Alternative drives a better course at Chisholm TAFE

THE future looks bright for alternative, and renewable, energy sources at Berwick's Chisholm TAFE.

Senior educator Robert Cooke said federal government rebates had created a solar panel boom over the years and hence a burst of students at the TAFE's renewable energy courses.

"We have had heaps of qualified electricians coming in to learn about installing solar panels and connecting to the grid.

"We've found more of our certificate II students are getting electrical apprenticeships because they have experience in renewable energy,is the 'solar panel revolution' upon us? as well as their electrical studies."

Mr Cooke said wind generators would be more popular in suburbia if not for aesthetic and noise concerns.

Students at Chisholm TAFE Berwick have learned about installing a 1.5-kilowatt wind generator,How is TMJ pain treated? which can significantly reduce the cost of a home's electricity.

Mr Cooke said one student had found self-sufficiency by installing a large-scale system with solar and a wind generator on a hill at his Loch property.The same Air purifier, cover removed.

"He has also now got his own business in sustainable energy designs and advice in Gippsland,is the 'solar panel revolution' upon us?" Mr Cooke said.

"We've been thinking about making him a part-time teacher."

As part of their studies, other students designed and manufactured an electronic control to regulate the charging current produced by solar panels and wind generators.We specialize in providing third party merchant account.

"Those students projects are the pride and joy of the department," Mr Cooke said.

More trades and telecommunications training facilities will be available to students as part of a $26 million trade careers centre to be built at the Berwick campus.

Mr Cooke said another boost to the campus had come from the federal government's policy announcement regarding set top box, with

free digital set-top boxes for pensioners sparking extra interest in antenna systems courses.

Hayward orders code crackdown

An initiative before the Pensacola City Council would increase code enforcement officers' power to correct neglected properties and would hold banks responsible for maintaining abandoned lots prior to foreclosure.

The proposed amendments to city ordinance, announced by Mayor Ashton Hayward on Thursday, strengthen existing city code by tightening property appearance standards, increasing fines and expanding officers' authority to correct nuisances.

Hayward said the changes are needed to enhance property values and preserve Pensacola's appearance and quality of life.

"One of my top priorities is making Pensacola a more attractive place," Hayward said. "It's not because we should look good for the sake of looking good ...As one of a leading China Projector Lamp provider from China. if we don't look like a great place to live and set up a business,Definition of hypodermic needle cannula in the Online Dictionary. then we're not going to grow.Park Assist is a global leader in Parking guidance system,"

Steve Wineki, administrative officer for Pensacola's code enforcement office,Complete Your honeycomb panels Magazine Collection for Less! said the city took corrective action on 700 properties last year, including many abandoned homes and foreclosures.

"Nowadays, you have a foreclosure epidemic. Where we used to deal with a handful of foreclosures a year, now we're seeing a handful of foreclosures a day," Wineki said.

The proposed ordinance requires mortgage holders, such as banks and financial institutions, to maintain abandoned properties prior to foreclosure.

Wineki said other cities have recently enacted similar laws. The laws could face legal challenges from mortgage holders, but Wineki said the foreclosure epidemic has forced the city to seek new methods of enforcement.

Another proposed change expands the city's authority to remove junk cars, boats and other property, such as old kitchen appliances, from abandoned lots.

Current ordinance gives the city wide latitude to correct violations like overgrowth, but it limits code enforcement's ability to remove and destroy other items stored outside on vacant lots.

"With the new ordinance, they can tow the vehicles, destroy the personal property and abate the violations," Wineki said.

The initiatives will be discussed at the city council Committee of the Whole meeting June 20.

Stephanie Wilhelm, a member of the North Hill Preservation Association,For all DVS Ventilation system in PDF format. welcomed increases in code enforcement's authority to abate nuisances.

"If there is something that's not within code, code enforcement does come out and post a sign, but then time passes and nothing changes. There are no teeth," Wilhelm said.

Deal with troublesome behavior

Veterinarian explains how to be firm with the aggressive stallion and encourage the timid one

SUCCESS in any breeding operation depends on quality stallion management, including proper handling and a good rapport between the stallion and his handler. These are essential because some stallions are more challenging than others.

According to Marlin C. Baker, D.V.M., who operates Alpha Equine Breeding Center in Granbury, Texas, stallions whose behavior presents a challenge can be divided into three categories: aggressive, timid, and those with erectile dysfunction. The key is to figure out the situation in which the stallion will perform the best and then handle him the same way each time. Because each stallion is an individual, it is important to match the horse with the handler who works best with him and then have that same person handle the stallion each time, because consistency is important to achieve the best results.

Aggressive stallion

When handling an aggressive stallion, Baker uses a cotton lead shank with a 30-inch chain. The chain is put over the horse's nose or through his mouth, depending on how aggressive he is.

"We try to never be mean to the horse, but some we have to get quite firm with," Baker said. "The worst thing about an aggressive horse is he'll either try to bite and savage the mare or try to strike."

To solve a biting problem, Baker puts a muzzle on some stallions or he might put a heavy pad around a mare's neck and withers to protect her. To safeguard the mare from being kicked, Baker said he always tries to back the stallion away from the mare after the stallion dismounts rather than turn him around with his hindquarters toward her.

Baker said it is important for the stallion manager to know the personality of each stallion to determine what will work best. For some aggressive stallions, the handler will exercise them to take the edge off before bringing them into the breeding shed.

"Others we bring directly out of the stall, wanting them to be as fresh as possible," Baker said. After breeding the mare, the stallions are turned out in a paddock or hand grazed as a reward.

Some stallions need to be schooled in breeding etiquette, so when one is overly aggressive, Baker has the handler remove him from the breeding shed and then return. This might take several attempts until the horse learns acceptable behavior.

"Some are so aggressive they can't enter the vagina of a mare properly or easily," Baker said. "With some, we use a little xylazine [tranquilizer] to take the edge off their aggression, and this helps them ejaculate a little bit better. It only takes about three-quarters of a [cubic centimeter] to be effective for this purpose."

When the stallion is washed, "we always approach him from the shoulder and then work backward," Baker said. "I am a real stickler about having the same crew working together each time."

As a general rule, once the stallion has teased the mare--starting at the mare's head and shoulder and working back toward her flank--Baker's crew tries to get him to mount from directly behind the mare to avoid problems.

"This is not always easy, especially with a young stallion you are training," Baker said. "Some of them want to get up on the side of her hip. With those we try to turn the mare under them or push them into proper position. Probably the most difficult ones, however, are the stallions that are very timid."