planetframe

Through Her Business and in Her Life, Chozick Has the Impulse to Give

2011-10-18T03:01:00.000-07:00

Customers of the Center Framing & Art store in West Hartford Center would be surprised if they got a peek at the basement. Not only is it a huge space, but it’s typically overflowing — and not only with frames or artwork.

This is where co-owner Lori Chozick stores bags and bags of clothes, furniture, appliances, school supplies and food — all donated through word of mouth by customers, vendors, family, friends, and many strangers — to help those less fortunate.

When Chozick hears of someone in need, she is off and running at full speed. Through her vast network of friends, she heard stories about the children at the M.D. Fox Elementary School in Harford, most of whom are in dire need of clothing, food and basic supplies. In no time, she was on the case, and soon her basement was full of donations.

“Whenever she reads about people in need, her heart goes out to them and she does everything she can to help,” says artist Tina McDowell, whose work is featured in the store’s gallery.

But Chozick refuses to take all the credit. She recounts stories of the generosity of those who answered her call to help the M.D. Fox students.

McDowell is among those willing to help. Her paintings are often featured in the window at Chozick’s framing shop/art gallery. McDowell agreed to match a portion of her sales with Chozick’s profits and together they donated to M.D. Fox.

“One woman took her Christmas bonus last year and bought out the sweatshirts at Bob’s,” Chozick recalls. “Another woman brought in whatever she found on sale at Staples.” An anonymous donor left five bags of food on the Chozicks' front steps. A social worker came for the food and put it in the students’ backpacks, many of which had also been donated.

“The school is just five miles from West Hartford Center, but it’s like going to a different planet,” says the soft-spoken Chozick. “There are an amazing number of hungry kids.”

The school is closed this year for renovations, but Chozick is still collecting grocery store gift cards and monetary donations.

One of Chozick’s biggest charitable undertakings was a recent benefit for the Catucci family in West Hartford, who were about to lose their home in a foreclosure. The two Catucci children are disabled and the husband was severely ill.

“When I hear stories like this, I can’t sleep at night,” says Chozick. She organized a huge auction and other fundraisers. She helped raise the money to pay for the property taxes and mortgage. She tells endless stories of how people came from far and wide to help, including students at Avon Middle School who created gift baskets for the auction, donating expensive personal items.

“I think giving back to the community is part of living in a community,” explains the West Hartford native and resident, who co-owns the frame store with her brother Glenn Lazinsk. The daughter of Harvey and Shirley Lazinsk, Chozick grew up in a home “filled with possibilities,” she says. “My family was always just so kind to strangers. .... This is how I grew up.”

“I love helping people; that’s who I am,” Chozick says with a slight shrug. She recalls participating in a walkathon at age 12 and doing the Relay for Life in South Windsor in honor of a close friend who had cancer.

She and husband Aaron Chozick have imparted these lessons to their three children — Matthew, Jackie and Annie. At the moment, Jackie is collecting clothes for impoverished teenagers in Vermont, where she is a special education teacher.

Most of the families Chozick helps are those with whom she has had little direct contact. And those who donate are “random people who’ve become friends,” she adds. “It’s an enormous circle of the kindest people you’ve ever met … people tell people all through word of mouth.”

The House of Bread, which provides food and shelter to the hungry and homeless in Hartford, is another recipient of Chozick’s efforts. In her store, Chozick sells photography by Marc Abrahms of West Hartford, who makes food for clients at the House of Bread.

When Chozick and Abrahms teamed up and held a party, 400 people showed up and 100 percent of the sales of Abrahms’ photographs was donated to the House of Bread. But Chozick still isn’t satisfied. She leaves a small envelope near Abrahms’ photos. If a customer can’t afford to buy a photograph, she says, perhaps they will open their wallet and leave a donation.

Chozick is a “23 on a scale of 1 to 10 for how much she does to make the world a better place for so many people,” said Abrahms before the House of Bread benefit.

Going to work and having strangers stop by with their donations is a “daily lift,” she says. “There is so much goodness out there, and when you give from your heart you feel so much better.”

In recognition of Lori Chozick's contributions, she has been chosen by Patch and the Huffington Post to receive today's honor as Greatest Person of the Day. The story will appear live on the Huffington Post on Monday afternoon.

Source http://westhartford.patch.com/articles/through-her-business-and-in-her-life-chozick-has-the-impulse-to-give

NASA Discovers First Trojan Asteroid in Earth's Orbit, Pictures

2011-07-28T22:58:00.000-07:00

NASA astronomers using the Wide-field infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) have discovered a Trojan asteroid that has been sharing Earth's orbit around the sun.

The asteroid is roughly 1,000 feet or 300 meters in diameter and is the first known Earth Trojan asteroid, named 2010 TK7.

NASA explains that Trojans are asteroids that "orbit with a planet near stable points in front of or behind the planet." And as far as the probability of it hitting Earth, NASA explains that there isn't any due to the fact that these asteroids either lead or follow at a constant pace suggesting that it will never catch up or fall behind Earth.

"It's as though Earth is playing follow the leader," said Amy Mainzer, one principal investigator at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "Earth always is chasing this asteroid around."

Trojan asteroids are not uncommon. Within the solar system, Trojans are also known to be sharing orbits with Neptune, Mars, and Jupiter in addition to two of Saturn's moons.

Martin Connors of Athabasca University in Canada and lead author of the paper on the discovery said, "These asteroids dwell mostly in the daylight, making them very hard to see, but we finally found one, because the object has an unusual orbit that takes it farther away from the sun than what is typical for Trojans. WISE was a game-changer, giving us a point of view difficult to have at Earth's surface."

According to the space agency, the WISE telescope scanned the complete sky using infrared light from January 2010 to February 2011 and found some 132 bodies that were previously unknown from which two were Trojan candidates resulting in the confirmation of one being an Earth Trojan.

Source http://www.christianpost.c http://www.christianpost.com/news/nasa-discom/news/nasa-discovers-first-trojan-asteroid-sharing-earths-orbit-a-menace-pictures-52995/

Get some air: Best bike pumps for your bike

2011-04-11T22:01:00.000-07:00

As the warmth of spring approaches, children and adults alike will begin to take in the fresh air and participate in outdoor activities. One of the most popular outdoor activities of the spring and summer is bicycling.

There is more to this hobby than initially meets the eye. You'll need a bicycle, a helmet, and reflective gear to start, but without one important piece of equipment, your bicycle will not get very far: a bike pump. Not all bike pumps are created equally.

Read on for five of the highest rated bicycle pumps that are available on the market:

Serfas FP-200 Floor Pump

An excellent example of a quality bicycle pump is the Serfas FP-200 floor pump. The Serfas model is a durable pump with 160 psi capability and an easily read guage. This is a lightweight pump, weighing in under four pounds, making it easily transportable. The Serfas FP-200 Floor Pump works on Shrader and Presta pump valves and boasts a reasonable price tag of $42.50

Topeak Pocket Master Blaster Pump

Another great option for a bicycle pump is the Topeak Pocket Master Blast Pump. This pump features a small and easily transportable frame and high pressure, 110 psi aluminum valve. This powerful little pump is durable and reliable. The Topeak Pocket Master Blaster pump sells for an extremely low retail price of $19.99.

Lezyne Alloy Floor Drive Pump

The Lezyne Alloy Floor Drive Pump is an option that won't disappoint.This pump features an easy to read gauge, an impressive maximum psi of 220 and an extra long hose. This pump is extraordinarily easy to use; little effort is needed to pump air into your tires. The Lezyne Alloy Floor Drive Pump is easily transportable and has a retail price of $69.00.

Planet Bike Comp Floor Pump

Another bicycle pump that is sure to please is the Planet Bike Comp Floor Pump. The Planet Bike Comp Floor Pump features a sturdy composite frame, multiple valve heads, upgraded gage system and more. This pump is also powerful, as it boasts a psi of 160.

The Planet Bike Comp Floor Pump is reasonably priced at $30, and due to its light weight, is easily transportable.

Genuine Innovations Mountain CO2 Pipe Inflator

The Genuine Innovations Mountain CO2 Pipe Inflator is another great option as far as bicycle pumps go. This bicycle pump is specifically designed for a mountain bike and features "Twist-to-Inflate" technology and fits both Shrader and Presta valves. This pump has a retail value of $40.

Source http://sports.yahoo.com/top/news?slug=ycn-8226891

Obama Doctrine

2011-03-29T21:23:00.001-07:00

The term echoes through the chattering classes as if it has meaning. "What is the Obama Doctrine?" It's a question being asked by any analyst who wants (desperately) to be taken seriously as we wait for the Presidential address on our latest not-war in Libya. The question seems reasonable on the surface if you are left wondering why we intervene in some places and not others, like this excellent Daily Show routine with John Oliver. But the framework of an "Obama Doctrine" reveals that the asker doesn't care as much about the situation as their own ability to talk about it - by putting it back into terms a US audience might have a chance of paying attention to.

An "Obama Doctrine" is popular largely because the idea helps people who want to keep their cushy jobs.

The best comment I've heard yet on the Obama Doctrine came from a CNN contributor whose name I've sadly forgotten. "I hope there isn't one, because the moment you have a doctrine you turn off your brain and end critical thought." That's undeniably true. But shouldn't there be some greater concept that we are working towards as we evaluate situations marching across the Arab World?

It's not as though all pressure to frame our involvement as an Obama Doctrine is wrong. If Syria is distracted we know that the situation in Israel/Palestine will change - a revolution in Syria would be a completely new game all around. If Saudi Arabia manages to drop the Saudi prefix nearly everything around the world will be affected by the ripples through weak economies. There is a reasonable anxiety as we find ourselves getting involved in another conflict and thoughtful people would like to have some idea where this is going.

We should think of our involvement as inevitable, Obama Doctrine or not. No nation could possibly spend nearly half of the world's tab for military and not expect helpless people being shot at to beg for relief from them. We get sucked into these things not just because we can, but because everyone knows that we can. More to the point, our foreign policy has often been based on making it clear to people that we can get them all blow'd up (blow'd up real good!) if they don't watch it. No matter how you look at it, our responsibility for the world is almost entirely our own fault - and something we enjoy when things are going well.

Globalism today means everyone relies on everyone else but has limited influence on how everything goes down. A few disturbances here and there and the trouble rolls across the planet like a tsunami wave.

The problem with an Obama Doctrine, however, is that discussing it in those terms attempts to bring this turmoil home as if we somehow own it. It may seem natural with all of our military might, but do we really want to own the trouble? The answer is a strong "Yes!" only to those who make their living by chatting up world events. The best situation for them is a distant one that is a bit murky so that you can say nearly anything but still has a hook back at home so that people care. Sudan? No hook. Our own faultering economy? Too close. A not-war in Libya offers the best of both worlds if, and only if, you can frame the whole thing in terms of domestic politics and the pointless left-right debate that everyone has been hyped about for years. Plus, it has great video.

Think locally, act globally. It's a wonderfully trite definition of casual fascism.

Is there an Obama Doctrine at all? I doubt it. The President has always been one to deal with the situation in front of him like a Mechanic in Chief, tinkering with the machinery and trying to get it to run better. It might be nice to know just where all this unrest is going, but anyone who has really thought of it should be very aware that there is no way to tell. The demands for clarity, though reasonable, center on our internal politics. That's not going to be useful for anyone, anywhere.

Source http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/blog/erik-hare/obama-doctrine

Meghalaya Govt plans to frame water policy

2011-03-17T00:49:00.001-07:00

Despite having the wettest place on the planet, Meghalaya’s groundwater level is hitting rock bottom and the State is mooting a water policy to tackle the issue.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma termed the matter as “serious” in the Assembly on Friday and said that a comprehensive water policy would be framed to conserve this important natural resource.

“The depletion of groundwater table in the State is a serious matter and it needs to be addressed seriously for sustainability of our water resources,” he told the Assembly, replying to a motion on the need to have a ‘Water Policy’ in the State.

Acknowledging that Meghalaya has the proud privilege of receiving the heaviest rainfall in the world (Sohra), he said several places inthe State are still facing acute water shortage.

In fact, Sohra or Cherrapunjee has the distinction of being dubbed the “wettest desert on earth” due to acute drinking water shortage in the winters as water harvesting methods are least practised there.

In 2009, Meghalaya created a separate water resource department. Sangma said the department was created to ensure drinking water security, agriculture production, food security, ecological balance and overall sustainable development.

The Chief Minster said the government is also in the process of promoting a Water Resources Development Agency so that the resource could be properly managed. He said the IT department would also be roped in to provide its expertise and an effective campaign would be carried out for water management in the State.

Earlier, United Democratic Party legislator, Ardent M Basaiawmoit, raising the motion said it was a matter of serious concern that many people do not have access to potable drinking water.

Source http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=mar1311/oth06

If a tree falls in Year of Forests, does anyone hear?

2011-02-16T23:40:00.000-08:00

The UN General Assembly recently met in New York to declare 2011 the International Year of Forests.

The idea is to raise awareness of the priceless role that forests play in keeping the planet healthy and of the need for sustainable management and conservation of all types of forests.

The International Year of Forests follows other lofty proclamations by the UN to encourage efforts to advance social justice and environmental sustainability, including the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity, the 1993 International Year for the World's Indigenous People, and the somewhat unusual naming of 2008 as the International Year of the Potato.

It's easy to be cynical about the annual declarations made by our world leaders, especially as there's often a lack of corresponding action.

Nevertheless, the International Year of Forests marks a critical moment on our planet. Our forest ecosystems have never been at more risk from the consequences of human actions, including climate change and industrial activities. But a few events in Canada, including the recent signing of the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement, give us some hope that 2011 will truly be the Year of Forests.

The world's remaining forests, from true wilderness like Canada's boreal forest to urban green spaces like the forested slopes that frame Vancouver, represent a Fort Knox of natural riches. Forests remain our primary source of paper and building materials and are receiving increasing attention as a source of bio-energy -- all of which sustain millions of jobs in resource-based communities in Canada and around the world.

Forests provide food, clean drinking water, and life-saving medicines like the rainforest-sourced cancer drug vincristine. They are also home to millions of indigenous peoples and are habitat for over half of all known terrestrial biodiversity on the planet. And because they sequester and store billions of tonnes of carbon in their vegetation, peat, and soils, forests are a critical shield against runaway global warming. Canada's boreal forest alone stores an estimated 208 billion tonnes of carbon, the equivalent of 26 years worth of global greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning.

Despite the importance of forests to biodiversity, as well as to our own health and well-being, we continue to destroy them at an alarming rate. Throughout the world and here at home, forests and woodlots are being ripped up and developed, degraded by free-for-all oil and gas development, and mined and logged at a blistering pace. Less than a fifth of the world's original intact forests remain, and although much of the best of what's left is found within our own borders, Canada is falling down when it comes to looking after our national natural heritage. We continue to clear-cut wilderness habitat when alternative logging methods exist, we have no national strategy to ensure our remaining ancient temperate rainforests are protected, and provinces like B.C. continue to export millions of raw logs to be processed out of the country.

At the same time, no nation is better placed to deliver on the ambitious goals of the International Year of Forests than Canada. This past year, 21 forestry companies and nine environmental groups committed to present a joint vision to federal, provincial, and territorial governments and First Nations for protection and sustainable management of Canada's boreal. This includes new protected areas, world-class forestry practices, and promotion of environmentally sustainable Canadian forest products in the marketplace.

The success of the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement will depend on whether Aboriginal people and their governments are involved and their rights as decision-makers respected. Where indigenous peoples have come together with environmental groups and other stakeholders, stunning victories have been achieved.

More than half of the ancient rainforests of Haida Gwaii have now been protected, thanks to the leadership of the Haida First Nation. In Central Canada, five Anishinaabeg First Nations communities in Eastern Manitoba and Northern Ontario are working to have a vast intact region of boreal forest declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Covering no less than 43,000 square kilometres, the area is called Pimachiowin Aki in Ojibwa, which means "the land that gives life."

Forests sustain the very life-support systems of the planet -- clean air, pure drinking water, productive soil, and healthy wildlife populations. It's time we recognized our interdependence with them and treated them as the biological treasures they are.

Learn more at www.davidsuzuki.org

Source http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/tree+falls+Year+Forests+does+anyone+hear/4291239/story.html

Chin Up! Beat those Winter Blues

2011-02-09T23:01:00.001-08:00

The dead of winter is here. Not only is it freezing outside but the days are short and dark. It seems the kids are out on snow holiday once a week and those days off of work are backing you up, causing an urgency to get it all back on track.

On top of it all, you're going out much less because of the cold temperatures and find yourself hanging around, eating more than you'd like. There's a solution to the side effects of this seemingly never-ending winter doldrums... the gym!

Planet Fitness, at 25 Lindeman Drive, has the tools you need to boost your metabolism, get your blood moving (not by chasing your kids from room to room) and most importantly, kick those winter blues.

When you're moving around at a steady pace, endorphins are released in the brain, creating a natural good mood. With Planet Fitness' wide range of machines, you can find which exercise best gets your endorphins flowing.

TJ Sapak, an employee at Planet Fitness since 2009 says the gym is a great escape for those who are either already in shape or first-time users.

"The people that come to Planet Fitness are all types of age groups and come from all types of gym backgrounds. We are a gym that focuses on general fitness." He said. "Working out is a great way to relieve stress because you feel accomplished when you leave. If you concluded a workout of lifting weights or even running a mile you have left all your stress at the gym."

For those who are busier with work, family or just have limited time of the day but would still like to get to the gym, Planet Fitness has an express workout for you.

"The 30 minute express workout we offer is great if you're short on time or your schedule only allows you to be there so often," Sapak said.

"What the express does is work your whole body from head to toe, while you can do stair stepping in between each machine to work on your cardio. All you need is that 30 minute time frame and your bottle of water," he said.

To get the full benefits of Planet Fitness, you'd have to sign up for the Black Card. For only $19.99 a month and no startup fee, the Black Card allows you to enjoy unlimited tanning, use of massage chairs, unlimited fitness training as well as guest privileges. If the girls have dance in Shelton, no problem! The PF Black Card membership allows you to visit any Planet Fitness in the state. A little mental escape is really that simple and convenient.

Dee Williamson, a mother of four, has been going to Planet Fitness' throughout Fairfield County for about three years.

"I go to the gym when the kids are out at karate. Even though I only go once or twice a week, I still feel relieved to sweat off the stress for an hour," Williamson said.

"I've also met a lot of great people at the gym, some parents of my kids' friends and some brand new. We'll walk together on the treadmills. I always end it off with a tanning session."

Planet Fitness also offers one-on-one training with certified personal trainers which can help develop focus.

According to Sapak, "Personal training could be a great experience for first time gym users and also to the all-star athlete. It's a great experience because I have noticed that everyone has different techniques and different exercises to do to help the client with their needs. Personal training is also a great way for people who haven't worked out before to learn the proper techniques and to show them that it’s possible to see the results they want to see."

Williamson also meets with a personal trainer from time to time. She says it has helped her relax more during work and everyday tasks.

"Everything I've been taught through personal training has translated into my daily life. I am more focused at work, the kids and my husband," she said.

To sign up for Planet Fitness' Black Card or regular membership you can visit their website at Planetfitness.com or stop by its Lindeman Drive location.

Source http://trumbull.patch.com/articles/chin-up-beat-those-winter-blues

Bad Climate For Global Warming

2011-01-20T01:19:00.001-08:00

Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies announced that 2010 had registered as the hottest year on record. Nothing new here: nine of the last 10 years have been among the warmest ever.

The news highlighted one of Washington's biggest failures over the last two years: its inability to advance climate legislation. It was also a grim reminder that things could get worse. Some crucial policy areas have always been neglected and some initiatives stalled. But rarely has a first-order concern like the nation's climate and energy policy actually regressed -- and so dramatically as we've seen since the last presidential election.

Not long ago, it appeared likely that the United States would take meaningful action to mitigate climate change. In the 2008 presidential campaign, both Barack Obama and John McCain touted plans to limit carbon emissions under a cap-and-trade scheme. Even Sarah Palin supported the idea. Much of the business community did, too. Adding momentum was the recent Supreme Court ruling, in Massachusetts vs. Environmental Protection Agency, that required the EPA, under the Clean Air Act, to regulate harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Lawmakers, it was presumed, would take the matter into their own hands rather than cede that authority.

Of course, this didn't happen. Over the strenuous objections of Republicans and coal-state Democrats, the House of Representatives passed a cap-and trade bill in 2009 that met an ignominious death in the Senate. Along the way, cap-and-trade -- originally a conservative idea -- came to be vilified as "cap and tax'' and regarded by a substantial part of the conservative base as a form of fascist oppression. Today, fewer Americans believe in the reality of global warming than did so two years ago, and many took out their wrath last November on Democrats who'd supported a climate bill.

But this doesn't capture the full scale of the setback. Since that debacle, momentum in Congress has shifted strongly against climate-change legislation. If you want to frighten one of the remaining Democrats, suggest that he or she take another shot at passing cap-and-trade.

There's still the EPA. When both parties favored cap-and-trade, this option was viewed as the less desirable one. The agency could limit greenhouse gas emissions, but not through a system as flexible and efficient as cap-and-trade, which included simple improvements like building-efficiency standards that lay beyond the agency's remit. EPA regulations would thus be less effective.

The cap-and-trade bill that passed the House aimed to reduce emissions 17 percent by 2020 from their 2005 levels. A World Resources Institute study found that the most aggressive implementation of EPA regulations would only reduce emissions by 12 percent in that time frame. Scientists say reductions of 36-48 percent would be necessary to halt global warming. "Having EPA set carbon-pollution reductions was everyone's second choice for slowing global warming,'' said Daniel J. Weiss, director of climate strategy at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. "It was like 'In Case of Congressional Gridlock Break Glass.' ''

Now, the backup plan is the only plan, and "aggressive'' regulations are off the table. Last year, the EPA issued a "tailoring rule'' signaling how it intended to proceed. The results in no way resembled the fears expressed by many detractors that a burdensome new system of regulations would be imposed on small businesses. Instead, the EPA will confine its attentions strictly to the largest polluters, such as power plants, oil refineries, and chemical manufacturers.

These modest steps won't do nearly as much to slow global warming as the other, broader plans. But because the battle has shifted from the legislative to the regulatory front, the EPA nonetheless finds itself under attack from the newly empowered Republicans. One of the first things they will do is try to block EPA from establishing pollution standards, possibly by denying funds or refusing to raise the debt ceiling unless the process is slowed or halted.

It's not clear whether they'll succeed. But given the heightened importance of stronger restrictions, environmentalists can't feel good about recent developments. Earlier this week, the Obama administration said it would focus on eliminating regulations, rather than strengthening them. That's probably an accurate reading of the political climate. But for the planet's climate, it's yet another blow.

Source http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/01/bad-climate-for-global-warming/69926/