Saturday, December 28, 2013
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
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Thursday, December 12, 2013
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
uruguay legalizes marijuana
Uruguay makes history by becoming the first country in the world to legalise the sale and production of cannabis
- Law will allow users to buy marijuana if register with the government
- Activists take to the streets of Montevideo to celebrate landmark legislation
- But the law could put Uruguay in breach of international anti-drug treaty
By
Hugo Gye
|
Uruguay has become the first country in the world to legalise marijuana after passing a law which allows the production, sale and use of the drug.
Last night hundreds of cannabis-smoking supporters cheered and set off fireworks as they celebrated the new legislation in the centre of the capital, Montevideo.
The law permits both the large-scale distribution of marijuana and the growing of small amounts by individuals - although it will be tightly controlled by the country's Left-wing government.
Celebration: Campaigners in Uruguay during a vote to legalise the sale and production of marijuana
March: Demonstrators on a parade through the streets of Montevideo supporting the new law
International groups have warned that Uruguay's legislation violates global treaties which state that narcotics should remain illegal in every country.
Senator Roberto Conde, of the ruling Broad Front, said that 'the war against drugs has failed' as he presented the bill, which was passed in the Senate by 16 votes out of 29.
Another senator, Alberto Couriel, added: 'It is an historic day. Uruguay is now on the international forefront of this issue.'
President Jose Mujica, a former guerrilla fighter, has described the legalisation plan as an experiment, saying: 'There are a lot of doubts and the doubts are legitimate.
'But doubts shouldn't paralyse us in trying new paths to deal with this problem that has gripped us.'
Legal: Uruguay is the first country in the world to create a regulated market for cannabis
Joyful: Another marijuana fan wearing a hat which trumpets his support for the government's measure
WHICH COUNTRY WILL BE NEXT? DRUG LAWS AROUND THE WORLD
Uruguay is the first country fully to legalise the production,
distribution of sale of marijuana, but several other countries have
relaxed their laws against the drug in recent years.
The Netherlands is well-known for its liberal policy on cannabis, and the capital Amsterdam is full of 'coffee shops' where residents and tourists can smoke weed, although production is still illegal.
Switzerland, Spain and Canada are among the many other states where the drug has been decriminalised for personal use, with official efforts directed against dealers and producers instead.
Last year the U.S. states of Colorado and Washington both voted to make the sale and use of marijuana legal - however, as it is still banned under federal law, the long-term functioning of the states' laws are uncertain.
In addition, 18 other American states allow the use of medical marijuana, and in some of those states it is so easy to obtain a licence for this that the drug is effectively decriminalised.
The Netherlands is well-known for its liberal policy on cannabis, and the capital Amsterdam is full of 'coffee shops' where residents and tourists can smoke weed, although production is still illegal.
Switzerland, Spain and Canada are among the many other states where the drug has been decriminalised for personal use, with official efforts directed against dealers and producers instead.
Last year the U.S. states of Colorado and Washington both voted to make the sale and use of marijuana legal - however, as it is still banned under federal law, the long-term functioning of the states' laws are uncertain.
In addition, 18 other American states allow the use of medical marijuana, and in some of those states it is so easy to obtain a licence for this that the drug is effectively decriminalised.
Anyone over 18 will be allowed to grow up to six marijuana plants each, join a cannabis club or buy up to 40 grams per month from a pharmacy, as long as they have registered with the government.
Valeria Rubino, an activist who has taken part in marches supporting the law, described it as 'another blow against social hypocrisy'.
However, opposition parties have opposed the measure, while pharmacists are angry that they will have to sell marijuana.
A poll taken in September suggested that 61 per cent of Uruguayans disapprove of the law.
Legalising cannabis will 'diminish the perception of risk and foster consumption, especially among children and adolescents,' said Alfredo Solari, a senator from the opposition Colorado Party.
'Neither our government nor the rest of the world should experiment with Uruguayans.'
Even some drug users oppose the measure, because they argue that the government controls on marijuana are overly restrictive.
Pioneer: The production of marijuana is
currently illegal worldwide, although some countries have relaxed their
anti-drug laws in recent years
'It's invasive, because it is not up to the government to determine how much marijuana can be consumed and the quality,' said Alicia Castilla, the author of a book on 'Cannabis Culture'.
The International Narcotics Control Board, which oversees international treaties on drugs, has warned that the law violates the Single Convention of Narcotic Drugs, adopted in 1961 by Uruguay and 185 other countries.
But following decades of drug-related violence throughout Latin America, a number of former leaders from the region have endorsed the plan.
Mr Conde insisted that the law will do nothing more than recognise what is already happening around the country.
'Marijuana is the illegal drug that is most consumed, fundamentally by young people, one that is perceived as extremely low risk and is easily obtained,' he said.
The government has accompanied the law with a publicity campaign featuring the slogan, 'All drug consumption has risks.'
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Buy the Right AC for Your Home
Isn’t it getting hotter by the day? Summer has already started
knocking at our doors and the time is just right to start planning to
take on the sweltering heat of May-June and itchy humid weather of
July-August head-on. But how?
The
answer is simple. Start looking for the right air conditioner for your
home. A right sized AC is the one that you buy keeping in mind the size
of your room, ambient climate, amount of light coming into the room,
area of windows, direction of windows, floor number, number of people
occupying the room, number of lights and computers in the room. That
sounds complex!
Here is an easy three step guide to help you buy the right AC (air conditioner):
1. Tonnage: Is bigger the better?
Ton or Tonnage measures the cooling capacity of an air conditioner as per the size and requirement of the room. The cooling capacity of an AC is its ability to extract a certain amount of heat from a room in an hour, which is measured in Btu/hr (British thermal unit/hour). The AC is considered to be more powerful when the Btu/hr value is higher. The Btu for an AC usually ranges from 5,000 to 24,000, with 12,000 Btu being equivalent to one ton.
When it comes to air conditioners, bigger is not necessarily better – an oversized air-conditioner is less effective and less energy efficient. If the unit is too large, it will cool the room quickly, but only remove some of the humidity, leaving the room damp. A right sized unit removes humidity effectively as it cools. In order to cool a room uniformly while maximising efficiency, the direction of the cooled air should be delivered to the center of the room rather than the left or right.
Here is an approximation to assist you in picking the right sized AC for your room:
The actual tonnage considers a number of factors such as the actual
size of the room, ambient climate, amount of light that enters the room,
area and direction of windows, the floor on which your room is
situated, number of people occupying the room and the number of lights
and computers in the room.
2. Split or Window AC?
The challenge after deciding the tonnage is to choose between a window and a split AC. Buying a window AC is more convenient in case you change homes frequently. Power consumption by both, split and window ACs is more or less the same, but since installation and re-installation charges of a split AC are higher, most buyers prefer a window AC. The benefit of a split AC is the flexibility of installation. It doesn’t require a special vent or a window to be fixed. A split AC is more aesthetically pleasing and also makes lesser noise than a window AC. In case you’re looking for variety, split ACs will provide more choices. For more powerful ACs, like a 2 ton AC, split air conditioners are usually a more convenient choice compared to a window air conditioner.
3. Energy Efficiency and Star Rating: Trust the stars.
Come summer, and your electricity bills shoot up in direct proportion to the soaring temperature. Air conditioners consume the maximum amount of power. However, it is now possible to buy an air conditioner that is more energy efficient and consumes lesser power. If you plan to invest in an AC this summer, make sure you check the star rating from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). This rating helps you decide which AC will help you cut down on power consumption while saving energy and being environment-friendly. In India, an AC runs for around 252 days on an average. The BEE rates appliances from 1 to 5 stars. A 5 star AC is the most energy efficient and consumes the lowest energy while conserving energy and drastically reducing your electricity bills.
In case you want to explore the brands that are active in this market and want to select an AC that fits your budget, you can choose from a wide range of the most sought after ACs here: http://shopping.indiatimes.com/electronics/electronics-home-appliances-air-conditioners/
The
answer is simple. Start looking for the right air conditioner for your
home. A right sized AC is the one that you buy keeping in mind the size
of your room, ambient climate, amount of light coming into the room,
area of windows, direction of windows, floor number, number of people
occupying the room, number of lights and computers in the room. That
sounds complex!Here is an easy three step guide to help you buy the right AC (air conditioner):
1. Tonnage: Is bigger the better?
Ton or Tonnage measures the cooling capacity of an air conditioner as per the size and requirement of the room. The cooling capacity of an AC is its ability to extract a certain amount of heat from a room in an hour, which is measured in Btu/hr (British thermal unit/hour). The AC is considered to be more powerful when the Btu/hr value is higher. The Btu for an AC usually ranges from 5,000 to 24,000, with 12,000 Btu being equivalent to one ton.
When it comes to air conditioners, bigger is not necessarily better – an oversized air-conditioner is less effective and less energy efficient. If the unit is too large, it will cool the room quickly, but only remove some of the humidity, leaving the room damp. A right sized unit removes humidity effectively as it cools. In order to cool a room uniformly while maximising efficiency, the direction of the cooled air should be delivered to the center of the room rather than the left or right.
Here is an approximation to assist you in picking the right sized AC for your room:
| Room Size (Sq Feet) | Capacity Needed (Tonnage) |
| Up to 120 | Up to 0.75 |
| 121 – 150 | Up to 1 |
| 151 – 250 | Up to 1.5 |
| 251 – 400 | 2 or above |
2. Split or Window AC?
The challenge after deciding the tonnage is to choose between a window and a split AC. Buying a window AC is more convenient in case you change homes frequently. Power consumption by both, split and window ACs is more or less the same, but since installation and re-installation charges of a split AC are higher, most buyers prefer a window AC. The benefit of a split AC is the flexibility of installation. It doesn’t require a special vent or a window to be fixed. A split AC is more aesthetically pleasing and also makes lesser noise than a window AC. In case you’re looking for variety, split ACs will provide more choices. For more powerful ACs, like a 2 ton AC, split air conditioners are usually a more convenient choice compared to a window air conditioner.
3. Energy Efficiency and Star Rating: Trust the stars.
Come summer, and your electricity bills shoot up in direct proportion to the soaring temperature. Air conditioners consume the maximum amount of power. However, it is now possible to buy an air conditioner that is more energy efficient and consumes lesser power. If you plan to invest in an AC this summer, make sure you check the star rating from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). This rating helps you decide which AC will help you cut down on power consumption while saving energy and being environment-friendly. In India, an AC runs for around 252 days on an average. The BEE rates appliances from 1 to 5 stars. A 5 star AC is the most energy efficient and consumes the lowest energy while conserving energy and drastically reducing your electricity bills.
In case you want to explore the brands that are active in this market and want to select an AC that fits your budget, you can choose from a wide range of the most sought after ACs here: http://shopping.indiatimes.com/electronics/electronics-home-appliances-air-conditioners/
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