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In previous columns, I have focused heavily on design techniques within the back-of-house. But design techniques in the front-of-house, specifically those related to service, are equally dependent on both design and execution. Unfortunately, many overlook the importance of design as part of the service equation, and attribute the service performance almost exclusively to operational execution. In this column, we will take a look at some front-of-house design techniques that can help promote quality service. To clarify, I want to focus on the functional aspect of the front-of-house, not the aesthetics. Although good design cannot ensure good service, bad design will almost always result in bad service.
Designing for Service: The Basics
One of the primary rules in designing an efficient front-of-house is to make sure that the service staff meets the kitchen team (cooks, dish washers, etc.) where ever necessary, but they never cross paths. Any conflicting flow patterns, where the movement of back-of-house and front-of-house staff overlap, are disasters waiting to happen. Accidents, employee injury, breakage, slower service, and lower morale are all potential outcomes. Design should start with the general flow patterns of both food and product. When travel patterns are used as the basis of the overall layout, these potential 'danger zones' are reduced or completely eliminated.
Another important rule of thumb in designing for effective service requires the designer to study the service sequence. The steps of service should be identified and used as a guide for the front-of-house planning and design effort. Common activities for servers include order entry, food pick-up, food delivery, beverage service, bussing (in some cases), and drop-off at ware washing. Consolidating the areas associated with these functions will help reduce the distance of travel. All necessary support equipment, ranging from coffee brewers to refrigeration, must be grouped together wherever possible. Reducing the distance of travel promotes efficient service and frees up time for the server to spend in support of their guests. The ability for a server to move easily between these functions, in any order, will result in better service.
Positioning Your POS System(s)
While the points listed above are what I consider to be the basics of designing for efficient service, there are other design techniques that, when implemented, can further enhance the service system. First, let's look at the point of sale (POS) location(s). When a POS system is located near the food pick-up area, it requires servers to walk by the food pick-up window on a regular basis. This promotes more frequent food delivery, as a manager or expediter will ask servers to run food in the window whether it is for their tables or not. This scenario encourages a team environment, with servers learning to look out for one another.
Another school of thought is that the POS terminals should be located remotely, closer to the dining room. When this occurs, the servers can enter orders and 'fire' their next courses quickly. It tends to promote better management of the dining experience, and often provides the server a greater level of control. There is, of course, the possibility of combining these two theories and locating POS systems in both locations - near the food pick-up window and in the dining rooms, depending on the number of POS systems required.
Though they have been on the market for several years now, wireless POS entry devices (often a modified PDA) are becoming more attractive with better durability, greater capabilities, and lower costs. When a wireless POS entry system is installed, each server is provided with a wireless device that they can use to manage their orders - enter, fire, and in some cases close out checks and accept credit cards. I will be honest. I did not fully understand the impact of these wireless systems until l experienced them myself, first hand. What they really do is ensure a well timed dining experience. Let me share with you an example of what I mean.
Assume for a moment that a server has two 4-top tables, both of which are full. The first table is in the midst of enjoying their appetizers while the second is just beginning to place their order. The server, however, stumbles upon an indecisive patron who can't seem to make up his mind. Our server, who does not want to be rude, is forced to remain engaged with the guest while he makes up his mind when an offer to return in a few minutes is rejected. At the very same time, our server notices that her other table is now finishing their appetizers and will soon be ready for their entrées. She needs to fire the next course, but can't break free. With a normal POS station, the server would remain at the mercy of our indecisive guest. When a wireless POS entry system is implemented, however, the server is able to multi-task. She can fire the next round of entrées for her second table without ever breaking a connection with the indecisive patron at the first table. The service steps are seamless, and the guest is completely unaware. Overall service quality is improved. Though there are other attractive features of these wireless devices, their impact on the pace of service seems to be the most impressive.
Transparent Service
Transparency is typically the goal of food and beverage service. Think about it. If the guest has everything that they need, then they really won't have to engage their server during the course of a meal except perhaps to answer the obligatory 'how is everything?' question. From a design perspective, there are some techniques that we can use to assist with this transparency. Consider service stations in the dining room. When located and configured properly, the server can keep an eye out on their patrons without appearing to hover. Also, the type of equipment located in these service stations can impact the guest's experience. Is there a coffee brewer, or just a warmer for coffee brewed elsewhere in the restaurant? What are the sight and sound impacts that this equipment will have on the dining environment?
In the dining room, the seating configuration will create the aisles and passages used by the servers to travel throughout the restaurant. These aisles are an incredibly important component of the service function. When I design a seating layout, I always work to ensure that there are two ways in or out of any part of the dining room, whenever possible. This prevents traffic jams and allows the servers to move more freely through the dining room. It also helps with service transparency, as servers are better able to maneuver around guests that may be in the way.
Finally, there is a technique that I use to design service bar stations that again is based in this idea of transparency. Remote, dedicated service bars are great, but require space and labor that many operations simply cannot afford. As a result, many bar service stations are physically connected to a main bar. In most cases, however, the pick-up station is directly adjacent to customer seating, inevitably exposing the customer to banter by the service staff that is often inappropriate. At best this is intrusive and distracting. At worst this is extremely offensive and off-putting to the guest. To combat this scenario, I strive to create a physical separation between the guest and service area. In some cases, I am even able to tie the bar pick-up area to a service station. This has been a successful tactic, especially in country clubs, where members will want to linger at the bar. A service bar and pick-up window can be located on the back of the bar to completely separate the service function from the guest's experience.
Any of these simple techniques can greatly improve the quality of service in your foodservice establishment. If quality service is expected, then the front-of-house must be designed to support each step in the service sequence. Take a few minutes to analyze your facility and see if you are set up for great service.
About the author
Lee Simon is an award winning foodservice designer with The General Group. Lee is also the author of The Restaurant Dream?, a new book offering an inside look at restaurant development from concept to reality. As a practicing designer, Lee uses his operational experience on a daily basis to assist his clients with the planning of new and renovated foodservice facilities. His past projects, located domestically and internationally, include all types of foodservice operations. For questions or information, log on to www.thegeneralgroup.com or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
Be sure to check out Lee's new book The Restaurant Dream?
Logos, product and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners.


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Stamper Goes Hydraulic for Heavy-Duty Work
|Personnel check out a 1000-ton hydraulic press after install at Taylor Press Products, Jarrell, TX. The press, at 600 strokes/hr, stamps blanks and parts for the heavy-truck market.
Taylor Press Products, Jarrell, TX, a Tier One and Two supplier to the automotive and truck industries, classifies itself as a short- to medium-run operation, from 500 to 30,000 parts per run. That volume, in addition to the need to form heavy-gauge high-strength steel, makes hydraulic presses key ingredients in the company's success, according to Hugh Taylor, vice president and director of operations.
"We have more than 500 different part numbers and most of the products we make are chassis-frame components," Taylor explains. "As a result, we tend to specialize in heavy-gauge high-strength steel to ½ in. thick, though we can work with any material."
The third-generation family business, formed in 1945 in Toledo, OH, cut its teeth as a government—chiefly military—and automotive supplier before gravitating to heavy-truck supply about 30 years ago. In 2006, needing to locate closer to its customers, the company moved to Texas from Toledo. Today, its 70,000-sq.-ft. one-shift manufacturing operation counts 35 employees responsible for running 25 mechanical and hydraulic presses in capacities to 1000 tons. Essentially a one-stop shop, Taylor Press Products, in addition to a full-service toolroom, boasts fabrication, assembly and painting capabilities.
"We perform a lot of value-added work," says Taylor. "We can produce large weldments, which might require welding and bolting items together, and that is where we can cost-effectively serve this market. We can bring everything into our facility, stamp it, weld it, assemble it, paint it and ship it."
Needed More Tonnage
Finding that its orders, often for heavy parts or weldments topping out at 50 lb., demanded more press tonnage and with its largest press maxing out at 600 tons, early in 2007 Taylor Press Products shopped around, looking at mechanical and hydraulic models.
It chose a 1000-ton hydraulic SSE-series press from Beckwood Press, St. Louis, MO.
"The press, installed in the summer of 2007, was more cost-effective for a few reasons, one being that we didn't need a pit, and Beckwood was able to supply us with a custom bed size," Taylor recalls. "We may be using a progressive die on that press that is only 3 by 3 ft., so we didn't need a 160-in.-long bed, standard on some 1000-ton presses. We were able to select an 80 by 50-in. bed, perfect for the dies that would run in that press."
Fully outfitted control-wise, the press allows Taylor Press Products to protect its tool investments—it runs more than 50 jobs on the new press, most using progressive tooling along with some blanking dies—with state-of-the-art die protection.
"I wanted to get the latest press-control technology, with part-storage capability and more, in an online PLC setup," says Taylor, further explaining that energy usage, given the high power rates in the region, was another major factor in press selection.
"I was very concerned about energy efficiency," he says. "We went with a low-frequency drive motor (150 hp variable-frequency) on this press to cut our energy costs, as constantly turning a traditional motor can be very expensive. The low-frequency drive costs more up front but there is a payback down the road."
The model's heavy-duty design and robust tie-rod construction also caught Hugh Taylor's eye, seeing as the press would be tackling tough material all day long in a heavy-truck market known for extremely short lead times—making press reliability of paramount importance.
"We perform short to medium runs, and though press speeds are als important because they determine piece price, we have to deal with high-strength steel (80,000 ksi min. yield) typically 3⁄8 in. thick, so we are paying for the material, not for the press going up and down," Taylor explains.
That said, speed is not sacrificed, as the 1000-ton hydraulic press runs at 600 strokes/hr. given a 6-in. shut height.
"The biggest concern," he says, "is making sure we can get the parts and scrap out of the press. By that time the material is fed and ready to go and we are making our next hit."
Nourishing the hungry press is a servo feed from Dallas Industries, Troy, MI, capable of feeding 3⁄8-in.-thick high-strength steel at Taylor Press Products in coil widths to 12 in.—24 in. when feeding mild steel.
Tames Snapthrough
The robust press line has proven its mettle on a variety of jobs, with Taylor recalling one particular part that brought teeth-jarring snapthrough on previous lines.
|The four-corner active-leveling control system allows Taylor to blank advanced high-strength steels with minimal breakthrough shock.
Taylor's requirements presented a few challenging design issues for the press manufacturer.
"Off-center loading was present within many of Taylor's dies," recalls Darrell Harrelson, lead application and sales engineer at Beckwood. "Additionally, many of its smaller dies could be improperly located within the large press bed to create additional off-center-loading problems."
Taylor's application called for blanking of advanced high-strength steels, causing tremendous breakthrough shock and reverse tonnage, especially without nitrogen shocks incorporated into the dies.
Beckwood recommended its four-corner active-leveling control system to counteract these effects. In addition to maintaining parallelism, the controller can sense the acceleration of the breakthrough shock, and adjust the proportional valves to 'catch' the ram, greatly reducing the effects of the breakthrough in challenging applications such as Taylor's, according to Beckwood officials.
The control system utilizes a servo proportional valve and high-resolution linear transducers on each of the four main cylinders. A 32-bit motion controller, with less than 1 msec control-loop time, monitors the four corners of the press independently, and uses the proportional hydraulic valves to maintain bed-to-ram parallelism throughout the pressing portion of the cycle.
"Maintaining the parallelism protects the tooling and helps ensure consistent part quality on every hit," Harrelson says, noting that maintaining parallelism through the downstroke and adjusting for breakthrough shock are just two of the control's features. It also can benefit dies with nitrogen springs by utilizing programmable distance on the upstroke. Reportedly, this feature smoothly decompresses unbalanced nitrogen during the upstroke, maintaining bed-to-ram parallelism. Once the tooling is clear of the nitrogen, it can be placed safely into a traditional fast-retract mode. MF
See also: Beckwood Press Company
Related Enterprise Zones: Presses

subset: commoncrawl


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Limited Quantities Available! Use "Select Fragrance" drop-down arrow to view all available scents.
Materials: Paraffin Wax Blend
For over 20 years, Gold Canyon has been improving the quality of homes across the country. From the most fragrant jar candle on the market to our groundbreaking scent delivery systems, Gold Canyon's products are made to elevate your everyday!
Gold Canyon provides families and communities life-changing products and opportunities.
By setting the Gold Standard of Quality for candles, scented products and home decor, we've helped millions of people make their home and lives better.


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Suno for Knoll Luxe
The SUNO Collection consists of seven upholstery and two drapery textiles that have been translated from SUNO's recent runway collections: Arber, Besos, Diamond Days, Matondoni, Millicent, Olema, Piper, Rosemond, and Rutledge.
The patterns are based on designs from five runway collections from 2010-2013. Inspiration for each pattern draws from global sources, from Indian embroidery, to vintage Japanese origami paper, to the Africa Kanga.
Browse the SUNO Collection


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Quite a simple question really although I can't seem to find an answer. I have a few interns helping me out with my social media and I can give them the necessary access to what they need via apps sch as hootsuite. Unfortunately I can't find anything that works with Pinterest and I'd rather not hand over my password to log in. Any ideas how they could manage it* without having direct access?
*post new pins, repin etc.


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Nevada Military Records
This entry was originally written by Nell Sachse Woodard and Dwight A. Radford for Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.
In 1861 the Union was able to raise a volunteer regiment of infantry that served with California troops. In 1862 headquarters were established at Fort Churchill for the military district of Utah and Nevada, and in 1863 six companies of cavalry and a like number of infantry outfits were raised. These Union soldiers did not serve outside their own region. The militia was under the jurisdiction of the legislature. The National Archives has indexes of the army volunteers for the state; these are also available through the FHL and www.ancestry.com.
FamilySearch.org has a variety of collections available for free online:
Although the Nevada State Library and Archives has service records for World War I through 1972 and copies of discharge papers, access is restricted to the person of record or immediate family. The FHL has microfilm of the WWI Draft Registration Cards, while Ancestry.com has indexed the cards online for the entire state.


text: Recently I found an article on my RSS InfoQ feed. I do understand that InfoQ presented a new information about some programming product, but it should be posted with a big exclamation "Do not use it for your app". It's nothing more than another 'create app with no programming skills' product. Take a look at the Ayende's post or download it. I found it nothing more than a Balsamiq which tries to do sth more than being a simple sketch. If you want to sketch your solution, to show your devs how sth should be done – stay with Balsamiq.


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When times are tough, they affect everyone — even superheroes. In this photo series, superheroes and Disney characters find themselves destitute and in unexpected jobs — pumping gas, washing windows, and walking the streets.
The point of Benjamin Bechet's I am Winnie the Pooh photo series isn't to comment on these characters; after all, Batman would have to develop a serious gambling habit before he'd end up working at a gas station. (Plus, he's Batman. He'd probably win most of the time.) The point is to put familiar faces on often invisible workers, especially immigrants who are struggling to make it in a new country. People may not notice the man sleeping on the bench, but they're sure to notice when Mickey Mouse does it.
See more of Bechet's character worker photos at his site. [via Neatorama]


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Harbor Creek HS (HCHS) Class of 2005 Alumni List
Help us Update the Harbor Creek HS 2005 Class List by adding any names missing from the list below:
Registered Alumni
2005 Class List
- Kyle Blazek
- Megan Ford
- Kobe Harris
- James Heubel
- Amanda Layton
- Karl Loosley
- Ryan Lowe
- Jesica Menzie
- Nicole Pawlak
- Matthew Youngerman
Know Harbor Creek HS Class of 2005 graduates that are NOT on this List? Help us Update the 2005 Class List by adding missing names.
The most popular movie of 2005 was Star Wars Ep. III: Revenge of the Sith which has grossed over $380,270,577 since its release. The TV series American Idol was the most popular show of 2005.
Reunions and Harbor Creek High School News
More 2005 alumni from Harbor Creek HS have posted profiles on Classmates.com®. Click here to register for free at Classmates.com® and view other 2005 alumni.
Missing some friends from HCHS that graduated with you in 2005? Check the list below that shows the Harbor Creek class of '05.
If you are an alumn of Harbor Creek HS you should register now in the alumni directory. We also encourage you to interact with the rest of the alumni on this site. You can find old friends, share photos and stay updated on the latest school news.


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My Turn: TRPA's dog and pony show
LAKE TAHOE – I was surprised last week to see no letters or columns in the Sierra Sun from local activists about the Regional Plan Update meeting and approval, so I'll weigh in. A few weeks ago you published my column outlining concerted efforts by public and corporate entities to deny and discourage real local input into these processes, and TRPA's meeting on December 12 to approve the RPU was a classic example. What a dog and pony show!
I had intended to speak at the meeting with others from the North Tahoe Preservation Alliance, and having worked day and night for many days to research and prepare my comments, I had to leave before uttering a word.
Here's why. The concerned public had to listen to almost three hours of back-patting from every conceivable public and private entity approving the update. There were several speakers each from federal, state, county and local governments including the school board, fire district and, of course, private special interests (corporate ski groups, business, scientists, non-profits ad nauseum).
Each group was introduced separately, and after scheduled speakers finished, the board asked if any other teachers, scientists, firemen, etc. would like to comment. I'm surprised we didn't hear from the dog catcher and the trash collector!
By the time the opposition was allowed to speak, many people in the audience, and even a few board members, had left. But that's not the real problem. In a nutshell, they leave the opposition's comments to the very last minute. This is even more egregious when you consider that most of the speakers before us approving the RPU likely make a nice salary, and therefore are getting paid while at these meetings.
The local activist grassroots not only aren't getting paid, but many are losing money because they have to take time off work or hire babysitters and so on. This proves one simple fact: The grassroots faction is there motivated by love of our environment and our communities.
Real passion and concern causes us to make sacrifices to exercise our constitutional right to speak. Most of those there approving the RPU are doing so because it's their job and/or they perhaps have ulterior motives that benefit themselves and their friends.
Moreover, we are not wacko, mindless tree-huggers as the powers-that-be would have you believe. We are serious, intelligent people. We are professional scientists, lawyers, small business owners, doctors, environmental policy experts, real estate experts and direct, honest, passionate folks who volunteer much of our spare time to protect Tahoe. And we have no intention of going away. So, seriously, think about it. Who do you trust?
Finally, what is happening to Tahoe and indeed, our entire country, is and always will be about the only real bottom line: money and massive profits. The "triple bottom line" is a myth and a fatally flawed master plan. You can measure profit, but you cannot put a monetary value on environment and community.
If a model does not have the same values in all variables, no comparisons can be made and no conclusions reached. It is a model that can't possibly work. It is a green-washed smokescreen perpetrated by corporate greed.
Jacqui S. Grandfield is a wildlife biologist, environmental policy expert and 27-year resident of Carnelian Bay.
Support Local Journalism
Your support means a better informed community.


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Starting a Fire
Start a fire to stay warm, dry your clothes, cook food, and to signal for help. It isn't always easy to get a fire started. Practice starting fires under different conditions before you go hunting, and always carry at least three different methods for starting a fire. Don't wait until it's dark and you are cold to start your fire. Gather plenty of wood and start your fire as soon as you decide you are spending the night in the field. Do so in a safe area and safe manner. Do not start a forest fire!
Many hunters have spent an unplanned night in the woods. It might not be pleasant, but if you are properly prepared it need not be life-threatening.
Fire Materials
Fire Starters
- Fine steel wool
- Fuzzsticks
- Candles
- Parafin-coated butcher's cord
- Kerosene-soaked sawdust
- Commercial chemical blocks
- Waxed cardboard
- Dry grass
- Bark
- Dead pine needles
- Dry leaves
- Wood shavings
- Twigs


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|illustration of otolith organs showing detail of utricle, ococonia, endolymph, cupula, macula, hair cell filaments, and saccular nerve
|Juvenile Herring. Length ca 30 mm, ca. 3 months old - still transparent, visible are the otoliths left of the eyes.
|subject #232 1054
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
An otolith, (oto-, ear + lithos, a stone), also called statoconium[1] or otoconium is a structure in the saccule or utricle of the inner ear, specifically in the vestibular labyrinth. The saccule and utricle, in turn, together make the otolith organs. They are sensitive to gravity and linear acceleration. Because of their orientation in the head, the utricle is sensitive to a change in horizontal movement, and the saccule gives information about vertical acceleration (such as when in an elevator).
Otoliths are small particles, composed of a combination of a gelatinous matrix and calcium carbonate in the viscous fluid of the saccule and utricle. The inertia of these small particles causes them to stimulate hair cells when the head moves. The hair cells send signals down sensory nerve fibres, which are interpreted by the brain as motion.
When the head is in a normal upright position, the otolith presses on the sensory hair cell receptors. This pushes the hair cell processes down and prevents them from moving side to side. However, when the head is tilted, the pull of gravity on statoconia shift the hair cell processes to the side, distorting them and sending a message to the central nervous system that the head is no longer level but now tilted.
In 1991, Martin Lenhardt of the University of Virginia discovered that people can hear ultrasonic speech, perhaps using the saccule as a hearing organ.[2]
Significance in Ichthyology
Finfish (class Osteichthyes) have three pairs of otoliths - the sagittae (singular sagitta), lapilli (singular lapillus), and asterisci (singular asteriscus). The sagittae are largest, found just behind the eyes and approximately level with them vertically. The lapilli and asterisci (smallest of the three) are located within the semicircular canals.
The shapes and proportional sizes of the otoliths vary with fish species. In general, fish from highly structured habitats such as reefs or rocky bottoms (e.g. snappers, groupers, many drums and croakers) will have larger otoliths than fish that spend most of their time swimming at high speed in straight lines in the open ocean (e.g. tuna, mackerel, dolphinfish). Flying fish have unusually large otoliths, possibly due to their need for balance when launching themselves out of the water to "fly" in the air. Often, the fish species can be identified from distinct morphological characteristics of an isolated otolith.
Fish otoliths accrete layers of calcium carbonate and gelatinous matrix throughout their lives. The accretion rate varies with growth of the fish - often less growth in winter and more in summer - which results in the appearance of rings that resemble tree rings. By counting the rings, it is possible to determine the age of the fish in years.[3] Typically the sagitta is used, as it is largest,[4] but sometimes lapilli are used if they have a more convenient shape. The asteriscus, which is smallest of the three, is rarely used in age and growth studies.
In addition, in most species the accretion of calcium carbonate and gelatinous matrix alternates on a daily cycle. It is therefore also possible to determine fish age in days. This latter information is often obtained under a microscope, and provides significant data to early life history studies.
By measuring the thickness of individual rings, it is possible (at least in some species) to estimate fish growth because fish growth is directly proportional to otolith growth. Otoliths, unlike scales, do not reabsorb during times of decreased energy making it even more useful tool to age a fish. Fish never stop growing entirely, though growth rate in mature fish is much reduced. Rings corresponding to later parts of the life cycle tend to be closer together as a result.
Age and growth studies of fish are important for understanding such things as timing and magnitude of spawning, recruitment and habitat use, larval and juvenile duration, and population age structure. Such knowledge is in turn important for designing appropriate fisheries management policies.
The composition of fish otoliths are proving useful to fisheries scientists. The calcium carbonate that composes the otolith is primarily derived from the water. As the otolith grows, new calcium carbonate, mainly aragonite, crystals form. As with any crystal structure, lattice vacancies will exist during crystal formation allowing trace elements from the water to bind with the otolith. Studying the trace elemental composition or isotopic signatures of trace elements within a fish otolith gives insight to the water bodies fish have previously occupied. The most studied trace and isotopic signatures are strontium due to the same charge and similar ionic radius to calcium; however, scientists can study multiple trace elements within an otolith to discriminate more specific signatures. A common tool used to measure trace elements in an otolith is a laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. This tool can measure a variety of trace elements simultaneously. A secondary ion mass spectrometer can also be used. This instrument can allow for greater chemical resolution but can only measure one trace element at a time. Dr. Steven Campana is one of the leading researchers in the study of otolith trace elemental and isotopic composition. The hope of this research is to provide scientists with valuable information on where fish have traveled. Combined with otolith annuli, scientists can add how old fish were when they traveled through different water bodies. All this information can be used to determine fish life cycles so that fisheries scientists can make informed decisions about fish stocks.
Significance in Paleontology
After the death and decomposition of a fish, otoliths are dispersed, buried and eventually fossilized. They are one of the many microfossils which can be found though a micropalaeontological analysis of a fine sediment. Their stratigraphic significance is minimal, but can still be used to characterize a level or interval.
The composition of fossilized otoliths can also yield information about the ancient environment. Most notably, stable oxygen isotopes can be used to calculate the water temperature. There are even efforts to study stable oxygen isotopes in modern fish to infer El Nino and La Nina effects.
- ↑ Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary
- ↑ Lenhardt (1991-07-05). "Human ultrasonic speech perception". Science. 253 (5015): 82–5. Retrieved 2007-02-02.
- ↑ Quality control of age data at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (PDF) Daniel K. Kimura, Delsa M. Anderl, Marine and Freshwater Research, 2005, 56, 783–789. Retrieved 2007-04-07.
- ↑ Fish Age and Growth with Otoliths Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Retrieved 2007-04-07.
de:Otolith it:Otolite nl:otolith fi:Kuulokivielin


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I've been mostly offline for the last ten days or so, cutting back on blogging and forum participation and mostly staying away from the Twitter/LinkedIn/Facebook circles. We've had 3 of 4 family members who have fallen ill in the last week (myself included), and we've been prepping for the baby with improvements to the house and lots of pink purchases. But I am still around and engaged, doing some real work behind the scenes; as Mark Twain said, "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated".
I do have several SQL Server-related projects in the pipeline. I'm working some articles for SQL Server Central, including a series on how to get started with scripting in SSIS (thanks to Steve Jones for the suggestion). I've volunteered to be a technical editor for the SQL Server Standard, the recently revived print magazine that is now run by PASS and will be published as an online magazine. I've also volunteered to work on a CodePlex project spearheaded by Jorge Segarra that will help to identify Protected Health Information (PHI) assets within healthcare organizations to ensure compliance with HIPAA. Also in the mix is an add-on for the PASS website that will allow the aggregation of SQL Server-related blog posts, a project that will hopefully be ready for testing this week.
Looking forward, I've volunteered to be a speaker at the SQL Lunch series, and for my first presentation I will be discussing ways to integrate Report Builder 2.0 into your SSRS environment on October 12. I'm also on the lookout for speaking opportunities for 2010, and am actively working to bring SQL Saturday to Dallas in January or February of next year.
More to come soon!
[Cross-posted from SQL Server Central]


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Why not Ganguly or Kumble for coach? Both are recently-retired players, and given the success of Kirsten, Flower and (at a lower level) Fleming, one of them should definitely be in the running.
Why not Ganguly or Kumble for coach? Both are recently-retired players, and given the success of Kirsten, Flower and (at a lower level) Fleming, one of them should definitely be in the running.
"Talent is nothing without opportunity"
"You're not remembered for aiming at the target, but hitting it"
Twenty20 used to be boring.
do you think Ganguly would go down well as a coach.....seemed to be much more of a kind of guy who butt in to everything. Will the players like that?
And smalishah's avatar is the most classy one by far Jan certainly echoes the sentiments of CW
Yeah we don't crap in the first world; most of us would actually have no idea what that was emanating from Ajmal's backside. Why isn't it roses and rainbows like what happens here? PEWS's retort to Ganeshran on Daemon's picture depicting Ajmal's excreta
At the very least, Ganguly is close to his players, unlike these foreign coaches who are quite disconnected. He's also close to the domestic scene. A real criticism, though, would be that he's a typical 'play with pride' coach, like most Indian/Pakistani hockey coaches.
Maybe he'll be just as **** as the other BCCI peeps, but maybe not. Generally been well received in Karnataka since 2008.
While Kumble will have his hands full as an administrator, the idea of a coach (preferably Indian, or Chaminda Vaas or Stephen Fleming) who is a recently-retired player will be very beneficial.
Fleming is definitely a good shout, he has worked with Dhoni and some of the Indian players in IPL, and with the WC down under he could be really helpful.
That said I think he did decline when casually asked in an interview once, and really after India's atrocious run I don't think anyone wants to be a coach lol.
No more CSK connection please.
And also Fleming declined last time before Fletcher was appointed iirc due to not being available full time.
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When the Düsseldorf side of the Rhine was little more than a swamp full of frogs, what is now Neuss was already a mighty Roman fort – Novaesium – home to as many as 6,500 legionnaires. From the Roman settlement emerged one of Germany's oldest towns, which celebrated its 2,000-year anniversary in 1984. Even if the former swamp on the opposite bank has over time become Düsseldorf, the town of Neuss is still very much worth a visit.
Townsfolk, pilgrims and the region's oldest inn
The Romans had several good reasons for settling in Neuss. It was located at the end of a Roman road that ran from Lyon through Gaul all the way to Trier and the Rhine. There was also access to other rivers, namely the Erft, Lippe, Ruhr and Wupper.
So it is hardly surprising that economic life in Neuss is centred around the port and trade to this day. A walk through the centre soon shows the civic pride inherent in the town, which had the right to mint and issue its own coins, and enjoyed the same privileges as the members of the Hanseatic League. After the arrival of the relics of Saint Quirinus in 1050, the town's religious importance increased significantly. The late-Romanesque Quirinus Minster, erected in the saint's honour and designated a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in 2009, has become a popular place of pilgrimage for the faithful from all over Europe. Other important religious buildings are the neo-Gothic Church of St. Mary with striking windows by Emil Wachter, the Chapel of St. Mary at the Collegium Marianum, the Church of St. Sebastian and the late-historicist Church of Christ, the oldest Protestant church in the town. Any tour of historical Neuss should include Obertor gate, the Blutturm tower and the Kybele sacred site from the Roman era. Equally unmissable are three beautiful old houses, the Old Coffee House from 1571, the House of the Three Kings from 1597 and Zum Schwatte Päd from 1604, the oldest inn on the Lower Rhine, which proves that people in those days were not just pious but also fond of a glass of wine.
Gun powder and marching bands: the Schützenfest fair
The ability to handle a drink or two also comes in handy at the Neuss Schützenfest. With a main parade featuring over 6,750 marksmen and 1,200 musicians it is the largest festival of its kind in the world to be organised by a single club. The event includes a competition to find the best marksman, a procession honouring the winner, parades and plenty of other entertainment. A highlight of the social calendar not just for Neuss itself but for all the surrounding region, it attracts up to 1.5 million visitors.
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Although a dog bowl that plays back a recorded message for your dog may seem like a good idea at first, it really isn't. Sure, the "comforting your pet while you're away" angle is nice, but what about when you're home?
Will Fido understand that no, you're not hiding near the dog bowl? Or will he spend hours searching your house, tearing apart your newly-purchased sheets and blankets in a costly game of hide-and-seek? If you're truly up for punishing your pets, the bowl costs twenty bucks and you can order online.
Product Page [Chatterbowl via Gizmag]


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Sermon delivered June 6. 2010.
Perhaps you have heard of a person named Warren Buffet. He is a multi-billionaire who built up the holding company Berkshire Hathaway. Warren's son, Peter, an Emmy Award winning musician, has recently written a book titled: Life is What You Make It. In a recent interview to promote the book, Peter said his essential message is "Do what you love." In other words, follow your passion and do not worry about money or anything else. This theme is more poignant, considering that Peter Buffett, like his brother and sister, received a large quantity of Berkshire Hathaway stock when he was 19 years old. He decided to sell it shortly afterwards, netting about $90,000. Asked what it would be worth today if he had held the stock, Warren said about 60 million dollars. One almost thinks, "Oh, poor guy, he really missed an opportunity." Many years later, Peter and his two siblings were given a billion dollars of stock by their parents. Now I am thinking, "this son finally gets his second chance to receive his parents fortune." However, the gift of stock was not to cash in for themselves, but to give to charity.
Now, I don't know Warren or Peter Buffett much beyond the brief interviews and articles I've seen. However, this is a powerful story about a person's relationship to material wealth. What lessons are we teaching our children, grandchildren and godchildren about life and money? Do we tell them to follow their dreams and do what they love? Peter Buffett said this is what his parents taught him and it was an easy lesson to learn because his parents lived it. Peter said he and siblings never knew how wealthy his father was until they were adults because they lived in the same middle class home and neighborhood growing up as kids.
More importantly, but not unrelated, is teaching our children to follow God's calling in life. As Fr. Thomas Hopko wrote, every one of us has a calling. Each one of us the same call to be holy as God is holy. This we said last week on the Feast of All Saints. Yet, each one of us has a unique, unrepeatable calling to serve humanity because God has created each one of us as a unique, unrepeatable person. In today's gospel, the Second Sunday of Matthew (4:18-23), Jesus calls two brothers, Peter and Andrew, who were fishermen. He tells them, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of people" (v.19). A short while later, He calls James and John to do the same (v.21-22). We need to ask ourselves, what would I do if Jesus calls me from my office, my place of work wherever it may be, to a different profession or vocation? This vocation is not necessarily as a worker in the Church but it may be. It may be a call from one field of study to another for a college student.
In today's epistle reading (Romans 2:10-16), St. Paul says that the Gentiles did not have the Mosaic Law written on tablets but by nature do the things in the law (v.14) and show the work of the law written in their hearts (v.15). In other words, God has given each one of us an internal guide, a conscience to help us make good decisions and right choices. Our conscience will not fully develop if left alone and neglected. It is likely to diminish if we are exposed from a young age to constant abuse and selfish modeling. Yet in spite of these adverse circumstances, God's voice within us is never completely obliterated or snuffed out. He still speaks to us always, calling us to Himself and calling us to love and serve other people.
Let me give you an example, some of you may know about the Westboro Baptist Church and Pastor Fred Phelps, who preaches primarily a message of hate. Their theology is so twisted and perverse, that his followers stage loud demonstrations at funerals of soldiers killed in battle. Their logic goes like this: American society tolerates or condones several sinful behaviors; God hates sin; therefore God is causing American soldiers to die in battle as a judgment against America. On the most recent episode of ABC's 20/20, one family from Westboro Baptist was interviewed. Sadly, their seven year old son was quite versed in the message of hate. The bright side of the story, was their young adult daughter, who despite being raised in this family and church, do not accept the "God hates" teaching. For this she was ostracized from both. In the midst of a lot of hate, she listened to her inner voice, her conscience, God calling out to her, and she followed Him.
In conclusion, let us continue to examine what we teach each other. Is it to devote as much time and energy as possible to making as much money as possible? Peter Buffet said, "It's simple. It's either money or your life." What will be the driving force in our lives? Studies show that people who love their work are generally more wealthy than those who do not. That's not to say that every wealthy person is a happy person. Rather, if we pay attention and follow God's calling in our life, including our vocational calling, we will be more joyful, productive people, remembering that whatever wealth God gives to us, we are merely stewards of it. It's not ours, it belongs to God but He has entrusted it to us so we may learn how to serve others with it. Just like He did with Peter, Andrew, James and John, God the Father calls us through our conscience to give everything sacrificially and generously in support of Christ's continuing ministry of teaching, preaching and healing (Mt.4:23) in the life of the Church. Amen!
Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews is the pastor of St. George Greek Orthodox Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Fr. Andrews is the past president of Minnesota Eastern Orthodox Christian Clergy Association (MEOCCA), and a volunteer chaplain with the St. Paul Police Department.


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2002 Jeep wrangler TJ Sport - Clean Lines
One-ton, Green, and Fun!
It's a fact of life that Christian, Pete, and Verne all get to see lots of very nice Jeeps. Hey, it's part of the job, and none of us minds the chance to get to crawl over the many drool-worthy rigs we bump into. Just like the humans who build these Jeeps, not all are perfect. In fact, many have flaws or Jeep-building no-no's that we try to overlook, make fun of, or point out if someone is in danger. Occasionally we come across a Jeep that is so clean, well thought out, and thoroughly built that we just have to pass it on to you. One such Jeep that we got a chance to wheel with on Hell's Revenge Trail at Easter Jeep Safari '13, Moab, Utah, is this clean green '02 TJ owned by Adam Shoemaker from Fenton, Michigan. Adam is holding a trick card because he has been building Jeeps for a while as the owner of Sinister Fabrication and Unlimited Offroad, both located in Fenton. As a result, this is one clean TJ that deserves a second, third, or maybe even fourth and fifth looks.
The '02 factory Jeep TJ frame of Adam's Jeep is mostly intact with only a handful of slight modifications present to accommodate the custom suspension, steering and body armor. The Saginaw-style steering box no longer lives on the left-hand side framerail just before of the front axle. Now steering comes thanks to a fully hydraulic setup using Sinister Fab's Full Frontal Hydro Mount and Skid. Shining out from under the belly of the big green beast, are 2-inch solid aluminum links. Three of these links, loaded with Johnny Joint ends, run forward from Sinister Fab four-link brackets to grab the front axle while four similar links and eight ends head aft from similar brackets to the rear axle. The suspension sets the wheelbase at a climb-conquering 105 inches with a minimum of lift and just enough clearance for the tires. Up front, 14-inch Fox 2.0 coilover shocks suck up bumps while a Sinister Fab track bar and bracket keep the front axle centered come what may. Eibach air bumps up front allow a little go-fast technology on this crawler should Adam feel frisky. Out back (pun intended) two-inch lift coils from Old Man Emu provide a touch of lift while dampening comes from a set of Bilstein 5160s. Body roll at all four corners is handled by a pair of Currie Antirock sway bars. Rolling stock comes in the form of 40x13.50R17 Goodyear MT/Rs with Kevlar held firmly in place on a set of Hutchinson DOT-approved beadlocks.
The drivetrain of this big green Jeep starts with a reliable, yet strong 4.0L cooled by a custom aluminum radiator and exhaling through a custom exhaust with a Flowmaster Hushpower muffler. Intake air is cleaned by a Spectre washable cone air filter. Bolted to the rear of the I-6 is an AW4 four-speed automatic from a '99 XJ. This transmission is cooled by an oversized remote transmission fluid cooler plumbed in line with the custom radiator. From there things get custom with a 4.3:1 Atlas II transfer case from Advance Adapters protected by a TeraFlex skidplate. Power is then split via a pair of shafts by Tom Wood's Custom Drive Shafts to a couple of Dana 60 axles. Both 60s hold Yukon 5.38 gears and 35-spline Yukon chromoly axle shafts. The front axle is a Ford kingpin axle with a high-pinion centersection. Both axles are sourced from a '79 Ford. Both axles are locked via a pair of Yukon Competition Zip Lockers that ironically enough receive pressure from an ARB air compressor. Yukon-sourced chromoly spindles, forged U-joints, billet yokes, and Yukon Hardcore locking hubs round up any loose ends on this beefy drivetrain. The axles were both rebuilt with new bearings while the front axle received new Spicer kingpins, Solid Axle Industries high-steer arms, forged knuckles, and a stout Solid diff cover. The rear axle also features a truss to grab the upper suspension links, a rear disc brake conversion, as well as a Great Lakes 4x4 rear diff cover. Voltage comes from an Optima Yellow Top fed by a Mopar alternator. Fuel is stored in a Gen Right gas tank that also allows for the rear suspension's stretch.
Body and Interior
Without doubt no one is missing that Synergy green paint sourced from a '12 Chevy Camaro. That color sure pops on the expertly tuned TJ sheetmetal in front of Moab red rocks. Luckily for us Adam also wheels this thing hard and therefore some of the nice green paint has been scratched off on a rock or two around the country. An AEV Heat Reduction hood sits over a pair of Sinister Fab front fenders. Sinister Fab rocker guards also protect the factory TJ tub's exterior while full-length aluminum rear corners help form the stretched rear wheelwells. The floor of the super-clean interior is coated with Line-X to provide protection from the elements and traction for passengers. A black Sailcloth soft top from Bestop with tinted windows matches the interior and acts a lid for the Jeep for those rainy trail days. The top can either be combined with a set of full steel-doors or a pair of color matched factory half-doors with Sailcloth uppers. The rest of the factory interior is pretty cleanly in place with only slight modifications for the Atlas II shifters, locker switches and a handheld Cobra 75WX CB radio. The front and rear blunted ends of the TJ are protected with a pair of Sinister Fab bumpers. The front bumper carries a grille hoop and a Warn 12000lb Power Plant winch. Front signaling comes from a pair of LED marker lamps mounted to the TJ Grille while Lite DOT LED rear lights handle stopping, turning and Reverse illumination.
Good, Bad, and What it's For
Adam bought the Jeep in stock configuration, and at the time it wasn't even running. What you see here was finished up at Unlimited Offroad in Fenton, Michigan. In August 2012, when done, the Jeep left immediately for a crosscountry run to the famed Rubicon Trail, Fordyce Trail, and many others near Lake Tahoe, California. Since then it has been to Moab and out to several local events and fundraisers around Michigan, including Drummond island. Adam has plans to bring the Jeep back to Moab for EJS '14. We'll see you there, Adam! One of the only flaws that we can see with this beautiful Jeep is the lack of a rollcage. In our opinion any Jeep rolling on 40s, (or off-road) should have a stout cage just in case it starts rolling on something other than the tires.
Hard Facts
Vehicle: '02 Jeep Wrangler TJ Sport
Engine: 4.0L I-6
Transmission: AW4
Transfer Case: 4.3:1 Atlas II
Suspension: Three-link with 14-inch travel Fox 2.0 coilovers (front); Four-link with 2-inch OME rear coils and Bilstein shocks (rear)
Axles: Dana 60 high-pinion (front); Dana 60 (rear)
Wheels: 17x8.5 Hutchinson DOT double beadlock
Tires: 40x13.50R17LT Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar
Built For: Rocks, and to show what a low lift, big tire'd Jeep can do
Why I Wrote This Feature
Clean Jeeps with a high attention to mechanical detail are fun to drool over. Adam's '02 TJ looks like it could have been thought up by and built by Mopar Underground. Yeah, it's that nice. Also Adam wheels the thing, as evidenced by these pictures and the rock rash. That's a combo that's hard to pass up when looking for a feature. We love this Jeep and want to see more TJs and JKs built like it—with solid parts, a flattering low stance, and simple dependability.
-Verne Simons


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By Judith Colihan [1] Feb 26, 2014 0 [2]
Dressing for Success
As a special educator, I have had ample opportunity to consider the process of Transition to adulthood for individuals on the autism spectrum from a multitude of perspectives. I am amazed at the upheaval that arose over what I thought would be the simplest of discussion topics among my senior class of students—how to dress professionally. After all, it's not even that complicated, right? Compared to understanding the economics of the current job market or how to find affordable housing, knowing how to dress appropriately for work should be a piece of cake! As it turns out, this seemingly basic employability skill seems to be a hot-button issue.
I felt the need to open this particular Pandora's Box when the issue of appropriate workplace apparel surfaced for a student entering a new intern placement. This student was being provided with a uniform by his job site and he looked quite the gentleman in his new, well-fitting attire. I was duly impressed. I was then disheartened when he reported for his off-campus job the next day—at a long-held placement—and he was back to technically meeting expectations but looking quite slovenly. He failed to understand my concerns. After all, he was following the rules about the type of shirt and pants and shoes he was supposed to wear. He referred me to the Student Employee Handbook (which I wrote). He was meeting expectations … well, except for the part about not having a belt on … but wait, that wasn't IN the handbook, so why did he need one? Pointing out that his pants were falling down every time he took a few steps forward was not the answer he was expecting, apparently. As it turned out, he was the tip of the iceberg. I spent several days with a critical eye turned on this student and his peers, particularly those on the verge of hearing Pomp and Circumstance. The next time the students heard from me on the topic, they were clearly less than thrilled.
So what did I tell them? What sage words of wisdom did I pass along to these youngsters? The lecture went something like this:
- Clothes need to fit. Clothes that we wear to work HAVE to fit.
- Clothes need to be wrinkle-free, and that means you probably should not roll up your work clothes and stuff them in a bag and carry them around for a few hours like that before changing into them.
- Pants you wear to work should not be made of denim, unless your boss says it's okay to wear jeans.
- Clothes need to start out clean and stay that way, and be washed after you wear them the first time.
- If there is a uniform you are expected to wear to work, there is no excuse to not wear that uniform. If you think there IS an excuse, then it is something you need to discuss with your boss before reporting for work, not when you report for work.
- Your clothes need to be appropriate for weather conditions (shorts in February are NEVER a good idea).
- When your boss expects you to be clean-shaven, it is not acceptable to point out to the boss that so-and-so doesn't have to shave when he goes to work (at a different location) so why should you?
- Perhaps the biggest piece of advice on how to dress for success—making sure you are meeting wardrobe expectations is YOUR job as an adult, not your mom's and/or dad's. They may still be ready and willing to make excuses for your attire, but it is time to stop letting them.
Suffice it to say that the more I learn, the more I need to learn, which I suppose is not an unfamiliar lesson to most of us in the adult world. I find myself at times overwhelmed with the lessons I am going to run out of time to teach, especially when I would have thought they would be the first lessons mastered and generalized. Regardless, while those caps and gowns have been ordered, they are not on-site yet, so perhaps this part of the transition to adulthood is not a lost cause just yet!


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New Deep-Draw Press Extinguishes Productivity Limiters
Meggitt Safety Systems, Simi Valley, CA, manufactures extreme-environment fire-protection and safety apparatus—fire and overheat detectors and other types of sensors—for aircraft, spacecraft, boats, trains, missiles and other industrial and energy platforms. Over the years, the firm's product lines have grown, and along with that new-product development has come the need to upgrade its 1963-vintage hydraulic press. On the firm's new-press wish list:
• The ability to program and achieve precise cycle parameters, including main ram, knockout cylinder and draw-cushion force and position.
• Increased energy efficiency and machine safety.
Meggitt found a solution with Beckwood Press Co., St. Louis, MO, which provided a custom 500-ton, 36- by 36-in. draw press featuring 56 in. of daylight, 40-in.-stroke cylinders and a programmable bed cushion. The cushion offers dynamic control through four different travel zones. And, through the press's human-machine interface (HMI), the manufacturing engineer can specify the desired cushion force for a desired amount of cushion travel.
"This feature greatly increases draw process capability and consistency," says Meggitt manufacturing engineering manager John Krochmal, "which facilitates the production of our deep-drawn fire-safety components, including fire-suppression bottles designed for aircraft-engine extinguishing."
Advanced Technologies for Pre-Preventive Maintenance
Meggitt's new made-to-order hydraulic press plays a critical role in the company's manufacturing process, so reliability is paramount. Therefore, Beckwood included several reliability-focused features well-accepted by Krochmal and the rest of the Meggitt manufacturing team.
For example, Meggitt's press includes an onboard press-health monitoring system (Beckwood dubs it Heartbeat). The setup actively monitors the hydraulic fluid in the press to help ensure optimum operating efficiency. The ability to continuously monitor fluid health against acceptable fluid standards limits or eliminates a major cause of unplanned hydraulic-press downtime: contaminated oil.
Using the Heartbeat system, the press HMI displays actual measured ISO codes, the channel size (µ) and the system's moisture-sensor reading (percent relative humidity) related to the hydraulic fluid inside the system. Also displayed are limits to these variables, as defined by Meggitt engineers. When these limits are surpassed, the Heartbeat sensors trigger warning indicators, also displayed on the press HMI. This notice, in advance of any component failure or decreased press performance due to contaminated oil, allows Meggitt's maintenance team to schedule necessary maintenance, such as replacing standard filter elements, in a timely manner. This avoids any unexpected component failure and downtime due to unchecked contamination.
Remote Troubleshooting and Diagnostics
Meggitt's press also is equipped with a WebPort Communication Module, allowing Beckwood engineers and service technicians to remotely log in to perform factory diagnostic support and troubleshooting. Through the WebPort, program updates also can be remotely uploaded, notes Beckwood engineering manager Darrell Harrelson.
"WebPort connectivity creates game-changing capabilities with regard to troubleshooting and on-the-fly enhancements," says Harrelson. "For example, a manufacturer operating a WebPort-enabled press can conceive of an HMI or program change in the morning and be operating with the desired change before lunch—all via the remote connection."
For additional reliability, the hydraulic circuit of the press was simplified by offering separate individual circuits for the main ram, bed cushion and knockout cylinder. Each has its own dedicated pump and motor combination, easing troubleshooting and allowing Meggitt's maintenance personnel to more quickly zero-in on any potential issues which might arise.
Variable-Frequency Drive a Money Saver
Another item on Meggitt's wish list, increased energy efficiency, came to fruition thanks to the inclusion of a unique variable-frequency drive (VFD) system, supplied by Parker Hannifin. In a traditional hydraulic press, the ram is powered by a hydraulic cylinder pressurized by a pump or hydraulic power unit, and the hydraulic pump runs at full speed throughout the entire process—approach, pressing and retract. Output is regulated by valves. Meggitt's 500-ton draw press employs a VFD-controlled pump.
"Traditional constant-speed pumps tend to waste energy and fail to provide the required flexibility," says Harrelson. "Servo-driven systems can work well, but too often are associated with prohibitive cost and complexity, especially at the power rating required for larger presses. Finally, a typical off-the-shelf VFD often lacks the 'smarts' needed to control and regulate a hydraulic system to the degree that press applications demand. Parker, however, recommended a drive that included the functionality needed to power our hydraulic system with the efficiency and capability required."
The drive (Parker Hannifin's AC890 drive) installed on the hydraulic pump of Meggitt's new press allows the pump to operate at its optimum speed for each portion of the press cycle. The drive controls the pump's electric motor, adjusting and regulating speed and torque to provide the necessary flow rate and pressure for the machine's operation—and no more. The drive includes function-block programming and state machine logic, so with minimal development the press can be programmed for actual press sequences such as "return on pressure" or "return on position."
This screenshot of the press's fluid-health system helps operators understand how fluid contamination can impact press performance. The system provides warnings if fluid health declines past a defined point.
Energy savings are verified by examining the press's power usage over several operating cycles. By lowering the speed of the pump, less power is consumed versus traditional methods of hydraulic speed control. "And, by lowering energy cost, the effective cost of each drawn part drops proportionally," confirms Krochmal. Finally, when only the power needed to perform the work is expended, the pressure drop throughout the entire hydraulic system is minimized, in turn reducing the cooling requirements needed to keep the press at optimal operating temperature.
Drive Benefits Keep on Coming
Meggitt's operators also benefit from a dramatic reduction in audible press noise, since pump speed is reduced for much of each press cycle. And, in addition to the pre-preventive maintenance features described above, a dramatic reduction in system pressure, facilitated by the drive, contributes to greatly extended component life.
"For example, forming a part required 1500 PSI during ram approach with a non-VFD-equpped press, while the actual value measured was only 90 PSI using the new press," says Harrelson. "And where 1800 PSI was expected for a standard-system ram retraction, 380 PSI was witnessed within the VFD-controlled hydraulic press circuit."
Finally, Beckwood's system offered something of great importance to Meggitt, as it transitioned from its 1963 technology: Ultimate control over the press cycle. With a VFD that includes I/O and programmability, machine operating parameters such as ram-approach speed, force, hold time and ram-retract speed can accurately be set and maintained for repeatability. "Cycle times have been improved by over-speeding the pump during unloaded portions of the operating sequence," says Krochmal. "And by improving cycle time, throughput increases."
Modern Press-Safety Systems
Last but not least, Beckwood outfitted the 500-ton press with a variety of redundant safeguards. As standard, the multiple-cylinder configuration includes redundant solenoids to control hazardous ram motion. Parker safety couplers provide hydraulic cylinder-to-ram attachment.
In addition to the baseline offerings, a ram safety catcher system (RSCS) provides secondary load holding of the ram at any position throughout the stroke. The RSCS is powered to the open position, allowing free travel of the ram in either direction. Upon a sudden loss of power, the 'held-open' RSCS immediately closes, preventing further movement of the ram at any point in the stroke.
The RSCS is managed by a Jokab Safety PLC, which monitors the performance of all safety valves, in addition to the RSCS. And for perimeter guarding, light curtains protect the front and rear openings of the press and expanded metal guards protect side openings.
Summarizing his hopes and dreams for using the new hydraulic press, expected to fully enter production and take on Meggitt's entire deep-drawn part family in November 2013, Krochmal says:
"This is not just a piece of equipment; it's a complete forming solution." MFArticle provided by Beckwood Press Co.: 636/343-4100; www.beckwoodpress.com.
See also: Beckwood Press Company
Related Enterprise Zones: Presses


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The jockeying for control of Botox maker Allergan Inc. is getting nastier.
Activist investor Bill Ackman called Monday for a special meeting at which Allergan shareholders could potentially vote out the bulk of the Irvine company's board of directors. He wants shareholders to dump six unnamed directors.
The move is the latest gambit by Ackman to ramp up pressure on Allergan to acquiesce to an unsolicited buyout offer. Ackman has teamed with Canadian drug maker Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. in a bid to acquire Allergan for about $53 billion.
"We believe the market has spoken, and that shareholders see substantial value in Valeant's revised proposal," Ackman's firm, Pershing Square Capital Management, said in an SEC filing. "To date, the board has refused to engage with Valeant in any way regarding a merger with Valeant."
Allergan has thus far been cool to Ackman's repeated overtures, and prodded its shareholders Monday to do nothing.
"Allergan urges all of its stockholders to refrain from taking any action, including returning any proxy card sent by co-bidders Pershing Square and Valeant, until they have reviewed the recommendation of Allergan's Board of Directors," Allergan said in a statement.
The call for the special meeting is the latest step by Ackman and Valeant to force Allergan to the negotiating table.
Allergan spurned an initial bid, prompting Ackman and Valeant to twice raise their offer. The latest came last week.
In the most recent proposal, Valeant says it would pay $72 in cash and 0.83 share of Valeant stock for each share of Allergan stock. The cash offer is $23.70 higher than the original bid on April 22.
Valeant retained a provision from its second offer related to future sales of a medication to treat an eye condition.
Canadian-based Valeant would pay Allergan shareholders up to $25 a share based on a sales target of Darpin, a medication in early stages of development. The company said it would invest up to $400 million and retain Allergan employees to develop the drug.


text:
Small wooden star bead royal blue
Wooden star bead with 5 spikes
Meassures appr. 20x20mm.
Drill hole 3mm.
All colors are non toxic and color proof.
This bead matches our series of high quality wooden beads and wooden clips.
approved by EU safety standard DIN EN71-3
Availability: In stock
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text:
Now that Food52's Editorial Assistant Brette Warshaw has stocked her First Kitchen, she's ready to throw parties in it: no-stress weeknight parties for anyone, anytime, and (almost) every kitchen. You're invited.
Today: How to bring Rome to your dinner table, with a photo tutorial.
I have a lot of dreams about Rome.
These are dreams of pockmarked cobblestones beneath my boots, of rumbling Vespas beneath my hands, of floury, velvety sheets of pasta that pass through my fingers. Of salty-soft foccacia; of milky-sweet gelato. Of the satisfying jaw-clench at the bottom of a negroni.
But I do not live in Rome. My tiny, wall-of-appliances-in-a-living room "kitchen" is far from Rome. And so the way I go to Rome -- with a gaggle of friends in tow -- is through carbonara.
Carbonara -- the making of it, the eating of it -- is a bodily experience. (Just ask Nora Ephron.) Made with just guanciale (cured pork jowl), eggs, and cheese, it is a bowl of those textures of Rome that I dream about, the salty-slicky-stickiness that I crave. It is a food that makes you feel good: a lopsided-grin kind of feel-good, a slumping-in-your-chair-with-egg-on-your-face kind of feel-good.
In other words: it's a food perfect for a dinner party where the making of it -- and the eating of it -- are the main event.
The Menu:
Cured meats + ricotta + toastSpaghetti CarbonaraPink Greens (with whatever greens you'd like)Louisa's Cake
The weekend before: Get yourself out of bed and head to the kind of market where you can ask for cured pork jowl without getting an eyebrow-lift. Pick up your guanciale, cured meats, and ricotta. Put them in the back of your fridge and put skull-and-cross-bones post-its on them.
The night before: Make Louisa's Cake. Label it as such, and have your roommates think it's for someone else. (They'll be happily surprised later.)
As soon as you get home from work/school/wherever you spend your days: Make the Pink Greens, and keep them on the stove, covered. You'll re-warm them before serving.
Before your guests arrive: Slice a good baguette or ciabatta; toast your slices in the oven. Set out with a bowl of ricotta topped with salt, pepper, and olive oil. (If you're an over-achiever, you can make Bruschetta with Ricotta, Honey and Lemon Zest instead.) Arrange your meats on a board or plate.
Showtime: Time to make the carbonara. First, set a pot of salted water to boil. Then, brown your guanciale, and reserve the drippings. Crack your eggs in your serving bowl, whisk them, and add the guanciale.
Cook your pasta to al dente, and reserve some of the pasta water. Dump the pasta in the serving bowl, adding 2 tablespoons of pasta water and 1 teaspoon guanciale drippings. Toss vigorously to combine.
Gradually add your Pecorino, stirring and tossing to melt between batches. Season with salt and lots of black pepper.
Divide among plates, or eat straight from the serving bowl.
Spaghetti Carbonara
Adapted from Barbara Lynch's recipe in Bon Appetit's April 2012 issue
Serves 4-6
1/4 pound guanciale or pancetta, cut into 1/3-inch cubes7 large egg yolks1 large egg1 pound spaghettiKosher saltFreshly ground black pepper1/2 cup freshly-grated Pecorino, plus more for garnish
See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.
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The San Diego Union-Tribune, Dec. 28, 2016
Polio-like syndrome has no known causeNearly 60 cases of a rare polio-like syndrome have been identified in California since 2012, a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported Tuesday. And despite intensive investigation, the cause remains unknown.
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Researchers examined records collected at the request of the California Department of Public Health, which acted after learning of three such cases in the fall of 2012. This was unusual, the study stated, because no such cases had been identified in the previous 14 years.
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The fine folks over at Shutterstock and illustrator Echo Chernik teamed up for Valentine's Day, and imagined what romantic pulp fiction would look like with video game characters.
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Power Couples: Classic Video Games Reimagined as Romance Novels [Shutterstock, via Neatorama]
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