text:
Lip-Balm with Interlimer® 13-6 Polymer (Formulation #C004)
Lip-balm with Intelimer® 13-6 polymer is designed to provide a non-greasy, non-tacky, and luxurious lip-balm. Intelimer® 13-6 is used as an oil phase thickener and/or structuring agent.
Air Products and Chemicals Inc. (now Evonik) promote and manufacture inventive and documented ingredients for the cosmetics industry. Their polymer platforms afford them exceptional and multi-functional benefits that can entitle separate consumer product characteristics. They are a world-wide provider for hydrogen, nitrogen and other industrial gases for numerous applications. Their ROVI active ingredient products, encapsulated ingredients (ROVISOMES™) and specially devised solutions (Cellular Actives™), demonstrate their proficiency in skin biochemistry, physiology and dermal delivery systems.


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Indybay FeatureRelated Categories: U.S. | Animal Liberation | Police State and Prisons
Hearing Set in Animal Legal Defense Fund's Horse-Drawn Carriage Case
NEW YORK — On Monday, April 28, the New York Supreme Court will hold a hearing in the national nonprofit Animal Legal Defense Fund's (ALDF) case against the New York Police Department (NYPD) for refusing to turn over public records regarding the city's controversial horse-carriage industry.
In December, 2013, ALDF filed a petition asking the court to force the NYPD to share public records as part of a long-term investigation of the horse carriage industry. Beginning October, 2012, ALDF has filed numerous public records requests under New York's Freedom of Information Law (FOIL)—the NY state equivalent of the federal Freedom of Information Act. Despite clear evidence of ongoing violations, accidents, and injuries, the NYPD claimed for months that it had no records, although the NYPD is obligated to enforce such regulations under the city health code and state anti-cruelty codes. In February, 2014, under threat of litigation, the NYPD finally admitted it does have records but is unwilling to share them—claiming the records are exempt pursuant to New York's code of criminal procedure § 160.50. At the hearing, Judge Hagler will review the records and determine whether the NYPD has violated the law. Winston & Strawn is providing pro bono legal assistance for ALDF.
On April 23, a carriage horse was injured in an accident near the Plaza hotel. A bus reportedly startled the horse, who fell onto the sidewalk and was pinned to the ground by the carriage. New York carriage horses are known to be startled at the slightest provocation, which has caused horses to bolt into traffic and seriously injure (sometimes fatally) themselves or nearby humans. Because of these hazards, Mayor de Blasio has vowed to shut down the industry.
"The NYPD is essentially on trial for refusing to adhere to the law—meanwhile, horses have been seriously injured, like we've seen this week," said Stephen Wells, executive director of the Animal Legal Defense Fund. "The public deserves to see NYPD's records of just how many problems result from the inhumane industry of urban horse-drawn carriages."
Photo: Carriage horse collapsed in the streets of New York City
Copies of the petition are available upon request.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Feb 6, 2001
|Filing date
|Feb 1, 2000
|Priority date
|Feb 2, 1999
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Dennis Allen Hammons, Qing Ye, Jason Eichenholz, Bruce H. T. Chai, Martin Richardson
|Original Assignee
|University Of Central Florida
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (6), Non-Patent Citations (1), Referenced by (13), Classifications (11), Legal Events (7)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This invention relates to solid-state laser devices, and in particular to a new type of tunable ytterbium-doped, self-frequency doubling laser, and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application S. No. 60/118,300, filed Feb. 2, 1999. This invention is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/495,770 filed on Feb. 1, 2000, by the same assignee as the subject invention, and now allowed.
The laser is a device for the generation of coherent, nearly single-wavelength and single-frequency, highly directional electromagnetic radiation emitted somewhere in the range from submillimeter through ultraviolet and x-ray wavelengths. The word laser is an acronym for the most significant feature of laser action: light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.
There are many different kinds of lasers, but they all share a crucial element: each contains material capable of amplifying radiation. This material is called the gain medium, because radiation gains energy passing through it. The physical principle responsible for this amplification is called stimulated emission. It was widely recognized that the laser would represent a scientific and technological step of the greatest magnitude, even before T. H. Maiman constructed the first one in 1960. Laser construction generally requires three components for its operation: (1) an active gain medium with energy levels that can be selectively populated; (2) a pumping process to produce population inversion between some of these energy levels; and usually (3) a resonant electromagnetic cavity structure containing the active gain medium, which serves to store the emitted radiation and provide feedback to maintain the coherence of the electromagnetic field.
Many lasers have the capability to emit light over a tunable wavelength range. For a laser to be tunable in wavelength it must possess a laser gain medium whose spectral gain bandwidth is tunable, with temperature or by some other means. Alternatively, the spectral gain of the gain medium can be broad, and an additional wavelength-dependent loss element is added to the resonator to tune the laser emission to different wavelengths within the spectral gain curve.
The lasers of the present invention use a new crystal material, trivalent ytterbium-doped yttrium calcium oxyborate crystals and are referred to herein as Yb3+:YCa4O(BO3)3 or Yb:YCOB for easier reference.
A Patent Corporation Treaty (PCT) application numbered WO 96/26464 reports the growth of calcium gadolinium oxyborate, GdCOB, as the first element of a new family of borate crystals, which includes YCOB. However, WO 96/26464 does not disclose or suggest a tunable laser device comprising Yb:YCOB.
In the prior art, there are no disclosures of Yb:YCOB being used as the active gain medium. Further, there are no teachings supporting the use of Yb:YCOB to generate tunable, self-frequency doubled, coherent, visible laser light or ultrashort infrared radiation pulses.
Trivalent ytterbium-doped crystalline laser systems producing optical radiation are reported. U.S. Pat. No. 3,462,707 discloses Yb and Nd doped borate glass host for a non-radiative transfer of energy between Nd ions and Yb ions; there is no mention of frequency doubling. U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,026 disclosed that a Yb-doped host crystal from the garnet family worked as a laser with a separate frequency doubling crystal located within the resonant cavity. Other Yb-doped host material are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,280,492 and 5,381,428; the crystals from the classes of oxides, fluorides, fluoroapatite or glass. Frequency doubling is accomplished by a separate crystal placed in the laser cavity. Tuning is accomplished in U.S. Pat No. 5,381,428 with a birefringent tuning plate, a grating, or a prism also placed within the laser cavity. U.S. Pat. No. 5,677,921 discloses a new class of laser crystals formed from Yb-doped borate fluoride host crystals; these crystals were found to be self-frequency doubling.
More recently, the approach to generating high power, visible laser light has been to use nonlinear optical crystals to convert near-infrared radiation to the visible portion of the spectrum via second harmonic generation (SHG) (sometimes termed frequency doubling and used interchangeably, herein). This process generates a harmonic wavelength which is one-half of the fundamental wavelength. Since the SHG conversion efficiency is a function of the fundamental laser beam intensity, the nonlinear crystal is often placed inside the cavity of a low power continuous wave laser to benefit from the high intracavity fundamental beam intensity.
Thus, in the search for smaller, less expensive, more powerful, multifunctional lasers, the discovery of a new class of laser hosts, the oxyborates, makes possible the combination of linear and nonlinear optical properties in a single active medium. More particularly, the ytterbium-doped oxyborate crystal (Yb:YCOB) of the present invention generates an infrared fundamental light over a relatively wide bandwidth, from approximately 980 nanometers (nm) to approximately 1100 nm. This approximately 100 nm range is a large bandwidth which could support the generation of pulsed infrared light or when self-frequency doubled provides a compact, efficient, source of tunable, visible blue or green laser light with wavelengths of approximately 490 nm to approximately 550 nm.
The first objective of the present invention is to provide a tunable, infrared and visible light laser that combines the active gain medium and frequency doubler in one single element.
The second objective of this invention is to provide a tunable self-frequency doubled (SFD) laser using the oxyborate family of crystals as the host crystal.
The third objective of this invention is to provide a tunable, compact efficient source of visible laser light.
The fourth objective of this invention would be to provide a source of ultrashort laser pulses by using Yb:YCOB active gain material in a mode-locked laser system.
A preferred embodiment of the invention provides a ytterbium-doped oxyborate crystal (Yb:YCOB) pumped with continuous wave (cw) coherent titanium:Sapphire laser radiation or diode laser light at approximately 905 nm or approximately 977 nm to efficiently generate approximately 530 nm of green laser light.
The optical pumping means which provides energy to the crystal can be selected from one of a coherent or incoherent light pumping source. The incoherent pumping source may be xenon or krypton lamps in the shape of a straight-line or spiral or annular or LED diodes, which can be of pulsed or continuous wave output. The coherent pumping source may be laser light source, such as a single laser diode or a matrix laser diode series, which can also be of pulsed or continuous wave output. Ytterbium systems are particularly well suited for diode pumping.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is the polarized absorption and emission spectra of 10% Yb:YCOB for light parallel to the X, Y, Z optical axes.
FIG. 2 is an experimental laser cavity design.
FIG. 3 is a graph of continuous wave (cw) oscillator output power versus absorbed pump power for 20% doped Yb:YCOB crystal.
FIG. 4 is the diode-pumped output power versus absorbed pump power for a 20% doped Yb:YCOB crystal.
FIG. 5(a) is Orientation of X, Y, Z optical indicatrix axes relative to the crystallographic axes and planes of Yb:YCOB. The typical boule cross-section is also indicated.
FIG. 5(b) is crystal orientation for optimum self-frequency doubling (SFD) laser action.
FIG. 6 shows spectral tuning of laser emission from a Yb:YCOB laser.
Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
The Czochralski method, as reported by Qing Ye and Bruce H. T. Chai in Journal of Crystal Growth, 197 (1999) 228-235; "Crystal growth of YCa4O(BO3)3 and its orientation" is used to grow the oxyborate crystal for the present invention. When rare-earth elements, such as, ytterbium are added during the crystal growing process, the crystal is said to be "doped" with the rare-earth ions. Doping changes the function of the crystal into an active gain medium. Undoped YCOB crystal is a nonlinear optical medium as disclosed in PCT application WO 96/26464. However, doping the YCOB crystal with a rare-earth, such as erbium or ytterbium, converts the crystal into a nonlinear optical laser crystal. To create a solid-laser device that is capable of tuning and self-frequency doubling, rare-earth elements for doping are selected from the group consisting of erbium, ytterbium, and mixtures thereof.
When the newly formed crystal is grown from the melt, it is generally in cylindrical shape called a crystal "boule." The boule can be cut into a cylindrical rod or other geometric shapes. The flat ends are polished and given an appropriate reflective coating or anti-reflective coating. One end is more reflective than the other; laser light is emitted through the end mirror that is less reflective, i.e., the output coupler.
Polarized absorption and emission spectra of Yb:YCOB are shown in FIG. 1; confirming that Yb:YCOB has a broad emission band between approximately 980 nm and approximately 1100 nm, allowing for wide wavelength tunability. Undoped YCOB has been shown to have a nonlinear coefficient, deff of 1.1 pm/V, which is between that of other nonlinear crystals KDP (0.37) and BBO (1.94 pm/V). See J. Appl. Phys. 36, 276 (1997) and W. Koechner, Solid State Laser Engineering, 4th ed. (Springer-Verlag New York, 1996), p. 579. Nonlinear crystals are needed for the frequency doubling laser action.
In experiments, with ytterbium-doped YCOB crystal, several advantages of the Yb:YCOB active gain medium were explored. In addition to the approximately 100 nanometer (nm) wavelength tunability and the capability of self-frequency doubling the fundamental output, it was revealed that ytterbium possesses a wide range of 4f—4f vibrational transitions, resulting in broadband spontaneous emission. In the past, the usefulness of ytterbium was limited by the fact that there are no excitation manifolds accessible beyond the 4f manifold at 10,000 cm−1, therefore making flashlamp pumping inefficient. However, the broad absorption band near 900 nm is ideal for diode pumping with near infrared laser diodes, because it eliminates the need for precise control of diode temperature.
Furthermore, the lack of higher energy levels is an advantage for diode pumping because it eliminates the possibility of energy loss due to excited-state absorption and up conversion. Another advantage of ytterbium is in the doping process; when ytterbium replaces yttrium, as in Yb:Y(yttrium)COB, there is virtually no lattice mismatch, and consequently, no concentration quenching.
To reiterate, the broad spectral emission characteristics of ytterbium allow for wavelength tunability and an approximate 100 nm tuning range has been demonstrated using Yb:YCOB. This wide bandwidth has allowed the generation of ultrashort mode-locked pulses for applications in the infrared, and extension to visible wavelengths by virture of self-frequency doubling.
A common approach to converting the laser wavelength to half its value, for example, from 1100 nm to 550 nm, often used to convert infrared lasers to laser emitting in the visible part of the spectrum, is to use intra-cavity frequency up conversion (IC). The most common IC approach is to incorporate a second crystal, a nonlinear optical crystal, correctly oriented for phase matching, inside the laser resonator, and to adjust the reflectivity of the cavity mirrors to maximize the wavelength converted laser light emission.
It will be shown that the large bandwidth tunability of ytterbium and the nonlinear characteristics of YCOB are combined in Yb:YCOB to generate a tunable source of green visible light as well as an infrared light source.
In FIG. 1 the polarized absorption and emission spectra of Yb:YCOB are shown. The two spectra capture the broad emission band of Yb:YCOB, allowing for a wide tunability range. The upperstate lifetime of Yb:YCOB is 2 to 3 ms, depending on dopant concentration; therefore, fewer diodes are required to store the same amount of energy.
The laser apparatus into which the new laser materials may be incorporated is illustrated schematically in FIG. 2. This is just one of a number of optical cavity embodiments. Other embodiments of cavity configurations can include a simple linear cavity, hemispherical cavity, planar—planar cavity, or a ring cavity. In this particular embodiment, an X-Cavity configuration (20), contains a Yb:YCOB crystal (21) which is 10 mm long and was grown with a ytterbium dopant concentration of 10% in the melt and used as the active gain medium. Crystals were grown with Ytterbium dopant concentrations in a range from approximately 10 weight % to approximately 44 weight % in the melt.
The crystal cut is shown in detail in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b). The crystal was cut such that the laser propagates parallel to the y-axis, and the crystal faces were cut with a 60� Brewster angle to the x-axis, corresponding to a refractive index of 1.7, and with the E-field of the pump parallel to the z-axis of the crystal. As a surrogate for high power InGaAs laser diodes, the pump source was a Ti:Sapphire laser (22) tuned to 900 nm with a maximum power of about 1.4 W. The pump beam (23) was focused into the cavity by a 12.5 cm focal length lens (24) into the cavity. The 10 cm radius of curvature mirrors (25, 26) had a broadband reflectivity from 980 nm to 1220 nm and were positioned at the optimum astigmatic compensation angle of 24� with respect to the pump beam. The high reflector (27) and the 2% output coupler (28) had about 100 nm bandwidth centered at 1064 nm. Tuning was accomplished by inserting a single plate birefringent filter (29) into the cavity between the focusing lens (26) and the output coupler (28). The crystal (21) was cooled on one side by a thermoelectric cooler set at 15� C. The cavity was optimized for a minimum threshold of 184 mW absorbed pump power, with 0.33 W Ti:Sapphire incident upon the focusing lens.
FIG. 3 shows the observed continuous wave (cw) output as a function of absorbed pump power, showing a slope efficiency of 24% and maximum output power to about 150 mW, which was reduced to about 120 mW by the introduction of the birefringent filter into the cavity.
Another pumping embodiment utilizes single emitter diode pumping. In FIG. 4, the diode-pumped output power versus the absorbed pump power for a 20% Yb:YCOB laser, with a 2% OC, is shown for 1050 nm and 1041 nm wavelengths and for 905 nm and 977 nm pumping, respectively. Slope efficiencies of 27% and 40% were obtained showing improved operation due to a smaller Stokes shift for 977 nm diode-pumping. Operation using both laser-diode pump wavelengths has shown tunable operation from 1030 nm to 1095 nm.
Experiments demonstrating diode-pumped operation were performed using either a 905 nm, 940 nm, or 977 nm diode laser. The hemispherical laser resonator consisted of a flat, highly reflective rear mirror and a 10-cm radius of curvature output coupler (OC). The 20% Yb:YCOB laser rod was cut with the x-axis collinear with the laser axis. The temperature of the crystal was maintained at room temperature (˜23� C.) with a thermoelectric cooler. The pump laser polarization was parallel to the Z-axis and was focused into the crystal through the rear mirror. The rear mirror was highly reflecting from 1040 to 1150 nm and over 95% transparent at 977 nm.
In addition to single emitter diode pumping, other pumping means may be used, such as, a diode laser bar; a diode laser array, including Ti:Sapphire diode; and a fiber-optically coupled diode laser source. The diode source wavelength is adjusted to a range between approximately 870 nm and approximately 985 nm.
FIG. 6 is an illustration of the tuning range of the Yb:YCOB laser. The high wavelength limit is set by the available gain at longer wavelengths and the reflectivity of the cavity mirrors. The lower wavelength limit can be affected by self absorption of unpumped laser material in the optical resonator. Optimal design of the pumping; crystal (i.e., length and dopant concentration); and resonator components should allow tuning over the entire gain curve from approximately 980 nm to approximately 1100 nm.
As stated earlier, the resonant laser cavity configuration can be varied to include, but not be limited to, linear configurations, as well as hemispherical systems pumped by a tunable cw Ti:sapphire laser.
The energy stored in a pumped solid-state laser medium can be delivered as a giant pulse in a short time by the use of Q-switching (quality factor switching). This technique can be applied in the present invention. It makes use of the idea that if the resonant cavity structure is maintained at a very low-Q level while the active medium is pumped, a high level of population inversion can be reached. If the cavity is then suddenly switched to a high-Q state, stimulate emission occurs rapidly, and radiation is emitted in a short pulse. Other means for generating short pulses that are suitable for the present invention, include, but are not limited to, electro-optic elements, or acousto-optic elements as the switch in the laser cavity. Mode-locking may also be applied to generate femtosecond pulses.
It is shown that the new material, Yb:YCOB, is a promising laser crystal with wide emission bandwidth, broad absorption at approximately 900 nm, and non-linear properties that allow for the possibility of an inexpensive, rugged, and compact diode pumped tunable and/or mode locked laser system capable of generating ultrashort pulses, including sub-100 femtosecond pulses in the infrared and coherent green visible light via self-frequency doubling.
While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it is presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|May 25, 1965
|Aug 19, 1969
|Bell Telephone Labor Inc
|Nd and yb doped borate laser glass
|Nov 2, 1990
|Jun 16, 1992
|Massachusetts Institute Of Technology
|Frequency-doubled, diode-pumped ytterbium laser
|Nov 15, 1991
|Jan 18, 1994
|The United States Department Of Energy
|Yb:FAP and related materials, laser gain medium comprising same, and laser systems using same
|Jul 30, 1993
|Jan 10, 1995
|The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy
|Tunable ytterbium-doped solid state laser
|Mar 24, 1995
|Oct 14, 1997
|The Regents Of The University Of California
|Ytterbium-doped borate fluoride laser crystals and lasers
|Feb 16, 1996
|Aug 29, 1996
|Non-linear crystals and uses thereof
|OA1 Crystal Growth of Yca4O(BO3)3 and Its Orientation, Qing Ye and Bruce H.T. Chai, Journal of Crystal Growth, 1999, No. 197, pp. 228-235.
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Dec 27, 2000
|Oct 9, 2001
|University Of Central Florida
|Self-frequency doubled Nd-doped YCOB laser
|Dec 27, 2000
|Dec 4, 2001
|University Of Central Florida
|Yb-doped:YCOB laser
|Jun 13, 2002
|Jun 29, 2004
|Orbotech Ltd.
|System and method for forming holes in substrates containing glass
|May 1, 2002
|Feb 22, 2005
|The Regents Of The University Of California
|Electro-optic modulator material
|Apr 16, 2004
|Oct 31, 2006
|Coherent, Inc.
|Intracavity frequency-tripled CW laser with traveling-wave ring-resonator
|May 1, 2002
|Dec 5, 2002
|The Regents Of The University Of California
|Electro-optic modulator material
|Apr 16, 2004
|Jul 28, 2005
|Spinelli Luis A.
|Intracavity frequency-tripled CW laser with traveling-wave ring-resonator
|Jun 24, 2004
|Sep 1, 2005
|Scripsick Michael P.
|Doped stoichiometric lithium niobate and lithium tantalate for self-frequency conversion lasers
|Dec 20, 2004
|Feb 2, 2006
|Macquarie Research Ltd.
|Laser material, laser system and methods
|Apr 21, 2004
|Mar 8, 2007
|Bright Solutions - Soluzioni Laser Innova-Tive Srl
|Laser apparatus for generating a visible laser beam
|Jan 23, 2008
|Oct 2, 2008
|Macfarlane Joseph J
|High-efficiency, low-debris short-wavelength light sources
|Jul 31, 2008
|Feb 4, 2010
|Murdoch Keith M
|Stabilized near-infrared laser
|Feb 12, 2001
|Aug 16, 2001
|Macquarie Research Ltd
|Yb-doped:yab laser crystal and self-frequency doubling yb:yab laser system
|U.S. Classification
|372/20, 372/13, 372/22, 372/12, 372/39, 372/41, 372/10
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Feb 1, 2000
Owner name: CENTRAL FLORIDA, UNIVERSITY OF, FLORIDA
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:HAMMONS, DENNIS ALLEN;YE, QING;EICHENHOLZ, JASON;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:010546/0054
Effective date: 20000121
|May 10, 2004
|Fee payment
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|Jun 7, 2005
Owner name: RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL F
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT;ASSIGNOR:UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA;REEL/FRAME:016097/0538
Effective date: 20050603
|Aug 6, 2008
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|Sep 17, 2012
|Maintenance fee reminder mailed
|Feb 6, 2013
|Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees
|Mar 26, 2013
|Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee
Effective date: 20130206


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Have a Tax Question? Ask a Tax Expert
Attachment: 2011-12-01_024521_taxes1.doc
Hello and welcome to Just Answer. I have 20 plus years experience in all areas of US taxation including multi-state and international issues.
Yes, the federal tax withholding is increased due to the higher Federal taxable gross income, and the higher taxable gross income will be reported in Box 1 Taxable wages on your Form W-2. My understanding is that registered domestic partners in community property states such as California must each report half the combined community income earned by the partners. Therefore, you and your partner will each report 50% of your combined total income, in addition to any separate income you may have.
Since I don't know your personal tax situation, I can't tell you if you are receiving a benefit from this. If each of you earn about the same amount of wages, there probably won't be a significant difference in what you would normally pay in taxes. However, if one of you earns substantially more than the other, then the one earning less will be paying more in taxes, and the one earning more will be paying less. This may still provide a benefit when you look at the combined taxes for both partners and what the combined tax would have been without dividing the community income.
Since you do have a dependent child, the best tax benefit would probably come from being able to claim head of household status, but this means that one of the partners must be able to show that they provided more than half of the support of the child. For more information you can see IRS Publication 555, Community Property and the FAQ at http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=245869,00.html.
I hope this helps you with your question. Please let me know if you need further assistance.
I m the only one that has a job at this time and we're not registered domestic partners. My fiancee has a medical condition and not working at the moment, but she will after the surgery. My question is that the domestic partner imputed income tax that is added to my gross on my current pay statement; are the tax withhholdings calculated using my current fed taxable gross of $1516.18 or the (1426 gross minus the pretax deduction) 1387.22? Do i benefit from the added imputed tax on my gross for increased wages reported on box 1 on the W2 or should i remove the imputed tax to reduce the total gross wages on the W2?
You will need to verify with your employer exactly how and why they are computing the "Domestic Partner Imputed Income Taxable" amount of $128.48. It appears to me, however, that this may be related to your life insurance coverage for your dependent child, dependent spouse and your optional life insurance coverage. When your group life insurance coverage exceeds $50,000, there is a small add-back amount to taxable wages at the end of the year, not for each pay period. This amount is included in gross taxable wages on your Form W-2, Box 1 and must be included in your taxable income on Form 1040. While there is a small tax cost from this add-back amount, you are still benefiting from your group rates for the life insurance coverage.
I hope this information helps you with your question. Since you have already accepted, there is no need to accept again for this question.


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Product Info
Dark silver satin triple layer oversize hairbow. Sits on a black plastic combtooth headband. Bow is approximately 9" in length. Bow sits to right side when worn, please specify during checkout if you prefer left. Made in the USA. * satin * spot clean only
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Shipping Info: Shipping Cost ($): 6-10 Shipping Cost Outside US ($): 10- 20 Return Policy: All sales are final. Please allow 5 to 10 business days for production.


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Interview with Avant Skis
We recently had an opportunity to connect with Ben Callaghan and Joel Nashett of Avant Skis. Both are avid outdoorsmen from the Northern Adirondacks. Joel, originally from Saranac Lake, is a former ski racer, involved with ski cross, cycling, canoeing, hunting and fishing. Ben, from Tupper Lake, is an artist, a long-distance runner, and loves being in the woods, where he skis, camps, hikes, canoes and kayaks. Both are within a handful of summits of completing the 46 High Peaks.
How did Avant begin?
Ben: Avant began on the slopes of Big Tupper. Both Joel and I are inventors. As kids, instead of playing video games, we were out building two-story camps in the woods, making air pressured potato guns out of bike pumps and constantly testing our knowledge of combustion. After we got some proper education in design and engineering, we began researching how to make skis in 2005, and pressed our first pair in 2006.
Joel: It took us as long time to come out with a saleable product because we chose a complicated design for our first run. Although each iteration of the design improved exponentially, it still took us quite a while to source materials and perfect our process.
Are you a ski designer and manufacturer?
Ben: Yes. We've designed and built every piece of our process, including a pneumatic heat-controlled ski press, router systems, molds and every layer that goes into the ski.
We design our skis from our own experience. We know what works now and we include aspects of what we believe will work in the future. We want to establish ourselves as a reputable company that can satisfy most skiers. At the same time, we're getting ready to launch several new products that could revolutionize skis in the years to come.
One of our goals is to push the development and use of new materials. We want to see innovation in performance and aesthetics, even if it costs more.
Joel applies epoxy to carbon sub-layer
With the Aviator series, we chose carbon fiber for its superior performance — it's light weight and responsive — and for its beauty. We've spent a long time ensuring that the carbon fiber weave gleams through the clear topsheet, and in our opinion, it was worth it.
How many employees do you have?
Joel: Avant is primarily run by Ben and me, but ski manufacturing is complex. We have a network of affiliates who assist in some of the more capital intensive processes where expensive equipment is involved to create the precision that we need to execute our ideas.
Where is your manufacturing facility?
Joel: At the moment, we're building our skis near Hartford, CT. We're looking to expand and move our facility closer to the mountains. We're striving to become the premier East Coast ski manufacturer.
What would be an ideal location for Avant?
Joel: We envision a ski factory / R&D center that could become a destination in itself. Think of the Coors Brewery tour in Golden Colorado, the Vermont Teddy Bear factory. I think that if people could come to a ski resort to ski and to watch how skis are made, or even get their hands dirty working on their own boards, it would be a must-do item on a travel itinerary. Also, the ability to take a ski made that morning and test it that afternoon would really cut down the time between design and testing. At this point, we would love to collaborate with a ski resort, which would be beneficial to business at that ski resort, bring in tourists and of course, give Avant a nice boost.
Ben: As Joel said, we have had many ideas for turning Avant and its "future headquarters" into something more than just a factory or an office building. It would be great to operate out of an area as beautiful as the Adirondacks and to create a destination in that area comparable to the Vermont Teddy Bear or Ben & Jerry's. That said, we have very lofty goals. We plan to be competing in the U.S. market as well as overseas. It would be really great to have a strong local presence, as well as a respected position in the global snow sports industry.
What is Avant's philosophy?
Ben: The word "Avant" means ahead — the front of an army, innovative, experimental, pushing the boundaries of the norm. These are our core principles. Every day, we work to design new and exciting products and to develop innovative ways to produce them.
Joel: We have a simple motto: "Because we can." This statement evokes the spirit of Avant. Why do skiers ski? Why do they take risks to experience the freedom and thrill of skiing? Why did Ben and I begin this venture to create a ski brand? "Because we can."
Who are your dealers?
Joel: Our dealer network is in development. Avant is looking to develop relationships with online dealers and local ski shops that maintain a great reputation for service.
Although online sales are continuously increasing, we fully understand the importance of a full-service ski shop. Ski shops are important to the local economy, the community and the entire ski industry. Dedicated ski shop owners provide a face for consumers to associate with the quality of a company and its products. It's something you can't find online. Avant will provide major incentives to dealers who showcase our products in their storefronts.
What makes your construction unique? What are the advantages of carbon fiber?
Ben: We spared no expense in developing the Aviator. Each piece of the ski was meticulously designed and engineered with the highest quality materials. The biggest difference between this ski and other all-mountain skis is the full carbon fiber sub-layer. The gleaming carbon is completely visible through much of the top sheet allowing you to see this lightweight performance, as you feel it under foot.
Joel: Carbon fiber is lighter, stiffer and more damp than other commonly used laminates like fiberglass, wood and even metal. When the carbon is fused with a vertically laminated poplar core, we get amazing results using fewer layers of material. This makes the ski lighter, less bulky and more responsive.
Ben: Also completely unique are the neon reflective and mirrored inlays. These provide dampening characteristics and add a whole new dimension to surface graphics day or night.
Avant's reflective neon inserts
Each ski is also equipped with Avant's cast Aviator wing emblem and for maximum durability, our skis are constructed with die-cut bases, thick, fully bonded edges, and UHMWPE (ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) sidewalls and tip spacers.
Are there plans to offer directional skis?
Joel: We are currently only producing twin tips. These skis are so universal that they can be used anywhere except for competitive racing, where every centimeter touching the snow counts.
Ben: We believe some form of a twin tip is simply more practical for freeskiing. Twin tips allow skiers to have the freedom to ski in any direction they wish or back out of trouble in deeper snow, not to mention more versatility in the park.
Would Avant have broader market appeal if you offered directional skis?
Joel: We'll investigate some type of directional skis in the future. Every ski design has its merits, and some may require a lower profile or different shaped tail, but right now the twin-tip market has grown exponentially faster than traditional skis. Five years ago, there were only several dozen twin tip models offered, while now there are over 300 models available from many great ski manufacturers.
What established manufacturers do you most respect? What brand of skis would you own if you didn't create Avant?
Joel: There are a lot of great companies out there. We currently own skis from eight different ski companies, and each has its pros and cons. When it comes to competitive racing, it's good to stick with the brands that win races. In racing, subtle differences can mean the difference between winning and losing. In the free-skiing market, there's more room for expression — a ski that matches your style. Many companies offer a good ski, and consumers now have a real opportunity to express their individuality through the ski they ride.
Ben: I own a pair of Salomon 1080 Spaceframes that I skied for a long time. They were a great ski, poppy and light, but they were designed as more of a park-specific ski and didn't hold up to all-mountain terrain. I've skied Kastle, Rossignol, Solomon and Atomic throughout my life, but in the past four years, I have mostly skied Avant.
Joel: For slalom, Elan SLX: the dampest carver in the world. It's like riding a slingshot. For ski cross: Nordica Doberman GS. These long boys only know how to go fast. Don't use these skiing with friends or you will lose them. If I can only take one ski with me out west and I'm expecting some seriously deep powder? Nordica Supercharger Blowers are fat, and the traditional sidecut and camber let me ski the whole mountain. What ski will you find me on almost every day? Avant Aviator Ace. Unless the hill is glassy ice, three feet of fresh powder or I'm practicing rails, the Aces are ideal.
Are your skis specifically designed to appeal to NE skiers?
Joel: We want Avant skis to appeal to skiers in any location and skiing conditions. With 90mm under foot, the Aviator is a great ski for 98% of conditions in the East or out West. Northeast skiing encompasses a wide variety of conditions. East Coast skiers are hardcore and we think Avant skis are the right tools for the job.
We've started developing a ski that will rock super deep snow and big mountain steeps. Because, let's be honest, who doesn't yearn for the days where you are waist deep and weightless?
How do you plan to build brand recognition?
Ben: We hope to develop brand recognition in many ways. One very important avenue for brand recognition is a strong online presence backed by a community of contributing fans. Through ski blogs, forums, Facebook, and Twitter, we hope to grow that community and through these networks maintain a close relationship with our customers. We want crucial feedback that will impact our product development.
Many brands think "social networks" are simply an avenue to shove advertising down people's throats in a more direct way. While there's a place for advertising online, they're missing a real opportunity to share ideas and create conversation.
What sets you apart from other boutique brands made by impassioned skiers (PM Gear/Bro Model, etc.)? Are you concerned that this ski niche is becoming oversaturated?
Ben: Avant is entering the ski market in a time of great change. The small-brand ski company niche has BLOWN UP in the past few years. This creates a big challenge for large companies and the small.
Ski brand loyalty is changing. Every year, different companies come out with the latest and greatest gear. To maintain brand loyalty, companies can't rely on how long they have been around or how much money they make, because now it all comes down to what's "HOT." That means you have to deliver every year.
At Avant, we're confident that we have the creativity and freedom to create exciting new products that will re-inspire people to experience the thrill of snow riding.
How tough is it to overcome the price differential between handmade and factory-made skis in the minds of consumers?
Joel: Ski prices vary greatly. Handmade and factory-made ski costs really depend on the number of a particular model that are manufactured and sold. Economies of scale are always a big factor in the cost of skis. Currently, most skis have extensive hand layup and production, even by the large manufacturers.
The consumer needs only to pick up a buyers guide to see that big-brand companies have ski models that are well north of $1,000 for a flat ski, while other prices dip under $500. Many small companies making handmade skis have competitive pricing. Although we have higher manufacturing costs, our overhead and corporate structure is minimal. While some ski companies use Chinese manufacturing to keep their costs low and still maintain good quality, there is usually a direct correlation to price vs. performance. The real question is, are you a competent enough skier to actually appreciate the benefits of a higher end performance ski?
Were other skis marketed/sold prior to the current Aviator line?
Joel: No. We've focused our efforts on this line and perfecting the performance through extensive R&D and testing prior to releasing the Aviator Series. We want Avant to offer stunning products that we're proud of. A poor performer would have been detrimental to launching our brand.
In ski test ratings for the Freeskier Magazine 2011 Buyers Guide, at Copper Mountain last winter, our designs proved themselves with a perfect score for carving and nearly perfect for stability — two aspects of a ski that are critical to performance, especially on the east coast.
Freeskier Magazine Ski Test, Copper Mountain CO, 2010
What is your production run for the current line, how many have been sold? What kind of sales track record does Avant have?
Joel: Our initial production run is flexible. Sales numbers are small now, so we want to make sure to maintain our economic viability and that we only manufacture skis we are going to sell. We plan on finishing up our manufacturing season with 100-150 pairs of skis. As we have said before, our broad market sales begin now and we promise to have an impeccable sales record.
Where can skiers buy Avant skis?
Joel: Right now, visit our website, www.avantskis.com. If you have a favorite ski shop, encourage them to contact: [email protected].
Avant is eager to work with dealers who are willing to take on a new ski brand. In return, we are offering great incentives and plans to help promote their business to a larger market.
What is your opinion of what's going in Tupper Lake now?
Ben: No question, I think the town needs the new development from the proposed mountain project. I represent the fourth generation of my family to grow up in Tupper Lake. I've always wanted to return to the area, but can't make a living there. If you ask anyone from my generation who grew up skiing at Big Tupper, they will tell you they are behind the mountain project 100%. Granted, there has to be MAJOR community benefits from the project, but if those are in play and the recreational areas are still open for public use (the ski mountain, golf course, biking etc), I am all for it. I understand why some people are opposed to the development, but I believe they are not looking far enough into the future.
The mountain project wouldn't fix everything, but it would increase tourism and jobs, which would spur population growth, boost local business and grow the community. Tupper Lake used to be a major crossroads, a key location for the development of the North Country. Let's put Tupper back on the map and get the mountain running again, high-speed quad style!
Joel: I hope that people can try to look at the big picture and understand that they need to make the right decisions for their children and grandchildren. The town has an opportunity to invite growth and some level of prosperity, which can trigger a positive domino effect and transform Tupper Lake into more than a pass-through town and into a destination, a place where business is sustainable, a place where their children have the option of finding good employment and something they can really take pride in (not that that doesn't exist already).
Northern New York is such a beautiful place to live and experience. But we need places to work and we need to be able to attract outsiders into our communities. A chance like this to turn Tupper Lake into a more prosperous town will help grow Saranac Lake and Lake Placid as well, which is critical for many families' income. We need to remember that these opportunities don't come around every day.
What is your favorite lift-served hill in New York State?
Ben: That is a tough question. When we were growing up, Big Tupper was my hands-down favorite. After it closed, we skied Whiteface and it made me a better skier. But even Whiteface gets a bit stale after a while. You can only ski a tree line so many times or straight-line Skyward before you yearn for something even steeper and more challenging. When the Slides open at Whiteface, those are some good days. But to answer your question, I'll have to go with Big Tupper. The snow was always better there, and that's where I first learned to bomb through the trees.
Joel: I have two, but for different reasons. Whiteface has vertical that is unsurpassed, sustained pitch for ripping grunt-worthy sustained g-force turns, and amazing views. The mountain has enough backbone to beat up on even the best skiers. Big Tupper has superior natural snow and amazing variety in the natural terrain. The entire mountain is ultimately a natural terrain park. And the vibe is the best in the business with friendly people, family, and neighbors.
What's your favorite backcountry spot?
Ben: Big Tupper when it was closed. That was the best untracked powder around. There are also some steep open bowls off the private side of Mount Morris that I have been able to ski because my family belongs to a camp back there. I have always wanted to ski slides in the Adirondacks, but when I'm in the High Peaks, it's primarily for winter climbing. I did lug my alpine gear up Mount Marcy one winter and skied down a really nice bowl from the summit to the tree line.
Joel: Besides poaching lift served, closed terrain, One easy(ish) option is Panther mountain near Upper Saranac Lake, NY. There used to be some highly secret trails off the backside that dropped right down to Panther mountain road off the summit that hold unbelievable amounts of snow. If you pick your day right, you can be a hero and ski down the front-side to Route 3, where everyone can see and envy your tracks. However, this side gets lots of sun exposure and only holds good snow for a few days after a dump. Also, watch the run out at the bottom!
16 Responses on "Interview with Avant Skis"
Great interview, Harv. Get a set of Avant Aviators and your search for the quiver of two is over. Better yet, have those lads sign you up for the Avant Freeride Team!
Great interview. I think that's an excellent idea about creating a ski manufacturing experience similar to touring a brewery (can't believe that no one's done it before, as far as I know). As part of a ski trip, you visit the place where they do R&D, construct the skis, you learn all about the process, and if you like what you see and hear, buy them on the spot.
Seeing all the love for Big Tupper is cool too. On paper, that sounds like a perfect fit for them to relocate their operations. IMHO, the fact that they're ADK-based would be a big value-add for a lot of people, and would help sell their skis and sell the region. A couple constructive comments on the otherwise great website, gents. If you could make the font size on the products page a bit larger, I'm sure that those without bionic vision would appreciate it. I'd also tone down the use of Flash: it's headache-inducing.
Intriguing. I'm an engineering student who's always wanted to combine my education with my passion for skiing. It's exciting to hear about entrepreneurs willing to take on that challenge. It's especially exciting to see them succeeding! Way to go on such an interesting interview.
Will you be demo-ing at Hunter Mt in Dec?
Well Harvey, what a vibrant, exciting and informative interview! It was sustained energy and information presented in a totally professional but easy to understand tech mainframe. I personally think you've taken the blog to a new dynamic level ,with real-time information and cutting edge technological updates while maintaining your agenda of local info and insights. It will be very interesting indeed to watch these fellows grow their business and products .Being kids from the Adirondacks only makes it more exciting for the casual observers. I'm sure I join everyone in wishing them the best of luck and continued success as they pursue their dreams in the workshop, on the mountains and in the international ski business arena .Good luck fellows and Godspeed as you persevere and achieve and realize your business and personal dreams.
Now here's a product someone should be sending you to pimp out. Not these pretty gloves and camp fire jackets.
Thanks for all the kind words. We're excited people are interested in Avant and what we are trying to accomplish. Also, a big thanks to Harvey for all the great questions and taking the time to do this interview.
We will provide more information about demo days and dealer locations in the near future. In the mean time, skis and softgoods can be purchased online at avantskis.com.
How about a little more info on the skis themself? The website doesn't really give you much. I was looking at the description of the Avaitor and was left scratching my head. Not sure what the hard-hitting rider tracking the whole mountain is suppose to mean. How much does it weigh? Whats the turn radius? I know companys like to claim their all mountain ski does everything, but where does it really excell? Powder, hardpack, crud. Are their any reviews?
Skimore, thank you for your extended interest. The ski turning radius is about 21.5 meters under zero deflection. Once the ski is loaded, however depending on the terrain and force applied, this radius may tighten as the ski bends because you now have a multi-plane interaction. If you have ever skied a true GS ski with a 21 meter turning radius (before FIS changed the rules to 27 meters), you will experience a similar turn feeling and radius with the Aviator line of products.
We will take note that you are interested in more technical information and do our best to keep our website up-to-date. To see a product review, please check out: http://www.freeskier.com/buyersGuide/product.php?product_id=1259
Sensational article, great job with the questions.
Like Jamesdeluxe, I also think the innovative idea of basing a boutique brand out of a ski area base offers incredible potential for both the brand and also the ski area. On the spot demos, watch your ski be made in front of you, help build it, etc. THAT is the ADDED VALUE that expensive boutique brands need.
I could write an entire blog article about this (and I just might) but I think quality boutique skis really face an uphill battle with the price issue. Name brand skis are really high quality and can be had brand new on the dirt cheap during end of season and even cheaper used on eBay. I pay less for skis now than I did 10 years ago. I have often considered boutique but the price is a huge issue and not being able to demo is the other.
I also really like the idea of carbon. Current carbon ski leader Goode is just WAY too expensive to even be considered. But it is such a great idea. Lighter weight with the same beef, win. I often wonder why skis don't go the way of road bikes… but it all comes back to cost.
The added value ticket is the way around the cost. Focusing on and building local is surely the best way to start even with visions of growing into the top boutique brand in the northeast. There are so many boutiques out there, it is great to see.
Surprised by twin tip only. It is a growing part of ski segment… but so is backcountry skiing. I would never buy a twin for BC because the tail clip is much more difficult on a twin. Also, I have a twin for an alpine… but I wish it didn't have a twin. It is just more material that doesn't do anything. I guess you do have to focus on a limited and specific market when you first start something like this. Good luck to Avant. And thanks for the good read.
I had a lot of help with this piece.
I guess I'm showing my age, whining about twin tips. I completely understand Avant's focus. Start small, keep it simple, produce a product that is in demand. Why not build a ski that you want to ski. PDQ and I were talking about why we'd buy directional skis … for one thing, it's all the herringbone we do at Gore to get to our favorite tree shots. If my technique were better, it might not be an issue. Counterpoint: I do have to admit, backing up (backing away) is definitely part of my repertoire.
Steve. Although we may be starting off with a boutique image, we do not consider ourselves a boutique ski company. Like I said, our goal is to have a strong local presence (to educate and get hands on with the ski community) as well as a respected position in the global snows sports industry.
Avant plans to drive real innovation and help progress the sport of snow riding in the future. Being a boutique brand is a choice and a perception mainly fueled by product price and quantity made. Another issue here is accessibility of products to a general public or average consumer. Avant is committed to developing exciting, high quality, innovative products that inspire everyone to experience something new and something real. Therefore, we do not plan on creating an exclusive product line who's value is partially based on its rarity.
As for the price of our product, carbon fiber is very expensive which is why skis that Goode makes are "off the charts" pricey. However, if you look at this years ski models, the Aviator Ace falls within a pretty competitive price range for 2011 all mountain skis, coming in around $800 MSRP. What we wanted to do was bring in higher quality materials with better performance characteristics while still keeping the ski as affordable as possible. Skis in the same category are priced from $500 (Armada El Ray) to $1,200 (Kastle FX 94). Both of these skis are constructed without carbon fiber.
Keep an eye out for new models in the future! Thanks for all of the feedback everyone.
For those who were interested in the lengths and geometry for the Aviator line:
Aviator ACE (length=181cm, Tip=123 Waist=90 Tail=113)
Aviator BOMBER (length= 165cm, Tip=116 Waist=90 Tail=107)
Aviator WASP (length= 165cm, Tip=116 Waist=90 Tail=107)
Having grown up along side these two gentleman, I couldn't be prouder of the work they have accomplished. Better yet, is that our hometown and its terrain inspired them. Good luck guys! I'll be spreading the word on Avant skis!
Fantastic article. Very informative and impressive. As Ben's very first ski instructor I watch with awe as he has progress to world class status. I can't wait to get myself a pair of these skis. Ben, perhaps you will now return the favor and teach me how to ski the POWDER! Good luck boys! I am beyond PROUD of you.


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Global Social Betterment & Humanitarian Programs Sponsored by the Church of Scientology
With the Summer Olympics just beginning and doping scandals hitting the news, former NFL tight end and Church of Scientology International official Bob Adams [4], pledged high-school athletes at South Gate High School to be drug-free.
Having witnessed first-hand how the lives and careers of promising athletes can be ruined by steroids and drugs, Adams stresses the importance of education. "Olympic hopefuls and contestants spend most of their youth training and preparing to compete," said Adams. "Some get only one chance and to throw it away by taking drugs is a tremendous personal tragedy."
Athletes signing the Drug-Free Pledge [6] promised to stay drug-free and to help fellow athletes, youth and the community to make the same commitment. Adams stressed that many thousands of athletes are completely honest in their training. "The Olympics is all about men and women overcoming tremendous challenges to achieve the best they are capable of naturally," said Adams. "It is a dedication and commitment to excellence in all aspects of life."
[1] http://www.scientologynews.org/sites/default/files/pledging-a-drug-free-life2.jpg
[2] http://www.scientologynews.org/sites/default/files/pledging-a-drug-free-life.jpg
[3] http://www.scientologynews.org/sites/default/files/pledging-a-drug-free-life3.jpg
[4] http://www.scientologynews.org/contact.html
[5] http://www.scientologynews.org/
[6] http://www.scientologynews.org/david-miscavige/scientology-today/the-truth-about-drugs.html


text: SHANGHAI, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation ("SMIC"; NYSE: SMI; SEHK: 981), and Brite Semiconductor ( Shanghai) Corporation, a leading IC design and turnkey service provider, today jointly announced that their dual-core ARM® Cortex™-A9 MPCore™ processor-based chip, adopting SMIC's 40nm LL (low-leakage) process technology, has achieved a clock rate of 1.3GHz in silicon tests. The test chip incorporates a 32K I-Cache and a 32K D-Cache, memory compiler modules, ARM NEON™ technology, and ARM CoreSight™ debug and trace technology, as well as built-in SRAM, DMA, NOR flash, SDRAM, and VGA interfaces integrated through AMBA® AXI on the test chip. In addition to the high-speed standard cell library, the test chip also incorporates SMIC's customized high-speed memory and cell library for performance enhancement (SMIC Performance Enhancement Kit). "Brite's rapid achievement demonstrates the stability of SMIC's 40nm LL process and our market leadership. Working closely with Brite and ARM allows us to provide our customers integrated platforms to accelerate time-to-market and mitigate the development risks of their advanced node designs. The milestone today once again demonstrates our dedication to provide industry-leading technology," said Chris Chi, Chief Business Officer of SMIC. "SMIC will continue to reinforce the development of our advanced technologies and provide highly competitive solutions for energy-efficient and high-performance consumer devices." "ARM Cortex-A9 dual-core test chip performance has met our expectations, proving Brite Semiconductor has the solid technical foundation needed to meet industry demand. The next Cortex-A9 dual-core chip that will soon tape out will achieve higher performance. Brite Semiconductor is committed to providing our customers the most advanced platforms with integrated solutions. We believe that with the combined efforts of SMIC, ARM and our partners, we will surely achieve our goal to bring tremendous value to our customers," said Dr. Charlie Zhi, President and Chief Executive Officer of Brite Semiconductor. "This milestone from the ongoing collaboration between Brite, SMIC and ARM is a great example of how collaboration drives innovation in the development of core technology for the next generation of smart, connected devices," said Allen Wu, President, ARM China. "We value our partnership with Brite and SMIC, and are committed to providing mutual customers with the most advanced design and production platforms, based on ARM technology, that meet their power, performance and time-to-market needs," said Allen Wu, President of ARM China. About Brite Semiconductor


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Oscar winner, author Ruth Prawer Jhabvala dies
This undated publicity photo provided by Merchant Ivory Productions shows Oscar-winning [auth] screenwriter and award-winning novelist Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, center, with film director and producer, Ismail Merchant, left, and director, James Ivory in a studio. Jhabvala (JOB-vah-lah), 85, has died. Firoza Jhabvala said Wednesday, April 3, 2013, that her mother died in New York after a long illness. (AP Photo/Merchant Ivory Productions)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oscar-winning screenwriter and award-winning novelist Ruth Prawer Jhabvala has died. She was 85.
Firoza Jhabvala said Wednesday that her mother died in New York after a long illness.
Ruth Prawer Jhabvala was a longtime member of Merchant Ivory Productions, writing 22 films over four decades. She won two Academy Awards for her adaptations of the E.M. Forster novels "Howards End" and "A Room With a View." She was also nominated for adapting 1993's "The Remains of the Day." All three films were also best-picture contenders.
"Ruth Prawer Jhabvala has been a beloved member of the Merchant Ivory family since 1960, comprising one-third of our indomitable trifecta that included director James Ivory and the late producer Ismail Merchant," said the company's director of development, Neil Jesuele. "The passing of our two-time Academy Award winning screenwriter is a significant loss to the global film community."
Jhabvala was also recognized for her fiction, receiving Britain's highest literary honor for her 1975 novel, "Heat and Dust." Her stories appeared in The New Yorker magazine, the most recent just last month.
Jhabvala is survived by Firoza Jhabvala and two other daughters, her husband Cyrus Jhabvala, and six grandchildren.
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Investment Programme
Investment programme at Russian Railway planned at 424.1 billion roubles in 2016.
A major part of the Company's investments in 2016 is being focused on implementing projects to fulfill orders and decrees issued by the President and Government of the Russian Federation. These orders and decrees will be implemented with the participation of state support.
In 2016, work will continue on the projects to modernise the Baikal-Amur Main Line and Trans-Siberian, carry out the complex reconstruction of the Mezhdurechensk - Tayshet stretch, develop the Moscow transport hub, renew the railway infrastructure on the approaches to the ports of the Azov-Black Sea basin, construct the Prokhorovka - Zhuravka - Chertkovo - Bataisk railway line (a new railway line in between Zhuravka - Millerovo) and construct high-speed rail on the Moscow-Kazan line.
The implementation of various projects to develop through capacity is also continuing in 2016, including the reconstruction of the Mga - Gatchina - Weimar - Ivangorod stretch, the development of the Tobolsk - Surgut - Korotchaevo stretch, the reconstruction and construction of man-made facilities, the construction of second tracks and the development of marshalling yards.
Other projects being implemented are designed to ensure the safety of the transportation process. These include measures to update the automation and remote control devices, electrification and power supply and the replacement of fixed assets on the locomotive side.
In order to improve transport accessibility, the Company is continuing to implement projects to renew the main passenger assets on both the commuter and long-distance sides, as well as other projects related to research and development, social development and a contribution to the charter capital of other companies.
The development of the Russian economy requires a corresponding improvement and development of railway infrastructure, which is the basis of the country's transport system. The Investment Programme at Russian Railways is therefore based on achieving the following main objectives:
- eliminating bottlenecks on the main railway network lines, taking into account prospective traffic volumes (the construction of additional main lines, the development of railway stations, the modernisation of automatics equipment and communications and other work);
- renewing rolling stock;
- ensuring operational reliability and the safety of the transportation process (reducing the depreciation of fixed assets, increasing the reliability of devices, equipment, machines and mechanisms and ensuring their compliance with current requirements);
- ensuring that the railway infrastructure has new performance characteristics, such as the ability to accommodate heavy freight trains and passenger trains at higher speeds or new dimensions.
Russian Railways investment budget in 2015 amounts to 414.1 billion rubles.
More than a half of the investments in 2015 are planned to target implementation of the projects based on the instructions from the Government of the Russian Federation and the President of the Russian Federation realization of which is carried with the help of the Government support.
In 2015 are scheduled initiated projects on BAM and Transsib modernization, Mezhdurechensk – Tayshet regiin complex reconstruction, Moscow transport hub development.
Active works will be carried out on development and renovation of the railway infrastructure near the Azov-Black Sea basin, building of the Prokhorovka-Zhuravka-Chertkovo-Bataisk railway line (new railway line on Zhuravka-Millerovo).
In 2015 works on carrying capacity progress will continue: Mga-Gatchina-Weimarn-Ivangorod road section reconstruction; Tobolsk-Surgut-Korotchaevo road section development; construction and reconstruction of engineering structures; second track construction; classification yards development.
Alongside with the head projects there will be also improvement of transportation process security: renovation of automatic services and telemechanics; electrification and electricity supply system; renovation of locomotive fascilities main funds. In order to boost transport accessability continue works on the passenger fascilities main funds (long-distance and suburban) and other projects dealing with scientific and constructive works, social development projects with contributions to other companies' authorized capital.
The pace of Russian economic development requires an appropriate improvement and development of the country's railway infrastructure since rail is Russia's main transport system.
The investment programme at Russian Railways is designed to deal with the following main tasks:
- eliminating bottlenecks on the rail network's main routes, taking into account the future volume of traffic, by constructing additional main track, developing railway stations, modernising automation and communications systems and carrying out other work
- renewing rolling stock
- ensuring the operational reliability and security of the transportation process by reducing the depreciation of fixed assets, increasing the reliability of equipment, devices and machinery and ensuring that they meet modern standards
- imparting to the railway infrastructure new performance and operational characteristics by increasing its ability to handle heavy freight trains and passenger trains travelling at faster speeds or with new dimensions
The Investment Budget at Russian Railways in 2014 amounts to 393.1 billion roubles.
In 2014, Russian Railways will continue large-scale infrastructure development. Above all, the Company's plans focus on the implementation of capital projects which have a significant influence on the development of the country's economy.
In the first instance, this involves the realisation of projects to implement instructions and orders from the President of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Russian Federation.
As a result of decisions made by the Government of the Russian Federation, state support in 2014 will be used to finance the modernisation of railway infrastructure (the Baikal-Amur Main Line and the Trans-Siberian Railway), a comprehensive reconstruction of the section between Mezhdurechensk - Taishet, the reconstruction of the section between M. Gorky - Kotelnikovo - Tikhoretskaya - Krymskaya, with a bypass around the Krasnodar Hub, as well as the development of the railway infrastructure of the Moscow Transport Hub.
Implementing the project to develop the railway infrastructure of Eastern Russia (Baikal-Amur Main Line and the Trans-Siberian) will not only enable the largest Russian companies to haul a further 55 million tons of freight annually, but will also contribute to the development of industrial enterprises in the region, create jobs and generate the necessary economic conditions for the effective and sustainable development of Siberia and the Far East.
Work on the comprehensive reconstruction of the section between Mezhdurechensk – Taishet is aimed at providing freight rail transport for clients of the Company' services and developing freight flows over the long-term, primarily from the Kyzyl – Kuragino line (Elegest coal field) in the amount of 12 million tons per annum to the ports of the Far East.
The measures to develop the railway infrastructure of the Moscow transport hub are aimed at increasing the through capacity and processing ability of the railway infrastructure as passenger traffic increases on the sections of the Moscow railway hub.
The aim of the investment project "Comprehensive Reconstruction of M. Gorky - Kotelnikovo - Tikhoretskaya - Krymskaya with the construction of a bypass around the Krasnodar Hub" is to reconstruct the railway infrastructure for the delivery of freight to the ports of the Azov- Black Sea Transport Hub (Novorossiysk, Tuapse, Kavkaz, Temruk and the new seaport of Taman), as well as to optimise operations at the Krasnodar hub and bypassing it by switching freight traffic to the section Timashevskaya - Krymskaya.
The total investment in projects required in order to implement instructions issued by the Government of the Russian Federation in 2014 is planned to reach 100.2 billion roubles, which is a quarter of the Company's total investment budget.
45.3 billion roubles in 2014 will be spent on projects related to safety and security. It is planned to spend the main part of the investment funds on updating automation and remote control devices, equipment and electric power and communications devices, as well as on the implementation of a two-way automatic blocking system.
Another important target for the Company's investment activities is the removal of infrastructure bottlenecks on the railway infrastructure. Russian Railways has allocated 123.2 billion roubles to achieve this aim in 2014.
These funds will be used to complete projects to increase the through capacity of the railway network.
In 2014, it is also planned to continue the reconstruction of the Mga - Gatchina - Vaimarn - Ivangorod section and railway approaches to ports on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland, start high-speed passenger traffic on the stretch between St. Petersburg - Buslovskaya (Stage 2), develop the section between Tobolsk - Surgut - Korotchaevo and commence the complex reconstruction of the stretch between Trybnaya - V. Baskunchak - Aksaraiskaya.
The Company's investment will not only focus on the development of infrastructure however, but also on renovation projects whose implementation is necessary to ensure the stable and safe operation of rail transport: the reconstruction of railway lines and the construction and reconstruction of artificial facilities.
For the upgrade of the railway lines, 75.5 billion roubles have been allocated in 2014. This will enable the reconstruction of 3,950,000 km of railway track (including the purchase of Russian-made rails).
It is planned to spend 101.1 billion roubles on rolling stock in 2014. The bulk of these funds (83.3 billion roubles) will go on renewing locomotives. Investments envisaged in the draft for the investment budget will allow the purchase of 629 new locomotives in 2014.
The Company will spend 13.3 billion roubles on other projects, including measures to improve transport accessibility for the population, in particular the infrastructure of the suburban commuter and long-distance passenger business, the introduction of resource-saving technologies and the development of the social sphere etc.
The Russian Railways' 2013 investment programme can be characterised as having:
- high capital intensity of investment projects;
- strategic importance for the state and the economy;
- a high priority in executing most projects (often irrespective of estimates regarding the commercial viability of the projects);
- provided unconditional participation of the state as one of the sources of funding for railway infrastructure development projects requiring considerable capital.
Total funds envisaged for the 2013 Investment Budget of Russian Railways amounted to 467.5 billion roubles, implementation at the end of the year amounted to 467.2 billion rubles, or 99.9%
In order to increase transparency in the use of investment funds, in 2013 the Russian Railways' Investment Budget was presented as a series of independent sections showing the distribution of funds based on the priority for their implementation in the context of key challenges:
- projects related to the implementation of instructions from the Government of the Russian Federation;
- safety and security;
- removing infrastructure bottlenecks;
- improving transport access for the population;
- renewing rolling stock;
- other projects.
In 2013, the Company fulfilled all the targets set for the current year, including the implementation of projects required to fulfil instructions from the Government of the Russian Federation.
The most significant and capital intensive project is the Combined (road and rail) Link between Adler – Alpika Service Skiing Resort with the construction of a second continuous railway line between Sochi – Adler – Vesyoloe, whose implementation is being carried out in order to ensure the transportation of spectators and participants in the Olympic Games by rail and road to the mountain stadium Krasnaya Polyana and the ice palaces in the Olympic Park in the Imeretinsky Valley.
Implementation of the project began in 2008 and was mostly financed from the federal budget, with the actual cost amounting to about 272 billion roubles.
In accordance with the approved schedule, work was also carried out on other projects whose construction was undertaken out in preparation for the XXII Olympic Winter Games to be held in Sochi in 2014.
The construction of the freight yard in the Adler district of Sochi was completed, while safety and security features have been installed at the Olympic facilities belonging to the mountain cluster infrastructure.
In 2013, the project "Organising Intermodal Transport from Kazan Train Station to Kazan International Airport" was completed. This project was undertaken in order to provide transportation at the XXVII World Summer Universiade, which was held in Kazan in 2013.
In the current year, work continues on the integrated project "Development of the Moscow Transport Hub." Ultimately, implementing the whole range of measures to develop railway infrastructure projects on the Moscow transport hub should lead to 1 billion passengers a year by 2020 and ensure the accessibility of the Moscow Airport Hub in view of the projected increase in passenger traffic. Further projects will also be implemented to organise high-speed electric train services between Moscow and its satellite towns, which will significantly reduce the load on suburban railway traffic, reduce travel time and create a comfortable environment for passengers.
As part of a comprehensive plan, the project "Establishment of High-Speed Trains between Moscow – Novoperedelkino" was completed.
The financing for the development of infrastructure on the Moscow Transport Hub came from the federal budget and the Company's own funds.
The Moscow Railway Hub is the largest hub on the railway network of Russian Railways. It a hub-and-spoke structure with 10 directions and Greater and Smaller Circumferential Rings.
In 2013, as part of its investment budget, Russian Railways launched projects to develop railway infrastructure in Eastern Russia. The Government of the Russian Federation made a decision to provide more than 260 billion roubles in public financing for the development and modernisation of the railway infrastructure of Eastern Russia up to 2018.
In order to ensure safety in 2013, the following key measures were implemented:
- fire safety (electric interlocking positions, stations);
- reconstruction and construction for technical and communal purposes;
- upgrading facilities belonging to the terminal and warehouse complex;
- ensuring the security of vital functions;
- ensuring the technological stability of the production process.
The section on removing infrastructure bottlenecks includes projects to increase through capacity on access routes to Russia's major ports and develop the infrastructure of the other directions (construction of additional main lines, extending station receiving and departure tracks, development of railway hubs). In 2013, within the framework of the above projects, implementation of a set of technical and technological measures continued in order to ensure the passage of the forecast freight flows through railway sections and stations. The bulk of the investment allocated to address this problem was assigned to the following projects:
- complex reconstruction of the stretch between Mga - Gatchina - Vaimarn - Ivangorod and the rail access routes to ports on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland;
- the development of high-speed passenger traffic between St. Petersburg - Buslovskaya;
- comprehensive reconstruction of the section between Trybnaya – V. Baskunchak – Aksaraiskaya;
- the development of the stretch between Tobolsk - Surgut;
- the complex reconstruction of the stretch beween Karymskaya - Zabaikalsk (electrification of the stretch between Borzya - Zabaikalsk, development of Zabaikalsk station) and other stretches;
- Reconstruction of the section between Komsomolsk-on-Amur - Sovetskaya Gavan, with the construction of a new Kuznetsovsky tunnel etc.
As part of the project "Construction and Reconstruction of Artificial Structures", the following facilities have been commissioned: a tunnel at the 1436th kilometre on the section between Agryz – Druzhinino Gorky, a bridge over the Nitsa Sverdlovsk river, the Obluchinsky tunnel (Phase 1) on the stretch between Obluchye – Izvestkovaya on Far Eastern Railways, as well as 33 small and medium-sized man-made structures and facilities and 15 objects filled in with roadbed.
To reduce non-production injuries, 6 reconstructed pedestrian bridges were commissioned at Kurovskaya, Shatura, Uyar, Zabaikalsk and Pervaya Rechka stations and the 64th kilometre on the section between Kholmsk – Severnyi on Moscow, Krasnoyarsk. Transbaikal and Far Eastern Railways.
In order to improve transport accessibility for the population of the country, projects were implemented aimed at the renewal of fixed assets in the (commuter and long-distance) passenger business aimed at reconstructing passenger facilities, platforms and stations.
Within the framework of the project "Reconstruction of the Long-Distance Railway Station Complex" the reconstruction of Leningrad, Paveletsky, Yaroslavl, Belarusian, Riga and Savelovsky stations in Moscow was completed.
In the section on renewing rolling stock, a major part of the funds in 2013 were allocated to updating traction rolling stock, which allowed the Company to purchase 804 locomotive units.
Besides traction rolling stock, 450 motor car units were also purchased in 2013. The purchase of suburban rolling stock by Russian Railways is part of its investment programme and is needed to maintain the fleet's technical condition at the level required to provide quality services for passengers on suburban routes.
In the section on other projects in 2013, funds were directed to:
- the introduction of technologies to save resources and energy,
- contributing funds to the share capital of the joint stock companies;
- acquiring shares in other third-party organisations;
- social development projects.
The initial investment budget for 2012 at Russian Railways was approved by the Board of Directors on 29.11.2011 and at 428.4 billion roubles was the largest in the Company's history. However, due to a combination of measures to reduce costs and increase the Company's efficiency in 2012, the investment budget was increased by 12.4% to 53.2 billion roubles. In addition in December 2012, the investment budget of the Company has been optimized for the amount of 10.7 billion rubles.
As a result, the total investment budget at Russian Railways in 2012 amounted to 481.6 billion roubles.
The main priorities of the 2012 investment programme are as follows:
- implementing government programmes to prepare railway infrastructure for the APEC summit in Vladivostok in 2012, the Summer Universiade in 2013 and the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi - about 73.2 billion roubles
- ensuring transport security and safety - about 67.9 billion roubles
- implementing projects to remove infrastructure constraints and bottlenecks - about 178.5 billion roubles
In order to put the right railway infrastructure in place for the APEC summit, Universiade and the Olympic Games, the following projects were conducted:
- combined rail and road link between Adler - Alpika Service mountain resort
- intermodal passenger transport between Kazan railway station and Kazan International Airport
- intermodal passenger transport between Vladivostok and Vladivostok Airport
In order to ensure transportation safety and security, the Company carried out the following activities:
- the improvement of traffic safety and security
- the upgrading of companies and enterprises involved in the track complex and permanent way complex
- environmental safety
- fire safety (electric switching points, stations)
- a programme of corporate informatisation (automated transportation process)
Projects associated with the removal of infrastructure constraints include increasing the capacity on approaches to Russia's major ports and improving the public's access to transport.
In 2012, the Company will therefore continue to implement major investment projects such as:
- the complete reconstruction of the stretch between Mga - Gatchina - Veimarn - Ivangorod and of railway approaches to the ports on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland
- the reconstruction the stretch between Komsomolsk-on-Amur - Sovetskaya Gavan with the construction of a new Kuznetsovsky tunnel
- the comprehensive reconstruction of the stretch between Maxim Gorky - Kotelnikovo - Tikhoretskaya - Krimskay with a bypass around the Krasnodar hub
- the development of the Moscow transport hub the construction of an additional main line between Moscow - Kryukovo
Russian Railways sent 75.7 billion roubles on rolling stock in 2012 and, in particular, bought about 532 locomotives and 475 car units.
In 2012, 10,400 km of track was undergo various kinds of repair - the same amount as in 2011.
In addition, the Company was reconstructed more than 370 km of the contact system and upgraded more than 762 electric switching points.
Structure of Russian Railways Capital Investments (Million Rubles, excluding VAT)
|Total, including:
|480 066.9
|467 220.1
|395 966.6
|365 466.6
|424 144.5
|Projects related to the implementation of instructions from the Government of the Russian Federation
|96 758.3
|95 941.1
|68 371.5
|138 863.1
|211 576.3
|Intermodal passenger transport between Vladivostok - Knevichi Airport organisation
|1 460.0
|Development of railway infrastructure to serve the transport needs of the XXVII World Summer Universiade 2013
|7 460.2
|1 827.9
|Combined (Road and Rail) Link between Adler - Alpika Service Ski Resort with the construction of a continuous second railway line between Sochi - Adler - Vesyoloe
|57 978.6
|38 800.8
|Infrastructure development in preparation for the Olympic Games
|6 544.0
|5 417.1
|Comprehensive reconstruction of the section between M. Gorky - Kotelnikovo - Tikhoretskaya -Krymskaya with a bypass around the Krasnodar Hub*
|6 451.4
|1 518.7
|3 838.2
|5 825.3
|22 677.8
|Integrated development of the section between Mezhdurechensk -Tayshet at Krasnoyarsk Railways*
|2 199,9
|1 709.0
|4 639.7
|5 949.4
|10 794.3
|Modernisation of the railway infrastructure on the Baikal-Amur and Trans-Siberian Main Lines with the development of through and carrying capacity*
|4 072.8
|21 656.1
|64 208.8
|111 530.7
|Development of the Moscow Transport Hub (including construction of an additional main line between Moscow - Kryukovo**
|14 516.2
|42 309.4
|36 504.4
|47 750.7
|42 010.6
|Second track construction and electrification on Vyborg-Primorsk-Ermilovo railway section
|3 768.5
|2 764.1
|Construction of Prockhorovka-Zhuravka-Chertkovo-Bataisk railway line
|6 310.3
|15 834.3
|Construction of high-speed railway "Moscow-Kazan"
|5 050.0
|5 964.5
|Russian Railways' own projects:
|383 308.6
|371 279.0
|327 595.1
|226 603.6
|212 568.1
|Ensuring rail transport safety
|66 858.2
|56 107.6
|46 900.2
|44 289.5
|48 460.2
|Removing infrastructure constraint
|169 342.8
|161 435.1
|140 297.3
|74 312.7
|43 471.2
|Improving the Russian population's access to transport
|21 758.9
|17 217.5
|12 389.6
|8 184.8
|14 768.8
|Renewing rolling stock,including:
|75 520.2
|118 682.4
|104 408.8
|88 788.4
|91 185.4
|Traction rolling stock
|61 944.3
|92 455.6
|83 994.5
|66 204.3
|75 153.2
|Freight rolling stock
|Passenger and freight rolling stock (purchase of leased property)
|Motorised train units
|12 704.5
|25 856.0
|20 141.8
|22 273.4
|15 742.2
|Other Projects
|49 828.5
|17 836.5
|23 599.2
|11 028.2
|14 682.4
* - in previous years, projects were effected in the section "Removing Infrastructure Bottlenecks";
** - in previous years, projects were effected in the section "Improving the Population's Access to Transport".


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Archive for the 'Missouri' Category
MARC submits rail study application
Talk radio stalwart KMBZ reports that
Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders the Mid-America Regional Council has submitted an application to the Federal Transit Administration to fund a formal study of his the rapid rail presentation. We'll try to get a copy of the application and post it here.
UPDATE: MARC actually submitted the application. Download the Jackson County Regional Alternatives Analysis Application. Kansas City, KCATA, and Jackson County participated in developing the application.Comments are off for this post
What it's like to ride a DMU
One of the details in Mike Sanders' rapid_rail_presentation is the proposal to use diesel multiple units (DMUs) — a passenger rail vehicle propelled by an onboard diesel engine. This is unique because most commuter rail operators run conventional locomotives pulling (or pushing) conventional passenger rail coaches. Regional examples of conventional commuter rail are Chicago's Metra, Dallas' TRE, Minneapolis' Northstar, and Nashville's Music City Star).
DMUs are easily confused with electrically-powered light rail vehicles and modern streetcars, and the difference is slight: other than the powertrain and the lack of overhead wires, DMUs that run on freight rail tracks must conform to strict crash regulations. This, unfortunately, makes them heavy. At the same time a DMU can be (arguably) cheaper to operate on routes with light demand.
To make matters even more confusing, one of the few places in America where DMUs operate — New Jersey Transit's River Line — is actually called a light rail line. We can't even tell you that the terms "commuter rail" and "light rail" are even 100% distinct, since systems bearing either label can perform similar goals — transporting commuters to and from the urban core — over similar distances. A good rule of thumb, however, is that light rail better serves urban environments with closer stops; commuter rail better serves suburbs with stops spaced further apart… regardless of the vehicle type or fuel source.
We had a chance to ride a DMU transit route on a recent trip to Portland. The TriMet's Westside Express Service has been in operation since 2009 and serves four suburbs. We'd like to be the one to tell you that this route was trouble-free to construct and operate, but that would be a lie.
Regardless, the day we rode WES it was glitch-free, on-time, full of passengers, and included in our $4.75 all-day transit pass (unusual for US commuter rail). The sensation was a mash-up of riding any other train with the subtle reminder that a large diesel engine was underfoot (and releasing particulate pollution, although not nearly as much as if all riders had chosen to drive congested I-5 instead). Bikes were onboard — you can't really avoid them in Portland, even if you tried — and the easy transfer from light rail, plush seats, and a friendly conductor made our brief trip a pleasant experience.
As for the Sanders proposal, the reliance on DMUs for all-day service on multiple lines would indeed make it unique in all of North America, perhaps the world. The company that built the WES vehicles has reincorporated in Ohio — with a Missouri-based partner, no less — and plans to resume production soon. Hopefully they will engineer improvements that make the vehicles more reliable for daily service.1 comment
Crossing the river is about to get easier
MoDOT broke ground today on Kansas City's first, safe Missouri River crossing for pedestrians and bicycles… ever.
See the video above for the Heart of America Bridge makeover.
Believe it or not, crossing the river on foot or bike today is a very dicey affair — unlike almost all other river cities. There is literally no room on the Broadway Bridge, Heart of America traffic zooms along at 50+ mph, and MoDOT slammed the door on ped/bike access on the brand-new Paseo Bridge.
The Heart of America crossing will be barrier-separated, although users will need to start their trip on 3rd Street in the River Market or on Burlington Street in North Kansas City. Auto users are treated to a plethora of access options.
This new crossing is even more necessary when you consider the limited transit options connecting the two halves of Kansas City — bus service is limited after 6 p.m., and non-existent on Sundays.
The HOA bridge had been tagged as the river crossing in most of the light rail plans that crossed into the northland. However, it was deemed in recent plans to be incapable of handling full light rail vehicles and would need to be rebuilt.4 comments
Midwest HSR meeting this weekend
We'll be attending the Midwest High Speed Rail Association's Annual Meeting this weekend in Chicago and will do our best to offer live coverage via Twitter.
This event tends to be heavily focused on Illinois, but there will be an overview of passenger rail projects funded by the Recovery Act (which includes Missouri). There will also be an overview of a French proposal for 220 mph service in the Midwest, which includes a link to Kansas City.Comments are off for this post
Sanders to discuss commuter rail at Central Exchange
This is the item to break our months-long silence: Jackson County CEO Mike Sanders will present his Regional Rail Plan to the Central Exchange on Jan. 26. Members attend for free, non-members pay $30. And yes, men are very much welcome to attend.
We haven't heard a peep out of Sanders since he unveiled his plan to a surprised media way back in October. It was well over a month before any information even appeared on the Jackson County website (don't let that date stamp fool you). The description for next week's event still maintains that stimulus money is being sought to pay for construction, even though all stimulus deadlines related to transit have already passed and it's not a given that a new jobs bill will include transit funding (assuming such a bill even passes, considering the results of this week's special election in Massachusetts).3 comments
Sanders set to unveil commuter rail plan
The Independence Examiner reports today that Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders is planning to unveil a regional commuter rail system that covers three counties on the Missouri side of the metro — Jackson, Clay, and Platte.
Sanders has been quietly showing these plans to local leaders – mayors, economic development officials, railroads – for some time. He said the 2,000 or so people who have peaked [sic] at the plans have embraced the idea quickly.
"The majority of cities in Eastern Jackson County are on board," Blue Springs Mayor Carson Ross said.
On the Kansas side, Wyandotte County could conceivably participate as it does today by contract with KCATA. Johnson County has denounced any sort of true, bi-state transit entity — and don't expect that to change anytime soon. There's no indication who would operate the DMU-style service, but a well-known operator sits right in our backyard.
The plan is the result of planning work that began in the spring.
No capital funding has been identified for the estimated $1 billion cost, but county officials pledge trips to Washington for a majority of the cost (presumably in an earmark from retiring Senator You-Know-Who, since the next federal transportation bill is in limbo).
When it's needed someday, just adding a fourth lane to Interstate 70 from downtown Kansas City to I- 435 near the stadiums will cost about $3 billion.
Operational funding would require a new sales tax of as little as 1/8-cent for each of the three counties, which share a population of just under one million. Presumably, some routes would negate the need for KCATA express bus routes paid for today out of affected cities' general funds (Independence, Raytown, Blue Springs, Lee's Summit, and Liberty).
Some cities would be served that have no transit service at all, such as Grandview, Riverside, Kearney, and Oak Grove.
The proposed system appears to follow the Commuter Corridors that are part of MARC's SmartMoves regional transit plan. A few complementary projects (here, here, here, and here) have also been submitted to MARC's long-range transportation plan.
The terminus at Union Station would be served by the downtown streetcar proposed by KCATA.13 comments
Take MoDOT's long-distance bus survey
Often forgotten in transit circles is the long-distance, or inter-city, bus — especially in KC since stations are nearly invisible. Greyhound and Jefferson are still serving more passengers here than Amtrak (from a small-yet-tidy facility at 11th and Troost; upstart MegaBus is a hidden gem for cheap trips to Columbia, St. Louis, or Chicago (from a lonely bus stop pole at the 3rd and Grand park-and-ride… don't blink!).
Options within the state are fairly limited, however, so MoDOT is asking for your input on experiences and needs for possible expansion of LD bus service within the state and the area.
If you've actually used the services that the market provides KC today, you know connectivity is a major issue. St. Louis has resolved this with the new Gateway Multimodal Center (combining LD and local bus, light rail, taxi, and Amtrak). Ideally, all services should be combined at Union Station's existing footprint, but that would probably require an ownership change (transit hubs aren't big profit centers).11 comments
MoDOT continues lobbying against Complete Streets
Read this update from the Missouri Bicycle Federation. Complete Streets is a concept that makes streets accessible to all users, not just cars. Similar measures are being debated and passed around the country (Hawaii is the most recent).
So does it make sense for a state DOT to spend taxpayer money to lobby against legislation that affects them? We'll answer that for you: NO.Comments are off for this post
General Assembly, City = FAIL
The Missouri General Assembly defeated a budget amendment for KCATA emergency aid yesterday. We're back to being a city that's allowing fare hikes, service cuts, and layoffs. Yes, this was a choice our city leadership made without exhibiting any public interest in a back-up plan, leaving KCATA to fend for itself.
As we continue to starve the system we have it's clear there is simply no leadership on transit in this city whether it's for a light rail campaign or for preventing service cuts (that were 100% preventable).
Please take the time to thank Sens. Yvonne Wilson and Jolie Justus for their valiant efforts.3 comments
URGENT: Help prevent service cuts!
This just arrived in our inbox…
1 comment
Kansas City's bus system needs your help TODAY!
In an unexpected move last night, lawmakers passed a stimulus bill that provided $12 million for St. Louis' transit system and ZERO dollars for Kansas City.
While we support the funding for St. Louis, Kansas City should not be left behind. Particularly, when our community has voted repeatedly to support public transit. Without this one-time funding, critical service cuts will go into effect in June.
There is still a chance to get money for Kansas City. The Senate Appropriations Committee meets at 1p.m. today.
We need your help to convince legislators to also provide funding for the Kansas City bus system.
Please use the contact information provided below to e-mail or call the key legislators considering this issue by 1p.m.. Please give them a simple, personal message based on the following important points:
* Tell them why public transit is important to you,
* Tell them it's an outrage that Kansas City isn't getting any money, and
* Ask them to include funding for the KCATA.
Thank you for your support.
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA)
Legislator Contact Information
Please call and/or e-mail these three legislators TODAY!
President Pro Tem
Senator Charlie Shields
(573) 751-9476
Majority Floor Leader
Senator Kevin Engler
(573) 751-3455
Majority Caucus Whip
Senator Tom Dempsey
(573) 751-1141
Minority Caucus Secretary
Senator Yvonne Wilson
(573) 751-9758
Senator Gary Nodler, Chair
(573) 751-2306
Senator Rob Mayer, Vice-Chair
(573) 751-3859
If you have time, please also contact your own State Senator today! Click here to find your State Senator's contact information.
Thank you!