Good lighting

Selecting a lighting system isn’t always an easy decision. Facility managers must first consider the appropriate design for the area to be illuminated and the light levels recommended by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), and then select an efficient light source and fixture.The high indoor spaces typical of warehouses and factories have traditionally been dominated by high-intensity discharge (HID) light sources. More recently, improved fluorescent lamps and high-intensity fluorescent fixtures have made fluorescent lighting the more cost-effective alternative. Additionally, fluorescent lights are easier to control using occupancy sensors. Motion sensors make particular sense in areas with intermittent occupancy, such as warehouses.There’s more to upgrading a lighting system than just swapping out a lamp. Lighting efficiency depends not only on the lamp but the fixture itself. “A fluorescent lamp at 95 initial lumens per watt is very efficient unless the fixture only allows 50% of the light out of it,” according to Peter Morante, director of energy programs at The Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS

Macmillan Walls

An area carpet increases style and comfort underfoot. Sea grass lends texture to cool surfaces such as stone and vinyl. An oriental-style carpet provides conventional kindness.
An island, even a portable one, affords an additional work space and invaluable storage. It also acts as a favourite gathering spot during meal preparation. Choose a well-built countertop such as butcher's block, stainless steel or granite.
Once kitchen cabinets are in place there is often little wall space left over, so a enterprising paint colour such as eggplant or charcoal may inject a dry kitchen with big personality. For display, install a family gallery that features black and white or sepia photos. Group photos by theme, say family vacations. Another idea to consider — frame a collection of children's artwork and display it prominently.

  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS

Cabin cruise

Revitalizing a dated or tired kitchen may seem like a scary task, especially when the budget is limited. But it needn't be. Here are some reasonably inexpensive ways to bring new character to that old kitchen.
One of the most satisfying improvements comes from simply painting old cabinetry, giving it a fresh new look. Nearly any surface can be painted provided you do a thorough preparation. Remove hardware and hinges, then clean cabinetry with a strong solution of TSP (Trisodium Phosphate). Rinse well, allow cabinets to dry thoroughly and then follow by sanding the surface with 120-grit sandpaper, wiping up any sand dust, and you're ready to apply a thin coat of super enthusiast primer.
Allow to dry overnight and repeat the sanding, this time using finer 150-grit sandpaper. Give cabinets a final clean and apply a coat of paint. For conventional cupboards, a wash of antiquing glaze will lend them old-world charm. Splurge on new hardware. To give a standard kitchen a more custom look, consider exchanging a pair of solid cabinet doors for glass-front versions which bring decorative dishes and glassware into the spotlight. Add patterned wallpaper behind shelves to heighten the contact. If you are working with slab front cabinets with a totally flat appearance, consider applying a wood moulding to the face of each door to create a "paneled" look.

  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS

Doc Cramer

Roger Maxwell "Doc" Cramer (July 22, 1905 - September 9, 1990), born in Beach Haven, New Jersey, was a Major League Baseball center fielder and left-handed batter who played in the American League for the Philadelphia Athletics (1929-35), Boston Red Sox (1936-40), Washington Senators (1941) and Detroit Tigers (1942-48).
Cramer was an elegant center fielder with speed and a powerful arm. He was nicknamed "Flit", which was the name of a popular insecticide, for his great ability to judge fly balls; in other words, because he was "death to flies" (he led the league in putouts in 1936 and 1938).
Offensively, Cramer was a spray leadoff hitter who used raw speed to get on base and to stretch singles into doubles. He led the league in singles five times and tied for the lead in total hits (200) in 1940. Beside this, he batted 180 or more in 1933 (195), 1934 (202), 1935 (214), 1938 (198), 1939 (183), 1941 (180) and 1943 (182).
Cramer tied a major league record by going 6-for-6 in a nine-inning game, and he is the only American League player to do it twice (1932 and 1935). He batted .300 or more eight times and led the league in at-bats in seven seasons (1933-35, 1938, 1940-42), setting another major league record. Cramer was selected for the All-Star game five times (1935, 1937-40), and in 1934 he hit for the cycle.
In the 1945 World Series, Cramer, at age 40, led the Tigers in batting average (.379), hits (11), runs (7) and slugging average (.379), and batting in four runs, helping his team to win the series 4-3 against the Chicago Cubs. At the end of his career, he was frequently used as a pinch-hitter, and led the league with nine pinch hits in 1947. Later, as a White Sox batting coach, he tutored the young second baseman Nellie Fox from 1951 to 1953. Frequently, Fox credited Cramer with making him a major league hitter.
In his 20-season career, Cramer batted .296 with 37 home runs, 842 RBI, 2705 hits, 396 doubles, 109 triples, 62 stolen bases, and a .340 on base percentage in 2239 games. By teams, he batted .308 for the Athletics, .302 for the Red Sox, .282 for the Tigers, and .273 for the Senators. His 2705 hits are among the most for players who are not in the Hall of Fame.
Cramer died in Manahawkin, New Jersey at 85 years of age. There is a street named in his honor: Doc Cramer Blvd.

  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS

Norm Cash

Norman Dalton Cash (November 10, 1934 - October 12, 1986) was a Major League Baseball first baseman and left-handed batter who played for the Chicago White Sox (1958-1959) and Detroit Tigers (1960-1974). He was born in Justiceburg, Texas. He attended San Angelo Junior College, where he played football as well as baseball.
Cash filled the middle of the Tigers lineup for 15 seasons. He came to Detroit after a deal with the Cleveland Indians that turned out to be one of the worst transactions in baseball history. The White Sox let go him to Cleveland prior to the 1960 season, and not realizing what he had, the Indians G.M. Frank Lane traded Cash to the Tigers for Steve Demeter four months later. Both Chicago and Cleveland were haunted by Cash for the next 15 years, as he won a batting title and a World Series ring in a Detroit uniform.
Cash enjoyed a breakout season in 1961 batting a league-best .361, with 41 home runs, 124 runs batted in, 119 runs scored, 193 hits, 124 walks for .488 on base percentage, a .662 of slugging average, but it was overshadowed by the 61 home runs of Roger Maris. Some have attributed some of the gaudy hitting statistics of 1961 to the league expansion that year, which resulted in a dilution of pitching talent.
Even on his own team, Cash was overshadowed by his future Hall-of-Fame roommate Al Kaline. Although he never hit above .283 for the rest of his career, Cash hit 30 or more homers five times, 20 or more eleven times, including nine straight seasons between 1961-69. Also, he was considered one of the best defensive first baseman in the 1960s. He led the league in putouts (1961), fielding percentage (1964, 1967) and assists (1965-67).
Cash was a career .271 hitter with 377 home runs, 1103 RBI, 1046 runs, 1820 hits, 241 doubles, 41 triples, 43 stolen bases, .374 on base percentage, and a .488 of slugging average in 2089 games. Beside this, Cash hit .385 (10-26) with one home run in the 1968 World Series, and he batted .304 (14-46) with two homers and seven RBI in 16 career post-season games. On first base, he had a overall total of 15157 putouts, 1317 assists and only 131 errors in 16605 chances, for a .991 of fielding percentage. Beyond his statistics, Cash was a favorite with his teammates, the media, and Tiger fans; he was known for his sense of humor; in one famous episode, while he was a baserunner, he attempted to call time out when he was about to be tagged out.

  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • RSS