New nightclub Twisted opens in downtown Columbus this weekend

Posted on May 18, 2012 by ledlight

There’s a new place to shake your groove thang in downtown Columbus.

Twisted opens Friday night at 1111 Broadway, the location formerly known as Flip Flops. Ownership of the space has not changed.

Twisted, billed as an upscale dance club, boasts VIP areas and high-tech sound and lighting systems. The venue has multiple bars and is smoke-free inside. Smoking areas are available outside.

DJ Dizzy K, of Opera Nightclub in Atlanta, entertains Friday night at Twisted. DJ Rapko, who also has an Atlanta following, entertains on Saturday.

The interior has been remodeled since the space housed Flip Flops. One of the biggest changes is an emphasis on VIP sections. There’s even an upstairs loft VIP space that lets guests party with extra privacy.

Guests at this weekend’s grand opening have a chance to win a spot in a VIP section. Arrive by 10:45 p.m. to be entered in a drawing scheduled for 11 p.m. Drawings will be held both nights.

Eventually, a slide is expected to go inside the nightclub.

Despite the changes, some remnants of Flip Flops remain. The nightclub still sells some frozen drinks — one of Flip Flops’ signature features — and has outdoor party areas.

Discussion time, nightlife fans: What do you think of the movement toward upscale venues on the local party scene?

Can Columbus support multiple upscale nightclubs? Would you shell out money to sit in a VIP section?

When I moved to here nearly six years ago, I heard the complaint often: “Columbus needs more upscale clubs.” But when a few venues experimented with the idea, the demand didn’t always match the fantasy.

People often like to fantasize about upscale nightlife — but when it comes to asking them to pay more than the cost of a traditional night on the town, they back down.

Things have changed recently, however.

The VIP concept isn’t entirely lost in Columbus. Make a party scene seem elite enough and people become more willing to stretch their wallets.

Click on this story at ledger-enquirer.com/todo to share your thoughts on upscale nightlife in Columbus.

The cover charge this weekend at Twisted is $8, or $12 to enter both Twisted and Bootleggers.

Nashville recording artist Rachel Timberlake performs this weekend at country bar Bootleggers, 1039 Broadway.

Posted in LED light | Tagged | Leave a comment

Handspun Metal Lamps That Reclaim A Dying Craft

Posted on May 17, 2012 by ledlight

Up until the turn of the century, most metal objects, like candlestick holders, cups, and lamps, were carved by a skilled technician shaping a spinning chunk of metal with a lathe. The process is called metal spinning, and much like pot throwing, each hand-spun piece bears the stamp of its maker–imperfections and all. But metal spinning is a time-consuming process, and eventually, mass production techniques made it an obscurity. Today, there are only a handful of artisans who still specialize in the technique, and we’re more likely to be more familiar with 3-D printing than we are with metal spinning.

Irina Kozlovskaya and Aaron Tsui set out to reclaim the technique last year, and their homage to spun metal, called the SF (Spin and Fold) Lamp, debuts this week at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York.

The duo met at RISD, where they both majored in Industrial Design. In a class called Manufacturing Techniques For Designers, they visited a local lighting factory where technicians spun metal by hand. It was “eye-opening and jaw-dropping,” says Kozlovskaya through email. “We were fortunate enough to observe both automated and manual spinning operations, and have been enamored with the process ever since.”

After graduation, the duo went on to found Vim & Vigor Design, where they use high-tech of materials and techniques to produce objects like these silicon lamps or this an inductive-heat steamer. But Kozlovskaya and Tsui say they always felt nostalgic for the “countless hours” they spent in RISD’s metal shop. “We grew inspired to create a design paying homage to the vanishing art of hand-spinning metal,” they say, “and conceptualized a lampshade design that nods to this craft while fully retaining automated scalability for logical transition to mass production.”

Each SF Lamp is the unique product of its fabricator. But in addition to using traditional hand spinning, the designers introduced a “twist” in the fabrication process. First, a flat piece of metal is spun according to one of three basic patterns (obtuse, acute, or intermediate) specified by the designers. Then, the flattened pattern is punctured along one edge using a metal cutting tool. The piece is painted in one of two colorways (black/bronze or white/silver), and finally, the fabricators fold along the perforated line, making it possible to bend the flat lampshade into its final shape. The finished product is ambiguously handmade, hybridizing fabrication techniques from at least two different centuries. “The beauty of the SF Lamps is that they appear to change forms right before the eye as you walk around them,” writes the design team.

And according to Kozlovskaya, the asymmetry is a subtle reference to a quirk they observed at the lighting factory during their RISD fieldwork. “We noticed that the master spinners were physically built rather asymmetrically. If they were right-handed, their right arms and particularly their shoulders were much, much larger than their left. It was incredible to see such a specialized, skilled craftsman at work.”

Posted in LED light | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Phantom of the Riviera

Posted on May 16, 2012 by ledlight

There are few occasions when one feels a bit in awe of a car. This was one of those times. I guess you can’t blame me when we are talking about a car that is an epitome of elegance, luxury, opulence, and perhaps the true lifestyle of the rich and famous!

I was transported into that life for a few brief hours as I touched down on the French Riviera, to drive the latest car from the Rolls-Royce stable—the updated Phantom Series II. Now when Rolls-Royce does a new car, the world really takes notice. That’s because it’s not the kind of brand that regularly introduces new cars. The Phantom Series II is the updated version of the Rolls-Royce flagship car line. It had first debuted in 2003 as the very first offering from BMW, after it acquired the brand in 1998.

Since the launch of the Phantom, the company has regularly introduced other body-styles of the car, which have helped spawn a family of vehicles. Now the Series II carries that forward, with the saloon, coupe, drophead coupe, and extended wheelbase saloon. So I actually had access to the complete range when I arrived in the Cote d’Azur. I decided to pick the car that really matters to our market—the saloon (despite the fact that there are a limited number of cars sold in India).

I managed to get both cars out for a spin on a combination of roads. First we drove straight into the principality of Monaco, and its famous marina—packed with luxury yachts of all shapes and sizes. Formula One’s annual Monaco Grand Prix is held on the city-state’s roads, and it was a thrill to be able to drive on the actual track just days before this year’s race.

The Phantom has retained its grand stance, and majestic styling. At first glance you may not notice the changes made, and according to the company, this is intentional. It is the car that is bought by tycoons, royalty and heads of state—and they want it to be timeless.

The most noticeable change is in the face, where the distinct round headlight housing has been replaced by a slim LED strip that is rectangular. In fact, the headlights are now all LED, and include a smart LED bar through the middle, which serves as the daytime running lights. The front grille has been updated slightly too—though the typical Parthenon-inspired styling on it has been kept intact to maintain the old-world and grand feel of the car as it approaches. The car’s front and rear bumpers have been restyled, and I like this as the old bumpers made the car look really heavy and less agile. The chrome which surrounds the window line has also been broadened, and is now more distinct, especially at the rear.

So you could match the exterior paint colour to your favourite scarf, get leather exactly like your living room couch, or personalize the wood, metal, carpeting, and chrome too. In fact, you can also ask for other personal touches like monogrammed seats, embroidered patterns or motifs, and inlay work on the dash or windowsills. It’s all for the asking. The car also has the option of including a starlight headliner—which is an intricate pattern of LED lights sewn into the roof lining—to emulate a starry sky.

Posted in LED light | Tagged | Leave a comment

Research opens doors to UV disinfection using LED technology

Posted on May 15, 2012 by ledlight

“UV treatment utilizing LEDs would be more cost-effective, energy efficient and longer lasting,” says Dr. Ramón Collazo, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at NC State and lead author of a paper describing the research. “Our work would also allow for the development of robust and portable water-treatment technologies for use in developing countries.”

LEDs utilize aluminum nitride (AlN) as a semiconductor, because the material can handle a lot of power and create light in a wide spectrum of colors, particularly in the UV range. However, technologies that use AlN LEDs to create UV light have been severely limited because the substrates that served as the foundation for these semiconductors absorbed wavelengths of UV light that are crucial to applications in sterilization and water treatment technologies.

A team of researchers from North Carolina and Japan has developed a solution to the problem. Using computer simulation, they determined that trace carbon atoms in the crystalline structure of the AlN substrate were responsible for absorbing most of the relevant UV light. By eliminating the carbon in the substrate, the team was able to significantly improve the amount of UV light that can pass through the substrate at the desired wavelengths.

“Once we identified the problem, it was relatively easy and inexpensive to address,” says Dr. Zlatko Sitar, Kobe Steel Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at NC State and co-author of the paper.

Commercial technologies incorporating this research are currently being developed by HexaTech Inc., a spin-off company from NC State.

“This is a problem that’s been around for more than 30 years, and we were able to solve it by integrating advanced computation, materials synthesis and characterization,” says Dr. Doug Irving, assistant professor of materials science and engineering at NC State and co-author of the paper. “I think we’ll see more work in this vein as the Materials Genome Initiative moves forward, and that this approach will accelerate the development of new materials and related technologies.”

The paper, “On the origin of the 265 nm absorption band in AlN bulk crystals,” is published online in Applied Physics Letters. Co-authors include Benjamin Gaddy, Zachary Bryan, Ronny Kirste and Marc Hoffman from NC State, as well as researchers from HexaTech Inc., Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, and the Tokuyama Corporation. The research was supported with funding from the U.S. Department of Defense.

Posted in LED Lamp | Tagged | Leave a comment

For one tiny princess, book sale an enchanted forest full of stories

Posted on May 14, 2012 by ledlight

The adult feet step carefully around the tiny brown-haired child sprawled out — belly down — on the basement floor of the Victoria Curling Club. The rink, temporarily transformed into a book warehouse during the weekend, holds thousands upon thousands of soft and hardcovers laid out on tables for the annual two-day Times Colonist book sale.

Emma Lorimer doesn’t know that every penny raised goes toward literacy programs throughout Greater Victoria. She doesn’t need to know. Today, on that floor, it’s all about her new books.

Her blue eyes adoringly stare at the three covers before her on the carpet. Her feet, tucked into a neat pair of pink runners, gently wave in the air above her. Two of the new books star the always youthful Cinderella.

Anything about princesses is Emma’s fancy right now. It’s in these fairy tale worlds that anything is possible. Pumpkins become chariots, lamps grant wishes and — if a story lives long enough — people never age. It’s a place where grown-ups and children rarely meet, even though they’ve spent hours buried in many of the same books.

At home, Emma remembers her favourite stories by looking at the pictures. She can’t read yet, but that’s OK. She’s three. For now, her parents handle the words.

They keep the wizardry of imagination alive when they read to her every night before bed. First dad, then mom. When relatives come to visit, like Nanna, Auntie Little or Grandpa John, everyone has a turn, which means Emma gets to stay up a little bit later. Emma always chooses the story order.

Reality will eventually dispel the myths and magic of imaginary worlds: Kisses won’t wake sleeping beauties and tiny beans won’t grow into giant beanstalks.

But, as Emma’s mother (Kate Lorimer) says, if her daughter’s lucky, she’ll find the fairy tale in her own life and keep some of the magic alive.

Muli said the energy-saving lampposts will be installed in main avenues and roads from Barangay Sta. Cruz all the way up to Barangay Manibaug.

“These lampposts will be installed in strategic barangays with vital thoroughfares. Not only will we be using green energy on these that protects the environment but will also help our barangays save on electricity. We will start installing them soonest at Barangay Sta. Cruz then onwards to Manibaug,” he said.

Santos, for his part, told Sun.Star Pampanga that the Municipal Government has sufficient funds, although he did not disclose exactly how much would be spent for the solar-powered lampposts.

“It will actually be a one-time expense and investment. There would be huge savings for barangays in return since the solar-powered lampposts are almost maintenance-free, except for the bulbs and the batteries which have a shelf life of five years, more or less. This will be one of our legacies to Poraque?os when we leave the halls of the Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Council),” he said.

Posted in LED Lamp | Tagged | Leave a comment

SEAT Ibiza keeps its form

Posted on May 10, 2012 by ledlight

As far as launches go, this is one I’ll remember for quite a long time.

The picturesque surroundings of Oxfordshire, are home to the Crazy Bear Hotel which more than lives up to its name in more ways than one. Reception? That’s in a red double decker bus of course. Bath? That’s found at the end of the bed. SEAT did a superb job of finding a place that’ll keep people talking about the launch for sometime to come.

I have been a 3rd generation Ibizian for 7 years now and was looking forward to the new version and seeing what improvements SEAT had made.

In terms of looks, the Ibiza has always given off a young and energetic image, a mean and aggressive look but with plenty of coolness, Rafael Nadal for the road if you will. This latest version is no different and with sharp lines, angular front and LED headlights that scream ‘look at me’, the Ibiza will no doubt continue to be the best selling SEAT.

The grille on the front of the car is now a lot smaller, still has the SEAT logo emblazoned on it, but it’s the lights, head and front that do the talking.

With a choice of three body styles: SC (three-door), 5dr and ST (estate) the car can appeal to not only the younger generation, but for those needing room for kids and the dog.

There are four trim levels: E, which is found in the SC 1.2, S A/C which is the next level up and includes air conditioning as standard, the SE and finally the very cool FR, which has now been added to the ST, making it a very sporty estate.

The SC is more likely to be the most popular version of the Ibiza and although it does the business on the exterior,look inside and it’s a different story. The biggest disappointment was how cheap it all looked. Light grey plastic and basic looking dials which cheapened the car. My 3rd generation looks more up to date.

That aside, seats are still as comfortable, there is good visibility all round and as a small road car, ticks all the boxes for everything you’ll ever need.

Four people can be accommodated and now as standard there are front and side head-thorax airbags for the driver and passenger.

As with mine, the boot space isn’t too bad for a small car at 284 litres and the ST, with the rear seat backs folded down will give you a huge 1164 litres of space. The designers have also made sure that the glove box from last time out has doubled in size.

The FR is definitely the trim to go for and despite the added expense it easily rivals interiors in more expensive cars. With leather throughout and low slung sports seats, I did have to remind myself that I was driving a SEAT. In FR trim, it finally has an interior to match it’s ‘kick ass’ exterior. In my opinion, the 1.4 TSI is definitely the engine to go for as it delivers 150 PS, with the combined fuel consumption at 47.9 mpg.

Posted in LED light | Tagged | Leave a comment

Cirrus Logic’s Newest Digital LED Controller Features Two-Color Channel Mixing for Efficient

Posted on May 9, 2012 by ledlight

Cirrus Logic Inc. CRUS -3.70% has introduced its second family of digital LED controllers with digital TruDim(TM) dimmer compatibility technology designed to accelerate worldwide adoption of LED retrofit bulbs. In addition to providing near 100 percent compatibility with the world’s installed base of dimmers, the new CS163X family provides two-channel LED color mixing capabilities. This allows LED bulb manufacturers to more efficiently create warm, natural light quality while also lowering the cost barrier for two-channel LED retrofit bulbs.

The CS163X family enables improved color quality at up to 30 percent greater efficacy than with single-channel white LEDs. An innovative digital architecture provides the CS163X family with the ability to control two LED strings using components typically used to control a single LED string, resulting in lower system costs compared to today’s two-channel solutions.

In addition, the CS163X incorporates powerline calibration technology, allowing manufacturers to calibrate bulb characteristics such as light output and color temperature by sending commands via the AC mains terminals during the final manufacturing stage. This patent-pending technology allows manufacturers to utilize LEDs with a wider variation in performance characteristics, resulting in lower LED costs while maintaining consistency in light output and color temperature from bulb to bulb.

“Cirrus Logic’s CS163X two-channel, TRIAC dimmable digital LED controller is a breakthrough in digital controllers and an ideal system solution for our Brilliant Mix technology,” said Horst Varga, Applications Engineering, OSRAM Opto Semiconductors. “CS163X’s high level of integration and performance enables many new opportunities for the Brilliant Mix technology in LED retrofit applications requiring high color rendering index (CRI) and high efficacy. The combination of these technologies will accelerate the growth of LED bulbs that match the natural light color quality performance of today’s incandescent and halogen bulbs.”

Cirrus Logic entered the LED market in March 2012 with the first product in its roadmap of LED controllers, the CS161X family, which focused on solving dimmer compatibility issues. Fundamental to Cirrus Logic’s LED product family is the company’s digital TruDim technology, which was the result of a three-year investment in TRIAC interface algorithms, LED driver topologies and system architectures. TruDim digital intelligence allows the controller to identify the type of dimmer in use and adapt its dimmer compatibility algorithm to provide smooth dimming in much the same way the consumer has come to expect from decades of using incandescent light bulbs.

Posted in LED Lamp | Tagged | Leave a comment

Lumitec Inc. founder John Kujawa set up business in heart of his target market, the recreational boating industry

Posted on May 8, 2012 by ledlight

John Kujawa founded Delray Beach-based Lumitec Inc., a technology firm focused on the development and manufacture of extreme-environment LED lighting, in 2007. He started off with one employee and now has 21.

Setting business roots down in South Florida was important to Kujawa because this is where his family is and where he grew up playing, fishing and exploring in South Florida’s waters.

But it’s also in the heart of his target market, the recreational boating industry, he says. Lumitec develops, manufactures and sells high-intensity underwater lighting. It makes dome and accent lighting for marine vessels. From task lighting to engine room illumination, all the products are made locally.

Lumitec is a provider of engineering and design services to customize lighting needs. Some of its custom lighting projects where developed for customers like the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Homeland Security and Safe Boats International.

How did you get into the marine business? I have always loved being on the water. Since I was old enough to ride a bike I’ve been fooling around on boats of all types and sizes. When I moved back from Silicon Valley to Delray Beach and decided to start a company, the marine industry was a natural choice.

What did you base your business foundation upon? I firmly believe these are the most important fundamental requirements for success: Focus, hard work and determination. We were very fortunate to have gone cash-flow positive after only about 5 quarters. And that was in 2008 when our industry was facing its darkest hour. Since that point we have been able to completely self-fund our growth which has averaged about 120 percent per year. We reinvest heavily — mostly on staff and specialized software and tools to support development and manufacturing. I feel strongly that our continued success will be closely linked to our industry leadership in the area of technical expertise. It doesn’t happen alone — I credit our stellar team for getting us to where we are today.

What can you do that your competitors cannot? 1: Respond. Because we manufacture on-site and buy from mostly local suppliers, we can respond to customer requests extremely quickly. Our suppliers accommodate our requests for things like custom paint colors or specialized short-run circuit boards because of the long-term nature of our relationships.

2: Innovate. Most of us here at Lumitec are boaters. Many of our key customers are easily accessible to us. Moreover, we have well equipped electrical, mechanical, prototyping and optical labs on site. This means we can take an inspiration or an interesting customer suggestion and quickly bring it to life, test it, play with it. If we like it, we run it by our customers for feedback and then we can quickly bring it to market.

3: Adapt. One of our core philosophies is to develop processes which are scalable and structured, but allow for flexibility. Our production tables and fixtures are on wheels. A single circuit board may be used in 12 different products. Features are software driven instead of hardware defined.

Posted in LED light | Tagged | Leave a comment

Local residents appear in ‘The Avengers’

Posted on May 7, 2012 by ledlight

Childhood friends Kyle Gainor and Dan Brothers grew up as fans of “The Avengers” comic books- now they’re part of Avengers history as extras in the blockbuster film.

The Salem residents drove back and forth to Cleveland for a week last summer while on vacation from their real jobs, but both agreed the long nights and long waits between shots were worth the few seconds they appeared on screen.

“We’re part of it – it makes it that much more exciting,” Brothers said.

The two 1990 graduates of Salem High School saw the film Friday night and saw fleeting glimpses of themselves in the trailer and in the movie itself – Gainor dressed in a tuxedo as a gala guest and Brothers dressed in jeans, a tan shirt and a white windbreaker as a random European tourist.

The scenes they filmed took place in Stuttgart, Germany, but Gainor was actually inside the Cleveland courthouse and part of Tower City for the gala event and had to run out of the doors of Tower City into Public Square, which doubled as a beer garden. Brothers was already in the beer garden area and said his part was basically as a “prop that eats.”

Gainor said he literally ran into the director, Joss Whedon, said excuse me and kept walking without realizing until later who it was. He also said hello to the actor playing the villain Loki.

“He was really sociable,” Brothers said, explaining that during the scene when they had to kneel before Loki, he tried to entertain them between takes.

They also learned a lot about how a movie is actually filmed, such as how cars are flipped over and how long

of a process it is to get what ends up being just a few minutes in the final cut. They noticed water trucks hosing down the roads and when they asked why, they learned the light reflects off of the water and helps with the lighting. For the gala scene, apple juice was used for champagne.

The security was tight, so they have no pictures of themselves in action or of any scenes. Everyone had to leave their cameras and cell phones off the set. Anyone who tried to take a picture had to delete it and then they were asked to leave. They also weren’t allowed to talk to the press during the filming.

Gainor and Brothers were just happy to get the experience of being there – the fact that they got paid $10 an hour plus overtime for any time over eight hours in a day was a bonus.

When they first heard the film was being made and parts were being shot in Cleveland, they wanted to try to be part of it because it was “The Avengers.” So they did some research, found out about an open casting call at a hotel outside the city and stood in line. They had never done anything like that before and with all the throngs of people there didn’t think they would get selected.

All they had to do was give their name, contact information and clothing sizes, pose for a photo, then wait for the phone to ring. Gainor got the call first, then Brothers a few days later. Gainor had to go six days and Brothers was there five days. They would arrive in the afternoon and then go home early in the morning because their scenes took place at night.

Posted in LED Lamp | Tagged | Leave a comment

‘Ghost The Musical’: A Magical Experience for the Theatre

Posted on May 4, 2012 by ledlight

In the era of brand development and brand extensions, it’s no surprise that the producers of “Ghost The Musical” desired to create a production for the theatre.  The movie, “Ghost,” released in 1990 starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg, was a huge commercial success and grossed nearly a billion dollars in worldwide sales.  The movie was also nominated for five Academy Awards and won two awards for Best Original Screenplay (Bruce Joel Rubin) and Best Supporting Actress (Whoopi Goldberg).

Prior to the Broadway opening, “Ghost The Musical” was already a hit at the Manchester Opera House in England and the Piccadilly Theatre on London’s West End, where it is currently playing, with ticket sales extending through 2013.

The London production received five 2012 Laurence Olivier Award nominations.  “Ghost The Musical” received three Tony Award nominations, including Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical by Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Making her Broadway debut, Randolph also received an Outer Critics Circle nomination for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.  The show also is nominated for Best Scenic Design of a Musical and Best Lighting Design of a Musical. In addition, the production received a 2012 Drama League nomination for Best Musical and a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Set Design. “Ghost The Musical” opens in Melbourne, Australia in 2013.

The great news is that the original screenwriter, Bruce Joel Rubin, also created the book for the musical and co-authored the lyrics for the songs featured in the show with multiple Grammy-award winning songwriters/producers Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) and Glen Ballard.  “Ghost The Musical” features Richard Fleeshman (Sam Wheat), Caissie Levy (Molly Jensen), Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Oda Mae Brown) and Bryce Pinkham (Carl Bruner). Although the actors in the Broadway production have a tall order to fill, the cast is very talented—especially Randolph in the role of Oda Mae Brown.

What is most impressive about this stage version of the moving love story about the afterlife and the supernatural, is the genius of the creative team lead by director Matthew Warchus, with video and projection designer Jon Driscoll, lighting designer Hugh Vanstone, illusionist Paul Kieve, sound designer Bobby Aitken, set designer Rob Howell and choreographer Ashley Wallen.

With the use of LED technology and stage illusions, “Ghost The Musical” becomes a magical theater experience for the audience.  From the  lighting, the scenic designs and the various sound effects, the creative team visually captures the movie’s highlight moments, such as the scene in the New York’s financial district, which includes the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ boards; the elevator and office scenes; the subway fight and hospital scenes with the ghosts; the spirit of ghosts descending to hell; the haunting ghost; the movement of objects; the images of ghosts moving through the doors and other hard objects; and the final journey of Sam Wheat’s spirit to heaven. All are coupled with chorography, including the dancers as Wall Street workers and other key dance scenes.

Posted in LED light | Tagged | Leave a comment