Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Photos/T. Julian Pertkiewicz

Clifton artist Sam Kapral has re-designed the American flag to place more emphasis on the 50 states and not just the original 13 colonies. By making the stars space larger, and decreasing the size of the stripes, he said he has accomplished one of his two goals. His second goal is to present the flag to the president.

CLIFTON Sam Kapral smoothes the prototype pages out along the dining table of his home, the Clifton home he's lived in for more than 40 years. There it is: the culmination of four long years of work, shown in pictures. His finished design still looks like the American flag, but it has been altered carefully to show a side of Old Glory that Kapral feels has long been overdue. As he adjusts the pages he beams his satisfaction at his hard work.

His neighbor of many years, Doreen Delancy-Williams, describes him as a very kind and passionate man. "The sweetest man you ever want to meet."

In his retirement he wishes to continue to share his designs with the world by helping make something new again. Although his doctor visits take up a lot of his time and energy, he has managed to see his flag design project through.

During Kapral's career, he has designed packaging for products such as fragrances, creams, and even product art for Gold Medal Biscuit Mix. Before entering retirement, he was a senior artist at Elizabeth Arden for 22 years, where he designed packaging for the company's cosmetics. In the 1950s he trained at Newark School of Fine Art, where upon graduation he was awarded the Designer's Guild award of first prize for one of his designs. In his basement studio he still keeps his portfolio of carefully preserved renderings and blueprints of his academic designs, now just over 60 years old. His designs appear ahead of their time, with clean lines and a minimalist presence of today's popular designs, with just a splash of color.

However, his experience goes far beyond technical design; from watercolors, to pencils, to sketches, to an oil painting of his late wife in her youth - his artwork tells the story of a man who has been artistic all his life. Now at 89, Kapral admits with a chuckle that he prefers to be a manager when it comes to most projects, like his home remodeling. However, the American flag holds deep sentimental value for him. When he realized it had not been updated in decades and he saw room for improvement, it felt natural to take matters into his own hands.

The modern flag design was adopted in 1960, which depicts all 50 states as stars. However, the same general design has been in use since its inception in the 1770s. When asked why he decided to redesign the flag, Kapral replies, "If there is a chance to upgrade something - well, we upgrade everything else." He goes on to mention how America upgraded from horses to cars. "When I was a boy there was only one car on my block... People used to say, 'if a car breaks, you should just get a horse.'" He draws this conclusion: if we stayed with the old ways out of fear, there would be little progress. "Now cars are everywhere."

Kapral's redesign begins with the stars. Instead of the tiny square of blue to corral the stars, it has been extended to the base of the flag. Over time, he has rearranged the stars into various configurations, until he found the staggered pattern he desired. Beside the panel of blue and white, the red and white stripes alternate uniformly as before, but now each of the stripes is equal in length.

His explanation is simple: the current American flag places too much emphasis on the original 13 colonies, represented by the 13 red and white stripes. There is not enough emphasis on the individual states as stars. "We should be proud of our states and show them all," Sam remarks. His final design shows the stars enlarged, to display more prominently against their blue backdrop.

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Clifton artist designs new flag

We received the Sun Portal system just in time for a storm power outage! We installed it in a few hours. The installation process was straightforward. Once installed and charged it functioned perfectly.

It was fabulous to have this bright light in our kitchen/family room during those dark nights. It was easy to read, work and cook by this light, even after many hours of use. It recharges completely during the day, even on cloudy days. It was a great comfort with the power out. The Sun Portal casts such a nice light we use it often, on a daily basis, now that the power is back on.

The system was complete as shipped. It was packaged very well for safe transit, with all of the necessary parts and with clear and precise instructions. It even came with a long drill bit to make the small hole in the outside wall, which is needed to connect the outdoor solar panel to the indoor light and storage battery unit, and with clear silicone sealant. That was a very thoughtful and nice touch. The installation instructions guided us step by step. The location of the solar panel on the outside wall is not too critical, since the panel has a very high output capacity for charging the battery. The location of the light on the inside wall is somewhat more critical, since you want the light to be in spot that can reach and fill the entire space - very handy in a power outage! We put the light above the TV on our southeast wall. The light was bright enough to reach our stove, sink and countertops more than 20 feet away. It does not interfere with viewing the TV. The integral shade does a nice job of diffusing the light.

Once installed and charged, the light worked very well. We love it! It is an attractive fixture and the very high efficiency LEDs throw a lot of light into the room. We have been enjoying this new addition to our home, especially knowing that we are using energy directly from the sun in our own backyard!

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LightPortal Indoor Solar Lighting System - Landscape ...

The new PDA015N constant current waterproof LED drivers are compatible with virtually all leading edge, trailing edge, & smart dimmers, eliminating flicker, shimmer, & reduced dimming ranges in both indoor & outdoor lighting fixtures

Fremont, CA-- Phihong USA, a leading global supplier of energy efficient OEM power and lighting solutions, has introduced a new series of 15W TRIAC-dimmable constant current LED drivers for residential lighting applications. Compatible with virtually all leading edge, trailing edge, and smart dimmer technologies, the PDA015N Series LED drivers provide energy efficient, flicker- and shimmer-free performance for a wide range of residential LED fixtures, including indoor and outdoor downlights and area lights.

Rated for 15W output power, PDA015N Series LED drivers are available with three constant current outputs (350mA, 700mA, and 1000mA), and are designed to operate using 108132VAC and 0.3A input power to deliver 80% efficiency at 120VAC with a power factor of> 0.9 and total harmonic distortion (THD) of less than 20%.

"Designed to work with all types of residential dimmers, our newest series of TRIAC-dimmable drivers features a proprietary design that eliminates many of the problems lighting designers experience when using conventional LED drivers, such as flickering, shimmering, and reduced dimming range," said Keith Hopwood, vice president of Phihong. "Compatible dimmers for the new series include: Lutron's Diva, Skylark, Nova, Glider, Maestro, and Radiora2 products, as well as Leviton's Diva, Rotary, Sureslide, and Illumatech series."

Covered by a three-year warranty, PDA015N Series LED drivers feature over-voltage, over-current, overload, and short-circuit protection, and are certified to Class 2 UL1310 safety specifications. Exhibiting both high performance and energy efficiency standards, the series is approved for use in Energy Star products and qualifies for a variety of state energy department and utility company rebates.

PDA015N Series LED drivers measure 80mm x 78mm x 25.2mm (3.15in x 3.07in x 0.99in) and weigh 165g (5.82oz). Operating temperatures for the series span 0C to +85C, and pricing for single unit quantities starts at $22.79 through Phihong distributors.

For more information about Phihong's new PDA015N Series 15W TRIAC-dimmable LED drivers, please visit http://www.phihong.com/assets/pdf/PDA015N.pdf to access the datasheet. For all other inquiries, please visit http://www.phihong.com/LED, email sales@phihongusa.com, call 510-445-0100, or write to Phihong USA at 47800 Fremont Blvd., Fremont CA 94538.

About Phihong Phihong is a global leader in the development of world-class power solutions, with annual revenue of $500 Million. A leading supplier of LED drivers, lighting controllers, and power OEM lighting solutions, Phihong serves both the residential and commercial lighting markets and has a global reach, with design labs, manufacturing facilities, and sales support centers in California, New York, The Netherlands, China, Japan, and Taiwan.

For more information, contact: Allen Tsao Distribution Sales Manager, Phihong USA (510) 445-0100 allent@phihongusa.com

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TRIAC-Dimmable LED Drivers deliver 15 W output.

Pier Solar and the great Architects #36 - Die Hafenstadt
Nix mehr verpassen: http://goo.gl/iYz3bn Playlist: http://goo.gl/mZJVbh -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------...

By: ByteMe

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Pier Solar and the great Architects #36 - Die Hafenstadt - Video

Assistant Professor Komgrij Thanapet, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University. February 27, 2015 1:00 am

In the West, the profession of urban planning developed at key moments in the interconnected relationship between city form and socioeconomic circumstances. Before the industrial revolution, no distinction was made between the design of building components, buildings, and building complexes - all were continuations of one practice.

The industrial revolution collapsed this generalism and consolidated urban or city planning into a stand-alone discipline. Incorporating principles taken from economics and public works engineering, urban planning became a discipline that organised and coordinated the operations of the town and its environs in order to support economic productivity and efficiency.

As the profession grew, so did an associated body of knowledge, which became the theoretical discipline of urban sociology.

Early urban planning was critiqued for its disassociation from the needs of society. In countries with exploding cities, "urbanism" emerged as an inter-disciplinary approach to investigate the city with the goal of enhancing the lives of its inhabitants.

More recently, the discipline has increasingly focused on the effects of greenhouse gases and pollutants on weakening environmental health.

The interdisciplinary nature of urban planning, which can be considered the "practice" of urbanism," requires skilled, versatile practitioners drawn from a variety of concentrations. However, most practitioners are guided by three lead disciplines: urban planning, architecture and landscape architecture.

In Thailand, practitioners of city design are officially recognised as "urban architects". These professionals are constantly in demand as the population in cities such as Bangkok swell and strain its existing infrastructures and services.

The Bangkok metropolitan region and other Thai cities will experience severe challenges in the 21st century. To alleviate the ill effects of environmental degradation, we must be encouraged to give up our car-centric transportation network for a robust, multimodal transportation system that is responsible for the mobility of both people and goods.

Bangkok has evolved into more than just Thailand's industrial centre. It is also the heart of the tourism and service sectors, of enterprise businesses, and of entrepreneurship, and, as a result, needs to attract and nurture talent to sustain these industries.

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Urban architects - agents of change

Mount Arlington, N.J. and New York, N.Y. (PRWEB) February 26, 2015

Exigent Technologies welcomed in the New Year with news of its first business merger. The New Jersey-based managed IT and cloud services company is pleased to announce it has acquired Information Architects, a Morris County, New Jersey-based IT services company specializing in systems integration, core platform technologies, managed services and virtualization.

This strategic business agreement is a major marker in our companys 18-year history and positions us to better serve our customers by broadening our expertise and creating more customer value for each technology dollar invested, says Exigent President Dan Haurey. We are honored to welcome Information Architects to the Exigent family and work as one team, under one roof and one brand, to meet our customers needs and forge new relationships with business owners and managers that view technology as a strategic asset within their organizations.

The merger strengthens and extends Exigents advanced technical expertise around custom IT solutions and enhances the firms cloud services and managed services portfolio by expanding its specializations in disaster recovery, security, networking and virtualization. It also provides a more comprehensive service engagement model to Information Architects existing customers.

As part of the merger, Exigent welcomes the leadership of Information Architects founders Eric Burke, who joins Exigent as vice president of technology, and Frank Vizzuso, who serves as vice president of sales. Exigent is also pleased to expand its technical engineering, support and operational teams to include all of Information Architects associates.

Were all very excited by this union, says Burke. The deal brings together two high-caliber, customer-focused organizations with long track records of success, creating a very capable team with uncommon depth and breadth in the New Jersey, New York IT consulting marketplace.

The founders of Exigent Technologies and Information Architects met several years ago at an Ingram Micro VTN Invitational. The two firms maintained a friendly, yet competitive relationship over the years. Haurey approached Burke and Vizzuso about a potential merger in early 2014. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Weve always admired Dans passion for the business and quickly learned that we share the same values, says Vizzuso. At the end of the day this is a huge win for all involved, especially our customers and associates.

For more information about how Exigent Technologies enables small and midsize businesses to use technology as a strategic asset, visit http://www.exigent.net; call 1.855.NO DOWNTIME; or email contact(at)exigent(dot)net. Follow Exigent Technologies on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/exigenttechnologies.

About Exigent Technologies Exigent Technologies LLC is a full-service information technology consulting firm that implements and maintains high-performance IT systems for small and medium-sized organizations in a wide range of industries. Established in 1997, Exigent brings proven experience and expertise to every engagement, and differentiates itself on integrity, responsiveness and exceptional customer care.

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Exigent Technologies Merges with Information Architects to Create New York Metro Area IT Services Powerhouse

Although money is often seen as a taboo topic in art schools, a group of Yale alumni is urging professional architects to place more value on the relationship between money and architecture.

The Yale Architectural Journals latest edition, titled Money, discusses the controversial role of money in the field of architecture. With articles written by a diverse group of professional architects ranging from Frank Gehry to Yale School of Architecture Professor Keller Easterling, the issue urges architects to reconsider the financial side of their work. Yale Architectural Journal Editor Marcus Addison Hooks ARC 12 noted that many architects choose to avoid thinking about money in their work and do not view the topic as a serious area of inquiry.

Its a big question that the other editors and I discussed about three years ago, Hooks said. Architects dont talk about money a lot, but in every work of architecture you need to find what the economic system can allow.

When compared to other forms of art, Hooks explained, the large scale of architectural projects makes them significantly more expensive than other artistic works. Hooks added that while contractors and developers typically contribute substantial amounts of money to these projects, architects must still work within budgetary restrictions. Architects have to consider both the aesthetic appeal and monetary viability of their projects, he noted.

Addison said that while artists in other fields can maintain control over the materials that they work with throughout the creative process, architects must design their work around their budgets.

No matter what financial model that youre practicing on, it doesnt change your passion for the design aspect, Addison said. Taking on a more active financial role can only help the design aspect and is not at all against the tradition of wanting to create something beautiful.

Yale Architectural Journal Editor Avi Forman ARC 12 said that while contractors and carpenters may prioritize monetary concerns above other factors, architects focus more on the artistic aspects of their projects.

Forman said he thinks it is impossible for architects to ignore the financial side of their work, adding that professional architects are consultants to some of the most expensive industries in the world, including real estate and construction.

Even if you say its an art, architecture is connected more closely to money than any other art field, Yale Architectural Journal author James Andrachuk ARC 12 said. Its important that architects understand how their financial imperatives, needs and designs tie into a much larger picture.

Andrachuk said the same financial principle is not limited to commercial real estate development but also applies to other areas, such as designing houses and school districts. By having both an economic and design justification, clients are more likely to give architects increased control over their proposals, he said.

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Yale Architectural Journal articles emphasizes importance of money in architecture

While many Snowmass businesspeople and residents are worried that building too much retail space in Base Village will spread the spending too thin, others believe constructing more space will create a robust dining and shopping scene there.

The question of what the right amount is has become a hot topic as Related Colorados application to amend the current approvals on the project wends its way through the Planning Commissions initial review, now expected to wrap up March 4 after another continuance Wednesday.

While its a question that would normally be settled in the second phase of the towns land-use review process, Community Development Director Julie Ann Woods noted Relateds proposal to reduce the amount of retail in Base Village as something to look into early on. The town also hired a consulting firm to conduct an analysis of how much retail Base Village could support, which concluded the development could carry much more than is being proposed.

At last weeks Planning Commission meeting though, Base Village restaurant owner Scott Calliham cautioned against using the same assumptions that went into the planning of the Aspen Highlands base, which now has become more popular for offices than for shops or restaurants. Woods, however, thinks Highlands is a different beast, as it is distant from Aspens core rather than in the midst of it.

Were basically one village, Woods said. And yes, theres three different commercial areas, but it was envisioned that way. Im not concerned that well end up a ghost town.

Woods recognizes that visitors to Snowmass will still go to Aspen to shop and dine, but she thinks the village could still offer more for guests to do in the evening. A survey of visitors conducted by Snowmass Tourism last year showed that guests were most disappointed by the lack of variety of bars, restaurants and nightlife and early closing hours in the village, she said.

So why wouldnt we be looking at that as we move into the next stage of development? Woods said.

Members of the public have mixed feelings about the issue. Job Moraes, manager of the Performance Ski retail store in Base Village, thinks the area would benefit from more shops and restaurants.

I think thats going to attract more people to the base, Moraes said. I think that would be a good idea.

However, real estate broker Andrew Ernemann echoed the concern about following in Highlands footsteps.

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Snowmass continues to ponder right amount of commercial space for Base Village

Rendering of what the proposed Daytona Beach outlet mall might look like.

DAYTONA BEACH The $100 million outlet mall project that's expected to create 300 construction jobs and 800 permanent jobs took another step toward reality Thursday night.

The city's Planning Board voted unanimously to rezone 39 acres south of LPGA Boulevard and east of Interstate 95 from industrial park to planned commercial development uses for the roughly 400,000-square-foot retail shopping center.

Site work on the vacant undeveloped property could begin as early as this summer, bringing Volusia County closer to a new place to shop, 400 full-time jobs with salaries ranging from $32,000-$52,000 annually and $700,000-$900,000 each year in new local property tax revenues, said Rob Merrell, the Daytona Beach attorney steering the project.

I am more than tickled pink, Planning Board member Cathy Washington said. Not having to travel to Orlando or St. Augustine is just a jewel. It's something that's been needed a long time in this area.

If all goes well with a few more approvals needed from the City Commission, sometime in 2016 or 2017 the new retail cluster could bring in big-name stores like Banana Republic, Calvin Klein and Nike.

I don't think there's any way you can be negative about what this will do for commerce in Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach, Planning Board member Bob Hoitsma said.

It would be the first outlet mall in Volusia and Flagler counties, and it would be roughly 50 miles from the nearest outlet mall to the north the 340,000-square-foot St. Augustine Premium Outlets complex at the I-95/State Road 16 interchange in St. Johns County and roughly 60 miles from the nearest outlet mall to the southwest, the Orlando International Premium Outlet along International Drive.

The force behind the Daytona outlet mall is Greensboro, North Carolina-based Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Inc.

Merrell told Planning Board members that Tanger has created 45 other outlet malls since its first in 1981, and the company now has 14 million square feet of retail space with 2,900 individual stores. According to its website, Tanger has retail centers spread across the U.S. and Canada, but its only existing Florida mall is the 22-year-old complex in Fort Myers that generates about $500,000 in property taxes annually.

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Outlet mall gets thumbs-up

Dave Webb has been working at Maryland's Wholesale Seafood Market in Jessup since 1984. For two thirds of those three decades, he has been manning the state-run center's only retail outlet: Frank's Seafood.

So when the longtime owner of Frank's suddenly closed the market in September 2014 for personal reasons, few people were more affected than Webb, although he certainly wasn't the only one lamenting the loss of the Howard County mainstay.

"The customers were shocked, devastated," Webb said recalling the shutdown. "That's where people shopped for fish Frank's Seafood."

Starting this month, thanks in part to Webb, customers will again have an option at the center as New York-based Wild's Seafood has opened a retail market inside the space formerly occupied by Frank's.

The market, which opened last week, is scheduled to have a grand opening Saturday, Feb. 28, says Webb, who was brought on to manage the new market. The market's hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 12 to 5 p.m., Sunday.

Webb says Wild's aims to deliver the same seafood that Frank's did for decades. The list includes fresh crabs, lobster, shrimp and all types of fish. The market also sells some frozen items and ancillary seafood products. Webb said the main product is crab, and that the most popular times of the year are summer holidays like Father's Day, Mother's Day and Independence Day.

According to John Hong, the accountant for Wild Seafood, the New York-based company was interested in expanding it's reach in the Washington, Maryland and Virginia area. It currently operates two markets and one restaurant in New York.

Hong said Wild's identified the space shortly after it became available, but the opening has been delayed because of construction. Grandfathered status allowed Frank's to bypass certain health regulations that Wild's had to address to meet code requirements.

Rose Harrell, director of facilities for the Maryland Food Center Authority, the government agency that owns the location and leases it to tenants, said it was important to replace Frank's and provide a retail outlet to customers.

"We really wanted to get another retail company in that facility," said Harrell, adding that the state agency was happy that Wild's showed an interest.

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Wild's Seafood replaces Frank's in Jessup