Bus travels, Tour and transport

Fires no place for treated wood

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, May 26, 2011

All right folks, it's time to 'fess up. No names mentioned, but you know who you are.

Those of you burning treated timber in your home fires have been spewing toxic fumes into Nelson's air. And Nelson City and Tasman District councils want you to stop.

In case you haven't heard, CCA-treated timber contains chrome, copper and arsenic. When the timber is burnt, most of the arsenic goes up the chimney and into the atmosphere attached to minute particles.

The rest of the arsenic is left in the ash, along with the residual chrome and copper, and is, according to Institute of Geological and Nuclear Science Wellington-based scientist Perry Davy, "not what you would want to be putting on your garden".

Dr Davy's findings of spikes in atmospheric inorganic arsenic during the winter of 2009 at Tahunanui monitoring sites were drawn from air quality monitoring work commissioned by the Nelson City Council.

The Tahunanui monitoring is part of the council's programme to understand, manage and improve air quality in the region. To meet new national standards in 2008, the council introduced its air quality plan, aimed at making a 70 per cent reduction in superfine particulate emissions, 80 per cent of which was identified as originating from domestic fires and wood burners.

Suspecting people were burning treated timber on their fires, Dr Davy looked at arsenic levels in three locations around the country already being monitored by GNS for air quality – Auckland, Wainuiomata and Tahunanui – and found dramatic increases in levels during winter in all three, consistent with the main fire-burning period.

In the Tahunanui case, he found levels of arsenic around 40 times greater in winter (spiking many times from May to September during 2009) than during January of the same year when levels were almost nothing.

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NY bill aims to increase school bus safety

Posted by Jeff adams - Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The New York Association for Pupil Transportation is calling for state action on proposed laws to increase penalties for passing stopped school buses.

The organization found in a study that drivers illegally pass a stopped school bus more than 50,000 times a day. Several children have been killed over the past few years by drivers passing buses illegally, and 75 kids were reported injured by vehicles that had passed their buses between 2002 and 2007.

Assemblyman Peter Rivera has proposed a bill authorizing the placement of video cameras on school buses to record motorist violations, with images to be used as evidence in prosecution of offenders. The bill also makes it a felony of criminally negligent homicide when a child is killed by a driver passing a stopped school bus.

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Madagascar battles exotic timber felling

Posted by Jeff adams - Monday, May 23, 2011

Authorities in Madagascar say logging of precious woods persists in its forests despite a 2010 decree banning logging, transporting and export of such woods.

Police seized 30 tons of rosewood being transported in two trucks last month in Antalaha, on the northeastern coast of the country where the problem is most acute, Inter Press Service reported last week.

Three trucks transporting 115 rosewood logs were intercepted in the southeast of the island a few days earlier, and more than 1,000 pieces of another kind of precious rosewood found in Malagasy forests have been seized in the same region.

Madagascar has the biggest rosewood reserves in the world.

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Safe school bus on 1st gear

Posted by Jeff adams -

Even though the transport department has set the ball rolling for the implementation of the long-delayed school bus policy, private operators, who own almost 90% of school buses in the city, have complained that several changes mandated by the policy will unduly add to their financial burden.

Some of them, claims the association of bus operators, are needless, and even risky for the school children.

Talking to DNA on Friday after the first meeting of stakeholders — school principals and bus operators — organised by the transport department, Anil Garg, president of school bus operators’ association, said, “About 70% of recommendations in the policy are acceptable to us. The government should revise the rest as they are needless, impractical and add to our burden.” This resistance could mean a further delay in the implementation of the policy.

According to Garg, 3,340 vehicles like Maruti Omnis, Tata Sumos, Qualis etc, illegally ferry students, while 2,200 dedicated buses are run by school managements and private operators. Another 4,500 operate as both company and school buses.

Outlining his argument, Garg said, “Our expenses will double in implementing the policy recommendations. Until now, we needed only a driver and a male attendant, but now we will have to also hire a lady attendant for the girls.”

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20 years to make yacht out of reclaimed timber

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, May 12, 2011

A FARMER is about to launch a yacht that has taken him more than 20 years to complete.

Iain Tolhurst, of Hardwick Estate, Whitchurch, started building Naida in 1999 but his preparations date back more than 20 years.

The 36ft Pinky Ketch is based on those that came from the east coast of America in the early 19th century.

The craft was built entirely from either reclaimed or indigenous timber from the estate, where Mr Tolhurst runs an organic farm.

He started collecting fallen trees after the hurricanes of 1987 and 1990 and used a mobile band saw to mill them on site. The wood was then stacked to dry in a basic shed.

Mr Tolhurst, 57, said: “I have used no plywood, not even in the deck. The main deck is topped with reclaimed pitch pine, which is the only non-local timber and came from the demolition of the Huntley & Palmers biscuit factory in Reading.” He made both of the boat’s masts and some of the brass fittings while the 700sq ft sails were handmade by an artisan sails-maker.

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Hero Bus Driver Saves Students from Gun-Wielding Seventh Grader

Posted by Jeff adams - Wednesday, May 11, 2011

A bus driver in North Carolina is being hailed a hero after convincing a gun-wielding seventh grader to hand over his loaded gun during a terrifying bus ride.

The 12-year-old boy tried to hijack the school bus to Washington so he could shoot government officials, witnesses told ABC News Charlotte affiliate WSOC-TV.

Driver Evans Okoduwa said today that while was scared during Monday's incident he knew that if he didn't get the child to drop his weapon he "could have been shot."

"I was driving the bus approaching one of the student's stops when he stood and approached me with a gun in his hand," said Okoduwa.

"I got very scared and I thought he immediately was going to use it on me," said the driver. "But after he had stopped and I began to try to get into conversation with him I was a little calmer and said a little prayer in my heart."

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Cochin Port making it big in timber imports

Posted by Jeff adams - Monday, May 09, 2011

The Cochin port is all set to make it big in timber imports. In an effort to attract more timber imports to Kochi and thereby increase revenue from this source, the CPT has decided to provide ample discounts to timber storage in the CPT yards.

Currently, the Cochin Port is handling about 60,000 tonnes of timber imports every year. The attempt is to make it more than 1.5 lakh tonnes a year. "As of now, most of the imported timber needed for South Kerala comes to the Tuticorin port, where currently about 5.5 lakh tonnes of timber is being handled. The attempt is to attract a share of this to Kochi. We have decided to provide discounts in the storage rate in a slabwise manner. The discount is expected to attract timber imports as a major share of the expenditure goes to the storage charges," said Unnikrishnan Nair, traffic manager, Cochin Port Trust. As part of the new system there will be a 30 percent discount for timber storage at various storage yards under the CPT in the first slab. "The discount will be proportional to the volume of import. When the import increase the rate of discount will also increase. In the second slab we are planning to give a discount of 50 percent in storage charges," he said.

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Commuter and Charter Bus Company Presents New Service from Brooklyn to Baltimore

Posted by Jeff adams - Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Residents of Brooklyn and Baltimore searching for an affordable way to travel between the two cities can now enjoy a round trip for just $70 with Monsey Tours, a New York-based commuter and charter bus company. Available at www.MonseyBus.com, Monsey Tours recently introduced a commuter Baltimore route with service running Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays with a new site at www.TheBaltimoreLine.com.

“Monsey Tours is providing an economical, hassle-free solution for commuters traveling between Baltimore and New York. With round trip tickets on sale for just $70, riding with Monsey Tours is significantly more affordable than flying or taking the train. Plus, our fleet of modernized coaches guarantees a luxurious, comfortable ride from start to finish,” said Chaim Lunger, CEO of the New York charter bus company.

Like the rest of Monsey Tours' commuter and charter bus routes, the Brooklyn-Baltimore line is manned by the company's acclaimed coach operators. From recommending local attractions to trudging through the snow to bring customers tea and water, the charter bus company's experienced and professional drivers never hesitate to go the extra mile.

“The drive from Brooklyn to Baltimore is not known for being an easy trip — and the same can be said for the return route north. From hopping on the Verrazano Bridge to navigating the New Jersey Turnpike to stopping to pay a number of tolls, the ride takes a lot out of drivers and their vehicles, which is why so many passengers prefer to travel by bus,” Lunger said.

The commuter and charter bus company's Baltimore line offers service to and from 14th Avenue and 53rd Street in Borough Park, Brooklyn and the Seven Mile Market, located at 4000 Seven Mile Ln. in Pikesville, M.D. Busses travel from Brooklyn to Baltimore on Sundays at 10 a.m., Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. and Thursdays at 6 p.m., while Brooklyn-bound busses depart from Baltimore Sundays at 4 p.m., Tuesdays at 3 p.m. and Fridays at 8 a.m.

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Timber quality an issue after SAForests sale

Posted by Jeff adams - Tuesday, May 03, 2011

South Australia's softwood timber industry will face the challenge of maintaining the quality of timber, now that more than 100 years of growth will be sold to private investors.

South Australian Treasurer Jack Snelling yesterday announced the sale of plantations would go ahead, because a regional impact statement found it wouldn't have a significant impact on the economy of the state's south-east.

A number of conditions have been included in the sale, including ForestrySA's retention of management rights for the next ten years.

Forestry analyst Robert Eastment says growth cycles and timber quality must be kept up to ensure the industry's long-term future.

"Forestry of South Australia is an extremely professional organisation," he said.

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Why is school system paying millions to bus children all over the city?

Posted by Jeff adams - Monday, May 02, 2011

School bus

The former chief of the Recovery School District, Paul Vallas, says he inherited a "terrible" bus transportation system in 2007. But now, nearly four years later, there are questions about the amount of money being spent and whether the RSD is getting the most bang for its buck in a tight economy.

When Recovery School District buses, operated now by Durham School Services of Illinois, arrive to start the day, they are rarely full. In fact, in many cases there are only a couple of students on board an entire bus. And charter schools are siphoning off more each day.

In the 2008-09 school year, the RSD bused 7,500 students; this school year, only 5,700 kids.

"It’s a bit of a mess,” said Louella Givens, a member of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Givens said it’s time to rethink the entire transportation system. Now, the RSD buses any kid who lives more than a mile from school. And because the students can go to the school of their choice, the RSD is busing kids long distances, from the lower Ninth Ward to the west bank and from New Orleans East to Uptown.

The beauty of a vinyl record

Posted by Jeff adams - Sunday, May 01, 2011

While our society has begun to fully enter the digital content stage, it's good to get a reminder of what the world was like before the Internet existed. Over Easter vacation, I opted to stay with a good friend of mine in Orange County rather than make the tedious journey back to the east coast. As an avid music fan herself, my friend suggested that we visit a record store in Laguna Beach called the Sound Spectrum.

Now, if you have not listened to my USDRadio program, read any of my previous columns or met me in person, you probably do not understand my deep seeded and, honestly, pretty extreme love of music. When I walked into the Sound Spectrum, I felt like I was in heaven. The walls were plastered in posters of the Grateful Dead, Bob Marley and The Beatles. The racks were filled with an excellent assortment of used CDs (my friend actually found the incredible album "Dylan and the Dead," which I highly recommend), posters, accessories and T-shirts. The sign outside read that the store had been open since 1967. The friendly man at the counter, who happened to have impeccable taste in music, was friendly, helpful and just as excited as my friend and I at our discoveries.

Small, independent record stores like the Sound Spectrum are a dying breed. Though larger stores, like the famous Amoeba stores in Los Angeles and San Francisco (I found the relatively rare vinyl addition of Little Feat's excellent live album "Waiting for Columbus" at the L.A. location), still manage some success, it is relatively rare for anyone, including intense music fans, to possess hard copies of albums they love. Artists and record companies struggle to keep CDs relevant, sometimes resorting to adding extra features like videos to the package, which, in most cases, are pretty superfluous and can be found just as easily online for free.

This is where Record Store Day comes in. Each year in mid-April, many major artists release vinyl editions of rare recordings, concerts or collaborations exclusively available in record stores like the Sound Spectrum. If you were at Coachella, you may remember the Zia tent that also offered Record Store Day offerings and artist signings over the weekend to celebrate the musical holiday. Not only did I get to meet one of my favorite folk artists, the Tallest Man on Earth, but I also helped to support him through the purchase of a hard copy of his newest EP.

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Volvo, Merc buses speed up in India

Posted by Jeff adams - Friday, April 29, 2011

State transport undertakings are warming up to the multinationals despite premium pricing
Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland have been locked in a battle for leadership in the bus segment for quite some time now, with each having around 43 per cent market share.

Volvo, for example, is negotiating with 15-20 state transport undertakings (STUs) to bag contracts for supplying long distance buses.

Mercedes-Benz too is vying for similar contracts on the back of impressive response it got from the STUs in Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

MAN is also gearing up to launch a variety of products under the luxury and city bus segment.

Industry experts say Indian bus buyers including STUs and private fleet owners are warming up to these international bus brands despite their premium price tags (they cost 15-20 per cent more) for two reasons: one, they have the capacity to absorb higher wear and tear, and two, there is a growing demand for luxury and super-luxury buses from passengers.

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New map lets you see forest for the trees

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, April 28, 2011

Having trouble seeing the forest for the trees? A newly released United States map might be able to help.

The map, created by Woods Hole Research Center (WHRC) scientists, is the most precise representation yet of the height and coverage of U.S. forests and woodlands. The data will provide a baseline for understanding both forest resources and carbon flux, study leader Josef Kellndorfer of WHRC said in a statement.

"This dataset will be useful to foresters, wildlife ecologists, resource managers and scientists alike," Kellndorfer said.

Forests store carbon in living vegetation, dead wood and leaf litter. Understanding this carbon storage is important for understanding how carbon cycles in and out of the atmosphere, and thus refining predictions about climate change. Understanding forest cover can also help researchers conserve species, understand wildfire risk and manage timber production, said WHRC study researcher Wayne Walker.

"Maps of key forest attributes like canopy height and carbon stock have not existed for the U.S. at this level of spatial detail," Walker said in a statement.

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Charter school supporters defend proposed facilities

Posted by Jeff adams - Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Township resident Yanbin Ma is among a group of area residents who have applied to start the Hanyu International Academy, one of two Mandarin Immersion charter schools that could accept Millburn students in fall 2012. The schools would charge no tuition, but would receive 90 percent of the average per-pupil costs from the local public school districts.
Ma, who is President of the Millburn-Short Hills Chinese Association, said he and others were looking for options to teach their children Chinese. Beyond private school, weekend classes and short-lived after school programs, the choices they found were scarce.

"We want our kids to know Chinese, to read and write Chinese when they grow up," he said.

Ma says the language offerings in the public schools are not commensurate with the growing Asian population. He said he and other Millburn parents gained the support of former language supervisor Adrienne Tator in pushing for Chinese education at the elementary and middle school levels, but the effort did not go further. The only time Chinese is taught is at the AP level in high school.

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Timber Industry Dying Slowly

Posted by Jeff adams - Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Ghana’s timber industry, which employs over 70,000 people as well as generating export earnings of over US$170 million per annum, is said to be facing possible total collapse, until and unless a newly vibrant and applicable wood industry framework is instituted to address the current internal and external challenges.

Some of the external challenges that have over the years limited the anticipated growth of the industry are said to include the institution of market instrument ‘restriction on tree species’ and state procurement laws limiting direct access to some strategic markets, as well as quality standards or grading rules for various products which affect recovery levels and often give room for unnecessary claims from importers.

The internal challenges, however, include the inability to sell profitably on the local market due to unfair competition from illegal operators, high production cost such as fuel, electricity, spare parts for plants and machinery - making the industry’s products uncompetitive on the local and international market.

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School officials keep cautious eye on bus situation

Posted by Jeff adams - Monday, April 25, 2011

The state of emergency that was issued for Henderson County on Monday due to rising flood waters does not necessarily mean that classes in the local school district will be canceled today.

"The state of emergency declared on the roads may not be the same ones that our buses travel," said Henderson County Schools Superintendent Tom Richey.

"The law says that if there's water running over a road, we can't run on it. We observe that. We are not going to err at all in terms of the children's safety."

Yet early Monday night, it was too soon to say whether school would be called off today.

Richey said that school officials would drive the roads Monday night and early this morning to determine whether classes should be called off.

What was certain, however, was that the flood waters are definitely affecting the transportation of students.

"We are impacted pretty greatly," said Keegan O'Daniel, director of transportation.

That means that some roads that start out dry can quickly move to being flooded, and vice versa.

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Get Ready For Timber 2011 Expo

Posted by Jeff adams -

Hardwood timber is big in Pennsylvania. That's why the nation's largest hardwood-producing industry will host Timber 2011 at Rock Springs, Pa. on June 3 and 4.

Formally known as the Pennsylvania Forest Products and Technology Expo, the event promises to put attendees "in the driver's seat" with hands-on demonstrations of state-of-the-art machinery. As many as 100 commercial exhibitors will be aiming for loggers, sawmill operators, value-added processors and forest landowners in the Northeast.

The bi-annual expo is hosted in partnership with Penn State's College of Ag Sciences and School of Forest Resources. The event will be held at the Ag Progress Days site at Rock Springs, on Pa. Route 45, nine miles southwest of State College.

Timber 2011 is an opportunity for forest products companies to hone their business skills, learn about the latest production practices and see new technology, says Penn State's Bob Oberheim, the show's manager. At this show "you can learn about the latest technologies, production methods, business practices and regulations," he adds.

Workshops will cover topics such as the proposed National Hardwood Check-off Program, equipment safety and business management issues.

Indoor and outdoor exhibits will include trucks, trailers, forklifts, plus equipment for land owners, loggers, lumbermen, sawmills, wood processors and pellet manufacturers. Exhibits also will include feller bunchers with cut-to length processor heads, forwarders, log skidders, landing loader and slashers, whole-tree chippers, walking floor trailers, sawmill equipment and firewood processors, plus horizontal grinders, chippers and shavers

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Tri-Star seeking to rent Mariners bus

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, April 21, 2011

A public hearing will be held on Wednesday to help the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (URB) decide if it should grant a licence to Tri-Star Charters Inc. to allow it to charter the Mariners bus to the public.

Mitch Bonnar of Tri-Star says they’d like to be able to have local sports teams and other groups and organizations rent the bus when it is not being used by the Mariners junior A hockey team.

The April 20 hearing begins at 11:30 a.m. at Yarmouth Town Hall.

Bonnar says the application before the URB is asking for a motor carrier licence to provide transportation of groups and organizations from pick-up locations that are within a 100-kilometre radius of the Town of Yarmouth.

“I could pick people up in Digby. I could pick people up in Shelburne. I could pick people up in Yarmouth. But if somebody from Halifax called and wanted me to pick them up in Halifax and take them to Sydney I can’t,” he says.

Bonnar says a reason for this is not to take business away from other charter bus operations in other parts of the province. Still, one company has filed an application of opposition to the Tri-Star application. Molega Tours of East Uniacke, Nova Scotia, doesn’t want to see the application granted.

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NZ Timber Preservation Council reply to Phil Twyford

Posted by Jeff adams - Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Phil Twyford’s remarks about the dangers to health presented by the requirement to use H1.2 treated timber as announced by Maurice Williamson on 14 March are way off beam says Kevin Hing of the New Zealand Timber Preservation Council.

His comments will cause unnecessary stress to consumers and homeowners.

Mr Twyford has questioned whether the government has thought about the danger to health caused by requiring timber used as framing in house construction to be H1.2 treated. He cites the EU classification of boron as a Substance of Very High Concern.

The EU classifications for boric compounds are based on exposures of animals to boron at levels that exceed any likely human exposure in treated timber by several orders of magnitude. As well, the exposure routes used including ingestion, are not routes that would be associated with normal human use of boric treated timber. The data by which the EU arrived at its classifications are based on concentrations that would never be experienced in the handling of boric treated timber here.

Boron based timber preservatives have been successfully used in New Zealand since the 1950s as a protection against attack by borers and because of its fungicidal properties. The treatment requirement for timber framing is nothing new to house construction in this country. Furthermore, to the best our knowledge, there have been no documented cases of any health issues associated with the use of boric treated timber in New Zealand.

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Chaos on buses as lane plan reversed

Posted by Jeff adams - Monday, April 18, 2011

TENS of thousands of bus commuters face hours of extra gridlock each week because traffic authorities have removed the requirement for an afternoon bus lane during widening of the M2.

As part of the conditions attached to the $550 million M2 upgrade, Transurban was asked to set up a ''tidal flow'' bus lane to replace two bus lanes removed during construction. The flow of traffic on such a lane is reversed from morning to afternoon to match the heaviest traffic.

The Roads and Traffic Authority and the Department of Planning under the previous government dropped the requirement for a bus lane out of the city in the afternoon peak and agreed with Transurban the lane would be dangerous.

The new Transport Minister, Gladys Berejiklian, said yesterday she had asked for a briefing on the issue.

Since construction on the upgrade began in February, commuters say, the lack of a westbound bus lane has added up to an hour to their travel time. This is likely to persist for two years.

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Preserving wood in Mississippi's climate

Posted by Jeff adams -

The climate of Mississippi and the Gulf South region presents challenges for wood preservation, making water repellents and the environment top considerations.
David Jones, assistant Extension professor in Mississippi State University's forest products department, said wood treatments can lengthen the performance of timber by decades.

"If we placed an untreated telephone pole in the ground, it would last two or three years. A treated pole will last two or three decades," Jones said. "The time to consider treatments is before the wood is in place, especially if it will be in water."

Mississippians use wooden pilings and decking extensively from the salt waters of the Gulf to the lakes, ponds and rivers throughout the state.

Even away from bodies of water, the state's humidity and rainfall can take a toll on the life expectancy of wood products.

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District concerned about possible charter schools

Posted by Jeff adams - Friday, April 15, 2011

Two charter schools that plan to offer Mandarin immersion programs at the elementary level may be drawing students - and funding - from the Millburn public school system in the near future.

Superintendent of Schools James Crisfield said at the April 11 Board of Education meeting that the New Jersey Department of Education has received application for the two charter schools. The schools would pull students from the Millburn, South Orange-Maplewood and West Orange districts.

"This is a complicated issue," he said. "We should all understand the impact."

Crisfield said the way charter schools are funded could have big implications for Millburn's budget. Millburn would pay 90 percent of the per-pupil cost of each student attending the school. There is supposed to be a cost reduction to compensate, but this is not always the reality.

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Timber Exports To Spiral This Year On Higher Demand From Japan

Posted by Jeff adams -

Timber products exports are to increase this year following higher demand from Japan which may rise by at least five per cent from its normal requirement due to reconstruction and rehabilitation projects underway after the disastrous March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry secretary-general Datin Paduka Nurmala Abdul Rahim said Japan was the main importer of Malaysian timber products.

"Japan imported RM3.7 billion worth of timber and wood-based products last year and we hope this year's exports would surpass last year's RM20.5 billion worth of exports," she told reporters after launching the Malaysian Timber Council Global Woodmart 2012 here Monday.

Malaysia's timber and timber products exports in 2008 and 2009 totalled RM22.7 billion and RM19.5 billion, respectively, while exports for January 2011 were higher at RM1.8 billion from RM1.7 billion in January last year.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Timber Council chief executive officer Cheah Kam Huan said Malaysia was experiencing tight timber supply as the output has been hit by the need to conserve Malaysian rainforests, logging areas in Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak have shrunk and affected by uncertain weather conditions.

"However, we still hope supply will increase by between five and 10 per cent," he said.

Meanwhile, the second MTC Global Woodmart will serve as a premier one-stop selling, buying and networking platform for domestic and international timber suppliers and buyers.

The exhibition also aims to promote and encourage wider use of timber from Malaysian and international sources.

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Some say lifting cap on charter schools would be death knell for public schools

Posted by Jeff adams - Wednesday, April 13, 2011

State lawmakers have tweaked legislation that would lift the cap on the number of charter schools allowed, but opponents remain wary.

Backers of Senate Bill 8 say it would increase educational opportunities for children since charter schools are intended to provide innovative learning options, free from many of the regulations that apply to traditional public schools.

“We need to provide more options under the public education umbrella,” Darrell Allison, president of Parents for Educational Reform in North Carolina, said. “Far too many families in our state and far too many families in Rowan-Salisbury have only one option.”

There are currently 99 charter schools in 47 of the state’s 100 counties.

Allison, who graduated from A.L. Brown High School in Kannapolis, said the success that many of those charter schools are experiencing cannot be replicated because of the cap, and more than 20,000 students statewide are on waiting lists for charter schools.

“The vast majority of North Carolina does not have a charter school,” he said. “It’s not that public charter schools are more superior, but if we have more options than children have a better chance at getting a quality education.”

But opponents say the bill, which also seeks to clarify the current funding formula, could be detrimental to public school funding.

“I think this would pretty much be a dagger in the heart of public education,” Dr. Jim Emerson, chairman of the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education, said.

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Billion-dollar deal reached for TimberWest

Posted by Jeff adams - Tuesday, April 12, 2011

TimberWest will be under new ownership soon, but no major changes in operations are expected.

The mega-timber and real estate company is being purchased by two pension funds for $1.03 billion, including assumed debt.

“No fundamental changes in the operations of the business are anticipated,” a press release reads. “It will be business as usual on the ground, and existing operating systems and processes will remain in place.”

The pension funds acquiring TimberWest are British Columbia Investment Management, and Public Sector Pension Investment Board, which invest on behalf of Canadian pension plans.

“As part of the definitive agreement, TimberWest has a 60-day ‘go-shop’ period during which it is permitted to solicit a superior proposal,” a TimberWest press release added.

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Sensible Rules to Make Bus Travel Safer

Posted by Jeff adams - Monday, April 11, 2011

Three major bus accidents in the Northeast, including the horrific crash on Interstate 95 in the Bronx that killed 15 passengers and critically injured several others, may finally spur Congress to mandate bus safety improvements.

A bipartisan measure to require seat belts, roofs that can withstand a rollover, better windows to prevent passenger ejection in crashes, and other vital safety steps was introduced in the Senate by Sherrod Brown, Democrat of Ohio, and Kay Bailey Hutchison, Republican of Texas. The bill, which covers interstate motor coaches, also has new and more stringent requirements for driver fitness and bus company oversight to root out irresponsible operators. A companion bill is pending in the House.

A nearly identical bill died at the close of last year when Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, imposed a hold on the legislation. Early Senate approval, with strong bipartisan support, may even embarrass the regulation-hostile House into acting.

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Timber producers honor state forester

Posted by Jeff adams - Friday, April 08, 2011

The South Carolina Timber Producers Association has selected State Forester Gene Kodama to receive its President's Award.

Kodama, who is the agency head of the South Carolina Forestry Commission, was recognized by the association for "outstanding support for SCTBA and commitment to the sustainable forestry industry in South Carolina." The SCTBA award also recognizes Kodama's professionalism and dedication to the advancement of the timber harvesting and timber producing segments of our state's forest products industry.

South Carolina has 13.1 million acres of forestland. This is 68 percent of the state's total land area. Forestry is No. 1 among manufacturing industries in jobs (90,624) and payroll ($4.1 billion)

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Cutting school bus service picks up speed in senate

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, April 07, 2011

Drastic times have called for drastic measures and one of the proposals to cut is school bus service for all except special needs students.

Aiea Elementary School is one of the biggest proponents of school buses. More than 250 students or 80 percent of the school use the service. It's even got a school bus on the mural.

"We enjoy having the school bus, it really does help," said Kate O'Malley, Aiea Elementary School Principal.

Many of the kids take it to and from public housing. If school bus service was cut more students would have to walk over a footbridge crossing Kamehameha Highway and Moanalua Road. It's a walk that could be unsafe for young students.

"Then you get into philosophical discussions of is it the school systems responsibility to get students to school or is it parental responsibility that doesn't have an answer there are a variety of perspectives," said Randy Moore, Assistant Superintendent.

Safety aside bus drivers say get used to seeing more traffic and congestion without school buses.

"Think about beat the school jam. In one day traffic goes from mild to congested and that's with only public schools opening up. You have a lot of parents taking kids to school because of emotional issues or whatever so that's the most congested day you're going to get, and that is what it would be like without school busses," said Ken LeVasseur, Bus Driver and Researcher

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Greenwood Management Reveals New Teak Plantations

Posted by Jeff adams - Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Greenwood Management has announced it is introducing a new product to its range of timbers grown in Brazilian plantations.

The firm will soon be growing a new species of timber to add to those already included in its forestry investments product range, which includes the Eucalyptus, the Black Wattle (Acacia) and Guanandi species.

The new species is semi-matured to matured Teak trees, all to be grown on plantations. Teak timber, well known for its strong grains and texture, is often used in the carpentry trade and the manufacture of furniture for boat decks, due to its high weather resistance.

A spokesperson from Greenwood Management explained that returns on investment in the Teak business are expected to be strong: "Investments are available up to eight years with returns predicted at 12 per cent per annum."

Although the management rotations for the growing of Teak were traditionally 80-100 years, this has been reduced to between 20 and 25 years for the commercial production of the wood.

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Car sales, exports soar

Posted by Jeff adams - Monday, April 04, 2011

New vehicle sales, in all the major segments, registered strong gains in March compared to the same month in 2010, the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) said in a statement on Monday.

Aggregate industry domestic sales improved by 9937 units or 22.8 percent to 53478 vehicles from 43541 units in March last year.

Total domestic sales for the first quarter of 2011 were 22.2 percent ahead of the corresponding three months in 2010. Total export sales, at 29254 vehicles for March, represented the highest monthly vehicle export performance on record.

Overall, out of the total industry reported sales (including AMH and AAD) of 53478 vehicles, 86.2 percent or 46078 units represented dealer sales, 6.3 percent sales to government, 4.1 percent industry corporate fleet sales and 3.4 percent represented sales to the car rental industry.

Aggregate industry new car sales during March 2011 at 35167 units reflected a substantial improvement of 6703 new cars or 23.5 percent compared to the 28464 new cars sold during March, 2010.

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Preserving wood in Mississippi's climate

Posted by Jeff adams - Friday, April 01, 2011

‘Chicago Rocks’ tour travels city’s punk-rock scene

Posted by Jeff adams - Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Chicago tour — a short bus, 20 strangers smiling gamely at each other, an edgy guide checking his watch and eager to start on time. Which one is this? A food tour? Architecture? Ghosts, gangsters, the great fire?

Phil Rockrohr, the guide at the front of the bus, plugs his iPod into the stereo system and cranks it. Suddenly Tutu & the Pirates’ grinding punk-rock milestone “Wham Bam Son of Sam” is blaring, and we suspect Chess Records is not on the day’s itinerary.

“Chicago Rocks: 1980-2002” delivers just what its greatest-hits title states, a whirlwind drive-by of where the city’s punk, post-punk, alt-rock and modern rock bands lived, played and drank. Tours of Chicago’s blues and jazz history pop up intermittently, but the new mini-voyage — launching this weekend, with three-hour tours leaving each Saturday from Schubas bar and concert hall — aims at tourists and residents for whom Naked Raygun, Smashing Pumpkins and Liz Phair are foundation music, not necessarily Muddy and Buddy.

Rockrohr is a musician himself, a Park Forest native who’s played in about a dozen local bands, including his own Phil Rockrohr & the Lifters.

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Latvian Timber Exports 46% Increase

Posted by Jeff adams - Tuesday, March 29, 2011

In 2010 Latvia timber exports increased by 46%, an increase from 2009 total of LVL 699.329 million to LVL 1.022 billion. Sweden, UK and Germany representing the main bulk of the Latvian timber export market.

Britain has a long standing tradition of exporting Latvian timber right back to 1403 when treaties were signed between the English King Henry IV and the Hanseatic League, an economic alliance of trading cities and their guilds that controlled trade along the coast of Northern Europe from the 13th – 17th centuries.

Baltic timber and hemp were essential shipbuilding materials. Many wars were fought over the control of the Baltic timber trade including most famously the battle of Trafalgar where Napoleon was thwarted by Nelson, despite his many attempts to cut Britain off from trading with Northern Europe.

Shipbuilding no longer requires hemp or large quantities of wood, but the UK trade in Latvian wood remains as healthy as ever. In 1999-2000 reforms were made in the Latvian forestry industry to go from volume-base to value-base. To maintain sustainability of the Latvian forests value-added products, such as kiln-dried timber, became the main focus. To achieve that end Latvian companies have invested in modern technology to produce more labour and skilled intensive joinery and carpentry products.

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Japan panics as nuclear plant belches high levels of radiation

Posted by Best-Mature - Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Dangerous levels of radiation leaking from a crippled nuclear plant forced Japan to order 140,000 people to seal themselves indoors Tuesday after an explosion and a fire dramatically escalated the crisis spawned by a deadly tsunami.

In a nationally televised statement, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said radiation has spread from four reactors of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant in Fukushima state, one of the hardest-hit in Friday's 9.0-magnitude earthquake and the ensuing tsunami that has killed more than 10,000 people, plunged millions into misery and pummeled the world's third-largest economy.

Though Kan and other officials urged calm, Tuesday's developments fuelled a growing panic in Japan and around the world amid widespread uncertainty over what would happen next. In the worst case scenario, the reactor's core would completely melt down, a disaster that could spew large amounts of radioactivity into the atmosphere.

The Benefits of Taking Charter Buses

Posted by david - Thursday, March 10, 2011

Traveling is always an excitement and if it's a group travel the fun would be manifold. However, many enthusiastic travelers would instantly agree that it would be better to take a charter bus for group travel than do the driving yourself. If you have never experienced the downsides of taking the risk of self driving, well, it would be better to avoid it. There are many drawbacks and the most severe being the inconvenience of getting from one place to another. The group may include kids, teenagers, aged people and all the complaints and howling would cause enough reason to loathe the entire journey. Here the best way to enjoy a peaceful journey is by hiring a rental bus and enjoy the package.
Charter buses are the excellent option for group travel. They are provided with luxurious and comfortable seating arrangements along with other services. If you check the modern charter buses you can see mushy leather seats where you can sit and enjoy the ride without being caught in the horrors of traffic jam and road hitches. The rental buses even have bathrooms on board and all the comforts would make it look like a home on wheels.
The charter buses ensure that you are nestled in the comforts of the bus with a soothing air-conditioning to thwart away the heat. The atmosphere in the bus would give comfy to the kids who would sleep soundly and aged ones also would be sitting back and enjoying the scenery. If you wish for a little more comfort, then you can hire some luxurious buses which would offer entertainment facilities like television and music. Sometimes they would even provide play stations, internet etc. However, the amenities and services would vary in each rental buses.
By hiring a charter bus for a group travel, you are actually doing a favor to yourself. Earlier there used to be a misconception that the rental buses are quite expensive. But if you compare the cost and pain of driving the whole journey by yourself, the charter bus charges would cease to be a problem to you. Nonetheless the recent melt down in economy has brought down the cost of bus charters relatively. This has become a boon to travelers as they can enjoy the luxury of traveling in rental buses without paying high fares.
It is really easy to spot a reliable charter bus service provider in your locality. You can surf through the yellow pages and your local phone book. It is always better to go for local bus charters for local journey. Otherwise you can also search the internet database for finding rental bus providers. The company website would give ample information about the service areas, fares and other details. You can inquire about the reputation and credibility of the company through acquaintances. But it is best suggested that you must go for a local bus charters and deal with them directly. This would help you to get a clear picture of their dealings and can see their buses as well. You must take your own time and keep a clear idea of itinerary before going for a rental provider.

Experience the fun of group travel in charter bus

Posted by david -

It is always a great experience to take a group outing with your family and friends to exotic places. There are many reasons to enjoy a group travel starting from the pleasantries, the group adventures and above all there wouldn’t be any place for boredom. But problems began to arise as you plan the itinerary. The dilemma in deciding the places to visit, dealing with the climate changes and moreover if there are children in the group, that would be enough reasons to crack your brain.

The best way to ensure a safe and enjoyable group outing is by renting a charter bus. They are buses used to travel long distance and have become an alternative mode of transportation for everyone who is taking a group travel. When you are taking a pleasant trip, you don’t want to get into the hassles of traffic and fight with the road through out. It is not always possible to take turns in driving as it would wear everyone off. By renting charter buses, you can relax and enjoy in the comforts while the driver would battle with the traffic. Moreover, with the rising fuel cost, it would be highly economical to rent a bus than take your own vehicle.

The charter buses are luxurious and comfortable for long journeys. Generally people go for day coach or deluxe motor coach which would be provided with a restroom on board. They would also have TV monitors with VCD players that would give you endless entertainment. If you want to make some announcements, the bus charters would even offer you a PA system. This would help you inform everyone about the travel plan.

Before taking the services from a bus charter, it would be better to check their reputation and reliability of the company through browsing. All the companies would provide information on their bus rental services online. Prior to the journey, the bus drivers are required to take a drug test and provide a proof of physical examination. The drivers are not supposed to drive more than ten hours at a stretch and should also have had the previous eight hours free from driving. The coach buses may be missing seat belts as it is not mandatory. Smoking is prohibited in rental buses however some coaches permit alcohol on board.

It is a common disbelief that the charter buses are not affordable. But if you choose a bus charters that would suit your needs, then it would be really cost effective. It is always good to book the bus at least three weeks in advance before the trip. At the time of reservation, you would be asked to pay some deposit amount. The balance payment should be done a few days before the journey. The charter bus usually charges by the miles covered and sometimes they consider the traveling hours. Some companies offer packages in which they would have tie up with some hotels. In such packages, the charges would be fixed per head. The companies even offer discounts for nonprofit traveling groups.

Buses are more environmental friendly and the joy of traveling would be double folded if you are taking a charter bus. It would directly take you to the destination without many hullabaloos.

7 ways to make grilled cheese a healthier dinner

Posted by Jeff adams - Tuesday, March 08, 2011

1. Use bread made with whole grains instead of plain white bread for the sandwich.
2. Slip some vegetables inside the sandwich. Tomatoes, fat-free salsa or avocadoes work well in a grilled cheese sandwich.
3. Slip some fruit inside the sandwich. Apples and pears between slices of cheese can be yummy.
4. Use low-fat cheese, but think twice about using fat-free cheese. Fat-free cheese doesn’t melt very well, and a good grilled cheese sandwich needs to be gooey.
5. Skip the potato chips, but keep the crunch. Serve crunchy, raw vegetables or apple slices on the side.
6. Add a cup of healthy, full-of-vegetables, low-fat soup to make it a heartier meal.
7. Use organic ingredients and/or cheese and butter that are made from dairy that is rBST-free.

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Healthy food doesn't stack up in flavor

Posted by Jeff adams - Friday, March 04, 2011

Welcome to a world where half-truths flourish - the world of healthy cookbooks and magazines.

Consider this recipe for "healthy" lasagna from a cooking magazine on newsstands this month.

Ingredients include: turkey sausage, reduced-fat cream cheese, 1 percent cottage cheese, whole wheat lasagna, reduced-fat Italian cheese blend, part-skim mozzarella cheese.

This recipe will "trim cholesterol and saturated fat without losing the flavor," the magazine promised.
Hey, I was born in the 1950s. Not yesterday. Someone is trying to feed me a big fat half-lie here. Call it truth "lite."

Sorry, folks but use the above ingredients and your lasagna is going to lose flavor.

Oh, it is true that the ingredients listed above are better for you - at least physically but perhaps not spiritually - than traditional lasagna ingredients such as Italian sausage, whole milk cheeses and pasta made from white flour.

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Doctors urge indoor tanning ban for minors

Posted by Jeff adams - Monday, February 28, 2011

U.S. tanning salons should close their doors to minors to protect them from skin cancer, a group of 60,000 pediatricians said Monday in a new policy statement.
With the move, the American Academy of Pediatrics joins the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Academy of Dermatology and other groups that are already pushing for a ban.
"There are more tanning facilities in the U.S. than there are Starbucks or McDonald's," said Dr. Sophie J. Balk, who helped write the new statement for the American Academy of Pediatrics. "More than a million visits are made every day."
Since 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a part of the WHO, has classified tanning beds as cancer-causing.
Research shows people who start going to tanning salons before age 35 have a 75-percent increase in their chances of developing melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer.
The actual numbers remain small, however. In one large Scandinavian study, 24 out of every 10,000 young women who tanned regularly developed melanoma compared to 17 out of every 10,000 who had never or only rarely used a tanning bed.
But ultraviolet light - whether artificial or from the sun -- also causes less dangerous types of skin cancer.

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Fitness for Mortals: Never mind the level — make sure it’s fun

Posted by Jeff adams - Friday, February 25, 2011

It’s always such a relief to see the end of January.
The true winter lovers out there will be heckling me, but when the short month of February is over, you can almost taste spring coming on.I look forward to trails drying up and roads getting swept.It’s still a long ways off, but distantly within sight.Not that I’m not enjoying the snow. Downhill skiing has been a blast this year. I am now at the back, watching my son and his friends find everything that resembles a jump in the trees and along the edges of the runs.
They compare air time while I just try to get to the bottom before they’re on their way back up.
The skate skiing has been beautiful as well but, again, it depends on who you go with as to how skilled you feel. When I go with some friends, I feel like the fittest and most graceful skier on the trails.When I go with my husband or faster friends, I suddenly feel like every step is a struggle and I flounder more than glide.

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Cycling is biggest cause of heart attack!

Posted by Jeff adams - Thursday, February 24, 2011

Cycling has always been touted as being good for health, but now a study has found that it is actually one of the biggest triggers of heart attacks.

The study, which analysed 36 pieces of research on everyday risks, proves that the "final straw" in bringing on a heart attack is spending time in traffic as a driver, cyclist or commuter.

But of the three, cyclists are in greatest danger because they are more heavily exposed to pollution and are subjecting themselves to another major heart attack trigger, exercise.

Traffic exposure was blamed for 7.4 per cent of heart attacks, followed by physical exertion with 6.2 per cent, while air pollution triggered between 5 per cent and 7 per cent of heart attacks, and drinking alcohol or coffee accounted for 5 per cent.

Other risk factors included negative emotions (3.9 per cent), anger (3.1 per cent), eating a heavy meal (2.7 per cent), positive emotions (2.4 per cent) and sexual activity (2.2 per cent).

Cocaine was to blame for 0.9 per cent of heart attacks, but this was because of limited exposure to the drug among the population.

According to the study, led by Dr Tim Nawrot, from Hasselt University in Belgium, on an individual basis, taking cocaine was shown to raise a person''s risk of having a heart attack 23-fold.

In comparison, air pollution led to a 5 per cent extra risk, but since far more people are exposed to traffic fumes and factory emissions than cocaine, air quality is a far more important population-wide threat.

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Weight Loss – The Routine Is Important

Posted by Jeff adams - Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Even the most experienced weight loss expert can use some weightloss tips every so often. Our eating habits are linked very closely with our habits and using a behavior approach to dieting can be beneficial to certain types of people who have bad eating habits that may be overcome with a little behavioral intervention.
Many times an individual eats without thinking. This means that the person’s habitual behavior has overrun his cognitive functioning. In a nutshell, all of us basically shove food in to our mouths just since it is there. Among the many weight loss tips offered, thinking before snacking is the excellent tip as far as the behavioral approach goes. Once we act on impulse, all of us rarely make good choices.
The behaviorist will consider the problem in a number of techniques. The best approach is always to get into the habit associated with slowing down a little bit. Some good weightloss tips include holding out ten minutes before getting that snack that is phoning you from the pantry. You may discover that you aren’t really hungry. If you wait around ten minutes the wanting will most likely disappear completely on its own.
You may also opt to go for any brisk walk when the urge to cheat on your diet plan arises. This is a powerful way to get much needed physical exercise along with self:control. You will be less likely to run to the pantry upon entering the home after having a jaunt around the community. You will be more prone to go for a huge glass of cold drinking water instead.
Some people laugh at these two weightloss tips but they do give you results if you take any behavioral approach. You have to focus on your actions. The best way to look at it is making priorities. Do you want the chocolate cake or even do you want to match those jeans tucked away within your closet? There are times that the chocolate cake will earn but not often in the event that you focus on the behavior.
Weightloss tips that involve a behavioral approach also include portions. We often need to train ourselves to understand how much is enough. Getting into the habit of buying single-sized servings or taking the time to measure will increase your chances of success.

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Flu cases on rise in LB and county

Posted by Jeff adams - Tuesday, February 22, 2011

"All influenza types and subtypes, including A (H3), A (H1N1) and B, have been identified at high levels," the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services said in an advisory to local hospitals dated Feb. 17. "There are no reported deaths associated with influenza in Long Beach to date. However, 10 deaths have been reported in Los Angeles County."
The Long Beach health department urges all local physicians to:
Continue influenza vaccinations. "It is not too late to vaccinate."
Encourage all health care workers to receive the influenza vaccination.
Consider antiviral treatment for patients at high-risk for complications from influenza.
The growing influenza trend reflects a national increase. The number of national cases remained elevated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza was above the epidemic threshold, the CDC reported.
Throughout the month, the CDC has been tracking key flu indicators. Both the proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza and the proportion of outpatient visits for influenzalike illness were above what is expected for this time of year. In addition, widespread influenza activity was reported in 37 states,
Regional geographic influenza activity was reported by the CDC on Feb. 12 in 10 states: California, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Washington.
Rates are highest in patients younger than 5 and in patients 65 years of age and older, according to the CDC.

Quit smoking for you health

Posted by Jeff adams - Monday, February 21, 2011

Choosing to quit smoking can be a hard decision. But, medical experts say it can also be one of the best things you can do for your health. It can also save you money.
One in every five deaths in the United States is smoking-related according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In fact, the CDC points out about 10 million people in the United States have died from causes attributed to smoking (including heart disease, emphysema, and other respiratory diseases) since the first Surgeon General's report on smoking and health in 1964. Two million of those deaths were the result of lung cancer.
Heavy smokers, or those who smoke over a pack of cigarettes a day, can find themselves at the greatest risk. The CDC also says exposure to secondhand smoke causes an estimated 3,000 deaths from lung cancer among American adults. Scientific studies also link secondhand smoke with heart disease. In addition, the American Cancer Society (ACS) says 90 percent of people with oral cancer use tobacco.
According to the National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC), women have seen the highest increase in smoking related diseases. NWHIC says tobacco use by pregnant women has been linked with increased risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and mental retardation.
Smoking is also considered a trigger for asthma, according to the American Lung Association (ALA), and secondhand smoke worsens the health of children with asthma. Studies also show that cigarette smokers have more than double the risk of a heart attack compared to non-smokers; and according to ALA, the earlier you start smoking, the greater the health risk. Smoking is also considered a risk factor for developing cataracts and pneumothorax, a condition that can cause the lung to collapse.

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