Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Apparently, Australia is in an income recession.

This new-fangled term has been bandied around since the Australian Bureau of Statistics published the quarterly national accounts on Wednesday.

It's not everyday we suffer an income recession, but before we all go around beating ourselves up over this calamity, it's important to know just what it is.

The starting point is a familiar measure, gross domestic product, or GDP.

We've all heard of that.

It's the amount of stuff - goods from coal to houses or packets of frozen peas, and services from haircuts to plane trips or lawn mowing - that's produced in Australia.

And it's adjusted for price changes or, in other words, expressed in real terms.

If GDP falls for two or more consecutive quarters we're generally considered to be in a recession, although that rule is not a law of nature, just a rule of thumb.

GDP is important, because it's a measure of production, and production generates jobs.

But before using it as a measure of the real value of income - what Australians can buy with the revenue from their GDP - it has to be tweaked.

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So, what's an income recession?

Dalhousie is well known for its Architecture program. Now the universitys architectural expertise is expanding in new ways thanks to the development of an undergraduate program in Landscape Architecture in the Faculty of Agriculture.

Dalhousie will soon become the only Atlantic Canadian university to offer an undergraduate program in Landscape Architecture, and only one of three to do so across Canada.

What exactly is landscape architecture? As the Canadian Society of Landscape Architecture explains, it involves, combining art and science in the creation and preservation of built environments, taking a holistic approach that recognizes that the needs and activities of people can be complementary parts of larger environmental services.

The new Dalhousie program will include areas of study that explore site and ecosystem analysis, engage in collaborative design exercises, apply concepts of sustainability and efficiency, create construction details and specifications, and enhance our environment both aesthetically and ecologically. Students will receive training to develop technical skills in design, communication, installations and management.

Tracey MacKenzie, professor in the Department of Environment Sciences, is excited for the program to begin and believes it will fill a niche within the industry.

This program is about making connections between the landscape contracting industry and landscape architecture, she says. It will focus on designing functional spaces, using an interdisciplinary approach that includes horticultural and engineering skills and applying environmental knowledge to create site solutions. This program will encourage students to be in tune with natural ecosystems and apply a creative mindset to tackle various environmental and design challenges.

From a Dal perspective, Prof.MacKenzie explains that this new program will complete a trio of related programming at the university: architecture, planning and now landscape architecture.

Students will have the opportunity to pursue a career where you can definitely make a difference in the environment, says Prof. MacKenzie. The foundation of the program will be the idea of sustainability being a key part of landscape development. This will be a multi-disciplinary education which includes engineering, horticulture, design and the environment.

The Landscape Architecture program is scheduled to begin in September 2015. Students will be able to complete a Bachelor of Technology degree on the Agricultural Campus in Truro, which can be followed by further study of a masters degree.

This new program has recently gained the attention of the president of the Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU), Dr. Siren Lan, who himself is an internationally renowned landscape architect.

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Faculty of Agriculture launches new program in Landscape Architecture

Denver, CO (PRWEB) December 04, 2014

To kick-off the season, Colorados premier holiday lighting vendor, Swingle Lawn, Tree & Landscape Care, decorated the homes of two deserving families along the Front Range. Swingles Making Spirits Bright campaign allowed people to nominate a family facing hard times, and based on those nominations the company selected two families to receive holiday lighting for their homes.

Making Spirits Bright was built around the idea of giving back to the community, which is a fundamental principle for everyone at Swingle. Our goal was to make a difference this holiday season, and we feel that our campaign achieved that. We only wish we could do more, says Swingles CEO Tom Tolkacz.

Swingle truly considers the company fortunate to have the opportunity to brighten the spirits of two very deserving families: young Payton, a 6-year-old girl in Centennial whos battling leukemia, and 18-month old Charlie in Fort Collins who suffers from Aniridia - a rare genetic condition. Each nomination shared the realities of the day-to-day struggles these families continually face, and because of their endurance Swingle chose them as this years Making Spirits Bright recipients. Swingles professional team members went out to meet with both families in order to design a holiday lighting display fitting the style and character of each home. Swingle crews worked diligently to make sure that everything came together perfectly and seamlessly, and because of that dedication it was a magical night for two local families.

Payton was completely surprised when Princess Elsa showed up at her doorstep to light up her very own ice castle, which was adorned with frosted white and pink lighting. Charlie looked on in amazement at the 65-foot Christmas tree in his front yard gleaming with thousands of multi-colored lights strung from top to bottom.

In addition to the special holiday lighting, each family was also provided a handful of Christmas presents for each and every child in the home.

We were overwhelmed and inspired by the heartfelt stories we received this year. Swingle is in the business of making peoples lives more enjoyable through the services we provide. Making Spirits Bright takes it a step further and is a great example of our longstanding commitment to giving back to our community, says Swingles President John Gibson.

Swingle recognizes the incredible difficulties many families face during the holiday season. Making Spirits Bright first began as a simple idea and has become much more. This is the season of giving, and even a simple gesture can have a wonderful impact on those facing hard times during the holidays.

An anonymous nominator said, "I just want to commend Swingle for thinking about others who are less fortunate around Christmas in the money department, but may be very fortunate in their spirituality. What joy you will be giving those people."

About Swingle Lawn, Tree & Landscape Care Founded in Denver in 1947, Swingle Lawn, Tree & Landscape Care has grown to be the one of the largest residential and commercial lawn service and tree care companies in Colorado, employing more certified arborists than any other Colorado company. For information please contact Kellie Houghtaling (303) 337-6200 or visit http://www.MySwingle.com/contact.

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Denver-based Swingle Lawn, Tree & Landscape Care Decorates the Homes of Families Facing Hard Times

What you need to know about theMurrayinquiry

If history is any guide, David Murray's financial system inquiry will shape the landscape of banking, superannuation and insurance for years to come.

Its final report, to be published on Sunday, follows in the footsteps of inquiries that have had profound legacies for consumers, businesses and the entire economy.

The 1981 Campbell inquiry paved the way for a wave of deregulation, and the 1997 Wallis inquiry recommended Australia's modern system of market and banking regulation.

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There have been seismic shifts in finance since Wallis: a six-fold rise in the $1.9 trillion superannuation pool, a sharp increase in the share of bank loans going to housing, and a shift towards greater concentration in banking.

Depending on what the government decides to do with Murray's recommendations, it has the potential to affect just about everyone in Australia.

But as we learnt during the global financial crisis, finance can be so complex that even many bankers do not truly understand it. With that in mind, here's our guide to the topics that matter most.

Bank capital

The biggest fear among bank investors is thatMurraywill increase substantially the amount of equity capital the big four must set aside. This would make banks more resilient but also dilute returns, and possibly raise costs for customers.

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Murray's work to shape our financial world for years to come

LOWER MAKEFIELD >>Two Bucks County men are facing charges for allegedly burglarizing a landscape business on Stony Hill Road in August.

According to police, Shaun Rehill, 30, of Kennedy Drive in Fairless Hills, and James Harth, 30, of the 300 block of Main Street in Tullytown, are charged with burglary, conspiracy, theft and receiving stolen property for forcibly entering the shop sometime overnight on August 27.

Stolen from the property were multiple pieces of landscape equipment including leaf blowers, saws and trimmers, with an approximate value of more than $2,200.

During an investigation by the Lower Makefield Detective Unit, several of the items were located in pawn shops in Bucks and Montgomery counties. They were recovered prior to being resold.

During an interview by detectives, the two admitted to burglarizing the shop, taking the items and pawning them for $1,500.

Following their arraignment, Rehill was released on bail pending trial while Harth remains in custody with his hearing pending.

According to police, Shaun Rehill, 30, of Kennedy Drive in Fairless Hills, and James Harth, 30, of the 300 block of Main Street in Tullytown, are charged with burglary, conspiracy, theft and receiving stolen property for forcibly entering the shop sometime overnight on August 27.

Stolen from the property were multiple pieces of landscape equipment including leaf blowers, saws and trimmers, with an approximate value of more than $2,200.

During an investigation by the Lower Makefield Detective Unit, several of the items were located in pawn shops in Bucks and Montgomery counties. They were recovered prior to being resold.

During an interview by detectives, the two admitted to burglarizing the shop, taking the items and pawning them for $1,500.

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Two charged with burglarizing Lower Makefield Township landscape business

A technical team from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is expected in Ondo State next week for the purpose of evaluating and listing the Idanre Hill as a world heritage site.

A statement by the state Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Thursday said the visit was part of the effort to actualise the vision of inscribing Idanre Hill cultural landscape into the World Heritage list.

According to the supervising commissioner for the ministry, Kayode Akinmade, arrangement has been concluded to receive the team of experts that will be in Idanre for the enlistment mission from December 9-11.

He expressed governments readiness to make Idanre Hills a tourism destination and pride in Africa.

He stated that government had commenced the construction of a world class resort at the foot of the Hill which would further open up the state to the whole world.

Akinmade noted that the present administration was taking advantage of the presence of natural attractions in the town to build tourist facilities that would make the state desired tourist destination for all

He added that the development of the resort would attract daily events that would lure people from around the globe to Idanre with the attendant consequence of generating foreign exchange for the state and the country.

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UNESCO to list Idanre as world heritage site

Published December 03, 2014

Facing a new political landscape, President Barack Obama and Sen. Mitch McConnell had a Wednesday appointment to size up prospects for cooperation between Democrats and Republicans who have shown little zest for political deal-making in the more than five years since Obama's first inauguration.

The Oval Office talk was the first one-on-one meeting between Obama and the Kentucky Republican since the GOP took control of the Senate in November's midterm elections. McConnell, who famously asserted after Obama's January 2009 inauguration that his goal was to make Obama a one-term president --is now poised to become Senate majority leader when the new Congress convenes next month.

Obama and McConnell have both spoken about their interest in cooperating where possible -- in areas like tax reform and infrastructure investments -- although working through the details of legislative proposals is sure to expose long-standing divisions on issues. The president's decision to move forward on an administrative remedy for immigration problems has infuriated some Republicans, who urged the president to hold off on the moves following his party's sweeping defeats at the polls.

McConnell said Tuesday that he had been "perplexed" by Obama's reaction to the election.

"I don't know what we can expect in terms of reaching bipartisan agreement," he said. "That's my first choice, to look at things we agree on -- if there are any."

Speaking to a group of business leaders Wednesday, ahead of his meeting with McConnell, Obama said he wanted to discuss with both McConnell and House Speaker John Boehner their priorities for the congressional agenda in 2015. But he said one of his priorities would be to quickly start discussions on overhauling the nation's complex tax laws.

"There definitely is a deal to be done," Obama said, adding that he hoped to get that process started quickly next year "because you need a pretty long runway on that. It takes some time."

The president also suggested that there was still an opportunity to pursue immigration legislation on Capitol Hill. He predicted that Republicans would first "take a couple stabs at rolling back" his executive actions, then start weighing potential legislative action.

However, the president also said he didn't expect that to happen quickly given the anger over his directives to delay deportations, allowing more than 4 million people in the U.S. illegally to stay here and get work permits.

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Obama, McConnell size up prospects for cooperation

Land clearing with a brush hog
Some land clearing with a brush hog in South Texas to show what the equipment is capable of. http://www.2guysandagoat.com/pasture/

By: ger bgf

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Land clearing with a brush hog - Video

December 5, 2014

Orang asli feel marginalised as land is cleared for vegetable farming and illegal foreign workers brought in.

GUA MUSANG: Orang Asli living in several villages in Lojing claim that the climate at the highlands was no longer cool due to serious land-clearing.

One of the orang asli, Basri Tumpang, 33, said temperatures in Lojing had gone up over the last 10 years as the land had been cleared for vegetable farming.

He also claimed that the land was cleared illegally and operators were using illegal foreign labour.

Those of us who live here feel increasingly marginalised as most of our land has been invaded by vegetable farmers, he told Bernama here.

Sabri Limus, 58, said farming activities could also be seen along the roadsides in the area.

There is no more empty land left after it has been filled with vegetable farms even along the roadside and river reserve land he said.

Meanwhile, Galas state assemblyman Ab Aziz Yusof said there were more than 120 operators in Lojing and it was increasingly difficult to contain the situation.

I have previously sent a number of notices to the related authorities to survey the farming area so it does not increase the risk of unwanted incidents, especially mudslides, he said.

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Another Camerons in the making

Queensland MP Bob Katter has said NSW farmer Peter Spencer's court case is nationally important.

The long-running Federal Court case of southern NSW farmer Peter Spencer strikes at the heart of land ownership in Australia, Queensland federal MP Bob Katter says.

Mr Katter has flown to Sydney to support Mr Spencer's legal case against the Commonwealth and the NSW government over land-clearing laws.

He argues restrictions imposed on the clearing of vegetation on his farm constitutes an acquisition of his property.

Speaking outside the court on Thursday, Mr Katter told reporters that the case, which was launched in 2007, was one of the most important in Australia's history.

"Today the question is: who owns the land, the crown or the people?

"If we don't own our own land and a bunch of half-witted politicians own our land, than God help us all.

"This is why I have tracked across Australia to support Peter."

It comes more than four years after Mr Spencer staged a 52-day hunger strike in 2009 and 2010 on a suspended platform on his former property at Shannons Flat, near Cooma.

The leader of Katter's Australian Party said "millions of dollars worth of timber and timber rights" had been taken off Mr Spencer without compensation.

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Katter backs Spencer, asks who owns land