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The Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation acknowledges recipients of the Brandon Housing and Community Awards during its annual general meeting at city hall on Wednesday.

A partnership between Assiniboine Community College and Habitat for Humanity Manitoba was given special recognition yesterday for its affordable housing project.

ACC trades students and Habitat for Humanity volunteers were presented with a 2014 Housing Award from the Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation.

"I cant express how much it means to us to have the opportunity to build a house for Habitat for Humanity," said Zac DeSchutter, ACC student in the pre-employment carpentry program.

DeSchutter spoke to the crowd at BNRCs award ceremony following the organizations annual general meeting in the city hall foyer on Wednesday.

"There are several different reasons why this is such a great opportunity for us. One of them being, we get to learn on a first-hand basis what its like to build a house from the ground up."

DeSchutter said it has also been a "tremendous community building opportunity" for the students.

"We get to know that this house will be there standing for years after we built it, and we can drive by and know thats our first project that we worked on."

Habitat for Humanity and ACC trades students partnered to build a ready-to-move home. Students are building the home as part of their 2014-15 curriculum. Carpentry, woodworking, plumbing and construction electrician programs are all involved in the initiative. The build began in September and is expected to be complete this coming summer.

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'Amazing' ACC, Habitat project celebrated

Personnel expert makes staggering claim in front of construction workers

A personnel chief was condemned yesterday for telling a meeting of blacklisted workers that the scandal was a big fuss about very little.

So-called employee relations expert Mike Emmott, from human resources workers professional body the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), made the comments following his keynote speech at the Manchester Industrial Relations Societys 50th anniversary conference on Friday.

He told the packed-out meeting of 200 leading industrial relations academics, HR professionals and union officials, including blacklisted workers and Shrewsbury Pickets, that he found union moral outrage over blacklisting rather distasteful.

Mr Emmott had been speaking of the need for HR managers to embed a culture of trust, fairness and respect but showed his true colours after being quizzed by general union GMB political officer Neil Smith over CIPDs lack of response to blacklisting.

His outburst was met with gasps, then loud applause after follow-up questions identified a number in CIPDs ranks who were personally involved in blacklisting union members.

A flustered Mr Emmott responded by claiming ignorance, even though the issue has been front-page news in even the CIPDs own journal.

Yes, it is a big fuss about nothing when you cannot feed and clothe your kids and dont know why, said Manchester electrician and MRI picket Tony Jones, who was blacklisted for many years after raising concerns about electrical safety.

To me thats a form of child abuse.

Blacklist Support Group chairman Steve Acheson, also a Manchester electrician, said the campaign group had submitted a complaint to the CIPD for breaches of the code of ethical conduct but that, two years later, nobody had faced any sanction.

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Morning Star :: Blacklist fears a huge fuss over nothing says HR chief

Sollentuna (Sweden) (AFP) - In war-torn Syria where Mikhail Zuhir comes from, a nighttime knock on the door can mean death, but when he rings the bell at a Swedish home on a dark night he comes bearing flowers.

Instead of fear, a warm dinner and welcome await the 29-year-old refugee who fled the violence that has claimed more than 195,000 lives since Syria's war began more than three years ago.

"As I see it, if you're invited to dinner and you arrive without flowers, you're sure not to get invited again," he said, handing a bouquet to his hosts, Urban Soederman and Jenny Sigurs.

Soon the three are seated at a table over traditional Swedish fare: salmon, potatoes, apple pie with whipped cream.

What seems a casual social event is proving to be a successful initiative at better integration, as Sweden faces a rise in the anti-immigration far right.

The project is the brainchild of Ebba Aakerman, a teacher of Swedish as a second language, who was moved by a simple idea -- nothing breaks the ice better than sharing a meal.

This dinner diplomacy, she hopes, will facilitate dialogue in a nation long known for its openness but shocked by September's general election when the far-right doubled its support to almost 13 percent.

For Sweden, mass immigration is a recent and growing phenomenon, with a 2013 survey showing 20.1 percent of the population has roots outside the country.

- 'I got curious' -

Akerman got the idea early this year when she started as a substitute teacher for foreigners making new lives in Sweden.

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Swedes try dinner diplomacy to befriend immigrants

COMMENTS

By Bill Hugenberg - Thursday, November 20, 2014

Just in case any of Wagners readers are actually interested in facts:

Explainer: What Gruber meant when he said if CBO scored the mandate as taxes, the bill dies, by Fact Checker Glenn Kessler, Washington Post, (November 19, 2014).

This bill was written in a tortured way to make sure the CBO [Congressional Budget Office] did not score the mandate as taxes. If CBO scored the mandate as taxes, the bill dies. MIT economist Jonathan Gruber, captured on videotape.

What did Gruber mean when he uttered this words in a now-infamous video that has inflamed hostility to the ACA?

This is a bit of a wonky subject, but we think it is worth explaining, because commentators on both the right and the left have jumped to the wrong conclusion. They assumed Gruber was discussing the fact that the administration had not described penalties for failing to get insurance as taxes, even though the Supreme Court later said Obamacare was constitutional because the individual mandate was indeed a tax.

But thats not correct.

The Facts:

First, from the CBOs perspective, the mandate penalty called in the law a shared responsibility payment was always deemed to be revenue. It did not matter what marketing label it received from politicians; the mandate was considered an involuntary payment, and thus would be considered government revenue. (An example of a voluntary payment is deciding to pay a fee to visit a national park. Those fees are considered an offset of government expenses, as opposed to revenues.)

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Grubers snow job will hit Colorado

Myrval Oneil Pelletier, 76, of Hubert, passed away Thursday, Nov. 13, 2014, at Carteret General Hospital in Morehead City.

His service was held Tuesday at Jones Funeral Home in Swansboro with the Rev. Sandy Bain officiating.

Born on April 21, 1938, in Newport, he was a son of the late William Levi and Bessie Barnes Pelletier. He was a civil service electrician at Camp Lejeune.

Surviving are his two daughters, Crystal Morton and husband Steve of Peletier and Robbin Horner and husband Jimmy of Hubert; two brothers, Larry Pelletier of Salem, Va., and Lylon Pelletier of Arkansas; and five grandchildren, Crystal Horner, Travis Morton and wife Erin, Rachel Morton, James David Horner and Rowdy Horner.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Pearl Pelletier.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Raab Cancer Clinic, 302 Medical Park Court, Morehead City, N.C. 28557.

Arrangements are by Jones Funeral Home of Onslow County. Electronic condolences may be left for the family at http://www.jonesfh.org.

(Paid obituary)

Originally posted here:
Myrval Pelletier, 76; service held

WILKES-BARRE Closing arguments are scheduled to take place Wednesday in the trial of a contractor accused of cheating a first-time homeowner in renovating a house in Exeter.

Matt Stuka, 30, said he had no experience in renovating houses and trusted George Poplawski, 42, of Honesdale and formerly of Plains Township, to perform quality work to transform a single-family house on Harland Street into two apartments in 2012.

I told him I trusted him to get the job done, Stuka testified Tuesday before Luzerne County Judge Lesa Gelb on charges of theft, deceptive business practices and receiving advance payment for work not performed.

Assistant District Attorney Thomas Ratchford said Poplawski took advantage of Stukas inexperience and failed to keep several promises to finish the renovations during the summer of 2012. Ratchford said Stuka was forced to pay nearly $43,000 out of pocket to hire a second contractor and an electrician to correct and finish Poplawskis work. Stuka said he paid Poplawski nearly $73,000 from February 2012 until October of that year when he told Poplawski to leave.

Poplawskis attorney, Joseph Sklarosky Sr., said Poplawski was completing one job as Stuka kept asking him to do more work in the house. The requests to do more work quickly piled up to 27 separate contracts during 2012, Sklarosky said.

Mr. Stuka kept adding contracts. George did all the work properly, Sklarosky said. Just as George finished one job, Mr. Stuka had another. (Stuka) was withholding payment to him.

Stuka told jurors Poplawski was to finish renovating the house by the end of June 2012. As the job was not finished, Poplawski promised the end of July 2012, then October 2012.

Sklarosky had Stuka go through all the contracts separately. For each contract, Stuka said he paid either one-third or half the cost with the remainder paid when each job was completed.

Sklarosky questioned Stuka why he would pay the balance if he didnt like the finished product.

Stuka said all he saw were wires, plumbing pipes and concrete when he paid Poplawski, not knowing if the work was meeting building codes.

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Exeter homeowner says he trusted contractor; closing arguments set for Wednesday

For your electrical service needs, make sure you have a skilled electrical contractor on your side. At Speedy Electrical Repair in Laredo, TX, our fully licensed technicians work under the direction of two seasoned master electricians. With that kind of knowledge and training at our disposal, its no wonder that we can take on virtually any residential or commercial electrical project you may face.

If you need new lighting installed or a faulty outlet repaired, our team can deliver prompt and effective project completion. Thanks to the great selection of resources at our disposal, we can also install new wiring, repair your propertys electric panels, and even help you choose the right generator for your budget and lifestyle. As a family-owned business and accredited member of the Better Business Bureau, we pride ourselves on providing you with excellent customer service no matter what your particular needs. With that in mind, we provide:

Dont let an unresolved electrical concern put your property at risk. At Speedy Electrical Repair, our electrical contractors are available for appointments throughout the Greater Laredo Area. We offer highly flexible appointment availability, so dont hesitate to call today.

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Electrical Contractor Laredo, TX | General Electrician in ...

Electricians may work in workshops or on location at construction sites, private dwellings, industrial plants, power stations, offices and anywhere requiring electrical maintenance. They may work in cramped conditions or at heights, and sometimes their work can be dangerous. They usually work normal business hours but may be required to be on call day or night to conduct emergency repairs.

According to industry, electricians can expect to earn as much as approximately $1200.00 per week (full-time and before tax). Self-employed electricians can often earn more.

Electricians use tools such as screwdrivers, pliers, drills and wire strippers. They also use ohmmeters or voltmeters for testing electrical equipment. Since the work can sometimes be dangerous, they may be required to wear and use personal protective equipment (PPE) such as bright and reflective safety clothing, hard hats, earmuffs, gloves, goggles and enclosed steel-capped boots.

To become an electrician you usually need to complete an Electrical Appliance Serviceperson or Electrical Mechanic Electrotechnology Electrician apprenticeship. As an apprentice, you enter into a formal training contract with an employer. You spend most of your time working and learning practical skills on the job and you spend some time undertaking structured training with a registered training provider of your choice. They will assess your skills and when you are competent in all areas, you will be awarded a nationally-recognised qualification. The apprenticeship usually takes 4 years to complete. Visit the ApprentiCentre to find out more.

To improve your chances of gaining an apprenticeship, you can learn some relevant electrical skills through the Certificate I in Engineering (Pre-Apprenticeship - Electrical), which includes a supervised work placement. The Certificate takes 6 months (1 semester) full-time to complete.

If you are still at school, you may be able to access an apprenticeship through your school. You generally start your school-based apprenticeship by attending school three days a week, spending one day at a registered training organisation and one day at work.

Talk to your schools VET Co-ordinator to discuss possibly starting your training now through VET in Schools.

If you get a full-time apprenticeship you can apply to leave school before reaching the school leaving age.

If you are no longer at school you can apply for an apprenticeship and get paid while you learn and work.

Studying English and mathematics at school will help you in your further studies in this area.

Continued here:
Electrician (general) - Career Centre

Nabors owns and operates the world's largest land-based drilling rig fleet and has one of the largest completion services and workover and well servicing rig fleets in North America. Our company is a leading provider of offshore platform workover and drilling rigs in the U.S. and multiple international markets. Nabors provides innovative drilling technology and equipment, directional drilling and comprehensive oilfield services in most of the significant oil and gas markets in the world.

SUMMARY:

Responsible for the inspection, maintenance and field repair of all electrical equipment on the rig, logistics equipment and associated rig site electrical equipment. Maintain all electrical equipment in accordance with Nabors planned maintenance system and to manufacturers specifications.

BASIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Ensures the regular preventative maintenance activities for the electrical systems and components of engines, air compressors, generators, motors, air conditioners, alarms and general lighting are accomplished. 2. Installs, repairs and tests all electrical equipment at a rig site. 3. Conducts safety inspections of all major pieces of equipment, making repairs, adjustments/calibrations as required. 4. Tests circuit connections using electrical test equipment. 5. Ensures that an adequate amount of spare parts are on hand at all times. Submits requisitions as needed. 6. Prepares and submits daily paperwork, permits, safety and incident reports to comply with Nabors and customers requirements. Maintain all required records, documentation and certifications of electrical equipment. 7. Must be available by phone for emergency call- outs 24 hours per day. 8. Assists mechanics with repairs of company equipment. 9. Must adhere to company policies, safe work practices and work requirements, including lock-out/tag-out requirements. 10. Participate in rig down/rig up activities to ensure proper disconnect, transportation and connection of electrical equipment.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Must have knowledge of basic electrical diagnostic equipment for AC and DC

service up to 600 V. Must have the ability to identify and correct electrical deficiencies in systems

and equipment. General knowledge of safety and environmental regulations/requirements. Must possess knowledge and skills in window based computer systems. Must possess strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate

effectively at all levels of the organization. Must possess flexibility and the capacity to handle wide range of situations

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Project Electrician

Dialysis giant DaVita HealthCare Partners is moving into the hospital business. Courtesy of DaVita HealthCare Partners hide caption

Dialysis giant DaVita HealthCare Partners is moving into the hospital business.

Critics of America's health care system say it's really a "sick care" system. Doctors and hospitals only get paid for treating people when they're sick.

But that's starting to change. Health insurance companies and big government payers like Medicare are starting to reward doctors and hospitals for keeping people healthy.

So, many health care companies are trying to position themselves as organizations that help people stay well.

One of the latest is DaVita HealthCare Partners, a provider of kidney dialysis services. The company operates 2,152 dialysis centers in the U.S. and 87 in its fast-growing international buisiness.

DaVita is making a move into primary care, and it just announced a joint venture with a hospital company in Colorado and Kansas.

DaVita CEO Kent Thiry says it's like changing the company from being an electrician into a general contractor. "And in so doing," he says, "[We] have a much more comprehensive impact on how the house gets designed, how it gets built, how it gets maintained for the betterment of those who live in the house. That's the simplest way to characterize the change."

DaVita's partner in the new venture is Centura Health, the biggest hospital company in Colorado. Like DaVita, it is also expanding aggressively into primary care and services beyond hospital-based procedures.

Centura CEO Gary Campbell says that in order for his company to keep people healthy, it needs the ability to crunch lots of health data. The idea is to use computer systems to keep track of peoples' health, and flag health problems before they happen. He says DaVita HealthCare Partners is really good at that.

See the article here:
Kidney Dialysis Company Expands Into The Hospital Business