Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Biocontrol products must be used at the right stage of development in a pest and/or disease life cycle to maximize efficacy. Photo courtesy of Koppert Biological Systems

Biocontrol application mistakes add up in terms of lost time and money, not to mention crop losses due to ineffective control of the targeted pest. Many biocontrol products work great when used in accordance with the manufacturers direction. But when applied incorrectly, compromised efficacy and inadequate coverage can occur.

Here are three mistakes to avoid when applying your biocontrols.

1. Rigging Up Your Own DeviceThe equipment you choose to apply your biocontrols is critical to your success. Beware if you have plans to put your own dispersal system together. You may harm or stress the insects you are trying to disperse, compromising their performance.

Although growers are very creative in rigging up their own systems, they often skip the step of making sure that the insects are not compromised in the process, says Danny El-Aaidi, Sales Manager for Koppert Biological Systems. This is especially relevant when any type of force, suction, or pressure is used to disperse the biocontrol. Rig up your own dispersal system, and you run the risk of harming the insects youre trying to disperse. In addition, certain insects are just more sensitive than others, and you need to know which ones fall into that category.

2. Timing Your Applications WrongTiming is everything. Biocontrol products must be used at the right stage of development in a pest and/or disease life cycle and during the right environmental conditions in the field to maximize efficacy.

Many biocontrol products are live organisms and require time to populate at levels in or on the target pest to deliver the best efficacy. Depending upon the biocontrol product, this can take a few minutes or up to 72 hours for control to be realized, says Mike Allan, Certis USA Vice President, North America.

Allan adds that understanding the mode of action and how, when, and where biocontrols should be applied is essential to maximize success from a biocontrol application.

3. Mixing Product InadequatelyMake sure the dispersal product you use for biocontrol application has the proper agitation capabilities to keep a product mixed well, or you will get uneven introduction. Also, nematodes and other microorganisms applied in water require oxygen to survive. You must take precautions with stock and tank solutions to provide adequate aeration during the application process. And dont forget about tank mix compatibility. Not all biocontrols can be tank mixed, so its prudent to familiarize yourself with the compatibility information for the specific products you plan to use.

Precision Biocontrol Application Via Sensor Technology on the Horizon

Biocontrol application devices have progressed from traditional hand-dispersal methods to simple handheld blowers, fully automatic blowing devices, tractor- and rail-mounted devices, and high-tech drones. Meanwhile, there have been many advancements in monitoring or scouting systems that track pests, weeds, and disease.

Sensing technologies are the perfect fit for biologicals because these products work best when applied preventatively at early stages of disease or before pest pressure rockets out of control.

The ability to identify pest, weed, and disease pressure with sensing technology takes away a lot of the guesswork when scouting a crop where timing and weather play a big factor in the success for both biologicals and conventional control products, Allan says.

In the future, a combination of application devices with monitoring or scouting systems technologies could be the key to precision delivery of biocontrols. Its just a matter of time before the technology is available for biocontrol application.

The scouting programs are making pest pressures visible, and when linked with the application devices, its theoretically possible to apply what is needed, where it is needed, El-Aaidi says. To do this automatically is still under development; however, farmers are already making applications in line with this. For example, they drive the tractor at half the speed in hot spots, thus doubling the introduction rates with a Koppert rotobug in those areas. In the same way, drone flight patterns can be changed based on the pressure.

4 Steps to Vet Biocontrol Application DevicesThere is a lot that can go wrong with the application of beneficials. So before you start using dispersal devices for biocontrol application, El-Aaidi suggests you do the following:

Janeen Wright is Editor for Greenhouse Grower. You can email her at [emailprotected] See all author stories here.

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3 Biocontrol Application Mistakes to Avoid in the Greenhouse - Greenhouse Grower

Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes Market: Overview

The drive for Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes market stems from the traction that affordable homes have gathered in worldwide populations. The growing popularity of prefabricated homes is a key trend that has bolstered the expansion of the Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes market. Manufactured, modular, and mobile homes all are different terms, technically. The key differentiating parameters are design and construction; body and frame requirements; thermal protection; plumbing and electrical fire safety; and energy efficiency.

The contours of the global manufactured homes, modular homes, and mobile market has witnessed the rise of site-built homes that are made to comply to regional, local, and national regulations and building codes. One such code is Federal Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act in the U.S. Key application areas are commercial and residential sectors.

The drive for affordable housing for people who need to move frequently has propelled the demand of manufactured and mobile homes. The increasing trend of making modular and manufactured homes customized has spurred growth in the Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes market. Modular homes are especially attractive due to the fact that they produce less waste since they are made in climate controlled home building facilities. The key advantages underpinning the popularity are energy savings, shorter build times, and robust build.

Advances being made in safety standards are boosting the growth potential for businesses in the Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes market. These homes also reduce weather-related delays.

Are you a start-up willing to make it big in business?Grab an exclusive PDF Brochure for this report

Companies in the Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes market are aiming to offer home buyers a mix of site-built and off-site homes. Most players are expected to gain a foothold by adopting state-of-the-art design and home building technologies. Several players are fervently meeting the needs of strength and durability of manufactured homes by using quality materials. Top players are cautious of meeting all local and regional housing building codes. They are employing trained craftsmen also.

Several players in the Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes market are attracting prospective dwellers with cost-efficient solutions. They are keen on ensuring that all stages of offs-site building process is closely monitored. Top players are leveraging their technical expertise to customize the homes to meet the changing demands of consumers, particularly in relation to flooring, cabinetry, and exterior finish.

Read the rest here:
Impact Of Covid-19 Outbreak On Manufactured Homes and Mobile Homes Market - Bulletin Line

Is it unrealistic, in the shortening days of a divisive election year, to expect the two parties to take time out of their packed schedules to address the affordable housing crisis? Perhaps, but there has already been progress toward action on housing in 2020.

For example, the Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) Act (H.R. 4351), introduced by Reps. Denny HeckDennis (Denny) Lynn HeckExclusive: Guccifer 2.0 hacked memos expand on Pennsylvania House races Heck enjoys second political wind Incoming lawmaker feeling a bit overwhelmed MORE (D-Wash.) and Trey HollingsworthJoseph (Trey) Albert HollingsworthWill Congress make a significant move on housing affordability? Overnight Health Care: Trump pressure on health agencies risks undermining public trust | Top FDA spokeswoman ousted after 11 days OVERNIGHT ENERGY: 21 states sue White House over rollback of bedrock environmental law | Administration faces rough week in court | Trump hits Biden on climate at convention MORE (R-Ind.), passed the House by a voice vote in March. Senate consideration of the bill, or a serious effort by that chamber to constructively address artificially high housing costs, would send a message of unified congressional support for urgently needed investment in Americas housing stock.

There is a growing left-right consensus on housing affordability: Overregulation is the chief barrier to affordable, unsubsidized housing within reach of working families. Protecting the right to build on ones own land is the solution, and could help get us to the point where direct government assistance is only needed by families with little or no income.

Congress, of course, has neither the desire nor the authority to take over local zoning powers. But Washington has long influenced housing market regulation in many ways, through innovation, vocal leadership and financial incentives. The Department of Commercepromoted restrictive zoningaround the country in 1924. Theearly Federal Housing Administration subsidized low-density regulationsthat favored expensive suburban-style planning (not to mention imposing strict racial segregation).

Today, Congress should take leadership to promote more worthy ideals and elevate best practices from around the country. Local leaders should see clearly that their national representatives are on the side of inclusive, market-led housing construction. Such an effort will require more two-way communication with federally-funded cities, which must use federal grants responsibly. Given the central role of zoning in local policy, communities receiving Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds must at least take stock of their regulatory apparatus (as the YIMBY Act would require).

Each party now appears to recognize a vital ideal more commonly associated with the other side. For Democrats, this means affirming the leading role of markets in delivering housing affordability. They can draw inspiration from the Austin suburbs, where legal scholarRobert Ellickson foundthat the majority of developable tracts are zoned to allow small-lot single family houses or multifamily homes. Those local choices open opportunities to Texans of diverse income levels and facilitate integration as the Austin economy booms.

Republicans, for their part, have too often ignored housing policy altogether. They are beginning to take a symbolic stand on the content of local decisions and let locally elected Republicans know that there are some things that blue cities get right. Buffalo, New York, for example,facilitated reinvestmentin its time-worn downtown byremoving parking minimumsand making it simpler to repurpose old buildings. That policy innovation wouldbe applicableto commercial spaces left vacant by the current recession.

The YIMBY Act does go beyond expressing the sense of Congress that inclusive, market-led housing investment is good for America. The language of the bill requires each HUD grantee which includes all cities of at least 50,000 people, plus some counties and smaller cities to report on whether or not they have adopted each of 22 policies, such as allowing manufactured housing and reducing parking minimums. The new requirement is likely to be grafted into anexisting online portal. Municipalities can also report that they plan to adopt a policy or that it is inapplicable.

It is fair to criticize the YIMBY Act for failing to address the real problems with HUDs grants. For example, the funding formula for Community Development Block Grants isout of syncwith the programs priorities and has been untouched since 1977. A more ambitious reform would update funding formulae and withdraw HUDs support from communities that do not share its goals.

Instead, Congress is following the business adage, You get what you measure. Decades of interaction with HUD have attuned local officials to some concerns. Many existing reporting requirements for HUD funding are on activities, such as on environmental protections and neighborhood input,known to discourage investment. By contrast, HUD has no existing requirement that communities consider or accommodate potential future residents, the vibrancy of the local economy or local fiscal sustainability, all of which are considerations that lean toward reinvestment. The YIMBY Act puts a little of HUDs weight but perhaps not enough on the pro-investment side of the scales.

Congress is taking seriously HUDs role as a source of information and ideas for local governments. Adding reporting on property rights protections for housing construction is likely, at the margin, to encourage grantees to give greater consideration to the ways they can enable reinvestment by expanding and protecting property rights.

Salim Furthis a senior research fellow and director of the Urbanity Project with theMercatusCenter at George Mason University.

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Will Congress make a significant move on housing affordability? - The Hill

1. Why Manufactured Housing Is the New Affordable Housing (Commercial Property Executive) - August 24"Despite the zoning challenges, manufactured housing offers the only affordable detached housing option in the U.S."

2. Many Companies Planned to Reopen Offices After Labor Day. With Coronavirus Still Around, Theyre Rethinking That. (WSJ) - August 23"Companies had hoped to bring homebound workforces back in September, but employee outcry and fears over outbreaks have led bosses to change course."

3. Economic Data Points to Pause in Recovery as Aid Programs Expire (New York Times) - August 21"The economys rebound showed signs of stagnating. Then enhanced unemployment benefits and a small-business loan program expired."

4. Hotel Occupancy Likely To Dip By 29% Over Next Year (Globe St) - August 21"A new study from Magid and Howarth HTL estimates the losses to the hospitality industry from the coronavirus pandemic at $75 billion."

5. An Unprecedented Effort to Stop the Coronavirus in Nursing Homes (New York Times) - August 20"Researchers are testing an experimental drug to halt sudden outbreaks. The trial may bring a new type of treatment for the virus."

6. From Illicit To Essential: Pandemic Helping Cannabis Industry Gain Firmer Footing (Bisnow) - August 19"When the economy went into a steep decline last spring, many cannabis retailers and growers said their industry was at risk. The federal prohibition on cannabis already made it difficult to raise needed capital, and with millions of jobs evaporating, legal sales could also crater, leading risk-averse investors to back off even further."

7. Survey: More Than 70% Of CRE Firms Have Seen Their Revenues Drop Significantly During The Pandemic (Bisnow) - August 17"In early March, Bisnow surveyed hundreds of commercial real estate professionals to find out how the industry was responding to the coronavirus pandemic. At that time, 44% of survey respondents said the effects of the pandemic would be short-term, and that the market would rebound quickly, and only 37% of respondents told Bisnow the pandemic had directly affected their business."

Read more here:
7 must reads for the AEC industry today: August 28, 2020 - Building Design + Construction

(Note: A good long video explaining the system can be seen via this Treehugger article)

Judging from my decades of life experience there is an iron-clad rule about every room in every house ever built: The electric outlets are in the wrong place.

Outlets are always, and I do mean always, blocked by furniture or too far from the floor lamp or get overloaded because its the only one I can find. Invariably I end up shifting everything around or living with more extension cords than Medusa had snakes on her head.

Heres an idea: Instead of moving lamps and furniture to suit the outlet, why cant we move the outlet to suit the room?

Thats one aspect of a system called Open-Built that New Hampshires Bensonwood Homes has been developing for years and incorporating into homes, including some built with components made in its Keene factory. The idea is to creates houses that last longer and perform better by designing them to be functionally flexible so they can change as the needs of inhabitants change (kids are born, people get old, family moves out, etc.) and as technology alters.

Its very much a niche idea in the U.S., although not in parts of Europe or Japan. Improvements in computer-aided design and CNC machinery are making it more feasible.

The Keene factory, company founder Tedd Benson says, can produce material for 300 buildings a year on an 8-hour day although he adds, were not up there yet.

Benson got his start with timber-frame construction and with Bensonwood Homes and subsidiary Unity Homes is well versed in sustainable and passive-house construction and design. The Open-Built concept is an extension of those ideas.

Outlets, under this program, can be easily moved because theyre built into a small section of non-weight-bearing walls along the floor that is covered with panels, sort of a vertical version of a dropped ceiling in an office. Open the panels and the wiring is accessible without messing with wallboard or insulation.

If the system was built with plug-and-play circuits that Benson is also developing, moving the outlet wont be much harder than setting up your new computer.

Being able to move outlets is a cool feature, but bigger disentanglements are more important, Benson said.

The inelegant term disentanglement refers to the idea that the structure of the house the shell shouldnt be tangled up with the things that make it work the infill because they exist in different timelines. A house frame and foundation can last a century or two but the design and technology of the pipes and wires and insulation and other components change much more quickly.

If those pipes and wires and insulation are all tangled with each other and with the shell, stuck around studs and joists and behind wallboard or siding, upgrading them is so expensive and complicated that it rarely happens.

Case in point: My house. Weve been there 30 years yet my wife and I have installed exactly one new set of switches and light sockets, resigning ourselves to all the others even when theyre not quite what wed like. And that installation happened only because our bedroom adjoins the attic so it was easy to run wires without ripping up the ceiling.

Then theres the Ethernet cable running down one hallway to a makeshift office because hiding it would be an enormous pain. As for changing the plumbing layout or increasing the insulation in the walls or running fiber-optic cables if that becomes the norm forget it.

Bensons approach is to avoid such locked-in layout from the start with computer-aided design and modular construction. He emphasizes that the idea is not original with him, pointing to well-known advocates like Stewart Brand and John Habraken, but it remains rare in the U.S.

Were rethinking the process and product of buildings so they can last longer and be more adaptable to peoples lives, said Benson. He talked about making a simple wiring upgrade himself, without having to hire people in other building trades: If theyre entangled, it would take five trades to accomplish the same thing.

Along with flexibility, he says, comes better performance, more efficient use of energy and more comfort for people living inside.

We know how to do it its actually not that hard. Residential buildings are really simple; they sit on the earth, dont go anywhere, dont make anything its actually pretty easy to build to a higher-performing standard, he said.

A key part of Open-Built is the construction of walls and other components in a factory to be assembled on site. This idea has been touted for as long as I can remember as a way to make better and cheaper homes but is relegated to the much-scorned category of low-end manufactured homes for reasons I dont quite understand.

Real houses, the thinking still goes, are stick-built meaning that almost everything, including all the framing, is cut and attached and constructed on location out in the rain and sun and wind, on workbenches or scaffolding or ladders, using portable power and staffing that can come from different places for different jobs.

Pushing against that inertia is part of the obstacles Benson faces.

Benson said Bensonwood and Unity together have about 115 employees, including the factory in Keene and two production departments in Walpole, one of which involves high-tech construction with manufactured timber, a topic Ive written about before.

Another obstacle Benson faces is a shortage of standards. You cant plug-and-play components if they dont fit together.

Benson says his firm is in a partnership with Saint-Gobain, a global materials company, to develop software to bring basis to standardization.

Weve got 40 different companies making parts for quote-unquote electrical systems and were still twisting with thumb and forefinger, splicing wires because they dont coordinate design.

The hoped-for result, he said, includes dimensional coordination so that when were making things that are parts of buildings there are some rules about where they go and how they fit. Things like stairs, bathrooms, windows, showerheads and, yes, outlets.

Theyre testing what is essentially a 2-foot grid for the building shell and a 3-inch grid for infill components, he says. Myriad designs can be built around these but, important, not an infinite number.

Instead of everything having to be cut and shaped on building sites by individuals with handheld tools, they can be assembled together, he said.

At a time when the need for housing is greater than ever before, a big rethink of how we construct our homes might be in order. If it means I can get rid of some extension cords at the same time, Im a fan.

Continued here:
An Ethernet cable runs down my hallway but it's not my fault - it's the house's fault! - Concord Monitor

Global Hormone Replacement Therapy Market: Overview

Hormone replacement therapy refers to the treatment of the patients with growth hormone deficiency due to conditions such as dwarfism or women nearing menopause, which requires replacement of hormones in the body whose levels have become low. Currently, a combination of drugs are used to treat hormone deficiencies, which are known to have better safety and efficacy parameter. Globally, the cases of hormone deficiency is escalating and a vast patient base are deprived of the proper treatment. These two factors are the primary drivers of the hormone replacement therapy market, which is projected for a healthy growth rate during the forecast period of 2016 to 2024.

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This report on global hormone replacement therapy market is a comprehensive analysis of all the factors that are expected to influence the growth rate in near future, presents a figurative estimation of the opportunities available, and profiles some of the key players currently active to give a clear picture of the competitive landscape. The global hormone replacement therapy market can be segmented on the basis of type of therapy, route of administration, and geography. By type of therapy, the market can be divided into estrogen replacement therapy, which remains most in-demand, and growth hormone replacement therapy. By route of administration, the market can be segmented into oral, parenteral, and transdermal. The oral route of administration is a sub-division of enteral administration and is considered the safest routes of drugs administration. Premarin and Estrace are some of the examples of oral administration route.

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Global Hormone Replacement Therapy Market: Trends and Opportunities

The rising incidences of hormonal imbalance disorders and increasing geriatric population as well as the neonatal population suffering from hormonal deficiency are the primary drivers of this market. Technological advancements in the field of drug delivery systems, presence of routinely monitored formulations, and increasing awareness among the consumers are others factors favoring the growth rate of the market. Additionally, the report also observes that menopausal females form a major chunk of the demand. Consequently, the rising population of female between the age group of 45 to 59, which thereby increases the range of menopausal window, is adding to the demand in the global hormone replacement therapy market. As per the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, nearly 6,000 women reach menopause on a daily basis, in the country of the U.S. alone.

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Aggressive direct selling campaigns by the key players to individuals aspiring quality life, development of new gel-based formulations, and increasing product availability of other factors that are expected to promote the market during the forecast period. Conversely, high cost of these therapies, some of the side-effects, shortage of products owing to weak pipeline are some of the factors expected to hinder the growth rate. The report also picks out some of the trends of the market, such as novel drug delivery mechanisms, mergers and acquisitions, and paradigm shift towards non-hormonal therapies.

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Global Hormone Replacement Therapy Market: Region-wise Outlook

The country-wide market of the U.S. continues to make North America the most lucrative region in the global hormone replacement therapy market. Increasing cases of hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, and other growth hormone deficiencies, coupled with swelling population of newborns are the key factors that is expected to augment the demand during the forecast period. The region of Asia Pacific is expected to experience surge of demand too, owing to reasons such increased awareness levels among the end users and improving healthcare infrastructure.

Companies Mentioned in the Research Report

Pfizer, Novo Nordisk, Abbott Laboratories, Novartis, Bayer Healthcare, Merck Serono, Eli Lilly, Roche, Mylan Laboratories, and Genentech.

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Hormone Replacement Therapy Market: Rising incidences of hormonal imbalance disorders is the primary drivers of this market - BioSpace

KEY POINTS

Liverpool star Sadio Mane reportedly could consider moving to FC Barcelona in the ongoing summer transfer window.

With Lionel Messi having informed Barcelona that he wants to leave this summer, the club is looking for a long-term replacement for their skipper. Barcelonas new head coach Ronald Koeman managed Mane at Southampton and is believed to be an admirer of the Senegal national and has identified the 29-year-old striker as an ideal replacement for Messi.

Under the watch of Koeman, Mane rose to ranks and netted 25 goals in 75 competitive matches at Southampton between 2014 and 2016. Impressed with Manes show with "The Saints", Liverpool had signed the player for $45 million on a five-year deal.

Mane was linked with a move to Real Madrid last summer and the player was reportedly angry with Liverpool for not even considering or discussing the same with him.

The 28-year-old winger has been a core member of Jurgen Klopps side that has tasted success over the last couple of years. He has scored 81 goals in 171 matches since his Reds debut in 2016. As a reward for his contribution, Mane was offered a new lucrative five-year contract in 2018. Along with Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, Mane has formed a mind-blowing front three at Liverpool helping the side win the Champions League, the Premier League, UEFA Super Cup, and their maiden FIFA Club World Cup.

While in the Ballon dOr awards, only journalists vote, international coaches, captains, and the media vote for FIFA awards. Messi, who won the record sixth Ballon dOr award in 2019, had voted for Mane for his stellar 2018-19 campaign that saw the Senegal striker score 26 goals in 50 matches, across all tournaments.

It has been reported that Liverpool could lose two of its talented players this summer: Mane and Georginio Wijnaldum.

While Mane has three years left in his current contract, Wijnaldums Liverpool deal is due to expire in 2021 and the Dutch midfielder has not been offered an extension yet. Both the players reportedly are wanted by Barcelona as their new boss Koeman has a great relationship with both. Under Koeman, Wijnaldum played a key role in helping Netherlands reach the final of the UEFA Nations League, which they eventually lost to Portugal.

Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo has claimed that Mane has been unhappy at Barcelona and is ready to consider an offer from Barcelona. The report has revealed that Mane feels he is not given the same importance as Salah, Firmino, or Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson. Since Barcelona is set to undergo a transformation under Koeman, it would be a great opportunity for Mane to embrace a new challenge after having proved himself in England.

Sadio Mane scored the winner for Liverpool against Norwich Photo: AFP / Oli SCARFF

The Spanish report has also disclosed that if Mane does choose to depart from Anfield, Liverpool reportedly will not accept any bid less than $142 million for their star winger.

Original post:
Liverpools $142M Star Is Ready To Consider Barcelona Move As Lionel Messis Replacement: Report - International Business Times

Q: Windows 10 is now five years old. How much longer will Microsoft provide critical updates for it? And what comes next? A Windows operating system thats paid for by monthly subscription fee?

James Labradori, Delafield, Wis.

A: Technology changes fast, but Windows 10 seems likely to be with us for several more years.

One reason is that the coronavirus has kept people isolated from each other, producing a surge of interest in using computers to stay in touch. Microsoft said that trend has also spurred public interest in using Windows 10, causing the company to invest more in the operating system.

Another reason to believe Windows 10 will be with us is that it doesnt have a fixed expiration date as previous versions of Windows did.

For example, it was known years in advance that Windows 7 would stop receiving security updates in January of this year, making it no longer safe to use. But Windows 10 has an expiration date that keeps getting pushed forward: Each major update is supported for 18 months. But the expiration date never arrives because a new version of Windows 10 is automatically installed every six months, restarting the 18-month expiration clock.

In addition, Windows 10 is getting a new cousin called Windows 10X. Microsoft said 10X wont run on PCs. Instead, its intended for stripped-down computers akin to Googles Chromebook.

A Windows 10X computer aimed at the education market would have so little processing power that it would mostly use online software (much as the Chromebook does.)

Another 10X computer intended for the business market would be less capable than a PC, but have enough processing power to run its own software. Experts said some of the technology improvements developed for Windows 10X such as faster updates and protecting the operating system from software crashes may be added to Windows 10.

What does Windows 10X mean for the future? Microsoft has hinted that all Windows computers might eventually run some version of Windows 10X, but it hasnt said when. And the introduction of 10X has been delayed from this fall until sometime next year.

A consumer Windows 10 subscription service (which would replace purchasing the operating system with a monthly fee to use it) has reportedly been discussed within Microsoft.

The idea is that a Windows 10 subscription fee could become part of Microsoft 365, which is currently the online subscription version of Microsoft Office. But subscriptions may not have much appeal to consumers. So far, its estimated that Microsoft 365 is used by fewer than 20% of all Office customers. So, I think Windows 10 users might get a choice of purchasing or subscribing.

Q: I have a model N5110 Dell Inspiron laptop on which I tried to install Windows 10 when support was eliminated for Windows 7. I wiped the hard drive so I could do a fresh installation of Windows 10, but it wouldnt install properly. I later discovered that this PC model isnt compatible with Windows 10. Is there a workaround to make Windows 10 function?

Bruce Johnston, Tamarack, Minn.

A: Dell said your 2011 PC isnt compatible with Windows 10, which was introduced in 2015 (see tinyurl.com/y4zc653x). Theres no workaround for that type of obsolescence; the only way you can get Windows 10 is to buy a new computer.

E-mail tech questions to steve.j.alexander@gmail.com or write to Tech Q&A, 650 S. 3rd Av., Suite 1300, Minneapolis, MN 55488. Include name, city and telephone number.

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Windows 10 is five years old, but not going away - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Ceylon et Cie, Dallas

AD100 designer Michelle Nussbaumer houses a treasure trove of vintage and antique finds from the furthest reaches of the globe in her Dallas design district warehouse and shop. Complementing the exuberant menagerie of pieces is Nussbaumers fabric collection with Clarence House, as well as a line of plaster furniture and lighting. ceylonetcie.com

Ceylon et Cie.

Paloma & Co., Houston

Offering a dose of cofounders Paloma Contreras and Devon Liedtkes timeless style, the concept space displays work by emerging artists, global finds, and colorful tabletop items and gifts. We are constantly adding new antique and vintage finds to our mix, Contreras says. shoppalomaandco.com

Paloma & Co.

Moxie, Houston

Founded by designer Dennis Brackeen and located in the Upper Kirby shopping district, Moxie is a go-to source for high-end antiques, vintage modern furnishings, lighting, and decorative accessories. Last year, Moxie expanded into an 8,500-square-foot showroom that became available next door. moxie-interiors.com

Moxie.

Dressing Room Interiors Studio, Charlotte, North Carolina

For a curated selection of vintage furnishings, locals seek out Ariene Betheas shop. Many pieces have been refurbished and updated with new colors and often graphic patterns before being displayed. Global wares and accessories are also scattered throughout, as are original artworks by local creatives. dressingroomsinteriorsstudio.com

Dressing Room Interiors Studio.

Mitchell Hill, Charleston, South Carolina

Designers Michael Mitchell and Tyler Hill recently opened their own multilevel space in Charlestons design district, which is home to top brands for the region including Arteriors, Farrow & Ball, and Julian Chichester. The duos twisted traditional style is on display throughout, and designers and consumers alike are encouraged to drop in for inspiration. mitchellhillinc.com

Mitchell Hill.

Casa Gusto, Palm Beach, Florida

During this years Kips Bay Palm Beach celebrations, AD100 designer Alex Papachristidis declared Casa Gusto one of the most stylish stores Ive been to in years on Instagram. Helmed by Cris Briger and Charles Peed, this Palm Beach destination specializes in 18th- and 19th-century furnishings as well as new additions, such as a series of papier-mch classical busts and hand-colored prints in custom-painted mats and frames. getthegusto.com

Casa Gusto.

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40 of the Best Home Decor Stores in America - Architectural Digest

Were it not for the 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms, we would now almost certainly be reflecting on the final months of Barack Obamas presidency, its historic resonances and forward-looking ideals. Its a soothing reverie, and one that can, blessedly, come to life as you turn the pages of a lavish new book by the Obamas decorator.

Michael S. Smiths Designing History (Rizzoli, written with Margaret Russell) is by far the most comprehensive illustrated record of the executive mansion and an engaging account of Smiths deep dive into the history of the White House, as he helped the Obamas update the stolid mansion with a more contemporary and open aesthetic, easing the burdens of a young first family living in the glare of history.

Not since the Kennedys has a family had such a transformative effect on the White House.

With the Obamas in residence, the house of the people became a place to entertain in a more casual manner, which fit their personal style. Glittering parties were, however, part of the program, naturally, and Smith recalls events that included everyone from Aretha Franklin to Lin-Manuel Miranda, who previewed what would become a number from Hamilton.

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Most institutions are highly resistant to change, and there was a strong sense in America that if you broke tradition, the dignity of the presidency itself was being assaulted, Smith writes.

The Obamas never accepted that notion. Being conventional wasnt their style, and they recognized their ability to bridge the formality of the building with relevance and accessibility for all.

This premise served as a guide rail for Smiths close collaboration with Michelle Obama, and together they brought about the most thorough rethinking of the important state and family rooms since the landmark restoration by Jacqueline Kennedy in the early 1960s. By adding contemporary art to these monumental spaces, Smith counterbalanced the sense of history. And not since the Kennedys had there been a family that had such a trailblazing, transformative effect on the White House, he writes.

The Yellow Oval Room in particular captures the Obamas looser but no less dignified way of entertaining. Once Franklin D. Roosevelts private study, Kennedy, in collaboration with decorator Stphane Boudin, reimagined it as one of the most beautiful and romantic places in the White House, Smith writes.

White House Photo / Alamy Stock Photo

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Nancy Reagan also favored the Yellow Oval, and she gave Smith tips on where to place the furniture in a series of late night calls, one of which lasted four hours. The Obamas loved the drama of its views across the South Lawn to the Washington Monument, and they went with a less formal floor plan, with walls in the Virginia-born English decorator Nancy Lancasters buttah yellow color and graced with works by Barnett Newman and Alice Neel, as well as two Czannes from the White House collection.

Designing History: The Extraordinary Art & Style of the Obama White House

$54.00

On the state floor of the mansion, which is mostly open to the public for tours, the Old Family Dining Room has long been the most private chamber. Its far more intimate than the neighboring State Dining Room, yet still imposing, so Smith again turned to contemporary art to create a groundbreaking aesthetic. Where somber 19th-century portraits and landscapes once dominated, the Obamas hung works by Robert Rauschenberg and Josef Albers.

This room, the scene of Eleanor Roosevelts Sunday scrambled egg dinners, became the setting for President Obamas official luncheons and, in another White House first, the annual Passover Seder. It was also, Smith notes, for the first time included on the White House tour, at the Obamas request.

The longest-surviving architectural interior in the White House is the wood-paneled State Dining Room, which was designed for Theodore Roosevelt by Charles McKim and once featured mounted hunting trophies. Smith gave the room a refreshing, Kennedyesque chalky white look: white coffered walls punctuated by straight-falling curtains with a Kailua Blue accent inspired by the waters of the presidents home state.

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The designer marveled that the room had rarely been used in recent times (these days, state dinners are often held in tents on the South Lawn), in part because the Teddy Rooseveltera chairs are practically impossible to move. Smith solved the problem with lighter mahogany reproductions, which still surround the dining table. He notes that the chairs fit Michelle Obamas considerate mandate that any change must improve the house for the future.

The change she requested that didnt work out well, at least at first, was decking out the Truman Balcony, which overlooks the South Lawn, with comfortable furniture and hurricane lamps. The lamps kept imploding, and we couldnt figure out why, Smith says. Eventually we figured out that it was the air pressure from Marine One landing just yards away. They replaced them with plexiglass lamps, a solution that was sensible and elegant, just like the Obamas.

This story appears in the September 2020 issue of Town & Country. SUBSCRIBE NOW

Matt Tyrnauer is a writer and director. His docuseries The Reagans will air on Showtime later this year.

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The Obamas Re-Invented Entertaining at the White House - TownandCountrymag.com