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Tuesday, October 4, 2005

Reliant Energy and CenterPoint Energy–two local utilities in Houston, Texas–plan to increase consumer rates in response to increased demand and recent disasters.

Reliant Energy is expected to raise rates to effect a 14% increase on a 1,000 kilowatt-hour bill. A typical customer could see an increase up to $20 per month. Reliant has reached an agreement with the Texas Public Utilities Commission to raise rates in two steps, once at the end of October, and again on 1 January 2006.

CenterPoint Energy must increase charges for services such as meter-reading and customer service. The Texas Public Utilities Commission prohibits natural gas companies from buying wholesale product, raising rates, and reselling. Wholesale prices of natural gas also continue to rise due to increased demand and declining domestic supply. Natural gas cannot be easily shipped to other regions like oil.

Consumer energy prices are expected to rise across the state, in some cases as much as 20%.

The Texas Public Utilities Commission must approve rate increases before they go into effect, but approval is expected.

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Saturday, July 31, 2010

Riots were ignited in Afghanistan yesterday, after a crash involving a U.S. sports utility vehicle claimed the lives of several Afghan civilians.

Details surrounding the crash, in Kabul, are still unclear, although Afghanis who saw the crash blame U.S. forces for the incident. “The civilian vehicle was trying to get into the main road when the two foreign vehicles hit it and killed all four occupants,” said one bystander, “People gathered around the crash site to see what happened, got angry and started attacking the foreigners.” Some witnesses say a person was killed when U.S. contractors opened fire on a gathering crowd, but the U.S. embassy denies this charge.

Police fired shots in the air to disperse rioters who chanted “death to America” and “death to Karzai”. Security forces say that the incident could provoke widespread riots, as happened after a similar incident in May 2006 sparked riots in Kabul.

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byAlma Abell

One of the most important tools for growing your business is it’s image. People tend to make snap judgments about other people and the places they intend to shop or otherwise take care of the necessities of life. This means that you have mere seconds to catch their attention and make a lasting impression. If part of that impression is a grungy parking area then you could be losing customers without even realizing it. Of course, you can avoid this problem with clean and fresh Asphalt Paving in Columbus.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ-loe3xXLg[/youtube]

In technical terms asphalt is a version of concrete where concrete is defined as any composite material or aggregate held together with a binding material. In some cases the material is Portland cement, an epoxy blend or the bitumen mixture we call asphalt. This asphalt mixture is typically used for parking surfaces, road coverings and even household driveways. It provides a very durable product that is easy to repair and often needs very little preparation before the asphalt is laid down. Typically, the ground will be leveled, oiled and covered with a layer of aggregate that gets packed into place. After this is allowed to settle the asphalt covering will be installed.

Asphalt, or blacktop as it is commonly called provides a nice, smooth surface which also gives an excellent grip against rubber tires. This is one reason that asphalt is preferred for road surfaces in many parts of the country. Plus, once the asphalt is in place it can be sealed against the elements which helps the product maintain it’s excellent driving surface for several years. Asphalt is less rigid than Portland cement based concrete which is yet another reason it is preferred for many road surfacing projects. If the base under the asphalt shifts you end up with a crack in the covering instead of a completely broken road.

asphalt paving in Columbus is also the preferred choice for most parking lots for several reasons. First, it is easily refinished by applying a new surface coat. Second, it can be quickly resealed which gives the asphalt a fresh clean look. Third, asphalt is easily replaced which makes refurbishing your parking lot, driveway or company entrance much more affordable. Plus, asphalt is easily repaired whenever your paved surface gets a pothole or other problem.

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Friday, September 14, 2007

Semicon Taiwan goes to the final day on September 14, one of exhibitors Siemens AG imported containers named “exiderdome” to Taiwan and held an exhibition at A13 Parking Lot in Xinyi District, Taipei City for professionals from some industries such as automation, semiconductor, and electronics experiencing the advantages on automation solutions by Siemens.

For this special exhibition, Wikinews Reporter Brock interviewed Stephen Huang (International Account Manager of Automation and Drives Department, Siemens Limited) and Ken Cheng (Director of Automation and Drives Department, Siemens Limited) for information on this exhibition.

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Saturday, May 28, 2011

In Edinburgh, capital of Scotland, part of an underground water piping system has exploded, forcing local residents to be evacuated. The pipe broke around 03:30 BST (0230 UTC) today, within Allan Park Road, causing flooding in the Slateford area of the city.

A spokesperson for Scottish sewerage and water corporation Scottish Water explained: “Early this morning reports were received of flooding in Allan Park Road and Scottish Water operatives attended the scene. A large diameter water main had burst. The water was shut off and re-routed via other pipes to keep supplies flowing to households in the area. Repairs are under way and the customers affected by the flooding are being offered assistance.”

Stating that repairs to resolve this problem had commenced and would take a few hours to conclude, Lothian and Borders Police have advised that the floods may disrupt the supplies of water and other utilities, as well as transportation on roads and railways in the west of Edinburgh. Hospitals and rest homes in the region have been notified of the incident and bottled water is now anticipated to be supplied at these buildings.

According to local residents, Slateford Road (A70), a major throughway, was closed for several hours this morning. Telephony and broadband in the area is disrupted, with local residents and businesses having to rely on cellphones. Further work, such as digging up the road and using temporary traffic lights, will be required to restore these services in the area.

As of 13:15 BST (1215 UTC), Scottish Water has excavated around the burst main, but has not yet begun work on replacing the damaged section of pipe.

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ATEX Fans

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Oleg TchetchelThe ATEX directive coordinates various technical and legal conditions throughout Europe to ensure a high level of safety for the end-user by reducing the explosion risk through established design methods. ATEX (ATmosphres EXplosibles) is a conglomeration of European Union (EU) directives outlining equipment installed and operated in potentially explosive atmospheres.

Since July 1, 2003, equipment manufactured for operation in potentially explosive environments has been required to comply with the EU’s ATEX Manufacturer’s Directive (94/9/EC). The ATEX Directive applies to all countries in the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA).

The ATEX Directive places the burden directly on the end-user. The end-user is responsible for the following:

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Prevention of the formation of explosive atmospheres and possible ignition threats

Evaluating the risk of explosion for their specific atmosphere and process Eliminating or reducing the level of risk for a specific atmosphere and/or process Classifying the work and equipment environment into zones/categories for determining preparation of documentation for explosion protection Identifying hazardous areas and utilizing warning signs to alert personnel and equipment suppliers of the potential hazard Specifying suitably safe equipment for use in the zone to the engineer or equipment supplier

The end-user is required to evaluate the environment where equipment is to be located and operated. When evaluating hazardous locations, it is important to consider the hazardous material (gases or dusts) itself, how the material may interact with the surroundings (atmosphere, equipment and personnel), likelihood of explosion due to the surroundings, and the level of any anticipated effects.

Since the introduction of the ATEX Directives in 2003, mechanical equipment manufacturers have been subject to similar certification requirements as electrical equipment manufacturers. Fan manufacturers have been allowed to subscribe to the manufacturing process as detailed in the European Standard EN 14986:2006, Design of fans working in potentially explosive atmospheres, which provides a guide for meeting the ATEX Directive (94/9/EC).

European Standard EN 14986 outlines manufacturing and design criteria for fan manufacturers to adhere to. Such design requirements include, but are not limited to, permissible material pairings, minimum clearances between rotating elements and the fan casing, casing design, bearing selection, impeller-to-shaft attachment and motor/electrical selection. As long as the fan manufacturer meets the requirements of the European Standard EN 14986:2006, they are in compliance with the ATEX directive (94/9/EC).

Tenderall Fan industrial aerfoil (AF) blowers and fans are supplied with aluminum wheel or corten wheel to meet requirements of AMCA A, and AMCA B spark resistant construction. Mild steel wheels are of all welded construction. If higher pressure is required wheel can be furnished of high strenght steel. Stainless steel wheel in 304 SS, 316 SS, 316 SS, 2205 SST are supplied for corrosive applications, or high temeparature applications. The pressure curve remains stable at the top are of the fan curve and to the right of the pick point.

SWSI and DWDI industrial aerofoil fan blowers are supplied in welded heavy gauge steel construction to prevent flexing at high pressure. Tenderall centrifugal fans are available in direct drive arrangements 4 / 4V / 4H / 7 / 8 and belt drive arrangements 1/3/9. Tenderall airfoil fans are Available in single width single inlet (SWSI), or double width double inlet (DWDI). Capacities: to 500,000 CFM. Static pressure up to 50 inches water gauge depending on the class of construction. Typical class of construction is Class 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Additional information can be found at the Tenderall Fan company web site http://www.tenderall.com/index.html

Oleg Chetchel

Air Handling Systems Engineernisco@globalserve.netTenderall Fan Co.http://www.tenderall.com/airhandler/index.htmlhttp://www.tenderall.com/inquiry/index.html

Oleg Chetchel

Air Handling Systems Engineernisco@globalserve.netTenderall Fan Co.http://tenderall.com/airhandler/index.htmlhttp://tenderall.com/inquiry/index.html

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Sunday, February 24, 2008

In the year 2000, Dries Buytaert created Drupal, a freely licensed and open source tool to manage websites, as a bulletin board for his college dorm. Since Dries released the software and a community of thousands of volunteer developers have added and improved modules, Drupal has grown immensely popular. Drupal won the overall Open CMS Award in 2007, and some speakers in Drupal’s spacious developer’s room at FOSDEM 2008 were dreaming aloud of its world domination.

Buytaert (now 29) just finished his doctoral thesis and has founded the start-up Acquia. The new company wants to become Drupal’s best friend, with the help of an all-star team and US$7 million collected from venture capitalists. Wikinews reporter Michaël Laurent sat down with Dries in Brussels to discuss these recent exciting developments.

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Monday, August 13, 2007

Part of the video footage of the Russian submarines (MIR 1 and 2) planting a flag on the sea bed at the North pole, shown by Russian state TV channel Rossiya and re-broadcasted by Reuters, included shots from the James Cameron film Titanic, according to a Finnish newspaper.

The inclusion of the Titanic fragment was spotted by a 13-year-old Finnish boy, Waltteri Seretin, who compared Reuters’ pictures with his own DVD version of the Titanic film. He alerted the Finnish tabloid paper Ilta-Sanomat. Screen grabs form the Rossiya footage were shown on web sites and newspapers around the world.

The two MIR submarines used in the Russian expedition were designed in Russia but actually made in Finland, and were indeed used in the Titanic film. However The Guardian reports that the shots used by Rossiya were in fact models shot in the studio. The Russian channel broadcast the pictures before the pole was reached and claimed it was using it in the same spirit as library footage. However Reuters gave the impression that it was actual footage of the expedition. Reuters published an apology, but only admitted that the pictures were from the Atlantic, not the Arctic, and not admitting that the footage showed a studio model.

NTV channel, who sent their correspondent on icebreacker, broadcast the actual videos, filmed from inside the submarine.[1]

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Monday, February 12, 2007

Cars drove home the big prize last night, from the 34th Annual Annie Awards. The animation industry’s highest honor, ASIFA-Hollywood’s Annies recognise contributions to animation, writing, directing, storyboarding, voice acting, composing, and much more.

As mentioned, Pixar took home the big prize last night, after facing stiff competition from four other Happy Feet, Monster House, Open Season, and Over the Hedge.

But the biggest winner of the night didn’t get a “Best Animated Feature” nod at all. Flushed Away won five feature animation categories including Animated Effects (Scott Cegielski), Character Animation (Gabe Hordos), Production Design (Pierre-Olivier Vincent), Voice Acting (Sir Ian McKellan as Toad), Writing (Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais, Chris Lloyd, Joe Keenan, and Will Davies).

Over The Hedge won awards for Directing (Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick), Storyboarding (Gary Graham), and Character Design (Nicolas Marlet).

Of little surprise, Randy Newman won an Annie for Cars in the “Music in an Animated Feature Production” category. Newman has won many Oscars for his movie music, and has a nomination this year for the song “Our Town”. Newman didn’t attend the Annies, instead picking up a Grammy for “Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media”.

DisneyToon Studios’ Bambi II won “Best Home Entertainment Production”, while “Best Animated Short Subject” went to Blue Sky Studios’ No Time For Nuts, which is based on Ice Age.

“Best Animated Video Game” went to Flushed Away The Game, while a United Airlines ad named “Dragon” won a “Best Animated Television Commercial” Annie for DUCK Studios.

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By Michael Webb

There are two primary types of kidney failure in humans. The first occurs fairly suddenly and is called ‘acute renal failure’. We’ll talk later about the causes of this condition. The second disease is more insidious and occurs over time. It is called ‘chronic renal failure’. This type of kidney failure has causes of its own. The treatment for both types of renal failure is roughly the same, with dialysis and kidney transplant being the most common treatments.

One of the most common causes of acute kidney failure, also called acute renal failure, is the sudden loss of blood flow to the kidneys such as seen in trauma, surgery, septic shock, heavy bleeding, burns or acute dehydration. Infections can cause kidney failure, especially if they cause the kidneys to be infected as well. More rarely, acute tubular necrosis can cause the disease.

Sudden blockage of the kidneys can result in acute kidney failure as does auto immune diseases and diseases that clot the small blood vessels of the kidneys. Some of these conditions include having a transfusion reaction, having malignant high blood pressure (extremely high blood pressure), scleroderma or bleeding disorders of pregnancy like an abrupted placenta or a placenta previa.

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Symptoms of acute kidney failure are many. The most common symptoms are a stoppage or slowing down of urine production, swelling of the ankles and legs, fluid retention elsewhere in the body, decreased sensation of the hands or feet, change in mental status, high blood pressure or nausea/vomiting.

Chronic kidney failure affects the kidneys more slowly but results in many of the same problems with the kidneys. In fact, it can occur over several years. While there may be no symptoms in the beginning, eventually the disease is as symptomatic as acute renal failure. Symptoms occur when the kidney function is less than 10% of normal.

Chronic kidney failure occurs in 2 out of a thousand individuals in the US. The most common causes of the disease are diabetes and high blood pressure. These two diseases account for 65% of the cases of chronic kidney failure. Other diseases are more unusual and include glomerulonephritis, polycystic kidney disease, and conditions where blockage or back flow of the urine occurs on a regular basis. Kidney stones and recurrent infections can affect the condition as well as recurrent infections in the kidney.

Symptoms of chronic kidney failure include weight loss, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, headache, frequent hiccups and generalized itching. Eventually the symptoms are similar to acute kidney failure and one can see poor urine output, nighttime urination, easy bruising, decreased alertness (with drowsiness, lethargy, confusion or delirium), seizures, muscle twitching, poor sensation of the hands or feet and high blood pressure.

Both chronic and acute kidney failure result in the build up of fluid and waste products inside the body so that there is a buildup of nitrogen wastes in the body as well as other waste products. Almost all body systems are affected by kidney failure.

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Kidney Failure

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