Manufacturer Highlight: Abbyson Living Furniture

Manufacturer Highlight:
Abbyson Living Furniture

Founded more than 25 years ago by an award-winning designer and philanthropist named Abby, Abbyson Living Furniture is a rapidly growing, family-owned business whose products are distinguished by luxury, comfort, exquisite design and a rich selection of vibrant colors.  Under Abby’s leadership Abbyson has evolved into a groundbreaking international furniture company with a deep philanthropic consciousness, including a commitment to support the export of products from poverty stricken Tibet and the development of a variety of programs to benefit Tibetan children.

Abbyson Living products are recognized for their superior comfort, brilliant design elements and durability. The company also strives to create ergonomic eco-friendly products that are easy to maintain and always retain their beauty.

“Our brand is more than great furniture.  It is a commitment to our customers’ ultimate gratification.” – The Abbyson Promise.

Interesting Facts about Abbyson Living

*Abby founded the Abbyson Corporation in 1989 and began importing unique Tibetan products.

*Abbyson  has been honored by the U.S. House of Representatives for its creation of new jobs.

*The company is featured in “Inside Job”, a TNT network reality series in an episode in which candidates compete for a dream job at Abbyson Living.

*Abbyson was recognized in 2013by the Los Angeles Business Journal and the San Fernando Valley Business Journal as one of the fastest growing companies in Los Angeles County.

The Bellagio Resort and Casino Presenting Iconic Artist Dale Chihuly, 365 Days a Week, 24 hrs. a Day

The Bellagio Resort and Casino
Presenting Iconic Artist Dale Chihuly, 365 Days a Week, 24 hrs. a Day

 

Fine art, entertainment and an endless menu of spectacular amenities greet guests and visitors at

the Bellagio Resort and Casino on the storied Las Vegas strip. Among the can’t miss attractions

at the Bellagio none attracts more attention than Dale Chihuly’s Fiori di Como , consisting of

more than 2,000 hand-blown glass flowers covering the massive ceiling of Bellagio’s palatial

lobby.

Chihuly’s Iconic Craft

Seattle-based glass artist Dale Chihuly’s unique combination of botanical design elements fused

into grand scale glass creations makes him a one-of-a-kind treasure in the fine art community.

Each Chihuly project represents a painstaking collaboration between his team of glassblowers,

the artist himself who designs and oversees each aspect of the production. For the Bellagio

Resort and Casino’s Fiori di Como , a permanent fixture, Chihuly worked in consultation with the hotel’s developer Steve Wynn and his wife.

The Fiori di Como at the Bellagio – the Artist’s Most Challenging Creation

“Everything about Fiori di Como was new the scale, the armature, and the glass. First I had to

develop the way the ceiling would look the depth, new glass forms, the technique for holding

the glass, all the safety issues involving suspending a 40,000 pound artwork overhead,” Chihuly

said in an interview published on the artist’s website.

“We started by constructing four prototypes in my studio for Elaine and Steve Wynn to see,”

Chihuly said. “After Steve made three trips to Seattle, we finally decided on the right look for

the project one that had ten feet of depth and required a very complicated steel armature that

comes down like branches of a tree. Color was the most difficult challenge, and the structure was

the most difficult technical challenge.”

Just a few of the perks at the Bellagio Resort and Casino:

Factoids about the Bellagio Resort and Casino

• The internationally famous Fountains of Bellagio
• Cirque du Soleil®, and its critically acclaimed “O” production Mediterranean style
• Las Vegas Pools & Courtyard
• The world renowned
• Shadow Creek golf course
• A deluxe Fitness Center
• Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
• Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art
• Gallery of Fine Art
• 
  

The Bellagio Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, where you can see an epic work of one of America’s

finest artists every day of the week, 365 days a year.

393 words

Keywords: <Bellagio Hotel and Casio, Dale Chihuly, Cirque du Soleil, Cirque du Soleil

production of “O”, Shadow Creek golf course, Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens,

Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art>

A Gem Stone for the Ages

A Gem Stone for the Ages
Extremely Rare, One-of-a-Kind Paraiba Tourmaline Ready for Auction
by Kaufmann de Suisse of Palm Beach & Montreal

Named the ‘Ethereal Carolina Divine Paraiba’, the world’s largest Paraiba tourmaline gem stone has been set by esteemed jewelers Kaufmann de Suisse in an exquisite design called the Paraiba Star. A harmonious blend of sea and earth elements, the stunning piece was inspired by designer Moneca Kaufmann’s love of the gorgeous ocean tapestries that surround her at her Palm Beach, Florida winter home.

“So much is going on beneath the surface of the waters, just as the formation of this incredible Paraiba tourmaline happened – quietly and below the surface of the Earth,” Ms. Kaufmann explained in an address before dignitaries and fellow members of Kauffman de Suisse jewelers to introduce the piece to the New York market.

“The neon-blue color of the stone evoked the image of blue waters that comprise 70% of our small blue planet and spawned life 3.8 billion years ago for us…,” Ms. Kaufmann said.

In addition to the breathtaking Paraiba tourmaline, the Paraiba Star consists of 1,705 other precious and semi-precious stones including orange sapphires, emerald, ruby, blue topaz, and diamonds. The piece also includes an eye-catching brilliant yellow canary 10.73 carat diamond.

What Makes the Ethereal Carolina Divine Paraiba Special?

The story of the herculean efforts to discover and bring to market the world’s largest Paraiba tourmaline is the stuff of legend. It took a determined miner named Heitor Barbosa 5 years scouring the Paraiba district of Brazil to unearth the unique gemstone in 1989. Barbosa had a gut feeling he’d find gemstones of remarkable quality – little did he know he’d discover a stone of such epic and exquisite proportions.

Enter the youthful financier Vincent Boucher, a Canadian physicist, artist and CEO of Billionaire Business Enterprises, Inc. whose passion for beautiful, once-in-a-lifetime gemstones led to his acquisition in 2009 of the world-famous Paraiba tourmaline. Mr. Boucher brought the record-holding stone to Kaufman de Suisse to create a handmade object d’art that would best capture the Paraiba tourmalines’ incomparable qualities of wondrous colors, brilliance and clarity.

Following are but a few of the unsurpassed qualities of this highly sought-after gem, beyond its record breaking size:

*No ceiling on value, currently estimated to be as much as $125 million; the scarcity of the stone means the value will always increase

*Its scarcity boggles the imagination – it is thousands of times rarer than diamonds

*Only 50 kg of stone material has been mined – the mines are now exhausted.

*In many cases tourmaline crystals are broken or etched. Prior to the discovery of the Paraiba Star, a 3 carat stone was virtually unknown. It is highly likely that we will never see another Paraiba Star.  It is truly one of a kind!

*Its unsurpassed size, natural untreated color and transparency make the stone a geological anomaly – again, a one-of-a-kind characteristic.

*For every 10,000 carats of diamonds mined, a single carat of Paraiba tourmaline has been mined.

Why Invest in the Paraiba Star Tourmaline?

According to Kaufmann de Suisse, when the gem was originally introduced to world markets in 1990 at the Tucson, Arizona (U.S.) show, the price per carat was only $250 a carat.  Only six days later it skyrocketed to E$2500 a carat thanks to the almost unprecedented demand of such a scarce commodity.

The demand for the Paraiba Star continued to rise exponentially, as did its price.  The October 2013 edition of Rappaport Magazine – the authority on gemstone pricing, reported that Paraiba tourmalines larger than 10 carats were already fetching more than $100,000 per carat. Rappaport said a ceiling price could not be established for the gem because prices for the rare tourmalines continue to rise.

Exclusive and Potentially Lucrative Investment Opportunity

Some hard facts about recent gem values make it clear that the Paraiba Star offers an extraordinary investment opportunity. For example, the Burma Ruby sold for $1.2 million per carat, and Kashmir sapphires have attracted as much as $200,000 per carat. The auction price for the Burma Ruby represented a 9-fold increase over its value just a few years earlier. The fact that the Paraiba tourmalines are nearly extinct only adds to the mystique of this celebrated stone.

An Appeal to Wealth and Taste

Make no mistake, the ‘Ethereal Carolina Divine Paraiba’ with its dazzling Paraiba Star design, isn’t for those lacking overwhelming financial resources. The price tag could ultimately be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

According to Gemological Institute of America GIA) certified gemologist Brandon Katzeff, Paraiba tourmalines are not often carried by fine jewelers because of their steep price tag, making them difficult to sell.  Katzeff, who runs family-owned jewelry stores in Pennsylvania and West Virginia says the beautiful neon-blue colors set the Paraiba apart from other gemstones.  He says the only stone that comes close in color is the blue zircon.

However, for those who do possess this unrivaled gemstone, the prize isn’t merely an indication of prodigious wealth and nuanced taste – the stone has great historical significance. Future generations will consider the Ethereal Carolina Divine Paraiba in the same historical context as the Hope Diamond, the Logan Sapphire, the Golden Jubilee and the Cullinan Diamond.

For more information contact:

KAUFMANN de SUISSE

Custom Designs, Master Goldsmiths & Rare Gems since 1954

210 Worth Avenue

Palm Beach, Florida

USA  33480
1-800-832-2808

Tel: (561) 832-4918
Fax: (561) 832-7295

www.kaufmanndesuisse.com
www.facebook.com/KaufmannDeSuisse

What if RLS Strikes your Child?

In This Issue: What if RLS Strikes your Child?

How to Treat and Help Your Child Cope with RLS

RLS and Children – How Common is it and What are the Implications?

Diagnosing and Treating Pediatric RLS

Helping Your Child Adjust to a Chronic, Lifelong Condition

What’s the Outlook?

Rested Legs™, an All-Natural Nutritional Supplement for Fast, Effective Relief

RLS and Children:

*Is it Rare?  And what are the Implications?

Pediatric Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is more common than you think.  Experts estimate that it affects between 5 to 10% of the adult population in some countries. And while the incidence among kids is not as prevalent, the best guess is that approximately 1.5 million children and adolescents are RLS victims. In fact, RLS strikes more kids than does pediatric diabetes and epilepsy, two better-known conditions that can affect children.

RLS Causes Major Disruptions in Children’s Lives

RLS often causes major problems in the lives of adults; affecting careers, relationships and lifestyle issues. In children, the uncomfortable and sometimes painful disorder can be particularly devastating as it affects their lives at critical times in their emotional and physical development. Because RLS causes sleep deprivation, often results in depression and can make children feel like they are different from everyone else, the condition can make it difficult for the child to thrive in school or cultivate interpersonal relationships. Furthermore, it’s an irritating and often painful disorder whose symptoms alone can make your child’s life miserable.

Diagnosing and Treating RLS in Children

There’s no specific diagnostic test for RLS, whether it strikes adults or children. A practitioner must rely on the patient’s description of the symptoms rather than blood work or other objective means of evaluation. Often children are unable to adequately describe their symptoms, making the already difficult task of diagnosing RLS even more challenging. Compounding the difficulty is the fact that kids often have what are commonly known as growing pains in their legs, which are confused with RLS symptoms.  One important difference exists between growing pains and RLS.  Although both cause kids to have great leg discomfort, usually at night, RLS symptoms are relieved when the child moves.  Growing pains are more constant.  Prior to bringing your child in for diagnostic evaluation of his or her symptoms, take note of the duration of the symptoms, their severity, and whether they are relieved when the child moves around.

Treatment for Kids with RLS

Researchers have found a strong connection between low iron levels and the incidence of RLS.  Health care providers often will test for deficient iron level once they’ve concluded the child likely has RLS.  Pharmaceutical interventions are often used, with varying success and in some cases specific prescription drugs often precipitate what is known as augmentation, an increased severity of symptoms. Therefore, it’s best to in

Drug-free Treatments for Pediatric RLS

Health care providers recommend a number of safe RLS treatments for children which can greatly relieve symptoms and make your child’s life more manageable.  Thee safe, effective treatments include:

*Massage

*Moderate (but not extreme) exercise

*A monitored sleep regimen that should include regular bed time, comfortable climate control, removal of noise distractions and proper diet that doesn’t include high fructose, difficult-to-digest foods and caffeinated or carbonated soft drinks and diet sodas.
What’s the Outlook?

Unfortunately, it’s likely your child will always have RLS. However, you can take positive steps, including non-drug interventions, certain nutritional supplements and psychological counseling to help your child adjust to having a chronic condition that can interfere with his or her life, if not approached vigorously.

Rested Legs™, an All-Natural Nutritional Supplement for Fast, Effective Relief

Rested Legs™, a nutritional supplement that comes in a once-a-day capsule containing

scientifically tested, all-natural ingredient is one of the safest and, most effective ways to relieve

the symptoms of Rested Legs Syndrome, Rested Legs™ is safe, not habit forming and will help

you get a good night’s sleep. It carries no risk factors that can exacerbate your condition. You’ll

awaken clear headed and refreshed.  For more information about Rested Legs™, please visit

RestedLegs.com.

!

 WATER WORLD MAGAZINE

 

FEBRUARY 2016

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PUMPING PROJECTS

 By Donald Cohen

Project managers who employ water pumping mechanisms must consider a constantly changing regulatory scenario regarding environmental and clean water issues. Some of the most critical regulations aren’t well known, especially those concerning which waterways are protected by the Clean Water Act. And the confusion and misunderstanding that ensues can cause expensive delays that can conceivably derail a project, and even result in costly fines levied by governmental agencies. This article seeks to bring clarity to issues of regulatory compliance with the Clean Water Act during pumping operations and will assist project managers in assessing which pumps can be used to ensure that no pollutants are discharged into the nation’s waterways.
The Clean Water Act
In 1948, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act became the first U.S. law to address the issue of water pollution. A growing public concern for the need to regulate the release of pollutants into our waterways led to the passage of sweeping amendments to the Act in 1972. With the new amendments in place, the law became commonly known as the Clean Water Act (CWA; 33 USC §1251 et seq. 1972).


       
South Florida Water Management District’s G-435 Pump Station in the pristine Florida Everglades. Large axial flow pumps utilize environmentally friendly, water-lubricated bearings, ensuring there is no oil or grease that could contaminate these wetlands.   
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) summarizes the Clean Water Act as establishing the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating quality standards for surface waters … Under the CWA, EPA has implemented pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry [and] water quality standards for all contaminants in surface waters.1

Which Waters are Regulated by the CWA?

It is widely misunderstood which bodies of waters are regulated by the Clean Water Act. Different interpretations of Supreme Court rulings over the past decade have contributed to the confusion. As a result, it has become difficult for project managers and design engineers to assess whether they will be in compliance with federal regulations if they use pumping mechanisms that discharge even minimal quantities of oil or grease into waterways. Because many of today’s water pumps still employ antiquated lubricating systems for the pump’s bearings, which release oil and/or grease into the waters being pumped, use of these pumps may risk violating the CWA.
To clarify which bodies of water are protected, the EPA has summarized Section 404 of the Act as follows: The CWA made it unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters, unless a permit was obtained. EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls discharges. Point sources are discrete conveyances such as pipes or man-made ditches. Individual homes that are connected to a municipal system, use a septic system, or do not have a surface discharge, do not need an NPDES permit; however, industrial, municipal, and other facilities must obtain permits if their discharges go directly to surface waters.2
Based on the agency’s interpretation of the statute, implementing regulations and relevant case law, the following waters are protected by the CWA: traditional navigable waters; interstate waters; wetlands adjacent to either traditional navigable waters or interstate waters; non-navigable tributaries to traditional navigable waters that are relatively permanent, meaning they contain water at least seasonally; and wetlands that directly abut relatively permanent waters.

In addition, the following waters are protected by the CWA if a fact-specific analysis determines they have a “significant nexus” to a traditional navigable water or interstate water: tributaries to traditional navigable waters or interstate waters; wetlands adjacent to jurisdictional tributaries to traditional navigable waters or interstate waters; and waters that fall under the “other waters” category of the regulations. The guidance divides these waters into two categories: those that are physically proximate to other jurisdictional waters and those that are not, and discusses how each category should be evaluated.

The following aquatic areas are generally not protected by the CWA: wet areas that are not tributaries or open waters and do not meet the Agency’s regulatory definition of “wetlands”; waters excluded from coverage under the CWA by existing regulations; waters that lack a “significant nexus” where one is required for a water to be protected by the CWA; artificially irrigated areas that would revert to upland should irrigation cease; artificial lakes or ponds created by excavating and/or diking dry land and used exclusively for such purposes as stock watering, irrigation, settling basins, or rice growing; artificial reflecting pools or swimming pools created by excavating and/or diking dry land; small ornamental waters created by excavating and/or diking dry land for primarily aesthetic reasons; water-filled depressions created incidental to construction activity; groundwater drained through subsurface drainage systems; and erosional features (gullies and rills), and swales and ditches that are not tributaries or wetlands.3

Avoid Discharging Any Pollutants Whatsoever

It may seem that discharging small quantities of oil and/or grease into waterways might be harmless to the environment. However, the CWA provides strict regulation that prohibits even minute discharges, and even biodegradable oil is deemed a pollutant. And it must be noted that the CWA’s definition of “waters of the United States” is extremely broad. However, on August 28, 2015, the EPA further clarified its definition to include:
i.    All waters which are currently used, were used in the past, or may be susceptible to use in interstate or foreign commerce, including all waters which are subject to the ebb and flow of the tide.
ii.    All interstate waters, including interstate wetlands.
iii.    The territorial seas.
iv.    All impoundments of waters otherwise identified as waters of the United States under this section.
v.    All tributaries, as defined in paragraphs(i) through (iii) of this section
vi.    All waters adjacent to a water identified in paragraphs (i) through (v) of this definition, including wetlands, ponds, lakes, oxbows, impoundments, and similar waters.

Many municipal water districts throughout the nation are especially vigilant because of the potential liability issues posed by the discharge of oil or grease into the waters and generally self-regulate to ensure strict compliance with the CWA.
“It’s long been our policy at the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to never use any equipment that has any potential for accidental discharge into the water,” said Randy Smith, spokesman for the SFWMD. “For decades we have closely regulated ourselves to ensure that this does not occur. We have literally hundreds of pumps throughout the district and purchase only equipment that does not cause accidental discharge of oil or grease into the waters.”
According to attorney Michael Lozeau of Lozeau Drury LLP, an environmental law firm, “Releasing oil to pump bearings that also, by design, is released to the waters being pumped is a discharge of a pollutant to waters of the United States.” Lozeau warned that the vast majority of locales where oil-releasing pumps are or will be installed will involve discharges directly or indirectly to the waters of the United States.

       
Pump shaft support bearings shown are radial bushings that require cooling of the bearing surface due to the frictional heat generated by the pump shaft rotation.   
“Unless the operator of the pump has obtained a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit authorizing such a discharge, the Clean Water Act categorically prohibits that discharge of oil or grease,” he said. “Any owner or operator of such a pump risks an agency or court order prohibiting the discharge, requiring costly replacement of the pumps and civil penalties of up to $37,500 per day of violation.”

Furthermore, according to Lozeau, courts throughout the U.S. have held that NPDES compliance is a matter of strict liability and a defendant’s intent and good faith are irrelevant.
Bottom line - it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to adhering to the regulations set forth by the CWA. Protect yourself as well as the waterways of the U.S. by using pumps that either do not use oil or grease lubricating systems or that provide a closed system that prevents any of these pollutants from being discharged into the water.

About the Author: Donald Cohen is a freelance journalist who has worked as a radio news director, public relations consultant and speechwriter for the Washington State Attorney General.

References:
1. Summary of the Clean Water Act, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act
2. ibid.
3. ibid.






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