Minn. contracts may have domestic partner benefits

Same-sex domestic partner health benefits are in play as part of Minnesota state employee contract talks, reopening a debate that raged at the Capitol a decade ago.

Republican lawmakers drew attention to the potential contract language Tuesday by circulating an offer sheet between Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton's administration and the largest public employee union. The proposed two-year pacts haven't been finalized, but the benefits were part of the "state's best offer" put before the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

AFSCME and the administration are headed for mediation, because the union objected to increases in insurance premiums and other provisions contained in the offer. For that reason, both parties at the bargaining table declined comment.

Inclusion of medical and dental benefits for same-sex partners of state workers could leave the negotiated deal in doubt once it moves to the ratification stage, which involves the GOP-led Legislature. When Gov. Jesse Ventura, an independent, was in office, domestic partner benefits for state workers were added to contracts negotiated by his administration and were briefly implemented. But by the time those deals were ratified, Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty was in charge and same-sex benefits had been stripped out.

Under the proposed language, same-sex domestic partners would be treated as dependents and would be eligible for family insurance coverage.

Sen. Mike Parry, R-Owatonna, has been pressing the administration — without success — to keep lawmakers apprised of the talks. Parry said state officials shouldn't assume lawmakers will rubber-stamp the final deals, and he said the domestic partner benefits pose a problem.Let us find you the best ceramic tiles suppliers around you.

"We believe the governor should not be addressing social issues in collective bargaining contracts,Compare prices and buy all brands of solar panel for home power systems." Parry said. "We believe that that's the Legislature's responsibility and not up to the governor, as he has done with some of his executive orders, to try to go around the Legislature."

Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, called administration's offer to extend such benefits "troubling.Spro Tech has been a plastic module & Mold Maker."

Democratic Sen. Scott Dibble of Minneapolis said he wants the administration to stand strong and move ahead with offering the benefits. Dibble, who is gay, said there doesn't have to be a repeat of the legislative fight that resulted in the revocation of benefits.

"Society has come miles and miles from where they were back then and have a fuller understanding that gay and lesbian families are part of every community, every neighborhood, every church, every workplace," Dibble said.

A Nevada board recently adopted a policy allowing domestic partners to qualify for the same level of benefits as employee spouses. But the issue has continued to be divisive elsewhere. Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer sparked an uproar and a lawsuit a couple of years ago when she canceled domestic partner benefits for state employees. And in December,We are porcelain tiles specialists and are passionate about our product. Michigan Gov. Rick Synder signed a law banning the benefits for public workers in his state.

These will be the first Minnesota contracts negotiated under Dayton, a gay-rights supporter who took office in Jan. 2011. Minnesota's contracts with its state employee unions technically expired last June. The new ones would run through summer of 2013.

Sedan combines luxury, economy

Luxury-car buyers like saving on gas like the rest of us. They just don't want to give up "ample power" in their search for vehicles with a restrained thirst for gasoline. The 2012 Infiniti M Hybrid may be just the car to satisfy their needs.

The Infiniti M is currently the top-of-the-line four-door sedan of the Infiniti range. This midsized luxury car is fitted with every luxury and convenience feature one could think of - and possibly more. In the M lineup, the Hybrid is equipped like a M37x model with the optional Deluxe Touring and Technology Package equipment.US Manufacturer of distribution Insulator.

Its closest competitor is the Lexus GS 450h.You can find best china Precision injection molds manufacturers from here!

Most Infiniti Ms come equipped with 3.Let us find you the best ceramic tiles suppliers around you.7-litre V-6 or 5.6-litre V-8 engines with "ample power." The Hybrid, on the other hand, comes with an Atkinson-cycle 3.5-litre V-6 that develops 302 hp with a 50 kWh electric motor developing 67 hp. Combined,Choose from our large selection of Cable Ties. the two powerplants put 360 horses on the pavement - 30 hp more than the conventional gasonly M37. Combined torque is down by 12 lb.-ft. over the gas engine. Peak torque is achieved at a relatively high 5,200 r.p.m.

The hybrid engine comes with third-party accolades.

It has been voted as one of the Ward's 10 Best Engines listed by Ward's Auto World magazine for 2012.

Unlike most hybrids, which aspire for top fuel numbers, the M Hybrid is a good example of a happy balance.

Press down hard on the throttle and the M sprints with authority. Some publications have the 0-to-100 km/h sprint at 5.6 seconds, a little faster than the Lexus GS 450h.

The M sounds good, too, with a throaty growl. The only difference between it and its gasoline-only sibling is the duration of the growl. Throttle response is snappy, and one can increase the fun quotient by manually shifting gears on the sevenspeed automatic transmission.

The centre console has a dial with Snow, Eco, Standard and Sport settings.

The Eco mode produces the best fuel-economy numbers, but is also the least fun.

Be warned that regardless of the dial setting, I still found the suspension a bit on the soft side on the backcountry winding-road section of my test drive. The M Hybrid is a luxury car, of course, so I may be a tad overly critical.

Spirited cornering also reveals another minor criticism - the seats aren't designed for people tossing the car quickly around corners. The wide seats are otherwise quite comfortable with integrated cooling as well as heating. As I indicated earlier, this is a luxury car, not a 370Z.

The interior of the Hybrid is typical of the current crop of Infinitis - which is to say, very impressive. Occupants can expect to sit on soft leather and brush their hands on highly-polished genuine wood. Attention to detail is evident throughout.Muyoung mould specializes in manufacture Plastic molding.

There are a number of details that set the M apart from the competition.

These bring the source of the music closer to the ears and can result in less of a need to crank up the stereo to enjoy music.

The feature is not new or unique, but few cars come with it these days.

The M has one unique feature that I wish were in more cars. Called the Forest Air climatecontrol system, this technological marvel doesn't just keep temperature constant. It has a built-in purifier to control odours, it can keep humidity at optimum levels and it adjusts air flow.

Worldly collection on your doorstep

J ust a train ride away from West Croydon on the Overground at Forest hill is the imposing Horniman Museum.We offer the best Ventilation system.

The building is quite a curious mixture of the old and the new including a clock tower. The complex boasts a Grecian mosaic and totem pole as well as a wooden cabin with a grass roof and a fantastic 19th century conservatory.

Just a glimpse of what's in store in this veritable hive of interest.

This is all set within the grounds of the Horniman gardens which are elevated above the surrounding area and give sweeping views across South London. There's a great outdoor sitting area for eating lunch from the café inside. This really is family day out territory and we haven't even gone inside yet.

Once you enter the museum most of the fantastically varied exhibitions are free. There is also an aquarium which is very reasonably priced. Open from 10.30am to 5.30pm daily this museum is a place to escape to and explore hidden treasures of the world.

The Horniman Museum has a total of 350,The liquid hardens or sets inside the molds.000 objects to explore, from a giant stuffed walrus to a Japanese Merman.

The Merman specimen was acquired by the Wellcome Collection in 1919 under the name Japanese Monkey-fish. It was transferred to the Horniman in 1982, where it has since been known as the Merman. It looks like a cross between a monkey and a fish and after extensive investigation it is believed to be maCheck out the collection crystal mosaic of Marazzi.de up of clay, fish and chicken bones.

Frederick John Horniman, the founder of the museum was a Victorian tea trader and philanthropist who began collecting objects, specimens and artefacts which represented natural history and the arts and handicrafts from around the world from 1860.Polypropylene and polythene can be used in a process called Injection Mold. His idea was to bring the world to Forest Hill and educate and enrich the lives of the local community who did not have the opportunity to travel for themselves.

Now the 350,000 strong collection includes internationally important specimens of anthropology and musical instruments, as well as an acclaimed aquarium and natural history collection.

The natural history collection includes a huge walrus which takes centre stage in the centre of the collection. surrounded by monkeys,Welcome to stone mosaic. birds, big cats, foxes and the rather macabre display of dogs heads.

At the Horniman you can really see the collections up-close and you can even pick up, try on and play with some of the objects.

Frederick Horniman's travels took him right around the world to destinations such as Egypt, Ceylon, Burma, China, Japan, Canada and the United States where he collected objects which 'either appealed to his own fancy or that seemed to him likely to interest and inform those who had not had the opportunity to visit distant lands'.

Mr Horniman's interest as a collector was well known and many travellers approached him with specimens and curiosities.

Aside from the collections the Horniman Museum is also somewhere to go and get involved in courses and workshops such as African dance and drumming, jazz and yoga.

The Body Adorned: Dressing London; Until 6 Jan 2013.This major exhibition explores how body adornment has become part of London life across times and cultures. Temporary Exhibition Gallery.

Wrinkles and twists boost power from solar panels

Taking their cue from the humble leaf, researchers have used microscopic folds on the surface of photovoltaic material to significantly increase the power output of flexible, low-cost solar cells.

The team, led by scientists from Princeton University, reported online April 22 in the journal Nature Photonics that the folds resulted in a 47% increase in electricity generation. Yueh-Lin (Lynn) Loo, the principal investigator, said the finely calibrated folds on the surface of the panels channel light waves and increase the photovoltaic material's exposure to light.

"On a flat surface, the light either is absorbed or it bounces back,The liquid hardens or sets inside the molds." said Loo, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at Princeton. "By adding these curves, we create a kind of wave guide. And that leads to a greater chance of the light's being absorbed."

The research team's work involves photovoltaic systems made of relatively cheap plastic. Current solar panels are typically made of silicon, which is both more brittle and more expensive than plastics.Check out the collection crystal mosaic of Marazzi. So far, plastic panels have not been practical for widespread use because their energy production has been too low. But researchers have been working to increase that efficiency with the goal of creating a cheap, tough and flexible source of solar power.

If researchers can increase the plastic panels' efficiency, the material could produce power from an array of surfaces from inserts in window panels to overlays on exterior walls or backpacks.

"It is flexible, bendable, light weight and low cost," Loo said.

In most cases, researchers have focused on increasing the efficiency of the plastic photovoltaic material itself. Recent developments have been promising: a team from UCLA recently announced a system with a 10.6% efficiency. That approaches the 10 to 15% level seen as the target for commercial development.

Loo said the folding method promises to increase those numbers. Because the technique works with most types of plastic photovoltaic materials, it should provide a boost to efficiency across the board.

"This is a very simple process that you can use with any material," she said. "We have tested it with other polymers and it works as well."

Jong Bok Kim, a postdoctoral researcher in chemical and biological engineering and the paper's lead author, explained in the Nature Photonics paper that the folds on the surface of the panels channel light waves through the material in much the same way that canals guide water through farmland. By curving the light through the material, the researchers essentially trap the light inside the photovoltaic material for a longer time, which leads to greater absorption of light and generation of energy.

"I expected that it would increase the photocurrent because the folded surface is quite similar to the morphology of leaves, a natural system with high light harvesting efficiency," said Kim, a postdoctoral researcher in chemical and biological engineering.Secured handsfree building and door access solutions with Hands free access by Nedap AVI. "However, when I actually constructed solar cells on top of the folded surface, its effect was better than my expectations."

Although the technique results in an overall increase in efficiency, the results were particularly significant at the red side of the light spectrum, which has the longest wavelengths of visible light. The efficiency of conventional solar panels drops off radically as light's wavelength increases, and almost no light is absorbed as the spectrum approaches the infrared. But the folding technique increased absorption at this end of the spectrum by roughly 600%, the researchers found.

"If you look at the solar spectrum,Professional Manufacturer for polished tiles. there is a lot of sunlight out there that we are wasting," Loo said. "This is a way to increase efficiency."

The research team created the folded surface in Howard Stone's laboratory in the mechanical and aerospace engineering department by carefully curing a layer of liquid photographic adhesive with ultraviolet light. By controlling how fast different sections of the adhesive cured, the team was able to introduce stresses in the material and generate ripples in the surface. The shallower ripples were classified as wrinkles and the deeper ones are called folds. The team found that a surface containing a combination of wrinkles and folds produced the best results.

Although the math underlying the process is complex, the actual production is straightforward. Loo said it would be quite practical for industrial purposes.

"Everything hinges on the fact that you can reproduce the wrinkles and folds,Welcome to stone mosaic." Loo said. "By controlling the stresses, we can introduce more or fewer wrinkles and folds."

Another benefit of the process is that it increases the durability of the solar panels by relieving mechanical stresses from bending. The researchers found the panels with folded surfaces were able to retain their effectiveness after bending. A standard plastic panel's energy production would be diminished by 70 percent after undergoing bending.

Loo said the researchers drew their inspiration from leaves. Seemingly a simple object, the leaf is a miracle of natural engineering. Its green surface is perfectly constructed to bend and control light to ensure that a maximum amount of solar energy is absorbed to create energy and nutrients for the tree. Recent work by Pilnam Kim, a postdoctoral researcher in Stone's lab, provided insight into how these microscopic structures could be applied to synthetic devices.

Conservatives spread out to sell European free trade

While there are those hailing the proposed free trade agreement with the European Union as the perfect took for shaking Canada out of its economic woes, others remain unconvinced.

On Friday (April 27) the federal government a series of information session in communities across Canada, including London,Siebenwurst Werkzeugbau ist ein Unternehmen für Konstruktion und Fertigung von Werkzeugen im Bereich Stanztechnik und Umformtechnik. on the current status of negotiations around the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).Secured handsfree building and door access solutions with Hands free access by Nedap AVI.We have a fantastic range of Glass Tiles and glass mosaic Tiles. The agreement, although far from completed, has generated a great deal of concern by those who feel the deal would cripple not only Canada’s economy, but that of London as well. In fact, over 50 municipalities have already indicated they want to opt out of CETA and London council is expected to discussions on this option during its May 1 meeting.

The information session in London was held at Lamko Tool & Mold Inc., which designers, manufactures and exporters of plastic injection molds. Virtually 100 per cent of what is produced at Lamko is exported.

Paul Van Meerbergen, the manager of business development for Lamko Tool and Mold Inc.Zenith manufactures a comprehensive range of RUBBER SHEET., as well the councillor for Ward 10, helped introduce various guest speakers, including Minister of Labour Lisa Raitt, as well as the city’s three Conservative Party MPs, Ed Holder, Susan Truppe and Joe Preston.

Raitt said a free trade agreement with the European Union would be “Canada’s most ambitious trade plan” since the North American Free Trade Agreement was negotiated in 1994.

“The economy is our number one priority.All RUBBER MATS is comprised of all types of mats. We know companies like Lamko Tool & Mould can compete and can win in global markets. That is why we are pursuing Canada’s most ambitious trade plan in our history,” Raitt said. “Reducing tariffs and other barriers to trade . . . will make Canadian exports more competitive. That will boost sales for companies like this one.”

Following the event, Van Meerbergen said he couldn’t understand any suggestion that London should opt out of an agreement that he believes will prove to be “a golden opportunity” for the city’s economic future.

“It is very alarming from a municipal standpoint. The last thing the City of London wants to do is broadcast to the province, to the nation, to the international community is that we aren’t open for business,” Van Meerbergen said. “That is what happens when we move motions, God forbid if we ever passed a motion like that, that sends out all the wrong messages, anti-business, anti-jobs.”

Using Lamko as an example, Van Meerbergen said CETA would help the business grow by opening up new markets in which to sell its products. In addition, Van Meerbergen also said he applauds any government that wants to lower trade barriers and create new opportunities.

“This is the classic way to create jobs, by lowering trade barriers. We are a trading nation,” Van Meerbergen said. “We are convinced that with better opportunities in Europe we can increase our production, therefore hire more people, therefore create jobs. That is how it is done.”

Ed Holder, London-West MP and a member of the standing committee on international trade, said he believes Canadians have been given a great deal of misinformation around CETA. The most significant misconception, Holder said, is that the Harper government would enter into any kind of agreement that put Canadians at a disadvantage.

“There is no agreement that we will support that isn’t in the interest of Canada, first and foremost. It is easy to become protectionist and isolationist, but that hasn’t been Canada’s history,” Holder said. “We are will soon go into the softer negotiations around some of the touchier points. But we will always do that in terms of protecting Canadian interests.”

The information event at Lamko did draw criticism from those who have long spoken out against CETA. Patti Dalton, president of the London and District Labour Council, said she believes the nationwide information sessions were nothing more than spin doctoring by the Conservatives.

“This is a blatant public relations attempt to avoid the massive criticism from labour and social organizations all over Canada which have challenged the government to come clean on the dangers of this trade deal which threatens the rights of municipalities to make decisions based on the best results for local communities,” Dalton said. “Speaking at us is not speaking with us and if Minister Lisa Raitt really wanted our input she would have had a town hall meeting not this sham of democracy.”