The tilt in the economic policy to facilitate urban sectors under the Nawaz Sharif government got a positive response from industry and services, which were somewhat unnerved by the PPPs policy to reverse the process of transfer of resources from the rural to urban sector.

Headline GDP for the first quarter of this fiscal was pleasantly surprising. The reported 5pc growth was better than most optimistic economic forecasts so far. The SBP, in its first quarterly report for 2013-14, released late last month, did raise questions about the sustainability of the trend and hinged the growth prospects on the implementation of structural reforms in the fiscal and energy sectors.

With fertiliser and paint industry leading, the large-scale manufacturing (LSM) sector posted an impressive growth, and with the help of the services sector, enabled GDP to grow by 5pc in the period under review. They also more than made up for the lag in growth of the agricultural sector.

Construction, retail and communication sectors are believed to have contributed to growth in services sector. According to the SBP report, nothing significant can be inferred about services till detailed information is available.

Experts attribute the better-than-expected performance of urban sectors primarily to two factors: better energy supply (gas/electricity) to industry, and the confidence of the business community in the Nawaz Sharif government. Their mistrust of the PPP manifested in the slow business expansion during the partys tenure of office.

During the PPPs rule (2008-13), the performance of the agricultural sector was way better than its mean annual growth over the preceding decade from 1998-2008.

The fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector is said to have immensely benefited from the rural growth, as the purchasing power of the neglected population increased on the back of higher support prices of wheat and sugarcane. The demand for basic consumer items like soaps, toothpaste, washing powders, etc. is said to have risen dramatically.

The rural prosperity was also shared by businesses dealing with farm inputs like fertiliser, seeds etc., as a result of price hikes. Mechanisation of farming got a boost from increased subsidised tractor sales.

The freeze in the support price of wheat, besides other factors, experts believe, contributed to the underperformance of agriculture in the first quarter of the current fiscal.

Meanwhile, the State Banks first quarterly report for FY14 says, industry and services were the major drivers of growth as agriculture underperformed.

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Economic growth with industrial bias - DAWN.COM

LAKE OF THE WOODS, Calif. People in the mountain town of Lake of the Woods, which straddles the San Andreas Fault, are used to scrapping for water. The lake for which it is named went dry 40 years ago. Now the tiny community is dealing with its most unsettling threat yet: It could run out of water by summer.

As of last week, two of the five wells drilled into the dry lake bed that serve the towns 300 homes were producing water. The mountains of the nearby Los Padres National Forest got their first dusting of snow and it was a light one last week; it is the winter snow that feeds the wells come spring.

People are watering trees with discarded dishwater, running the washing machine once a week and letting carefully tended beds of flowers and trees wither into patches of dusty dirt.

There are scenes all across California that illustrate the power of the drought. A haze of smog, which normally would be washed away by winter rains, hung over Los Angeles this week. Beekeepers near Sacramento said the lack of wildflowers has deprived bees of a source of food, contributing to a worrisome die-off. Across the rich farmland of the San Joaquin Valley, fields are going unplanted.

But for 17 small, rural communities in California, the absence of rain is posing a fundamental threat to the most basic of services: drinking water. And Lake of the Woods, a middle-class enclave 80 miles from downtown Los Angeles, a mix of commuters, retirees and weekend residents, is one of the most seriously threatened. Signs along its dusty roadways offer red-on-white warnings of a Water Emergency, and plead for conservation.

I didnt think it would come to this, said Diane Gustafson, manager of the Lake of the Woods Mutual Water Co., as she greeted a team of county and state officials reviewing the communitys request for emergency funds to drill more holes. Our wells are so deep. I have lived here for 40 years, and this is the first time weve had a problem like this.

Nothing has helped ease the water crisis: not the yearlong ban on watering lawns and washing cars, not the conscientious homeowners who clean their dishes in the sink and reuse the gray water on trees, not even the 3 inches of rain that soaked the area last weekend. Three attempts to drill new wells, going down 500 feet, have failed.

For a while, Lake of the Woods bought water from Frazier Park, 5 miles up the road, but that community halted sales as its water table dropped. Now the community is trying to line up alternatives, and fast. State officials predict the existing water supply will last no more than three months.

The town, which covers an unincorporated square-mile of Kern County and has a population of about 900, says it is prepared to truck in water should the wells run dry, an expensive remedy it employed briefly during a dry spell last year and which now looms as a potential fact of life.

Bob Stowell, a general contractor who is the unpaid chairman of the board of the water company, promises that no faucets in Lake of the Woods will go dry.

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Dry California town struggles to save water

Wilmington, Del. (PRWEB) March 06, 2014

DuPont and Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) are the joint winners of the 2014 Sustainable Bio Award for Bio-Based Product Innovation of the Year. The two companies were recognized today at the 2014 World Bio Markets Conference in Amsterdam for their pioneering work to achieve the previously impossible: the cleaning power of warm-water clothes washing at cold-water temperatures.

This collaboration brought together DuPont a world leader in science and innovation and P&G a world leader in consumer products to develop the next generation of cleaning technology. DuPont applied an unprecedented scientific process to build a new enzyme technology that delivers better cleaning power at lower wash temperatures. This innovative engineering method discovered an optimal enzyme, also known as a protease, which matches the performance of detergent at 60F as the previous generation of product at 90F. This new protease improves cold water wash performance allowing consumers to reduce energy use by washing in lower temperatures the most energy-intensive aspect of laundering clothes. DuPont worked with P&Gs scientists to incorporate this protease into their liquid detergent products, which they are marketing around the globe.

This protein has the potential to become one of the most widely used engineered enzymes in the world, said William F. Feehery, president, DuPont Industrial Biosciences. With Procter & Gamble, we were able to combine the resources and talents of our global teams to completely re-imagine this product from the ground up. The result is a breakthrough for consumers that delivers superior fabric cleaning in cold water.

The new product enables unprecedented environmental benefits for the detergent industry. Approximately 45 billion loads of laundry are cleaned in U.S. homes annually, producing roughly 40 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2). If all of those loads were run in cold water, the energy saved from not heating the water would reduce CO2 emissions by 32.3 million metric tons the equivalent of the annual electricity use of 3.7 million U.S. homes. For consumers, that means lower energy bills and more money in their pockets.

DuPont and P&G received the award at the 9th annual World Bio Markets Conference. The conference brought together industrial, academic and policy experts to provide a comprehensive look at the opportunities in the bio-based economy, including end-user markets for renewable fuels, bio-based chemicals and bio-based products.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit http://www.dupont.com.

# # #

3/6/14

Original post:
DuPont and Procter & Gamble Win Sustainable Bio Award at 2014 World Bio Markets Conference

Published: 8:29AM Tuesday March 04, 2014 Source: ONE News

After a day of being battered by southerly gales and heavy rain, coastal areas around and north of Christchurch are battening down the hatches for more of the same. People in 2,500 homes face a night without power while others in some low-lying areasare being warned about possible overnight flooding.

As the storm moves up the country,rocks and debris are washing upon coastal roads in Wellington and police arewarning drivers to take care.

Heavy rain and gusts of up to 120kphwere forecast for the capital this evening, MetService forecaster Tuporo Marsters said.

The storm swept in to Christchurchjust after daybreak, 120 kilometre-an-hour gales with gusts up to 160kph battering boats in Lyttelton.

But as the day developed it was toppled trees keeping emergency services busy.

"We've still got a bit of leafy growth on the trees which is causing the wind to have an affect on them, and the soft ground as well causing them to be uprooted," says John Herriott, Christchurch City Fire Station Officer.

Bruce McDonald and his daughter were two of the lucky ones in the storm, unharmed after a tree brought live powerlines onto their car.

Mr McDonald says they had just come out of a camp ground, noticed the tree and heard the big crack.

"And she come off, hit the powerlines and ended up on top of the car. Burnt a hole on the roof of the car and on top of the bonnet. Yeah, a bit scary," he says.

Original post:
Christchurch battens down for more gales, downpours

Power Washing Fence and Shed
Pacific Power Washing Painting our advanced power washing services can restore any part of your home or business in Massachusetts call us today 781-696-2420.

By: Pacific Power Washing and Painting

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Power Washing Fence and Shed - Video

Cleaning Doctor External Window Cleaning Power Washing Services Limerick
Interview with Daragh Clancy Cleaning Doctor External Window Cleaning Power Washing Services Limerick. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CleaningDoctorExt...

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Cleaning Doctor External Window Cleaning & Power Washing Services Limerick - Video

Posted on: 4:50 pm, February 28, 2014, by Sherri Russell, updated on: 04:51pm, February 28, 2014

This is manual work requiring physical strength in maintaining and upgrading parking garages and parking lots.

Work requires skill in the operation of small to medium equipment and sweeper truck and special events set up. Work involves maintaining parking garages and lots while performing light mechanical, light construction, and plumbing repairs. Work also involves removal of trash, debris removal, lighting, sweeping and mopping garage offices and restrooms, washing, landscaping and sanitizing restrooms and regular inspections of parking facilities.

Work is performed under general supervision and reviewed through efficiency, productivity, policy adherence, observation of work and through performance evaluations. Performs routine maintenance to parking garages and lots including the removal of containerized trash, sweeping and mopping, dusting, trash removal, sanitizing restrooms, washing windows and inspection of facilities and perimeters; also includes power sweeping of garages and lots with backpack blowers and dump bed sweeper truck; and treats garages and lots with chemicals during winter for weather conditions such as snow and ice.

Performs light mechanical repairs in replacing electrical receptacles, fixtures and switches, emergency lighting and exit signs including asphalt patching and repair and caulking concrete cracks; replaces signage, HVAC air filters, wall boards, and door locks. Performs light plumbing repairs including replacing pipes, drains, and restroom fixtures. Performs landscaping duties including removal and trimming of branches, grass mowing, weed eating, excavating, grading, raking leaves and spraying herbicides and pesticides.

Assist in remodeling of offices such as construction of partition walls, laying tile, painting cabinets, baseboards, walls and handrails. Works with the Vehicle Maintenance & Services Coordinator, as needed, to assist in simple maintenance and repair tasks, such as replacing bulbs, adding fluids, etc., for public transit vehicles. Assists in the delivery and pickup of vehicles at repair facilities, internal and external cleaning of vehicles and facilities, inspection of taxicabs and other related work as needed.

Operates sweeper truck, lawnmower, weed eater, paint sprayer, core drill, jackhammer and skill and circular saw while performing essential functions. Requires regular and prompt attendance plus the ability to work well with others and work well as a team. Sets up barricades, safety cones, banners, signs and special signage for events. Removal and replacement of ticket booths and meter post. Places de-icer in the case of snow accumulation. Performs related work as required.

PHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS:

Work is performed inside and outside, the employee is exposed to adverse weather conditions, chemicals, fumes, dust, high noise and hazards associated with working around traffic. Work requires the physical ability to perform heavy manual laborer and the ability to repetitiously climb on and off machinery, ladders or scaffolds. Work also involves walking, standing, lifting, stooping and bending.

Minimum Education, Training and Experience:

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Featured Job: Parking & Public Transit Services Worker

Japans inflation, as measured by consumer prices, is rising steadily about a year after a policy shift by the Bank of Japan yet few economists believe it will reach the banks inflation target by the mid-2015 deadline.

One reason is their different understanding of what the yens recent stability means to the price outlook.

Core consumer prices are getting closer to the central banks 2% target. Data Friday showed they rose 1.3% in January from a year earlier, the eighth straight month theyve risen. The core gauge tracks a basket of goods and services but excludes fresh food, whose costs are volatile.

But economists arent so impressed by the data. Roughly half of the current inflation in consumer products is due to the dramatic drop in the yen from late 2012 to mid-2013, they say. That has sharply inflated the costs of imports, which have partly been passed on to consumers.

Significantly, core CPI does include energy, where the yen effect has been particularly acute. According to the BOJs import price data, the costs of liquid natural gas now a main resource in Japan for generating power were 17% higher in January in yen terms.

The Japanese also saw sharp rises in prices of foreign-made home electronics, which they increasingly import: Prices of washing machines were up 13%, while prices of audio equipment and refrigerators both rose 16%.

Barring another major drop in the yen, however, those exchange-rate effects will start to fade from this spring. Friday morning, the yen was trading around Y102 to the U.S. dollar about the same level it was last May.

Core prices will peak out by March, said Toshihiro Nagahama, chief economist at Dai-ichi Life Research Institute. Core CPI will then fall over the summer, he said, ultimately reaching 0.7%-0.8% by September.

BOJ officials see things differently. They expect core inflation to stay around 1.3% until summer and then pick up pace as a stronger domestic economy creates new inflationary pressures to offset the fading currency effect.

As evidence of improved domestic demand, BOJ officials point to core-core consumer prices, which exclude food and energy. They rose 0.7% in both December and January, their highest level since 1998.

Originally posted here:
Pause in Yen Fall Fuels Debate Over Japan Inflation

Springdale, AR (PRWEB) February 27, 2014

The deck cleaning specialists at Renew Crew of Northwest Arkansas are offering a limited time discount on their 3-step wood cleaning process. This Renew Crew process instantly revives most decks by gently removing dirt build-up, mold, and mildew. Over time, this grime can destroy the finish and compromise the wood of decks leading to costly repairs. While renting a power washer or hiring a standard power washing crew may seem to get the job done in the short term, these cleaning practices on a wood deck can actually do more harm than good in the long run.

With the Renew Crew 3-step wood cleaning process, the finish is preserved and the wood on the deck is sealed from exposure to more dirt build-up, mold, and mildew over time.

The first step is a foam solution which attaches itself to the dirt and mildew that is damaging to the deck. This solution removes it without the use of chlorine, which is commonly used to bleach wood and can be harmful to children, pets, and the environment.

The second step includes a rinse with a carefully calibrated power wash system that won't damage the wood and finish of the deck.

The third and final step of Renew Crew's deck cleaning service entails adding a seal of polymer, which prevents the harshness of sunshine and rain from damaging the deck. The seal also helps to maintain the appearance and protect the deck from potential harsh "in-between" cleanings by the homeowner.

Renew Crew is dedicated to keeping children, pets, and plants safe while giving aged and worn wood decks the appearance of being new. All 3 steps of Renew Crew's deck cleaning service uses only environmentally friendly cleaning solutions and gently calibrated pressure washers to renew your deck now and protect it later.

Contact Kevin McVey http://fayetteville.renewcrewclean.com

Renew Crew of Northwest Arkansas 2231 Lowell Rd., Suite H4 Springdale, Arkansas 72764 (479) 659-9663

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Renew Crew Announces Limited Time Discounts on Deck Cleaning Services in Fayetteville AR

At Mobile World Congress, a preview of a central way to manage washing machines, parking meters, and glucose sensors.

According to booth-manning reps at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, IBM is announcing an Internet of Things Cloud with free enrollment of the first 10 connected gadgetswhether washing machines or parking meters. Its the kind of teaser more closely associated with, say, file storage on Dropbox. While this IoT Cloud will be for businesses, it will provide tools for those businesses to write apps for ordinary folks, such as for health-monitoring and home-management systems.

Such offerings stand a strong chance of massively accelerating the arrival of the ubiquitous computing era, with examples on display throughout the cavernous conference halls in Barcelona.

The Connected City section gives a visceral sense of what this era will be like, and the deep involvement of major carriers and IT companies in making it happen. City is just part of the story, with systems to tie together emergency reports, infrastructure sensors, and even parking meters. Major automakers from Volvo to GM are showing off connected cars, with the latest systems for avoiding crashes, helping drivers, and delivering information from home and office with platforms such as AT&T Drive. And so on, through a litany of home, health, and educational applications. Korea Telecoms display bristles with the wireless systems enabling it all. Elsewhere a man rode a stationary bike with a wireless glucose sensor taped to his arm and a wireless heart monitor taped to his chest, his vital statistics displayed on a nearby screen. He was doing this in behalf of the telecom Orange, which makes the back-end system.

Such visions have been around for many years. But the displays and talks in Barcelona, and interviews with major technology executives (see Nokia CTO on How the Company Will Reinvent Itself), shows just how fast all this is coming. Sensors and processing power are now extremely cheap, and the wireless infrastructure is increasingly in place. But there are some major barriers from here: making sure these systems stay secure, are easy to adopt, and truly add value. But just as free e-mail services made e-mail ubiquitous and services like Dropbox made cloud storage easy, IBMs Internet of Things Cloud and other such services stand a strong chance of doing the same. Just a few clicks, and youve registered your devices, and started getting analytics and management dashboards and tools for everyday users. As one rep told me, there will be no hurdles for quick startup.

Originally posted here:
How "Internet of Things" Will Become as Mainstream as Dropbox