Spanish medicine stands to turn Google Glass from spring 2014’s hottest accessory into a way to save lives. From the first surgery performed entirely through the eye of the Glass to dozens of mobile applications, Spanish Glass-based innovation is poised to change the way doctors work and communicate.
This June, Dr. Pedro Guillen became the first to operate wearing Google Glass. The chief of trauma at the Clínica CEMTRO de Madrid performed a highly complex chondrocyte implantation, to form a membrane in the damaged knee of a 49-year-old. The surgery, which requires harvesting cartilage from another part of the leg and which Guillen pioneered in 1996, was streamed in real time to 150 doctors around the world, all sharing the same view as him.
The purpose of Google Glass — a lightweight pair of glasses equipped with a camera, GPS, bluetooth, microphone and viewfinder — is to connect with smartphones to allow the wearer to search and access information online and to use an eye-level camera, all hands-free. For Guillen, Google Glass gives the phrase “doctors without borders” a whole new meaning.
He described Google Glass as “la universidad de hospitales de todos los países del mundo” — the university for all medical schools around the world. “You see my hands, how I do the surgery,” he said, in awe of the possibilities of Google Glass in his field. In this first Glass surgery, Guillen was accompanied by Dr. Homero Rivas, director of innovative surgery at Stanford University’s School of Medicine and an expert in telemedicine, who advised the doctor throughout the course of the surgery, all from his packed classroom on the California campus. “The universities can interact with me,” Guillen said, as Rivas could also pass on questions from his students, many of whom were witnessing surgery from a firsthand perspective for the first time.
Guillen seems simply thrilled to be able to perform surgery with Google Glass, not just for the teaching opportunities, but for his own sake, too. He enthusiastically talked about being able to use Glass’s miniature split screen to look at the arthroscopic view of the knee he’s working on and a video refreshing how to properly separate and repair the joint, all at the same time, without taking his eyes off the operating table.
“In one minute, I can Google ‘anatomy of the knee,’ for example,” and find and watch a video he already prepared, or he could reference his own chondrocyte implantation from the exact same view that he performed it. If something were to go wrong, like during a live sports game, he could even rewind the tape to review the surgery then and real time Location system. Not only does he have the information the moment he needs it and doesn’t need to distract himself to discover it, but also keeping difficult-to-sterilize computers out of the O.R. helps prevent infections.
Guillen, who, like all surgeons, is preoccupied with the comfort and ease of use of anything added to their routine, assured us that the glasses — which he said are “at the perfect height” over his own — were not uncomfortable, and, by the time he was in surgery, he didn’t notice them at all.
Of course, like all smartphones and tablets, Google Glass is nothing without the apps. Murcia-based mobile app company Droiders has an entire department called Glassters, developing everything from augmented realities to assistance for those with disabilities. On the medical side, they are working on developing apps that enable ophthalmologists to examine eyes directly and to compare with results of Google’s “Search by Image.” There’s also talk of an app that would allow any doctor or nurse to take a pulse rate without having to touch a patient. Guillen’s surgery was broadcast live through the Glassters Streamer.
Guillen is ready to perform his next Google Glass surgery on September 17, where he will be able to show from his perspective another operation that he invented — wireless arthroscopic surgery, which was first performed in 2007. Guillen and his team at the Clínica CEMTRO de Madrid invented the Wireless Arthroscopic Device, which is a tiny camera inserted through a small incision used to examine and sometimes repair a damaged joint. Since the joint isn’t fully opened, recovery time is much shorter.
He said that his clinic is “probably the top in the world” for such surgeries and that “all of my patients are out-patient,” including former Spanish prime minister Jose Maria Aznar, footballer Fernando “El Ni?o” Torres, and several rhythmic gymnasts, an Olympic sport that Spain typically medals in.
"Later that evening I checked my Bank of America account online and noted not only had I been charged for my purchase, but there was an additional charge for $213.96 from Verizon," said Guinan, 63. "Interestingly, the charge had been made an hour-and-a-half later, after the first — and correct — Verizon charge."He said he immediately called Bank of America to report the unauthorized charge. He said he also talked to Verizon, which acknowledged there was a problem, and it said it would work with the bank to correct it.
"The money was placed back in my account and all was well until Feb. 15, 2013, when the $213.96 was debited from my account," he said, noting he received a letter from the bank on the same day."They said after investigating, they found that there was a signature on the receipt and therefore it was an ‘authorized purchase," he said.Knowing that wasn’t the case, Guinan called Bank of America.
"After explaining and discussing the situation, the Bank of America representative determined that the claim was in the wrong category and it would be placed in the correct category — fraud — and the claim would be reopened," he said.Guinan said he knew it could take several months, so he waited it out.
On July 26, Giunan said, he called Bank of America again."They said that the charge was authorized by a signature and therefore was a legitimate charge," he said. "I stated that it clearly was not mine, but that didn’t seem to matter. The Bank of America representative said to go back to Verizon."
So he did, visiting the Union store during the first week of August.Guinan said the manager was able to bring up Guinan’s account, confirming he purchased the phone case for $24.06. He said the manager was also able to view the $213.96 charge, and had access to the buyer’s name, address and phone number.
"I received a copy of the Verizon receipt for the $213.96 purchase," he said. "Not only was the signature clearly not mine, but the phone number listed with the account was in no way connected to me."
Read the full products at http://www.ecived.com/en/!
2013年9月2日 星期一
2013年7月8日 星期一
Local Solar Companies Promoting 'Buy Local'
The Solarize Mass program has seemingly taken off, bringing residents together for group buying to install residential photovoltaic arrays.But local installers aren't very keen on how the program is being presented.Headed by the state's Clean Energy Center, the program allows a town or group of towns to gather residents to purchase or lease solar arrays from a chosen company. The bulk purchasing is intended to lower the price for those who participate. Both Lee and Williamstown were chosen for the program and through a bid process, both chose Real Goods Solar from Colorado as the installer.
Local companies, however, say the program has also engendered salesmanship and misleading information from many out-of-state companies and that residents are getting rushed into making a decision without being fully educated on the options. They are now pleading their case for residents to buy local because once the program is gone, it's the local installers who will still be here.
"I think it provides an educational tool for people to learn about it and get more involved with the tiered pricing offered by Real Goods Solar. But, I think one of the misnomers about it, real time Location system, is that they are eligible for an additional rebate or additional savings," Andrew Guntlow, who manages New England Solar and Green Solutions in Williamstown, said recently."It seems like there is a perception of [customers] getting more but that is not the case. All of the rebate programs, tax credits, are available to anyone."
The companies bidding for a Solarize contract are required to provide leasing options. For a fixed cost, customers can have a system installed and pay a fixed price while benefiting from the energy savings. The leasing option alleviates the upfront cost of installing a system for the customer, increasing the number of participants in the program and thus, lowering the material costs in the group purchase.
But the installer also owns the system and so reaps the multiple tax benefits, then sells the tax credits at a profit."The way it has been set up in Massachusetts is a winner take all," said Chris Kilfoyle, who owns Berkshire Photovoltaics in Adams, another town seeking to join the Solarize program.
Kilfoyle said his company lost the bid on the Solarize contract for Williamstown. A leasing option is required in the bid but Kilfoyle says he doesn't like offering them. Instead, he encourages customers to take out a home improvement loan to buy the system.Gutlow also said his company "isn't' comfortable" offering the leasing option after looking into it."Far and away, owning your own system is far superior," Guntlow said. "Individual ownership of a solar system is our priority to pass along the most benefit to the end user — it provides the most benefit over a leasing program."
But it isn't just the Solarize program that is changing the solar industry locally. The state has pushed solar power in recent years — far exceeding goals laid out by Gov. Deval Patrick to increase solar production. A mix of federal and the state tax credits have attracted larger companies from outside to the area."The state incentive programs are so good that they are all rushing here to Massachusetts," Kilfoyle said, adding that with the increased competition there has been an array of "sleazy salesmanship."
"We're trying to stop some of that exaggeration," Kilfoyle said, pointing out a "0 down" advertisement for leasing options. "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."State Sen. Benjamin Downing said the increasing presence of major firms creating tension with local contractors was something state officials "didn't foresee." The legislature formed the Clean Energy Center but didn't expect the industry to take off like it did, he said.
But if the presence of too many solar companies is a problem, it is a problem Downing said he'd rather have than not enough."One way or the other, solar is solar," said Downing, who is the chairman of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy as well as sitting on the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change and the Joint Committee on Environment Natural Resources and Agriculture. "I'd rather being dealing with too many investors."
Not all Solarize Mass contracts are going to out of state firms. SolarFlair of Framingham is providing installations for three groups in the east end of the state.Downing, however, agrees that the ownership model produces more benefits for the homeowner. And he agrees that local companies produce a larger benefit for the community because they employ local residents and the money is reinvested back into community.
"We are looking at different ways we can promote the clean energy economy," Downing said, adding that the push for green jobs has produced between 60,000 and 70,000 jobs across the state in recent years."That's grown by 7 percent or 11 percent depending on how you measure it."On the local level, the economic effects of the indoor positioning system haven't been analyzed. According to Berkshire Chamber of Commerce CEO Michael Supranowicz, "the industry is so new that it isn't calculated by federal standards." But both Guntlow and Kilfoyle attest that they have grown tremendously in recent years.
As for the Solarize Mass program itself, Downing supports the program and the leasing option because it allows people who simply can't afford ownership to benefit from stable and lower electricity costs. Not to mention the numerous environmental benefits."The policies have been set up to get solar out as much as possible," Downing said. "When people get a solar array on their roof, they get invested into the industry."
Guntlow says there is a lot of "site specific" work that goes into designing a system and each one needs to be tailored to the property. That is where the local expertise is a benefit.New England Solar and Green Solutions is an offshoot of civil engineering company Guntlow and Associates, which has been located in Williamstown for more than 25 years. New England Solar and Green Solutions characterizes itself as a "one-stop shop" for all kinds of energy conservation work — from small wind power systems to solar to high-efficiency hot-water systems.
Guntlow knows the local electrical contractors who will be hooking the systems up and the steps needed to go through local building codes. Guntlow said he starts with a free estimate and will take the customer through every step — from executing a connection agreement to filing tax credit paperwork to turning the system on."There are local contractors available in the Berkshires and, over the years, there has been a great campaign to buy in the Berkshires. We feel that is really important to let people know that New England Solar and Green Solutions is out here, in Williamstown, two doors down from Town Hall," Guntlow said. "We like to honor our contracts with great service because we see these people, our customers in the grocery store and around town. We like to have a good name for ourselves."
Berkshire Photovoltaics has been in business for 28 years, starting first in North Adams and later moving to Adams. Kilfoyle has installed the very first solar array in many of the Berkshire towns."We've been doing this a long time. We know what works," Kilfoyle said. "We've grown 500 percent since 1997."Not only have the two companies been staples in the county, their owners say they help the economy in other ways. Kilfoyle said the steel and other material used in many of the installations are purchased from local companies and local electricians are hired.So with all of the rush toward the Solarize program, local companies are asking residents to relax and think about their options.
"We're going to offer the best price we can give them without holding them to whether other people sign up or not. That is important, we're not forcing somebody into something they are not ready to do," Guntlow said. "We want to make sure people have a full understanding of the great benefits that come with owning a solar installation."
Local companies, however, say the program has also engendered salesmanship and misleading information from many out-of-state companies and that residents are getting rushed into making a decision without being fully educated on the options. They are now pleading their case for residents to buy local because once the program is gone, it's the local installers who will still be here.
"I think it provides an educational tool for people to learn about it and get more involved with the tiered pricing offered by Real Goods Solar. But, I think one of the misnomers about it, real time Location system, is that they are eligible for an additional rebate or additional savings," Andrew Guntlow, who manages New England Solar and Green Solutions in Williamstown, said recently."It seems like there is a perception of [customers] getting more but that is not the case. All of the rebate programs, tax credits, are available to anyone."
The companies bidding for a Solarize contract are required to provide leasing options. For a fixed cost, customers can have a system installed and pay a fixed price while benefiting from the energy savings. The leasing option alleviates the upfront cost of installing a system for the customer, increasing the number of participants in the program and thus, lowering the material costs in the group purchase.
But the installer also owns the system and so reaps the multiple tax benefits, then sells the tax credits at a profit."The way it has been set up in Massachusetts is a winner take all," said Chris Kilfoyle, who owns Berkshire Photovoltaics in Adams, another town seeking to join the Solarize program.
Kilfoyle said his company lost the bid on the Solarize contract for Williamstown. A leasing option is required in the bid but Kilfoyle says he doesn't like offering them. Instead, he encourages customers to take out a home improvement loan to buy the system.Gutlow also said his company "isn't' comfortable" offering the leasing option after looking into it."Far and away, owning your own system is far superior," Guntlow said. "Individual ownership of a solar system is our priority to pass along the most benefit to the end user — it provides the most benefit over a leasing program."
But it isn't just the Solarize program that is changing the solar industry locally. The state has pushed solar power in recent years — far exceeding goals laid out by Gov. Deval Patrick to increase solar production. A mix of federal and the state tax credits have attracted larger companies from outside to the area."The state incentive programs are so good that they are all rushing here to Massachusetts," Kilfoyle said, adding that with the increased competition there has been an array of "sleazy salesmanship."
"We're trying to stop some of that exaggeration," Kilfoyle said, pointing out a "0 down" advertisement for leasing options. "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."State Sen. Benjamin Downing said the increasing presence of major firms creating tension with local contractors was something state officials "didn't foresee." The legislature formed the Clean Energy Center but didn't expect the industry to take off like it did, he said.
But if the presence of too many solar companies is a problem, it is a problem Downing said he'd rather have than not enough."One way or the other, solar is solar," said Downing, who is the chairman of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy as well as sitting on the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change and the Joint Committee on Environment Natural Resources and Agriculture. "I'd rather being dealing with too many investors."
Not all Solarize Mass contracts are going to out of state firms. SolarFlair of Framingham is providing installations for three groups in the east end of the state.Downing, however, agrees that the ownership model produces more benefits for the homeowner. And he agrees that local companies produce a larger benefit for the community because they employ local residents and the money is reinvested back into community.
"We are looking at different ways we can promote the clean energy economy," Downing said, adding that the push for green jobs has produced between 60,000 and 70,000 jobs across the state in recent years."That's grown by 7 percent or 11 percent depending on how you measure it."On the local level, the economic effects of the indoor positioning system haven't been analyzed. According to Berkshire Chamber of Commerce CEO Michael Supranowicz, "the industry is so new that it isn't calculated by federal standards." But both Guntlow and Kilfoyle attest that they have grown tremendously in recent years.
As for the Solarize Mass program itself, Downing supports the program and the leasing option because it allows people who simply can't afford ownership to benefit from stable and lower electricity costs. Not to mention the numerous environmental benefits."The policies have been set up to get solar out as much as possible," Downing said. "When people get a solar array on their roof, they get invested into the industry."
Guntlow says there is a lot of "site specific" work that goes into designing a system and each one needs to be tailored to the property. That is where the local expertise is a benefit.New England Solar and Green Solutions is an offshoot of civil engineering company Guntlow and Associates, which has been located in Williamstown for more than 25 years. New England Solar and Green Solutions characterizes itself as a "one-stop shop" for all kinds of energy conservation work — from small wind power systems to solar to high-efficiency hot-water systems.
Guntlow knows the local electrical contractors who will be hooking the systems up and the steps needed to go through local building codes. Guntlow said he starts with a free estimate and will take the customer through every step — from executing a connection agreement to filing tax credit paperwork to turning the system on."There are local contractors available in the Berkshires and, over the years, there has been a great campaign to buy in the Berkshires. We feel that is really important to let people know that New England Solar and Green Solutions is out here, in Williamstown, two doors down from Town Hall," Guntlow said. "We like to honor our contracts with great service because we see these people, our customers in the grocery store and around town. We like to have a good name for ourselves."
Berkshire Photovoltaics has been in business for 28 years, starting first in North Adams and later moving to Adams. Kilfoyle has installed the very first solar array in many of the Berkshire towns."We've been doing this a long time. We know what works," Kilfoyle said. "We've grown 500 percent since 1997."Not only have the two companies been staples in the county, their owners say they help the economy in other ways. Kilfoyle said the steel and other material used in many of the installations are purchased from local companies and local electricians are hired.So with all of the rush toward the Solarize program, local companies are asking residents to relax and think about their options.
"We're going to offer the best price we can give them without holding them to whether other people sign up or not. That is important, we're not forcing somebody into something they are not ready to do," Guntlow said. "We want to make sure people have a full understanding of the great benefits that come with owning a solar installation."
20 more rights that the UPA can legislate before 2014
The UPA government has introduced a new art form: convert any problem into an Act of Parliament. The latest Food Security Bill (Right to Food), forced down our throats through a short-term ordinance, will ensure food in the stomachs of the Indian hungry. The Right to Education will guarantee a smart workforce, ready to face the pressures of skill requirements and global markets. The Right to Information has overnight made the government more transparent, a few wrinkles here and there notwithstanding.
But why stop here? Unlike petty arts like painting and writing that can be and often are smothered, shifting the responsibility of execution and governance to Acts of Parliament is an art form that no democracy can stop – not even the world’s noisiest Opposition. As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said in his Budget speech of 1991, quoting Victor Hugo, “No power on Earth can stop an idea whose time has come.”
Now, as the musical chairs of a Congress-led coalition aspires to create UPA-3, here are 20 suggestions that build on the legislative strengths of UPA-1 and UPA-2. I hope UPA will find some of these interesting enough to list in their election manifesto.
Did you see how our children are suffering? Despite getting 90 percent marks and working very hard, they don’t get admissions to the IITs or Delhi University. Clearly, this is an injustice to young and hands free access, who will brave the sun to participate in democracy in May 2014. What they need is a right under which they can choose the university of their choice and get an admission. That way, the undue stress on our children will not be wasted. As we debate the bill, maybe we could include the right to college.
Far too much attention is being given to our symbol of excellence, the rupee. But all the attention is economic, financial – stuff that the average person doesn’t understand and is irrelevant. This is ridiculous. We need an intervention by legislation that states the rupee will not fall below Re 1 to the dollar. That is, from the day of its enactment, Re 1 should buy $1. The fact that we now need to pay Rs 61 is a shame on India’s sovereignty, something that an emerging nation can do without.
Enough of groaning and moaning about high inflation, rising prices. It is bad enough when food prices touch the skies the world over. But the relentless accusations of the government being unable to manage inflation creates nothing but ill-will. By enacting this right, the legislation will ensure prices stay low. If anyone speaks about abstractions like “market” or “global prices”, his next abstraction will be the jail. We could begin with zero-inflation rate and reduce it as time goes.
Over the past five years, we have seen so much debate, arguments and allegations on the pricing of oil and now coal that it has hurt the clean reputation of not only India but even the squeaky-clean UPA-3 government and its honest PM. Anywhere you go, all you hear is how corrupt the system is. All this is happening because there is a needless tug-of-war between the government, corporations and their billionaire shareholders. Once this law is enacted, and the right to price the natural resource is firmly and finally in the hands of corporations, there will be no problem. As far as the argument that consumers will pay higher prices goes, there is a one-word answer: subsidies.
An upcoming problem large companies have is they are unable to work together in harmony and decide what’s the best price that consumers must pay. Incessant competition has hurt the bottomlines of industries like airlines and cement. Then, you have these entrepreneurs who come and disrupt ancient and archaic industry practices. With this right, everything that’s going behind the scene and in dark corners of untraceable conversations would become legitimate. So what if the consumers have to pay more – a growing economy can sustain a higher standard of consumption. And beyond consumers, we need to serve another large and influential constituency of investors, don’t we?
A lot of money and time is wasted by individuals and companies in paying bribes to various government officials. Building a house, for instance, means paying bribes to the local municipal official, the policeman, the utilities providers and so on. Corporate bribery is even more complex. We are told everyone is doing it, so what’s wrong? Well, this: it still is unlawful to bribe. By enacting this law, UPA-3 would suddenly be on the forefront of social reform. This would be of great help to the honest, who are often caught in their silly ethical traps. Government servants would rejoice and vote UPA-3 into power again. This can be a game-changer for Elections 2014.
The global economy, the falling rupee, the slowdown, the trade barriers and so on have collectively ensured that the good name of UPA, which has done everything to revive growth and jobs, is tarnished. As a result, no company wants to invest and create jobs in India. Where do you think the aspirations of our young, and now old, will go? By giving citizens a right to permanent and highly-paid government jobs, preferably the IAS and allied services, we could change the face of India. An India, where every citizen is a government servant, diligently and silently making her contribution.
Sometimes, even government service proves an inadequate tool for expression. Every citizen has a right to take the country where he wants to. By restricting the right to a group of ministers in Cabinet, we do two wrongs. One, we put far too much decision-making in the Cabinet, now that decisions of individual ministers are proving inadequate to govern a complex world. And two, we don’t allow creative energies to flow into the governance system – an energy that can be unleashed by giving everyone almost-permanent 5-acre homes in Lutyens’ Delhi. This right will fix all these problems at one go.
Click on their website www.ecived.com/en/.
But why stop here? Unlike petty arts like painting and writing that can be and often are smothered, shifting the responsibility of execution and governance to Acts of Parliament is an art form that no democracy can stop – not even the world’s noisiest Opposition. As Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said in his Budget speech of 1991, quoting Victor Hugo, “No power on Earth can stop an idea whose time has come.”
Now, as the musical chairs of a Congress-led coalition aspires to create UPA-3, here are 20 suggestions that build on the legislative strengths of UPA-1 and UPA-2. I hope UPA will find some of these interesting enough to list in their election manifesto.
Did you see how our children are suffering? Despite getting 90 percent marks and working very hard, they don’t get admissions to the IITs or Delhi University. Clearly, this is an injustice to young and hands free access, who will brave the sun to participate in democracy in May 2014. What they need is a right under which they can choose the university of their choice and get an admission. That way, the undue stress on our children will not be wasted. As we debate the bill, maybe we could include the right to college.
Far too much attention is being given to our symbol of excellence, the rupee. But all the attention is economic, financial – stuff that the average person doesn’t understand and is irrelevant. This is ridiculous. We need an intervention by legislation that states the rupee will not fall below Re 1 to the dollar. That is, from the day of its enactment, Re 1 should buy $1. The fact that we now need to pay Rs 61 is a shame on India’s sovereignty, something that an emerging nation can do without.
Enough of groaning and moaning about high inflation, rising prices. It is bad enough when food prices touch the skies the world over. But the relentless accusations of the government being unable to manage inflation creates nothing but ill-will. By enacting this right, the legislation will ensure prices stay low. If anyone speaks about abstractions like “market” or “global prices”, his next abstraction will be the jail. We could begin with zero-inflation rate and reduce it as time goes.
Over the past five years, we have seen so much debate, arguments and allegations on the pricing of oil and now coal that it has hurt the clean reputation of not only India but even the squeaky-clean UPA-3 government and its honest PM. Anywhere you go, all you hear is how corrupt the system is. All this is happening because there is a needless tug-of-war between the government, corporations and their billionaire shareholders. Once this law is enacted, and the right to price the natural resource is firmly and finally in the hands of corporations, there will be no problem. As far as the argument that consumers will pay higher prices goes, there is a one-word answer: subsidies.
An upcoming problem large companies have is they are unable to work together in harmony and decide what’s the best price that consumers must pay. Incessant competition has hurt the bottomlines of industries like airlines and cement. Then, you have these entrepreneurs who come and disrupt ancient and archaic industry practices. With this right, everything that’s going behind the scene and in dark corners of untraceable conversations would become legitimate. So what if the consumers have to pay more – a growing economy can sustain a higher standard of consumption. And beyond consumers, we need to serve another large and influential constituency of investors, don’t we?
A lot of money and time is wasted by individuals and companies in paying bribes to various government officials. Building a house, for instance, means paying bribes to the local municipal official, the policeman, the utilities providers and so on. Corporate bribery is even more complex. We are told everyone is doing it, so what’s wrong? Well, this: it still is unlawful to bribe. By enacting this law, UPA-3 would suddenly be on the forefront of social reform. This would be of great help to the honest, who are often caught in their silly ethical traps. Government servants would rejoice and vote UPA-3 into power again. This can be a game-changer for Elections 2014.
The global economy, the falling rupee, the slowdown, the trade barriers and so on have collectively ensured that the good name of UPA, which has done everything to revive growth and jobs, is tarnished. As a result, no company wants to invest and create jobs in India. Where do you think the aspirations of our young, and now old, will go? By giving citizens a right to permanent and highly-paid government jobs, preferably the IAS and allied services, we could change the face of India. An India, where every citizen is a government servant, diligently and silently making her contribution.
Sometimes, even government service proves an inadequate tool for expression. Every citizen has a right to take the country where he wants to. By restricting the right to a group of ministers in Cabinet, we do two wrongs. One, we put far too much decision-making in the Cabinet, now that decisions of individual ministers are proving inadequate to govern a complex world. And two, we don’t allow creative energies to flow into the governance system – an energy that can be unleashed by giving everyone almost-permanent 5-acre homes in Lutyens’ Delhi. This right will fix all these problems at one go.
Click on their website www.ecived.com/en/.
2013年4月3日 星期三
Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav lay foundation
Proactively pursuing the agenda of development under the guidance and leadership of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mr Akhilesh Yadav, the Noida Authority, greater Noida Authority and the Yamuna Expressway Authority are ready with a road map of development and all round rtls.
And the giant strides of development would come to public domain on April 2, as chief minister Mr Akhilesh Yadav unveils an ambitious development bonanza of Rs 3337 crore through a bevy of developmental projects across Noida, greater Noida and the Yamuna Expressway.
By far the biggest developmental package for a single city, would included a 35 mld sewage treatment plant (STP) situated in sector 123 of Noida, which has been built on the sequential batch reactor (SBR) modern technology.
With the inauguration of this STP, NOIDA will become first city in India having capacity to threat 100% sewage it produces. This STP, built after a threadbare study and recommendation of IIT Roorkie is set to benefit 28 sectors of Noida and would help the city in living up to the ISO 14001:2004 standards in maintaining the environment of the city.
Other than this, the chief minister would be laying the foundation stones of projects like the Nari Niketan building in sector 34 (estimated cost of Rs 22 crore), an underpass at the intersections of sector 32, 35, 39 and 51 (estimated cost of Rs 50 crore), underpasses at the master plan road number 3 in sectors 94 and 95, estimated to cost the state government Rs 40 crore.
The Nari Niketan would be built over a 5400 square metre plot where unwanted kids and women, orphans, destitute would be looked after and efforts would be undertaken to rehabilitate women in need. The five storey building would have 7500 square meter of covered area in which 200 girls aged between 7 to 17 would be living. For guidance the Nari Niketan would have counseling rooms, classes for primary education, short term handicraft courses and other vocation training to enable them to earn their livelihood.
The proposed underpass on the intersection of sectors 32,35,39 and 51 would have four lanes with a two metre median and would be built parallel to the Metro line. The slab of the underpass would be 46 metres wide and the length would be 740 metres. On the sides of this underpass seven metre wide slip roads would be laid. On the proposed four lane underpass on the master plan road numbered 3 in sectors 94, 95, a seven metre clover leaf would be built on the side which will be used by the traffic coming from Delhi to sector 94.
Aware of the growing population in the city, both human and vehicular, the Noida Authority has recognized lack of parking space as a major bottleneck in spacing and easing out of traffic in the city. A multi-level car parking at the busy sector 18 has hence been planned at a cost of Rs 250 crore and chief minister Mr Akhilesh Yadav would be laying the foundation scheme of this ambitious project on April 2.
The multi-level parking at the busy sector-18 in Noida would be spread over 26840 square meters would accommodate 3085 cars and would be manned by hundreds of close circuit television cameras (CCTVs). Battery operated shuttle vehicles would be used to bring and take car users from the parking to nearby areas.
Amongst other ambitious projects of which the foundation stone would be laid at the hands of the chief minister is the district hospital at sector 39, to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 424 crore. Cheap, accessible and quality Healthcare for every person in the state is a dream vision of the chief minister. Keeping in lines with this, the district hospital will be built over a 14,000 square meter plot and will have200 beds.
Residential facilities for the doctors and other support staff would also be constructed within the district hospital campus. Equipped with a modern trauma unit, modern pathology lab and radiological units, intensive care, special 100 bed reservation for women and pregnant ladies as well, this hospital is set to be a big boon to the people of Noida, the national capital region (NCR) and neighbouring areas.
A big relief for Noida residents would come in form of two - 400 kv (sector 123) and 400/220 kv capacity (sector 148) power sub-stations, estimated at Rs 1016 crore, foundation of which would be laid by chief minister Mr Akhilesh Yadav on April 2. The Girls Inter College at Hoshiyarpur village in sector 51, Noida, foundation stone of which would also be laid by the chief minister will be constructed over a 8300 square meter land. Initially it would have two floors, but would have provisions to real time Location system.
The school building will house 35 class rooms, special labs for physics, Maths and chemistry a multipurpose hall and a library. With the state government committed towards more educational opportunities for girls, this college in a way would go a long way towards realizing this cherished dream.
The state government had last year decided to build a medical university at greater Noida at a cost of Rs 500 crore, foundation of which will also be laid by Mr Akhilesh Yadav. The greater Noida Authority has already made available 56.50 3acre land for this. 100 students would be given admission every year here in courses like MBBS, MD, MS, DM and MH. The academic session of this university is proposed to begin August 2013. The Chief Minister will also kickstart the OPD facility of 500 bedded Multispeciality Hospital attached to the above Medical College. The Hospital will provide advanced and affordable medical facility to the villagers/residents of Greater Noida and neighbouring districts.
Administrative office of greater Noida at a cost of Rs 300 crore is also being built. The chief minister will lay the foundation stone of this building, equipped with all modern technology, spread over 22800 square metre. The construction work will be completed in three years in which one tower of 21 floors, one tower of four floors and another tower of 17 floors. This building will be a green building which will facilitate the growth of Greater Noida.
And the giant strides of development would come to public domain on April 2, as chief minister Mr Akhilesh Yadav unveils an ambitious development bonanza of Rs 3337 crore through a bevy of developmental projects across Noida, greater Noida and the Yamuna Expressway.
By far the biggest developmental package for a single city, would included a 35 mld sewage treatment plant (STP) situated in sector 123 of Noida, which has been built on the sequential batch reactor (SBR) modern technology.
With the inauguration of this STP, NOIDA will become first city in India having capacity to threat 100% sewage it produces. This STP, built after a threadbare study and recommendation of IIT Roorkie is set to benefit 28 sectors of Noida and would help the city in living up to the ISO 14001:2004 standards in maintaining the environment of the city.
Other than this, the chief minister would be laying the foundation stones of projects like the Nari Niketan building in sector 34 (estimated cost of Rs 22 crore), an underpass at the intersections of sector 32, 35, 39 and 51 (estimated cost of Rs 50 crore), underpasses at the master plan road number 3 in sectors 94 and 95, estimated to cost the state government Rs 40 crore.
The Nari Niketan would be built over a 5400 square metre plot where unwanted kids and women, orphans, destitute would be looked after and efforts would be undertaken to rehabilitate women in need. The five storey building would have 7500 square meter of covered area in which 200 girls aged between 7 to 17 would be living. For guidance the Nari Niketan would have counseling rooms, classes for primary education, short term handicraft courses and other vocation training to enable them to earn their livelihood.
The proposed underpass on the intersection of sectors 32,35,39 and 51 would have four lanes with a two metre median and would be built parallel to the Metro line. The slab of the underpass would be 46 metres wide and the length would be 740 metres. On the sides of this underpass seven metre wide slip roads would be laid. On the proposed four lane underpass on the master plan road numbered 3 in sectors 94, 95, a seven metre clover leaf would be built on the side which will be used by the traffic coming from Delhi to sector 94.
Aware of the growing population in the city, both human and vehicular, the Noida Authority has recognized lack of parking space as a major bottleneck in spacing and easing out of traffic in the city. A multi-level car parking at the busy sector 18 has hence been planned at a cost of Rs 250 crore and chief minister Mr Akhilesh Yadav would be laying the foundation scheme of this ambitious project on April 2.
The multi-level parking at the busy sector-18 in Noida would be spread over 26840 square meters would accommodate 3085 cars and would be manned by hundreds of close circuit television cameras (CCTVs). Battery operated shuttle vehicles would be used to bring and take car users from the parking to nearby areas.
Amongst other ambitious projects of which the foundation stone would be laid at the hands of the chief minister is the district hospital at sector 39, to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 424 crore. Cheap, accessible and quality Healthcare for every person in the state is a dream vision of the chief minister. Keeping in lines with this, the district hospital will be built over a 14,000 square meter plot and will have200 beds.
Residential facilities for the doctors and other support staff would also be constructed within the district hospital campus. Equipped with a modern trauma unit, modern pathology lab and radiological units, intensive care, special 100 bed reservation for women and pregnant ladies as well, this hospital is set to be a big boon to the people of Noida, the national capital region (NCR) and neighbouring areas.
A big relief for Noida residents would come in form of two - 400 kv (sector 123) and 400/220 kv capacity (sector 148) power sub-stations, estimated at Rs 1016 crore, foundation of which would be laid by chief minister Mr Akhilesh Yadav on April 2. The Girls Inter College at Hoshiyarpur village in sector 51, Noida, foundation stone of which would also be laid by the chief minister will be constructed over a 8300 square meter land. Initially it would have two floors, but would have provisions to real time Location system.
The school building will house 35 class rooms, special labs for physics, Maths and chemistry a multipurpose hall and a library. With the state government committed towards more educational opportunities for girls, this college in a way would go a long way towards realizing this cherished dream.
The state government had last year decided to build a medical university at greater Noida at a cost of Rs 500 crore, foundation of which will also be laid by Mr Akhilesh Yadav. The greater Noida Authority has already made available 56.50 3acre land for this. 100 students would be given admission every year here in courses like MBBS, MD, MS, DM and MH. The academic session of this university is proposed to begin August 2013. The Chief Minister will also kickstart the OPD facility of 500 bedded Multispeciality Hospital attached to the above Medical College. The Hospital will provide advanced and affordable medical facility to the villagers/residents of Greater Noida and neighbouring districts.
Administrative office of greater Noida at a cost of Rs 300 crore is also being built. The chief minister will lay the foundation stone of this building, equipped with all modern technology, spread over 22800 square metre. The construction work will be completed in three years in which one tower of 21 floors, one tower of four floors and another tower of 17 floors. This building will be a green building which will facilitate the growth of Greater Noida.
2013年3月27日 星期三
Tiny new tobacco smoke sensor developed
Scientists have developed a breakthrough device, smaller and lighter than a cellphone, that can immediately detect the presence of secondhand and even third-hand smoke. Dartmouth researchers developed the device using polymer films to collect and measure nicotine in the air. A sensor chip then records the data on hands free access.
"We have developed the first ever tobacco smoke sensor that is sufficiently sensitive to measure secondhand smoke and record its presence in real time," said Professor of Chemistry Joseph BelBruno, whose Dartmouth lab conducted the research. "This is a leap forward in secondhand smoke exposure detection technology and can be considered the first step in reducing the risk of health effects," BelBruno said.
"The intent of the project isn't to make them stop smoking, but it is to make them stop exposing their children to smoke. On the other hand, if they are worried about their children, demonstrating these exposures may be an incentive for them to stop," BelBruno said.
Secondhand smoke comes from the burning end of a cigarette or from smoke exhaled by the smoker. Third-hand smoke, also a potential health hazard, according to the Mayo Clinic, is nicotine residue that remains on clothing, furniture, car seats, and other material after the air has cleared.
While the current device is a patent-pending prototype, BelBruno foresees the eventual availability of an affordable consumer version that will incorporate a computer processor, reusable polymer films, and a rechargeable battery.
It may even incorporate an LED panel to provide instantaneous readouts. In addition to its uses in safeguarding childhood health, there are commercial applications for these unique detectors. Installed in rental cars, hotel rooms, and restaurants, this device could help enforce owner and operator smoking bans through an alert system, much like existing, ceiling-mounted smoke detectors. The technology is described in a new study published in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research.
“The lads dug very deep and it was impressive to see them get a winning try against the wind after I went off. It’s a vital win, but I still think we need at least two more wins from our last four games to be safe.
“It’s going to be very tight as a lot of the teams at the bottom are playing each other. Before the game I had targeted a bonus-point win, but that just wasn’t possible in those conditions.”
With the Memorial Field pitch deemed unfit for play, Spalding were forced to switch the game to Thorney RFC on Friday morning.
Heavy snow on Saturday then threatened the clash, but both teams were determined to get the game on. However, it was soon clear that whichever team had the wind in their favour would be the ones to score
Spalding, who started the game one point behind their relegation rivals, were the first team to get points on the board. The referee ruled Peterborough’s backs offside and awarded the ‘hosts’ a penalty in front of the posts. Dave Hankinson had no problem and after eight minutes his side went 3-0 ahead.
Two more penalty kicks at goal were then offered up to Town, but the weather ensured Hankinson’s attempts flew wide of the posts. As the half progressed Spalding tried to keep Peterborough on the defensive and were largely successful, as another three points were added to their tally.
A Town kick took them into the Borough five metre area. They won the line out and fed the ball across the field – and with the visitors again ruled to be offside, another Hankinson penalty made it 6-0 at the break. With the elements now in Peterborough’s favour, Spalding were up against it in the second period.
An early Hankinson penalty went wide, but at the other end the away side got points on the board when Ben Chan made it 6-3 with rtls.
Peterborough then went ahead when Adam Peel raced over for a try with 55 minutes gone. With Chan converting, Borough looked odds on to complete the victory.
Spalding captain Sharman and Borough’s Levan Stapleton saw red soon after as a mass brawl broke out.
However, Town refused to accept defeat as they defied the elements to grab one of the biggest tries in their recent history. A costly mistake from Frankie Cook allowed Williamson to collect Hankinson’s kick forward – and he touched down to clinch valuable points in the race for survival.
"We have developed the first ever tobacco smoke sensor that is sufficiently sensitive to measure secondhand smoke and record its presence in real time," said Professor of Chemistry Joseph BelBruno, whose Dartmouth lab conducted the research. "This is a leap forward in secondhand smoke exposure detection technology and can be considered the first step in reducing the risk of health effects," BelBruno said.
"The intent of the project isn't to make them stop smoking, but it is to make them stop exposing their children to smoke. On the other hand, if they are worried about their children, demonstrating these exposures may be an incentive for them to stop," BelBruno said.
Secondhand smoke comes from the burning end of a cigarette or from smoke exhaled by the smoker. Third-hand smoke, also a potential health hazard, according to the Mayo Clinic, is nicotine residue that remains on clothing, furniture, car seats, and other material after the air has cleared.
While the current device is a patent-pending prototype, BelBruno foresees the eventual availability of an affordable consumer version that will incorporate a computer processor, reusable polymer films, and a rechargeable battery.
It may even incorporate an LED panel to provide instantaneous readouts. In addition to its uses in safeguarding childhood health, there are commercial applications for these unique detectors. Installed in rental cars, hotel rooms, and restaurants, this device could help enforce owner and operator smoking bans through an alert system, much like existing, ceiling-mounted smoke detectors. The technology is described in a new study published in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research.
“The lads dug very deep and it was impressive to see them get a winning try against the wind after I went off. It’s a vital win, but I still think we need at least two more wins from our last four games to be safe.
“It’s going to be very tight as a lot of the teams at the bottom are playing each other. Before the game I had targeted a bonus-point win, but that just wasn’t possible in those conditions.”
With the Memorial Field pitch deemed unfit for play, Spalding were forced to switch the game to Thorney RFC on Friday morning.
Heavy snow on Saturday then threatened the clash, but both teams were determined to get the game on. However, it was soon clear that whichever team had the wind in their favour would be the ones to score
Spalding, who started the game one point behind their relegation rivals, were the first team to get points on the board. The referee ruled Peterborough’s backs offside and awarded the ‘hosts’ a penalty in front of the posts. Dave Hankinson had no problem and after eight minutes his side went 3-0 ahead.
Two more penalty kicks at goal were then offered up to Town, but the weather ensured Hankinson’s attempts flew wide of the posts. As the half progressed Spalding tried to keep Peterborough on the defensive and were largely successful, as another three points were added to their tally.
A Town kick took them into the Borough five metre area. They won the line out and fed the ball across the field – and with the visitors again ruled to be offside, another Hankinson penalty made it 6-0 at the break. With the elements now in Peterborough’s favour, Spalding were up against it in the second period.
An early Hankinson penalty went wide, but at the other end the away side got points on the board when Ben Chan made it 6-3 with rtls.
Peterborough then went ahead when Adam Peel raced over for a try with 55 minutes gone. With Chan converting, Borough looked odds on to complete the victory.
Spalding captain Sharman and Borough’s Levan Stapleton saw red soon after as a mass brawl broke out.
However, Town refused to accept defeat as they defied the elements to grab one of the biggest tries in their recent history. A costly mistake from Frankie Cook allowed Williamson to collect Hankinson’s kick forward – and he touched down to clinch valuable points in the race for survival.
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