor Stephen P Leatherman of Florida International University.
It is the first time "Dr Beach" has given the top slot to California in the more than two decades that he has been ranking beaches in the United States based on their environmental quality and safety for swimmers.
Coronado Beach, on a peninsula across the bay from San Diego, has near-perfect Mediterranean weather and a postcard backdrop.
"I think it's one of the most super beaches around," said Leatherman, director of FIU's Laboratory for Coastal Research.
Rounding out the top 10 this year were number two, Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii; number three, Main Beach, East Hampton, New York; number four, St George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle; number five, Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii; number six, Coast Guard Beach, Cape Cod, Massachusetts; number seven, Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, Oahu, Hawaii; number eight, Cape Florida State Park near Miami; number nine, Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina; and number 10, Cape Hatteras in North Carolina.
Leatherman ranks beaches on 50 criteria, including the look and feel of the sand, water quality, weather, facilities and crowds. California's chilly coastal waters have cost its pristine beaches points when they've been up against balmy contenders in Florida and Hawaii.
Once a beach tops Leatherman's list, it is retired from consideration for future rankings.
A number one spot on the popular list typically brings a 15 to 20 per cent boost in visitors.
Beaches do not pay to be evaluated for the top 10 best beaches list. Leatherman said he visits top 10 candidates incognito to collect sand and water samples for study.Source: au.news.yahoo.com
REVEALED: New Artwork For 'The Dark Knight Rises' - Entertainmentwise
Source: www.entertainmentwise.com
Furniture market taking shape - The Daily Star
Three years back, Shafayet Ahmed ordered wooden furniture worth Tk 1.5 lakh to decorate his new office with sitting arrangement for nearly 25 people.
Desks, chairs and cabinets with drawers were the main items on the list then. In addition, the vendor had given him a few pieces of wooden handicrafts, including paperweights, pen and card holders and ashtrays for free.
This year I needed furniture for another 15-20 people, as part of an expansion plan. I went to the same furnisher, thinking that like the last time, I would get delivery of the goods on time, not to question the high quality of the furniture, said Ahmed.
This time the shop owner refused politely. He said supplying the same furniture at similar costs would not be possible now, as the prices of seasoned timber, that is, price per cubic foot (cft) and the carpentry costs have doubled by this time, added Ahmed.
Many of his acquaintances advised Ahmed to go for alternatives, such as plastic or a mix of glass and other artificial materials. But Ahmed's preferred choice was wooden furniture.
I think the elegant quality and durability of wooden furniture still make it the top choice whenever people go for buying home or office furniture. One can't afford to spend a lot of money to replace furniture every now and then, said the chief of an IT firm.
You have a few options in hand -- wood or wrought iron. But considering aesthetic aspects, when you are mentally ready to spend a little more, you can't go beyond wooden stuff.
Ahmed is just one of thousands, if not more, who still believe that the glory of wooden furniture would not fade so soon although furniture materials were increasingly replaced by plastic, glass and artificial timber products in the past decade.
However, it is an interesting situation that the demand for wooden home furniture is declining, but the total volume of sales of wooden products is growing because of its demand in the corporate sector, said industry insiders.
There's still no alternative to wood, when it comes to making doors and door frames, and furnishing an office. One of the main reasons behind this is that people prefer wood to wrought iron, because of comfort and longevity and of course, the elegant looks, said KM Akhteruzzaman, president of Bangladesh Furniture Industries Owners Association.
These days, big corporations and business houses are building huge offices, where glass, aluminium and steel materials have replaced wooden door frames and window frames. But the ever growing corporate sector's orders for wooden office furniture have increased the sales volume, he explained.
Another trend has been noticed with the increasing use of branded furniture mainly since the 1990s, when local brands began to achieve a certain level of trust among the entrepreneurs who go for renovation and expansion of their businesses, he said.
At present, the size of the local furniture sector stands at around Tk 7,000 crore, said insiders.
To cater to these varied needs and trends, furniture makers keep products of various qualities and raw materials. Also, different groups of clients experience variations of local and imported goods and make their choices freely.
Generally, timber is used in manufacturing outdoor furniture, boat decks and other articles where weather resistance is necessary. It is also used for indoor flooring and as a veneer for indoor furnishings.
Of various timber types -- low and high cost -- teak has natural oils that make it suitable for use in exposed locations, where it is durable even when not treated with oil or varnish. Teak-cut from matured trees grown slowly in natural forests is more durable and harder, while teak from young trees grown in plantations is more prone to splitting and water damage.
However, the demand for imported teak is still high among the careful buyers, said insiders.
The reason for this is the fast depletion of our local teak everyday. The supply of timber from teak, especially of chapalish, garjon, gamari and many other varieties from Rangamati, Chittagong, Bandarban and Sylhet forests, has almost stopped for years, said Mohammad Bazlul Karim, secretary of the Mirpur unit of Bangladesh Furniture Owners Association (BFOA).
Now, the price of a cft of Burma teak, the most preferred teak, ranges from Tk 3,000 to Tk 7,000, while Chittagong teak, popularly known as shegun from Chittagong Hill Tracts, costs Tk 2,000-Tk 4,000 in the local market.
Oak and mahogany are also preferred for making cabinets and drawers. The prices of each cft of oak range from Tk 2,000 to Tk 3,000 and those of mahogany between Tk 1,500 and Tk 2,500, said the insiders.
As our local sources are not capable of meeting the demand, we have to import timber. Supply shortage is another reason for the soaring prices of timber such as teak, the most favoured one, Karim said.
The shortage has been caused by the restrictions imposed on felling young tree resources in Bangladesh for the country's declining forest resources. This shortfall has been traditionally met by imports from Myanmar and Malaysia.
The recent restriction on raw timber export by the Malaysian government has also hit the imports hard, while the cost of the Myanmar teak is too high for the Bangladeshi buyers.
These factors have forced local importers to look to the African and Latin American countries to ensure an improved supply, which they hope will help contain the present price rise.
Apart from traditional sources, such as Myanmar and Malaysia, the importers and wooden furniture makers are now sourcing timber from Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Ecuador.
I have started importing from Ivory Coast due to the high prices of the Myanmar teak. I am planning to import from Nigeria as well, said Karim of BFOA.
We are looking for the best possible sources. Any country we find helpful for our import would do, he said.
Nevertheless, the local business is growing. Bangladesh earned $19.26 million from exports of wooden furniture in fiscal 2009-10, shows Export Promotion Bureau data.
The sector's contribution to GDP (gross domestic product) is 0.29 percent on average, while the industry is comprised of around 41,560 enterprises and employs nearly two lakh skilled and semi-skilled people.
At present, the top local furniture makers are -- Otobi, Akhtar, Hatil, Brothers, Partex, Navana and Furnitec. Mirpur Furniture Market is the largest in the country.
sayeda@thedailystar.net
Source: www.thedailystar.net
Furniture Manufacturing & Supply China Comes to Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center, 11 … - Yahoo Finance
SHANGHAI, May 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Furniture Manufacturing & Supply China 2012 ("FMC China 2012") will be staged at the Shanghai Expo Exhibition & Convention Centre (SWEECC) from 11 to 14 September, concurrently with FMC Premium 2012.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120521/CN08285-a)
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120521/CN08285-b)
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120410/CN80129-c)
This year, FMC China 2012 will be held in Hall 4 and exhibit furniture fabrics, leather and cloth art. The total exhibition area will be 71,000 sq m, the largest ever.
Meanwhile, FMC China 2012 will connect with Furniture China 2012, one of the biggest furniture shows in the world, to be held in the Shanghai New International Expo Center (SNIEC), creating a one-stop platform for furniture design, manufacturing and purchasing.
Six Overseas Purchasing Groups with Professional Associations and Delegations
Purchasing groups from Vietnam, India, Mexico, Turkey, Russia and Indonesia will bring 30 - 40 furniture manufacturers and local woodworking dealers respectively to FMC China 2012 to visit related enterprises and factories. The Taiwan Woodworking Machinery Association (TWMA) will bring its members to participate in FMC China 2012 to show visitors the latest product technology.
Convenient Transport with Free Shuttle Bus, Metro Line 7 and Taxi
Based on last year's experience, the organiser has arranged more convenient transport for visitors. As the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center has become more familiar, visitors will be easily to transport between the two venues.
- Free shuttle bus between SNIEC and SWEECC (every five minutes)
- Metro Line 7 connects SNIEC and SWEECC from Yaohua Road to Huamu Road.
- 30 minute drive from SNIEC to SWEECC
2012 First World Health Sleep (Mattress) Conference
The 2012 First World Health Sleep (Mattress) Conference will be held at the Shanghai World Expo Convention Center on 12 September 2012. Domestic and overseas industry associations, professional economists, senior industry analysts and researchers, famous software furniture manufacturers and industry media will be invited.
The conference aims to promote industrial upgrading, accelerate the promotion of technological innovation, and advocate energy conservation and the development of green industry. It is also a communication platform to promote close cooperation of industry people, which helps people gain a detailed understanding of industry developments, successfully cope with the international environment changes, and provide new strategies to support the accelerated development of the mattress industry.
Concurrently with Furniture China 2012
Furniture China 2012 will be held from 11 to 15 September this year. Furniture China 2012 will use new Halls N1 - N4, thus 600 more new furniture manufacturers as exhibitors will participate, bringing the total number of exhibitors to 3,000.
Detailed Classification with Professional Quality
Most famous industry companies are participating FMC China 20112. FMC is the best trade platform in the field of woodworking machinery.
Woodworking Machinery & Tools (Hall 1) – Homag（1N01/1H01), Shanghai Chaolun（1P01), Weinig（1H25), Leitz（1F27), SCM（1P15), Yuetong（1G15), Nanxin（1N15), etc.
Office Furniture Supplies & Gas Springs (Hall 2) – Hangzhou Zhongtai（2U01), Zhejiang Zhongyi（2V01), Anhui Laite（2T01), Zhongwei（2T09), Ruixin（2V09), etc.
Furniture Coatings & Chemicals (Hall 2) – Beijing Shiquanxin (2P17), Nanpao Resin (2M02), Haining Changsheng (2Q29), Foshan Tonren Adhesive (2M01), Foshan Unouite (2M01A), Shanghai Fuchen (2P01), Jinpinguo (2Q30). Shanghai Carpoly Paint and Huarun both have expressed their intention to participate.
FMC Premium 2012 (Hall 2) – Jiangsu Yuhui (2J01), Legget & Platt (2E01), Frenchtimber (2H02-2H10), Okin (2G01), Taizhou Chenguang (2G15), Yihuang (2L09), Aoda (2E15), Huali (2J15), Kingdecor & Dupont (2F01), State of North Carolina (2B15-2B33) and Pennsylvania (2A15) hardwood pavilions.
Upholstery Furniture Components & Supplies (Hall 3) – Xiaoshan Meixin (3D01), Tongxiang Aumerry (3D45), Foshan Chamay (3D59), Dongguan Blw (3E01), Changzhou Regal (3C07), Wenzhou Zhulian (3C09), Zhejiang Feili (3C37), Jiaxing Taien (3B15), Wenzhou Yikang (3B17), etc.
Cabinet & Wardrobe Fittings / Furniture Lighting – Includes the world's leading hardware companies, Hettich and Blum, which are participating in FMC again after an absence of nearly seven years. Luen Yick leads the development prospects of the furniture lighting.
Furniture Hardware & Fittings / Furniture Inspection (Hall 3) – The exhibition area has increased by 15%; Robby (3U45), Lusterful（3U39), Weihua（3T17), Zhuokai（3T01), Shenfei（3S17), Weihong（3S15), Meaton (3U47), Hyderon（3T15), Hengjun（3T09, Boltotto（3Q01), Global Gas Spring（3Q47), SGS（3Q45), etc.
Furniture Panels & Surface Deco (Hall 3) – The exhibition area has increased by 55%, in which Xiongyi has booked 99 square metres. Changzhou Weixing (3L07), Xiamen C&D (3G41), Heibei Ams (3G01), Shandong Farrandly (3G37) and Shanghai Yirui (3K07) are all participating.
Furniture Fabrics China Exhibition (Hall 4) – Hangzhou Nanbo (4B40), Hangzhou Wintex (4B41), Wuxi Zhongsi (4C50), Ji Sheng Leather (4C75), Hangzhou Tianye (4D22), Hangzhou Hongda (4D40), Tongxiang Xincheng (4F07), Tongxiang Xin Baisheng(4F06), Minglang Leather (4C75), Current Textile (4C49), Hangzhou Dongya Textile (4C55), Hangzhou Fangzheng Weaving (4D47). In addition, Haining textile group and Turkey group are being organised to attend the exhibition.
Asia Start International Furniture Materials Trading Centre – The exhibition area is expected to be 755 square metres and 60 companies will take part.
Design of Designers – China International Design Trading Expo
A brand new platform, "Design of Designers", will be formed this year at Hall 4 of the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center. The work of the 2011 Golden Axe Award's winner, which is the most recommended and highest level competition in the Chinese furniture industry, will be showcased as well. The audience will be able to come in contact with many works designed by all kinds of talented designers that are tagged with "HOME". There will be fascinating design forums, presentations and relevant events presented at the same time.
FMC China 2012 On-site Events Launched
Various professional and interactive activities are going to be held during the exhibition. Your participation is welcome.
FMC New Products, New Technologies & New Materials Display
In order to increase interaction between the two venues, attract more Furniture China exhibitors, let more trade buyers know about FMC highlights, and to help more exhibitors promote their latest technologies and products, FMC China 2012 will open 17 booths of 20 square meters each to show New Products & Technology at Furniture China 2012 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center from 11 to 14 September 2012. Accompanied by creative booth design and special interactive events, the showcase will catch wide attention from insiders and trade buyers. Meanwhile, the showcase will provide FMC exhibitors an exchange platform to get more business opportunities and attract over 3,000 exhibitors and 100,000 trade buyers' attention.
FMC China 2012 Technical Seminars
In order to gain investment opportunities, promote industrial development and product upgrades, enhance industrial competitiveness and improve marketing capabilities, FMC provides a distribution platform of new products and invites main industry media as well as domestic and overseas exhibitors to hold professional technical seminars for three days.
On-site Media Interviews
The organiser will set up a Press Centre especially for the media's on-site face to face interviews with exhibitors, building a communications platform to disseminate the latest information about new products and technologies.
Exhibitors On-site Product Demonstrations
Exhibitors will introduce their products by special promotion methods on-site to attract more visitor attention.
Furniture Exhibitors' Exclusive Day
By applying before FMC exhibition, participants will receive warm tips of events schedule before visiting. A shuttle bus is especially arranged for participants. A bilingual tour guide will show participants all of the exciting hot spots at FMC.
Source: finance.yahoo.com
By Congressional order the boat must be kept in a state of readiness indefinitely.
- Aviya, Seattle, USA, 28/5/2012 04:14
Report abuse