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Jerry Poll
Fasteners--nuts, bolts, screws, washers, etc.--hold together a myriad of manufactured products--from toys to spacecraft and everything in between. Most fasteners are coated to protect from corrosion, to improve appearance, or to achieve some special property such as controlling the amount of torque required to tighten a threaded fastener.
It's big business for some finishers. An East-Coast job shop finishes over 100 million fasteners annually. A Detroit shop processes one million pounds daily.
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The trends in fastener finishing differ from industry to industry. But ask about trends and you'll learn quickly that the trend setter is the automotive industry. It requires hundreds of millions of fasteners annually. World-wide competition has mandated vehicles that last longer in environments from sub-zero northern winters to tropical rain forests. Cars and their fasteners are subjected to deicing salts in slush on city streets; high temperatures in the vicinity of the engine; abrasion from sand and gravel thrown by the wheels; UV exposure, and wet-and-dry detergent-wash cycles associated with rain and car washing.
Fasteners are an important part of avoiding failures and expensive recalls. Quality has become much more important as fewer fasteners are used, to save weight.
So most of what we report here as trends in fastener finishing is really about trends in automotive-fastener finishing. But in many cases manufacturers of other products can learn from what automotive manufacturers are doing to improve the durability of their fasteners.
Driving Forces
Before we look at trends in finishes and finishing methods, let's consider the forces that are driving change.
- Longer warranties. Today's automobiles--and indeed many other manufactured products--are expected to perform well over a longer time. Long gone is the idea of cars built to encourage replacement in three years. Ford Motor Co., for example, has a "4-6-10" requirement for fasteners. For four years the fastener must maintain its appearance; for six years it must allow for disassembly with common hand tools; and for a minimum of ten years it must keep the joint joined. Meeting such requirements requires finishes that offer much better protection from corrosion.
- Environmental concerns. Many years ago we began to hear that some of the Japanese and European auto manufacturers were calling for elimination of cadmium plating, because of its environmental hazards. Shortly thereafter the U.S. government called a conference to examine replacements for cadmium plating, which was widely specified by our military for its electrical contact properties and for corrosion resistance. Some scoffed at the importance of these happenings. But cadmium plating has been outlawed in all but the most unusual automotive applications. In the case of General Motors, GM of Europe issued an edict several years ago to the effect "Thou shalt not use cadmium." That was enough to force action from the entire corporation, and cadmium has been eliminated not only from its use as a coating, but from batteries, paint pigments and other uses as well.
Cadmium plating is still in use for some automotive, military and aerospace applications, it should be noted, despite the long-ago conference to seek replacements. But even in these applications its use is declining. Cadmium plating on automotive fasteners has been replaced by other finishes. More about that later.
Now we are hearing about moves to eliminate chromium, another metal on environmentalists' hit list. Opel, part of GM in Germany, reportedly has plans to eliminate use of hexavalent chromium from its autos. This may spread throughout GM world-wide. Volvo has a test involving perspiration and how much chromium is leached in a given time-a worker-safety-related concern.
Elimination of chromium would be a problem for fastener manufacturers who depend upon chromate conversion coatings applied after zinc plating to prevent the early onset of white corrosion. There are substitutes, but none thus far is as versatile and as protective as the existing families of chromates.
Since very little electroplating is done inside automotive plants these days (most is out-sourced to fastener manufacturers and the contract electroplaters who do the finishing for them), why should auto manufacturers be concerned? Platers point out that the technology for dealing with pollutants in their plants is well understood, and regulated.
The answer, apparently, is that the producers want to be viewed as part of the "green" movement, actively involved in complete elimination of materials that could be toxic if they enter streams. They want to be ahead of the "green" movement.
The concept of the "world car" is a driving force encouraging use of identical materials and avoidance of certain materials wherever a multi-national company produces automobiles.
- Consensus specifications. Each auto manufacturer has its own specifications for fastener finishes (see Tables). To supply automotive manufacturers and their Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, finishers must meet these specs. Overall that increases costs because you must use a number of different coatings and different process cycles to meet the demands of your customers. You would be more efficient if you could meet a specification for a certain type of fastener and have your finishes accepted by all the auto manufacturers.
The auto companies understand this and are encouraging movement toward consensus specifications developed by SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers), ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials), etc. Groups such as USCAR (United States Council for Automotive Research) and AIFG (Automotive Industry Fastener Group) are using the expertise of the automotive companies as well as their suppliers and finishers of fasteners to develop common specs, and standards for testing. Internationally, there is cooperation between European and North American suppliers to develop commonality.
For similar reasons auto producers are encouraging suppliers to use fewer different types of finishes, encouraging world-wide standardization and the economies of scale that would result.
- Salt Spray? ASTM B-117 salt spray has been criticized as an unreliable method of accelerated corrosion testing for as long as I can remember. But it is still by far the most widely used quality-control method to evaluate corrosion resistance of coatings.
Auto companies are reportedly moving away from dependence on this test, however, increasing their reliance on cyclic tests (alternating cold-hot-dry-moist-salt-water-immersion cycles). Part of the criticism of this test has been that some specs are calling for thousands of hours of exposure before failure. At the same time manufacturers want "just-in-time" delivery. So to meet these two needs a plater might have to keep a large inventory while he awaits test results. Cyclic testing meets this need, at least half-way.
Accelerated tests such as salt spray and CASS have much more validity in predicting what happens in short field exposures. Correlation of longer tests with longer field exposure is not good.
Test-track results in which vehicles are run through simulated conditions of use for extended periods of time are considered still more reliable, but they take far longer to get results. Some coatings perform better in salt spray than in cyclic testing or mobile exposure.
- Multi-national competition. If a manufacturer in one country finds a way to improve his fasteners, the race is on in other countries to make similar improvement. It's no longer good enough to meet the competition from U.S. manufacturers only.
Bottom line, the auto companies want to tell their suppliers what they need in terms of performance and let the suppliers find the best and most economical way to apply it. But we're not there yet.
- Automated Assembly. The use of tools that tighten fasteners, using robotics and similar automation, requires that the same torque or twisting force be applied each time a fastener is tightened. If the coating causes too much friction, binding may result. Torque may not be sufficient to produce the tightness required. In a like manner, if the coating produces threads that are over-lubricated, the tool may over-tighten the fastener and cause damage to the joint. These are "torque-tension" relationships and consistency is vital. Finishers must show that their coatings provide just the right amount of lubricity. Oils, waxes and organic coatings are applied to adjust lubricity.
- Reduced Weight. Ever since the days of the OPEC oil embargo, auto manufacturers have been on a diet-designers seeking ways to lower the weight (and thus the fuel consumption) of their cars. Indeed there are government mandates requiring lower and lower fuel consumption as the years pass. This in turn has led to designs that require fewer heavy fasteners, and of aluminum, magnesium and plastics in engines, bodies, interiors and subassemblies.
With the increasing use of aluminum and magnesium, the fastener finisher has to deal with avoiding bimetallic corrosion on a scale not seen previously. Wherever a steel fastener is in contact with a dissimilar metal, there is a potential problem of one surface corroding more rapidly than the mating surface, because of the formation of galvanic cells. Aluminum and magnesium in contact with steel will sacrificially corrode if not protected.
- Color Coding. Assemblers require fastener manufacturers to color code fasteners to avoid confusion. Fasteners for right-hand or left-hand applications may appear identical but are not; some fasteners that are very slightly different in dimensions also appear identical. Color coding to make identification easier has become an important part of the finishing process.
- Increased Electronics. Today's car has more computer-like controls than the first moon-landing vehicle. Engines, brakes, lighting systems, radio controls, security systems, guidance systems and the like all depend upon the reliable flow of electrons. And obviously the fasteners used for grounding screws and for other parts of these subassemblies must not oxidize to the point where electrical conductivity is interrupted. The answer used to be cadmium plating. Electroplated zinc alloys and tin-zinc alloys as well as metal-containing organic coatings are the substitutes. More about these later.
- Quality Mandates. Auto manufacturers traditionally required their suppliers to subject themselves to quality audits conducted by the manufacturers. The auto company representative visited the facility and inspected for statistical quality control, record-keeping, cleanliness, laboratory testing, good chemical-process practice, etc.--to demonstrate that quality products were being produced consistently.
The car makers want to get away from on-site surveys. Instead they want their suppliers to meet requirements of QS 9000, an automotive-industry version of ISO 9000. To qualify, a supplier must pass a quality audit from an outside auditor, proving that he is producing and continuously improving quality. Many of the finishers who plate or coat fasteners for automotive Tier 1 and 2 suppliers will have to meet these requirements.
- Fastener Quality Act. In 1985 reports of "counterfeit" fasteners of substandard quality being sold as quality fasteners triggered Congressional hearings and eventually Public Law 101592. President Bush signed it into law in 1990. Public Law 104113 amended it in March, 1996. Originally it appeared that this legislation was aimed at substandard high-strength fasteners used in critical applications such as aircraft --a relatively small percentage of all the fasteners produced. But the act did not specifically designate which fasteners are affected, and it now appears that perhaps 55 pct of the fasteners produced will have to comply. For the finisher this would mean increased record keeping, proof of coating thickness being up to specification, proof of hydrogen embrittlement relief, perhaps test results from salt spray tests, etc.--for each lot. Thus a plater producing large amounts of coated fasteners might have to invest in additional salt-spray cabinets, thickness-test equipment, and the personnel to run them.
The Act requires that testing also be done by laboratories certified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Because there are not enough laboratories certified as yet, implementation of the act has been delayed, at least until May 27, 1998. When applied, the act may impose additional paperwork costs on finishers.
Choices: Fastener Finishes
It wasn't that many years ago that when you spoke of finishing fasteners for automotive, you really were talking primarily about electroplating. Most of the electroplating was zinc, followed by chromate conversion coating to delay the onset of white corrosion of the zinc. Most of the remaining electroplating was cadmium, also chromated. For interior fasteners and under-hood parts, manufacturers specified a lot of phosphate-and-oil. And some under-hood and under-body fasteners were simply painted black, producing enough corrosion resistance hopefully to get out of the show room with not too much rust showing. Indeed there were fasteners that were not coated at all-they were heavy enough to corrode for a long time before failure, and red rust locked the fastener in place.
Zinc plating is still the most common finish for automotive fasteners. But to meet today's salt-spray test requirements (see Table of Specifications) thickness of some electroplates has been increased by 50 to 100 pct-from 0.2 mil to 0.3 or 0.45 mil; and organic coatings may be applied over the zinc plate to further extend corrosion resistance.
You will note as you examine the specifications for plated finishes that 0.2 mil is still in a number of the specs for zinc plate. But platers point out that they may have to apply 0.35 mil to assure application of 0.2 mil minimum at the point where the measurement must be made-which may be a low-current-density area. Suppliers point out that alkaline zinc plating baths plate more uniformly, and in some cases this may help to provide the minimum thickness required.
Phosphate/oil. There is still some phosphate and oil, used alone or as an undercoat on fasteners that will be painted. But some of it has been replaced. One reason is that the oil used was transferred to hands and gloves of assembly-line workers, which in turn soiled upholstery and other surfaces inside the car. This was exacerbated by just-in-time delivery, which meant that the oil on these fasteners was fresher and there was more of it. The oil also damaged some plastic parts, and caused problems in automated-feed bowls. There is now a specification requiring that phosphate-and-oil finishes be dry to the touch.
Zinc Alloys. Electrodeposition of zinc alloys has been used more extensively in Europe and Asia than in North America, but its use is increasing here, mostly for automotive applications. It is estimated that 10 pct of zinc platers now apply alloy zinc as well.
Some alloys are specified by U.S. manufacturers seeking a replacement for cadmium. Some are specified because corrosion resistance of the alloys is much better than that of non-alloy zinc-three to six times as much salt-spray resistance as straight zinc. These results have been confirmed by four-year mobile environmental tests in Europe. It may be possible to apply thinner zinc alloys while meeting the corrosion-resistance specs of all-zinc plates, thus improving productivity. There is also interest in the aerospace industry, for the same reasons.
Electroplaters are using zinc alloyed with nickel, cobalt and iron as fastener finishes. The alloys provide more corrosion resistance than all-zinc plates of the same thickness. As with conventional zinc plating, commercially available solutions can be acidic or alkaline in the case of the cobalt and nickel alloys, while the iron alloy is available only as an alkaline solution. And as with zinc plating, there are advantages and disadvantages for each. The acidic solution is better for plating of hardened or heat-treated steel fasteners, for example, while the alkaline bath provides more even deposit-thickness distribution, but plates at only 60 pct efficiency. There are applications for which each type of bath is better suited.
The zinc-cobalt alloys provide optimum corrosion resistance at 0.4 to 1.0 pct by weight cobalt in the deposit. Cobalt content lower or higher than that does not improve corrosion resistance.
Zinc-nickel alloys are similar in that they can be plated from acid or alkaline electrolytes, but different in that the percentage of alloying element is considerably higher. The range is six to 20 pct for acid solutions. There are alkaline baths that plate in the range of five to 10 pct, and others that work in the range of 10-15 pct. The higher percentages of nickel reportedly improve corrosion resistance over that provided by the cobalt alloy of the same thickness.
Zinc-iron alloys are normally plated from alkaline solutions. Iron content is in the range of 0.4 to one pct. These deposits readily accept yellow and non-silver black chromates. The mechanism of corrosion protection is somewhat different from that of the other chromated zinc alloys. The iron in the deposit migrates into the chromate film and reacts with it to produce a corrosion resistant film.
There is also a tin-zinc alloy for fasteners used in electrical applications. It accepts a chromate and can be bent or crushed while maintaining corrosion resistance.
One plater applies two layers of electroplate--a proprietary nickel plate followed by a zinc-nickel alloy. These fasteners then receive a black electrocoat paint. In another version of this he applies the nickel plate, then a zinc plate and a black chromate. Both finishes are applied to meet certain GM specifications.
Electrodepositing alloys requires more careful control, regardless of the metal being plated. The electrolyte composition and the operating conditions--temperature, anode placement, agitation, etc.--must be monitored more carefully to assure that the percentage of alloying element is what is specified. It is important to control deposit thickness as well. And while some baths offer easier control of alloy constituents than others, plating shops applying the alloys should have analytical equipment such as atomic absorption spectrophotometers (AA) as well as reliable thickness-testing equipment. If the alloy-metal content and the thickness are not within the ranges required, corrosion resistance will suffer. Inconsistency can be a problem.
Because of the additional investment required, not every zinc plater has rushed in to provide alloys as well. It's a special niche that some platers have carved out for themselves in hope of gaining competitive advantage.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that specifiers have not come to consensus on which of the alloys should be specified. One European auto maker has decided that zinc/iron best meets his needs; another will accept only zinc/nickel. Thus a plater who wants to meet demands of more than one auto manufacturer may have to install more than one type of solution and train his workers to operate the different solutions-an expense that may be difficult to recover in the competitive automotive-parts marketplace. Nevertheless, use of alloy plates worldwide has expanded through the 1980s, and this is expected to continue.
Chromates. Both zinc and zinc-alloy electroplates require application of chromate conversion coatings, to improve corrosion resistance. These post-plate chemical treatments delay the formation of white corrosion products that form as zinc begins to oxidize. Red rust does not form until the zinc has been penetrated to the basis metal, and this is a function of the thickness of the plate and of its ability to provide sacrificial protection of the steel.
Zinc-nickel alloys are somewhat more difficult to chromate than all-zinc plates. They require special chromate treatments.
The colors of chromate coatings and their protective qualities vary with the type of chromate and with the deposit being treated-whether zinc or zinc alloy. Many of the fasteners one sees as a consumer are treated with a "blue-bright" chromate that approaches the appearance of chromium plating when applied on a very bright zinc plate. But chromates also can produce yellow, olive drab, black and green finishes, some of which are more protective than the common "blue bright." In applying zinc electroplates, finishers say the yellow chromate is the most commonly applied, followed by black, green and clear coatings.
While alloy plates can be chromated, the appearance may be different from what would be expected in chromating all-zinc plates. The traditional yellow chromate, for example, may be bronze, purple and iridescent when applied on alloy deposits. This does not mean it is less protective. It is simply different in color.
Some manufacturers specify the use of special post-plate treatments when a zinc plated steel fastener is to be in contact with magnesium. A yellow chromate coating is applied, then a proprietary alkaline silicate solution is used as a leachant. The latter improves corrosion resistance and minimizes the damage resulting from galvanic corrosion between a zinc plated steel fastener and a magnesium part.
In automotive applications there is strong demand for black fasteners. In the case of all-zinc deposits this is achieved by the use of silver additives, which produce black in the chromating process. General Motors is seriously considering elimination of the use of silver additives, however.
Cobalt, nickel and iron alloys can be chromated to produce a black color without the addition of silver, and the corrosion protection offered is better than that of the silver-containing chromates used on all-zinc deposits.
Blue-bright chromates are generally not recommended for use on zinc alloys. Only minimal improvement in corrosion resistance could be expected.
Mechanical plating. Fasteners for automotive applications are mechanically plated with zinc and zinc alloys (see specifications). Mechanical plating is a process for applying one metal over another as a coating, without the use of electrical current. It is done by tumbling the parts--fasteners in this case--in a mixture of glass beads, "promoter chemicals," and metallic particles. The glass beads impact the metallic particles and the fasteners, pounding the particles against the surface being plated. The result is "cold welding" of small metallic particles onto the fasteners. The process also has been referred to as "peen plating" and "mechanical galvanizing."
An advantage of mechanical plating is that the process itself does not cause hydrogen embrittlement. In electroplating, hydrogen embrittlement can cause fasteners to fracture under load, leading to catastrophic failure. Risk of embrittlement increases in electroplating of high-strength steels. Thus a process that does not in itself engender embrittlement is helpful. Indeed, certain high-strength steel used for aircraft applications are typically mechanically plated rather than electroplated. It should be noted, however, that while mechanical plating does not cause embrittlement, the acids used in pickling and pretreatment can. Thus, baking to provide hydrogen-embrittlement relief still may be necessary, although there is less tendency for hydrogen to be entrapped than if the metal coating is applied by electrodeposition. It is easier for hydrogen to escape through a mechanical plate.
In passing we should note that hot-dipped galvanized fasteners have been widely used outside of the auto industry, particularly in construction. Zinc thicknesses exceeding two mils provide excellent corrosion resistance in these applications, although re-cutting of threads may be necessary when such heavy coatings are applied, and this may leave the threads bare.
Dip-Spin Coatings. The greatest change in fastener finishing for automotive applications is the increasing acceptance of so-called dip-spin finishes. This is not new technology, but dip-spin coatings have been improving and increasing their share of the market for fastener finishing.
A typical dip-spin procedure begins by pretreating the fasteners. Abrasive blasting followed by alkaline cleaning may be the procedure. Or a multi-stage clean/phosphate cycle may precede paint application. Sometimes an electroplate is applied before dip-spin processing. It depends upon the intended use of the fastener.
The pretreated fasteners feed into a basket, which is securely attached to a spin platform. A coating container rises to submerge the basket of fasteners. After a preset immersion time, the basket lowers half way, so that the fasteners are no longer submerged, but the paint container above the liquid level still surrounds the basket. The basket drains and the equipment spins the basket to centrifuge excess coating material from the fasteners. The excess coating material flows back into the paint container.
The equipment may incline the basket or otherwise change the position of fasteners, so as to move fasteners from the center of the load, where there is no centrifugal force, to the outside. This helps to assure better draining of all parts.
The basket empties onto a wire-mesh-belt conveyor. The latter carries the fasteners through an oven where relatively low temperatures--perhaps 275F--evaporate solvent, water or other volatiles. Then fasteners enter a second zone where the coating cures at higher temperatures--perhaps 350-425 for 10-15 min.
In most cases a second coat will be applied by the same procedure, and in some cases, a third coat. The undercoats may provide the basic corrosion resistance while topcoats may produce lubricity, color, appearance or other properties specified. The multiple coatings also aid in covering voids formed by the parts touching one another on the belt conveyor.
Some of the coatings used are simply specialized organic coatings, offering the properties of epoxies, acrylics or whatever the resin system. One supplier claims much improved corrosion resistance as a result of applying an amorphous silica coating over chromated zinc and zinc alloy electroplates. Other coatings are packed with zinc or aluminum flakes and in some cases, chromates as well. The metal-containing coatings offer higher electrical conductivity and perhaps more importantly, sacrificial protection of steel, to increase corrosion resistance.
Other dip-spin coatings are water-borne dispersions, also containing metallic zinc and aluminum platelets and/or chromium. Some of these cure at over 600F, and their manufacturer characterizes the cured coatings as "inorganic."
Silicone topcoats applied over basecoats containing ceramics in a binder also are applied, for high-temperature applications--fasteners in engine compartments or close to exhaust systems, for examples.
Electrocoat. Application of organic coatings by electrodeposition or electrophoresis, from waterborne coating materials, is also a part of today's fastener finishing. This method of applying organic coatings has the advantage of very even deposit-thickness distribution on complex shapes. Anodic electrocoats are applied on bulk fasteners in barrels. Cathodic e-coats may be applied in baskets or barrels. In both cases fasteners may have been electroplated or pretreated by phosphate conversion coating. Electrocoating is one way to apply the black coating so widely requested by auto manufacturers.
In the roofing industry finishers electrocoat large quantities of fasteners cathodically after pretreatment in an eight-stage washer. These fasteners are one to 20 inches long. The coatings are 1 to 1.2 mils thick. Application of multiple colors aids users in identification of specific types of fasteners.
Better Quality at Lower Cost
"If someone could develop a thin, dry, highly corrosion-resistant, cosmetically attractive, durable, metallic, chemical-resistant conductive finish that would provide accurate torque/tension performance and withstand temperatures over 1000F, they could corner the automotive finishing market,"1 says Brian Lowry of Curtis Metal Finishing Co.
But there is no such finish. As is obvious, there are many combinations of finishes applied on today's fasteners. Some of these combinations offer tenfold improvement of corrosion resistance as measured by salt-spray tests, but they may not provide one of the other qualities required by automotive customers.
If cost were no concern it would be relatively easy to improve the quality of coatings. Consider application of an alloy electroplate followed by a heavy chromate and then a special organic topcoat applied by dip-spin. Corrosion resistance should be outstanding, as should resistance to abrasion, heat, automotive fluids, etc.--assuming that the inorganic and organic topcoats were selected carefully for the intended application.
But this is not in the real world. Reality is that automotive companies ask their suppliers to reduce their prices by five pct annually. Some cynics will tell you that price is still more of a determinant than quality.
So finishers and their suppliers labor to find combinations of finishes that perform better but cost less. That's not easy if we remember that auto companies want continuous improvement in quality as well as lower cost.
The cost of applying fastener coatings varies from one type to another, but in general the least costly is a zinc electroplate. And while finishers have to apply as much as twice the thickness of zinc to meet today's specs, their cost for doing this has not doubled. But it has increased by perhaps 25 pct in those cases where they've had to double the thickness to assure a specified minimum thickness.
The most expensive coating is an aluminum-rich organic, and the alloy zincs are on the high side of the middle ground.
There is increasing acceptance of alloy electroplates and of dip-spin coatings for fasteners. Corrosion resistance is much better, and the alloy plates with the proper topcoat provide lubricity similar to that of cadmium plate. Thus the tools used to assemble fasteners that used to be cadmium plated can be used with minor modifications.
The increase in use of organic coatings is occurring more in exterior applications, particularly underbody fasteners, than in finishing fasteners for interior applications. And these changes are more likely when design changes occur. Parts that have been plated usually continue to be plated.
There is also increasing use of dip-spin coatings over electroplates. One manufacturer of dip-spin coatings estimates that 40 pct of his coatings for fasteners are applied over electroplates and 80 pct of the remainder is applied over phosphate-coated steel.
But zinc electroplating is still by far the most-used coating. Platers who offer all three coatings typically still have 50-60 pct of their production in barrel zinc electroplate; 20-30 pct is alloy zinc; and 10-20 pct is dip-spin. This is not an industry-wide average, but it does give some indication of what customers choose when all three finishes are offered.
Beyond cost considerations, there are choices to be made in terms of coating properties. Aside from considering the obvious differences between electroplated metals and organic coatings, the buyer has to deal with the fact that organic coatings tend to fill recessed drives - Phillips head and Torx fasteners--thus making it difficult or impossible to use the tools meant to drive them.
Screws have roots (the valleys) and crests (tops of the threads). Electroplates build up more rapidly on the crests, and thus have more tendency to interfere with torque-tension relationships if applied too heavy. Not so for organic coatings.
The organic coatings do not offer the galvanic protection of zinc electroplates unless heavily loaded with zinc or aluminum flakes, which in turn demands more expensive materials and more expensive processing.
Electroplating contributes to the danger of hydrogen embrittlement. Yes, the fasteners can be and are baked to relieve hydrogen, but that is an expense. Organic and inorganic coatings applied by dip-spin eliminate this hazard. Mechanical plating also minimizes this hazard, although regardless of the coating applied the danger of embrittlement remains if fasteners have to be acid pickled before application of the coating.
Chromate coatings applied on electroplates are not very abrasion resistant. If gravel impingement or abrasion from handling is a consideration, it may be necessary to apply an organic coating just to increase abrasion resistance; or to apply a metal-flake-containing dip-spin coating over a properly prepared surface. If color is important for appearance or part identification, chromate coatings alone may not be able to provide the color desired.
All these coatings have ideal applications. Some combinations of coatings are synergistic. The specifier's task is to sort out what is really important for a given application in terms of cost and performance.
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I really do like this place. It's unfortunate that it was crazy cold during winter and the snow was becoming ice, making it rather dangerous to walk on. I finally understood why you need proper snow/winter shoes for the season, it's not just because it looks cool but you'll really need it for functionality purposes. Sorry, a Malaysian girl like me who's pretty new at travelling is probably stating the obvious. I'm glad I actually bought a pair of good footwear just before the trip.
Daegwallyeing Sky Ranch was established in 1974 and currently, it's sized approximately 900 million square meters. There are a number of cows, sheeps, and other animals that are usually free to roam around this huge ranch. This place is well preserved and it also produces first-class milk as well as top quality Korean beef. Some activities such as feeding the ranch animals are family friendly. I highly suggest taking the tractor wagon up to the Observatory as the view is magnificient up there. However, choose a timing when it's not too cold as the wind is a huge factor. It would probably be nice during the Summer.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to stay long at the Observatory area as it was just way too cold. My hands froze within minutes of trying to take good shots there. Plus, the animals weren't out during my visit, which is fine, since my tour group didn't really have the luxury of time to chill and enjoy the place.
Operating Hours:
They divided their operating hours to Summer (April to September) and Winter (October to March). I don't know why but basically, it opens every season with last admission being an hour before closing. The timing is as below:
Summer (April to September) - 9am-6pm
Winter (October to March) - 9am-5.30pm
Admissions Fee: Adults 5,000 won and Child 4,000 won. Check for discounts for groups and senior citizens.
For more info, visit this website.
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subset: commoncrawl


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It has been another tough year for many small businesses. One in four, according to the National Federation of Independent Business, believes the biggest problem is weak sales. No matter what other challenges they face, said William Dunkelberg, the federation's chief economist, "the key to everything is cash coming in the front door."
Inevitably there are businesses, like the Elizabeth Anne Bed & Breakfast in Crested Butte, Colo., that struggled. And inevitably, there are owners, like Kevin and Denise Reinert of Elizabeth Anne, who held on as long as they could. "We kept thinking we could turn it around," Ms. Reinert said. "We rented out rooms until the day we moved out."
Here are the stories of five small businesses that were not able to survive 2011.


text: Home / Equipment / Replacement Parts / Screens and Pads / Media Screen 8 inch $4.00 Made in the USA Media Screen 8 inch quantity Add to cart SKU: SC8 Category: Screens and Pads Tag: Screen Product ID: 1943 Description Reviews (0) Description These are replacement screens for: GEO CR818 Reviews There are no reviews yet. Be the first to review "Media Screen 8 inch" Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Your rating Rate… Perfect Good Average Not that bad Very poor Your review *Name * Email * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Related products Foam Block for GEO R Series Sumps $8.00 Add to cart Filter Pad 4 inch disk $6.00 Add to cart Media Screen 4 inch $3.00 Add to cart Filter Pad 6 inch with hole $8.00 Add to cart


text: Breastfeeding is seen as vital for mother and child and therefore is of great public health concern. Early initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of delivery is important as it reduces neonatal mortality. Increasing our understanding of barriers and reasons for not commencing early breastfeeding is important to improve strategies and conditions to overcome such barriers. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate factors influencing time of breastfeeding among women in India, focusing on health care utilisation related issues and partner behaviour. Data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Government of India's National Family Health Survey (NFHS) from 2005-2006 (NFHS-3) have been used in this study. Breastfeeding for the latest child was considered in the study. A total of 35,795 female respondents are included in this study. Chi square test and adjusted logistic regression analysis were used. Among all 35,795 women in the study, a total of 31.1% initiated breastfeeding within one hour and 68.6% initiated breastfeeding within the first week. Educational level, economic status and women's caste or tribe, place of delivery, prenatal visits to health care facilities and assistance during delivery as well as partner's controlling and violent behavior are important factors influencing time of initiation of breastfeeding. It is evident that policy makers need to ensure that all health professionals support and promote early breastfeeding initiation. It is also important to promote deliveries in hospitals and other healthcare facilities as they may increase early initiation. Furthermore, it is fundamental that efforts are intensified for girls and women to obtain education to increase women's empowerment and improved gender equality.


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Master your mind: How to vote ethically
See how many questions you can get right – and where to find the answers before the next election.
All of us are at different places on the political spectrum. Votewise Now will not tell you how to vote, just help you vote according to your conscience. Careful thought and deliberation are needed to make informed decisions. Votewise Now!Share this post on your network
Category: MultimediaAugust, 2009


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Compose your football trips to Eintracht Frankfurt and experience a match in Commerzbank-Arena
Experience the Bundesliga with a football trip to see Eintracht Frankfurt play. You'll be amazed at the popularity of this German club.
It's also one of the most successful clubs in Europe, in terms of visitor numbers. And had a recent surge in popularity after former player-turned-manager Joachim Löw led the German national team to victory at the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.
Thanks to qualifying for the Europa League, Eintracht Frankfurt is once again an international club. And in 2013, reached sixth place in the Bundesliga – its best performance in 19 years.
Book a football package to watch Eintracht Frankfurt play and it will undoubtedly be an unforgettable experience.


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Region to enhance approaches
to end-of-life care
Measures will facilitate discussions between families
& health-care providers
Withholding/Withdrawing Life-Sustaining Treatment / WRHA Board Working Group Report
Report of the WRHA working group on withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining treatment
Arlene Wilgosh on the importance of advance care planning
Wave: Making Plans
Press Release: Access to end-of-life supports and resources to increase for patients, families and professionals
National Advance Care Planning Day
Winnipeg Health Region
Published Friday March 25, 2011
The Winnipeg Health Region is implementing a wide-ranging plan to better support consensus-building among those involved in developing end-of-life treatment options for seriously ill patients.
The measures, announced today, flow from the recommendations of two Winnipeg Health Region working groups - one consisting of Board members, the other made up of staff members - that spent several months looking at issues surrounding end-of-life care.
Dr. Brock Wright, Region Vice President and chair of the staff working group, said the reports reflect the Region's desire to find ways to help ensure health-care providers can work with family members and loved ones to ensure patients receive appropriate care.
In the vast majority of cases, Wright explained, health-care providers, family members and loved ones work together to arrive at appropriate decisions concerning treatment for those who are nearing the end of life and may not be able to speak for themselves.
However, there are rare occasions when relatives or loved ones may wish to have certain treatments performed on a patient to prolong life. Differences of opinion can arise if health-care providers believe the treatment in question would cause more harm than good.
"End-of-life decisions are always personal and difficult," Wright said. "What we're trying to do here is put in place the necessary supports so that everything possible is done to facilitate agreement between families and care providers in the very small number of more complex and contentious situations."
Marc Labossiere, Vice Chair of the Region's Board, said the reports represent the best efforts of all involved to address a complex issue. "Everyone involved was very thoughtful, forthcoming and diligent throughout," said Labossiere. "I'd like to acknowledge and thank them for their hard work."
Lori Lamont, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer for the Region, said work has already begun on the implementation of the reports' recommendations.
One of the most important things a person can to ensure they have a voice in their care is to create a Health Care Directive. A key part of the advance care planning process, a Health Care
Directive is a legal document which can guide the health-care team when a patient is unable to offer instructions.
"We have already developed a staff and public education plan about what supports are already available." Links to information about the advance care planning process and Health Care Directives can be found in the "Read More" box on this page.
The report produced by Wright's working group recognizes that the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (CPSM) statement on the topic is binding on all Manitoba physicians, but that broader Region policies and procedures, that do not conflict with the College statement, can be established that apply to all Region staff, including physicians.
Both reports also raise the issue of whether there should a legislated review process to resolve such differences of opinion about care options. Health Minister Theresa Oswald said she considered the suggestion, but thought it more appropriate for the Region to put in place supports and resources needed to build consensus.
Lamont said the Region's decision to focus its efforts on education and increasing public awareness is the best approach. "Achieving consensus is our goal and that can only be accomplished by working together."
Version française de cette page


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I knew David Cheah way, way back when we (my mom n i) were helping him sew one-off designer cushions in silk, taffetta, velvet and other opulent fabrics. He even choreographed an intimate "Cushion" fashion show for his friends and clients at a furniture shop in Bukit Ceylon in 1990s
Then he became my guild (The Arts and Crafts Guild, KL & Selangor)'s president, taking over from 'nature' artist, Teh Yew Kiang who has been helming the guild for a decade. I also became part of the committee and later when David left for Sydney, i was entrusted with keeping the guild running (it was formally registered in 1993) as it's president. Nothing glamourous there. What an uphill task...and this was way before the Internet era, where newsletters were posted out with committee members complaining tht they had to lick too many stamps! My guild just turned 23 in October 2016.
Two decades later, Joe Sidek started George Town Festival (GTF) in Penang. It was and is a multi-discipline festival ranging from performance art (dance, theatre, song) to visual art n photography and street and community based art.
Prior to the festival, the Municipal Council of Penang held a competition to find a way of displaying and informing the public about the story and anecdotes of each road in Penang's UNESCO heritage site (centre of Georgetown). A company called Sculpture At Work came up with a witty, yet informative way to make sculptures stand out yet do not intrude into the heritage buildings' architecture.
David, who trained as an architect but found more satisfaction as a multi discipline artist (textile n design) has been assisting Joe Sidek @ GTF. In 2014, the theme was indigo and since David has a wide collection of indigo fabrics and clothes he was made in charge of Mission Blue - Indigo House (see previous post) and guess who was roped in to design and produce a range of clothes for their pop-up store, since I have interest in both traditional and contemporary wear and was trained as a fashion designer (among other things). All to be completed within 3 months!
While I sourced for fabrics locally, he sourced from many Asia countries (mainly Indonesia). Our focus was on minimalistic dresses with often asymmetrical detailing, blocking of various textures and patterns. I re-organised my small apartment, bought extra tables for pattern n fabric cutting. Even got a cute little Juki workhorse (in plain English - is bought a new small but reliable/strong sewing machine) The brand Juki is synonymous with industrial sewing machines. But I needed one I could carry around in case I was required to work partially in Penang. Mind you, I was also holding a regular job. So working into the wee hours of the morning everyone alternate day became the norm.
Here are some of the ready-to-wear that were designed specifically for Georgetown Festival 2014!
Hope you like them -
You can find the complete collection and other collections too in my little online FB store - Three Black Cats Studio


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Nathan Reeves
Nathan is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist with Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA). He graduated from Griffith University with a Bachelor of Science (physiology major) and then completed a Masters in Exercise Rehabilitation (Victoria University). Nathan has 15 years experience as a clinician in private practice treating patients with a range of musculoskeletal, neurological, psychological, occupational and chronic disease conditions. Nathan has a part time academic appointment at Griffith University and convenes courses in the Graduate Diploma of Exercise Science program.
Over the last 5 years Nathan has supported patients considering bariatric surgery to optimally manage their health barriers and to develop a suitable physical activity regime that will compliment their surgical treatment. Nathan takes an evidence based and best practice approach to exercise prescription and is committed to the promotion of self management and empowerment of all of this patients.
Nathan is registered with Medicare, DVA and WorkCover authorities.


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Legality of Cannabis by U.S. Jurisdiction
Cannabis in France
Cannabis in France is illegal for personal use, but remains one of the most popular illegal drugs. Limited types of cannabis-derived products are permitted for medical uses.
French Egypt[edit]
During Napoléon Bonaparte's invasion of Egypt in 1798, alcohol was not available as Egypt was an Islamic country.[1] In place of alcohol, Bonaparte's troops resorted to trying hashish, which they found to their liking.[1] As a result of the conspicuous consumption of hashish by the troops, the smoking of hashish and consumption of drinks containing it was banned in October 1800, although the troops mostly ignored the order.[1] Subsequently, beverages containing hashish were banned in Egyptian cafes; cafes that sold them were shut down and "boarded up", and their proprietors were jailed.[1] During this time, hashish imported from other countries was destroyed by burning.[1] Upon the end of the occupation in 1801, French troops brought supplies of hashish with them back to France.[1]
Metropolitan France[edit]
In the mid-1800s, following travel and studies in Asia, French psychiatrist Jacques-Joseph Moreau studied hashish extensively and produced the 1845 work Du Hachisch et de l'aliénation mentale (Hashish and Mental Illness).[2]
In the 1800s, hashish was embraced in some European literary circles. Most famously, the Club des Hashischins was a Parisian club dedicated to the consumption of hashish and other drugs; its members included literary luminaries such as Théophile Gautier, Moreau de Tours, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Charles Baudelaire and Honoré de Balzac.[3] Baudelaire later wrote the 1860 book Les paradis artificiels about the state of being under the influence of opium and hashish.
In France, possession and use of cannabis fall under criminal law and the Loi du 31 décembre 1970, regarding health measures against drug abuse and suppression of trafficking.
Medical cannabis[edit]
France is a signatory to the 1925 Geneva Convention on drugs, and accordingly banned cannabis as a medical treatment in 1953. Since then, the importation, sale, transport and production of cannabis and cannabinoids has been illegal in France. However, in 1999, the Agence Française de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits de Santé (AFSSPS) authorised the issuance of ATUs (temporary use authorizations) for health products otherwise not permitted on the French market. However, in 1991 a court rejected the demands of the NGO Mouvement pour la Légalization Contrôlée concerning the importation of cannabis to supply 10 patients suffering terminal illness, arguing that such was incompatible with France's adherence to the 1961 UN Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, and MLC's inability to scientifically control and administer medical cannabis.
As of 8 June 2013, cannabis derivatives can be used in France for the manufacture of medicinal products. The products can only be obtained with a prescription and will only be prescribed when all other medications have failed to effectively relieve suffering. The amended legislation decriminalises "the production, transport, export, possession, offering, acquisition or use of speciality pharmaceutials that contains one of these (cannabis-derivative) substances", while all cannabis products must be approved by the National Medical Safety Agency (Agence nationale de sécurité du médicament – ANSM). A Pharmacists' Union spokesperson explained to the media that the change will make it more straightforward to conduct research into cannabinoids.[4]
On 25 May 2017, the Minister of the Interior indicated his intention to implement reforms, promised by President Emmanuel Macron during his campaign, to substitute citations rather than arrest and trial for use and possession of cannabis.[5] On 23 November 2018 the penalty for possession of cannabis (and other illegal drugs) was reduced to a 200 euro fine, following a 28–14 vote by the National Assembly.[6][7]
In 2012, 13.4 million French people between age 15 and 64 had tried cannabis, and 1.2 million people in Metropolitan France considered themselves regular users.[8] France ranks fourth in the European Union in terms of monthly consumption (following the Czech Republic, Spain, and Italy) and second only to Denmark in terms of persons who have ever used cannabis.[9]
A poll conducted by CSA in November 2013 indicated that, 55% of French people were opposed to the decriminalization and of cannabis, while 44% said that the prohibition on cannabis is an abridgment of individual liberty.[10]
See also[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f Booth, M. (2015). Cannabis: A History. St. Martin's Press. pp. 76–77. ISBN 978-1-250-08219-0.
- ^ Mitch Earleywine (15 August 2002). Understanding Marijuana: A New Look at the Scientific Evidence. Oxford University Press. pp. 14–. ISBN 978-0-19-988143-7.
- ^ Levinthal, C. F. (2012). Drugs, behavior, and modern society. (6th ed.). Boston: Pearson College Div.
- ^ Ann Törnkvist (10 June 2013). "French law on pot-based medicine takes effect". The Local. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ^ « L'usage de cannabis bientôt puni par une simple contravention », lemonde.fr, 26 mai 2017.
- ^ "France introduces fixed fine for drug use". The Connexion. November 25, 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
- ^ "France to slash fines for pot smokers amid rise in cannabis use". The Local. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
- ^ Observatoire français des drogues et toxicomanies, cité par Frédéric Joignot, France, terre de joints, cahier Culture et Idées, Le Monde, 27 juin 2014.
- ^ OEDT (2007), p. 41
- ^ Sondage CSA, cité par Frédéric Joignot, France, terre de joints, cahier Culture et Idées, Le Monde, 27 juin 2014.


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Our 2016 rankings of the top 10 game design and development schools in the South.
We define the South as Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas.
For an explanation of our ranking criteria, click here
1. Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, Georgia
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is home to the School of Digital Media, which offers four programs for aspiring game designers. Options include a BA, BFA, MA, and MFA in Interactive Design and Game Development. The BA program is offered at the Savannah, Atlanta, eLearning campuses, while the BFA is offered at the Savannah, Atlanta, and Hong Kong campuses. The MA and MFA ate offered at the Savannah, Hong Kong, and eLearning campuses.
A Minor in Interactive Design and Game Development is also available as well as a Certificate in Interactive Design.
Founded in 1978, Savannah College of Art and Design is home to more than 12,000 students enrolled in 40-plus majors and more than 60 minors. The school has campuses in Savannah, Atlanta, Hong Kong, and Lacoste, France, as well as an eLearning campus.
2. Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota, Florida
Ringling College of Art and Design (RCAD) offers one program for game designers—a BFA in Game Art & Design. Students in the program will study "the basics of game design mechanics, meaningful play, interactivity, and options for creating and refining game content." Graduates of the Game Art & Design program have landed jobs at Riot Games, Epic Games, Blizzard Entertainment, Gunfire Games, Evertoon, Naughty Dog, S2 Games, and many others.
Established in 1931 by circus baron John Ringling, RCAD opened with just 75 students enrolled in 111 courses. Today, RCAD sits on a 35-acre campus that houses 1,300 degree-seeking students enrolled in 13 majors.
3. Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia Institute of Technology (GeorgiaTech) was founded in 1885. When the school opened on October 8, 1888, it welcomed just 129 students into just one program—the BS in Mechanical Engineering. Today, GeorgiaTech is home to more than 25,00 students enrolled in more than 80 degree programs and more than 50 minors through six colleges and more than 25 schools.
The College of Computing is home to Games@GT—an "institute-wide initiative designed to advance the game community through interdisciplinary research, funding opportunities, tech transfer and expansion of industry collaborations." The College also offers several programs for aspiring game designers. Options include a BS in Computational Media (BSCM) with a Game Studies Focus (also supported by the School of Literature Communication and Culture within the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts), MS degrees in Digital Media and Digital Media – HCI, and a PhD in Digital Media. All College of Computing students will have access to resources offered by the GVU Center at Georgia Tech and the Institute for People and Technology.
4. Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Full Sail University is home to 18,000 students from 50 states and 73 countries. Established in 1979, Full Sail offers dozens of programs in the areas of Entertainment, Media and the Arts and it awards Bachelor's, Master's, and Associate degrees, and Graduate Certificates. The Game School at Full Sail offers several programs for aspiring game designers. Offerings include BS degrees in Game Art, Game Design, Game Development, and Mobile Development and MS degrees in Game Design and Mobile Gaming.
5. University of Central Florida + Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, Orlando, Florida
Founded in 1963 and home to approximately 60,810 students, the University of Central Florida (UCF) is one of youngest and largest universities in the U.S. The school, which offers more than 200 degree programs across 13 colleges, is home to the School of Visual Arts & Design (SVAD). Housed within the College of Arts & Humanities, and the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA), SVAD offers a BA in Digital Media with a Specialization in Game Design, an MFA in Emerging Media with a Track in Digital Media, and an MA in Digital Media - Visual Language and Interactive Media.
The Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy is UCF's graduate video game design school. The Academy opened its doors to "a select group of future game developers and creators" in August of 2005. Today, FIEA is home to around 65 Students enrolled in the MS in Interactive Entertainment program with three Tracks. Track options include Art, Production and Programming. During semesters two and three of the program, all students will work on a "final, large-scale game with fellow producers, programmers and artists."
6. The Digital Animation & Visual Effects School, Orlando, Florida
The Digital Animation & Visual Effects School (DAVE School) offers a Game Production Diploma. Launched in 2014, the Game Production Diploma is designed for those interested in working on the artistic side of game production. The school's comprehensive and intensive 15-month Game Production Diploma covers Modeling & Sculpting, Game Production, Game Engine Fundamentals, Game Asset Production, and Animation Fundamentals.
The DAVE School was founded on June 8, 2000 by Anne and Jeffery Scheetz—a Visual Effects Supervisor. The school is a 35,000 square foot facility located on the backlot of Universal Studios Florida, Soundstage 25. Students have access to a Learning Lab, Studio Lab, Shooting Stage, Motion Capture Studio, and a 3D Lecture Theater.
7. Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina
The College of Engineering and Science at Clemson University offers several programs for aspiring game designers. Options include a BA or BS in Computer Science with a Minor in Digital Production Arts (DPA), an MFA in Digital Production Arts (MFA DPA), and a combined Bachelor's/Master's Plan (BS) in Computer Science. All students have the opportunity to Minor in DPA, which emphasizes Games, Visual Effects, and Computer Animation. Many Clemson DPA graduates have been hired by Blue Sky Studios, DreamWorks, EA Games, Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, ReelFX, and Sony Pictures Imageworks.
Established in 1889 as Clemson Agricultural College, Clemson University is home to 22,104 students enrolled in more than 190 programs through five colleges and the graduate school.
8. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
Established in 1887, North Carolina State University (NC State) is home to just over 34,000 students enrolled in more than 300 degree programs across 12 colleges and 65 academic departments. The College of Engineering is home to the Department of Computer Science, which offers a BS in Computer Science with a Game Development Concentration. Students can expect to take courses such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) Building Game AI, Science Fiction, Game Studies, Music Composition, Computer Models of Interactive Narrative, Fantasy and, of course, Game Design and Development.
An Accelerated Bachelors/Masters (ABM) Program, a Minor in Computer Programming, and a Computer Programming Certificate are other viable options.
9. Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Georgia
Founded in 1963 and home to 25,714 students, Kennesaw State University (KSU) is a comprehensive university that offers 150 undergraduate and graduate degrees across 13 colleges. The College of Computing and Software Engineering houses the Department of Software Engineering and Game Development. Program offerings for aspiring game designers include a BS and a Minor in Computer Game Design and Development.
According to the school, the Computer Game Design and Development program "builds on and applies expertise in computing hardware and software to create engaging and immersive multimedia systems." Students will study Digital Media, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), the History and Theory of Gaming, Game Design, 2D and 3D Graphics, Simulation, Modeling, Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Data Structures, and Algorithms.
The Game Design and Development program has another unique component. Students are required to select an upper-level concentration within the program to "ensure depth in their program of study." Current offerings include Simulation-Informatics, Media-Production, Distributed-Mobile, Education-Serious, and Planning-Management.
10. University of North Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina
Founded in 1946, University of North Carolina Charlotte (UNC Charlotte) is the fourth largest of the 17 institutions within the University of North Carolina system and the largest public institution in the Charlotte region. The school is more than 27,950 students enrolled in more than 170 undergraduate and graduate programs across seven professional colleges, University College, Honors College, and the Graduate School. The College of Computing offers two programs for aspiring game designers: an Undergraduate and Graduate Certificate in Computer Game Development.
Called "The Playground," the UNC Charlotte Game Design and Development program consists of a track of four courses and an area Concentration in Graphics, AI, or Computation. Courses include Introduction to Game Design & Development, Advanced Game Design & Development, Introduction to Computer Graphics, and Game Design & Development Studio. According to the school, Certificate graduates from the UNC Charlotte Playground program have gone on to form their own game companies and work in the games industry.


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News and Events
Spring XD 1.0.1 released
On behalf of the Spring XD team, I am very pleased to announce the general availability of Spring XD 1.0.1!
This release includes bug fixes and enhancements as well as some new features:
- HTTPS access and Authentication to Admin Server
- Cluster and Stream views in UI
- Configure a location for custom modules
- Null sink
You can download the zip distribution or install on OSX using homebrew. On RHEL/CentOs you can install using yum.
Feedback is very important, so please get in touch with questions and comments via
* StackOverflow
spring-xd tag
* Spring JIRA or GitHub Issues


text: Nanotechnology nonprofit think tank Foresight Nanotech Institute of Palo Alto, Calif., has appointed Marc Lurie as its president. Prior to joining Foresight, Lurie founded and served as CEO of @hand, a software and services company. Lurie succeeds Scott Mize, who returned to his for-profit career. . . . Cypress Semiconductor Corp. of San Jose, Calif., and Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (Grace) of Shanghai, China, have entered into a strategic foundry partnership. Under the terms of the deal, Cypress will transfer its programmable system-on-chip (PSoC) mixed-signal array, CMOS image sensor, wireless USB and PC clock process technologies used in consumer and computer devices to Grace in return for preferential volume access to Grace's foundry capacity. Cypress says it expects the move to increase its overall capacity by an additional 15,000 wafer starts per month by the fourth quarter of 2007. Qualification of the first product is scheduled for the beginning of the third quarter of 2006 in Grace's 8-in. facility in Shanghai; Grace will start production with the PSoC mixed-signal array. . . . Greater China Corp. (GCC) has agreed to sell its wholly owned Unigel (HK) Ltd. subsidiary back to the original owners of the company. Unigel owns a 60 percent interest in Sutco, a fiber-optic gel company located in Shenzhen, China. In exchange for Unigel, GCC will receive back all of its shares that were associated with the combination of GCC and Unigel (approximately 17.5 million shares out of approximately 30 million shares outstanding). In addition, Unigel will assume all GCC debt which was incurred to finance the activities of Unigel. An official closing is expected to take place within the next two weeks. . . . Oxford, UK-based Infinitesima Ltd., a maker of products for atomic force microscopy (AFM), has formed a partnership with KLA-Tencor's Growth and Emerging Markets Div. to distribute its products, including the VideoAFM video-rate atomic force microscope, to selected markets. Under the terms of the agreement, KLA-Tencor will distribute the VideoAFM in North America and Europe. KLA-Tencor is a provider of process control solutions for semiconductor manufacturing and related industries and has its headquarters in San Jose, Calif.


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Root canal therapy is needed when you have a tooth that is badly decayed or infected. There is excruciating pain involved when the nerve of the tooth becomes infected and the pulp is damaged. Dr. Carp, Dr. Oh, Dr. Yu, and Dr. Goldwater want you to contact them as soon as you can if you have the following symptoms:
- You are experiencing severe pain in your tooth, especially when you chew or apply pressure
- Your tooth is transforming into a dark or dull color
- You have swelling or tenderness in nearby gums
- You are sensitive to hot or cold temperatures
- You have a persistent pimple on your nearby gums
If you have these symptoms, root canal therapy may be needed. This treatment involves your dentist at Carp Dental numbing your mouth and drilling a hole into your tooth. After the hole is drilled, he will clean out the tooth and remove any bacteria and infection. When the tooth is completely clean, your dentist will seal the hole with a filling; a crown or other restoration may also be needed to completely restore the tooth's strength. You might feel a little sore or stiff following your root canal in Norristown, Pennsylvania, but an over-the-counter pain reliever should improve your comfort.
For more information on root canal therapy, call our office today!


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This pledge closed almost 6 years ago
Upwards of 86% of the people that abuse animals abuse people!
90% of the abusers already have a criminal record!
STOP ANIMAL ABUSE! We need a national reporting system as to WHO the Abusers are as they also abuse people. Members of Humanity Against Abuse would you please support as together we can make a difference for our childrens children. Please join and support Stop Animal Abuse! Click Link - http://www.causes.com/causes/372934-stop-animal-abuse


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Impossible to name this post otherwise than Postcards from Stockholm. This pictures look like they really are perfect postcards. Pure, clean, peaceful and beautiful Stockholm from a boat view.
This lovely castle is where the Queen and the King of Sweden call it home. It remind me of some of our castles of la Loire, in France.
This time of the year is ideal if you want to discover this city.


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It's very important to take the right supplements while on SCD – especially the intro diet. I've heard this from multiple internet sources, as well as one real-life SCD practitioner!
At the moment, I take the following supplements (this is trial and error; by no means a definitive – or even a correct – list. Trial and error, as I say):
– Pro-biotic
– Calcium supplement
– Vitamin B supplement
– Vitamin D12 supplement
– Loads and loads of water 🙂


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Wave Sandwich Visor
Item Details:Available Colors:Black/Orange, Black/Red, Black/White, Carolina Blue, Navy/Gold, Navy/White, Royal Blue, Stone/Black, Stone/Forest Green, Stone/Khaki, Stone/Navy, Stone/Red, Stone/Royal Blue, WhiteColor: select an image below to view color* Actual colors may vary, please call for a sample.Size:One Size Fits MostMaterial:Cotton
Item Name:Wave Sandwich Visor
Item No: 65922
Price term: FOB ,CIF US$ /PC (Depends on Quantity)
Payment:T/T,W/U,L/C,PAYPAL etc.
Lead Time:15-20days normally
100% brushed cotton, pre-curved trimmed visor has 6 panels and a medium profile. The crown is structured and the visor is pre-curved and gives the impression of a wave of color coming from the bottom of the visor.


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Do They Really Help?
|New Business
The answer is yes. We see them everywhere when we are driving. They are the small corrugated plastic (typically 18" X 24") signs that are perched upon an H-Shaped wire stand which is buried in the ground. They might exhibit a For Sale message or perhaps the name of a contractor who is working at someone's residence. Sometimes they are the political signs in a cluster which encourage you to vote for a certain candidate. Perhaps they are a colorful invitation to attend the local town's annual celebration. Regardless of their purpose, yard signs are used everywhere.
What Our Customers Tell Us
|Event or Business Advertising
Not long after starting our business many years ago, we had a contractor who came to us to have graphics put on his truck & trailer and also ordered a handful of yard signs. This contractor had just begun his business. The project was completed and the contractor was happy with his signs. A few weeks later he stopped in to buy something else. We asked about whether his "on-the-job" signage was working? With a resounding yes, he said that he had gotten so many calls from his signs that he was booked through the remainder of the year with projects and had done no other type of advertising.
A recent customer who owns a tree-trimming company told us that he has gotten many leads from the yard signs that he places at each project where he works.
Small Investment..Big Dividends
|Service Companies
In another example, the Vital Signs owners asked one of our paint subcontractors to paint our personal residence. We reminded them to put their yard sign in the yard while they were working on the project. The contractors worked fast and did a great job on the painting. Within a day or so after the project, we received a call from one of the neighbors affiliated with the Homeowner's Association asking for the contact info of our paint contractor. The painting company, Edge Painting, received a project from that call which has resulted in yearly work from the same customer.
|Residential Projects
There are various forms of advertising, most of which have a price tag (some larger than others). Some types of advertising lend themselves more towards certain types of businesses. This is true when using yard signs. Contractors and many service type businesses are able to capitalize on the use of yard signs very effectively. For a small investment of approximately $20.00 a sign and less for larger quantities, the payoff can be several times the cost of the sign(s) and may garner repeat business and other referrals from the customer(s).
Advertise Your Event
|Wedding Reception Event
|New Family Member
Birthday party; home party; new baby...you name it, you can use a yard sign for any event. A yard sign is one of the most economical ways to get the word out quickly about your event. Depending upon the location in which you place your sign, the traffic count can reach hundreds to thousands of people daily, which means a big bang for your buck. So if you found yourself thinking that a small yard sign can't have real impact and bring results...think again, they work!
How Can We Help You?
|Okay..It's A Little Corny..But We Do Corny
Have a golf outing coming up? Or just a family celebration (Lordy Lordy, Look Who's 40), give us a call. Corny or cool, we don't care..we're happy to make any yard sign (or other signs) you need. Just give us a holla, we're waiting for your call!!


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Flowers in a Gift
The Vines Flower & Garden Shop has many "flowers in a gift" that come in an unique vase that can be used many times! The recipient will think of you every time they use it! The Vines Flower & Garden Shop in Farmington, MI has Flowers in a Gift suitable for every occasion.


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But it will be an issue, and it should be. Here's why: Public policy questions are implicated. Sarah Palin, as a candidate for governor of Alaska, expressed her opposition to comprehensive sex education in public schools. She told the Eagle Forum she would support only "abstinence based" sex education and remarked, "The explicit sex-ed programs will not find my support."And recall what born again evangelical Christian Jimmy Carter had to say about the "pro-life" forces Palin represents (as reported by Gary Wills):
Of all the components of President George W. Bush's "faith-based" initiative, none has failed more miserably than abstinence-based education. Many of the programs are thinly veiled religious dogma. Study after study has shown them to be ineffective.
Carter is opposed to abortion, as what he calls a tragedy "brought about by a combination of human errors." But the "pro-life" forces compound rather than reduce the errors. The most common abortions, and the most common reasons cited for undergoing them, are caused by economic pressure compounded by ignorance.Update: From Mother Jones
Yet the anti-life movement that calls itself pro-life protects ignorance by opposing family planning, sex education, and informed use of contraceptives, tactics that not only increase the likelihood of abortion but tragedies like AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. The rigid system of the "pro-life" movement makes poverty harsher as well, with low minimum wages, opposition to maternity leaves, and lack of health services and insurance. In combination, these policies make ideal conditions for promoting abortion, as one can see from the contrast with countries that do have sex education and medical insurance. Carter writes:Canadian and European young people are about equally active sexually, but, deprived of proper sex education, American girls are five times as likely to have a baby as French girls, seven times as likely to have an abortion, and seventy times as likely to have gonorrhea as girls in the Netherlands. Also, the incidence of HIV/ AIDS among American teenagers is five times that of the same age group in Germany.... It has long been known that there are fewer abortions in nations where prospective mothers have access to contraceptives, the assurance that they and their babies will have good health care, and at least enough income to meet their basic needs.
It would also be taking a narrow view of things, however, to forget that the Palins are a two-income family: The mother is a public servant, the father is a union worker, and they no doubt have excellent private health insurance. Both Bristol and Sarah Palin have the luxury of exercising true reproductive choice, and continuing with pregnancies that would have devastated—financially and emotionally—many an ordinary family. A recent Gates Foundation survey found that one-third of female teenage dropouts cited pregnancy as the reason they couldn't stay in school. Another survey studied women in their 30s who were once teenage moms and found that only 3 percent of them completed a college degree. Just in Alaska, families with Down syndrome children—half of whom have congenital heart defects in addition to some degree of mental retardation, hearing, and vision problems—report long wait lists for subsidized medical care and special education programs.
If John McCain wins the election and Palin becomes the kind of vice president who exerts any influence over policy, she will no doubt do what she can to overturn Roe v. Wade and make abortion illegal again. That's her calling and her base; that's the reason she has, as campaign talking points would have it, "energized" the conservatives who eluded the maverick McCain. But what I wonder is this: Can we also expect that she will fight for longer maternity leaves and subsidized child care? Will she fight for programs that assist parents in raising disabled children, and force private insurance companies to pay for their care? Will she make it possible for a working-class college student to provide her child with a solid education in a safe neighborhood, and finish her education herself?


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Friday I got a couple more enamels and some enamel adhesive. The adhesive is for getting the powdered enamel to stay on curved or vertical surfaces before it's fired.
I did some more enamel tests last night. The piece below is a little copper cup I keep my punches and repousse tools in. It started out as something quick I made in 2005 to practice raising. Later I gold leafed it to practice applying gold leaf. I never liked the gold leaf on it very much, so last night I decided to sand it off and practice enameling it.
It's torch fired. I built up 3 layers of enamel, firing it after each layer. I fired the last layer twice because I didn't think it was fused well enough. I am mostly satisfied with the way it turned out. I heated it from the inside, except at the very end I passed the torch over the outside directly on the enamel. That darkened the enamel slightly, making it look kind of dirty. I shouldn't have done that, but that's the purpose of doing a practice piece, now I know not to do that on light colored enamels.
This went pretty smoothly. My previous experience with enamels wasn't very good. I remember having trouble with the enamel cracking off. That was part of the reason I never did any enameled work. I was really interested in enameling in the early 2000's, but I didn't know anything about it, and I thought you needed to use a kiln, which I didn't have. By the time I got to try enameling in 2005 I was no longer interested in it. I did my required sample pieces for a class, which didn't go very well, and decided enameling was not something I wanted to do. I am interested in enameling now because I am getting a little sick of anodized aluminum, but I still want to use colors, and I like the textures.
I'll probably practice enameling more on another raised cup I keep small tools in later this week. Practice pieces are more fun when its something you will keep and use.


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Door bumper/silencer for metal door frames. Slips into most pre-drilled holes in metal door frames. Gray rubber. Sold 100 per bag. Bumper is approx 1/2" (12mm) in diam.
Donjo 1608 Door Silencer/Bumper for Metal Door Frame 100/Bag
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Agadir Airport-Hotel Transfer+ 25 Votes
You want the most welcoming, comfortable and safe way to transfer from the airport of Agadir. Book your transfer to and from the airport of Agadir to your home, hotel or holiday apartment. Excellent services at very competitive prices. The service is also available in other airports in Morocco. Destination: Agadir. Availability: every day at...MoreDetails


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Step 1
Decide whether one of you will keep the business or sell it to a third party. If one of you handled the company's operations and the other functioned as a silent partner, you may choose to have the business appraised as an ongoing operation and distribute it to the managing spouse and compensate the other spouse's interest in the business with other marital assets. Plan for the tax consequences. Under current law, property transfers incident to divorce are exempt from federal taxation, but if you and your spouse sell to a third party, you could both be taxed on any realized profits from that sale.
Step 2
Design your transfer plan and base it on the legal structure you and your spouse chose for your business. To transfer an unincorporated partnership the two of you ran together, a simple asset transfer agreement may suffice. List the assets and debts associated with the business, and describe how the party receiving the business will own it and be responsible for those assets and debts. Provide any title transfers or debt refinancing you feel is necessary. State the name of the business and confirm the exclusive right of the receiving party to operate under the business's assumed name. State the purchase price, if any. You will execute the same set of steps to transfer your unincorporated partnership to a third party.
Step 3
Transfer shares in a corporation by following the procedures set forth in your shareholder agreement. If your shareholder agreement contains no transfer provisions, draft and execute a share purchase agreement that provides for the transfer of stock. If you're the one taking over the business, you'll also need to update your stock ledger and share certificates. If your spouse was a corporate officer, you may also need to update your filings with your state's Secretary of State, or similar official. Review your state's corporation laws to identify any additional responsibilities.
Step 4
Transfer your interest in a limited liability company by reviewing and following the procedures set forth in the operating agreement. As with corporations, the steps required to transfer an LLC vary, depending upon your state's law. At a minimum, you'll need to draft a buy-sell agreement that clearly states the terms of the transfer or purchase. You will then need to update your filings with your Secretary of State, or similar official.


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United Pilot Arrested, Allegedly Drunk
A United Airlines pilot who was pulled from his trans-Atlantic flight to Chicago shortly before takeoff has been charged with having too much alcohol in his system, British police said Tuesday.
Scotland Yard said that 51-year-old Erwin Vermont Washington, of Lakewood, Colorado, was arrested after officers were called to United Airlines Flight 949, which was already full of passengers and due to leave London's Heathrow Airport just after noon on Monday.
BAA, Heathrow's operator, said the plane had been due to leave imminently. A BAA spokesman quoted by Britain's Press Association news agency added that the pilot had been reported to authorities by another member of United's staff. BAA did not immediately return a call from the AP seeking comment late Tuesday.
It was not immediately clear how much alcohol Washington was accused of having consumed. Under British law, pilots are forbidden from having any more than 20 micrograms of alcohol for each 100 milliliters of blood in their system, or .02 percent. For most average-sized men, that is the equivalent of having just had about half a glass of regular strength beer.
Scotland Yard said that Washington, who has been released on bail, would have to appear at a court in northwest London on Nov. 20. If convicted, he faces up to two years in prison, a fine, or both.
United Airlines spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said Washington, who she did not identify by name, has been removed from service pending an investigation. She said her airline had strict rules on alcohol "and we have no tolerance for violation of this well-established policy."
She declined to say how long Washington had worked for the airline.
McCarthy said that the flight was canceled and that the plane's 124 passengers were put on other flights.
Monday's incident bears a strong resemblance to the arrest in May at Heathrow of an American Airlines pilot - also scheduled to fly a plane to Chicago - after he failed a breath test. Airport security staff had alerted airport police about the pilot.
In January, Southwest Airlines put a pilot on leave after passengers at a security checkpoint in Columbus, Ohio, told authorities that he smelled of alcohol. The pilot ran into a restroom and changed out of his uniform jacket and called in sick.
Union leaders say pilots are under increased scrutiny by security agents and passengers because of high-profile cases involving drunk pilots.


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eCommerce Website
Electronic commerce, commonly published In the same way e-commerce, will be the trading as well as facilitation regarding trading in solutions or perhaps providers using computer networks, just like the Internet. Electronic commerce draws on technologies similar to mobile commerce, electronic dollars transfer, supply chain management, internet marketing, on the net check processing, electronic info interchange (EDI), inventory management systems, AND automated data collection systems. Modern electronic commerce typically functionalities The web pertaining to at the least solitary portion of the transaction's life cycle, even though It is going to also EMPLOY different technologies just like e-mail. E-commerce will allow customers for you to electronically exchange productsand also services devoid of barriers connected with time or distance. Electronic commerce offers expanded quickly throughout the past five many years along with can be predicted in order to progress from the actual rate, or perhaps accelerate. in the near future, your own boundaries between "conventional" as well as "electronic" commerce can end up being increasingly blurred As added ass well as more corporations move sections connected with their operations on to your own Internet.Business to the institution or even B2B refers for you to electronic commerce between businesses rather than between a company as well as a consumer. B2B organizations often purchase throughout hundreds or even thousands connected with additional businesses, either, In the same way, clients or suppliers. carrying out these dealings electronically provides vast competitive benefits more than traditional methods. While implemented properly, e-commerce is generally faster, cheaper as well as extra practical when compared with your current traditional measures connected with bartering items and also services.Electronic dealings may be approximate with regard to quite a number of the time frame in the application regarding Electronic info Interchange or maybe EDI. EDI requires each supplier along with buyer to be able to found the dedicated facts Connect (between them), in which e-commerce gives a cost-effective program intended for solutions in order to recognize multiple, ad-hoc links. Electronic commerce offers additionally led towards the development involving electronic marketplaces by which suppliers AND potential buyers usually are brought together to perform the mutually helpful trade.The road for you to making a great successful on the net store is really a tough whether or not unaware regarding e-commerce principles and also what e-commerce will be used to do for the on-line business. Researching AND understanding your own guidelines needed to well implement a great e-business plan can be an important portion in order to become successful inside online retailer building.
Benefits of E-Commerce
E-commerce will probably require following launch greater than non-electronic commerce:
Reduced costs via reducing labor, reduced paperwork, reduced errors throughout keying throughout data, reduce post costs
Reduced time. Shorter lead times for transaction as well as return on investment inside advertising, faster birth of product
Flexibility in efficiency. your current ability to handle complex situations, goods ranges as well as buyer profiles without your own situation becoming unmanageable.
Improve relationships with trading partners. Improved communication between trading partners leads to enhanced long-term relationships.
Lock in Customers. ones closer you happen to be to help your consumer along with the further an individual UTILIZE them for you to change through normal corporation practices to be able to Least difficult practice e-commerce the harder This really is with regard to the competitor to help upset your buyer relationship.
New markets. The web provides your current potential for you to expand your own firm into wider geographical locations. Shopping, it's a woman's thing, right? Well, not anymore. you\'ll find so many on the net stores which has a wide range regarding tech gadgets that can cause just about any man glued towards screen intended for hours. Also, you\'ll find so many world wide web shops The idea cater intended for kids, parents along with teenagers Equally well. inside general, eCommerce websites engage the web shoppers AND they are ready to be able to struggle for each in addition to everyone associated with them. most of these days, an individual can't in 2010 say The idea on-line purchasing can be a niche market, aimed at the small audience anymore.
Running an e-Commerce website
Surely, You can find absolutely no universal features or perhaps design possibilities that will guarantee This your web shop will be elevated to the top throes of popularity but there are numerous general essentials and also desirable points that will In the event that not be ignored when coming up with a good on the net store.So, For starters — there In the event that possibly be a great clear understanding of a main goals connected with e-Commerce home pages:
Make your online shop Sell
It sounds strange but there are lots of merchants that happen to be formulated devoid of a good thought from bringing in a sale. They shop cool but these include surely useless While The idea issues shopping. intended for these sites, That is enough It these are generally equivalent for the on the web presence of any title as well as physical store, but each of the site does is put a big 'Buy' key within plain view. a few businessmen, developers in addition to designers don't draw its attention to be able to these types of details.
Show Some great benefits of your own products
A record connected with items categories or even a grid connected with them will be ones perfect thing to your online store. Special deals and also new arrivals are likewise good to coax your common net surfers for you to buy. anyone maybe understand It there is a huge chunk connected with on-line surfers which don't learn what they want exactly; they just want for you to hang around. your own goal being an on the internet seller is to help tap in It market and also show them what these are missing out on.
Make Your Website Visitors Trust You
People view what they spend on; therefore, it's single natural to expect It they want for you to realize everything there\'s for you to understand Regarding the product they're going in order to buy, your own purchase process, payment methods, your start service, warranties etc, that can assist you them protected a decision along with commit to the transaction. So, Remember to for you to have linked towards appropriate pages on the home page. most of this foresight may save much of the assist team's time, AND reduce the number regarding customer's pre-sale assist requests.
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Directors of the CNE liked to dub their exhibition the nation's showplace. For the 60th anniversary of Confederation, they decided to do something spectacular. In late 1926 they hired architect Alfred Chapman to design a new east side entrance to the fair. Evoking the style of ancient Greece and Rome, Chapman's gate featured a central arch and a 91-metre long structure surmounted by a statue of the Winged Victory. It was to be Toronto's equivalent of the celebrated gates of great European cities.
The gates were originally named "The Diamond Jubilee of Confederation Gates," but when the directors learned that Edward, Prince of Wales, and his brother Prince George were going to be in Toronto that year, they changed the name. The Princes were both present at its official opening on Tuesday, August 30, 1927, and the Princes' Gates were born.
Often incorrectly called the "Princess Gates," they were constructed of precast concrete—cutting edge technology at that time. The nine pillars on either side of the main arch represent the Canadian provinces at that time. The statue of the Goddess of Winged Victory was carved by Charles McKechnie. On either side of the central arch are various figures representing progress, industry, agriculture, arts and science— entirely appropriate for an exhibition that considered itself at the forefront of all.
By 1986 it was clear that the Winged Victory statue was deteriorating, so it was taken down and replaced the next year with an exact glass-reinforced polymer plastic copy. The nine north columns were replaced in 2004, with restoration on the rest of the structure completed in 2010.
By James Marsh
Visit The Canadian Encyclopedia for more on the Canadian National Exhibition.
The statue seriously deteriorated and was removed in 1987. It was replaced with an exact glass-reinforced polymer plastic copy, 2012 (photo © by James Marsh). View the image gallery


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Start by taking a single course
At CalSouthern, you have the option of enrolling in a course without committing to a degree program. It's a fantastic way to get a feel for the CalSouthern online learning experience before enrolling. You can apply the credits you earn to a CalSouthern bachelor's degree program, or, since CalSouthern is regionally accredited, the credits are readily transferable into a bachelor's program at another institution, as well.* Or, maybe you simply want to gain college-level knowledge and expertise in a topic area of interest to you.
Choose from any of the undergraduate courses in CalSouthern's School of Business. A vast selection of subjects are available, on topics as diverse as business communication, marketing, finance, human resources and international business.
Getting started is quick and easy. No entrance exams are required and you don't have to provide official transcripts. Courses start every month and you'll never encounter a closed course or waiting list!
*Although credits from regionally accredited institutions like CalSouthern are readily accepted by other universities, acceptance is at the discretion of the receiving institution.
Undergraduate Business Courses
TECH 2120 Alternative Energy Solutions and Systems
This course provides the student with alternative energy solutions and systems for both present and future consideration. As we continue to deplete our fossil fuel reserves at an alarming rate, alternative energy solutions and systems will become paramount. This course discusses possible energy strategies the student may consider as alternative or supplemental solutions to fossil fueled systems. Today's students studying alternative energy protocols will be the engineering technicians and technologists implementing these solutions and systems in the future.Learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate various energy and power requirements and usages.
- Define the percentages of energy allocated to various sectors in the United States.
- Describe the basics of hydro turbines.
- Review characteristics of wind power as an energy alternative.
- Discuss various spectral characteristics and properties.
- Assess solar radiation properties.
- Differentiate between active and passive solar systems.
- Describe the concepts of solar designs, SSF, PSDH, NLC, and LCR.
- Examine differences between a battery and various types of fuel cells.
- Classify the fuel cell chemical reaction, stacks, and cost per kW.
- Discuss using biomass as an energy alternative.
- Illustrate geothermal sources for energy alternatives.
- Discuss the use of ocean and tides for alternative sources of energy.
- Describe the proper use of nuclear energy as an alternative power.
- Introduce self and explain course expectations.
- Integrate the course concepts through interaction with other Learners and your Mentor.
- Access information efficiently and effectively.
- Evaluate information critically and competently.
- Practices ethical behavior in regard to information and information technology.