The severe weather has now mostly died away, with Civil Defence and local councils left to assess the damage and continue with the cleanup. While thousands of homes still remain without power, crews are working hard to repair the lines.

Do you have any information,photos or video of the storm? Send them tonews@tvnz.co.nz

1.32pm A tree rests on a house in Arkles Bay, Auckland, after it was brought down in last night's storm:

(Images will not display if you are viewing on ONE News apps.)

12.43pm Slips have trapped residents at Okiwi on Great Barrier Island:

12.40pm AA Insurance says it has already received over 100 claims for home, contents and car damage following the storm. Most are from Auckland but some have come from Canterbury following yesterday's floods. The AA expects this number to rise over the next few days as the storm heads to central and eastern parts of the North Island.

12.30pmA car is trapped by fallen trees in Herne Bay:

The rest is here:
Wild weather hammers parts of North Island

The severe weather has now mostly died away, with Civil Defence and local councils left to assess the damage and continue with the cleanup. While thousands of homes still remain without power, crews are working hard to repair the lines.

Do you have any information,photos or video of the storm? Send them tonews@tvnz.co.nz

1.32pm A tree rests on a house in Arkles Bay, Auckland, after it was brought down in last night's storm:

(Images will not display if you are viewing on ONE News apps.)

12.43pm Slips have trapped residents at Okiwi on Great Barrier Island:

12.40pm AA Insurance says it has already received over 100 claims for home, contents and car damage following the storm. Most are from Auckland but some have come from Canterbury following yesterday's floods. The AA expects this number to rise over the next few days as the storm heads to central and eastern parts of the North Island.

12.30pmA car is trapped by fallen trees in Herne Bay:

See the article here:
As it happened: Damage across North Island following severe storm

The severe weather has now mostly died away, with Civil Defence and local councils left to assess the damage and continue with the cleanup. While thousands of homes still remain without power, crews are working hard to repair the lines.

Do you have any information,photos or video of the storm? Send them tonews@tvnz.co.nz

1.32pm A tree rests on a house in Arkles Bay, Auckland, after it was brought down in last night's storm:

(Images will not display if you are viewing on ONE News apps.)

12.43pm Slips have trapped residents at Okiwi on Great Barrier Island:

12.40pm AA Insurance says it has already received over 100 claims for home, contents and car damage following the storm. Most are from Auckland but some have come from Canterbury following yesterday's floods. The AA expects this number to rise over the next few days as the storm heads to central and eastern parts of the North Island.

12.30pmA car is trapped by fallen trees in Herne Bay:

Continued here:
Live Updates: Damage across North Island following severe storm

The severe weather has now mostly died away, with Civil Defence and local councils left to assess the damage and continue with the cleanup. While thousands of homes still remain without power, crews are working hard to repair the lines.

Do you have any information,photos or video of the storm? Send them tonews@tvnz.co.nz

1.32pm A tree rests on a house in Arkles Bay, Auckland, after it was brought down in last night's storm:

(Images will not display if you are viewing on ONE News apps.)

12.43pm Slips have trapped residents at Okiwi on Great Barrier Island:

12.40pm AA Insurance says it has already received over 100 claims for home, contents and car damage following the storm. Most are from Auckland but some have come from Canterbury following yesterday's floods. The AA expects this number to rise over the next few days as the storm heads to central and eastern parts of the North Island.

12.30pmA car is trapped by fallen trees in Herne Bay:

Visit link:
Live Updates: Wild weather hammers parts of North Island

Originally published June 17, 2014 at 5:20 PM | Page modified June 18, 2014 at 6:16 AM

In the middle of the night, when most Americans are sound asleep, their lights and appliances off, a power hog is wide-awake and running at nearly full throttle: the boxes that operate their cable or satellite television service.

The seemingly innocuous appliances all 224 million of them across the nation together consume as much electricity as produced by four giant nuclear reactors, running around the clock. They have become the biggest single energy user in many homes, apart from air conditioning.

Cheryl Williamsen, a Los Alamitos, Calif., architect, has three of the boxes leased from her cable provider in her home, but she had no idea how much power they consumed until recently, when she saw a rating on the back for as much as 500 watts about the same as a washing machine.

A set-top cable box with a digital recorder can consume as much as 35 watts of power, costing about $8 a month for a typical Southern California consumer. The devices use nearly as much power turned off as they do when they are turned on.

I could yank the power supply cord, Williamsen said, but thats not a very consumer-friendly way to reduce energy consumption.

The boxes have been at the center of a battle between the cable industry and conservationists who believe the devices could be far more efficient.

It is a classic case of market failure, said Andrew McAllister, a member of the California Energy Commission. The consumers have zero information and zero control over the devices they get.

The industry agreed recently to voluntarily reduce the power consumption of new devices, which it said would save consumers $1 billion annually. But experts say the deal will provide only a fraction of the potential gains and take years to realize.

The fight over set-top boxes is a stark illustration of the difficulty of wringing energy efficiency improvements even in an era when Americans are trying to reduce their energy footprint over concerns about global warming and family budgets are strained by rising electricity prices. The recent announcement by the Obama administration of plans to reduce carbon emissions from power plants by 30 percent and reduce electricity costs to the nation by 8 percent will require unprecedented improvements in efficiency.

See the rest here:
Cable TV boxes a huge drain on home energy bills

Provided by Networx.com

After cabinets, countertops are the main focal point of your kitchen. Besides serving as an essential work surface, your counters set a mood and express your character. Do you prefer the rustic country look of wood or go for sleek Los Angeles style tile? Whatever your countertop personality, you'll enjoy taking a peek at these amazingly creative do-it-yourself countertop renos from Hometalk readers.

1. WOOD

Chapter 37 started off her DIY countertop project by shopping for "just plain wood from the lumber section." Staining and six coats of poly created counters that are not only eye-catchingly elegant, but also durable and practical. The proof? They've held up perfectly after 10 months of heavy use.

2. CONCRETE

Hymns & Verses applied concrete right on top of her tired Formica countertops. The process involves 3 to 4 applications, with time to dry and gently sand after each coat. Sealant and wax top it all off. The time and effort she put in were worthwhile, though; the low-cost results beautifully complement her country kitchen.

3. PAPER

Organize by Design covered her counters with humble craft paper, torn and mixed with water and white glue. Stain, sanding and poly - plus a generous helping of patience - were the finishing touches in the creation of these gorgeous, warm-looking countertops on a dime.

4. CHALKBOARD PAINT

March Orchard painted over her 30-year-old counters with trendy chalkboard paint. It took just two coats (the first was a base coat of black countertop paint) to get beautiful stone-like countertops that are highly functional. Besides jotting shopping lists and messages, she can place hot pots directly on the strong, food-safe surface.

Read the original:
Dazzling diy countertop transformations

PALMER, AK-- Recycling as a part of a daily life and Valley Community for Recycling Solutions's ew building includes solar panels and a wind terbine.

Wednesday VCRS had their ribbon cutting celebration,adding a drive through garage to handle heavy traffic and a baylor coveyer belt for quick processing.

"We will be constantly dealing with changes because that's the norm," said Executive Director Mollie Boie. "We are doing as much as we can to stay ahead of the curg and do what we can."

Recycling is a huge event out here in the valley.

This new drive through center makes it a lot easier, and recycling one bottle can impact an entire community.

"It's one voice. One voice can make a difference and then joining together it can make a difference."

Read more:
Mat Su Valley cuts ribbon for Alaska's first energy efficient industry building

Monaco, Monaco (PRWEB UK) 20 June 2014

Six stunning new superyachts for sale by Fraser Yachts include M/Y U77, M/Y MY TRUST FUND, M/Y RUSALINA EXP, M/Y VICTORIAL DEL MAR, M/Y LEILA LINA and M/Y DELIA.

Due for delivery in 2015, the 77m M/Y U77 is a brand new, massively solid ship, constructed by Marco. She is designed with ten suites for 20 guests and 22 crew. Equipped with large tender capacity, helicopter possibility and exceptional deck spaces offering a swimming pool and numerous private areas, she has an 8,000 mile range. M/Y U77 is a serious long range cruising yacht that can be completed as a luxury yacht, exploration yacht, mother ship or shadow boat. The asking price is $ 24,900,000.

The 45m M/Y MY TRUST FUND was Dutch built at the highly respected Hakvoort Shipyard in 2008. She is equipped with a Cor D Rover exterior and a Felix Buijtendijk interior and features five staterooms for up to 12 guests. Built for world cruising, she is in excellent condition with a fresh coat of paint last year. This solid and stable luxury yacht feels spacious due to her high ceilings. She has brand new jetskis and tender, a Jacuzzi on the sundeck and zero speed stabilizers.Visits are highly recommended. M/Y MY TRUST FUND is available for sale at 19,950,000.

The 41.7m M/Y RUSALINA EXP is a true explorer vessel built by Newcastle Marine. She possesses all the equipment required for long distance cruising; including extensive storage and large tenders and toys. Contrasting beautifully with her rugged exterior, this vessel has a warm and refined interior designed by Luiz de Basto. She comes equipped with a private owners deck and has just finished a refit. M/Y RUSALINA EXP is available for sale at an asking price of 13,500,000.

Built by the acclaimed Dutch yard Moonen, the 36.8m M/Y VICTORIAL DEL MAR was constructed in 2001 and has proven to be extremely successful in the charter market. Refitted in 2013, she is a full displacement, trans-Atlantic capable yacht with amazing interior volume and is extremely quiet underway. She has five staterooms with an on deck master, she benefits from high interior overheads, very spacious exterior spaces, a dark cherry interior, a Jacuzzi and a tender garage. Her asking price is $7,295,000.

Constructed by Cantieri di Pisa in 2006, the 26.6m M/Y LEILA LINA has an excellent presentation and has been highly customised and improved. Fitted with four staterooms, accommodating nine guests, she is highly specked including zero speed stabilisers and is commercially registered. M/Y LEILA LINA has an impressive charter record and is available for an asking price of 1,800,000.

The 20.8m M/Y DELIA was built by Fort Myers in 1992 and refitted in 1995. Since then she has cruised throughout the Caribbean, the north coast of South America and Central America in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Her extensive range and fuel capacity allows for total independence from shore. She will be on display at the upcoming San Diego International Boat Show from June 19th 22nd. Her asking price is $ 1,100,000.

If you would like high-res photography or further information about any of the Fraser Yachts new Central Agency sales listings, please contact Stephanie Weel at Fraser Yachts stephanie.weel(at)fraseryachts(dot)com.

About Fraser Yachts

Go here to see the original:
Leading Superyacht Brokerage, Fraser Yachts Announces Six New Superyacht Additions to Their Sales Portfolio

Homeowners in the flood zone can build major additions without having to move their furnaces out of the basement in all but the most extreme cases after council further softened city planners new rules for renovations near the river.

Residents near the Elbow and Bow Rivers had strongly protested rule changes that would require moving electrical panel, ductwork and furnace out of basement for renovations like a new mud room or garage.

After council ordered staff to reconsider the rules last month, planners revised rules to say that moving mechanical systems would only be required in more dramatic house renovations, waterproof chambers would be OK in others, and no extra mitigation measures would be required for alterations of 10 per cent or less.

The rules still werent clear enough or suitable for several residents affected by last Junes flood. Elbow Park resident Paul Battistella said moving things upstairs would have cost five to six times more than it did to replace all his basement systems.

We have suffered enough, said Battistella, a prominent condo developer.

Its especially hard to rework all the systems in older homes, and many of those would become teardowns, he said.

I certainly dont want any flood protection rules to hasten the demise of a heritage building, Coun. Druh Farrell said.

We need to embed that in the rules so were more conscious of it as an impact.

Homeowners making additions of 10 per cent or greater will have to install sewer valves and above-ground electrical shut-off switch. Fully rebuilt homes in the flood fringe zone are already required to establish mechanical systems above the ground level.

After several hours of debate, councillors dismissed the advice of its planners Monday. They exempted homeowners from having to protect their mechanical systems unless their renovation was expanding a house by 75 per cent or more, and enshrined those exemptions in a bylaw.

See original here:
Residents win rule change for riverside renovations

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