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The stakes for Microsoft's Windows 8 and Surface launch just got a lot higher, at least in my house.
Here's the story: My wife and I have been talking for a while about buying an iPad for the family, primarily for her to use for checking email, Twitter, Facebook and light web browsing.
Last night, I convinced her to put the money toward a Microsoft Surface instead. Our preorder is in, and there's a 32GB Surface with black Touch Cover ($599 + tax) scheduled for delivery at our place by Oct. 26, a little more than a week from now.
Here's hoping my marriage survives.
Why did I do this? As longtime readers know, I've been saying for years that Microsoft should be making its own computers, overseeing and integrating not only the operating system, services and applications, but also the hardware. My big beef with Windows PCs over the years is that they often feel disjointed, like the OS and the machine come from different places … which, of course, they normally do.
With Microsoft finally giving the integrated approach a shot, I felt like it was right to put my money (actually, our money) where my mouth is.
Yes, I know there are lots of inherent risks involved in putting down hundreds of dollars on a Version 1 product from an unproven PC maker. There will be benefits (Xbox integration is a big selling point in our house) and drawbacks (I'm not convinced that the Windows 8 app ecosystem will be strong enough out of the gate) and no doubt plenty of surprises once we start using the Surface every day.
Of course, the decision for me is a little bit different than it is for most everyone else out there, because I'll be able to document the customer and user experience — good, bad or otherwise — here on GeekWire. So at the very least, we'll get some posts out of it.
But as I told my wife, I'm sure this thing is going to be great … right Steve Ballmer?


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Movies We Like
The Cable Guy
Like a paranoid science-fiction film from the '70s, The Cable Guy pretends to be about the threat of technology and America's addiction to television. In the mid 1990s, was the developing "information super-highway" a potentially scary thing? This was Ben Stiller's directional follow up to Reality Bites, his would-be Gen-X anthem, and they both play almost like period pieces now. The Cable Guy's underlying messages may not be very convincing, but as a showcase for Jim Carrey's insane performance it hits its mark perfectly.
With TV's In Living Color Carrey had become a comedy name, but with the surprise hit, the messy Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and its even lazier sequel Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, he became a box office super star. With his rubber face and goofy physical comedy in films like The Mask and later Dumb & Dumber Carrey he was also becoming popular with the kiddies. Though he had played a villain with some great physicality as The Riddler in the otherwise forgettable Batman Forever, it surprised many audience members when he popped up in '96 in such a dark and mean-spirited comedy as The Cable Guy. (His $20 million paycheck at the time also got a lot of flack from those audiences who fret over actors' salaries.)
Carrey's Cable Guy is an insane stalker; we learn from some Midnight Cowboy style flashbacks that he was raised on too much TV (he takes the name from obvious Nick at Nite characters, Chip Douglas and Larry Tate). After installing the cable of Steven (Matthew Broderick), a sad sack recently dumped by his girlfriend, the Cable Guy pursues his friendship. Carry's Cable Guy has a bad lisp and he's a needy nerd, but in a couple of hilarious moments the Cable Guy's ugly violent side comes out. He goes all medieval on Steven in a fight at a Medieval Times theme restaurant and then gets too aggressive at a pickup basketball game. He tries to give Steven advice on his breakup, quoting Jerry Springer's "Final Thoughts." But when Steven hooks up with an attractive woman after the Cable Guy's hosted karaoke party and finds out she was a paid hooker, it's the final straw. He breaks off their friendship and that is when the Cable Guy, and the film, gets rather nasty. It's dark, but maybe too "zany" to be called a "black comedy," but Carrey's amazing performance is almost spoofing a melodramatic "black comedy" performance.
The karaoke party is the film's highlight. Jim Carrey's performance of Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody To Love" is one of Carrey's best on screen moments. When Steven's ex-girlfriend, Robin, is on a date with a pompous ass (a wonderfully smug Owen Wilson) the Cable Guy gives him a delirious beating in the men's room. It's Carrey physically at his best, dancing around and doing impromptu be-bop jazz. Robin is played by Leslie Mann, wife of the film's producer, Judd Apatow, the usual source of her casting. Apatow was also a producer of Stiller's sketch comedy show, The Ben Stiller Show, and alums from that show all pop in for cameos: Andy Dick, Janeane Garofalo, and Bob Odenkirk (as well as Odenkirks's Mr. Show castmates, David Cross and Jack Black, who has a substantial role as Steven's best pal).
Though the film loses some edge in the second half as the Cable Guy worms his way into Robin and Steven's family life and the almost apocalyptic ending is rather lame (without TV people instantly discover the magic of reading), it's still Ben Stiller's most interesting outing as a feature film director. The Cable Guy may not hit all its intended notes, but the ambition is admirable. Stiller would go on to direct the sketchy hit-or-miss comedies Zoolander and Tropic Thunder (as well as the great little cult TV pilot, Heat Vision And Jack, starring Jack Black). At one time there was talk of Stiller directing a film version of Budd Schulberg's anti-Hollywood (and some critics have said anti-Jewish) 1941 novel, What Makes Sammy Run? Now Stiller taking on Sammy Glick would really be ambitious.
After The Cable Guy, which was both financially and critically deemed unsuccessful by most, Carrey continued with comedies (Liar, Liar etc.), but he would also veer off in a more dramatic direction. He did an amazing Andy Kaufman impression in Milo Foreman's enjoyable biopic, Man On The Moon. And he would receive a lot of good will for his warm performances in Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind and The Truman Show, but like Robin Williams before him, it often seems that "drama" for Carrey means talking slower and softer. The Cable Guy is Carrey at his most dangerous. Hopefully one day Carrey will find another role in a non-kiddie film that can use his physical skills, show his "dramatic" side, and also let him again use the darker places in his own personality. When Carrey goes dark, as he gets to do in The Cable Guy, it's an exciting thing to watch.


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The Community Education Department schedules activities in the indoor pool at the High School during non-school hours, weekends, and summers. Check out the programs that are scheduled and contact the Community Education Office for pool rentals.
Youth: $2.00Adult: $3.0015 Punch Ticket: $40.00Yearly Pass: Individual, $125.00 Family $250.00
Morning Fitness SwimOpen SwimLearn to SwimLifeguard TrainingWater Safety Instructor Training
Birthday Parties-Group Outings-Family Events. The Indoor Swimming Pool at the High School can be rented for your special event! Rentals must be made at least TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE and are confirmed only after a lifeguard and supervisor are arranged. Call the Community Education Office at 269-5026 for rental information. Rates In District $33/hour-30 or less $40/hour-31 or more Out District $40/hour-30 or less $43/hour-31 or more


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Harsh winter's impact to linger in Michigan
DETROIT -- The harshest winter in decades isn't done affecting Michigan just yet.
This shudder-inducing winter has had a little bit of everything in the state: near-record snowfall — 90.7 inches and counting in metro Detroit, nearing an all-time mark of 93.6 inches set in the winter of 1880-81; the second-most days below zero in a winter ever in the Flint area — 27, one day shy of the all-time record set in 1962-63, and a Great Lakes system that reached 92% ice cover this month — the most in 34 years and the second-most ever.
But going into spring, this winter will continue to have impacts from flooding to fruit, deer die-offs to stalled shipping, and from bees to your sneeze. Here are just some of the ways the winter of 2013-14 will not soon be forgotten.
Expect spring to arrive with shivering temps
Expect a cooler-than-usual start to spring. Normally, the relatively open water of the Great Lakes warms frigid air coming from the northwest into Michigan. It's why states such as Minnesota and Wisconsin during cold snaps often have temperatures a dozen or more degrees colder than Michigan's readings, said Frank Marsik, an atmospheric research scientist at the University of Michigan.
But with more ice cover on the Great Lakes lasting longer into the spring, "we're losing the moderating effect of the lakes," he said.
A deep snowpack across most of the state won't help, he added.
"If we've got very soggy ground, more of that energy from spring's sunny days is going into evaporating that water in the ground, rather than warming things up," Marsik said.
Major flooding possible in parts of Michigan
Sharon Chapman looks at the ice cover remaining on the Huron River just steps from her house, the deep snow still on the ground, and she knows what's coming.
"There's concern for flooding — we haven't had any meltdowns at all," said Chapman, who lives just downriver from Ore Lake in Hamburg Township. "It's been years since I've seen Ore Lake and the river this ice-covered, this late."
The National Weather Service says Hamburg Township is the area most in jeopardy of experiencing major flooding this spring — the kind that can damage homes, make roads impassable, force evacuations, even put lives at risk. The Weather Service puts the area's major flood risk at 56%.
Other areas also are at risk. The National Weather Service reports moderate to major flooding risk throughout much of southeast Michigan, with the river systems near Flint and Saginaw, and the River Raisin basin that includes Dundee and Blissfield, among the areas with particularly higher risks.
Among the frightening potential scenarios is ice-jamming — ice breaking off in large chunks that bunch together and dam rivers — causing water to build up before the dams give way and cause even worse flood conditions, said Danny Costello, a hydrologist for the National Weather Service's station in White Lake Township.
Adding concern this year is the high water content in the snow on the ground.
"Usually ... we had mini-thaws that lessened the water in the snowpack before the big melt," he said. "This is probably the highest I've seen water content in the snowpack. We're looking at 3 to 5 inches of water locked in the snowpack around the area."
By comparison, 2 inches of water trapped in ground snow would be considered high in a typical March, Costello said.
Many deer won't make it; turkeys are stressed
When it comes to Michigan's wildlife surviving this winter, "in general, the story isn't good," said Russ Mason, chief of the state Department of Natural Resources' Wildlife Division.
A deer die-off is expected in the Upper and northern Lower peninsulas, though how bad it will be biologists still don't know, Mason said.
"Our Forest Resources Division has reached out to timber jobbers to leave tree tops on the ground or leave their cut-down trees on the ground for a day or so, so the deer can nibble on them," he said.
The die-off could mean fewer antlerless deer licenses next deer season — or no such licenses at all, Mason said.
Severe impacts on turkeys throughout the Lower Peninsula also are expected.
"In southern Michigan, we have people talking about seeing turkeys at their bird feeders for the first time," Mason said. "That's a sign they are highly stressed."
Fish die-offs in shallower lakes are likely, as longer-than-usual ice cover prevents oxygenation of the water, Mason said.
Allergy season could start later and be worse
Seasonal allergies occur in all four seasons for Linda Reid.
"I sneeze seven times and then my throat feels like I could take a hairbrush and brush it; it's just so itchy," she said.
Popping allergy pills becomes a regular part of spring, the Detroit resident said. And this year, because of this winter, Reid faces both good and bad news.
"I suspect in most places, the spring pollen season is going to be late," said Estelle Levetin, a biology professor at the University of Tulsa and past chair of the aerobiology committee of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
The bad news?
"Unfortunately, what may happen is, it may compress the season, so you'll have unusually high pollen levels over a shorter period of time," Levetin said.
Honeybees in jeopardy, but mosquitoes just fine
Honeybees, the crucial insects to crop pollination that already are dying off at alarming rates because of a mysterious colony collapse disorder, could face further hardships from this tough winter, said Jamin Eisenbach, an entomology professor at Eastern Michigan University.
Bee colonies stay alive through winter by huddling around their queen and warming one another by vibrating, Eisenbach said.
"They consume an amazing amount of honey all winter long," he said. "They can deal with this cold, but if it persists and they run out of honey, they can't stay warm."
But here's some good news, at least for mosquitoes — they should be fine. They produce a kind of natural antifreeze and shut down metabolically for the winter, Eisenbach said.
"Many of the flood-water-breeding mosquitoes laugh at this kind of winter," he said.
Farmers fret floods, late freezes will harm crops
Winter's biggest impact on field crops will be the existing snow and when it melts, according to Martin Nagelkirk, a field crops educator with the Michigan State University Extension based in Sandusky, Mich.
"We're concerned about where all of that snowmelt is going to go, the flooding of fields and delays in planting," he said.
Some crops are already in the ground, such as winter wheat and hay, he said. And any prolonged ice sheeting or water ponding could be damaging.
"Some of the crops, we'd like to start putting in the ground in another month — sugar beets, alfalfa seedlings," Nagelkirk said. "In six weeks, we'd like to be planting corn and soybeans in earnest.... We might attain that, but this weather pattern certainly begs the question."
Jim King, a co-owner of King Orchards in Central Lake, said his fruit trees can take 10-below temperatures. The problem is, temperatures reached 15 below and 18 below this winter.
"Our most tender crops would be apricots, peaches and sweet cherry trees," he said. "Was it enough to wipe them out? I don't know. I'm hoping that any damage was minimal."


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Welcome to Phoebe Hearst Preschool
The Phoebe Hearst Preschool Learning Center is a "child-centered" preschool, committed to the growth of each child in a caring environment that nurtures self-acceptance and exploration. Our preschool environment is a testament to a belief in childhood.
Here's what current parents are saying:
Phoebe Hearst is a wonderful environment for our son. The teachers are caring, motivated, and collaborative in thinking about how to develop each child individually. As parents, we always feel very much a partner and engaged in our son's life at school, as well as school activities like the annual auction, soccer games, etc. A great plus are the facilities which were purpose-built for a preschool: full of light, every classroom opens out to a large playground, where the kids spend a good amount of time each day. The school administration is efficient and helpful, and an invaluable guide to families in the kindergarten application process. Very important to us, we have met an outstanding and diverse group of friends at the school.– A. Martin


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- Just Released
- Sale Bestsellers
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- Bible Study & Small Group
- Bulk Discounts on Books & Bibles
- Christian Book Award Winners
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Product Description
Preschoolers can't help but notice all the new wonders of spring, and An Easter Prayer Touch and Feel makes these wonders even more fun The adorable art, touch-and-feel elements throughout the book, and sweet rhymes will appeal to little ones, making this the perfect gift for Easter time.
Children can thank God for springtime blessings in a whole new way with fun touch-and-feel elements throughout the book, feeling the soft fur of a bunny or the silky petals of a flower.
From award-winning author Amy Parker, An Easter Prayer Touch and Feel will be a great way to start the Easter celebration with your little one. Parker has sold more than a million books, proving that she understands what appeals to children. Put a copy of An Easter Prayer Touch and Feel in every Easter basket
More Product Information
- Publisher: Thomas Nelson
- Release Date: February 5, 2019
- Pages: 12
- Language: English
- Binding: Board Books
- Height: 0.40 inches
- Width: 7.90 inches
- Length: 8.00 inches
- Weight: 0.60 pounds
- Recommended Age Range: 02 through 05 years
- Recommended Grade Range: Preschool through Kindergarten


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The Global Wildfire Challenge & Learning To Live With Fire
2019-04-05: Let us imagine, for a moment, that we are in another dimension … The Twilight Zone …
… and that this is a Positive Energy Building, set in a sprawling, diverse, interconnected and flourishing Woodland … an idealized scene … the Sustainability Idyll …
But … is it … ??
What percentage of the world's population would ever, ever have the opportunity to live this way ???
And … lurking all around this beautiful scene, is an inherent and growing threat to life, property, and those trees and shrubs … Wildfires !
The Aim of Sustainable Fire Engineering (SFE) is to dramatically reduce direct and indirect fire losses in the Human Environment (including the social, built, economic, virtual, and institutional environments) … to protect the Natural Environment … and, within Buildings, to ensure that there is an effective level of Fire Safety for All Users/Occupants, not just for Some, during the full building life cycle.
[ Human Environment: Anywhere there is, or has been, an intrusion by a human being in the Natural Environment.]
So … how do we reduce direct and indirect fire losses in the Human Environment … and improve its Resilience ?
A recent publication provides a good platform to begin this serious conversation …
December 2018 … the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), which is based in Vienna, published Occasional Paper No. 32: 'GLOBAL FIRE CHALLENGES IN A WARMING WORLD – Summary Note of a Global Expert Workshop on Fire and Climate Change' …
GLOBAL FIRE CHALLENGES IN A WARMING WORLD – Summary Note of a Global Expert Workshop on Fire and Climate Change (PDF File, 4.72MB)
Executive Summary
Today, catastrophic wildfires are increasingly common across the globe. Recent disasters have attracted media attention and strengthened the perception of wildfires as 'bad' events, a plague worsened by climate change that has yet to be eradicated. Although it is true that fire has a destructive potential, the reality of global fire activity depicts a much more complex picture in which fire can be a useful, if not necessary, tool for food security and the preservation of cultural landscapes, as well as a an integral element of many ecosystems and their biodiversity.
Global fire activity is shaped by diverse social, economic, and natural drivers influencing the fire environment. The culminating complexity of these factors defines, in turn, the likelihood of a landscape to burn and the potential positive or negative outcomes for communities and ecosystems that can result from a blaze. Although many regions remain understudied, the effects of ongoing climate change associated with other planetary changes are already visible, transforming fire activity in ways that are not well understood but are likely to be dramatic, with potential dire consequences for nature, and society in case of adaptation failure.
Based on the limited available statistics, there is a growing trend in the cost of wildfires. In addition to human lives that are lost to flames or smoke and the billions of euros imputable to firefighting and insurance coverage, the growing interest in costs linked to healthcare, business stability, or the provision of ecosystem services such as drinking-water indicates negative economic consequences impacting countries' GDP and social stability. Attempts to evaluate the future costs of wildfire disasters point at a worsening situation, yet the list of possible social and economic effects is incomplete and the magnitude of envisaged impacts is conservative.
Notwithstanding the difficulties inherent to global climate modelling, there is a scientific consensus on the future increase in the frequency of fire-conducive weather associated with drier ecosystems, a mix that will eventually result in more frequent and intense fire activity. When combined with an ever-growing world population and unsustainable land uses, the conditions leading to fire disaster will only be intensified. Although fire governance has historically advocated for fire suppression, a No Fire motto is not an option anymore in the new fire reality. Current policies aiming at total fire suppression have been shown to be detrimental and are therefore outdated. The key to wildfire disaster risk reduction in a changing world now lies in learning to live with fire.
Investments in international co-operation, integrated management, local community involvement, cutting-edge technologies, and long-term data collection are critically needed to ensure the future of fire disaster risk mitigation. Moreover, future land development policies must prioritize the protection and the restoration of natural and cultural landscapes that have been degraded by the inappropriate use of fire or, conversely, by historical fire exclusion; keeping a place for fire in forest resource management and landscape restoration has been shown to be a cost-effective and efficient solution to reduce fire hazard.
Overall, synthesis of globally available scientific evidence revealed the following key issues for landscape management and governance:
- Climate change, with longer, hotter, and drier fire seasons, in combination with other environmental changes linked to population growth and unsustainable land-use practices, is contributing to extreme wildfire events that exceed existing fire management capacities. The world is entering a 'new reality' that demands new approaches to fire governance.
- Fire is an inherent feature of the Earth System and many ecosystems, including their fauna, are dependent on it for their long-term survival; nevertheless, ongoing changes in global fire activity in terms of location, intensity, severity, and frequency will have immense costs for biodiversity, ecosystem services, human well-being and livelihoods, and national economies – to extents that have yet to be evaluated. Investment in social, economic, and environmental monitoring is therefore urgent, especially in under-studied regions.
- Integrated fire risk reduction is key to adapting to ongoing changes in global fire risk. Future sustainable fire risk mitigation demands integrated region-specific approaches based on a clear understanding of fires in context, population awareness and preparedness, fire surveillance and early-warning systems, adaptive suppression strategies, fire-regime restoration, landscape-scale fuel management, changes to many land use practices, and active restoration of landscapes.
- Engagement with local communities, land-owners, businesses and public stakeholders – via multiple tiers of governance – is crucial to restore and maintain landscapes that are biodiverse and functional, respectful of local cultures and identities, economically productive, and above all, fire-resilient.
- People have historically achieved sustainable co-existence with flammable ecosystems and have often used fire as a land-management tool, thereby shaping many modern and long-standing landscapes around the world. Traditional fire knowledge is thus key to adapting to local changes in fire activity, using known techniques for the reduction of dangerous fuel loads, prescribed burning and sustainable landscape management practices.
- Building adaptive capacity to confront fires must be based on knowledge of the natural and cultural roles of fire, how they have shaped our modern landscapes, and their importance in the long-term functioning of socio-ecological systems. Further developments in land-system science, geospatial technologies, and computer modelling will enhance our understanding of the long-term ecological and socio-economic drivers of fire through the widespread collection and distribution of harmonized fire data at the global level. However, creating and sharing such knowledge requires national and international investments in scientific and operational fire science programmes.
- Catastrophic fires are undeniably part of our future. Current scientific estimates are conservative, meaning that changes in fire activity might be worse than anticipated. We have to act now to mitigate catastrophic fires and limit the occurrence of disastrous situations. Given disparities but also similarities in the levels of fire risk around the world, and the capacities to manage it, knowledge and technology transfers through international cooperation will be a paramount factor in learning to live with fire.
This Occasional Paper is the result of a large collaborative effort by fire scientists and practitioners who believe that learning to co-exist with changing fire activity is not only possible but necessary if we, as a global society, are to adapt to climate change and keep our natural and cultural landscapes healthy, resilient, and safe for the next generations. The work presented hereafter was developed during, and as follow-up to, the Global Expert Workshop on Fire and Climate Change hosted in Vienna, Austria, on 2-4 July 2018. It stresses the diversity and the complexity of the global fire situation, a situation that is evolving, positively or negatively, in unknown proportions due to global environmental changes — with climate change being the most acknowledged manifestation.
Conclusion – Learning To Live With Fire
We live on a flammable planet; although not everything is meant to burn, fire cannot be eliminated. Ongoing global climate change combined with other planetary changes is leading to more frequent and more extreme fires exposing vulnerable societies, economies, and ecosystems to disaster situations. The recognition of fire activity as a worsening hazard threatening human security is the necessary first step towards international co-operation for the mitigation of disaster risk situations in fire-prone areas.
However, we are not defenceless. Fire scientists in many regions of the world have been developing successful strategies and tools based on cutting-edge technologies for several years. Those are now mature enough to be up-scaled and adapted to other geographic contexts as part of national fire management frameworks. Additionally, integrating existing and future scientific knowledge on climate change and changing fire regimes, and systematically collecting long-term data on current and past fire uses will foster better informed decisions, models and enhanced efforts towards wildfire disaster risk reduction, as well as contribute to the development of sustainable Anthropocene fire regimes.
We hope this paper will be a catalyst for a paradigm shift, so fires are not seen as an enemy to fight but as natural and necessary phenomena, as well as a useful and necessary tool that can often help protect people and nature. It is paramount to revise, fund, and fulfil future management, research, and governance needs if we are, as world citizens, to trigger a societal change that will help us better live with fires.
The information and insights contained in this Occasional Paper connect together to promote the use of several existing solutions to the problem: defining national fire risk reduction frameworks, collecting and analyzing relevant traditional knowledge and biophysical fire data, investing in fire detection and prediction technologies, involving and preparing stakeholders, and improving fire use and landscape management in ways that help control the fuel load and the spread of fire, while limiting GHG emissions and protecting the communities and the landscapes they live in and often depend on.
The Status Quo is no longer an option; it is time to make integrated fire management the rule rather than the exception.
Sustainable Fire Engineering – Recent Dublin Presentations !
2019-03-19: Two Conference & Exhibition Events were recently held in Dublin's City West Convention Centre …
- 2019 National Sustainability Summit – http://www.sustainabilitysummit.ie/
- 2019 National Construction Summit – http://www.nationalconstructionsummit.ie/
I was very pleased to make a Presentation at both events, adapted to suit an Irish context, on … 'Sustainable Fire Engineering – Necessary Professional Transformation For The 21st Century' … which continues to evolve.
Sustainable Fire Engineering: The creative, person-centred and ethical Fire Engineering response, in resilient built form and smart systems, to the concept of Sustainable Human and Social Development … the many aspects of which must receive synchronous and balanced consideration !
Presentation Abstract
Annual Fire Losses, both direct and indirect, amount to a very significant percentage of Gross Domestic Product (#GDP) in all economies, whether they are rich or poor … and result in enormous environmental devastation and social disruption. Some losses have not yet been fully identified, e.g. environmental impact … while others are not yet capable of being fully quantified, e.g. business interruption, brand and reputation damage. Globally, fire statistics still remain unreliable. In all cases, however, the waste of valuable human and natural resources caused by preventable fires is unsustainable and no longer acceptable.
From an entirely different perspective … Sustainable Buildings are presenting every society with an innovative and exciting re-interpretation of how a building functions in response to critical energy, environmental, climate change and planetary capacity pressures … an approach which has left the International Fire Engineering and Firefighting Communities far behind in its wake, struggling to develop the necessary 'creative' and 'sustainable' fire safety strategies.
The Aim of Sustainable Fire Engineering (#SFE) is to dramatically reduce direct and indirect fire losses in the Human Environment (including the social, built, economic, virtual, and institutional environments) … to protect the Natural Environment … and, within buildings, to ensure that there is an effective level of Fire Safety for All Occupants, not just for Some, over the full building life cycle.
The following Priority Themes for SFE lie outside, or beyond, the constrained and limited fire safety objectives of current fire regulations, codes and standards – objectives which do not properly protect society, a fire engineer's clients, or the facility manager's organization:
- Fire Safety for ALL, not just for Some. Nobody left behind !
- Firefighter Safety. Everyone goes home ! It is easy to dramatically improve firefighter safety with building design. So, why haven't NIST's 2005 and 2008 WTC 9-11 Critical Recommendations been properly implemented anywhere ?
- Property Protection. Fire damage and post-fire reconstruction/refurbishment are a huge waste of resources. On the other hand, protection of an organization's image/brand/reputation is important … and business continuity is essential. Heritage fire losses can never be replaced.
- Environmental Impact. Prevention of a fire is far better than any cure ! But prevention must also begin by specifying 'clean' technologies and products. Low Pressure Water Mist Systems are not only person/environment-friendly and resource efficient … they are absolutely essential in airtight and hyper energy-efficient building types (e.g. LEED, PassivHaus, BREEAM) in order to achieve an effective level of fire safety for all occupants, and firefighters. [ Note: Environmental Impact Assessment (#EIA) has been superseded by Sustainability Impact Assessment (#SIA).]
- Building Innovation, People and Their Interaction. Fire engineers and firefighters must begin to understand today's new design strategies.
- Sustainable Design and Engineering. Wake up and smell the coffee ! Legislation can only achieve so much. Spatial planners, building designers and fire engineers must subscribe to a robust Code of Ethics * which is fit for purpose in the Human Environment of the 21st Century.
Sustainable Fire Engineering Solutions are …
- Adapted to a local context, i.e. climate change/variability/extremes, social need, geography, economy, and culture, etc ;
- Reliability-based – lessons from real extreme and hybrid events, e.g. 2001 WTC 9-11 Attack, 2008 Mumbai/2015 Paris/2016 Brussels Hive Attacks and the 2011 Fukushima Nuclear Incident, are applied to frontline practice ;
- Person-centred – real people are placed at the centre of creative endeavours and due consideration is given to their responsible needs, and their health, safety, welfare and security in the Human Environment ;
- Resilient – functioning must be reliable during normal conditions, and include the ability to withstand, adapt to and absorb unusual disturbance, disruption or damage, and thereafter to quickly return to an enhanced state of function.
* Refer to the 2016 Dublin Code of Ethics: Design, Engineering, Construction & Operation of a Safe, Resilient & Sustainable Built Environment for All (PDF File, 112 kb).
Noel Manning – Innovative Fire Researcher !
2019-03-18: Lest we forget him …
Long before the Rest of the World was introduced to the term Fire-Induced Progressive Damage, in the late afternoon of 11 September 2001 (WTC 9-11), with the collapse of World Trade Center Building No.7 in New York City …
… decades earlier … Noel Manning had intuitively discovered the same Structural Fire Engineering Concept … and had developed and tested a suite of domestic-scale building systems to deal with this very dynamic aspect of fire behaviour …
The International Fire Engineering Community is still shy about discussing this concept, never mind understanding it … and most importantly, solving it ! Which makes me seriously wonder … is there a deep-seated flaw in International Fire Research ? Are mainstream Fire Researchers more interested in sourcing funding than in actually solving 'real' world fire engineering problems ???
And I also wonder … why have the 2005 and 2008 NIST (USA) WTC 9-11 Recommendations on the WTC Building Collapses still not been properly implemented within the USA … and why have they been ignored everywhere else ?????
Rigorous Implementation Of Environmental Law – A Priority !
2019-03-17: Saint Patrick's Day …
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP – https://www.unenvironment.org/) has recently published the First Global Report on Environmental Rule of Law … which finds weak enforcement to be a global trend that is exacerbating environmental threats, despite the prolific growth in environmental laws and agencies worldwide over the last four decades.
The answer, of course, is rigorous implementation of environmental law … most particularly in those developed countries which have amassed their riches, over past centuries, from the plunder of natural, human and cultural resources in Central & South America, Africa and Asia.
Download The Full UNEP Report Here … https://www.unenvironment.org/resources/assessment/environmental-rule-law-first-global-report (PDF File, 30.76 MB)
Executive Summary
If human society is to stay within the bounds of critical ecological thresholds, it is imperative that environmental laws are widely understood, respected, and enforced … and the benefits of environmental protection are enjoyed by people and the planet. Environmental rule of law offers a framework for addressing the gap between environmental laws on the books and in practice, and is key to achieving the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals.
Environmental laws have grown dramatically over the last three decades, as countries have come to understand the vital linkages between environment, economic growth, public health, social cohesion, and security. As of 2017, 176 countries have environmental framework laws; 150 countries have enshrined environmental protection or the right to a healthy environment in their constitutions; and 164 countries have created cabinet-level bodies responsible for environmental protection. These and other environmental laws, rights, and institutions have helped to slow – and in some cases to reverse – environmental degradation and to achieve the public health, economic, social, and human rights benefits which accompany environmental protection.
The 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment brought the global environment into the public consciousness, leading to the establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme. Following the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (known as the Rio Earth Summit), many countries made a concerted effort to enact environmental laws, establish environment ministries and agencies, and enshrine environmental rights and protections in their national constitutions. By the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, the focus had shifted to implementation of environmental laws, which is where progress has waned.
Too often, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations falls far short of what is required to address environmental challenges. Laws sometimes lack clear standards or necessary mandates. Others are not tailored to national and local contexts and so fail to address the conditions on the ground. Implementing ministries are often underfunded and politically weak in comparison to ministries responsible for economic or natural resource development. And while many countries are endeavouring to strengthen implementation of environmental law, a backlash has also occurred as environmental defenders are killed and funding for civil society restricted. These shortfalls are by no means limited to developing nations: reviews of developed nations have found their performance on environmental issues lacking in certain respects. In short, environmental rule of law is a challenge for all countries. This Report discusses the range of measures that countries are adopting to address this implementation gap – and to ensure that rule of law is effective in the environmental sphere.
As the first assessment of the global environmental rule of law, this Report draws on experiences, challenges, viewpoints, and successes of diverse countries around the world, highlighting global trends as well as opportunities for countries and partners to strengthen the environmental rule of law.
The Report highlights the need to undertake a regular global assessment of the state of environmental rule of law. To track progress nationally and globally, it is necessary to utilize a set of consistent indicators. The Report proposes an indicator framework for environmental rule of law and highlights existing datasets that may be utilized in support of the global assessment.
The Report also calls for a concerted effort to support countries in pilot testing approaches to strengthen environmental rule of law. Such an initiative could support testing of approaches in diverse contexts, and then adapting them before scaling them up. It should also foster exchange of experiences between jurisdictions to foster learning.
In addition to these two cross-cutting recommendations, the Report highlights numerous actionable steps that States can take to support environmental rule of law. For example, States can evaluate the current mandates and structure of environmental institutions to identify regulatory overlap or underlap. States and partners can build the capacity of the public to engage thoughtfully and meaningfully with government and project proponents. They can prioritize protection of environmental defenders and whistle-blowers. States may consider the creation of specialized environmental courts and tribunals, and use administrative enforcement processes to handle minor offences. And there is an ongoing need to research which approaches are effective under what circumstances.
The benefits of environmental rule of law extend far beyond the environmental sector. While the most direct effects are in protection of the environment, it also strengthens rule of law more broadly, supports sustainable economic and social development, protects public health, contributes to peace and security by avoiding and defusing conflict, and protects human and constitutional rights. As such, it is a growing priority for all countries.
England's 2017 Grenfell Tower Fire – Never Again Elsewhere ??
2018-06-12 …
As we approach the First Anniversary of the Grenfell Tower Fire Tragedy, in England, on 14 June … a few days ago, on 4 June 2018, the first batch of Grenfell Expert Witness Reports were uploaded (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-44356660) to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Website (https://www.grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk/) for public view.
At this time, in London … multiple, fragmented investigations are taking place into the actual fire incident … the role of the Local Authority, and building management … those involved in the refurbishment ('tarting up') design and construction … the fire services, particularly their 'Stay Put' Policy and how it adversely impacted on vulnerable Tower occupants during the emergency … and the highly flawed regulatory model of Building and Fire Codes with light-touch Control, which is still operating in England. One of Murphy's Laws immediately springs to mind with regard to the intended ineffectiveness of this overly-complex process !
Many other countries have adopted some or all of this modern English regulatory model which, after the repeal of an older Bye-Law format, has been shaped by political expediency, cost-effectiveness and general ineptitude … with little or no adaptation to local conditions in the adopting jurisdictions. Ireland adopted this model with some, but not a lot, of adaptation.
Fire Safety In Ireland ?
On 6 June 2018 … while that investigative activity was hitting the headlines in England … Minister Eoghan Murphy, T.D., Ireland's Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, quietly published the Report: 'Fire Safety in Ireland' … http://www.housing.gov.ie/local-government/fire-and-emergency-management/fire-safety/eoghan-murphy-publishes-report-fire … by a High-Level Task Force within his Department's National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, after serious concerns and fears had been expressed in the public media that a similar fire tragedy might also occur in this jurisdiction.
To be crystal clear … this Report is a Bureaucratic Whitewash … an insult to the Public ! Nice sounding technical 'blarney' camouflages a failure to deal directly with critical issues, and answer concerns … while other important issues are avoided altogether.
.May 2018 – Ireland's Department of Housing, Planning & Local Government Report
Fire Safety In Ireland (PDF File, 2.55 MB)
Expanding on my comments in the Interview with Barry Lenihan, on RTE Radio 1's Drive Time early evening news programme on Friday (2018-06-08) …
A. Initially, Irish Local Authorities were requested to carry out a preliminary survey to identify all buildings of more than six storeys, or 18m in height. Specifically, they were asked to identify those buildings which had an external cladding system which might be a cause for concern.
This height threshold of six storeys/18m is arbitrary … an external cladding system can be just as much a cause for concern in a building which is lower. Imagine discarded cigarette butts or a rubbish fire at the base of such a system … and the resulting speed of fire spread and development across a building façade !
B. The highly flawed regulatory model of Building and Fire Codes, with light-touch Control, which resulted in the Grenfell Tower Fire Tragedy … we also have. Wake up and smell the coffee Ireland !
At the beginning of the 1990's, when Ireland had been persuaded by the European Commission to finally introduce legal, national building regulations having a functional format … our National Authority Having Jurisdiction, in desperation, grabbed the then Approved Documents for England & Wales … brought them back to Ireland, put Irish covers on them, and originally called them 'Technical Documents' … but, after seeing a tiny ray of inspiring light, later changed their title to the more accurate 'Technical Guidance Documents' ! This hunger for adopting all things English which are fire safety related continues to this day … with a similar, ongoing division of Technical Guidance Document B: 'Fire Safety' into 2 Separate Volumes.
This may have been a convenient response under pressure … but it has been very short-sighted. It has impeded the growth of a comprehensive and coherent philosophy on Safe, Inclusive, Age-Friendly, Resilient, Sustainable Planning, Design and Construction Codes/Controls which is suited to an Irish context and responsible local needs (not desires!).
C. Everywhere … this Report has a lot – too much – to say about Fire Risk Assessment ! After the Grenfell Tower Fire, however, Fire Risk Assessments must only be carried out by competent persons … and the process of Fire Risk Assessment, itself, must be radically improved ! And of course, prior to any Risk Assessment … a proper Fire Hazard Appraisal must be carried out.
D. To accurately present Fire Safety Trends in Ireland … it is not enough to furnish reliable fire fatality statistics. It is also necessary to produce reliable fire injury statistics … and reliable information on direct/indirect socio-economic losses.
E. The quality of fire safety related construction on Irish Building Sites continues to be very poor and problematic. Fire Compartmentation is nowhere near being adequately – never mind acceptably – reliable ! And during the last few years we have had quite a number of close-calls concerning fire incidents in medium-rise residential buildings.
F. Fire Evacuation for people with activity limitations is still handled atrociously in our current building regulations. This is ironic because, on 20 March 2018 last, Ireland had to be dragged screaming to ratify the U.N. 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) !
Positive Progress By Another Path !
1. Abandon the outdated English functional requirements in THEIR building regulations … and adopt a far better, more up-to-date body of functional requirements which is already on the Irish Statute Books … Annex I of the European Union's Construction Products Regulation 305/2011. And because there are important horizontal linkages between requirements … immediately finish the ridiculous current separation between Fire Safety requirements and all of the other requirements. And yes … new Technical Guidance Documents will have to be drafted.
.Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 9 March 2011, laying down harmonized conditions for the marketing of construction products and repealing Council Directive 89/106/EEC
EU Regulation 305/2011 – Construction Products. See Annex I
(PDF File, 998 Kb)
2. Yes … 'Persons Having Control' of buildings have responsibilities with regard to fire safety. But that is only one side of the coin ! National and Local Authorities Having Jurisdiction have greater responsibilities.
If we are at all serious about Consumer Protection … bad, inadequate, faulty construction must be prevented beforehand … it is too late, too costly and, in many cases, too impractical to correct afterwards. Self Regulation by building design professions and construction organizations is NO Regulation ! Stringent, independent technical control inspections must be carried out on all projects by Building Control personnel … which used to happen in Dublin City/County and Cork City/County prior to the introduction of legal building regulations in the early 1990's … and, depending on complexity, must also be carried out at critical stages during the construction process.
Building Control Sections in all Local Authorities must be properly resourced with competent personnel, equipment, training and support infrastructure.
Inspections concerning compliance with all functional requirements in the building regulations, including fire safety, must be carried out only by Building Control Personnel. Chief Fire Officers must not be allowed to manage or be involved in any aspect of Building Control. On the same project … a Disability Access Certificate Application and a Fire Safety Certificate Application must be inter-linked and overlap sufficiently, showing no gaps in compliance. Inspections must be carried out in connection with all Certificate Applications. Building Control personnel must satisfy themselves that actual construction at least matches, if not improves upon, what is shown in design documentation.
Building Control Inspection Reports must be made available for public view.
3. Firefighters are NOT a disposable Social Asset ! National and Local Authorities Having Jurisdiction … and some Chief Fire Officers … must begin to understand this fundamental truth !
Fire Services in all Local Authorities must each be properly resourced according to local needs … with competent personnel, equipment, training and support infrastructure. Shared provision of resources looks very neat on paper but, in practice, works very badly. Refer to the Grenfell Tower Fire and London Fire Brigade having to borrow firefighting equipment from other Fire Services.
After the 2015 Tianjin Regional Fire Devastation, in China, and the 2001 WTC Attacks on 9-11, in New York City … front line firefighters must be supported by Specialist Hazard Appraisal and Structural Engineering Units.
For Firefighter Safety in buildings and to quickly find people with activity limitations waiting in Areas of Rescue Assistance and/or other survivors in different locations … a portable and reliable Thermal Imaging Camera is an essential piece of every firefighter's equipment.
And Firefighter Safety begins with good building design. In all but the most simple building types, Circulation Routes must be designed for Contraflow … people moving away from a fire in a building and towards safety while, at the same time, heavily equipped firefighters are entering the building and moving towards the fire.
There is no place for 'Stay Put' Policies in Irish Residential Buildings of any height.
Ireland's 2017 Oireachtas Report: 'Safe As Houses' …
December 2017 – Houses of the Oireachtas – Joint Committee on Housing, Planning & Local Government
Safe As Houses ? A Report On Building Standards, Building Controls & Consumer Protection
(PDF File, 1.01 MB)
This was a good effort by our public representatives … but they missed core issues !
After The Grenfell Tower Fire !
Further to my last Blog, dated 2017-10-10 …
The 2017 Fire in England was not an extraordinary fire. Since the beginning of this decade, we continue to see a series of such fires: South Korea (2010) – UAE & France (2012) – Chechnya (2013) -Australia (2014) – UAE, Azerbaijan & UAE again (2015) – UAE (2016) – UAE & Russia (2017) – Turkey (2018).
With regard to Command & Control of Large Scale Emergencies … English AHJ's should have paid attention to the 2005 & 2008 U.S. National Institute of Science & Technology (NIST) Recommendations following the 9-11 WTC Buildings 1, 2 & 7 Collapses.
The Fire Safety Objectives in current Building & Fire Codes/Regulations are very limited. In Ireland, this is clearly stated in Technical Guidance Document B …
' Building Regulations are made for specific purposes. Part B of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations is therefore primarily concerned with the health, safety and welfare of persons. The fire safety measures outlined in this guidance document are intended for the protection of life from fire.'
Only insofar as it is necessary to protect the lives of able-bodied building users/occupants … is there a concern for property protection.
There is only inadequate, token concern for the protection of people with disabilities.
Client organizations, facility managers, building designers, construction organizations … and journalists … must fully comprehend these limits.
In the photograph below … look closely at the External Firefighting Operations at the bottom of the Tower. There are limits to what can be achieved from outside a building !
- A Fire Suppression System (Water Sprinklers/Mist/Hybrid) is an essential Fire Protection Measure in ALL Medium and High-Rise Residential Buildings … which include Apartment Blocks, Hotels, Hostels, Student Accommodation & Social Housing, i.e. ANYWHERE there is a Sleeping Hazard.
- A Reliable and Credible Fire Detection & Warning System is an essential Fire Protection Measure in ALL Buildings … and must be capable, under the control of Building Management, of transmitting warnings in many formats, i.e. Audible + Visual + Multi-Lingual Voice + Tactile.
- Fire Evacuation Routes in Buildings must be designed for CONTRAFLOW … people moving away from a fire and towards safety while, at the same time, heavily equipped firefighters are entering the building and moving towards the fire.
- Good Fire Evacuation Route Design is INTUITIVE and OBVIOUS. In many buildings, however, this is not always the reality. Effective Fire Evacuation Signage … comprising high-level signage, low-level signage, with both supplemented by photoluminescence … must be installed in ALL Buildings.
- For the purpose of protecting Vulnerable Building Users in Fire Emergencies, ALL Lifts/Elevators in Buildings must be capable of being used for Evacuation.
- Fire Risk Assessments must NO LONGER be carried out by people WITHOUT COMPETENCE in Fire Engineering AND Building Design & Construction … and the Fire Risk Assessment Process itself must be thoroughly re-examined and upgraded.
After Grenfell: Reliable Design, Supply & Construction Essential !
2017-10-10: After the Grenfell Tower Fire Tragedy in London, on 14 June 2017, the integrity of the English Regulatory and Technical/Building Control Systems is now so compromised that a complete Systems Transformation is immediately required ! Closer to home, here in Ireland … what nobody is daring to say, even our tame media, is that Our Regulatory System is based very closely on the English System. And Our Technical/Building Control System is purposefully under-resourced … so it is weak and ineffective.
Let there be no confusion … Priory Hall and Longboat Quay, both in Dublin, are just the tip of an enormous iceberg …
So where do we start again ?
Reality – Reliability – Redundancy – Resilience !
With regard to Reliable Fire Engineering Related Design, Supply and Construction … this is how we must proceed …
- Design of the works is exercised by an independent, appropriately qualified and experienced architect/engineer/fire engineer, with design competence relating to the fire protection of buildings ;
- Supply of fire safety related construction products/systems to the works is undertaken by reputable organizations with construction competence, particularly in relation to the fire protection of buildings ;
- Installation/fitting of fire safety related construction products/systems is exercised by appropriately qualified and experienced personnel, with construction competence relating to the fire protection of buildings ;
- Supervision of the works is exercised by appropriately qualified and experienced personnel from the principal construction organization ;
- Regular inspections, by appropriately qualified and experienced personnel familiar with the design, and independent of both the design and construction organizations, are carried out to verify that the works are being executed in accordance with the design.
2017 Architecture & Building Expo – An Annoying Experience !!
2017-10-09: On Saturday last, 7 October, I had the great misfortune to attend the Architecture & Building Expo … which was being held, in conjunction with the RIAI's (Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland) Annual Conference, at the RDS (Royal Dublin Society) Main Hall in Ballsbridge, Dublin …
What was annoying … really annoying … and depressing, all at the same time … was having to introduce a senior individual on one Exhibition Stand to Part D of the Irish Building Regulations ! I even had to show that same individual where to find Technical Guidance Document D on the Irish DHPLG (Department of Housing, Planning & Local Government) Website. And on more than a few other Stands … having to explain what is a CE Mark !! This is entirely unacceptable. FUBAR.
And let us all not forget that this Exhibition was being held in conjunction with the RIAI's 2017 Annual Conference …
CUBA: Still a Target for Ill-Informed Media Opinion & Hysteria !?!
2017-02-21: The day after the death of Fidel Castro Ruz, Revolutionary Leader and Former President of Cuba … Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland, issued a News Release on 26 November 2016, which can be viewed here … http://www.president.ie/en/media-library/news-releases/P24
Media reaction, in Ireland, to this News Release was hysterical and grossly ill-informed !
"A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery ; it cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained and magnanimous. A revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by which one class overthrows another."
So here are some images from the 'real' Cuba … or 'real' images from Cuba … whichever you prefer …
SFE Work Programme 2017 – Want To Get Involved & Help ??
2017-01-05: Happy New Year to All and One !
The creative, person-centred and ethical fire engineering response – in resilient built or wrought form, and using smart systems – to the intricate, open, dynamic and continually evolving concept of Sustainable Human & Social Development … the many aspects of which must receive balanced and synchronous consideration.
1. Fire Safety for ALL – Not Just for SOME People. Nobody Left Behind !
Do Building Designers and Fire Engineers have any understanding of what it feels like to be left behind in a fire emergency … perhaps to die ?
Do Building Designers and Fire Engineers have any understanding of the 'real' people who use their buildings … or their 'real' needs ?
2. Firefighter Safety – It's So Easy to Dramatically Improve Their Safety At A Fire Scene ! A Firefighter's Protective Clothing and Equipment are not enough !
Conscious awareness of this issue by Building Designers and Fire Engineers is required … and appropriate education/training.
3. Property Protection – A Minor Code Fire Safety Objective, Insofar As It Is Necessary to Protect the Safety of Building Users … Only !
Fire damage and post-fire reconstruction/refurbishment are a huge waste of resources. On the other hand, protection of an organization's image/brand is important … and business continuity is essential.
Heritage Fire Losses cannot be replaced !
To properly protect Society and the interests of a Client/Client Organization … Building Designers and Fire Engineers are ethically bound to clearly explain the limitations of Code and Standard Fire Safety Objectives to their Client/Client Organization.
4. Environmental Impact – Prevention Is Far, Far Better Than Cure. Instead of resisting, and erecting 'professional' barriers … Spatial Planners, Building Designers and Fire Engineers must begin to properly understand this concept … and act ethically to defend and protect the environment !
Environmental Impact: Any effect caused by a given activity on the environment, including human health, safety and welfare, flora, fauna, soil, air, water, and especially representative samples of natural ecosystems, climate, landscape and historical monuments or other physical structures, or the interactions among these factors ; it also includes effects on accessibility, cultural heritage or socio-economic conditions resulting from alterations to those factors.
This Planet – Our Common Home – can no longer suffer the scale and extent of total devastation seen after the 2015 Tianjin (China) Regional Fire Disaster !
5. Building Innovation, People and Their Interaction – Fire Engineers and Firefighters must understand current approaches to more sustainable building design, the 'real' people who use the built environment, and the complex interactions between both.
People with Activity Limitations (E) / Personnes à Performances Réduites (F): Those people, of all ages, who are unable to perform, independently and without aid, basic human activities or tasks – because of a health condition or physical/mental/cognitive/psychological impairment of a permanent or temporary nature.
The above Term, in English and French, includes …
- people who experience difficulty in walking, with or without a facilitation aid, e.g. stick, crutch, calliper or walking frame ;
- wheelchair users ;
- the very young (people under 5 years of age), frail older people, and women in the later stages of pregnancy ;
- people who are visually and/or hearing impaired ;
- people who suffer from arthritis, asthma, or a heart condition … or any partial or complete loss of language related abilities, i.e. aphasia … or who have a cognitive impairment disorder, including dementia, amnesia, brain injury, or delirium ;
- people impaired after the use of alcohol, other 'social' drugs e.g. cocaine and heroin, and some medicines … or following exposure to environmental pollution and/or other irresponsible human activity, e.g. war or terrorism ;
- people who experience a panic attack in a real fire situation or other emergency ;
- people, including firefighters, who suffer incapacitation as a result of exposure, during a real fire, to smoke and poisonous/toxic substances and/or elevated temperatures.
6. Sustainable Design & Engineering – Get With The Programme ! The extensive United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Framework Agenda was overwhelmingly agreed and adopted in 2015.
Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA): A continual evaluation and optimization process – informing initial decision-making, design, shaping activity/product/service realization, useful life, and termination or final disposal – of the interrelated positive and negative social, environmental, economic, institutional, political and legal impacts on balanced and equitable implementation of Sustainable Human & Social Development.
'Carrots and Sticks' can only achieve so much. Spatial Planners, Building Designers and Fire Engineers must – individually and as a group – subscribe to a robust Code of Ethics which is fit for purpose in today's Human Environment.
2016 Dublin-Code-of-Ethics: Design, Engineering, Construction & Operation of a Safe, Resilient & Sustainable Built Environment for All (PDF File, 112Kb)
New CIB W14: 'Fire Safety' Research Working Group VI Reflection Document: 'Sustainable Fire Engineering Design, Construction & Operation', which will establish a framework for the future development of Sustainable Fire Engineering.
Preparation of this Document will soon begin, and the following issues will be explored:
- Conceptual Framework for Sustainable Fire Engineering (SFE), with a necessary accompanying Generic SFE Terminology ;
- Strategy for Future SFE Development ;
- Implementation of 2005 & 2008 NIST WTC 9-11 Recommendations ;
- Fresh, New SFE Research Agenda ;
- Resilient Implementation of SFE Research Agenda.
Would you like to get involved, and help with this work ?
The Fire Safety Task Group, chaired by CJ Walsh, of ISO Technical Committee 59, Sub-Committee 16, Working Group 1, has already commenced the revision and further development of the fire safety texts in International Standard ISO 21542 (2011): 'Building Construction – Accessibility & Usability of the Built Environment'.
The main effort, initially, has been focused on developing a coherent Fire Safety for All approach … token consideration, or a post-design graft-on, of the fire safety needs of people with activity limitations do not work, and are unacceptable.
Progress with this work can be followed here: http://www.fire-safety-for-all.sustainable-design.ie/iso-21542/
The next ISO Meeting will take place in Madrid, Spain … towards the end of March 2017.
Would you like to get involved ?
AND … Would you like to discuss any of the above issues ? Well … Why not join the LinkedIn SFE Group at: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8390667 ??
Sustainable Fire Engineering – 2016 End Of Year Report !
2016-12-28: Happy New Year to One and All !
' The creative, person-centred and ethical Fire Engineering response, in resilient built form and smart systems, to the concept of Sustainable Human and Social Development – the many aspects of which must receive balanced and synchronous consideration.'
Organized by FireOx International (Ireland, Italy & Turkey), in joint collaboration with Glasgow Caledonian University's School of Engineering & Built Environment (Scotland) … and having a widely multi-disciplinary attendance from the U.S.A., Hong Kong SAR (China), Spain, Finland, Scotland, Norway, Germany, England, The Netherlands and Ireland … SFE 2016 DUBLIN was a unique, and very successful, two-day gathering within the International Fire Engineering and Fire Service Communities.
The organizers are very grateful to our Supporters: CIB, FIDIC, iiSBE, and the UNEP's Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative … and our Sponsor: Rockwool International.
SUSTAINABLE FIRE ENGINEERING fulfils a Critical Role in the realization of a Safe, Resilient and Sustainable Built Environment 4 ALL !
SUSTAINABLE FIRE ENGINEERING facilitates Positive Progress in implementing the United Nation's 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, which incorporates 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 Performance Targets !
SUSTAINABLE FIRE ENGINEERING fast-tracks Proper Compliance with the 7 Basic Performance Requirements – functional, fully integrated and indivisible – in Annex I of European Union Construction Products Regulation 305/2011 !
A Building is a permanent construction, complying with basic performance requirements and capable of being easily adapted … comprising structure, essential electronic, information and communication technologies (EICT's), and fabric (non-structure) … having a minimum life cycle of 100 years … and providing habitable, functional and flexible interior spaces for people to use.
Building Users have a wide and varied range of abilities and behaviours … some having discernible health conditions and/or physical, mental, cognitive, psychological impairments … while others, e.g. young children, women in the later stages of pregnancy and frail older people, are also particularly vulnerable in user-hostile, inaccessible environments. Not everyone will self-identify as having an activity limitation because of the high level of social stigma associated with 'disability'. Building designers and fire engineers must accept that building users have rights and responsible needs ; the real individual and group fire safety requirements of vulnerable building users must be given proper consideration by both design disciplines, working collaboratively together.
'Fire Safety for ALL' in Buildings – Not Just for SOME – A Priority Theme of Sustainable Fire Engineering
Current Revision of International Standard ISO 21542 (2011): 'Building Construction – Accessibility & Usability of the Built Environment'
Following the savage 2008 Mumbai Hive Attack in India, and the more recent 2015 and 2016 Attacks in Europe, i.e. Paris, Brussels, Istanbul and Berlin … it is entirely wrong to assume that the main and/or only targets will be specific high-risk buildings types, i.e. Tall/High-Rise, Iconic, Innovative and Critical Function Buildings (refer to 2005 & 2008 NIST WTC 9-11 Recommendations). All buildings and adjoining/adjacent public spaces must be carefully assessed for the risk of direct or collateral involvement in an Extreme Man-Made Event.
It is a fundamental principle of reliable and resilient structural engineering that horizontal and vertical structural members/elements of construction are robustly connected together. All buildings must, therefore, be capable of resisting Disproportionate Damage. The restriction of this requirement, within some jurisdictions, to buildings of more than five storeys in height is purely arbitrary, cannot be substantiated technically … and ethically, must be disregarded.
Fire-Induced Progressive Damage is distinguished from Disproportionate Damage – a related but different structural concept – by the mode of damage initiation, not the final condition of building failure. This phenomenon is poorly understood. But, unless it is impeded, or resisted, by building design … Fire-Induced Progressive Damage will result in Disproportionate Damage … and may lead to a Collapse Level Event (CLE), which is entirely unacceptable to the general population of any community or society. All buildings must, therefore, be capable of resisting Fire-Induced Progressive Damage.
All buildings must also be carefully assessed for the risk of involvement in a Severe Natural Event, e.g. earthquakes, floods, landslides, typhoons and tsunamis.
In all of the above Risk Assessments … the minimum Return Period (also known as Recurrence Interval or Repeat Interval) must never be less than 100 years.
Reacting to surging energy, environmental and planetary capacity pressures … with accelerating climate change … Sustainable Buildings are now presenting society with an innovative and exciting re-interpretation of how a building is designed, constructed and functions … an approach which is leaving the International Fire Engineering and Fire Service Communities far behind in its wake, struggling to keep up.
Passive and Active Fire Protection Measures, together with Building Management Systems (whether human and/or intelligent), are never 100% reliable. Society must depend, therefore, on firefighters to fill this reliability 'gap' … and to enter buildings on fire in order to search for remaining or trapped building users. This is in addition to their regular firefighting function. Therefore, there is a strong ethical obligation on building designers, including fire engineers, to properly consider Firefighter Safety … should a fire incident occur at any time during the life cycle of a building.
Structural Serviceability, Fire Resistance Performance and 'Fire Safety for All' in a building must, therefore, be related directly to the local Fire Service Support Infrastructure … particularly in developing and the least developed countries. AND … Fire Codes and Standards must always be adapted to a local context !
The fire safety objectives of current Fire Codes and Standards are limited, usually flawed … and will rarely satisfy the real needs of clients/client organizations, or properly protect society. Fire code compliance, in isolation from other aspects of building performance, will involve a consideration of only a fraction of the issues discussed above. There is once again, therefore, a strong ethical obligation on building designers, including fire engineers, to clearly differentiate between the limited fire safety objectives in Fire Codes and Standards … and Project-Specific Fire Engineering Design Objectives … and to explain these differences to a Client/Client Organization. Facility Managers must also explain these differences directly to an Organization's Senior Management … and directly inform the Organization's Board of Directors … as appropriate.SFE Mission: To ensure that there is an effective level of Fire Safety for ALL – not just for SOME – in the Built Environment … to dramatically reduce all direct and indirect fire losses in the Human Environment … and to protect the Natural Environment.
4 Key SFE Concepts: Reality – Reliability – Redundancy – Resilience !
SFE Design Solutions: Are …
- Adapted to Local Context & Heritage ;
- Reliability-Based ;
- Person-Centred ; and
- Resilient.
- To transform Conventional Fire Engineering, as practiced today, into an ethical and fully professional Sustainable Design Discipline which is fit for purpose in the 21st Century … meaning … that fire engineers can participate actively and collaboratively in the sustainable design process, and can respond creatively with sustainable fire engineering design solutions which result in Effective Fire Safety for All in a Safe, Resilient and Sustainable Built Environment.
- To bring together today's disparate sectors within the International Fire Engineering (and Science) Community … to encourage better communication between each, and trans-disciplinary collaboration between all.
- To initiate discussion and foster mutual understanding between the International Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Urban Resilience Communities … and the International Fire Engineering and Fire Service Communities.
1. 2016 Dublin Code of Ethics: Design, Engineering, Construction & Operation of a Safe, Resilient & Sustainable Built Environment for All. Download from: http://www.sustainable-firengineering.ie/sfe2016dublin/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/2016_Dublin-Code-of-Ethics.pdf
The realization of a Safe, Inclusive, Resilient & Sustainable Built Environment demands a concerted, collaborative, very creative and widely trans-disciplinary effort at national, local, regional and international levels across the whole planet – Our Common Home. The informed operation of appropriate legislation, administrative procedures, performance monitoring and targeting, and incentives/disincentives, at all of these levels, will facilitate initial progress towards this objective … but not the quantity, quality or speed of progress necessary. Our time is running out !
This Code of Ethics applies … for those who subscribe to its values … to policy and decision makers, and the many different individuals and organizations directly and indirectly involved in the design, engineering, construction, and operation (management and maintenance) of a Safe, Resilient & Sustainable Built Environment for All.
The Purpose of this Code of Ethics is to guide the work of competent individuals and organizations in a context where incomplete or inadequate legislation, administrative procedures and incentives/disincentives exist … but, more importantly, where they do not exist at all … and, amid much confusion and obfuscation of the terms, to ensure that implementation is authentically 'sustainable', and reliably 'safe' and 'resilient' for every person in the receiving community, society or culture … before it is too late !
2. Sustainable Fire Engineering Network … Join the LinkedIn SFE Group at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8390667. Interested Individuals and Organizations are all very welcome.
And … Like the Facebook SFE Page at https://www.facebook.com/sfe2016/
3. New CIB W14: 'Fire Safety' Research Working Group VI Reflection Document: 'Sustainable Fire Engineering Design, Construction & Operation', which will establish a framework for the future development of Sustainable Fire Engineering.
Preparation of this Document will soon begin, and the following issues will be explored:
- Conceptual Framework for Sustainable Fire Engineering (SFE), with a necessary accompanying Generic SFE Terminology ;
- Strategy for Future SFE Development ;
- Implementation of 2005 & 2008 NIST WTC 9-11 Recommendations ;
- Fresh, New SFE Research Agenda ;
- Resilient Implementation of SFE Research Agenda.
4. SFE Website … http://www.sfe-fire.eu
5. SFE Twitter Accounts … @sfe2016dublin … and … @firesafety4all
Follow SFE2016Dublin on Twitter
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Don't waste a minute of time waiting around for buses and taxis when you could be exploring as soon as you arrive. Fly into and pick up your Sports car rental at Nosara. No matter the duration or reason for your trip, a Sports car rental you pick up at NOB is sure to adequately accommodate you and your budget.
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How To Display Video & Control Light Using TI DLP® Technology
Plug, Play, and Display - TI DLP® LightCrafter™ Display 2000 EVM
12th International Symposium on Emerging and Industrial DLP® Technology Applications
Introductory Guide to the 0.2 nHD LightCrafter™ Display Evaluation Module (EVM)
DLP® Pico™ DLP2000 EVM
Wearables display applications
How TI DLP Pico technology fits within wearable display systems
Mobile Smart TV training
Mobile Smart TV is a growing category that can extend the AV personal electronics category. This training includes all the information you will want to know about the mobile Smart TV category. Introduction, value proposition, benefits, and design considerations of the mobile smart TV category are included in the training. The last section, covers the benefits of DLP Pico technology for this application.
High Resolution 4K UHD Digital Display Solutions using DLP® Technology
This series highlights the high-resolution DLP 4K UHD digital display solution for laser tv and digital signage applications. The DLP 4K UHD chipset, featuring the DLP660TE digital micromirror device (DMD), enables bright and large images for projection systems. The series includes:
- DLP 4K UHD training overview
- Chipset overview and target display applications
- System design considerations
- Supply chain options for system implementation
- Getting started resources
Benefits of DLP Pico technology for Mobile Smart TV
Mobile Smart TV introduction and market opportunity
Mobile Smart TV design considerations (Section A)
Mobile Smart TV design considerations (Section B)
How DLP Pico technology benefits mobile Smart TV
The future of displays in consumer electronics
DLP660TE, DLPC4422, DLPA200 Chipset Overview and target display applications
System Design Considerations using DLP660TE, DLPC4422, DLPA100
How to get started using the DLP 4K UHD chipset


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Ford Transit Wagon Car Wash at Joe Cotton Ford near Elmhurst 60126
Regular car washes will keep your Ford Transit Wagon looking brand-new. Many elements contribute to a dirty exterior. Emissions in the environment as well as dirt and mud can keep your car from looking shiny and new. Contaminants can potentially eat away at paint and sometimes metal, so it is important to bring your Ford Transit Wagon in for a regular car wash to Joe Cotton Ford near Elmhurst 60126.
When you bring your Ford Transit Wagon in for a car wash at Joe Cotton Ford, your vehicle will be treated to a thorough wash, rinse, and shine. If your car builds up a layer of dirt and grime, both on the exterior and the windows, it can cause corrosion and cloud your visibility for the road ahead. A car wash at Joe Cotton Ford will ensure that your Ford Transit Wagon is spotless and your windshield is clear for a safe driving experience.
Here at Joe Cotton Ford, we also offer optional add-ons with your car wash such as car wax. Waxing protects your Ford Transit Wagon from pollution and contaminants, as it provides a sacrificial layer on top of your car's clear coat, so when you remove dirt, you are not rubbing directly on the paint. Our Joe Cotton Ford team will treat your car how you want it to be treated, with the utmost care and precision. We have the right materials to leave your Ford Transit Wagon shiny and clean with a car wash at Joe Cotton Ford near Elmhurst 60126.
Our car wash team here at Joe Cotton Ford is not only trustworthy and meticulous, but also will also take care of your Ford Transit Wagon like it's their very own. Along with your car wash, we will also vacuum your car's interior and clean the dashboard and console. We also treat leather interiors with the right cleaning agents for a pristine finish. You'll notice the difference right away with the Joe Cotton Ford near Elmhurst 60126 car wash team.
When you bring your car in for a wash at Joe Cotton Ford near Elmhurst 60126, you can be in and out in no time. We service your Ford Transit Wagon as quickly as possible, without compromising quality. Our car washes include an exterior cleanse, interior vacuuming and cleaning, carpet shampooing, waxing, and, if needed, leather conditioning. The Joe Cotton Ford car wash team gives your car the attention it needs, both inside and out. Schedule a service appointment today for your Ford Transit Wagon car wash at Joe Cotton Ford near Elmhurst 60126.
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Service Hours
|7:30 am - 5:00 pm
|7:30 am - 5:00 pm
|7:30 am - 5:00 pm
|7:30 am - 5:00 pm
|7:30 am - 5:00 pm
|7:30 am - 2:00 pm
Our Location
Joe Cotton Ford
175 W. North Ave
Carol Stream, IL 60188 Get Directions
630-682-9200 Ext. 6551
[email protected]
Customer Reviews:
Oct 11, 2017
MerchantCircle - 5 Stars
"As always the service is the greatest. Dave Malloy and his crew do and outstanding job."
I am here to assist you with your needs. Feel free to call or email me at anytime.
630-682-9200 Ext. 6553
[email protected]
Customer Reviews:
Dealer Rater - 5/5 Stars
Sep 13, 2019
I have been dealing with your dealership since 2014. This Ford Escape is my second vehicle that I have purchased from you. I have also done all my servicing through your dealership as well. Each and every time my experience with you has been excellent. This last time was a little more memorable because Larry Roncolli the sales person I have dealt with on both occasions recognized me while I was waiting for my wife to pick me and was nice enough to come and talk with me for about ten minutes. Actually, I was flattered that he recognized and that he would take the time to come and talk. Larry was also very helpful in each of my experiences and I made it a point to ask for him when I was going to make my second purchase. I also bought my wife a used 2017 Escape and she too loves her car and the experiences she has had during her servicing experiences. Thank you and I really do want everyone that reads this how great and fantastic my experience has been with your dealership. Thank You, Rick Mackert.
4.8 /5 Stars
Sep 24, 2019
Replace rear brakes - Bought vehicle in at 66800 miles for brake replacement. Vehicle was not having any problems. Replaced rear brakes same day. Zack in service was professional and knowledgeable.
May 16, 2018
Survey - 5 Stars
"We needed our truck worked on and we we're in a situation that we needed a rental. Zac came through for us. Thanks for your patience and understanding handled this situation very professionally. I would recommend everyone to come to Joe Cotton Ford."
Jan 13, 2017
MerchantCircle - 5 Stars
"Part had to be ordered. Was notified by mail when part was in and called to set up an appointment. Zac told me it would be maybe a 2 hour job. 1 1/2 hours later it was done. When does that ever happen? Very pleased with Zac and the professional service. Have bought many cars in my lifetime, not just Fords but never received this kind of service. Keep up the good work guys, I change cars often!!"
Dec 14, 2016
Survey from Ford Direct - 5 Stars
"Zac has been great to work with."
Dec 6, 2016
MerchantCircle - 5 Stars
"Fast and friendly. Zack is great!"
I am here to assist you with your needs. Feel free to call me at anytime.
630-682-9200 Ext. 6549
I am here to assist you with your needs. Feel free to call me anytime.
[email protected]
I am here to assist you with your needs. Feel free to call or email me at anytime.
I am here to assist you with your needs. Feel free to call me at anytime.


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Main Toolbar
You are here
The buttons on the science program editor main toolbar (see the science program editor overview) have the following functions:
- Open - open another science program from the local database into the current science program editor window. (To open into a new window use the File...Open in New Window menu item).
- Prev / Next - navigate between science programs that are open in the current science program editor window.
- Back / forward - navigate within the current program.
- Cut, Copy and Paste observation elements (the same functions are available in the right-click menu within the science program viewer and from the edit menu item). The Paste feature will insert the contents of the Cut/Copy buffer into all selected observations.
Plot - plot elevation, airmass, timing constraints, or parallactic angle vs. time for the selected observations. By default the date is the date when the OT was started. The date can be changed by selecting Date from the View menu. If an observation has elevation and hour angle constraints and the Constraints box is checked, then time that matches the constraints is indicated by the filled green area under the curve. If the observation has timing windows then they can be viewed if the Timing Windows checkbox is checked. In this case the timing windows correspond to the
areas under the curve. The dark grey shaded area denotes the time between nautical (12 degree) twilights. The light grey bands indicate the times between sunset/rise and nautical (12 degree) twilights.
- Image - open the position editor graphical display.
- Libraries - automatically fetch (if not already in the local database) and display example libraries for the program in a new window. This will not check for updated versions of libraries that have already been dowloaded. To manually fetch the latest versions of the libraries, select Fetch Libraries... from the File menu.
- Apply - apply 2012B and later template observations to Phase 1 targets and conditions. The templates will be copied and new observations will be created with target and conditions components added for observations of class Science or Acquisition. Calibration observations will be copied but the targets and conditions are not updated.
- Reapply - reapply 2012B and later template observations to exisiting observations that were created using the Apply templates feature. Conditions, targets, and the position angle (PA) are not updated.
- Conflict - cycle through any unresolved conflicts. See the Conflict section for more information.
Sync - synchronize your program with the Gemini Observing Database. The button will have different appearances based on the status of your program:
Your program is in sync with the Gemini database. You may click this button to check for remote changes. You have made local changes to your program to which have not yet been uploaded to Gemini. Click this button to upload them now. There are changes to your program in the Gemini Database which have not been downloaded. Click this button to download them. Your program has changed in the Gemini Observing Database and you have made local changes to your local program. Click this button to download the changes from Gemini and to upload your changes. Note that merging changes may result in a conflict. The current program does not exist in the Gemini Database. The Gemini Observing Database could not be reached. You may click this button to try to reestablish a connection.


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Coverity is releasing on Tuesday a code governance offering intended to help software development houses manage code quality.
With Coverity Integrity Control, companies can set and manage code quality and security standards and identify suppliers or teams that are introducing code risk or slowing time to market. An executive heat map offers a single-pane view of code sources, including suppliers, projects, and teams, to identify which entity is in violation of code integrity policies. Developers also can use the heat map to determine the context of a code problem.
[ Keep up with the latest developer news with InfoWorld's Developer World newsletter. | Follow Paul Krill on Twitter. ]
Users can manage standard code testing policies for visibility into development risk across a software supply chain. Coverity Integrity Control is dependent upon Coverity Static Analysis, which shows a list of defects but is not used for setting policies.
"[Coverity Integrity Control is] allows organizations to set policies defining what code quality and security really means for their organization," said Andy Chou, Coverity CTO. The company seeks to address issues with both internally developed code as well as open source code and code from suppliers.
With its new product, Coverity is addressing situations in which software engineers must deal with external factors, such as dependencies on open source code, said analyst Dave West, of Forrester. "There's a lot of things outside their control, so you need to increase the visibility of the code quality," West said. These days, software development is as much about integration as it is development, he said.
The term "code governance" is starting to appear more in vertical industries where quality of software is a regulatory concern, Chou said. The lack of governance over the software supply chain can put the reputations of Global 2000 brands at risk, Coverity said. Coverity Integrity Control pricing starts at $20,000; Static Analysis pricing begins at $25,000
This article, "Coverity offers Integrity Control to help manage code quality," was originally published at InfoWorld.com. Follow the latest developments in business technology news and get a digest of the key stories each day in the InfoWorld Daily newsletter. For the latest developments in business technology news, follow InfoWorld.com on Twitter.
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