Archive for December, 2008
December 31st, 2008 at 12:46am
Under Technology
When talking about green energy, what are we really talking about? In a nutshell, green energy is energy that comes from any one of the following renewable energy sources: wind, Sun/Solar, water/ hydroelectric, geothermal, biofuels and biomass energy.
There is no way that you are not going to find some form of green energy in play anywhere in the world at any given moment. This article will discuss how each renewable energy source is considered to be green energy, starting with wind power.
Renewable energy advantages will become more and more evident in years to come. Fossil fuels are continually being depleted and reducing the quality of the air that we breath.
Renewable energy systems encompass a broad, diverse array of technologies, and the current status of these can vary considerably. Some technologies are already mature and economically competitive, while others are yet to be unveiled.
The term ‘Renewable energy’ refers to electricity created by energy sources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, and biomass. These energy sources are considered renewable sources because they are continuously replenished.
Technologies play an important role in the U.S. Government’s strategy to respond to the challenges of climate change, energy security and local air pollution.
Renewable Energy resources (hydropower, wind, geothermal, biomass and solar) are currently used to generate only about 10 percent of all electricity in America. If you were to back out hydropower, the remainder only represents about 2 percent of our electricity, produced.
The price we pay for energy is not only your monthly electric bill. Behind the charges on the bill, oil, gas and coal reserves are being depleted quickly, and their wastes continue to eat away at our planet. So it is obvious that the issue of energy facing most of us is basically two fold.
Different approaches taken to tackle green technology issues and utilize alternative energy, currently focus mainly on wind energy and hence wind turbines, photovoltaic cells , and even the use of the stirling engine.
You may be thinking that these are strategies and methodologies which have to be adopted by the government and you can really do nothing about it.
In fact I shall show you briefly what you can be doing to be part of the Green Cycle which benefits not only the environment but also your own pocket! In fact I shall soon show you how you could be making use of alternative energy to benefit personally. How about if I asked you: “Would you like to unplug your house from the electric grid and start living 100% on alternative energy? Would you want to save up to $200 per month and make the Electric Company pay you instead of you paying them?
Don’t forget that alternative energy will show you step by step methods that can be used by anyone who wants to generate his own electricity. So if you have ever wished to stop wasting money on your electricity bills and want to help save global economy and the Earth, you are on the right page. As I have explained earlier, there are various ways, to produce alternative energy. However most of the products you find will not be suitable to produce the electricity needed to be used domestically.
They cost way too much for you to afford and can only be used corporately. Else, you’ll find some companies which have developed products for generating home wind power or solar power or both but they cost thousands of dollars excluding installation.
This is why I have developed the best deals which you can use to build in your own garage for just a few dollars! I’ve made loads of tests and spent loads of money to make sure you can be making use of the most effective ways to produce heaps of energy. All you need to do is apply it and start benefiting immediately. You are able to use between two types of electricity generators. These are solar based or wind based.
You could even combine both and form a home made Power Generation Plant. At the green-energy-earth.com site you’ll get instructions on what is best to build based on geographical location and the size of your house. Step by step diagrams are also available in manuals to make the building of your system simpler . What’s more, you’re going to have the time of your life building it! One other amazing way of benefiting from alternative energy and helping in the earth salvation, is by learning how to effectively convert your gasoline car to an electric vehicle.
Are you willing to reduce pollution, increase your mileage, eliminate fuel costs and be proud to drive your own personally converted electric vehicle? Visit electric car to read more about converting your van to an EV.
You can start saving money on car loans and invest them into making your vehicles more eco-friendly. Learn how to use auto loan calculator to start saving on car loans right away.
By joanne
December 31st, 2008 at 12:17am
Under Arts and Design
A pencil portrait drawing from life starts with the drawing of the arabesque. Striking the arabesque means drawing the outer contour of the head with the correct proportions, shape, and the appropriate symmetry.
Once you have drawn a reasonably correct arabesque it is time to place the main landmarks of the head. That means that we will correctly locate the most important points of the head. These points will then be used as references for mapping out the rest of theheadfeatures.
Here is something that may help you with this task : work with your eyes somewhat out-of-focus. This is called seeing with a “soft eye”. Somehow this makes it easier to correctly determine shapes and proportions. It also helps you to suppress the preconceived notions we all have of certain objects.
Let us assume that we are working from a three-quarter head profile.
* The Brow Ridge - is the first important landmark. To locate the brow ridge you must first take your best guess at where you think it is then to check it by sighting.
Note that to educate your eye it is better to first guess lengths, angles, etc. and verify them second. There is nothing to gain from pre-measuring.
Sighting means to use your pencil with locked arm and marking lengths along the pencil with your thumb and index finger (starting from the tip down) and one eye closed.
So then, first sight from the lowest point on the chin to a point on the brow ridge (just choose a random point on the ridge, but once chosen you should stick with it).
Now raise your pencil straight up so that your thumb is on your point on the brow ridge and note where your pencil point is. It should be a small distance above the top of the head . Mark on your drawing where you can best place that point above the head. This point is called the “check point”.
Note that whenever there is a choice, you should always measure the smallest length because doing so tends to be more accurate.
Your point on the brow ridge should, if it was placed accurately, be exactly halfway between the bottom of the chin and your check point. If it isn’t – then correctcorrect the placement of your brow ridge.
* Jaw Hinge - Now you can fix the width of the face. In the three-quarter view the hinge of the jaw is a critical landmark. Again, take your best guess then check by sighting horizontally from the hinge of the jaw to the far edge of the cheek bone and vertically relating that measure from the bottom of the chin.
* Top Nasal Bone - Since we have already established the brow ridge we now only have to estimate a small distance to fix the top of the nasal bone. If you placed the hinge of the jawcorrectly, it should equal the distance from bottom of the chin to the nasal bone. If you’re off a bit, then correct the placement of the hinge of the jaw. Again, assume that the shortest distance estimated is the correct one.
Now that these primarylandmarks are placed you can further work out the arabesque. I find it best to resolve only the back, least intricate, part of the head at this early stage.
* Facial Angle - Finally, you need to ascertain the facial angle which is the center line of the face. Draw a slightly arching line from the middle of the mental tubercle up through the center of the brow ridge.
The accurate placement of the facial angle is very significant. You have to feel your way through this because as there is no way to accurately measure it.
Once the facial angle is established continue resolving the arabesque carefully observing the form of the mouth area, the forehead, and all the other features that are expressed in the shape of the arabesque.
With this, we have established all the basic landmarks that will help us to map the rest of the features such as the nose and eyes.
Do you want to learn the secrets of pencil portrait drawing? Download my brand new free pencil portrait drawing course here: Free Pencil Portrait Course.
Remi Engels is a pencil portrait artist and oil painter and expert drawing teacher. See his work at Remi’s Pencil Portraits.
P.S. For the new age art of PC and video game lovers - visit the PlayStation 3 pre order blog.
By joanne
December 30th, 2008 at 09:06pm
Under Arts and Design
Innovative technological applications have made for some creative ideas in the world of home design. The use of retractable screens is an excellent example of this creativity for exterior design, and it is a method of allowing for a controllable and aesthetic transition between inside and outdoors. Additional manufacturing features not only make this a visually appealing option, it is also a feasible one as well.
In as far as aesthetics are concerned, these screens are hard to beat. A traditional screen or storm door will often appear bulky or clunky. And over time, years of being opened and slammed shut coupled with rough weather can leave them bent and simply unattractive. After awhile, they may work against the appeal of your home rather than for it. A retractable screen, however, is much more appealing to the discerning eye. Because the screen retracts back upon itself, it saves a comparatively large amount of space. As a result, you will hardly realize that the screen is there, making it appear sleek and open-aired. It simply blends in with the existing door frame. Moreover, because they rely on retractable opening and closing mechanisms, there is no persistent slamming and bouncing which causes unsightly damage.
Of course, there is more to these screens that their looks. They are also cleverly designed to make them applicable for prolonged usage - check out the garage screens option! This helps to prevent future repair and replacement. One of the ways that these screens display such intelligent engineering is with their element resistant coatings. The nylon plastic used on the screen assembly has been treated to shield it from ultraviolet light and corrosive natural elements. Because your retractable screen will be on the front lines as far as the weather is concerned, all of the above features are vitally important to the beauty of the door.
All of these aesthetic features go towards making these screens perfect additions to any home. Their sleek, open design makes them nearly invisible at a glance, and their housing only further incorporates them into the exterior. Moreover, the fact that the major components for these screens are shielded from the most harmful environmental elements means that a retractable screen will remain in good condition for many years to come.
By joanne
Next Posts
Previous Posts