Diesel-powered vehicles used to get a bad rap for being noisy, dirty and slow. But they have been getting an image makeover thanks to "clean diesel" that emits less pollution--a change that could shake up the race with eco-friendly hybrid and electric vehicles.
At the Tokyo Motor Show in December, there were many "oohs" and "aahs" around the displays of two Mazda Motor Corp. vehicles powered by a 2.2-liter diesel engine--a world first. The fuel-efficient engine can reduce emissions that cause air pollution, without an expensive purifier.
The CX-5 sport-utility vehicle, which will go on the market Feb. 16, runs 18.6 kilometers per liter of diesel oil, a fuel cheaper than gasoline. The CX-5 is the most fuel-efficient SUV, including minicar SUVs and hybrid SUVs, and packs as much power as a four-liter gasoline-powered vehicle.
The Takeri concept sedan stores energy generated during braking as electricity. According to Mazda, it can travel about 1,500 kilometers on a full tank of fuel.
"Diesel vehicles had the shortcomings of being dirty and slow. We've conquered those problems," Mazda President Takashi Yamanouchi said.
The diesel SUV market is becoming rather crowded. Germany's BMW AG will introduce a diesel model of its X5 in Japan this spring. Nissan Motor Co.'s X-Trail and Mitsubishi Motors Corp.'s Pajero are already equipped with clean diesel engines.
With more diesel-powered vehicles arriving in showrooms, some drivers will likely be giving diesel vehicles a second look.
Diesel vehicles and gasoline vehicles produce their power quite differently. In gasoline vehicles, gas is mixed with air, and this mixture is injected into a combustion chamber and ignited. In diesel vehicles, air is compressed until it reaches a high temperature, and diesel oil is then injected into it and burned.
Diesel vehicles are powerful--and more fuel-efficient--even when driven at a low speed because their combustion efficiency is better than that of gasoline vehicles.
However, diesel vehicles emit nitrogen oxide and soot, and they need a big, tough body to handle the volume of air being compressed. They tended to be noisy and had poor acceleration.
Japan experienced a recreational vehicle boom in the latter half of the 1980s, and diesel vehicles accounted for 6 percent of total new car sales. However, their popularity waned and automakers stopped introducing new diesel models, except for buses and trucks.
In the latter 1990s, European automakers developed cleaner diesel engines that produce less exhaust gases by improving the fuel injection system and using filters.
In Europe, fuel-efficient, diesel-powered vehicles have become very popular, accounting for half of new car sales.
Diesel oil is obtained with gasoline during the process of refining crude oil. Because Japan cannot consume all the diesel produced here, some is exported. The spread of diesel vehicles in this country will lead to more efficient use of diesel oil.
2012年1月15日星期日
The Advantages Of Proudly owning An Air Purifier
For those who watch television, take heed to the radio, or surf the web, there is a good chance that you have heard of air purifiers before. Air purifiers are digital machines that work to make indoor air healthier. That is finished by trapping dangerous air particles within the filters or collection grids. Essentially, which means your air is not going to solely be healthier, however simpler to breathe.
Even if you realize what an air air purifier is and what it does, have you learnt the benefits of proudly owning or utilizing one? If you don’t at the moment personal an air air purifier, additionally commonly referred to as an air cleaner, there’s a good probability that you will want one, after inspecting the benefits of using one. That’s right, air purifiers are that good.
As talked about above, air purifiers work to get rid of dangerous or unhealthy contaminants from the air. Doing this makes the air inside your home simpler to breathe. That is nice for young kids, the aged, as well as these with allergies. When breathing cleaner air, your health is likely to improve. There is a good probability that you could be find yourself getting ill less often.
Along with getting sick much less often, it has been stated that the air we breathe has an impact on our emotions and wellbeing. Therefore, this means that respiratory cleaner air, due to an air air purifier, it’s possible you’ll not solely be more healthy, however you might also enjoy life a bit bit more. When you consider it, it’s really wonderful what clear air can do for a person.
Another profit to owning an air purifier is the price of proudly owning one. Unfortunately, many people imagine that air purifiers cost too much money. It’s true that their prices might be high, however you must think about what you might be getting from them. Are you able to really put a price ticket on clear, wholesome, and breathable air? Even should you should put a price ticket on it, you will see that you have a number of totally different options. Air purifiers are available in quite a few different makes and models. Each of those makes and fashions costs a specific amount of money. This means that, with somewhat little bit of analysis, you must be capable of discover no less than one air purifier that’s within your price range.
As great as air purifiers are, it is important to remember one thing. You can not reap the numerous advantages of proudly owning an air air purifier if you don’t use it. There are a lot of individuals who make the purchase, but do not correctly use their air purifiers, in the event that they even use them at all. Usually, you’ll discover that air purifiers work best if you use them all the time. This will allow your air purifier to keep up with the entire air particles floating around inside your home or inside a selected room. Basically, which means in the event you make the choice to purchase an air air purifier, make sure you truly use it.
As you should simply be able to tell, air purifiers have a number of totally different benefits. Each of those benefits are probably that will help you out, in a method or another. Due to this fact, if you haven’t considered purchasing an air air purifier earlier than, it is about time that you give it some critical though. Chances are you’ll very properly find it to be among the best purchases that you just ever made.
Even if you realize what an air air purifier is and what it does, have you learnt the benefits of proudly owning or utilizing one? If you don’t at the moment personal an air air purifier, additionally commonly referred to as an air cleaner, there’s a good probability that you will want one, after inspecting the benefits of using one. That’s right, air purifiers are that good.
As talked about above, air purifiers work to get rid of dangerous or unhealthy contaminants from the air. Doing this makes the air inside your home simpler to breathe. That is nice for young kids, the aged, as well as these with allergies. When breathing cleaner air, your health is likely to improve. There is a good probability that you could be find yourself getting ill less often.
Along with getting sick much less often, it has been stated that the air we breathe has an impact on our emotions and wellbeing. Therefore, this means that respiratory cleaner air, due to an air air purifier, it’s possible you’ll not solely be more healthy, however you might also enjoy life a bit bit more. When you consider it, it’s really wonderful what clear air can do for a person.
Another profit to owning an air purifier is the price of proudly owning one. Unfortunately, many people imagine that air purifiers cost too much money. It’s true that their prices might be high, however you must think about what you might be getting from them. Are you able to really put a price ticket on clear, wholesome, and breathable air? Even should you should put a price ticket on it, you will see that you have a number of totally different options. Air purifiers are available in quite a few different makes and models. Each of those makes and fashions costs a specific amount of money. This means that, with somewhat little bit of analysis, you must be capable of discover no less than one air purifier that’s within your price range.
As great as air purifiers are, it is important to remember one thing. You can not reap the numerous advantages of proudly owning an air air purifier if you don’t use it. There are a lot of individuals who make the purchase, but do not correctly use their air purifiers, in the event that they even use them at all. Usually, you’ll discover that air purifiers work best if you use them all the time. This will allow your air purifier to keep up with the entire air particles floating around inside your home or inside a selected room. Basically, which means in the event you make the choice to purchase an air air purifier, make sure you truly use it.
As you should simply be able to tell, air purifiers have a number of totally different benefits. Each of those benefits are probably that will help you out, in a method or another. Due to this fact, if you haven’t considered purchasing an air air purifier earlier than, it is about time that you give it some critical though. Chances are you’ll very properly find it to be among the best purchases that you just ever made.
2011年12月7日星期三
Air purification needed
When the city struggles to breath while smothered in smog, all Beijingers can do is pray; either for some wind, rain, or snow to clear the air, or if this fails, that their air purifiers and facemasks will be able to protect them from the pollution.
Fortunately their prayers were answered on Wednesday and strong winds cleared the air.
However, this most unwelcome of visitors will all too soon return, as smog is a frequent guest on winter days.
Officials, however, are only slowly to acknowledge this fact and claim that the air pollution has been "moderate" or "hazardous" on only five days this winter.
This is something Beijingers can refute with their own eyes as it is very difficult to see anything but smog on some days.
Beijing residents are rightly concerned about the quality of the air they are breathing and the enthusiasm of officials in their attempts to call every day a blue-sky day.
But simply sticking our heads in the sand so we can't see the sky won't make the problem disappear.
The government needs to be brave enough to face up to problem.
China currently uses PM10, particulate matter with diameter under 10 micrometers, as the measure for air pollution, but Beijing's pollution is mostly caused by fine particles under 2.5 micrometers, so measuring PM2.5 would give a more realistic picture.
However, if China did measure PM2.5, there would be no escaping the reality that the air quality of 80 percent of Chinese cities is shocking.
Yet despite this, a proper indicator of air pollution, such as the amount of PM2.5 in the air, should be adopted, as particles of that size or less in diameter have the most serious long-term health effects.
China does plan to introduce a new standard that includes PM2.5 in 2016.
But the country can't wait that long. More and more people are suffering from the air pollution-induced diseases.
On Tuesday the Ministry of Environmental Protection admitted that most people are in favor of using PM2.5 as a measurement of air quality as soon as possible.
But in truth, action counts more than data. Unfortunately, cleaning up the air is going to be an even bigger challenge than merely telling people how polluted it is.
Dust, coal-fired power plant emissions and motor vehicle emissions are the main sources of PM2.5 particles that the government needs to control.
It is time to stop leaving people's health to the mercy of the weather.
Fortunately their prayers were answered on Wednesday and strong winds cleared the air.
However, this most unwelcome of visitors will all too soon return, as smog is a frequent guest on winter days.
Officials, however, are only slowly to acknowledge this fact and claim that the air pollution has been "moderate" or "hazardous" on only five days this winter.
This is something Beijingers can refute with their own eyes as it is very difficult to see anything but smog on some days.
Beijing residents are rightly concerned about the quality of the air they are breathing and the enthusiasm of officials in their attempts to call every day a blue-sky day.
But simply sticking our heads in the sand so we can't see the sky won't make the problem disappear.
The government needs to be brave enough to face up to problem.
China currently uses PM10, particulate matter with diameter under 10 micrometers, as the measure for air pollution, but Beijing's pollution is mostly caused by fine particles under 2.5 micrometers, so measuring PM2.5 would give a more realistic picture.
However, if China did measure PM2.5, there would be no escaping the reality that the air quality of 80 percent of Chinese cities is shocking.
Yet despite this, a proper indicator of air pollution, such as the amount of PM2.5 in the air, should be adopted, as particles of that size or less in diameter have the most serious long-term health effects.
China does plan to introduce a new standard that includes PM2.5 in 2016.
But the country can't wait that long. More and more people are suffering from the air pollution-induced diseases.
On Tuesday the Ministry of Environmental Protection admitted that most people are in favor of using PM2.5 as a measurement of air quality as soon as possible.
But in truth, action counts more than data. Unfortunately, cleaning up the air is going to be an even bigger challenge than merely telling people how polluted it is.
Dust, coal-fired power plant emissions and motor vehicle emissions are the main sources of PM2.5 particles that the government needs to control.
It is time to stop leaving people's health to the mercy of the weather.
2011年11月20日星期日
Coughing a sign of feline asthma
Like many cat owners, I no longer need to use an alarm clock. My cats keep time perfectly and wake me up every morning at 5:30 sharp for breakfast. As the time comes, one of the cats (Appomattox) will lie on the pillow, purring in my ear. Another cat (Kitty) likes to sit on the bedside table, systematically knocking everything off. The third cat (Clara Barton) runs back and forth across the bed. One morning, however, I was awakened much earlier by a horrible, almost indescribable noise. It was a combination of a cough, a hack and a wheeze, and it was coming out of Appomattox.
This noise is frequently called “coughing up a hairball” and that it is a sign of feline lower airway disease, also called feline asthma. Asthma in cats is a condition caused by inflammation and constriction of the airways in the lungs. Mucus forms in the respiratory tract and the airway walls spasm. The result is coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. Many cats will have a mild form of asthma that is manifested only by an occasional cough. Other cats will have life-threatening asthma attacks that require hospitalization.
There are several diseases that can mimic asthma, including heartworm, heart failure and lungworms. Diagnosing asthma in cats starts with a chest X-ray to evaluate the heart and lungs. The inflamed airways cause a classic pattern in the lungs although some asthmatic cats can have normal X-rays. Other tests that help confirm a diagnosis of asthma include taking a fluid sample from the lungs to look for elevated numbers of eosinophils, a white blood cell that fights allergens. Testing to rule out the look-alike diseases is important before starting a treatment protocol.
It is currently believed that allergens are at least part of the cause of feline asthma. It is important to consider possible allergens in your home if you have an asthmatic cat. Exposure to cigarette smoke is a common cause. Dust and dust mites are common household allergens as are air fresheners. If your cat has seasonal signs, pollen may be the cause.
Treatment for asthma can require lifetime therapy. It usually involves a combination of a medication that dilates the airways and a steroid medication to suppress the inflammation. These medications are traditionally given orally; however, inhalers can also be used to decrease the amount of oral medications. Since cats won’t take a deep breath on command, use of inhalers requires patience, persistence and training. Removing any possible allergens in your home, trying low-dust kitty litter, and purchasing an air purifier may also minimize medication requirements. It is also possible to do allergy testing and use allergy shots for asthmatic cats.
As a side note, a cat can’t actually cough up a hairball. When your cat produces a hairball for you, it is a result of vomiting. However, if you have heard your cat cough or your cat has had a previous asthma attack, it is important to realize that there is a lot going on beneath the surface inside the lungs. In my case, Appomattox was lucky. We moved from a carpeted apartment to an apartment with hardwood floors, and her cough vanished. Having your cat evaluated for asthma, making lifestyle changes and adding treatments can go a long way to making your cat feel a lot better!
Dr. Natalee Holt is originally from the Washington, D.C., area. She received her doctorate of veterinary medicine from the Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine. She became board-certified in Internal Medicine in 2011, completed a one-year internship at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and a three-year residency at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Holt loves all aspects of internal medicine, but has a special interest in gastrointestinal diseases and immune mediated diseases. She and her husband Jonathan share their home with Becca the dog, Jasmine the rabbit, and their three cats, Kitty, Clara, and Appomattox.
This noise is frequently called “coughing up a hairball” and that it is a sign of feline lower airway disease, also called feline asthma. Asthma in cats is a condition caused by inflammation and constriction of the airways in the lungs. Mucus forms in the respiratory tract and the airway walls spasm. The result is coughing, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. Many cats will have a mild form of asthma that is manifested only by an occasional cough. Other cats will have life-threatening asthma attacks that require hospitalization.
There are several diseases that can mimic asthma, including heartworm, heart failure and lungworms. Diagnosing asthma in cats starts with a chest X-ray to evaluate the heart and lungs. The inflamed airways cause a classic pattern in the lungs although some asthmatic cats can have normal X-rays. Other tests that help confirm a diagnosis of asthma include taking a fluid sample from the lungs to look for elevated numbers of eosinophils, a white blood cell that fights allergens. Testing to rule out the look-alike diseases is important before starting a treatment protocol.
It is currently believed that allergens are at least part of the cause of feline asthma. It is important to consider possible allergens in your home if you have an asthmatic cat. Exposure to cigarette smoke is a common cause. Dust and dust mites are common household allergens as are air fresheners. If your cat has seasonal signs, pollen may be the cause.
Treatment for asthma can require lifetime therapy. It usually involves a combination of a medication that dilates the airways and a steroid medication to suppress the inflammation. These medications are traditionally given orally; however, inhalers can also be used to decrease the amount of oral medications. Since cats won’t take a deep breath on command, use of inhalers requires patience, persistence and training. Removing any possible allergens in your home, trying low-dust kitty litter, and purchasing an air purifier may also minimize medication requirements. It is also possible to do allergy testing and use allergy shots for asthmatic cats.
As a side note, a cat can’t actually cough up a hairball. When your cat produces a hairball for you, it is a result of vomiting. However, if you have heard your cat cough or your cat has had a previous asthma attack, it is important to realize that there is a lot going on beneath the surface inside the lungs. In my case, Appomattox was lucky. We moved from a carpeted apartment to an apartment with hardwood floors, and her cough vanished. Having your cat evaluated for asthma, making lifestyle changes and adding treatments can go a long way to making your cat feel a lot better!
Dr. Natalee Holt is originally from the Washington, D.C., area. She received her doctorate of veterinary medicine from the Kansas State College of Veterinary Medicine. She became board-certified in Internal Medicine in 2011, completed a one-year internship at the Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and a three-year residency at Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Holt loves all aspects of internal medicine, but has a special interest in gastrointestinal diseases and immune mediated diseases. She and her husband Jonathan share their home with Becca the dog, Jasmine the rabbit, and their three cats, Kitty, Clara, and Appomattox.
2011年11月16日星期三
Laporan wartawan Tribun Medan/Wiwi
Dalam memenuhi kebutuhan masyarakat dan memudahkan masyarakat dalam memperoleh produk Hannochs, maka stand Hannochs kini hadir di Plaza Medan Fair, Medan.
Stand Hannochs yang terdapat diatrium utara Plaza medan Fair ini menyediakan pelayanan bagi anda yang ingin memperoleh produk Hannochs yaitu water purifier. Pada stand ini, Hannochs hanya memajangkan beberapa jenis produknya. Namun, bila anda menginginkan produk lainnya, anda juga bisa memesannya di satand ini.
Salah satu produk yang ditawarkan adalah HPD 818 Everest. Dengan bentuknya yang kokoh dan elegan, HPD 818 ini adalah salah satu jenis dispenser air yang sangat sesuai untuk ditempatkan di ruangan anda.
Bentuknya yang elegan akan menyatu dengan interior rumah anda. Desain compact built up RO system ini akan membantu anda untuk mendapatkan jaminan air minum yang sehat dan berkualitas setiap saat tanpa harus menambah biaya untuk membeli air minum galonan.
“Anda tinggal mengubungkannya dengan saluran air PAM anda dan air ini akan disaring di dalam dispenser ini. Dispenser ini dilengkapi dengan saluran air panas dan dingin” ujar Ridwan, Marketing Hannochs.
Terdapat empat tahapan penyaringan dari HPD 818 yang berteknologi Reserve Osmosis yang mampu menyaring kotoran kasar, kotoran kecil, virus dan bakteri dan juga polutan-polutan dalam air.
Air yang dihasilkan pun benar-benar terjaga kualitasnya. HPD 818 ini saat ini mendapatkan diskon 50 persen dimana anda hanya perlu membayar Rp 11.380.000 dimana harga sebelumnya adalah Rp 22. 760.000.
Produk Hannochs lainnya yang mendapatkan harga special yaitu R0C 228 yang dirancang dengan model compact Build dan sangat dinamis dengan sistem instalasi sangat mudah dan dimensinya yang tidak membutuhkan tempat khusus dalam peletakannya.
Produk ini memang dibuat khusus untuk keluarga anda yang konsumsi air minumnya sedikit dan juga untuk anda yang tinggal di apartemen.
Stand Hannochs yang terdapat diatrium utara Plaza medan Fair ini menyediakan pelayanan bagi anda yang ingin memperoleh produk Hannochs yaitu water purifier. Pada stand ini, Hannochs hanya memajangkan beberapa jenis produknya. Namun, bila anda menginginkan produk lainnya, anda juga bisa memesannya di satand ini.
Salah satu produk yang ditawarkan adalah HPD 818 Everest. Dengan bentuknya yang kokoh dan elegan, HPD 818 ini adalah salah satu jenis dispenser air yang sangat sesuai untuk ditempatkan di ruangan anda.
Bentuknya yang elegan akan menyatu dengan interior rumah anda. Desain compact built up RO system ini akan membantu anda untuk mendapatkan jaminan air minum yang sehat dan berkualitas setiap saat tanpa harus menambah biaya untuk membeli air minum galonan.
“Anda tinggal mengubungkannya dengan saluran air PAM anda dan air ini akan disaring di dalam dispenser ini. Dispenser ini dilengkapi dengan saluran air panas dan dingin” ujar Ridwan, Marketing Hannochs.
Terdapat empat tahapan penyaringan dari HPD 818 yang berteknologi Reserve Osmosis yang mampu menyaring kotoran kasar, kotoran kecil, virus dan bakteri dan juga polutan-polutan dalam air.
Air yang dihasilkan pun benar-benar terjaga kualitasnya. HPD 818 ini saat ini mendapatkan diskon 50 persen dimana anda hanya perlu membayar Rp 11.380.000 dimana harga sebelumnya adalah Rp 22. 760.000.
Produk Hannochs lainnya yang mendapatkan harga special yaitu R0C 228 yang dirancang dengan model compact Build dan sangat dinamis dengan sistem instalasi sangat mudah dan dimensinya yang tidak membutuhkan tempat khusus dalam peletakannya.
Produk ini memang dibuat khusus untuk keluarga anda yang konsumsi air minumnya sedikit dan juga untuk anda yang tinggal di apartemen.
2011年10月17日星期一
Cruising in comfort
Dometic Marine distributor, Whiting Power Systems recently introduced the Dometic Split Air Conditioning System and In-Duct Breath Easy Air Purifier at the Auckland International Boat Show.
The Emerald Split Air Conditioning System comprises a Emerald Condenser and Emerald Evaporator, and has been engineered to use R410A environmentally safe refrigerant. Fully compliant with International green gas standards, the thermodynamic properties of R410A is said to have enabled Dometic engineers to increase system efficiency by using fewer amps per capacity.
The In-Duct Breathe Easy Air Purifier, which was awarded an IBEX Innovation Award in the Mechanical Systems category at IBEX 2010, is specifically designed to work within the ducting of a yacht’s air conditioning system. Operating silently, it purifies and cleanses air using Photocatalytic Nano-Mesh Technology with UV light. Each time the air circulates it is further purified.
The unit is said to take up little space, and if retrofitted will require no alterations to be made to the vessel’s existing air conditioning unit. There is no need for any mounting hardware as a section of the A/C ducting is cut out and the circular In-Duct Breathe Easy tube simply inserted, then the ducting is reattached to it. The Breathe Easy is available in sizes to match all standard duct diameters.
The Emerald Split Air Conditioning System comprises a Emerald Condenser and Emerald Evaporator, and has been engineered to use R410A environmentally safe refrigerant. Fully compliant with International green gas standards, the thermodynamic properties of R410A is said to have enabled Dometic engineers to increase system efficiency by using fewer amps per capacity.
The In-Duct Breathe Easy Air Purifier, which was awarded an IBEX Innovation Award in the Mechanical Systems category at IBEX 2010, is specifically designed to work within the ducting of a yacht’s air conditioning system. Operating silently, it purifies and cleanses air using Photocatalytic Nano-Mesh Technology with UV light. Each time the air circulates it is further purified.
The unit is said to take up little space, and if retrofitted will require no alterations to be made to the vessel’s existing air conditioning unit. There is no need for any mounting hardware as a section of the A/C ducting is cut out and the circular In-Duct Breathe Easy tube simply inserted, then the ducting is reattached to it. The Breathe Easy is available in sizes to match all standard duct diameters.
2011年8月25日星期四
High-tech tool helps Calgary drivers find parking
Drivers may now be able to save time finding a parking space downtown with the click of a mouse.
The Calgary Parking Authority has launched a system that keeps a realtime tally of available stalls in all seven of its parkades so drivers know before they head downtown what the chances of finding a spot are.
“It’s added convenience,” said general manager Troy McLeod.
“I think it might provide additional comfort for those coming downtown, especially those who don’t come downtown often.”
The CPA has a parking guidance system (PGS) to count available spots using devices at the entries and exits of parkades and sensors in the stalls.
The information is kept up to date in the operations control centre, and the CPA realized it could share the information with the public fairly easily and at essentially no extra cost, said McLeod.
Updates will be made approximately every 30 seconds, he said.
The service also allows Calgarians to receive automatic updates on computers or phones that are equipped with Internet Explorer 7 of higher.
They can subscribe to the feed with a Really Simply Syndication (RSS) reader, but with Alberta’s new distracted driving legislation to launch in a week, motorists are reminded not to check updates while they are driving.
The CPA has 5,327 stalls between its seven parkades, approximately 23% of which are open for hourly or daily parking.
Parkade availability updating is the first step in a larger plan to provide Calgarians’ access to parking information.
The CPA is working with a city agency to develop an iPhone application — expected to debut this fall — that would include the stall counts, but also other features including the ability to a make parking payments.
As well, historical parking data for on-street parking will be uploaded daily on the parking authority’s website starting this fall.
McLeod said the CPA does not have realtime information for its 2,300 on-street spots downtown, but can provide drivers with an idea of which areas tend to be busiest at which time of day.
The Calgary Parking Authority has launched a system that keeps a realtime tally of available stalls in all seven of its parkades so drivers know before they head downtown what the chances of finding a spot are.
“It’s added convenience,” said general manager Troy McLeod.
“I think it might provide additional comfort for those coming downtown, especially those who don’t come downtown often.”
The CPA has a parking guidance system (PGS) to count available spots using devices at the entries and exits of parkades and sensors in the stalls.
The information is kept up to date in the operations control centre, and the CPA realized it could share the information with the public fairly easily and at essentially no extra cost, said McLeod.
Updates will be made approximately every 30 seconds, he said.
The service also allows Calgarians to receive automatic updates on computers or phones that are equipped with Internet Explorer 7 of higher.
They can subscribe to the feed with a Really Simply Syndication (RSS) reader, but with Alberta’s new distracted driving legislation to launch in a week, motorists are reminded not to check updates while they are driving.
The CPA has 5,327 stalls between its seven parkades, approximately 23% of which are open for hourly or daily parking.
Parkade availability updating is the first step in a larger plan to provide Calgarians’ access to parking information.
The CPA is working with a city agency to develop an iPhone application — expected to debut this fall — that would include the stall counts, but also other features including the ability to a make parking payments.
As well, historical parking data for on-street parking will be uploaded daily on the parking authority’s website starting this fall.
McLeod said the CPA does not have realtime information for its 2,300 on-street spots downtown, but can provide drivers with an idea of which areas tend to be busiest at which time of day.
2011年5月29日星期日
Astronauts finishing final chores
Endeavour’s astronauts took care of some last-minute space station chores Saturday before packing up to come home and end the next-to-last shuttle flight.
The space shuttle and its crew of six will depart the International Space Station late Sunday night. They worked to repair one of the space station’s air purifiers and straightened out the suits that were used in four spacewalks. The final spacewalk of the mission, on Friday, completed the U.S. portion of station construction.
Mission Control praised the astronauts for “a job well done.”
Shuttle pilot Gregory Johnson and his crewmates installed a $2 billion physics experiment at the orbiting outpost, as well as an extension pole and a platform full of spare parts.
Endeavour is scheduled to return to Florida before dawn Wednesday, 16 days after blasting off.
The space shuttle and its crew of six will depart the International Space Station late Sunday night. They worked to repair one of the space station’s air purifiers and straightened out the suits that were used in four spacewalks. The final spacewalk of the mission, on Friday, completed the U.S. portion of station construction.
Mission Control praised the astronauts for “a job well done.”
Shuttle pilot Gregory Johnson and his crewmates installed a $2 billion physics experiment at the orbiting outpost, as well as an extension pole and a platform full of spare parts.
Endeavour is scheduled to return to Florida before dawn Wednesday, 16 days after blasting off.
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