August 2012

 

In design, lighting can make or break a project. Knowing the basics can save you from lighting disasters and pitfalls. With these fun and simple ideas your favorite room will go from so-so to extravagant!

Task lighting-
Recessed can lights or track lighting provide direct light to work surfaces and light the room with a soft emphasis on the perimeter. Most of the time these light bulbs need to be fluorescent to meet certain lighting requirements. Using warm white fluorescent light bulbs will cut down on the harsh and unpleasant light that this type of bulb tends to give off. These light bulbs are dimmable and can set the mood for different uses. When considering redoing lighting in a room, always consult a designer that is familiar with lighting design. Floor and table lamps also provide adequate lighting for working, reading, or playing games.

Spot lighting-
Directional cans are used to illuminate artwork and draw attention to an important architectural detail. The can should be centered on the piece of art or between two pieces to properly light the desired area. Another form of spot lighting is up lighting, which is movable and can be used on the floor to call attention to a tree or sculpture and bring nice light to a somewhat dark corner.

Ambient lighting-
Natural light from windows and skylights offer a great source of light during the day. This light washes the room with no real direction. Harness this light with top-down-bottom-up shades that let light into the room from the top or bottom of the window when it is needed. Without natural lighting a room needs one main light that can illuminate the room enough for everyday tasks.  This light can be on a dimmer switch to control the amount of light it gives off and set the mood for different occasions. A chandelier is a great way to bring sophistication and elegance into a space while lighting it enough for dining or entertaining.

Many of us, even with our hectic daily schedules, find that we have a few spare hours a week when we are relatively free of demanding responsibilities. The question is, what do we do with these free hours? I’m afraid a lot of us waste time with inane, nonproductive and unnecessary activities. Instead, how about volunteering for some community organization that really needs help? It will make you feel good knowing that you are helping others that may not be as fortunate as you.

Webster defines volunteer as: A person who of their own free will offers themselves for a service or duty. This service is freely given without the expectation of a tangible reward. One should never expect something in return for volunteering their services. Volunteering is generally considered to be an altruistic activity. To volunteer is an unselfish interest for the welfare of others.

Research has proven the positive rewards of doing for others and finding meaning in volunteerism. I find it extremely satisfying to be in two organizations that are very dear to my heart. These are the Danville Community Band (DCB) and the world-renowned Blackhawk Auto Museum. Many readers know that my wife, Jan and I founded the DCB in 2001. Locally, I am also a charter docent at the Blackhawk Museum. Both of these organizations provide opportunities for me to volunteer my skills and abilities. There is no monetary compensation but the rewards I gain are far greater than money.

Church work; museums; community music groups; schools; Red Cross; Salvation Army; hospitals; nursing homes; senior centers; service clubs; scouts; tutoring; veteran organizations; and many more are just a few examples of local volunteer opportunities.

The benefits of volunteerism are numerous: self-satisfaction; a way to learn new skills; relaxation; meet new friends; career opportunities; and community improvement.

Working with the band and the museum give me great satisfaction and joy and mostly, I get the feeling I have given of myself for the possible betterment of others.

Danville Community Band

Since my wife and I started the band 10 years ago, we have both given hundreds of hours to insure the success of the organization. The two hours of rehearsal each week are nothing compared to the number of hours spent each week doing behind the scenes organizational activities.

All ninety members of the band are also volunteers who unselfishly give up their time each week to rehearse for the concerts we present to the community at various times of the year. That, of course, is in addition to the amount of time spent practicing at home.

Many of the musicians volunteer even more time serving in various offices and on special committees for the band. The DCB is a great example of community volunteerism. The band members devote many hours for the artistic betterment of the community and surrounding environs. The band can always use volunteers – even if it’s only passing out programs at concerts – we’d love to hear from you if you can volunteer. (See below)

 

Blackhawk Museum

Since I have been a charter docent from the opening of the museum in, 1988 to the present, I have given many tours for school groups, senior citizens, auto club members, and other private/public tours. In addition to conducting tours there are numerous opportunities and occasions for volunteer work at the museum. These involve being gallery hosts and guides for functions including meetings, banquets, lectures, celebrity events, wedding receptions and many other varied activities.

The museum offers docent training programs for prospective volunteers. One must take a free class to become a docent. Volunteering at such a “world class” venue is rewarding indeed. A museum volunteer also informs the public about the educational offerings that the museum provides. One of the main functions of the Museum Guild is fund raising. It has been said many times that the museum could not run without the volunteers. To learn more about the museum volunteer program contact Jill Brennan, volunteer coordinator. For information regarding the docent training program contact Dr. Nora Wagner, head of the docent training program. Both can be reached at: 925-736-2280.

Remember, the more you do for others the more rewards you will reap and many others will benefit from you unselfishly giving your time and talents to those in your community. Volunteering is a great reward in itself.

Please submit your questions and comments to banddirector01@comcast.net

Visit our website at www.danvilleband.org for up-to-date information about the Danville

Community Band.

_______________________________##___________________________________

 

Most people living in the industrialized world — certainly Americans — enjoy the benefits of scientific progress. We like our iPads, HD TVs and GPS systems and are thankful for modern medicine and medical technologies. Even though we are surrounded by the fruit of scientific discovery, the day-to-day investigative and creative work of scientists goes largely unnoticed. It is only when something “big” happens or when some new gadget is introduced that most of us have any awareness of science and how it impacts our lives.

While it captured little attention outside the scientific community, on November 26, 2011, the stage was set for something big (and exciting) to happen in the world of scientific research — something so big it may forever alter our understanding of life itself.

At 10:00 AM EST on that date, NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory left the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida for its eight month, 352 million mile journey to Mars. The Mars Science Laboratory is mobile, similar to previous rover missions like the 1997 Mars Pathfinder mission with its Sojourner rover, and the 2003 Mars Explorer missions that included separate launches of two rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. On this mission, the rover is named Curiosity. It is due to set down on the surface of Mars, inside Gale Crater, at 10:31 PM, PST on August 5^th.

Curiosity is twice as long and five times as heavy as Spirit and Opportunity. It is powered by an onboard reactor instead of solar panels, and its scientific instrument payload is vastly more sophisticated than those of previous missions. Curiosity’s complex payload includes a suite of instruments, appropriately named the Sample Analysis at Mars; an X-ray diffraction and fluorescence instrument called CheMin; a Mars Hand Lens Imager; an Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer; the Mars Science Lab Mast Camera; a Radiation Assessment Detector; an Environmental Monitoring Station; a Dynamic Albedo of Neutrons instrument; a Sample Acquisition/Preparation and Handling System, and my favorite—the ChemCam—which will be used to fire a high-energy laser into rocks as far away as 30 feet from the rover, vaporizing some of the rock so that the ejected material and excited atoms can be analyzed.

Curiosity’s primary mission is to assess whether its landing area on Mars (Gale Crater) has ever had or still has environmental conditions favorable to microbial life—both its habitability and its preservation. The complex instruments onboard Curiosity should provide rich data that might help scientists answer these questions.

University of New Mexico senior research scientist, Horton Newsom, is one of the team leaders overseeing the ChemCam laser that will study the geology of Mars, looking for possible signs of past life. “The previous Mars landers observed things that they could not analyze very well,” Newsom said, “There are many questions we have right now that we know we will be able to answer with vastly more sophisticated instruments.”

As you consider Curiosity’s mission, it is good to realize that the “big things” of science really only happen after years of dedicated, concentrated work by thousands of scientists like Dr. Newsom. Between the time spent with our iPads and cell phones, we should pause a moment to say “thank you.”

Editor’s Note: Mars is so far away that it takes 13.8 minutes for signals to travel from Curiosity to Earth. This creates unnerving operational challenges. To learn more, see our website homepage at aliveeastbay.com for the NASA video, “7 Minutes of Terror.”

The usual question around the end of August is “What did you do over the summer?” How would you like to change it up to, “Where did you GO over the summer and how many places didn’t have roads?” If you are the camping or off-road weekend warrior that still likes to travel in style mid-week, then you may want to consider the 2012 Land Rover LR4.

Land Rover has the reputation of offering amazing off-road capability with the ability to manage any road, path, or undiscovered country. You’ll receive all this while bathing in the comfort of high-end luxury attributes including a leather-appointed cabin and advanced technology. The 2012 LR4 lives up to its heritage.

LR4 is still fresh coming off a complete re-design in 2010. With a solid foundation, Land Rover has spent the last couple of years concentrating on upgrading its high-tech functions. For 2012 the LR4 receives significant audio/infotainment upgrades, a new compact smart key fob, 825-Watt Harman/Kardon® with 17 speakers, new 7-inch touch-screen, revised touch-screen navigation system with voice activation, traffic message channel capability, voice control for multiple devices, revised rear seat entertainment system with WhiteFire™ wireless control, new 19-inch and 20-inch alloy wheel designs and new paint colors. Land Rover offers the LR4 with the HSE and HSE LUX upgrade packages, both of which include the 7-seat comfort package that’s also available for the standard LR4.

The 2012 LR4 comes in one model, HSE, which seats five. You can upgrade to seven passengers with the addition of a third seat that folds flat into the floor and is surprisingly comfortable. I took my test model on a camping exploration with three adult males and three four-year old boys. It did take two vehicles to handle all the gear, but once unloaded the LR4 effortlessly carried us from our base camp onward to discover other adventurous opportunities.

The styling of the LR4 is the most conservative and classic of the Land Rover family; however, the reality is that it is nimble and handles with confidence. Its profile exudes off-road self-assurance with its tall, rough, and boxy body and short overhangs. I say boxy, yet the LR4’s sheetmetal is softened by round edges throughout, starting from the hood down to the grille and rolling into the fenders. Even the roof line gently curves over the top. The privacy glass at the rear of the 2012 LR4 drapes up to a large dark Alpine roof bringing in light and exterior scenery for the rear passengers. The front passengers experience a panoramic view from a power sunroof.

The fenders are smooth and flares provide lots of room for the 19-inch and optional 20-inch alloy wheels. The rear hatch door is separated into a large upper glass door and a smaller lower metal door. The rear bumper also acts as a large step to assist with entering the rear cargo area.

The interior on the 2012 Land Rover LR4 is more what you would expect to find in a luxury vehicle versus a Sport Utility Vehicle. The blending is a success delivering luxury, comfort, and utility. The quality of the interior material is first class creating an environment that is luxurious and quiet with a beautiful fit and finish. A choice of natural-finish woods, along with leather stitched and wrapped fascia, door casings, and center console add to the LR4 model’s handcrafted feel.

The front row power seats are supportive and comfortable. The second row features a split 35/30/35 where we managed to secure three car seats in, along with ample leg room. As noted earlier, an optional third row seat is available bringing the total occupancy capacity to seven.

Many of the accessory functions are now part of the touch screen center instrument panel including radio, climate control, and navigation. New for 2012, the phone book function capacity has been increased to hold several thousand entries (who knows that many people?) up from 700. The new base stereo now includes a virtual CD changer, which allows the user to upload songs from up to 10 albums onto the internal hard drive. You can even play songs from your iPod, iPad, USB-connected device or connect via your Bluetooth and play music through the audio system.

The 2012 model year brings an updated navigation system with improved graphics. A new “Say What You See” voice activation helps the user learn applicable voice commands by displaying a step-by-step format on the touch-screen. The revised system supports speech control for the following devices: Phone, Navigation, USB/iPod®, CD/Virtual CD Changer, Radio, Satellite Radio, Rear Seat Entertainment and Notepad.

The Surround Camera System uses a five digital-camera system that relays to the touch-screen a near 360-degree view from the vehicle. The cameras, which support easier parking, towing and off-road maneuvering, function immediately as the vehicle is started, and have options for selecting and zooming in to assist with close quarter parking and towing. Specific characteristics such as type of trailer, number of axles, and width guides can be fed into the system to further fine-tune guidance.

The 2012 LR4 is powered by a 375-hp, 5.0-liter V-8 engine pushes the heavy LR4 with fervor, making it feel almost agile. Press the accelerator and you will hit 60 mph in less than 7.5 seconds, which is comparatively quick for a SUV. A six-speed automatic transmission teams with four-wheel drive to give the LR4 poise. Fuel economy remains poor at 12 mpg city and 17 highway.

The LR4 is equipped with the Land Rover Terrain Response® system that optimizes the vehicle set-up for virtually all on-road or off-road driving situations, with five driver-selectable settings to suit different conditions: General Driving; Grass/Gravel/Snow, Sand; Mud and Ruts, and Rock Crawl. The system added Hill Start Assist and Gradient Acceleration Control as standard features in 2011.
Room for improvement:

• Fuel Mileage

Cool Features:

• Surround Camera System
• Built in refrigerator in the armrest
• Virtual CD Changer

The standard safety equipment for the 2012 Land Rover LR4 includes six airbags, Hill Start Assist, collision-activated inertia switch (unlocks doors, turns off fuel pump and activates hazard flashers), ABS with Electronic Brake force Distribution, Dynamic Stability Control, and Emergency Brake Assist, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The optional 7-passenger package includes a curtain airbag protection for the third-row seats.

In Summary – The 2012 Land Rover LR4 is a beautifully crafted road warrior that blends the best of the best for the off-roader who wants a terrain worthy, luxury appointed and attractive Sports Utility Vehicle. It offers a high-tech V-8 engine with a wealth of power and torque. The overall weight of the vehicle and shape do not benefit the LR4 when it comes to miles per gallon. However, the LR4’s ride is exceptionally smooth, handles very well, and can go almost anywhere. The interior delivers materials of high-quality, high-tech features, and plenty of people and cargo space. If you are in the market for a fully-capable off-road and foul weather vehicle, then you can’t beat the 2012 Land Rover LR4.

Specifications
2012 Land Rover LR4

Base price: $48,900 as driven: $61,025 (including destination and optional packages)
Engine: 5.0-Liter 8 cylinder
Horsepower: 375 @ 6500
Torque: 375 foot pounds @ 3500
Transmission: 6-Speed Automatic
Drive: Four-Wheel Drive
Seating: 7-passenger
Turning circle: 37.6 feet
Cargo space: 90.3 cubic feet
Curb weight: 5,833 pounds
Fuel capacity: 23.3 gallons
EPA mileage: City 12 / Highway 17
Wheel Base: 113.6 inches
Warranty: 4 years/50,000 miles bumper to bumper
Also consider: Acura MDX, Audi Q5, BMW X5, Lexus RX 350, and Mercedes-Benz GLK