Philadelphia | $373,000A 1920 rowhouse with two bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms, on a 683-square-foot lot

This brick house is in the East Passyunk Crossing neighborhood in South Philadelphia, about two miles from Center City and close to restaurants (currently with street dining), vintage stores, cafes, parks and the Singing Fountain at East Passyunk Avenue north of Tasker Street, which belts out Sinatra and other standards from hidden speakers.

Size: 1,100 square feet

Price per square foot: $339

Indoors: The two-story house has an open-plan lower floor with refinished parquet flooring in the living area at the front. Beyond an archway is a dining area and the kitchen. The kitchen was updated several years ago with wood floors, white cabinets, subway tile and stainless steel appliances. Sliding-glass doors at the back open to a walled patio. There is also a half bathroom on this floor.

Upstairs are two bedrooms, front and back, which are (unusually for this housing type) almost of equal size. Between them is a walk-in closet or home-office space. The skylighted bathroom has a combined tub and shower and a black-and-white-tile floor.

A washer and dryer are in the unfinished basement.

Outdoor space: The rear patio includes a built-in storage bench.

Taxes: $3,487

Contact: Joe Brady, Team Damis, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, Fox & Roach Realtors, 267-401-4291; teamdamis.com

The rumor attached to this Victorian church building, formerly St. John the Baptist, is that it was abandoned in the 1970s because it lacked a center aisle and was considered undesirable for weddings. (Its successor is cater-corner across Main Street.) After sitting vacant for several years, the building was transformed in the 1980s into a home and art gallery. The current owners bought it five years ago to use as a residence and made many structural and cosmetic improvements, including fresh paint inside and out.

The house is in a college town of about 4,600, about 15 miles west of Rutland, Vt., and 30 miles west of the Killington ski area. Boston is slightly more than three hours southeast. This property is in the town center, a couple of blocks from restaurants, a library, an elementary school and the campus of Castleton University. Lake Bomoseen is a short drive west.

Size: 4,179 square feet

Price per square foot: $90

Indoors: Up a raised porch, through a refinished double doorway, you enter a foyer with hardwood floors and a staircase with a spiral-carved newel post. Turning left takes you into a living and dining room with a four-year-old pellet stove. Beyond is the larger of the homes two kitchens. Installed by previous owners about seven years ago, this kitchen has wood cabinets with Vermont-slate countertops, backsplashes faced in narrow rectangular tiles and a pantry closet. The sellers added a hand-built wood-topped peninsula.

The kitchen leads out on the other side to the original nave, a room with a soaring, curved ceiling, stained-glass windows with laboriously stripped moldings and a raised wooden floor extending from what was once the altar. Glass doors and a large casement window on the altar wall were added during the conversion.

An enclosure built out at the back of this space, with an arched window and a balcony, was also part of the conversion and used to display art. It currently contains a closet and a home office.

Off the living and dining room is an in-law suite. The railing under the archway between the bedroom and sitting room was borrowed from the altar. The gutted and refinished bathroom includes a stone-tile-and-glass walk-in shower and a vanity cabinet found in a consignment shop and garnished with a copper sink. The kitchen was part of the original conversion; its cabinets are repurposed chestnut pews. A breakfast bar connects this space to a second sitting area to the left of the front door.

The owners tore out the low ceiling over the staircase and built a faceted, vaulted timber ceiling that complements the wainscot and the newly exposed wood steps. The original choir loft became the multilevel master bedroom; double glass doors lead to a small, carpeted room at the base of the bell tower (access to the tower is through a trapdoor in the ceiling). Another bedroom is off the interior balcony overlooking the nave. A third upstairs bedroom has interesting ceiling angles.

Outdoor space: The sellers added a backyard deck and a two-car garage, and moved the shed (which has a stained-glass window) to the back of the property.

Taxes: $3,613

Contact: Sue Bishop, Four Seasons Sothebys International Realty, 802-558-2180; sothebysrealty.com

This condo is in East Austin, less than two miles from downtown via East Sixth Street, in an area packed with restaurants, bars, breweries, shops, galleries and yoga studios. The Lady Bird Lake Trail starts a mile west.

The unit is on the fourth (and top) floor, in the northwest corner. The building has 68 units, 60 of which are residential and eight retail or office.

Size: 958 square feet

Price per square foot: $376

Indoors: The interior is loft-like, with high ceilings, track lighting and polished concrete floors. A short hallway leads from the entrance, past a built-in desk, to the kitchen and dining area. The seller updated the kitchen, painting the cabinets gray and adding a blue-tile backsplash. He also installed a custom walnut storage unit on a wall that holds two bicycles.

The dining area flows into a living space with large, wood-framed windows, ending in a wall with sliding-glass doors that open to a balcony. To the left, floor-to-ceiling frosted-glass doors lead into a bedroom that has a closet with a stacked washer and dryer. The bathroom, which can be reached from both the bedroom and the hallway, has a combination tub-shower and a double vanity with a black-granite top.

The seller changed out all the lighting fixtures and ceiling fans and added a Google Nest Hub, which controls these things as well as the automated blinds in all the windows.

Outdoor space: The balcony has a steel railing and a partial view of the Rainey Street Historic District. (It used to be a full view, until GoDaddy built its headquarters down the block.) A parking space in a first-floor garage is reserved for the unit.

Taxes: $7,157, plus a $209 monthly homeowner fee

Contact: Debbie Barrera, Realty Austin, 512-203-1912; realtyaustin.com

For weekly email updates on residential real estate news, sign up here. Follow us on Twitter: @nytrealestate.

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$375,000 Homes in Pennsylvania, Vermont and Texas - The New York Times

TipRanks

If the stock markets ups and downs this year have taught us any enduring lesson, its a repeat of an old stand-by: the importance of setting up a steady income stream, to keep the portfolio profitable no matter how the individual shares move. Dividends are a key part of any investment income strategy, giving investors a reliable income when its needed most.All dividends are not created equal, however. Investors should seek out companies with one of two advantage or preferably both: a commitment to maintaining the dividend, and a high yield. The second is not hard to find, considering the Federal Reserves policy of keeping interest rates near zero, while the first attribute may take some research.With all of that in mind, weve opened up the Stock Screener tool from TipRanks, a company that tracks and measures the performance of analysts, to find stocks with high dividend yields. Setting the screener filters to show stocks with "strong buy" consensus rating and a high dividend yields exceeding 9% gave us a manageable list of stocks. Weve picked three to focus on.New Mountain Finance Corporation (NMFC)The first stock on the list is New Mountain Finance, in the business development niche. New Mountain invests in debt securities, including first and second lien notes and mezzanine securities. The Company's portfolio includes public and private equity and credit funds with a total worth well north of $28 billion.The company reported 30 cents per share in net investment income for the second quarter, down 4 cents sequentially. At the top line, revenues came in at $76 million, a healthy turnaround from the first quarter revenue loss of $174 million. As far as the data can show, New Mountain has turned around from the coronavirus losses incurred early in the year.New Mountain kept its dividend payment stable in the second quarter, at 30 cents per common share. At the current level, the $1.20 annualized payout gives a high yield of 11.5%.Wells Fargo analyst Finian OShea is comfortable with NMFCs dividend policy, writing, Having reduced its $0.34 dividend to $0.30 last quarter, coverage appears solid after the BDC has sustained its impact from nonaccruals, de-leveraging and LIBOROShea believes NMFC shares have room to rise, noting: "NMFC trades at 0.82x, about in-line with the WFBDC Index despite its history of top-quartile returns, improved leverage profile and portfolio level performance so far through todays recessionary environment."To this end, OShea rates NMFC an Overweight (i.e. Buy), and his $11.25 price target suggests it has a nearly 14% upside potential for the coming year. (To watch OSheas track record, click here)Overall, the Wall Street consensus on NMFC is a Strong Buy, based on 4 reviews including 3 Buys and 1 Hold. The shares are selling for $9.88, and the average price target of $10.92 implies a one-year upside of 11% for the stock. (See NMFC stock analysis on TipRanks)Plains GP Holdings (PAGP)Next on our list, Plains GP, is a holding company in the oil and gas midstream sector. Plains assets move oil and gas products from the well heads to the storage facilities, refineries, and transport hubs. The companys operations move more than 6 million barrels of oil equivalent daily, in a network extending to the Texas oil patch and the Gulf Coast. Plains also has assets in California and the Appalachian natural gas fields.The crisis in the first half of this year put heavy pressure on Plains revenue and earnings. By Q2, revenue was down by two-thirds, to $3.2 billion, and EPS had fallen to just 9 cents. As part of its response, Plains slashed its dividend by half from 36 cents per common share to 18 cents. The cut was made to keep the dividend within the distributable cash flow, affordable for the company and kept up for shareholders. Looking at numbers, PAGP's dividend payment offers investors a yield of 11.7%, almost 6x higher than the average yield among S&P 500-listed companies.Tristan Richardson, covering the stock for Truist, sees Plains in a good spot at present. Noting the difficulties faced earlier in the year, he writes, Despite cautious notes on recovery and general industry commentary that reflects the tepid growth environment, Plains remains among best positioned, in our view, amongst volumetrically sensitive business as a dominant Permian operator We believe the units/shares should find some support over the near term on the inflection to positive free cash flow and gradual de-levering.Richardson gives this stock a Buy rating and $12 price target, indicating an impressive potential upside of 80% for the next 12 months. (To watch Richardsons track record, click here)The Strong Buy analyst consensus rating on PAGP is unanimous, based on 5 recent reviews, all Buys. The stock has an average price target of $11, implying an upside of 65% from the current share price of $6.82. (See PAGP stock analysis on TipRanks)Sixth Street Specialty Lending (TSLX)The last company on our list recently underwent a name change; in June, it dropped its old name TPG in favor of Sixth Street. The ticker and stock history remain the same, however, so the difference for investors is in the letterhead. Sixth Street continues the core business of providing credit and capital for mid-market companies, helping to fund Americas small and medium enterprise niche.The economic difficulties of the corona crisis were easily visible in this companys top line. Revenue was negative in Q1, due to a curtailment in loan collections and reduction in interest income, although earnings remained positive. In Q2, EPS rose to 59 cents per share, meeting the forecast, and revenues returned to positive numbers, at $103 million.Sixth Street adjusted its dividend during the crisis, but that move did not raise any eyebrows. The company has a long history of dividend payment adjustments, regularly making changes to the common stock dividend in order to keep it in line with earnings, and giving supplemental dividends when possible. The current regular payment is set at 41 cents, annualizing to $1.64, and giving a strong yield of 9.45%.JMP analyst Christopher York believes that Sixth Street has as solid position in its niche, noting, we think the company has historically proven, and subsequently earned investor trust and credibility to underwrite and structure complex and special situation investments to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns.Regarding the dividend, York is optimistic about the future, writing, [The] supplemental dividend is likely to return following two quarters of no distributions as a result of the mechanics of the supplemental dividend frameworkIn line with his positive outlook for the company, York rates the stock as Outperform (i.e. Buy), and his $20 price target indicates confidence in a 15% upside potential. (To watch Yorks track record, click here)This stock has another unanimous Strong Buy consensus rating, with 5 recent Buy reviews. The stocks current share price is $17.33 and the average price target of $19.30 suggests it has room for 11% share price growth ahead of it. (See TSLX stock analysis on TipRanks)To find good ideas for dividend stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights.Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

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Insights on the Stone Plastic Composite Flooring Global Market (2020 to 2027) - Strategic Recommendations for New Entrants - ResearchAndMarkets.com -...

ASHEVILLE, NC (10.08.20)Completed in February 2020, Audio Logic Systems of Eden Prairie, MN completed the installation of d&b audiotechnik V and Y-Series loudspeaker systems in the Carlson Family Stage within Northrop at the University of Minnesota. The new systems enable Northrop to achieve quality sound for its audiences and ensure the system complements the buildings aesthetics.

As the modern use of the Carlson Family Stage has grown the Northrop staff expressed the need for a system upgrade in the venue to meet touring riders of the A list national and international performances targeted by the venues artistic planners, states John Simshauser of Audio Logic Systems.

The Carlson Family Stage within the historic Northrop at the University of Minnesota is the venues main state-of-the-art theater that seats up to 2,700 with main floor seating of 1,100 and additional three wrap-around balconies. The Carlson Family Stage features excellent acoustics for concerts, dance performances, vocal events, and other performances while maintaining intimate sightlines for all seats.

Rooted in the belief that the arts are essential to the human experience, Northrop is committed to cultivatingintersections between performing arts and education for the benefit of all participants now and for generations to come. Northrop is a historic venue consisting of multiple performance and rehearsal spaces, a gallery, caf and coffee shop, and offices for four University departments. The entire venue was completely renovated and reopened in 2014. Northrop has adapted this year2020-21 Season to COVID-19 by offering online performances and limited-capacity live events that follow all University of Minnesota and Minnesota Department of Health safety guidelines.

Simshauser said that the Carlson Family Stage has amazing natural acoustics, and a great place for amplified performances as well. For amplified performances, however, it is a challenging space, not because of the acoustics but due to the physical variations of the room seating. The room is very intimate, minimizing the viewing distance for all seats by utilizing varied rake seating and varied balcony depths. Specifically, the upper balcony (The Gallery Circle) has a 34-foot longer acoustic throw then the lower balconies. Due to this room configuration, covering the room with a traditional line array deployment presented unique opportunities to implement advanced features of d&b loudspeaker systems like ArrayProcessing, which optimizes a line arrays tonal and level consistency over the entire coverage area. The three biggest challenges for sonic linearity throughout the seating area were the varying depths of the balconies, the limited trim height of the PA (impacting specifically the middle and upper balcony seating), and the extreme splay angles of the Y-Series center system required to cover the full height of the room.

The sonic character of the large upper balcony significantly differs from the floor and lower balconies, specifically in the upper mid- and high frequency ranges. For the V system, ArrayProcessing naturally addressed the challenges of the third balcony by taking into account the unique dimensions of that seating area, notes Simshauser. d&b ArrayProcessing settings for the V arrays shifted the level over distance +3dB from the non ArrayProcessing performance (or intrinsic) while using a Glory 5 processing emphasis. In relation to the upper balcony, the array (V-Series system) trim height is very low. The trim height of the arrays is less than half the height of the top row of seating (39 feet versus 89 feet). For the main V system to cover from the orchestra pit to the upper row the splay angles are greater than in many systems. ArrayProcessing addressed the low trim height challenge beautifully by calculating array frequency response over the entire range of seating distances.

For the Y-Series array, the system specification called for a minimal number of boxes in the array due to sight line restrictions. There are 8 Y12s in the system. Four of the 8 boxes are at a splay of 13 degrees, and 6 of the 8 boxes have a splay of 9 degrees or greater. Simshauser said that Without ArrayProcessing the level variance at 4K between array elements from floor to balcony was +/- 18dB. ArrayProcessing effectively minimized the gaps in HF due to the extreme splay and the uniformity of HF coverage was greatly enhanced. To cover seating with such a large rake and throw distance variance, ideally twice as many Y12s would have been deployed in this situation. ArrayProcessing should never be a substitute for physical box count. However, in situations like this where box count is limited by external factors, ArrayProcessing is an extremely valuable tool to maximize performance and smooth array element interaction.

The speaker arrays are configured as a left and right V array for music performance with a center Y array focused on speech. All arrays can be used as one system. Balancing the tonality of the system, both the V system for music and the Y system for speech reinforcement is especially challenging in the upper balcony. Array Processing looks at the entire system and maximizes interactions and effectively manages the overall tonal character of all elements.

The system also has significant subwoofer support. Eight flown V- SUBs and four SL-GSUBs support the main system. Simshauser added that Due to the exceptional room acoustics, the distributed low-end reinforcement, and an all cardioid sub design, the low end is tight and impactful from the floor to the upper balcony. The final goal of any audio system upgrade is to make a significant positive impact in the daily experience of the audience, the performers, and the technicians.

The Northrop staff, d&b audiotechnik, and Audio Logic Systems have the utmost confidence that this system design and implementation will positively impact the Carlson Family Stage for years to come, statedJustin T. Burke, Northrops technical director. Our world-class venue deserved a world-class sound system.

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Audio Logic Systems Installs d&b V and Y-Series in Northrop at the University of Minnesota. - Live Design

DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) Kenneccia Woolard was sitting in her dorm room working on her school work at Benjamin Ruffin Hall at North Carolina Central University on Sept. 19.

I had my TV on and I was working on a paper that was due, Woolard said.

She said it was a typical Saturday night until she started to hear gunfire outside her dorm.

Turns out, there was shooting near Fayetteville Street and Lawson Street and a stray bullet flew into Woolards dorm room window.

At that moment, I had turned my head and I leaned to open the window and then pow! Woolard said. The bullet came through. Then there was glass in my eyes and Im jumping to the floor. When that hole was busted in the window, I could still hear bullets. They were still shooting, even after that bullet came through.

While she had cuts from the glass, thankfully she and her suitemates were not shot and no other students were injured.

Woolard said something needs to be done about the recent shootings.

We cant continue to live on campus like this, there are too many lives at stake, Woolard said.

In Durham, shootings are up 40 percent this year compared to last year.

So far 226 people have been shot this year and 27 of those individuals were shot in the month of September alone.

Officials with Durham police said a lot of the recent shootings are linked to feuds between groups or gangs.

In addition, police say they are seeing more shootings happening in passing on the roads and some innocent people are getting caught in the crossfire.

Deputy Chief Kevin Cates with the Durham Police Department said this can make it challenging for police to investigate.

Recent shootings have affected a larger swath of our community than normal, Cates said.

Cates said they have special teams focusing on the different areas where a lot of the recent shootings have occurred.

He said they are working on addressing the issue with the recent shootings every day, however, he said this is not something police can do alone.

This is not a police department problem, this a community problem, Cates said. Weve got to figure out a way to get these kids to find another alternative other than violence, especially gun violence.

Students and officials with NCCU will be voicing their concerns about the recent violence to Durham City Council during a work session on Thursday afternoon. They will be asking for more officers to patrol the area around campus and they are also asking that more cameras be installed near campus as well.

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I jumped to the floor: NC Central student recalls when bullet flew into her room - CBS17.com

The following Lebanon County restaurants were found to have violated Pennsylvanias health and safety regulations during inspections between Aug. 13-19.

Inspections are overseen by the Department of Agriculture. The department notes that in many cases violations are corrected by the restaurant before inspectors leave.

CARMANYS DOUBLE TWIST

35 S. 8th St., Lebanon

Date: Sept. 17, 2020

Type: Regular

Compliance: In

Violations:

--An electrical cord going into a small electrical box is not fastened securely where it enters the box and the cord is frayed and taped with electrical tape next to the plug.

GOLDEN CHINA

925 Cumberland St., Lebanon

Date: Sept. 17, 2020

Type: Regular

Compliance: In

Violations:

--The rear door to the outside, located in the rear area of the food facility is being propped open. Corrected.

--The front doors of the bain-marie, non-food contact surfaces, are not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil.

COUNTRY VIEW GROCERY

1941 Horseshoe Pike, Annville

Date: Sept. 15, 2020

Type: Regular

Compliance: In

Violations:

--Observed utensils in bulk repack room that were washed rinsed and sanitized in a single prep sink with sanitizer bucket.

DUNKIN DONUTS #342116

100 N. Londonderry Sq Palmyra

Date: Sept. 15, 2020

Type: Regular

Compliance: In

Violations:

--The hand-wash sink located in the front counter area does not have water at a temperature of at least 100F.

IDEAL FOOD BASKET

640 N. 7th St., Lebanon

Date: Sept. 15, 2020

Type: Follow-up

Compliance: Out

Violations:

--Observed a case of raw chicken stored directly on the floor in meat cutting area, rather than six inches off of the floor as required.

--The city of Lebanon public safety department issued a warning letter outlining numerous food safety concerns to the owners of ideal food basket on May 30, 2019. On June 5, 2019, the owners provided written corrective actions which included their commitment for proper training of employees and daily monitoring of temperatures. Temperature charts in both the meat cutting room and the deli/food prep area have not been checked since Sept. 9, 2020. Employees in the meat cutting room were using a shopping cart which was visibly not clean to hold raw chicken which was going to be packaged for sale. This shows a lack of employee training and a lack of proper oversight. Chicken was discarded.

--Raw ground poultry (turkey) was stored above other types of ground meat and mechanically tenderized meat was stored over whole cuts of meat. Corrected.

--The hand-washing sink for employees in the deli/bakery/hot food prep area was out of service during a busy time because an employee disassembled the drain lines to clean the grease trap. When advised of the fact that the sink was unusable and that the task creates a microbiological hazard, the employee stopped the task and reassembled the drain lines. This task should be completed when the area is not in use.

--Fresh fish was dated 9/25/20 and 11/09/20; other fish was not dated and there is no system in place to know how long fresh fish is in the display case.

--A plastic shopping cart that was visibly not clean, was being used as a food contact surface for raw chicken that was to be packaged for sale. Chicken was discarded.

--Wall in the produce prep area, has a hole and there is a hole in the block wall on the exterior of the north side of the building.

--A new sink that was installed in the produce area is less than six' from an electrical outlet which is not equipped with gfci.

MANNINOS PIZZA

230 E. Cumberland St., Lebanon

Date: Sept. 15, 2020

Type: Regular

Compliance: In

Violations:

--Observed food containers stored directly on the floor in walk-in area, rather than six inches off of the floor as required.

--Observed a large pot of food being prepared on the floor and then the pot was moved to a prep table which can contaminate the prep table.

--Shelves in the walk-in cooler and the exterior of a few food containers, non-food contact surfaces, are not cleaned at a frequency to preclude accumulation of dirt and soil.

--The fan covers on the walk-in cooler evaporator have a slight amount of built up residue.

MCDONALDS -E. CUMBERLAND #7045

757 E. Cumberland St., Lebanon

Date: Sept. 15, 2020

Type: Regular

Compliance: In

Violations:

--The fan covers on the walk-in cooler evaporator have a slight amount of built up residue.

--Outside waste handling storage area was extremely dirty and attracting insects and could attract rodents. Area was being cleaned immediately.

MONTRO GROCERY

625 Lehman St., Lebanon

Date: Sept. 15, 2020

Type: Opening

Compliance: In

Violations:

--Front door to the outside, located in the front area of the food facility is being propped open. Corrected.

--Rear door located in the rear area of the food facility has a gap and does not protect against the entry of insects, rodents, and other animals.

THREE JS

901 E. Main St., Ste 1a Palmyra

Date: Sept. 15, 2020

Type: Regular

Compliance: In

Violations:

--Observed the facility does not have a recording thermometer or strips to monitor the water temperature of the mechanical dishwasher.

The following establishments had no violations

THE CHUBBY UNICORN MFF TYPE 4

54 Main Road, Palmyra

Date: Sept. 18, 2020

Type: Opening

Compliance: In

Violations:

None found

HRESKOS BBQ

817 S 14th Ave., Lebanon

Date: Sept. 17, 2020

Type: Regular

Compliance: In

Violations:

None found

STARBUCKS COFFEE #58003

1501 Quentin Road, Lebanon

Date: Sept. 17, 2020

Type: Complaint

Compliance: In

Violations:

None found

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Employees using unclean shopping cart to hold raw chicken: Lebanon County restaurant inspections - pennlive.com

Drytac guarantees flawless, certified floor graphics backed up with warranties and support - essential for every public space. New guides for the retail, construction and housing, stadiums, and schools and universities sectors explain more.

Bristol, UKDrytac, a specialist manufacturer of floor graphics media, has released several overview guides on this key communications application. The four dedicated guides cover the essential aspects of floor graphic projects - such as safety obligations and insurance - in retail, construction and housing, stadiums, and schools and universities respectively.

The use of floor graphics accelerated at an unprecedented rate in 2020, owing to the need for social distancing and directional signage that can be easily observed. Drytac is a major brand in this field, manufacturing floor graphics media - along with an extensive range of other sign and graphics products - around the clock at its factories in the UK and North America. As such, it has taken the lead on safety: the chief concern of any organisation using floor graphics for public use.

The new guides provide a general overview of floor media, including locations and surfaces, types of graphic solutions and relevant Drytac products. An FAQ section explains slip ratings and certifications and the tests to achieve them, with advice on how to maintain graphics to avoid slips and trips. It also covers the legal responsibilities of the supplier, installer and customer.

These legal responsibilities are based on testing and retesting of all Drytac products. Every batch undergoes in-house QC testing to ensure it achieves the British Standard BS 7976-2/European Standard EN 13036-4/North American Standard ASTM-E303 for slip resistance. Research has confirmed that this test and its result, called a Pendulum Test Value (PTV/BPN), is the most reliable and accurate method for evaluating slip resistance. The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) along with its global counterparts and many insurance companies have adopted this as the standard test method for assessing slip resistance.

"At Drytac, safety is our priority," comments Shaun Holdom, Global Product Manager, Drytac. "Slip ratings are not based on a one-off test sample done in a lab years ago, but on the results of the strictest assessment available, on every single batch.

"We offer the correct ratings and insurance-backed warranties to make life easier for our customers, providing peace of mind that every Drytac floor decal offers legal and financial protection. In short, Drytac products keep you safe."

Drytac's comprehensive range of specialist floor graphics media includes Polar Grip with Interlam Pro Emerytex for smooth outdoor floors, Polar Street FX for rough outdoor surfaces, SpotOn Floor 200, FloorTac Textures and Polar Floor PET 170 for indoor public spaces and many other innovative solutions. Details on these products and more can be found in the overview guides, available to download for free via http://www.drytac.com/floorgraphicguide.

Drytac can also supply a list of Drytac-certified print and install partners. Customers are recommended to get in touch for information.

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Drytac Helps Ensure Floor Graphics Are Safe and Legal in Public Spaces - WhatTheyThink

As bandwidth needs continue to multiply, consumers demand faster and faster broadband speeds. That holds just as true for those who live in multiple-dwelling-unit buildings (MDUs) as it does for those who live in single-family homes.

Previously constructed MDUs, also known as brownfield buildings, almost certainly have twisted pair wiring that can support internet connectivity via DSL. But increasingly, customers are looking for faster speeds. MDUs wired for cable TV service are likely to support faster broadband, but as Kevin Morgan, chief marketing officer for fiber connectivity manufacturer Clearfield notes, the hybrid fiber-coax (HFC) infrastructure supporting cable TV service may be quite old and not in prime shape. The upshot is that even where a cable provider is present, competitive broadband providers may consider deploying service in condominiums, apartment buildings or complexes.

Landlords, condo homeowners associations and service providers considering the MDU market have several options for bringing high-speed broadband to units within buildings, including making fiber available to individual units and using alternatives based on structured Ethernet and Wi-Fi.

Jay Bestermann, senior director of managed networks for connectivity product supplier CommScope, notes that MDUs today are likely to have fiber connectivity to the building. And that eliminates one step a service provider would need to make to support high-speed broadband within a building, no matter which item is chosen.

A 2016 study conducted by research firm RVA, LLC for the Fiber to the Home Council (now the Fiber Broadband Association) found that fiber broadband connectivity can increase MDU owners and operators net income per average unit by as much as 11 percent and can increase the market value of rentals in MDUs by 8 percent. The value of a condominium in an MDU increases by 2 percent when the condo has fiber connectivity, the survey found. All those percentages are likely higher today, as broadband has become increasingly critical to daily life.

Despite these numbers, only about 50 percent of MDU deployments involving new construction also known as greenfield deployments were installed with fiber to the unit as of 2016, according to Christy Johnson, market development manager for Corning, whose product portfolio includes fiber connectivity equipment. That percentage undoubtedly has increased, however, and may be closer to 100 percent than 50 percent today, Johnson notes.

When service providers talk about deploying fiber within an MDU, they generally are referring to the same passive optical network (PON) technology that underlies fiber-to-the-home and fiber-to-the-premises deployments. As with traditional PON technology, a single fiber connects a service providers network to a splitter, from which individual fibers are run to individual apartments or condos.

When a service provider considers deploying fiber within an MDU, accurately estimating take rate is critical to determining project profitability. Typically, a potential provider can gauge interest level through marketing efforts, such as distributing flyers throughout the property.

An MDU is expected to be more profitable than a single-family home, observes Morgan.

He notes that some MDUs may have businesses located on the ground floor, which generally makes it attractive for a service provider to deploy fiber within the building.

Johnson notes that providers also may be able to maximize profitability by considering other sources of revenue that a fiber installation might generate, such as supporting cell site densification or rooftop antennas. Some service providers may have their own wireless businesses; others may be able to provide fiber connectivity on a wholesale basis to other providers.

Even a cable company may consider deploying fiber within an MDU rather than using traditional HFC infrastructure, Morgan notes.

With HFC infrastructure, fiber from a service providers network feeds coaxial distribution connections that ultimately support coaxial connections to individual customers. With PON, these feeder connections are fiber, which carries more data than coax, Morgan notes.

Another concern is that because HFC originally was designed to send video programming to end users, its bandwidth is asymmetrical, supporting higher bandwidth downstream than it does upstream. And internet usage also traditionally was asymmetrical, with more traffic flowing to users than coming from them, but that pattern is becoming less pronounced as uploading and videoconferencing/video calling become more popular. PONs also may be asymmetrical, but upstream and downstream capacity are closer to being equal and in some cases are equal.

Morgan also argues that fiber is more reliable than coax and is more efficient for interconnecting cable TV or phone companies that are consolidating with geographically adjacent companies.

Service providers choosing the PON approach may consider not running fiber into every unit initially, doing so only when a customer orders service.

They might take fiber down the hall and past every unit, comments Johnson. Later, if they have the third or fourth customer on a floor, they only have to enter into the apartment.

In other cases, a service provider might run fiber only to the communications closet for each floor and do the hallway later.

Approaches such as these minimize upfront costs, but service providers need to ensure that they dont lose those savings later because the process of adding new customers later becomes overly complicated.

Fortunately, cabling vendors have developed some innovative products for the MDU market, including some aimed at enabling subsequent customers to be added in an efficient manner. (See sidebar.)

As an alternative to PON, some service providers and landlords or homeowners associations opt to deploy structured Ethernet within an MDU one of several broadband connectivity areas that CommScope specializes in. Typically, CommScope deploys structured Ethernet throughout an MDU in what Bestermann calls a whole property or bulk service approach. Most commonly this is done for greenfield installations.

As Bestermann explains, this approach typically is supported by a gigabit per second (Gbps) or 10 Gbps connection to the building, with fiber or coax extended to individual units, where a gateway provides connectivity via wired Ethernet and/or Wi-Fi. From a technology standpoint, its similar to what might be installed in an office building.

One advantage of this approach is that gateways can be installed in public areas of an MDU, such as in fitness rooms or at a swimming pool, and residents can connect easily via Wi-Fi when they are in those areas.

A service provider choosing this approach can market directly to individual units or can sell connectivity for the whole property to the property owner, who can then determine how to charge end users, Bestermann explains. When the service provider offers service to individual units, it may opt for a service left in place approach in which the service provider doesnt expect to get gateways back from customers when they move. When a new resident moves in and signs up for service, the service provider doesnt have to roll a truck to onboard the customer but instead may simply have to reset the gateway.

The systems that CommScope installs are engineered to support a minimum of 25 Mbps per device a different approach from PON, in which each housing unit gets a specific amount of bandwidth.

The per-device approach offers more flexibility, according to Bestermann.

I might have 10 to 20 devices and can get high bandwidth to every device, he explains. In the home, its a shared model.

The 25 Mbps-per-device target is the bare minimum that CommScope recommends, notes Bestermann, who adds that CommScope is seeing demand as high as 200 Mbps per device in student housing.

Companies that offer cabling products including Clearfield, Corning, CommScope and others have developed some innovative offerings for MDUs.

For example, both Clearfield and Corning have considered the unique needs of brownfield installations, where space for extra equipment and cabling may be scarce.

Cornings Clear Track is designed to look like decorative molding. It holds fiber cabling inside.

Cornings ClearTrack offering resembles decorative molding but has space inside for fiber cabling. It can be installed where walls meet the ceiling, where few would guess that it was part of a broadband network, Johnson explains.

Clearfields FieldShield Drop Wheels and protected pathways

Clearfields FieldShield Drop Wheels are compact spools stored in the communications closet on which fiber bundles are wrapped, saving space in comparison with traditional alternatives. The drop wheels also offer service providers the option of minimizing upfront costs by beginning with partial installations. The drop wheels keep unused fibers neat until they are needed, in which case individual fibers can be unspooled as needed. The company also offers FieldShield microduct that can be pre-installed and houses fiber that can be pulled or pushed through it. That approach can minimize deployment costs by enabling a single technician to add the fiber, Morgan notes.

The Clearfield Drop Wheel

Cornings IBwave FiberPass software streamlines the installation process by reducing the time required to do site surveys and design systems.

CommScopes Ruckus product line also includes offerings tailored for the unique needs of MDUs. For example, the Ruckus Fiber Backpack is designed to simplify Wi-Fi deployments for fiber-ready MDUs. The device easily attaches to the companys Ruckus H510 wall-mounted indoor Wi-Fi access point/switch and helps provide a better-looking installation by eliminating wire clutter.

MDUs come in many shapes and sizes from garden apartments with just a few stories to high-rises with hundreds of units which means that a cookie-cutter approach to MDU broadband connectivity wont work. Fortunately, suppliers have applied considerable creativity toward developing solutions to meet a wide range of MDU connectivity needs.

The rest is here:
High-Speed Broadband for MDUs: A Look at Today's Options - Broadband Communities

San Francisco, Oct 10 (IANS): Fitbit Sense smartwatch has started receiving the ECG App functionality in few countries which was not available at its launch.

The wearable received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well as Conformite Europeenne (CE) approval in the EU to record ECG recently, and now the smartwatch has already started getting the update in the US, the Uk and Germany, reports GizmoChina.

The report says that countries like India are also on the list but the exact date of getting the update is unknown.

One can also install it by downloading the app from the Fitbit official website or trying it via the Fitbit app on the smartphone. After installing, go to Assessments & Reports->Discover Tab->Heart Rhythm assistant.

After accepting the terms, one can open the ECG app on Fitbit Sense and complete the setup.

The ECG, or electrocardiogram, allows users to gain insight into their heart's performance and possible conditions, like irregular or erratic heartbeats.

The Sense is the first Fitbit to gain the functionality and now puts it on par with the Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 and Withings ScanWatch.

Go here to see the original:
Fitbit Sense gets ECG app functionality in US and Europe - Daijiworld.com

As one of the people responsible for looking after the Rubenstein Arts Center, John Kolba has paid plenty of visits to the central campus building during the pandemic.

And each time hes there, the importance of stopping the spread of the virus is paramount.

Its pretty much front and center, said Kolba, associate director of theRubenstein Arts Center. You cant get around it.

Kolbas days begin and end with wiping down doorknobs and drawer pulls, and in between he wears a mask, washes his hands and passes numerous signs reminding him to do so.

And the Classroom Caddies installed in 12 spaces in the Rubenstein Arts Center byDuke Facilities Management are yet another way to help Kolba, and everyone else who passes through the building, show their commitment to safety.

The small boxes bolted to the walls by doorways hold sanitizing wipes and a spray bottle filled with anti-viral disinfectant and are available for students, staff and faculty to keep their areas clean.

Its a good combination of something thats practical and reinforces the idea that were trying to convey, Kolba said. From a logistical standpoint, it gives each of the spaces a home where the cleaning supplies are going to be. And it makes things a little more straightforward for folks.

The idea for the caddies took shape over the summer, as the university studied what kind of safety protocols would need to be in place for students to return to campus.

With Dukes housekeeping staff already busy tackling deep cleaning in classrooms and other areas, some cleaning responsibilities had to also fall community members who used the spaces. The next challenge was ensuring they had everything they needed.

Once we decided that wed need a tub of wipes and a spray bottle of disinfectant, we thought we could leave them on a desk near the door, said Steve Palumbo, director of facility operations for Duke Facilities Management. But as we talked through it, we realized we needed a single spot where we could keep them and where housekeeping would know to check for them.

Palumbo and colleagues in Duke Facilities Management studied different options before finding a three-sided metal box concept online. After tweaking it to fit exact needs, Duke enlisted the help the same Raleigh-based fabrication company that made thehand-sanitizer stands, to make the caddies.

In August, the Duke Facilities Managements General Maintenance Mechanics began installing over 220 caddies across campus, with each school helping determine location. Housekeepers from University Environmental Services monitor and refill the caddies with cleaning supplies.

They are nice because you can put them up and everything you need is right there, said Duke Facilities Management General Maintenance Manager Charlie Perez.

As limited aspects of on-campus life has resumed this fall, the caddies serve as reminders that we all have a role to play in that effort.

It keeps safety in the front of everyones mind, said Kolba of the Rubenstein Art Center. Its not like theres a spray bottle sitting on the floor in the corner of the room. Its right there. It helps get the message across.

Help share the proactive and extensive work being done by all Duke community members during the COVID-19 outbreak. Send ideas, shout-outs and photographs throughour story idea formor writeworking@duke.edu.

More:
Putting COVID-19 Safety Tools in Your Hands - Duke Today

The "Laminate Flooring - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global market for Laminate Flooring is projected to reach US$21.3 billion by 2025, driven by new flooring trends that drive demand in favor of laminates given their virtually unlimited variety of styles, designs and colors available.

Homeowners are always on the lookout for beautiful flooring options at affordable prices. Laminate floors provide both the elegance and beauty of expensive natural wood, ceramic and porcelain titles at low prices. Made up of layers of adhered fiberboard with printed images of wood, tile or stone, laminate floors are today a popular choice among homeowners.

Benefits of laminate flooring driving their adoption rates include long-lasting and durable characteristics; easily maintenance and installation; suitable for installation basement floors and upper rooms; eco-friendly materials it is produced with paper developed from farm-raised trees. Unlike wood, laminate flooring resists swelling and shrinkage due to seasonal changes.

Recent innovations in decorative overlays and improvements in physical characteristics such as protection against normal wear; advanced stain resistance; impact and indentation resistance; fade resistance; radiant heat resistance; dimensional tolerances; have all helped expand applications in both the residential and commercial sectors. Resistance to chemicals, for instance, is encouraging use of laminate flooring in beauty salons, laboratories, and healthcare facilities. Innovations in digital designs are making laminates perfect floor options for boutiques, bookstores, art galleries, dry cleaner shops, banks, gift shops, photography studios, hotel rooms, coffee shops, jewelry stores, professional offices, classrooms, and waiting rooms.

To impart elegance to a home, homeowners are using exotic grainy designs in rich colorations and textured details that can magically turn a kitchen into a vintage butler pantry. Wenge style flooring in deep chocolate tones is a perfect choice for homeowners wishing to impart to their living rooms a rich, elegant and expensive look of rare wood species. Waterproof laminates in exotic rich colors from golden honey tones to rich russet-brown help transform basement media room from being stuffy and lifeless into a bright multimedia retreat.

White plank styled laminates with sound insulation represents a frugal way to turn bedrooms into an oasis of comfort & regeneration, while laminate floors in imperial oak designs bring glamour and refinement to outdoor patio spaces. Laminate flooring in short is a bold direction forward in decorative surfaces and the market holds a growth edge given its growing acceptance in the non-residential sector.

Key Topics Covered:

1. MARKET OVERVIEW

2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS

3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/537dlg.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200914005711/en/

Contacts

ResearchAndMarkets.comLaura Wood, Senior Press Managerpress@researchandmarkets.com

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Global Laminate Flooring Market Trajectory & Analytics Report 2020-2025: New Flooring Trends Revive Optimism in the World Flooring Market -...