These HVAC systems for single-family homes, apartments, and other residential applications provide plentiful ventilation and efficient cooling and heating at the touch of a button.

(Courtesy Delta)

BreezElite Ventilation FanDelta

This bathroom exhaust fan allows for hands-free operation thanks to a built-in humidity sensor. Its special mounting-bracket system simplifies installation, maintenance, and renovation.

(Courtesy Honeywell)

MM14CHCS Portable Air ConditionerHoneywell

Set on rolling wheels, this portable indoor system houses four features within one unit: heating, cooling, airflow, and dehumidification. Ideal for single rooms (or New York studios), the MM14CHCS has three fan speeds, a 24-hour energy savings timer, light-touch digital buttons, and remote control.

(Courtesy LG)

Art Cool MirrorLG

Aptly named, this wall-hung HVAC unit features an opulent mirrored chassis. Offering superior energy efficiency with real-time feedback, the duct-free inverter technology is equipped with built-in Wi-Fi for touchless operation.

(Courtesy Mitsubishi Electric)

SLZ-KF Four-way Ceiling CassetteMitsubishi Electric

Featuring multiple-direction vane controls, this ceiling-mounted ductless unit allows users to select up to four airflow patterns. When paired with the 3D i-see Sensor, it automatically detects room capacity to adjust temperature, airspeed, and other qualities for optimal comfort.

(Courtesy Panasonic)

nanoe XPanasonic

The main feature of this ductless heat pump unit, available in early 2020, is a built-in air and surface purification system that penetrates deep into carpet and furniture fibers. With nearly whispering airflow, the technology dispenses nanoscale OH radicals to reduce odors and pollutants.

(Courtesy YORK)

YHGYORK

The newest release within the LX series features a compact body to fit in tight spaces. Users can connect remotely via Alexa or YORKs Affinity Hx3 thermostat to monitor energy usage in real-time.

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Hot at home? Try the latest, greatest heating, ventilation, and cooling units - The Architect's Newspaper

I don't know about you, but the bulk of my income is spoken for before it even hits my checking account. Not only do I add money to my emergency savings fund and pay for insurance every month everything from health, home, and car to life and disability I also have my mortgage, retirement savings, and debts to think about.

Despite all of that, I'm here to argue in favor of yet another way to redirect your money: a homeowner's savings account.

Hear me out.

Yes, technically your emergency savings account is meant to cover you in the case of a homeowner's emergency read: flooded basement, broken water heater, termite infestation, etc. but what if it's not enough? Or what if multiple things happen at once?

Having a separate high-yield savings account dedicated specifically to house stuff can help ensure you stay covered if things like a broken water heater and a non-covered healthcare expense crop up at the same time. When you have a family, this becomes even more important.

My experience two years ago is the perfect example why.

After saving up for a while and receiving a particularly lovely tax refund my husband and I decided it was finally time to dig up our old, rotting deck and replace it with a beautiful new one.

We were still in the midst of paying off some healthcare expenses related to the birth of our second daughter, but we figured we could handle it all. Then, a few weeks after the deck installation finished, guests staying in our basement felt water leaking through the ceiling. As it turns out, the water hose to our refrigerator had a leak, and it was seeping through the basement ceiling.

Luckily, we caught it early enough that it wasn't as devastating as it could have been. We ended up spending about $300 to get the water hose replaced, and since the ceiling damage was minimal, we let it dry out, painted over the stain, counted ourselves lucky, and moved on. Until about a month later when we suddenly had no hot water.

A quick trip to the basement (again) confirmed that our water heater had not only gone out, but that it was leaking out into the laundry room. We were lucky enough, again, to catch this relatively early on, but even the low-ball estimate for repair included a brand new hot water heater (generally about $799-$1,501, according to HomeAdvisor) and replacing the laundry room flooring (about $1,000, plus the cost of tile).

At this point we began to feel two things. One: a little unlucky, and hopeful that the home issues would stop. Two: extremely grateful. Grateful that we had decided back when we first bought the house and knew we would want to make some updates to start siphoning off some money into savings specifically for house-related things.

Updating the deck, fixing the refrigerator and hot water heater, and replacing the laundry room floor meant that the savings was pretty much depleted, but we knew we were still covered for whatever additional health-related expenses or other emergencies might be coming down the pipeline because we had our emergency fund.

At the end of the day, I'm not a certified financial expert (I just write about money), but I like to helpfully suggest, to whomever will listen: If you're a homeowner, get yourself a new high-yield savings account as soon as you can, and start putting whatever you can away specifically for house-related emergencies. You'll never be sorry you did.

Excerpt from:
When my family was hit with 2 expensive home repairs at once, we only made it through thanks to our high-yield savings account - Business Insider

Despite increased focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) jobs, hard labor is still a major driver of the national economy.

Recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals that employment for construction workers and hand laborers/movers has grown faster than employment in STEM jobs over the past five years. While STEM careers tend to command higher salaries, wage increases for careers in manual labor have also outpaced STEM. Wages for STEM careers grew at an average annual rate of 2.1 percent between 2013 and 2018, whereas wages for construction workers and hand laborers/movers grew by 2.9 percent and 3.0 percent, respectively.

While employment and wage growth might be strong, working in a physically demanding job can be both taxing and dangerous. Research from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration shows that out of 4,674 worker fatalities in private industry in 2017, more than 20 percent were in a construction field. Additionally, a recent analysis from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that while hand laborers/movers account for just 2 percent of total employment, they were responsible for 6 percent of days away from work due to occupational-related injury and illness in 2018.

To identify the most physically demanding jobs, researchers at InsuranceProviders.com analyzed data from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). They created an index to measure the overall level of physical demands for different jobs based on strength, stamina, coordination, and flexibility requirements.

The 5 million employees in the 20 most physically demanding jobs make up about 3.5 percent of the nations 145 million workers. Construction laborers and hand laborers/movers account for approximately 80 percent of total employment among the 20 most physically demanding jobs. While most of the physically demanding jobs are related to building and construction, otherssuch as dancers, athletes, and trainersrequire intense fitness routines or athletic practice. Here are the 20 most physically demanding jobs.

The Top 20 Most Physically Demanding Jobs

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

20. Brickmasons and Blockmasons

Overall physical demand index: 57.7Strength index: 88.7Stamina index: N/AFlexibility index: 76.6Coordination index: 65.4Total employment & projected growth: 63,930 (9.7%)Mean annual wage: $54,430

Brickmasons and blockmasons are responsible for using materials such as brick, tile, and concrete to build or repair structures like walls, partitions, arches, and sewers. More specifically, brickmasons and blockmasons must be able to handle and move heavy objects, employing physical abilities such as trunk strength and extent flexibility. The mean annual wage for brickmasons and blockmasons is slightly above the national average.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

19. Hand Laborers and Material Movers

Overall physical demand index: 58.4Strength index: 96.2Stamina index: 76.6Flexibility index: 60.7Coordination index: N/ATotal employment & projected growth: 2,893,180 (4.9%)Mean annual wage: $30,890

Hand laborers and material movers manually move materials such as freight, stock, or luggage from one location to another. They might also perform other general labor, and they often work in warehouses, manufacturing facilities, and retail operations. With a total employment of 2,893,180 workers, hand laborers and material movers are the most common job on this list. They also have the lowest mean annual wage on this list, at $30,890.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

18. Stonemasons

Overall physical demand index: 60.0Strength index: 100.0Stamina index: 76.6Flexibility index: N/ACoordination index: 63.5Total employment & projected growth: 12,310 (9.0%)Mean annual wage: $44,370

Stonemasons typically use stone materials and masonry techniques to build structures like piers, walls, walkways, curbstones, and floors. Stonemasons often use hand tools to shape, trim, or cut stone, as well as mix and pour grout. Among all occupations on this list, stonemasons have the highest strength index due to the weight of the materials they must work with and move.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

17. Construction Laborers

Overall physical demand index: 60.5Strength index: 98.1Stamina index: 88.7Flexibility index: 55.1Coordination index: N/ATotal employment & projected growth: 1,001,470 (10.5%)Mean annual wage: $40,350

Construction labor is the second most common job on this list and total employment is projected to grow by more than 10 percent in the next decade. Compared to other occupations, construction work requires an incredible amount of both strength and stamina. In addition to building, these laborers may also be involved in clearing debris from construction sites, digging trenches, and setting up scaffolding.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

16. Firefighters

Overall physical demand index: 64.0Strength index: 72.8Stamina index: 96.2Flexibility index: N/ACoordination index: 86.9Total employment & projected growth: 321,570 (5.3%)Mean annual wage: $53,240

In addition to fire work and prevention, firefighters provide emergency medical services, search and rescue, disaster assistance, and hazardous material response. Being a firefighter requires both strength and stamina, which is why its so common to see these workers exercising at the station when not responding to an emergency.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

15. HelpersRoofers

Overall physical demand index: 64.9Strength index: 98.1Stamina index: N/AFlexibility index: 67.2Coordination index: 94.3Total employment & projected growth: 8,630 (13.0%)Mean annual wage: $31,740

While helpers generally assist roofers by using or holding materials and tools involved in building or repairing roofs, they are also responsible for cleanup on the job site. Helpers to roofers require a high degree of strength and coordination because they generally work high above the ground and must keep their balance. This is one of the lowest-paid occupations on this list, but the projected growth is more than twice as much as the overall average of 5.2 percent.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

14. Commercial Divers

Overall physical demand index: 77.3Strength index: 53.2Stamina index: 76.6Flexibility index: 92.5Coordination index: 86.9Total employment & projected growth: 3,380 (7.2%)Mean annual wage: $59,470

Commercial divers inspect, repair, remove, or install equipment and structures within bodies of water. They might also conduct underwater tests or experiments, rig explosives, or take photographs. The physical requirements of the job skew towards flexibility and coordination; divers must be able to swim and perform manual labor while underwater.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

13. Tree Trimmers and Pruners

Overall physical demand index: 78.5Strength index: 85.0Stamina index: 76.6Flexibility index: 74.7Coordination index: 77.5Total employment & projected growth: 42,440 (9.8%)Mean annual wage: $40,510

Tree trimmers and pruners remove branches from trees and shrubs in order to maintain a clear path for roads, sidewalks, or utilities, or to improve the appearance of a landscape or neighborhood. Strength is an essential skill for this job, since it often involves climbing and working with heavy equipment. Coordination and balance are also critical for those working in high places.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

12. Roof Bolters, Mining

Overall physical demand index: 79.3Strength index: 88.7Stamina index: 76.6Flexibility index: 74.7Coordination index: 77.5Total employment & projected growth: 3,250 (-9.7%)Mean annual wage: $59,090

Roof bolters are responsible for operating machinery to install roof support bolts in underground mines. The installation process can involve drilling holes into the ground and breaking up rocks and concrete. Even though roof bolters typically use machinery, they must still exert physical strength to perform their job duties. Although this is one of the highest-paid occupations on this list, employment is expected to decline by 2028.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

11. Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers

Overall physical demand index: 79.4Strength index: 64.4Stamina index: 76.6Flexibility index: 85.9Coordination index: 90.6Total employment & projected growth: 101,900 (2.3%)Mean annual wage: $49,170

Like many of the other jobs on this list, drywall and ceiling tile installers are heavily involved in construction. These workers apply materials such as plasterboard, wallboards, and tiles to ceilings or interior walls of buildings to improve aesthetics and reduce sound. The physical demands of this job typically involve carrying and installing heavy materials and also maintaining balance while installing these materials at various heights.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

10. Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers

Overall physical demand index: 80.1Strength index: 81.3Stamina index: 88.7Flexibility index: 72.8Coordination index: 77.5Total employment & projected growth: 18,360 (11.1%)Mean annual wage: $54,670

Reinforcing iron and rebar workers are an integral part of many construction crews. These workers use tools such as fasteners, rod-bending machines, and blowtorches to secure reinforced steel bars (rebar) or wire mesh to the concrete used in constructing roads, buildings, and bridges. The main physical demands of this job include carrying heavy equipment, standing for many hours at a time, and bending or stooping in order to install rebar.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

9. Choreographers

Overall physical demand index: 83.1Strength index: 57.9Stamina index: 97.1Flexibility index: 78.5Coordination index: 99.0Total employment & projected growth: 5,090 (-2.8%)Mean annual wage: $53,560

At $53,560 per year, choreographers earn slightly more than the national average across all occupations. Choreographers must exercise high levels of stamina, coordination, and flexibility in order to lead rehearsals, create new dance routines, and demonstrate proper technique and form.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

8. Fallers

Overall physical demand index: 85.2Strength index: 91.5Stamina index: 93.4Flexibility index: 65.4Coordination index: 90.6Total employment & projected growth: 4,680 (-18.0%)Mean annual wage: $48,520

Fallers cut down trees, while ensuring that the direction of the trees fall minimizes any damage to people or objects around it. Since fallers rely on a variety of hand tools such as axes or chainsaws, they must be strong enough and have enough stamina to properly use them. The job outlook for fallers is the worst on this list, with a projected 18 percent decline in employment over the next decade.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

7. Roofers

Overall physical demand index: 86.9Strength index: 88.7Stamina index: 88.7Flexibility index: 73.8Coordination index: 96.2Total employment & projected growth: 128,680 (11.8%)Mean annual wage: $43,870

Roofers install shingles, slate, asphalt, aluminum, or wood on new or existing buildings. They may also bind, seal, insulate, or soundproof the roofs as well. Coordination is particularly important for roofers, who must maintain their balance on top of ladders or buildings as they perform their work.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

6. Structural Iron and Steel Workers

Overall physical demand index: 88.4Strength index: 97.1Stamina index: 76.6Flexibility index: 85.9Coordination index: 94.3Total employment & projected growth: 77,410 (11.5%)Mean annual wage: $58,170

Also known as ironworkers, structural iron and steel workers raise and place iron or steel girders and columns in order to form structural frameworks for new buildings. These workers may also construct metal storage tanks or prefabricated metal buildings. Welding metal components, operating machinery, and loading or unloading materials are some of the physical demands for this job, making strength and coordination especially important skills.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

5. Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors

Overall physical demand index: 88.5Strength index: 77.5Stamina index: 98.1Flexibility index: 80.3Coordination index: 98.1Total employment & projected growth: 308,470 (12.8%)Mean annual wage: $44,580

Like choreographers, athletic trainers must also have high levels of stamina, coordination, and flexibility in order to lead workouts, design new exercise routines, and demonstrate proper technique and form. Its common for fitness trainers and aerobics instructions to teach multiple classes or clients in a day, further raising the physical demands required.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

4. Manufactured Building and Mobile Home Installers

Overall physical demand index: 90.3Strength index: 93.4Stamina index: 88.7Flexibility index: 85.9Coordination index: 93.4Total employment & projected growth: 2,920 (-11.4%)Mean annual wage: $32,910

Since manufactured building and mobile home installers are constantly moving materials and using construction tools, strength, coordination, and stamina are the major physical abilities required for this job. Manufactured building and mobile home installers have the lowest total employment on this list, at 2,920 workers, and employment is expected to decline even further by 2028.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

3. Athletes and Sports Competitors

Overall physical demand index: 90.4Strength index: 95.3Stamina index: 98.1Flexibility index: 71.9Coordination index: 96.2Total employment & projected growth: 10,800 (6.2%)Mean annual wage: $87,030

Despite low employment numbers, athletes and sports competitors are the highest-paid workers on this list, with a mean annual wage of $87,030. Regardless of the sport, athletes are generally strong, coordinated, and in great aerobic shape. For most athletes, the competition itself is only a small part of the job; training and practice are where most of the work hours are put in.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

2. Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas

Overall physical demand index: 92.0Strength index: 93.4Stamina index: 88.7Flexibility index: 93.4Coordination index: 92.5Total employment & projected growth: 11,310 (17.1%)Mean annual wage: $47,630

At 17.1 percent, derrick operators have the highest projected growth of all occupations on this list. These workers rig derrick equipment and operate pumps to circulate mud or fluid through a drill hole, with the ultimate purpose of extracting oil and gas. Flexibility, strength, and coordination are highly important to derrick operators, who use heavy machinery and handle heavy objects.

Photo Credit: Alamy Stock Photo

1. Dancers

Overall physical demand index: 97.0Strength index: 87.8Stamina index: 100.0Flexibility index: 100.0Coordination index: 100.0Total employment & projected growth: 9,720 (0.6%)Mean annual wage: $43,056

Among all occupations on this list, dancers require the greatest amount of stamina, flexibility, and coordination. Whether performing solo or as part of a group, dancers must maintain tight synchronization between the bodys movement and musical accompaniment, usually in a choreographed routine. Like athletes, professional dancers practice rigorously and maintain peak physical fitness.

Detailed Findings & Methodology

Data on physical demands of occupations for the U.S. were obtained from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET). Wage statistics were obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics and employment statistics were obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections Program, with projections into 2028.

To identify the most physically demanding jobs, a composite score for each occupation was calculated based on the following data from O*NET: trunk strength, static strength, explosive strength, dynamic strength, stamina, gross body equilibrium, gross body coordination, extent flexibility, and dynamic flexibility. Values for these measures were combined to result in four dimensions of physical demand: strength, stamina, flexibility, and coordination. Jobs were then ranked by their overall score.

In general, the most physically demanding jobs are lower-paying jobs. More specifically, employees in the 20 most physically demanding jobs have an average wage of $36,926, which is significantly lower than the $51,960 annual mean wage for U.S. employees as a whole. A few of the main outliers include athletes, commercial divers, and roof bolters (mining), which all have average wages more than 1.5 times the average wage of the 20 most physically demanding jobs.

Interestingly, none of these jobs require a college degree. In fact, only two occupationsfirefighters and commercial diversneed an additional postsecondary certification or training program. Half of the most physically demanding jobs require a high school diploma or equivalent, and eight do not require any educational credentials at all.

While the job outlook for individual physically demanding jobs varies significantly, from -18 percent for fallers to 17.1 percent for derrick operators, these jobs overall are poised for growth by 2028. Altogether, the 20 most physically demanding jobs are projected to grow at a rate of a little over 7 percent in the next ten years, which is higher than the projected growth of about 5 percent in the number of employees in the U.S. as a whole.

FOX28 Spokane

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Analysis: The most physically demanding jobs in US - FOX 28 Spokane

Since it was established over a decade ago by Laura Merage, RedLine has presented an annual members' show that follows the theme for the venue's exhibition program. This year, that theme is "Afrofuturism," which imagines utopian pasts or futures in which black people are central to the narrative content.

Ive said it before, and Ill say it again: It doesnt make sense to tie a members' show to a specific theme when the participants have little in common ideally, such an exhibit should be a free-for-all, with each artist presenting what they do best, whatever that may be.Luckily, thats pretty much how this years members' show, Near in the Distance, turned out. As RedLine director Louise Martorano observes with a laugh, The artists never follow the theme, and just do what they want.

The unwieldy task of organizing the show fell to Rhode Island-based curator Nicole J. Caruth. Some months ago, Caruth came to RedLine to speak with the residents about what they intended to create for the exhibition, and she found that some of the artists were uncomfortable with the theme, feeling that their work would be inauthentic. As a result, she did an admirable job of adjusting the Afrofuturism theme to the mostly non-African American artists at RedLine, or at least was flexible enough to allow the artists to adjust the theme themselves.As she says in her curators statement, You wont find the typical aesthetics associated with Afrofuturism here.

When I talked with Caruth just hours before Near in the Distance was set to open, she told me that gentrification was on the minds of many of the RedLine artists. And that makes sense, since artists even those artists with temporarily subsidized spaces at RedLine are on the front lines of the process: Artists typically have their studios and often their homes in affordable areas, and here in Denver those formerly cheap neighborhoods are becoming high-rent districts virtually overnight. Caruth takes note of this, too, in her curators statement: The artists in this exhibition focus on the world as they know it now, tackling topics such as displacement, surveillance, climate change, hybridity, gender equality and rest.

One side of Anthony Garcia Sr.'s mural, "White Wash."

courtesy of RedLine

The show starts in the small gallery off the lobby with Eileen Roscina Richardsons Cultivate, which looks like a kitchen and is very homey and welcoming. Hanging from the ceiling is a ring of dried flowers arranged so that they radiate away from the center. Below that is a large table, with chairs around it; on top of the table are a row of books and several vessels holding fermenting agents, such as sourdough starter. The idea is to create a sense of community by bringing people together to make food with the fermented ingredients: As the culmination of the piece, the artist plans to stage just such a dinner.

As viewers enter the main gallery, they encounter Regan Rosburgs Everything Is Fine, wrapping around a free-standing wall; the side facing the entry looks something like a big, abstract drip painting. The piece addresses pollution and climate change, and focuses on Rosburg's residency in the Arctic, to which she sailed from Svalbard, Norway, aboard a tall ship with other artists, along with scientists and writers. On one side of the wall, Rosburg has draped ghost nets and other bits of plastic flotsam, and on the opposite side are scores of pieces of correspondence from artists, children, scientists and others. The plastic-covered side reflects the negatives related to the issue, while the side with the letters reveals hope for the future.

Artist and community activist Anthony Garcia Sr. has also taken over both sides of a free-standing wall for his two-sided mural, White Wash. On the prominent side is a set of horizontal stripes evocative of Latino weaving, marred by a swath of whitewash and on the other side broader stripes in a dirty white all but completely cover the marks and images that lie beneath. As Garcia explains in his artist's statement, the goal is a society that values its communities and their histories. Gentrification and the erasure of existing cultures is clearly on the mind of the artist, one of the city's premier muralists.

Tony Ortega's "Northside Gothic."

courtesy of Tony Ortega

Opposite Garcia's piece, Tony Ortega has used one side of a similar wall for a painting of a 1970s Chicano couple rendered in his signature style. Behind them is an outline of a little north Denver house and, behind that, a trio of smaller, similar portraits of the couple. In front of the painting, on both sides, Ortega has placed sculptures of guardian animals dogs? done in black papier mch. The old Northside was once the heart of the barrio, but its now being filled with affluent whites, so the topic is again gentrification: The dreams of the young couple from a generation ago are unattainable for their children.

"Circuit City," by Chris Bagley.

courtesy of RedLine

No artist takes the future implication of Afrofuturism more to heart than Chris Bagley, whose Circuit City is a cross between the interior of a sacred space and that of a nightclub. This piece, which is meant to conjure up some future metropolis, fills an entire small gallery at the back of RedLine. Bagley has covered the floor with shiny reflective panels and, hanging above, a crumbled Mylar blanket rotates like a deformed disco ball. On either side are internally lit columns made of circuit boards, and there are other lighted elements, too. On the back wall is a movement-activated video projection, in which those interacting with it are reduced to flattened blobs with no discernible features. For Bagley, the unrecognizable shadows of figures suggest a time when appearances will be replaced by actions.

Tya Alisa Anthony's "Balance Baltimore."

courtesy of RedLine

Other works deserving of notice include Tya Alisa Anthonys charming Balance Baltimore, a shelf that holds tiny, multi-colored matte-board houses lined up in a row. Marsha Macks wallpaper, flower pots, plants and candy-wrapper room has a decidedly upbeat look, and reflects her mixed identity of Asian and Caucasian. I also liked the pieces by Clay Hawkley, especially The Net, in which pictures of young people are torn apart, and joined together, by a wavy grid of lines. Trey Duvalls trio of steel pipes that rise and fall on cables attached to machines is super-simple, but really works. In contrast, the three-part Michael Sperandeo, which includes an archival print, a 3-D print of a mythical figure, and augmented reality through a laptop, is incredibly complex, but it works, too.

Finally, established Denver artists Charles Parson and Carley Warren both deserve a tip of the hat. Parson presents an ambitious wall installation about the landscape that incorporates drawings of mountains with clear acrylic contraptions filled with sand. Warren contributes another classic work, a pair of wooden sculptures whose forms are based on the shapes of conventionalized spiders.

Over the past decade, RedLine has shown itself to be a place where you can see some of the area's best contemporary artists, as well as some of its most exciting emerging ones. Thats more than enough of a theme.

Near in the Distance, through March 8 at RedLine, 2350 Arapahoe Street, 303-296-4448, redlineart.org

Michael Paglia is an art historian and writer whose columns have appeared in Westword since 1995; his essays on the visual arts have also been published in national periodicals including Art News, Architecture, Art Ltd., Modernism, Art & Auction and Sculpture Magazine. He taught art history at the University of Colorado Denver.

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RedLine Members Tackle Gentrification, More in Near in the Distance - Westword

Sony Electronics announced the details Tuesday of a new beamforming microphone, the MAS-A100, designed for hands-free lectures and presentations. The ceiling-mount microphone is designed for both speech reinforcement and recording using both beamforming technology and an Intelligent Feedback Reducer function. The microphone has a dual-channel output for simultaneous recording that captures the speaker and students/participants voices and includes support for Dante2 and Power Over Ethernet (PoE).

The beamforming microphone has a dual-channel output that enables simultaneous speech reinforcement and recording. The microphone also has auto-noise reduction capabilities to minimize background sound from air conditioners and projectors, which makes it ideal for lecture capture and meeting recording. The microphone can be integrated into existing AV rooms using Dante and its Automatic Calibration function automatically optimizes the parameters of the audio processing for speech reinforcement by generating and capturing the test signal during the installation process.

The beamforming microphone is expected to be available in spring 2020.

Here are more specs.

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Sony Will Release a New Beamforming Microphone for Hands-Free Applications in Spring... - rAVe [PUBS]

Solid laying area

Provide a solid laying area of 0.3 to 0.34 square feet per pig to increase comfort and eliminate drafts. The most common of these temporary mats is a reinforced rubber mat with a raised feed lip around the perimeter. Because these mats are heavy, weighing over two pounds per square foot, producers may choose to use two mats per pen for easier handling or a lighter polyethylene mat weighing in at just over a half pound per square foot.

There is also a disposable mat available manufactured from cornstalks and wood fibers. This four by eight foot biodegradable mat weighs only ten pounds and eliminates the need for cleaning and disinfecting as it is simply composted after use.

Radiant heat is the perfect application for creating the microclimate needed for weaned pigs. By directing the heat at the pigs, we can increase the localized environment for the pigs without having to raise the temperature in the entire room. Forced air heaters regulate the room temperature to between 75 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit while the radiant heat maintains a microclimate of 90 degrees at pig level. Gradually reduce the radiant temperature over 28 days until it meets the target room temperature, at which time the brooders are removed and stored.

Electric heat lamps are the least expensive type of radiant to install and regulate in a building. Installation amounts to placing several lamps with 250-watt bulbs over the laying area in each pen and adjusting the height until reaching the desired floor temperature. A simple thermostat with a remote sensor regulates the lamp output. Disadvantages include higher energy costs and bulb replacement.

Individual infrared gas brooders are the most popular form of radiant heat in wean-finish applications. Though higher in initial cost, these small 10,000 to 17,000 BTU brooders are powerful enough to heat a floor area suitable for 100 to 150 weaned pigs. A sensor mounted under one of the brooders transmits a signal to a control panel regulating the gas flow. Both on/off and modulating control panels are available depending on producer preference. Gas-fired brooders will typically have lower operating costs than electric systems.

Air from poorly managed inlets can cause pig-chilling drafts to occur in the weaning microclimate. Leaks around curtains, doors and fans can reduce airspeed, allowing cold incoming air to fall to the floor without proper mixing. Good barn management includes tightening up the building envelope so the incoming airspeeds reach 800 to 1,000 feet per minute and mix with warmer ceiling air before tumbling to the floor.

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Microclimates are the key to wean-finish success - The Pig Site

A homeowner says her dream renovation turned into a "nightmare" when contractors claimed an "excessive" profit for "poor" standard work.

Joanne McDonough had hoped the work on her new Benwell house would transform it into the home she'd always hoped for.

Work was needed to update the bathroom and kitchen, and she wanted to spare no expense - for the "bespoke" fixtures and fittings she was imagining.

Instead, she says, she paid an eye-watering 28,906 for "poor design", "basic" fittings, and kitchen equipment which was discontinued by the manufacturer just months after it was installed in her home.

When a designer from Washington-based firm KitchensPlus visited her home, she says she was thrilled with the "beautiful" initial design she was shown, and agreed to pay 18,620 for the kitchen and 10,286 for the bathroom.

But Joanne claims what she had installed was "an absolute joke".

The company says it "tried extremely hard" to deal with Joanne's complaints but it was "not possible" to satisfy her.

A spokesperson said KitchensPlus was rated "outstanding" by customers on its website.

But Joanne, 45, said: "There's not a cupboard door that fits properly, there are gaps, spaces, nothing matches properly.

"There's dodgy tiling, there's a cheap fridge-freezer which was discontinued by the manufacturer after it was installed at my house, when they'd told me I was getting an 'American-style fridge-freezer' and it's nothing of the sort.

"There's a cheap, now-discontinued washing machine which doesn't even match.

"In a bespoke kitchen, is that what you expect? There's nothing bespoke about it.

"I've had nothing in my life, I've been a full-time carer all my life and I was given the money for this refurbishment by a friend as the gift of a lifetime. I will never again in my life have the opportunity to have a bespoke kitchen."

Joanne's complaints include a bathtub worth just 109.17, which she said does not fit the space well and is clearly not a "bespoke" option.

An independent report into the works, carried out by an expert commissioned by Newcastle City Council's Trading Standards department, noted the "very basic plastic panels" on the "very basic economy" bath were "poorly secured".

Overall, the report agreed aspects of the bathroom work, including the tiling, the ceiling and spotlight installation, were "in good condition" - despite a number of "problems" including "poorly, inadequately" installed shower doors and a toilet of a different make to the one listed on the costing sheet.

But the kitchen installation, the report said, was "of far lower standard/quality of work". Wall units were cobbled together from parts produced by different manufacturers and showed "notable, visible colour variations" with the plinths at the bottom of cupboards being described as "not fit for purpose".

Wall tiles were poorly applied at first and, after Joanne complained to the furniture ombudsman, were replaced but even after the second attempt the report still found "poor" tile application work.

The report said: "My examination of the bathroom and kitchen installations at this property identified that, overall, both are poorly designed and laid out particularly in regard to the fairly compact kitchen installation.

"In my opinion [the] level of profit reflects excessive amounts for work of this type particularly bearing in mind the very small overall size of the kitchen."

Joanne also paid just more than 4,000 for an attempted loft conversion, but she demanded this be ended and the room restored when she found out that the "death-trap-steep" stairs which had been installed required planning permission, which she had not been told about and which hadn't been sought.

She was refunded and given 1,000 compensation and the stairs were removed, but she says it was "an absolute disgrace" the way the room where the work took place had been left. KitchensPlus has pointed out this work was done by a subcontractor.

Joanne added: "I cry about this every night. It's been a nightmare.

"I wish they would just come out and look at it and admit what they've done.

"After 17 weeks of hell, I demanded to know what they had done with my money, where was my bespoke kitchen? I just want to know where my money has gone."

A spokesperson for KitchenPlus said: "We tried extremely hard to satisfy the customer and deal with her complaints but it was not possible to achieve an outcome which she considered to be satisfactory."

The spokesperson added the issue had been referred to the Furniture Ombudsman and the company had "complied with the relevant findings".

The company accused Joanne of being threatening towards staff "in contrast to the professional courtesy we extended to her".

Joanne denies being abusive or threatening, and says she has "always been courteous to every person who has been in my home" and said she had simply been upset and had demanded to know what had happened to her money.

The spokesperson added: "We are a professionally run and customer focused business.

"Many home improvement projects involve snagging issues for a variety of reasons. We are always happy to deal with issues reported by customers in accordance with the warranty in our detailed terms and conditions. We also have an official complaints policy."

He added: "We installed tiles for Joanne which she claimed to be delighted with initially, then rejected them.

"On a number of occasions we sent tradespeople to Joannes property to attend to work which had already been carried out and upon arrival they found that the work had since been undone.

"We tried to meet her expectations and did our best to perform our obligations in accordance with the contract."

More:
The 29,000 dream refurbishment which turned into a 'nightmare' for distraught Benwell homeowner - Chronicle Live

Luxurious, expensive and eco-friendly yacht Aqua

If you were the richest man in the world with environmental attitudes Greta Thunberg, what an expensive toy you bought yourself? The state of bill gates is estimated at $ 110 billion. Part of his wealth, the billionaire has decided to spend on expensive yacht Aqua at a cost of 644 million dollars. But this is not just a yacht, but a real luxurious Palace on the water, and it is absolutely environmentally friendly power plant running on hydrogen.

See also the story about how Turkey stole a luxury yacht to transport the illegal immigrants:

Superyacht, designed by Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design and Lateral Naval Architects, includes an infinity pool with terraces, a gym, a helipad and a Spa. Other luxury features Windows from floor to ceiling Windows, massage room, yoga area and a huge circular staircase. Presented at the yacht show in Monaco the ship accommodates 14 guests, 31 members of the crew and has a range of Autonomous run 6,000 miles with a maximum speed of 17 knots.

Aqua Yacht Of Bill Gates

A distinctive feature of the yacht is the system with liquid hydrogen and fuel elements. Below decks there are two 28-ton vacuum sealed tanks which are cooled to -252 degrees Celsius and filled with liquid hydrogen, which is converted into electrical energy using fuel cells with proton exchange membrane (PEM). The only by-product of this installation is ordinary water vapor. The system provides power to two engines and propellers with a capacity of one megawatt.

Aqua Yacht Of Bill Gates

Despite the fact that the yacht is powered by environmentally friendly liquid hydrogen, the lack of hydrogen filling stations were forced to install additional backup diesel engine.

Aqua Yacht Of Bill Gates

Aqua is still in the construction phase and will be launched by 2024.

We will remind that earlier Ukrainian yacht were the leaders of the regatta PALERMO-MONTECARLO 19. In turn, the famous Spanish tennis player bought a luxury yacht for 5 million euros.

Natasha Kumar is a general assignment reporter at the Times Hub. She has covered sports, entertainment and many other beats in her journalism career, and has lived in Manhattan for more than 8 years. She studies in University of Calcutta. Natasha has appeared periodically on national television shows and has been published in (among others) Hindustan Times, Times of India

Read more here:
Bill gates bought the hydrogen superyacht for half a billion dollars - The Times Hub

Former Phones4U tycoon John Caudwell gives us a tour of his Mayfair mega mansion which he spent five years renovating at a cost of 65m.

Britain's most expensive home is located in London's wealthy neighbourhood of Mayfair and boasts a cinema, nightclub, spa and a river in the dining room.

The British billionaire owner is former Phones4U tycoon John Caudwell, who spent five years and 68m renovating what was initially two properties to create one staggering 110-room, 43,000 sq ft mega mansion that is now worth 250m.

Here is a tour inside the property which is bigger than Westminster Abbey following the recent Channel 4 documentary that documented the last year of the building project, Britain's Most Expensive Home: Building for a Billionaire.

The finished property now includes one of the largest private ballrooms in London after Buckingham Palace, 20,000ft of gold leaf worth 28,000, furniture worth an estimated 6m including a 300,000 'tree of life' sculpture, and not to mention the swimming pool that has a volcanic lava installation.

Let's take a further look inside...

See the article here:
Inside Britain's most expensive home - a 250m mega mansion with an indoor river - OK! magazine

Before answering my questions about Fruits, Vegetables; Fruit and Vegetable Salad his new exhibition opening at the Whitney Museum of American Art New York-based artist Darren Bader says that he has a specific (read: irreverent) style and he hopes its not too much of an annoyance. I tell him its not an annoyance at all and start with an easy one: Where do you get your ideas? Oh, you know, the magical world of ideas, he replies.

His exhibition, which takes place on the eighth floor of the Whitney, comprises a previously untitled work that the museum acquired in 2015 but has never displayed until now. When viewers emerge from the lift on the eighth floor, they will discover a cornucopia of fresh fruit and vegetables, each variety presented as a sculpture on its own wooden plinth. Four times a week, museum staff will collect the ripened fruit and vegetables and according to Baders instructions make a salad. The slicing and dicing will be captured on film and projected in the empty gallery, after which the salad will be served to viewers. Staff will then replenish the plinths with fresh produce, and so the process will continue.

Nature has long had a role in Baders playful, provocative work. In 2011 he let loose two goats in a gallery. He intended to feature a couple of cats, too, but realised that wouldnt do because as he wrote in an accompanying announcement cat predator, goat prey. Instead, he encouraged viewers to adopt a cat from an animal shelter in the East Village and, in that way, own a Bader artwork of their own. The following year, he created Lasagna on Heroin, which is exactly what it says on the tin: a serving of lasagne injected with heroin.

His works are a puckish update of Marcel Duchamps readymades, which present objects from daily life (a urinal, a shovel) as high art. Although, as Bader points out, Were 107 years post-premiere of the storied readymade, so notions of high art and daily life are not what they were. The installation at the Whitney also nods to other works across art history that have engaged with food. I mention Make a Salad by Alison Knowles, a founding member of the Fluxus group, which also included Yoko Ono. This 1962 performance piece, in the past few years revived at Tate Modern in London and on the High Line in New York, involved Knowles chopping vegetables in time to live music, then serving the mix to the audience.

Theres also that hovering green apple revisited again and again by Rene Magritte; Giuseppe Arcimboldos whimsical Vertumnus, which depicts Roman emperor Rudolf II as a Roman god made out of fruit and veg; and even Maurizio Cattelans banana, which was duct-taped to a wall and sold for $120,000, before being eaten by another artist at Art Basel in Miami last month. Bader comes back at me with his own equally appetising affinities: early Gabriel Orozco, a Mexican artist who makes use of myriad found objects; Urs Fischers Untitled, which features the screwed-together halves of an apple and a pear suspended from a ceiling; and Hollis Framptons voluptuous Lemon, a video work in which the titular object is lasciviously perused in light and shadow. In the past, Bader has described food as natures impeccable sculpture. I ask him to expand on that and he replies, Human optics being human optics

To Christie Mitchell, the curator behind this exhibition, Baders work is about appreciating natural produce. Its a luscious thing, she says, but theres also a hint of decomposition. The salad-making is presumably, in part, a practical way around the works natural shelf life. Yes and no, says Bader. With no, Id guess I thought the mere display of fruits and vegetables wasnt rigorous enough of an art proposition; the salad element added extra texture.

And extra pairs of hands. The fact that the work involves not only Bader but also museum staff and viewers makes it highly collaborative. Its a labour of love. Well, yes, shopping for produce several times a week and then keeping an eye on it is not something thats in our normal schedule, says Mitchell. She adds, however, that the Whitney receives a number of requests from artists that are out of the ordinary. Also, its been great to see the excitement of the staff in the Studio Caf, for instance, who are always surrounded by art but not necessarily part of it.

Baders edible artwork calls into question not only what art is, but also the way in which museums collect and display it. It stimulates thoughts about the relationship between art and consumer, as well as the consumption of food and entertainment. Plus, its funny. When I ask him whether sticking fruit and veg on plinths in a museum makes it art, he tells me he wouldnt know. Either way, lets hope it tastes as good as it looks. Speaking of which, what does it mean to eat a work of art? Beyond my ken, says Bader.

Go here to see the original:
How do you follow heroin lasagne? The artist who wants you to dice his veg - The Guardian