Автор: Administrator 23.11.2013 12:17
The town of San Rafael, Calif., has passed a ban on smoking that city officials have called the most stringent in the nation. The new ordinance makes it illegal for residents to smoke in their own homes if they share a wall with another dwelling. The ban applies to owners and renters alike, and it covers condominiums, co-ops, apartments and any multi-family residence containing three or more units. Rebecca Woodbury, an analyst at the San Rafael City Manager's office, helped craft the ban, which took effect Nov.14. "We based it on a county ordinance," she told ABC News, "but we modified it, and ended up making it the strictest. I'm not aware of any ordinance that's stronger." Cities with similar but less severe smoking restrictions include Cambridge, Mass., and other California cities, including Walnut Creek and Tiburon. In June, the Related Companies became the first developer and property owner to ban smoking in all 40,000 of its rental residences in 17 states. New York City bans tobacco sales to anyone under 21. Jessica Scaperotti, a spokeswoman for Related, said the ban had been popular. "There are more people who want to live in smoke-free environments than there are apartments available. Demand far exceeds supply." The provisions that make San Rafael's rule unique, said Woodbury, include the prohibition on smoking in dwellings that share a wall, including owner-occupied condos, duplexes and multi-family units. "It doesn't matter if it's owner-occupied or renter-occupied. We didn't want to discriminate. The distinguishing feature is the shared wall." As justification for the rule, she cited studies showing that secondhand smoke seeped through ventilating ducts and walls, even through cracks. "It depends on a building's construction," she said, "but it does affect the unit next door, with the negative health impacts due to smoke."
Автор: Administrator 23.11.2013 11:56
Did you know? It’s the everyday wear and tear that steals your skin’s youth! If your day’s a drab and your routine is getting you down... it’s bound to show on that pretty face of yours. We say stop the clock right there! It’s time to spruce up your day and add some zing to your oh-so-boring routine to help you anti-age from inside out.
Автор: Administrator 23.11.2013 11:41
While supersonic planes haven’t been available to commercial travelers since 2003, speed freaks can revel in the fact that several new supersonic planes are currently in development.Boeing, Gulfstream and NASA are collaborating on a plane nicknamed the “Son of Concorde,” which would be capable of flying around 2,500 miles per hour. That’s almost twice the speed of the original Concorde, and means a trip from London to Sydney, Australia, would only take four hours, about a fifth of the time it currently takes. The jet would use lighter materials, state of the art engines and a redesigned fuselage to attain the fast speeds.Separately, the Aerion Corporation is working on a new 12-passenger supersonic business jet that would fly at about Mach 1.6, or about 1,200 mph. That’s almost twice as fast as the top speed of a Boeing 747, which is around 650 mph. So a flight from New York to Paris would take about 4 hours and 15 minutes – three hours shorter than current subsonic travel times. The challenge with any new supersonic plane is reducing noise from sonic booms – the loud bangs made by a supersonic plane’s sound waves. Commercial supersonic planes are banned from flying over land in many places because the sonic booms are so distracting to the people below. Researchers at NASA are experimenting with various plane shapes to find the quietest option, which may include a longer, more pointed fuselage than the Concorde had. The need for continued research means supersonic planes won’t be carrying passengers until the start of the next decade, at the earliest. But if it means you can get from London to Sydney in four hours, it will be worth the wait.
Автор: Administrator 23.11.2013 11:32
Kawasaki Motors is turning heads at this year's Tokyo Motor Show with its futuristic, transformable motorcycle, called simply the "J". There are no plans to commercialise the three-wheeled concept vehicle, but the "J" does offer a glimpse into what commuters might be driving in the future. Ben Gruber has more.
Автор: Administrator 23.11.2013 11:19
Honda has unveiled the production version of its compact SUV Vezel at the Tokyo Motor Show. A new vehicle that belongs to a completely new category, the Vezel will go on sales in Japan on 20th December.The Vezel has been designed by fusing together the dynamic qualities of an SUV and the practicality of a minivan. It belongs to India’s hot-selling compact SUV segment and will certainly outshine the likes of Duster and Ecosport once launched. However, Honda’s next launch in India will be the new Honda City, followed by Jazz and Mobilio, so Vezel won’t make it to India before early 2015.
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