The photos, leaked by the Apple and News Inc. crossbreed digital newspaper The Daily, the pics don’t show much more than a Microsoft Office logo on an iPad. Further, no one seems to be able to confirm whether this pic is real or not, but The Daily isn’t just some rumour rag. It’s run by veteran reporters and staffed with knowledgeable, connected researchers

I the pic proves to be real, it means that at least Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint are in development, as those are the icons on the screen. The design of the app fits in with Microsoft’s new Metro styling, all stylish, flat shades and large, simple to click squares. And given Microsoft’s recent user interfaces, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was more gorgeous than Apple’s iPad word processor.

The Daily claims that Microsoft has been working on this for quite a while and is set to release this in just a few weeks. They made no note of an Android version, not surprising since Microsoft seems to think Android is a second class operating system.

This is a pretty great move. It means that even the major players are finally beginning to think of tablets as actual productivity devices rather than mere novelties. Maybe that means we’ll finally see a good selection of truly useful productivity apps hit the tablet form factor. After all, if Microsoft is getting into the ring, then they should already be going from trend to standard. No one ever accused Microsoft of being forward thinking.

TheDaily

Quebec’s BTB Real Estate Investment Trust nets $16.2 million from public offering

MONTREAL, QUEBEC

BTB Real Estate Investment Trust (TSXV: BTB.UN) of Montreal announced Thursday it has raised net proceeds of $16.2 million in a public offering of units, which will be used in part for future building acquisitions.

BTB REIT owns buildings throughout Quebec plus four in Cornwall, Ontario.

The financing involved the sale of more than 18.75 million units to a syndicate of underwriters led by National Bank Financial Inc.

The trust’s recent acquisitions include Complexe Lebourgneuf Phase I in Quebec City with 231,386 square feet of gross leasable space and Place d’affaires Lebourgneuf Phase II, also in Quebec City, with 109,902 square feet of gross leasable space.

BTB REIT’s major tenants include Societe Immobiliere du Quebec, the real estate arm of the Quebec government, which has offices in BTB REIT-owned buildings in Quebec City, Trois-Rivieres, Chicoutimi, Lasalle and Boucherville.

The company also leases space to Annie Fruit Inc. and Hydro Quebec in different buildings. Led by CEO Michel Leonard, BTB REIT owns office, industrial and retail properties.

The unit sale yielded gross proceeds of $17.2 million. The net proceeds of $16.2 million were those left after deducting the underwriters’ fee and the estimated expenses of the offering.

“The net proceeds will be used to fund future acquisitions and for general trust purposes,” BTB REIT said in a press release.

The other underwriters in the syndicate led by National Bank Financial were Canaccord, Genuity Corp., Dundee Securities Ltd., GMP Securities L.P., Desjardins Securities Inc., HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc. and Raymond James Ltd.

DCN DIGITAL MEDIA

Print | Email | Comment

“I am very proud of our team. It is very exciting to have our designs featured in ‘21st Century Homes ‘and to be able to showcase projects that brought a client’s vision to life, while incorporating natural elements and designs that create synergy. Meticulous attention to detail, consistent quality and spatial design are hallmarks of our designs and are all illustrated in this book,” stated Kyle Webb, principal of KH Webb.

A release about the book says that it “celebrates the artistic contributions of dozens of highly regarded architects… and is intended for readers of varying levels of interest and expertise.”

“21st Century Homes will be available through the Bookworm of Edwards, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com.

For more information, go to www.khwebb.com or call 970-477-2990.

Twinsburg — To expand waste water treatment services for Reminderville customers, the Summit County Department of Environmental Services might make use of the city’s waste water treatment facility.

Future homes planned in new developments such as Herrington Place near Aurora Shores will likely mean more than 600 new homes in the next couple of years, stated Reminderville Mayor Sam Alonso. DOES currently operates a waste water treatment plant in Aurora Shores that services 1,118 Reminderville customers, but as the village’s residential area expands, the plant likely will not be able to handle all the customers.

“We can service our current customers, but as more come into the area we would likely have to expand the plant and make some technology upgrades,” stated Mike Weant, deputy director of administration at DOES. “That is why we want to find out if it would be more cost effective to have a deal with Twinsburg to use their facility.”

Alonso stated he would support a partnership between DOES and Twinsburg.

Public Works Director Chris Campbell stated the city’s plant has more than enough capacity to treat the waste water from Aurora Shores. He stated the city’s plant has the capacity to treat 5.8 million gallons of waste water per day, but added that the plant currently treats an average of 2.94 million per day.

Weant stated DOES needs a capacity of 650,000 gallons per day for Aurora Shores customers. Campbell estimates that it would cost between $25,000 and $30,000 to treat the flow from Aurora Shores. The city spent $2.6 million to operate the Twinsburg plant in 2011.

If a deal goes through, Weant stated DOES would convert the Aurora Shores plant into a pump station and the waste water would be pumped to the Twinsburg plant on Ravenna Road.

Mayor Katherine Procop stated she thinks the proposed deal would be a good example of regional cooperation and could be a source of income for the city.

“We already provide service for some of the businesses in Twinsburg Township,” Procop said. “So it would be a small regional plant.”

Procop stated the city and DOES have not yet determined what the city would charge DOES for the use of the facility. She stated she hopes the two entities can reach an agreement by summer.

“We certainly want to have some hard numbers by then so we can determine if it makes more sense to expand our current facility or to partner with Twinsburg,” stated Weant, who added that DOES should receive cost estimates on an expansion of their Aurora Shores facility in the next three to four weeks.

If the city and DOES can reach an agreement by this year, the conversion of the Aurora Shores plant into a pumping station would likely start sometime in 2013 and would take four to six months to complete, Weant said.

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3172

Apprenticeship commencements in bricklaying have fallen dramatically – by more than 30% year on year, on average across Australia – due to the low level of building activity and pessimism amongst contractors about future building levels. The decline in start-ups has a direct bearing on the capability of the construction industry to deliver sufficient numbers of qualified bricklayers when the market improves. In response, the industry has announced additional support for bricklayers in the form of a one-off bonus to encourage the sign up of new apprentice bricklayers.

Spokesperson for the national industry body responsible for addressing the long term skills shortage in brick and blocklaying, ABBTF’s Geoff Noble stated “There is a lack of confidence by many contractors in the certainty of future work and a genuine concern by the construction industry that the current low level of apprentice commencements will result in a very small number of apprentices gaining a qualification in three or four years’ time. This will be at a time when construction activity is likely to be very busy, creating a skill shortage at the top of the cycle.’

ABBTF (Australian Brick & Blocklaying Training Foundation) represent clay brick and concrete masonry manufacturers across the country and was established to address the skill shortage in brick and blocklaying.

The new ‘Brickstart Bonus’ involves a $1,000 incentive for employers who take on a new apprentice between 2 January 2012 and 30 April 2012 and is payable to employers after the completion of the apprentice’s first year. Bricklayers already receive other generous subsidies to encourage them to train apprentices: these are the current ABBTF subsidy of $4,000 ($3,000 in South Australia), the Federal Government’s $4,000 and incentives from State based construction industry training funds.

Geoff Noble, General Manager stated ‘ABBTF’s Brickstart Bonus also rewards the completion of the first year, a stage of the apprenticeship which is when most withdrawals and cancelations occur. The ABBTF Brickstart Bonus is a great additional initiative but only goes part of the way to encourage new apprentice sign ups. We would hope that Government more than matches our offer to support employers taking on new apprentices. Lower interest rates to encourage better housing starts would also give the industry the confidence to improve their training commitments’.

ENDS
14 February 2012

Background to Australian Brick & Blocklaying Training Foundation (ABBTF)
The ABBTF was established by manufacturers of clay brick and concrete masonry throughout Australia to ensure there is an adequate and competent bricklaying and blocklaying workforce. Its purpose is to support the demand for bricks and blocks as a construction material and improve the standing of bricklayers and blocklayers within the industry.

ABBTF apprenticeship programs to address the skill shortage in bricklaying are funded by a small levy on the sale of clay bricks and concrete masonry and a matching contribution from brick and block manufacturers. The levy represents $16 on the cost of an average Australian house and $40 for double brick construction, the prominent brick in Western Australia.

Both men and women have a tendency to make assumptions that women belong in specific types of jobs. Psychologists have performed experiments and studies to support this concept. They had a blended group of girls and boys, and asked them to write “female” or “male” to a list of job occupations and personality traits. Most of the secretary, assistant, or housework was categorized under “female” while lawyers, CEOs, and higher-up positions were designated to “males.” Same held true when testing for personality traits. The dominant, loud traits were more likely to be considered masculine attributes while comforting, warm traits were viewed as feminine. This cultural belief that women are “soft” or “need support” or are in some other way inferior beings may be far less apparent than in earlier time periods, but the tendency to ascribe a gender bias to jobs or personality traits is still engrained in society.

In many cultures, women are expected to be subservient and only take on the job of bearing and taking care of children. Recently I read Nicolas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn’s book Half the Sky, about women who were beaten when trying to run away from abusive marriages or simply for not conceiving a baby boy. One woman was left in a hut on the edge of her African village because of she had a fistula that bothered her husband. She was left to fend off the coyotes and save her own life while still suffering from her fistula.

Rape is becoming more prevalent in today’s world; it is being used as a weapon against villages and people. When a woman’s main possession is her “purity,” taking that away by force is an efficient way to make families seen as less honorable.

In today’s age, we have made a lot of progress beyond the June Cleaver stereotype, but why does the fairy tale theme persist?

Maybe it is because of the books and movies we grow up learning from and the characters we idolize. A closer look at the themes and characters in children’s pop culture might be just the thing to shift the tide. Some stories have given females characters more power and strength, like Mulan. But which story would you recognize first? Mulan or Cinderella? The stories that support the idea of capable women are often not the favored or popular ones. If women want to change the stereotype, then the tales of castles and princesses may need a tiny tweaking.

Select schools -> ask for the schools’ general regulation of enrollment -> choose your favorite class -> hand in necessary enrollment materials -> wait for the schools’ sanction -> receive the letter of admission -> apply for X letter visa -> get the visa -> health quarantine inspection -> frontier inspection -> customs inspection -> register at the schools

2. How to choose China universities?

Each student has different goals for study in China. The method for applying and deadlines differ depending on the school and the students anticipated length of stay. It is important to plan your school study according to your financial capabilities, future career and your future life style.

1) The way of studying in China

There are three ways of studying in China according to aim and time commitment.

a. Language study: study Chinese for six months or two years.

b. Long term study: gain academic degree or long term research (more than one year)

c. Short term study: foreign students do not study for academic degree, but for exchange studies (less than a year) or short term training.

2) Mode of payment for tuition

The mode of payment for tuition can be divided into say scholarship and at your own expense.

The foreign students should avoid anticipating to gain scholarship and should have the funds necessary to pay for tuition.

3) Ways of collecting information and consultations

If you have chosen your best school in China, you should research the general regulation of enrollment, enrollment conditions and other materials based on your own detailed research plan. If you do not research thoroughly, you may not get into your expected course. It is vital to collect the correct and latest information for studying in China.

Ways of consultation for studying in China

b. Foreign students can have a consultation for studying in China by making full use of China’s embassy, consular and organizations in the education department of the local government.

c. Foreign students should make full use of reference books.

d. The general regulations for enrollment and notices from schools are the most important information sources for studying in China.

e. If foreign students still have questions after reading the general regulations of enrollment, you can consult experienced students who have studied in China, especially those who have studied in the schools that you select. You will get more direct information this way.

4) Selecting schools

During the course of selecting schools, foreign students should think about their aim for studying in China and their future career goals. Foreign students can choose schools and get more information through exploring the school’s webpage. Foreign students should take the following elements into account:

a. Course

b. Enrollment requirements

c. Tuition and other fees

d. Scholarship

e. Dormitory

f. Research equipments

g. School environment: location, climate, natural environment, cost of living

5) Ways of studying in China

Foreign students can come to study in China by government, exchange between schools, recommendation of exchange communities, and individual applications.

　 2. Admission requirements:

Advanced studies: foreign students will be admitted according to their certificates

Undergraduates studying technology, agriculture, medicine: proof of educational background and achievements, proof of C class in HSK.

Postgraduate for master and physician degree: foreign students must have gained a bachelor or master degree, show educational background and achievements, have recommendations from a minimum of two professors who are at least vice professors, and the assessment of relative university.

Students applying for the study of arts: you should offer pictures, sound recordings, videos and recommendations from your teachers

Foreign students applying for studying in China a second time will be admitted preferentially.

4. Prepare applying materials

1) Fill in the applying form required by the Chinese government

2) “Physical examination record of foreigners” printed by China Health quarantine inspection.

3) The highest record of formal schooling and achievements

4) Foreign students applying for master or physician degree are required to provide recommendations from a minimum of two professors who are at least vice professors.

5) Foreign students come to study in China at their own expense should hand in the proof of capability to pay tuition.

The above materials should be written in Chinese or English, or have an appendix translated in Chinese or English. Foreign students can get the application form from the Chinese embassy in your homeland or relative universities in China.

5. Applying time

The applying time for exchange students between governments is Jan 1 to April 30 each year. Applicants can apply for studying in China through the government in charge of the students studying abroad.

The applying time for exchange students between schools or students at your own expense is Sept 15 to Dec 15 of the last year for spring season admission and Feb 15 to June 15 for the autumn season admission. Students can get the detailed information on application time from the general regulation of universities.

NCSD has not explained how 2,500 acre-feet of water will solvetheir claim of 6,000 acre-feet of over-pumping, and also providewater for “undeveloped parcel’s future potential.”

In the last meeting, they explained they used generic countyzoning to determine the value of possible future building for yourproposed assessment. The county has many special conditions thatlimit future building that were not considered, resulting in a taxthat is too high.

The county also has many special conditions that grant futurebuilding that were not considered. In this case, it appears NCSDwill effectively change the zoning of many parcels, causing them tolose their capability to build a granny unit.

Since NCSD’s consultants have not identified or explained thereal development potential of many parcels, Mesa land owners have tofigure out if an error exists and report it to 929-0411 by Feb.16. 

Is this the kind of government we want to set the rules forparcels outside NCSD’s boundaries when we have norepresentation? 

Vote “no.”

John Snyder

Nipomo

I attended the four meetings that Nipomo Community Service District has held on the proposed property assessment tax for the water pipeline to Santa Maria.

NCSD has not explained how 2,500 acre-feet of water will solve their claim of 6,000 acre-feet of over-pumping, and also provide water for “undeveloped parcel’s future potential.”

In the last meeting, they explained they used generic county zoning to determine the value of possible future building for your proposed assessment. San Luis Obispo County has many special conditions that limit future building that were not considered, resulting in a tax that is too high.

The county also has many special conditions that grant future building that were not considered. In this case, it appears NCSD will effectively change the zoning of many parcels, causing them to lose their capability to build a granny unit.

Since NCSD’s consultants have not identified or explained the real development potential of many parcels, Mesa land owners have to figure out if an error exists and report it to 929-0411 by Thursday, Feb. 16.

Is this the kind of government we want to set the rules for parcels outside NCSD’s boundaries when we have no representation?

Vote “no.”

John Snyder

Nipomo

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10 (Bernama) — For many, the arrival of the new year means making new resolutions, and Nadia is among those who have such resolutions.

At a recent dinner here, Nadia confided to her friends that she has achieved one of her new year resolutions.

“So fast? After all it is only February,” one of her friends was heard exclaiming.

Nadia, a 45-year-old private sector employee, stated that she has only two resolutions for 2012: reducing her home’s electric consumption, which she thinks about astronomical, and giving priority to green practices.

She is adamant in trying to reduce the power consumption bill for her house, which is occupied by six people. The bill hits a hefty RM500 a month.

Nadia and her husband are away at work during the day while her kids are in school. The only person home alone during the whole day is her housemaid.

Nadia has started to rummage through cyberspace to look on the Internet for ways to reduce electricity consumption.

Cutting down on power consumption

From December in 2011 she ensured that dwellers in her home used fans instead of air conditioners.

If her family members feel the need to use the air conditioner, Nadia makes sure that the temperature is set at 23 degrees Celsius. She has installed sun blockers on the three air-conditioners in her house as, according to the Internet, this helps reduce power consumption.

Nadia also makes it a point that her kids switch off the light and fan every time they leave their room. They are also reminded to unplug any electrical equipment not in use.

Nadia’s housemaid was told to frequently clean electrical appliances (particularly those with filters) and to ensure that the refrigerator is not overloaded with contents and that hot foods not be placed in the fridge.

When the maid is about to prepare meals, she has been told to take out all the items that she needs in one go and not to open and close the fridge door a number of times.

“Each time the fridge door is opened, about 30 per cent of the cold air will dissipate,” stated Nadia.

Old habits

Nadia prohibits her housemaid from using the clothes dryer and instead must dry out the laundry under the sun.

She also ensures that all laptops and the tv are switched off when not in use. Nadia shed her old habit of asking the maid to iron the couple’s garments every time they leave for office. Instead, the family’s clothing is collected and ironed out by the maid at one go.

Sound fussy? But all of these strategies appear to have been effective in reducing Nadia’s electricity bill. When she received the electricity bill for January, the figure came as a pleasant surprise. She was elated, as one of her new year resolutions had been achieved, and she made this known to her friends at dinner.

Nothing new

Nadia’s ways of reducing power consumption are nothing new, as these have been recommended by experts and Tenaga Nasional Berhad, the national power utility entity.

Even though Nadia has not adopted all the recommendations, what she has done is related to green practices.

Before this episode, Nadia and her family were not used to promptly switching off any electrical appliances not in use and this was a factor that led to the rise of power consumption.

Every ready mode in appliances (the green and red neon lights on the computer and tv screen) contributes to power wastage, as do computer screen savers.

According to studies, most computers consume double the power when the screen lights up. Not using screen-savers, or making the screen blank, will save electricity.

At the recent 1 Green 1 Community carnival, Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin Fah Kui called on the public to turn the green lifestyle into a culture by adapting green technology practices in their daily routine.

“Among the easy practices that you can do at home and school is not to waste power and electricity, as well as use water and electricity wisely,” he was reported to have stated by the media.

Small and easy practices such as recycling, wise use of electrical appliances and saving consumption of water and electricity can change a person’s life for the better.

Green practice

Green practices utilise green technology to reduce power consumption and boost the economic development of a country.

Every user contributes to green-gas emissions with their daily activities, such as the utilisation of cars, power and chemicals.

Nadia utilises only the sun’s rays to dry her laundry, but many countries are now resorting to the sun as one of the sources of renewable energy.

Solar towers with hundreds of solar panels that absorb the sun’s energy have been erected.

This energy can be used to heat water to form steam and, if accumulated in vast amounts, the steam can move turbines and generators to produce electricity

After Nadia’s success in reducing her home’s power consumption, she is trying to practice other easy green methods and utilises green technology products that are power-efficient.

(Malaysian Standards point that a product shows its power efficiency rating in a scale of one to five stars. Buyers can evaluate this on the power standard label when buying a certain product).

Among the green practices that can be done by individuals like Nadia are recycling, reducing the amount of garbage disposed, giving priority to environmentally friendly products, using public transport more frequently and prudent use of treated water.

At a recent forum on green technology, several non-government organisations (NGOs) stated the government is serious in encouraging the use of green technology through measures such drafting the green technology policy, setting up a ministry specifically for this technology and developing green technology.

However, they expressed reservations about whether the society really knows what green technology is.

Green technology

Green technology refers to development and product application, appliances and the system to conserve the natural environment and surroundings, to minimise human activities detrimental towards the environment.

Green technology is environmentally friendly. Low-carbon technology reduces mission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere that can contribute to climate changes.

This technology deal s with environmental issues such as pollution, depletion of natural energy resources and global warming.

A panel member at the forum stated innovations such as the solar tower can be promoted among the public.

“The bicycle is seen as one of the ideal examples where the existing green technology is retained and encouraged to help people conserve the the natural environment,” stated the panel member, adding that the important issue is awareness of giving priority to quality of life, avoiding wastage, reducing energy consumption and conserving the environment.

After educating the society on the 3R campaign – Reuse, Reduce and Recycle – it will be wise to encourage people to adopt green practices.as this is the way to have innovations in green technology for a better future.