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Coming Soon: Singapore’s Jewel Changi, The World’s Most Awesome Airport?

Travel

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December 15, 2014

Coming Soon: Singapore’s Jewel Changi, The World’s Most Awesome Airport?

Airport and paradise are two words destined never to sit next to each other in the same sentence, but looking at the plans for Singapore’s new airport that could soon change.

Images showing how the city state’s Jewel Changi Airport will look when it’s finished were released as construction got underway this month.

They show impressive steel-and-glass biosphere-style structures filled with plants and a gigantic waterfall.

If the finished product — scheduled for completion in 2018 — matches the proposals, it’s likely to cement Changi’s reputation as one of the world’s favorite airports and a destination in its own right.

The massive donut-like structure at its core will be 10 stories — five above ground and five underground — integrating airport facilities, with retail and leisure outlets.

There’ll also be playgrounds and a hotel.

More than simply a new terminal, Jewel Changi Airport will be constructed on the site of the old parking lot fronting the existing Changi Airport’s Terminal 1, and will be “seamlessly connected” to the existing terminals, according to the airport.

Bringing nature indoors … really

Maintaining Singapore’s reputation as the “garden city,” Jewel Changi’s centerpiece will be Forest Valley, a five-story garden with thousands of trees, ferns and shrubs.

Commuters will even be able to take a hike up the valley.

“We wanted to create a space where activities that were traditionally outdoors in nature are brought to an indoor environment,” Robin Goh, Changi Airport Group spokesperson, tells Dailyreleased.

Cascading through Jewel’s donut hole, in the middle of the forest, will be the 40-meter-high Rain Vortex.

On completion, it’ll be the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, according to the airport.

At night, the Rain Vortex will transform into a light and sound show.

Four different gateway gardens will feature unique landscape elements.

The North Gateway Garden, for instance, will use the trunks of rain trees recycled from the airport’s old open-air parking lot.

On the top level, Canopy Park will have gardens, walking trails, playgrounds and eateries spanning approximately 13,000 square meters.

“We envisaged an area that comes with big sprawling spaces and play activities,” says Goh of Canopy Park.

“We wanted to create a place where visitors can simply relax and have fun with their families and friends.”

Staying ahead of the field

Travelers will be able to stay at Jewel’s own hotel — approximately 130 rooms operated by international hotel brand YOTEL.

The complex will house an “integrated multi-modal transport lounge.”

That means ticketing, boarding pass and baggage transfer service will be available for passengers.

Early check-in facilities at the complex will allow passengers to check-in and drop off luggage ahead of regular check-in times.

There’ll also be new subway links connecting all the airports terminals to the MRT network.

A winner of multiple best airport awards over the years, Changi served 53.7 million passengers in 2013.

The airport expects a new Terminal 4 opening in 2017 for Cathay Pacific and Jewel in 2018 to bring 85 million passengers a year.

“In order for Changi Airport to stay ahead amidst intensifying competition from other airports, it’s important for continuous innovation to be introduced,” says Goh.

Going Vegan—Great Meal Ideas

Food & Fitness

Howard Johnson

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December 15, 2014

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If you’re currently omnivorous—that is, you eat red meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy in addition to fruits and veggies—going vegan can seem like a scary proposition. Even if you’re currently a vegetarian (no meat, poultry, or seafood, but you do eat dairy), cutting out all dairy products can feel a little overwhelming. It may help you initially to find ways to substitute your favorite meals for similar vegan meals to avoid feeling like “something is missing.” With the advent of amazingly tasty and authentic-tasting meat substitutes (“fake meats”) made from soy and pea proteins, it is easy to produce a delicious and satisfying veggie burger, “chicken” scaloppini, “beef” tips, and many other meals that typically rely heavily on meat. The best meat substitutes are chock full of protein, so you won’t be missing a thing in terms of dietary requirements, or in flavor and texture.

Congratulations!

First off, congratulations are in order for even considering veganism—it’s a challenging but ultimately very satisfying, compassionate, and rewarding lifestyle choice. Not only will you get to experience the benefits of a purely plant-based diet in terms of quality of health and wellness, but you’ll be able to sleep a little easier knowing that a total of zero animals were harmed in the making of your daily meals. You will be amazed at how different you will soon act and feel as a result of removing animal products from your diet.

With some proper planning and a little research, you can learn to easily incorporate meat substitutes into your diet to replace your old favorites. In just a short amount of time, you might surprise yourself by completely forgetting you used to use actual meat in your meals. In fact, many vegetarians and vegans learn to quickly prefer the taste of meat substitutes to the “real” thing.

Popular Dishes Made Vegan

Concerned you’re going to miss your favorite dishes too much to fully switch to a vegan diet? Worry not. There are numerous websites and other resources out there that specialize in “veganizing” favorite meal options. These chefs use extremely creative, inventive methods of meal preparation to accurately reproduce the look, taste, and texture of meat-based meals without using any animal products whatsoever. The end results have been known to fool even the most diehard of carnivores! You can typically grill, bake, or sauté meatless meats just as simply as you can with real meats. A few of the many dishes that can be made vegan include:

Hamburgers (veggie burgers): Simply replace regular ground beef for meat-free crumbles and make your burger as you normally would. If you’re missing the cheese, consider whipping up some caramelized onions or melted dairy-free cheese to include overtop.

“Turkey” with stuffing and (meatless) gravy: Available pre-prepared, just heat and eat!

“Chicken” Caesar salad: Swap the chicken for delicious grilled “chicken” strips that look, feel, and taste remarkably like real chicken—then use a vegan Caesar dressing to top it off.

Tangy Asian “beef” tips:If you’re craving Chinese food, you can dress up your “beef” with some vegan orange sauce or teriyaki sauce to recreate your Asian food favorites.

Chili: Whether you prefer “beef” chili or “chicken” chili—or both—it is easy to recreate your favorite chili using meatless meat. Simply prepare it as you normally would—no special effort is really required.

Lasagna: Utilizing a mixture of meatless ground “beef,” dairy-free “mozzarella cheese,” and almond-based “ricotta cheese,” you can recreate this classic comfort food with amazing results!

“Chicken” Stir-fry: Tossing a handful of “chicken” strips into a wok with a bunch of vegetables (and tofu, if desired) is the perfect way to get your protein and your daily greens all in one meal.

Meal Planning Resources

Going vegan can be made much easier by planning your meals a little bit ahead of time. If you normally prepare all of your own foods, this should be a somewhat easy adjustment. If you don’t, take the opportunity to really get a feel for cooking with meatless meats by trying out a few simple recipes. There is an ever-increasing amount of vegan recipe blogs and websites to help assist you in making essentially any meal you desire, but without the meat and dairy ingredients. Not only will you surprise yourself by creating some fabulous dishes, but you’re also likely to be impressed by just how much these “fake” meats look and taste like the real thing—without any of the unpleasantness associated with real meat.

Lexus RC F To Take Fight To European Performance Rivals

Autos

Howard Johnson

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December 15, 2014

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Lexus RC F To Take Fight To European Performance Rivals

Lexus will launch its latest high performance F vehicle next year with highly competitive levels of performance, equipment, innovative features and driving appeal at a price that significantly undercuts its nearest competitors.

The Lexus RC F coupe – featuring a 5.0-litre V8 generating 351kW and 530Nm, track-developed chassis and cutting-edge styling – will carry a recommended retail price of $133,500^*.

RC F is also available in a Carbon model, which adds a lightweight carbon-fibre boot spoiler, bonnet, roof panel and interior trim as well as Alcantara seat fabric, for $147,500^*.

The RC F Carbon benefits from key lessons learned during development of the LFA supercar, achieving weight savings while providing a high-end look that evokes motorsport and race car technology.

RC F’s value equation is further enhanced by high levels of standard features, many of which are only available as extra cost options on competitor brand vehicles.

Lexus Australia chief executive Sean Hanley said RC F will take the baton from the IS F as Lexus’ most focused ‘halo’ model.

“Everything about the RC F symbolises the passion Lexus designers and engineers have for their vehicles and puts the cherry on top of the RC Line following the launch of RC 350 in November,” Mr Hanley said.

“RC F matches a great sounding, high output 5.0-litre V8 with a fantastic chassis that rewards the performance-minded buyer with an incredible driving experience.

“It also provides drivers and their passengers with high levels of safety on top of aggressive styling that is ideally suited to the vehicle’s high performance intentions.”

Lexus RC F will become generally available in February. Selected dealers will carry preview models from December.

Lima Climate Talks: Peru Summit Continues Through Night

Politics

Steve Weichel

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December 15, 2014

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Lima Climate Talks: Peru Summit Continues Through Night

Talks have continued well past the official close of business on the final day of a key UN climate summit in Peru aimed at advancing a new global treaty.The negotiators in the capital, Lima, are tasked with preparing a text to serve as the basis for a new compact to be signed in Paris next year.

But long-running divisions between rich and poor continue to hamper progress.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has warned that the world is “still on a course leading to tragedy”.

He said a deal was “not an option – an urgent necessity”.

Negotiators have been meeting in Lima for almost two weeks to prepare the elements of the new treaty.

‘Red lines’

A new text has been produced by the chairman of the talks in an effort to get a decision.

But environmental groups say that it is far too weak and threatens to leave many issues unresolved.

Lima climate talks

Conference runs from 1 to 12 December, attended by 195 countries
Negotiations aim to advance the outline text of an agreement on climate change, to be finalised in Paris by the end of 2015
Progress on approving the text has been slow
Countries are divided over whether developing countries should take on obligations to cut emissions
The talks come amid some of the hottest global average temperatures ever on record.

In his speech, Mr Kerry said no country should have a “free pass”.

“I know this is difficult for developing nations. We have to remember that today more than half of emissions are coming from developing nations, so it is imperative that they act too.”

But this approach is being resisted by a number of countries, including China and many others, who want to adhere to the idea of “common but differentiated responsibilities”.

Some countries are suspicious that the text being developed here in Lima is an attempt to get round the concept of differentiation, which is embedded in the 1992 UN framework convention on climate change.

The issue has become critical as the chairs of the talks introduced a new draft text that many felt watered down the original commitment.

A large group of developing nations known as the G77 objected.

“This whole exercise is not meant to rewrite the convention, this is a firm basic position of the G77,” said Antonio Marcondes, Brazil’s representative at the talks.

“We stand behind the differentiation, we stand behind ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’, these are issues we hold very strong and these are definite red lines.”

Another key battle was over the initial commitments that countries are expected to make by the end of March next year.

Rich and poor are still divided over what should be part of this package, known in the jargon of the UN talks as the “intended nationally determined contributions” (INDCs).

Developed countries want to restrict them to carbon cuts. Developing ones want them to include finance for adaptation.

Long night ahead

A further argument is over the idea that there must be some sort of review process before a new deal is signed.

It would essentially be an effort to ratchet up ambition by comparing and contrasting what countries had promised in the run up to Paris.

The idea, called an “ex-ante review”, is seen as very important by some, especially the European Union.

But developing countries including India are dead set against it.

They say it is an issue of sovereignty. Outside parties, they argue, should not have the power to review what countries commit to by themselves.

“We favour a transparent presentation of country issues, but we think that an ex-ante review next year would be an unnecessary effort,” said Mr Marcondes.

“It would detract from the main goal of reaching Paris with a new agreement.”

These divisions are all variants of long-running splits between richer and poorer nations that have existed in the UN talks for 20 years.

The climate debate has often been neutered by the depth of these differences. It had been hoped that the positive signals from the US, China and the European Union before the meeting would help bridge the gaps, but trust is still short on the ground.

The president of the meeting, Manuel Pulgar-Vidal from Peru, earlier told delegates that they would not “leave Lima with empty hands”.

“We can deal with this problem and we can send a strong signal,” he said. “Don’t leave me alone, we can work together. It won’t be me that thanks you, it will be the world.”

14 Winter Home Improvements That Save You Cash

Home Improvement

Steve Weichel

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December 5, 2014

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14 Winter Home Improvements That Save You Cash

The polar vortex already seems to have descended with a vengeance on much of the U.S. this year, setting records for low temperatures and threatening to send utility bills skyrocketing.

While you can’t do anything about the chilly weather, you can take steps to make your home more energy efficient and pay less for heating. To start, the U.S. Department of Energy has a do-it-yourself energy audit on its website, or you can call a contractor for a professional audit.

Homeowners should start with smaller tweaks to their home before making big-ticket purchases. “There are a lot of changes you can do before you get a new furnace,” says Todd Recknagel, CEO of AM Conservation Group in Charleston, South Carolina.

The areas where you can get the most energy savings for the money are insulation, windows and closing up cracks in walls, around windows and doors and any other spot where air might slip through.

“If you can replace windows, you can see a huge savings,” says Mark Paulson, senior home remodeling advisor for Katlia Construction in Des Plaines, Illinois, who recommends at least double-paned replacements. “Buy the best windows you can. With windows, you truly get what you pay for.”

Few homes, even new homes, have enough insulation. Many developers build only to minimum code, and “half the homes in America are underinsulated,” Paulson says, so adding additional insulation canmake a dent in your heating bill. Attic insulation deteriorates over time and needs to be replaced.

Some cities, counties, states and utilities offer rebates or incentives to help pay for home energy-saving improvements. The U.S. Department of Energy also provides some weatherization assistance grants, which are administered by states and other agencies.

Here are 14 winter home improvements to make now to save money and energy:

Caulk around windows and doors, and seal up cracks and holes.

Not only are you keeping out cold air, you’re keeping out mice and other critters that may seek refuge. Consider sealing around the heating ducts in the basement and attic. If necessary, add or replace weather stripping.

Put down area rugs on tile and wood floors.

That creates a layer of DIY insulation, plus makes it more comfortable to walk in bare feet.

Cover holes around electrical outlets.

You can buy covers that can be easily installed behind the plate. Put your hands down to feel around the outlets. “If you can feel that area is a little cooler … you’re losing air through that outlet,” Recknagel says. “You really do lose a lot of energy through that air escape.”

Install glass doors to close off your fireplace.

Those doors keep cold air from coming down into your house and your warm air from escaping up through the chimney. If you use your fireplace, make sure you close the flue when you’re finished.

Insulate your attic door.

You can buy covers for attic staircases or openings. They’re typically easy to install and remove, and they’ll help you reduce energy costs year-round.

Cover your windows.

If you don’t have storm windows, you can create your own DIY storm window with a window insulation kit. Inside your house, use insulated drapes.

Buy insulated garage and exterior doors.

The garage doors that come with most homes aren’t insulated. An alternative to replacing exterior doors is to add a storm door.

Add insulation.

The obvious place to add insulation is the attic, but also consider the crawl space, garage and basement. If you’re doing any construction that opens up exterior walls, that’s a good time to add insulation in the walls. “If your house was insulated more than 20 years ago, an added layer in the attic always helps,” Recknagel says.

Reverse ceiling fans.

Running the fans counterclockwise makes it cooler during the summer months. Reverse them to run clockwise, and they will circulate the warm air back into the room.

Change your furnace filters.

Dirty filters make the furnace work less efficiently. They should be changed monthly during the heating season.

Get a programmable thermostat.

Each degree you turn down the heat saves 3 percent on your bill, Recknagel says. You can set the thermostat to lower the temperature after you go to bed and raise it when you get up, for example. You can also get the same results by manually lowering a conventional thermostat, but the key is remembering to do so.

Replace your outdated furnace or heat pump.

Newer units produce more heat with less energy. If you buy a new furnace, make sure you get the right size for your space.

Put a blanket around your hot water heater.

That seals in the heat and keeps the water hotter longer.

Replace or repair thresholds and door sweeps.

Since this is where your door seals shut, it keeps cold air from entering underneath and bringing down the temperature in your home. In a pinch, use a towel to cover a draft.