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|Bonus Joules and the Knowledge Economy
White is Black
Chapter Three - A Holey Pilgrimage -A Black and White Matter
Bonus Joules and the Knowledge Economy: All cartoons on this site are copyright 2001 and you are free to use them with care.
Chapter 3 No 2: Exploring the Matter of Metaphors.
Blog Dave McArthur 12 July 2005
Aaaaagh!!! Oh fool me!*#* I am the very idiot the wise man warned me about. The basket is empty. All my eggs are scrambled and have evaporated into the ether. Yes, I did not heed the advice I gave last blog regarding the benefits of precautionary strategies. I am as stupid as those flogging off Vector Ltd.
First a quick
explanation of the cartoon blog to new readers: It is a journey
exploring the myths we use to express our understanding of the nature of
energy. I am illustrating the fact that Scientists continue to use
symbols that may well have reached their "use-by date" and now may
even promote maladaptive behaviour. In this case Scientists continue to
employ the Blackhole symbol and evoke images based on visual
experiences. However we are profoundly tactile creatures and the reality
they are attempting to communicate is the fact that some regions of the
universe contain extremely dense matter. Such a region is the antithesis
of a hole. In other words, there is little science in the communication.
In my last blog I argued that strategies that incorporate a powerful element of 'civil defence" or precautionary practice have the by-product of enhancing most people's lifestyles. I noted that the same basic strategy works to reduce a wide range of risks, including those associated with climate and tectonic 'events', our inordinate dependence on dwindling oil and Gas supplies, electromagnetic solar activity, increasingly fragile ocean and soil reserves etc. I pointed to the wisdom of developing systems based on the original Internet rationale: the creation of multiple communication nodes so that if one gets nuked the system automatically reroutes data.
In short, the non-centralised systems minimise the risk that a failure in one area brings down the whole system. We do not have all our eggs in one basket.
I argued this should also be the basis of our regional grids. We need to junk the Electricity Reforms and re-establish the right of communities to own and operate their local grids so they can maximise the potential of energy efficiency practices, smart technology, broadband-based knowledge and Distributed Generation.
So here is what happened to me when I failed to follow my own advice. I browse the web, searching on a topic and seeing what the system throws up. Contrary to the fallacies generated by "journalists" * in the daily advertising broadsheets, I read views I agree with and those I disagree with. I work on the old Zen-Buddhist premise that our enemy is our greatest teacher and we can never truly know who our enemy is. Put another way, to the extent I live Heisenberg's great Principle of Uncertainty, I am aware that every point of view counts if we are to understand existence.
* "Journalists" are a different type of person to a journalist. They are primarily motivated by fear that they will not have enough money and they draw a sense of power from their occupation. They fear new forms of media such as the Internet and disparage bloggers. Recently one of these 'journalists" argued in the NZ Herald that they are more responsible than bloggers because their content is checked and rechecked by up to 3-4 layers of editors. He failed to mention that those editors have a strong motivation to put the knife into an article to ensure the most titillating headlines can be generated off the material and the material is best sized and placed to minimise the risk of upsetting major stakeholders in the media such as the broadsheet's principal shareholders and advertising companies.
A journalist belongs to a different breed. They are primarily motivated by love. The pursuit and revelation of the truth matters far more to them than personal aggrandisement, money and career. Indeed some put themselves at extraordinary risk in their pursuit of the truth. They are meticulous in their efforts to identify and reduce dogma. "Journalists", by contrast, tend to be dogma-driven. A common phenomenon is the sight of these people vociferously espousing "free markets" while assiduously working to suppress the power and influence of journalists and communities.
Unfortunately I cannot link you to the New Zealand Herald article trashing bloggers because I lost it. I lost it with a raft of other articles representing several hours of reading because I adopted quik-fix short-term thinking. "Free market economics" got to me.
Yep. On the surface, it seemed quick, convenient and economic at the time to create a folder called Blog 3.2 and dump articles into it as I found them. They would be there to refer to as I wrote the blog. A precedent to such thinking was the decision to take 57 Bulk-electricity authorities and dump most of them into the hands of a couple of merchant bankers. In that case it was argued the amalgamation would encourage "market transparency" and allow vast efficiencies of scale, such as could be offered by the likes of multinational corporations like TransAlta.
So there are all these articles sitting in one folder in my computer. Someone asks me when the next bus is. I leap to my feet to get a timetable, bumping the heater. It rolls forward and hits the off-button on my computer. Fortunately my current work, Blog 3.1, is automatically retrieved OK and I save it under a new name Blog 3.2 Mk 1 while I check nothing is lost. It all seems to be there and though I know well never to attempt to do two things at once I persist in chatting while I save it over Blog 3.2. Woe. Wail. Next time I open 3.2 all its contents are gone, replaced by the contents of Blog 3.1.
Now if I had created a new folder for each blog and saved each article into it separately they would be still there AND neatly filed by name for future reference. The problem is that under our current quarterly-result bean-counting mentality the time spent initially filing them is discounted as inefficient. This labour is deemed a liability. The benefits of the effort and care do not generate immediate returns. By contrast, the precautionary approach would have resulted in the articles remaining far more accessible longer term. Accounting would have been clearer. My data would be a less risk.
In the same way that a bump of my knee set in train a series of events that would wipe all those articles, so a rat chewing through a Telecom cable was able to collapse much of New Zealand's Internet and a branch touching a wire was able to bring down much of the North American electricity grid.
The lessons do not end there. I now find it is actually easier to write the blog because the background information is filed in an accessible way. When the articles were all lumped into one folder I would have to scroll through them all when I needed them. Recall how I wrote recently of Bulk-electricity consumers having to ring up to seven different retailers during the floods in the Thames region to find out when the local grid would be operating again. The retailers in turn seemed unable to get sense from the grid owner who is based in another region. The "free market" forces generated by the Electricity Reforms dictate that consumers have to go through retailers to access the owner of the lines. If you do manage to contact the company that owns the lines you are often told,"…ring your local retailer and ask them to ask us your question – we don't deal with the public directly".
In the Bad Old Days, as the 'neocons' describe the days before the Electricity Reforms, you were able to ring your locally-based grid owner and access someone with intimate knowledge of local conditions. In the new system, the helpdesk of the retailer may be based anywhere in the world and have minimal local knowledge.
And when things go wrong, the chaos caused by the resulting inefficiency is exponential. Recall the chaos generated by TransAlta when it took over and amalgamated the community owned networks of Capital Power, Hutt Mana, and Christchurch etc. Its call centre for 540,000 customers ballooned out to 230 staff, wait times averaged 15 minutes or more, the drop off rate was ten fold at times and confusion reigned.
By contrast Wellington MED/Capital power had two phone operators serving over 50,000 customers. In my decade as a field worker for the department I never experienced a delay and almost invariably I could access accurate information in less than two minutes. Some days I made over ten calls. The same was true of Christchurch MED where I worked for a decade. I gave up trying to ring TransAlta –OnEnergy.
The irony is that the vast bureaucratic quagmire is generated in the name of "competition efficiency". This is hilarious except for one thing. It is a very dangerous practice in times of emergency. It is also a luxury that only very rich countries can afford and even then such an ethos has destroyed major civilisations in the past. And as it may do ours as the Post Cheap Oil-Gas Age deepens. (Oil is $US61.25 a barrel as I write and the fighting over remaining reserves intensifies, folks.)
Which brings me to coverage of the flog-off of Vector Ltd. As I have mentioned previously, I wrote to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark, urging her to make her electorate aware of the immense unrealised potential in their Bulk-electricity, Gas and optic fibre company in the coming Post Cheap Oil-Gas Age before they transfer controlled of it to a couple of overseas-based merchant bankers. For some reason her office went to great lengths to avoid her having to acknowledge sighting the letter. Michael Cullen's response on her behalf revealed the Labour Government's impotency. He pleaded that the Electricity Reform legislation precluded him from becoming involved. Presumably Labour has been powerless these six years to change the legislation. I wonder why.
Thought: Imagine if the Government had decided to use its recent half a billion dollar windfall from bank taxes to lend Vector the money to buy NGC. Metering rentals are almost pure cashflow and NGC predicts income from them to increase 10 fold (statement at AGM about 2003). The Government would get its money back - an important factor as it may yet have to return the taxes to the banks. More important: New Zealand would retain control of the most vital element of its electricity structure.
Anyway all I was asking was that Helen urge her electorate to understand the emerging conjunction of the great new technologies (PLC, "smart" response and DG) and to think very carefully before giving away control of such a vital asset. As I may have mentioned somewhere, the same week that Michael's hapless response arrived in my letter box Marian Hobbs was thundering on in the media about the stupidity of the idea of attaching onto a potential 4000 Auckland properties LIMS reports notifying people of possible soil contamination. Clearly the Government can offer advice to communities if it finds it politic to.
What are the politics that enable Ministers to express such public concern about a minor redistribution of capital value in the Auckland region and yet prevents them from expressing a concern about the biggest ever, single transfer of capital and control out of New Zealand with the sale of Vector? Is it because the LIMs reports would have created a neighbourhood redistribution of wealth as value was transferred to non-contaminated areas in the same way that the Leaky Homes Investment Strategy transfers wealth? In that case the new risks caused up-market "Mediterranean-style" homes to depreciate and down-market ex-state houses to appreciate.
Maybe politicians sense that almost all New Zealand Bulk-electricity consumers will suffer losses from the Vector sale and thus internal power (relative wealth) structures will be retained? Of course some canny communities not directly controlled by Vector's owners will be able to minimise losses but not so the dominant political catchments formed by Auckland and Wellington. And it is a sad fact that these two dysfunctional communities drive overall investment and set the direction of our national uses of energy.
One of the benefits of my new risk-reduction strategy when filing my notes is that there is a new level of transparency.
Check out these subject titles from the NZ Herald. Most can be found under Vector on the Herald website.
Hopes grow Vector float will lift turnover
What you need to know about the Vector float.
Brian Gaynor: Investors willing to pay for quality. (for Vector)
Rise of Auckland Electricity Behemoth.
Casting vote secured share plan
Big Vector Float finally sparking.
Vector row "will not affect listing."
Scramble indicates premium on listing
And from Stuff a sample couple of headlinks:
Energy Trust seeks Power over Vector.
What's the first thing you notice about the headlines? It is almost entirely Stock Market driven. The headline Hopes grow Vector float will lift turnover sums up the situation. The NZ Herald is fundamentally a stock market broadsheet with a sufficient sprinkling of general interest items thrown in to avoid prosecution for misleading advertising when it calls itself a newspaper.
The reality of the Stock Market is that its dominant use is as a plaything for speculators and it works against sustainable uses of resources. Environmental factors do not feature in its calculations.
There are fatal flaws inherent in speculation. One is that speculators are loveless. Second is that speculation results in all power and wealth residing in the hands of a few individuals and so new listings or turnover cease. Third is that humans cannot speculate with our environment. The results are brutal for humanity when we attempt to and we destroy our supporting systems in the process. Fourth is that speculation, a form of greed, can only be sustained by constant expansion and we live in a flux of ever changing yet limited energy forms.
The New Zealand Stock Exchange is getting few new listings and is desperate to be able to extend its ability to speculate.
"New Zealand Exchange chief executive Mark Weldon is counting on the planned $600 million share sale by utility Vector to attract new investors and halt a trading decline.
Vector owns $4.8 billion of power lines, phone lines and pipelines."
Profits from our enterprises are now largely siphoned off to overseas-based bankers and there is relatively little wealth left in community coffers to generate new businesses. As a result, the float of the community resource, Vector Ltd, will be the only stock market listing of any significance this year. My brief readings of its operations suggest that net listings will shrink without this injection of community wealth and subsidy and the Exchange's future depends on such subsidies.
That is why we should not be surprised at the NZ Herald coverage of the issue and its lack of journalism. Short-term interests drive the broadsheet and these do not coincide with the long-term interests of the community. It is primarily concerned for its own immediate survival in an age of changing technology. Hence its obsession with ensuring Vector Ltd is floated.
Of course I know wider issues are involved. There is the question of why the dearth of journalists exists. As I have pointed out before, even the "business editors" at Radio NZ – Voice of America in the South Pacific similarly fail to understand the value of Vector and are obsessed with the impact of its float on the Stock Market. The fact is not one of the Herald articles looks at the real issues. These are:
"Journalists" write headlines describing oil at $US60 a barrel as expensive. They are wrong. Oil is still very cheap. Check out
Oil: Caveat empty
Without any press conferences, grand announcements, or hyperbolic advertising campaigns, the Exxon Mobil Corporation, one of the world's largest publicly owned petroleum companies, has quietly joined the ranks of those who are predicting an impending plateau in non-OPEC oil production. Their report, The Outlook for Energy: A 2030 View, forecasts a peak in just five years.
And that reminds me. I must follow up reports that Matthew Simmonds is now predicting oil to go to $US250-400 a barrel. I guess it is possible. That is how peak curves work. Take the example of fish. In the 1970s we used on average only one calorie to catch a calorie of fish. Now with 90% of the "top tier" fish stocks destroyed it takes twenty calories to catch a calorie of fish. And almost all of those twenty calories comes from oil. Hmmmm.
Commentators on the Vector sale who fail to understand the new reality are setting us on a course to premature oblivion. In this carbon-constrained world, the local grid cannot become a plaything of the frivolous rich. Survival depends on intelligent community control and use of it. Already the Electricity Reforms mean New Zealand is now a model for the promotion of global war and famine. The Reforms are designed to suppress the ability of communities to adopt "smart technology", energy efficiency programmes, Distributed Generation and cutting-edge broadband use. The Vector float works to further impoverish our options.
Check out the article What you need to know about the Vector float. You would think this would mention the massive social and environmental implications of the float. There is not a single mention of it. Take the question:
Q: What dates are important?
What planet is this? It is certainly not Earth where New Zealanders consumer resources at a rate that could only be sustained by a planet with eight times the resources. I would have thought the date that oil plateaus over $US80 a barrel was important. Basics like food will become much more expensive and interest rates will be rising for our debt loaded families car-addicted families. Survival will depend on our ability to make intelligent use of electricity.
An even more momentous date will be the day oil settles at $105 a barrel. Dramatic changes will occur in populations in North America and Oceania as our oil-Gas based systems come under major stress. Already we are seeing signs of maladaptive change in New Zealand with the advent of reports of petrol thefts.
Note that countries like Norway will not be nearly so badly affected as us. As I have mentioned in past blogs, they charge themselves $US6.66 a gallon and the NZ Automobile Association should read this before it speaks out in our interests in the future:
As Norway is the owner of one of the largest oil fields in the world, most of that charge is tax. This is to limit the possibility of their economy being distorted by oil addiction. They use the funds to future-proof the population with provision of efficient public transport, urban designs, dwellings and communication systems. As the Bulletin article concludes:
"For their part, American consumers would do well to take a cue from their Western European counterparts, who enjoy a comfortable lifestyle despite a per capita use of petroleum that is half of that in the United States. The sooner the United States begins this transition away from oil, the easier it will be. That's a far more attractive option than trying to squeeze oil from stone."
And in contrast to canny European governments, the NZ Government has announced even more spending on motorways since I last wrote. It is literally squandering the remnants of the legacy the country inherited from the Cheap Oil era. I can imagine more attractive options than chewing tarmac for breakfast, even if it is fresh-laid tar.
The Herald's "journalism" promotes a myopic view of the world. It also reveals a profound ignorance of business in New Zealand. It fails to acknowledge the sad reality that some amoral individuals employ brutal business methods that border on psychopathic. The Herald is being naïve at best and deceitful at worst when it advances statements such as this one in its article Big Vector Float finally sparking
"Less than one quarter of the company is being sold into private hands…
As owner of 75.1 per cent of Vector, the trust has signed a deal with the company. The board, which will retain final discretion around price increases, has promised to consult the trust before increasing power prices to residential and small commercial customers in its home area."
The greatest lesson of Rogernomics (The version of Chicago Economics imposed on New Zealand since 1982-3) is that the privatisation of a community Trust of any sort almost always results in the community's complete loss of control of them. Auckland's reclaim of control of its waterfront is a rare exception. There will be people working for the Herald who know this truth from the Wellington experience.
Fran Wilde, mayor of Wellington, the capital of this country sold 49% of Capital Power. This was the council company that owned and operated the local grid. Her logic defies common understandings of democracy. She refused to have a referendum on the sale, arguing they are unscientific and unrepresentative. She, of course, held her position by virtue of a referendum.
When polling revealed over two thirds of citizens opposed the sale she said she would respect that opinion and sell only part of the company. Councilors were subject to torrid ultimatums and deep secrecy still surrounds the deal. I have heard descriptions of the final Council meeting as a thuggish event, like the backroom Mafia meeting you see in the movies.
With the sale went management rights and purchase rights. I worked for the Capital Power at the time. TransAlta, the new "part-owner", working with the famed and now derelict Arthur Andersen and Co, immediately took over total effective control of the company. They gutted its capital, sacked service-driven staff and used ownership as a political lever to take over control of the neighbouring Hutt-Mana Energy Trust.
TransAlta was profuse in its promises to the Hutt Mana communities that it would consult with them, even as they levered away every link the community had through the Trust. The Herald knows well that the Dominion and Evening Post, its Wellington broadsheet equivalents, told Wellington people that the Trust payout to individual members of the communities would enhance the local economies. It did not. The fact is in the aftermath of the first of the two 'payouts' the Hutt economy shrank 5%. I expect the second "payout' to impact in a similar way.
The Herald does not warn the Auckland people of this probability. It does not tell them that the Wellington region is hemorrhaging hundreds of millions and even billions of dollars annually as it no longer has the control of the assets required to provide efficient heating of homes, smart uses of electricity and intelligent broadband. The region's showcase film industry struggles with the lack of broadband and Bulk-electricity capacity.
STOP PRESS. Just got the mail in. Yet another letter from my Bulk-electricity retailer:
New pricing
As a result of higher energy costs and network charge changes, there will be an increase in the price you pay for your power."
think this is saying:
As far as I can see they are not yet charging me for the power I source from the sun to warm me. They cannot yet directly tax me for using windows in my house. Such taxes have been imposed in the past.
Actually, I must dredge up a few old bills. If I recall right, Bulk-electricity prices have more than doubled in seven or eight years while service and safety levels have dropped. And like a large portion of New Zealanders, my gross hourly wage has dropped over that period too. I would not mind if all those extra billions of dollars taken from us had been invested in what they call "demand control measures". However it has not been. Rather it has evaporated, or should I say, 'floated away', into distant coffers unknown.
The Herald article continues:
"The relationship between the trust and the Vector board has often been fraught, with conflicting political and business objectives.
This is plain nonsense. Business is politics and politics is business. Such a distinction is meaningless. At best it is one of those exercises in futility that some universities engage in. At worst it is a high risk-exercise in amorality. Either way in this case we end up with impoverished communities and degraded environments. Conflict is conflict. Whether it is for better or worse is another story.
Again the world can learn from the Wellington experience. Our local advertising broadsheets, the Dominion and the Evening Post, were prone to describe conflict in the Hutt Mana Energy Trust in similar terms. A rough translation of the above is:
"business" =greed, amorality, viciousness and contempt for democracy.
"political" = care, concern for community and our environment, upholding the spirit with which the Trust was founded and love of democracy.
These definitions reflect a reality in which there were often brutalising attacks by some Hutt Mana Trust Board members on others to silence them and prevent them communicating to community shareholders the full implications and options available to the Trust.
Certainly such conflict is not found in all companies. Sadly, in some cases this is because there are companies that have zero concern for the greater welfare of society and the environment. A ruthless policy of eliminating vestiges of morality exists and employees are routinely " laid off". Recent books on Enron reveal this process. That company engaged in a routine layoff of 10% of staff each year to "keep staff on their toes."
Against the context of these amoral companies, the conflict occurring in Vector may well be a welcome and needed process that we should all be privy to.
Reflect further, if you will, on this Herald quote:
"Alliance Capital Management analyst John Norling said trust shareholders might have social and political objectives that did not fit with a well-run commercial company."
Another extraordinary statement concerning the reported conflict is:
"Whether this will change when Vector lists on the NZX will be carefully watched - especially by institutional investors concerned about good governance."
It is an almighty and perhaps unwise assumption to attribute our institutional investors with expertise in good governance. It certainly is not apparent in their results this last two decades. Check out Dr Arthur Grimes report on the sad state of our saving's industry. In my own case I trusted the industry 1990-2000 with my savings. At the end of the time I had less money than I started. If instead I had bought this home in the early 1990s as I could have I would have quadrupled those savings money by 2000 and I would be mortgage free.
Yes, a large portion of the population has lost considerable wealth after they entrusted it to our institutional investors. Indeed, many small, well-run trusts have generated far more genuine wealth in their communities. Strip out earnings from investment in speculation in oil, drugs and weapons and some institutional investors would be revealed as woefully inadequate.
There are three key questions regarding the Vector IPO: Where are the 249 million shares being allocated? Do they represent reasonable value at $2.38? Is Vector a good investment?
Ethical business would rephrase the three key questions regarding the IPO as:
I am not saying Brian is dishonest. I am saying the float is being driven by a combination of greed, ignorance and stressed-out individuals i.e. usual old human bumbling and fumbling. The question is: Can we afford such ignorance? The answer is no as it puts civilisation at severe risk. The answer is no if you subscribe to our future residing in a Knowledge Economy.
And this begs the question: How was such ignorance generated. The article Rise of an Auckland electricity behemoth is revealing. For start the headline is misleading. Vector is equally a communication company with ripple response systems operating at least 50 years. It is also a Gas distributor and thus it plays a major role in how we use electricity. Its ownership of monitoring/response technology effectively means it controls the majority of New Zealand switchboards. NGC alone owns half of 1.8 million meters. In short: the sum of Vector's parts is far greater than its role as an "electricity" company.
The NZ Herald's ignorance/bigotry is particularly apparent in what it fails to tell us about the history of Vector Ltd. It is correct in stating:
"The history of Vector can be traced back to the introduction of electricity supply into Auckland homes and businesses at the dawn of the 1900s…..
The board developed the electricity supply system throughout the Auckland region over 70 years"
The Herald fails to tell us that councils around New Zealand ended up have to buy their local private electricity company because they simply were not delivering intelligent, sustainable service. Similarly in the rural areas, farming communities set up their own co-operatives to reticulate electricity because the private sector did not deliver at all.
The sentence summarising the development over 70 years is an even greater indictment of the Herald's culture. It fails to give any hint of how that development occurred. It occurred because four generations of families scrimped and saved so their children might have warm homes, safe lighting and could use modern technology. Many of these people were new immigrants with families in Europe. It would have been easy for them to sell up the community assets and "have the trip of a lifetime" or maybe retire a year early. The latter use of the money would have doubled the retirement period labourers would have enjoyed. There were many other things those generations could have invested their community shares in the local "electric light" company money in.
The fact is our ancestors sacrificed a great deal to develop the local electricity grids for us. Many took great pride in the fact that they were bequeathing on their children, completely freehold, the most intelligent grids in the world. I experienced their clarity of vision and pride – I am very privileged in that some of them expressed it personally to me before they died.
Each time I came away truly humbled. And I was on occassion profoundly chastened as some even suggested that continuing my career as a meter reader under the Electricity Reforms regime made me a traitor and complicit with a crime.
The Vector float and transfer of control into the hands of a couple of bankers completes a massive inter-generational betrayal and theft. The price we will pay is needless conflict, poverty and ill health. The Herald ignores and dismisses this great act of sacrifice and love of our ancestors though it does give a glimpse of their vision in this quote:
At the opening of an Epsom substation in 1917, councillor A. J. Entrican rhapsodised about the promise of the future: "After the war ... electricity ... would be in every house, not only for lighting purposes but to move the household iron across the linen, to turn the mangle and even to rock the cradle."
The article makes the very interesting observation:
"Some things never change: just like today, voter apathy marked the inaugural AEPB election, with Bush's history of Auckland reporting a turnout of less than 18 per cent."
Only 18 per cent of Auckland people eligible to vote in the recent elections were motivated to use their vote. This is little wonder. The general ignorance of our media of the great issues facing us tends to generate cynicism that is not good for democracy or the development of a Knowledge Economy. That low voter turnout at the original election was not an indication that the AEPB structure was unwise. The immense wealth it has generated for Auckland is testimony to that as does the fact the new owners will be given control of an asset worth tens of billions of dollars.
The observation makes nonsense of the Herald's commentary in general. For instance read this comment another of the Herald's article pushing the float Investors will to pay for quality
"The response from AECT beneficiaries has been staggering with substantially more applying for shares than voted at the 2003 trustee elections. This is a huge vote of confidence in the AECT and indicates strong support for the partial privatisation of Vector."
The 1922 election figures of 18% turnout showed there is little or no relationship between voting figures and the wealth the new structure would create in the community. Similarly there is no reason why the recent 18% election figures bear any relationship to the massive loss of wealth New Zealand is about to experience, particularly Auckland and Wellington. I would argue that chances are the New Zealand would be obscuring issues then as now to serve the short-term interests of its shareholders. The difference is that there were a body of citizens then who knew the horrors of war and were prepared to act for the interests of future generations. Our generation has forgotten their lessons and ignored their insights and so has not produced such a body of enlightened individuals.
Lest the Herald thinks I am targeting it unfairly, I will point out it is a dominant media form in the Auckland region and other broadsheets and other media are equally unhelpful. I will leave it to the reader to make what they will of this 1 July quote from Stuff
Energy trust seeks power over Vector
By MARTA STEEMAN
Similar ignorance was displayed by this week's Sunday Star Times when its financial 'guru' was asked, "NGC: what's in it for Vector?"
His reply is summed in this sentence:
"NGC is likely to be of value to Vector because of the vertical integration opportunities it provides."
Nowhere does he hint that the opportunities include the ability to control how you and I design and use our dwellings. It is a little known fact that NGC inherited effective control of half the nation's "meter boards" and can determine how we interact with the local grid. Government legislation works to reinforce NGC-Vector's monopoly role in our lives. The recent history of privatised ownership of our rail and telecommunication systems illustrates this process. It reveals the clear advantage the incumbent dominant owner enjoys from being able to culture inertia in customers and governments. We end up with inefficent, costly and antiquated systems.
Last week I promised I would enlighten Trevor Mallard why he was received the Junk Joules Award for services to the Bulk-electricity sector with his speech at the launch of Contact Energy's service centre in the Hutt. Sorry Trev, I will try to get time to explain next blog. I did say I might announce a Bonus Joules award at the same time. Still thinking about it and it looks like Mighty River Power might get it.
In the mean time chat up your local MP hopefuls and express your concern about Vector float. And don't expect to see the Bonus Joules cartoon and blog in your local broadsheet. I did submit it several times to my local broadsheet,the Dominion Post, a couple of years ago. Tim Pankhurst, the editor, wrote back saying they do not have room for it. That's fair enough. I understand. All those sheets of ads for cars, oil companies, the Stock Market stuff, breakfast cereals, beds, "universities" etc do take up a lot of space.
"Beds? Breakfast cereals?" you ask, "What's wrong with advertising them? We need them" Yes, sure we do. Personally when I buy them I ignore the ads and do my own research. The ads are just a private tax to subsidise the PR industry and keep it alive. So when you are chatting your MP about the Vector float and you find the subject of tax comes up, suggest we can remove this 7-10% private sector tax and have more money in our pockets which we can invest in real education. It could save a lot of trees and reduce pollution too. And conserve oil and Bulk-electricity reserves…
So if you know someone who might find the Bonus Joules website helpful for teaching and developing sustainable images and uses of energy, flick it on. Its part of developing the mechanisms that will enable a Knowledge Economy.
Oh, and that Orion Dividend report I included in the NZ Herald headlinks? Its only a small report but, dear Wellington and Auckland people, it reveals that the Cantabrians are smart at a lot of things besides being tops at rugby. A lot of their dividends came out of the pockets of very clever Wellington people. And the report gives no inkling of the clever things they do with the dividends.Perhaps we should let the Cantabs run the country?


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Cavendish out of GB Tour after crash
Mark Cavendish was taken to hospital with a shoulder injury after crashing out of the Tour of Britain.
The 30-year-old Manxman initially remounted after crashing about 20km into the sixth stage of the race from Stoke to Nottingham before pulling out.
His Etixx-Quick-Step team believe he hit a parked car, injuring the same left shoulder he dislocated during the 2014 Tour de France.
Cavendish sustained bruising but no fracture or dislocation of the joint.
But he will require several days of rest before being able to resume training.
The crash came on the day he was named in
for this month's UCI Road World Championships, which start next weekend.
But the men's road race is over a fortnight away on Sunday, 27 September, and Cavendish's team believe it is still possible he will be able to compete in the event in Virginia, the United States.
Friday's sixth stage – a 192.7 km route across the Peak District National Park – was won by Cavendish's Etixx-Quick-Step team-mate Matteo Trentin.
The Italian rider beat Edvald Boasson Hagen (MTN-Qhubeka) as the duo battled for the stage win.
Norwegian Boasson Hagen, the 2009 Tour of Britain winner, earned enough bonus seconds to enhance his overall lead to 13 seconds ahead of the final two stages this weekend.
Saturday's 227.1km seventh stage from Fakenham to Ipswich is likely to be the final chance for Boasson Hagen's rivals – chiefly Team Sky's Wout Poels – to dethrone him as Sunday's finish in central London is expected to end in a sprint.
Analysis from BBC Sport's Matt Slater
"Stoke and Nottingham are only 50 flattish miles apart if you go via the A50; do it via Buxton, Hathersage and Bakewell and it could just break you.
"The day's victor Matteo Trentin, who has also won two Tour de France stages, said it was the hardest ride of his career.
"There may be a hint of hyberbole to that – forgiveable given the way he resisted a very elite chasing group and surged past Edvald Boasson Hagen at the death – but I cannot remember a day at the Tour of Britain when the main bunch came in 45 minutes later.
"It was a third win this week for the Etixx-Quick-Step team and it came on the day they lost their third rider, Britain's Mark Cavendish. It seems his injuries are not as serious as first feared.
"And for Boasson Hagen there is the consolation that despite Team Sky's best efforts he has almost certainly wrapped up the overall win."
Stage 6 result
Matteo Trentin (Ita/Etixx-Quick-Step) 4hrs 45mins 27secs
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/MTN-Qhubeka) same time
Owain Doull (GB/Team Wiggins) +4secs
Zdenek Stybar (Cze/Etixx-Quick-Step) same time
Jens Debusschere (Bel/Lotto Soudal) same time
Alberto Bettiol (Ita/Cannondale – Garmin) same time
Alex Peters (GB/Great Britain) – same time
Dylan Teuns (Bel/BMC Racing Team) same time
Xandro Meurisse (Bel/An Post-Chainreaction) same time
Wouter Poels (Ned/Team Sky) same time
General classification
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/MTN-Qhubeka) 27hrs 47mins 54secs,
Wouter Poels (Ned/Team Sky) at 13 secs,
Rasmus Guldhammer (Den/Cult Energy Pro Cycling) +43secs
Owain Doull (GB/Team Wiggins) +44secs,
Dylan Teuns (Bel/BMC Racing Team) +51secs
Zdenek Stybar (Cze/Etixx-Quick-Step) same time
Ruben Fernandez (Spa/Movistar) same time
Steven Kruijswijk (Ned/Team LottoNL-Jumbo) same time
Xandro Meurisse (Bel) An Post – Chainreaction same time
Chris Anker Sorensen (Den/Tinkoff-Saxo) same time
Selected Others:
Peter Kennaugh (GB/Team Sky) +1:45
Bradley Wiggins (GB/Team WIGGINS) at 1:26:56
Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/34224727

subset: commoncrawl


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Inspiring Argosy Rv 30 Photo : Argosy Motorhome Airstream Viewrvs
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At Everygirl HQ, we're all about beautiful, timeless pieces at attainable price points — which is why we're SO excited to announce new, lower prices on our collaboration with The Inside!
Our Cofounders Alaina and Danielle designed neutral, showstopping fabrics for pieces in classic shapes that work as gorgeous investments for any type of home. From headboards to timeless ottomans, this collection is full of flattering patterns that easily mix and match to help design a space you're proud of. You can also shop a brand new piece in our exclusive fabrics — a modern, elegant platform bed! (The perfect addition to your cozy bedroom space).
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Click here to shop the entire collection — with new, lower prices!


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Difference between revisions of "Valves"
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[[Category:Steam Locomotive Parts]]
[[Category:Steam Locomotive Parts]]
== Lap and Lead in Slide Valves ==
== Lap and Lead in Slide Valves ==
Revision as of 17:13, 13 February 2020
- Baker valve gear
- Hackworth valve gear
- Southern valve gear
- Stephenson valve gear
- Walschaert valve gear
Lap and Lead in Slide Valves
The Live Steamer, March-April 1950
Valves and valve gears can be the making or the breaking of the performance of any engine. There are other things that enter the picture as well, but, if the valves and valve gear are right, the other conditions can be dealt with and usually corrected without too much trouble.
It could be that an explanation and a sketch or two might be welcome. I realize that I am treading on dangerous ground here, as a complete answer to valve and valve gear problems takes a lifetime of study to master and a lot of technical study, in addition.
When talking about this subject, one will hear some of the terms mentioned, such as lap, lead, valve travel, steam ports, exhaust port, bridges and line in line. To a good many of the older (I do not mean in years) and more experienced Live-Steamers, these terms are clear and well understood. To the man building his first engine, and some of the more experienced ones as well, they are about as clear as mud and not too well understood.
Lap is the amount the steam edges of the valve overlap the steam ports when the valve is central. Its purpose is to allow the steam to be used expansively. This means less fuel and water is used.
Lead is the amount the valve has opened the steam port for admission when the piston is on a dead center. It is given for the purpose of getting the steam into the cylinder so that it will be there ready to push the piston as it passes the dead centers.
Valve Travel is the total distance that the valve moves in one direction and measured with the reverse lever in either full gear position. it should be equal to one lap plus one steam port times two. For example, if one lap is 1/8 inch and one steam port is 1/8 inch, then the total full gear travel should be one-half inch. It is important to know the total full gear valve travel so that the valve gear itself can be designed to give this full gear valve travel.
The steam ports, the exhaust port and the bridges are best explained by Sketch #1 and the Port Face. The bridges should be equal to the steam ports. The exhaust port should be at least twice the size of the steam ports, measured fore and aft.
Line and Line is a somewhat ambiguous term, as it is used in two different ways. Sometimes it is applied to a valve that has no lap. In this case, the steam edge of the valve and the steam port are line and line. Such a valve would permit steam to follow the piston its whole stroke and would be extremely wasteful.
It is my belief that this term is more commonly used in connection with the exhaust edges of the valve and the exhaust edge of the steam ports. This is the condition shown on Sketch #1. The valve cavity should always be this way, if it is a trifle more, it will help the steam to get out easily, and this is just as important as getting it in.
Lap and Lead in Piston Valves
Jim Kreider
From The Engine Booster, Los Angeles Live Steamers, September & October 2018
A brief explanation of lap and lead applied to locomotive valves
Below is a sketch showing the way the valves are setup on the 1-1/2 inch scale Berkshire. This is a typical setup for modern steam locomotives which were equipped with inside admission piston valves. I didn't work any magic here. I just scaled down the work done by the steam design engineers of the era who figured out the optimum performance characteristics of these superpower locomotives.
- On the model:
- lap = 0.211 inch
- lead = 0.030 inch
- exhaust clearance = 0.008 inch
The piston valves on the model are 1-1/2 inch diameter and the valve gear is designed to provide 1 inch max valve travel.
At the piston front and back dead center the valve gear imparts no motion to the valve, or no offset from the valve centerline. That is done by the "combination lever", which offsets the valve from centerline an amount equal to the lap plus lead. The valve gear at these points is simply along for the ride.
Lead is the amount the steam edge port is open when the main piston is at the end or beginning of its stroke. It ensures that there is an unrestricted supply of steam to the cylinder shortly after the piston begins its stroke. It is generally larger on high speed passenger engines than on locomotives designed for freight service. (Ed: please explain why)
Steam lap is there to cutoff the cylinder steam supply to the cylinder before the piston reaches the end of its stroke and thus take advantage of the expansive force of the steam, increasing the locomotives efficiency. The delay of steam admission caused by the steam lap also contributes to ensuring that the steam is thoroughly exhausted from the other side of the piston before steam admission occurs.
The exhaust edges and rings are generally setup in two of three possible ways:
- Line & line: with the valve on center, if the exhaust edges of the rings coincide with the exhaust edges of the ports, the valves are said to be "line & line". This arrangement is prevalent on slower speed freight engines.
- Exhaust lead: with the valve on center, if the cylinder is open to the exhaust, the valve has exhaust lead. This serves to decrease the expansion of the steam but also contributes to the exhaust event occurring longer. Exhaust lead, if applied, is larger on passenger engines, but less in freight service.
- Exhaust lap: with the valve on centerline, if the exhaust edges of the rings overlap the exhaust edges of the ports, the valve has exhaust lap. With exhaust lap, the duration of the exhaust is shortened and the duration of steam expansion is lengthened. Exhaust lap was rarely applied in prototype engines.
As stated above, modern prototype steam locomotives were equipped with inside admission piston valves as shown in the sketch. Many late steam-era live steam locomotive models, however, are equipped with outside admission slide valves. They work fine but are 180 degrees out of phase from what the prototype had and required that the eccentric crank "lead" the main crank in forward motion rather than "follow", with valve or radius rod set below the valve stem rather than above. Lap and lead still apply as for outside admission except that steam lap and lead are now applied to the outside or steam edges of the valve while exhaust clearance, lap or "line & line" are applied to the inside.
From The Live Steamer, March-April 1950
What is meant by the term Square or Out of Square applying to a locomotive?
When an engine is Square it means that the valve setting is such that the four exhaust blasts, which occur with each revolution of drive wheels, are evenly spaced and of equal intensity. Being Out of Square is the reverse of this condition and indicates some trouble with the valve gear (or valve setting).
Several issues can lead to a locomotive being out of square.
Valve Timing
See Valve Timing
Tumbler Rods
Paul Keiser posted on Chaski.org:
- Setting the lifting arms on to the tumbling shaft. This is critical before you bore a #3 taper pin reamer to finalize the position. If one side is off, the block in the link will be off position from the other side and the choo choo will walk with a limp.
- I have built several of the Allen Moguls and Ten Wheelers. When I would work up the cylinders, heads, steam chests, and covers, I would lap the heads to the cylinders with fine grade of Clover valve grinding compound. The steam chests and covers would be worked over a surface plate, e.g. a piece of broken window glass that I got out of an old railroad passenger car, along with a really fine grade of wet or dry sandpaper with a bit of kerosene. The parts would be assembled with no gaskets, just a little smear of non hardening permetex, and, of course, the necessary bolts needed to hold everything together.
- Seepage in Small Steam Engines
- "The Simple Slide Valve"
- "Valve Gear Conversion", Phil Heath, DiscoverLiveSteam.com
- "Corliss valve material", Chaski.org
- "Steam Engine Valve Gear on the Computer", Charlie Dockstader
- "Valve Gear Simulators"
- "Don Ashton's Steam Locomotive Valve Gears"
- "Valve Gear Animation Videos", Deerfield & Roundabout RR


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My friend and frequent rally driver, Harald von Langsdorff, is selling his 1951 Mercedes-Benz 220B. This car is for sale via an auction on the Bring-A-Trailer website. I have provided a link to that website at the bottom of this post.
1951 Mercedes-Benz 220B
This car is in excellent shape and I know that Harald has been regularly updating this car over the years.
The "Suicide" Style Front Doors Make Entry & Enter Easy
Inside, outside, top and underneath, this car is in great shape. I know that Harald does not do things in half measures and this car had been very well treated and cared for. Harald has owned this car since 2008 and I doubt that this car has even spent one night outside since that time.
The Car's Interior Is In Great Shape
This particular car has better performance than most Mercedes-Benz 220B cars of this year. The original cylinder head was replaced with a later 220S Ponton unit featuring dual Solex carburetors. This improvement gives the car a significant power increase up to around 95 horsepower – an almost 20% increase over the stock 1951 Mercedes-Benz 220B output of 80 horsepower.
This Car Has Been Fitted With Twin Carburetors
For more information about this car and to place a bid you can get to the Bring-A-Trailer website by clicking on the following link.


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Whether or not you are enthusiastic about having a baby for the primary time or have been pregnant earlier than, with a bit of planning you can give your self one of the best probability of a healthy pregnancy and child. The information hole and the drop in folic acid intake is regarding because generally, half of all pregnancies are unplanned, and even for planned pregnancies women usually don't know they're pregnant till they're a minimum of a month along," Caprara says.
You'll get this from your healthcare team, however discuss to your family and buddies too. However, in case you're happy the place stay, do not feel like you need to transfer now that you just're household-planning either – you do not need a huge, multi-bedroom home in suburbia to lift a child.
Most of us anticipate sleepless nights once baby arrives, however many women do not realize that it can be powerful to get a good night time's rest throughout being pregnant – when things like heartburn, getting as much as pee, and adjusting to aspect-snoozing can preserve some expectant mothers tossing and turning.
Most women with diabetes have a wholesome child. The American Faculty of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Your Being pregnant and Childbirth: Month to Month, Ladies's Well being Care Physicians, 2010. Nevertheless, there are lots of things you are able to do to help avoid issues and make sure you and your being pregnant stay as healthy as potential.


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7 Ways Responsive Website Design Services Improve SEO
Your website depends on a good user experience. We'll show you how responsive web design services can improve the experience and your SEO.
Looking for a way to easily maximize the payoff of your SEO?
Believe it or not, you can improve SEO simply by changing the game of your website design. No fancy add-ons needed.
Your website is the number one baseline for user experience. The more responsive your website is, the more likely it is to guarantee a fantastic user experience every time.
Take a look below to see how responsive website design services can give power to your SEO–and everything else.
1.Your Site is Instantly More Usable
Responsive web design is exactly that: it responds to the needs of the user or visitor.
In a nutshell, it means that no matter what device your visitors use, the content of a website should adapt to that viewing platform easily.
Responsive design is on the upswing because users are now relying on mobile phones as their preferred browsing device. If a website is able to load content flexibly, it is more likely to bring about a positive user experience.
Just think about it: don't you hate it when you're mobile browsing and you go to a website that doesn't adapt to your screen? Do you want to hang out much longer on that site?
The greater your site's usability, the greater your odds are for a lot of things, depending on the written content, website images or services you are delivering.
Maximized SEO is one of them. Conversions could be another.
2. Reduce User Bounce Rate
Bounce rate refers to when users of your site check it out and then immediately leave. A high bounce rate means that the majority of your site's visitors are not staying for that long, for a variety of reasons.
A lot of users will peace out if a website doesn't adapt to a mobile screen. Responsive website design services will greatly reduce user bounce rate by immediately optimizing user experience.
Decreased bounce rates will indicate to Google that your content is informative and valuable, rather than the opposite. As a result, responsive websites can directly improve SEO.
3.Faster Loading Sites Retain Users Longer
Relying on responsive website design services will guarantee higher loading speeds for your site. This is because your site's content will automatically be adaptable to viewing platforms.
With higher loading times, your website will maximize user experience. Who wants to wait around for the right content to download?
The longer your users stay on your site, the lower your bounce rate, and the higher your SEO ranking in general.
4.Your Site Is Easily Shared
When you invest in responsive website design services, you are investing in a custom designed website that can easily translate across social media channels.
Responsive designs are more easily shared on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and beyond because they are so suited to a variety of devices and platforms.
If a user likes your content, h/she can immediately upload it to another channel and encourage other users to respond.
Not only does this boost your online marketing presence, but it gives you a chance to build SEO even further through a variety of other platforms.
5.Website Content is Not Duplicated
Websites that don't rely on responsive website design services may have a mobile-friendly version of their site and a standard browser-friendly version.
This means that in reality, duplicate content exists for that site.
When you use responsive web design, you are bypassing this tricky–and potentially unprofessional–side effect. You only have one website and one URL in the world of the internet.
When a user visits your site, h/she doesn't have to click "mobile-friendly version." The content adapts automatically to the screen of the device used.
This directly impacts SEO, because it fits within Google's guidelines (see below). But it also means that you can take direct conversion data from one website alone, without having to consider duplicate sites.
This streamlined result of responsive website design services is one of the biggest advantages because it saves you time and headaches and optimizes user experience.
6.Google Likes It
Google has already stated that it recommends responsive website design, and when Google recommends something, it's probably pretty advisable to do it!
It's important in the world of online marketing and SEO to make sure you are following Google's guidelines.
While responsive website design isn't an official Google rule, it is a great guideline to follow. Its ability to promote informative and valuable content and maximize user experience puts it at the top of the list.
Research is still being done to see if responsive website design services can give your website a higher ranking.
But because it looks good in Google's eyes, you can pretty much conclude that it will do good things for your SEO.
7.You Can Get Recognized Earlier On
Believe it or not, as amazing as all of this sounds, a lot of websites have yet to invest in responsive website design services. It is still entering the field of online marketing and SEO.
If you adopt responsive web design soon, however, you'll be one step ahead of everyone else. Being a leader in this capacity can alone improve SEO and send your competitors to the sidelines.
Investing in Responsive Website Design Services
When it comes to online marketing, SEO is one of the first things to check off your box. But just implementing SEO doesn't guarantee results.
Having a responsive website design can actually improve SEO and get you faster results. Because today most internet users rely on a mobile device to browse, having a website that adapts automatically to different screen sizes puts you ahead of everyone else.
Responsive design can lead to a maximized user experience, lower bounce rates in general, and easily shareable content. Not having duplicate content with your website streamlines user experience further and is favourable in Google's eyes.
At Red Kite, we are the local experts in everything SEO and web design. We provide custom designed, mobile friendly, SEO ready sites for all clients in a variety of packages.
Check out our responsive website design services so that we can put you on the map today!


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Quiet Company
Quiet Company (trading name for Friends House Hospitality Ltd) is a fully owned trading subsidiary of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). It was formed in 2007. The company operates a conference, events and catering business at Friends House (London) and oversees the running of Swarthmoor Hall (Cumbria), the Quaker Centre Bookshop, and facilities on both sites on behalf of the charity.
The company is committed to Quaker values such as simplicity, truth, equality, peace, and sustainability. This is why the environment is at the core of what we do. Green energy, local sourcing of produce, fair pricing and fair pay for staff are among the things which define us as an ethical company. As a Living Wage employer, we pay our staff above the London Living Wage.
Friends House building
Friends House was built between 1924 and 1927. The building was designed by Hubert Lidbetter, who won the RIBA bronze medal for "best building erected in London" in 1927. It was originally intended for Quaker annual gatherings (Yearly Meeting). The building's design specification included a Meeting House to seat at least 1,500 Friends (Quakers) for Yearly Meeting, a library and several rooms to meet and worship.
Today, Friends House is the central offices of Quakers in Britain and still welcomes Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM), once every other year during the Spring bank holiday weekend. The building has had many renovations and improvements since 1927, starting with the Meeting House also known as the Large Meeting House. In 2014, following a year of renovation work, it was relaunched as The Light, our 1,000 seater auditorium. It now includes a glass roof light to provide natural light and a 200m2 flat floor for exhibition layouts.
The Light is a standalone venue located on the ground floor of Friends House. The 31 other meeting and event spaces are located on the lower ground-floor, ground-floor, 1st floor and 2nd floor, while the 3rd floor is dedicated to Quakers in Britain offices.


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MANILA, Philippines – Christian Louboutin has released a new "Treasure Tote" inspired by our very own Manila!
According to a release, Christian was stuck in Manila traffic on his travels to the Philippines and was struck by our shiny, colorful jeepneys: "While finding their way through the dense traffic of Manila, they celebrate life with a joyful style Christian immediately related to."
Thus, the "Manilacaba" was born! The bag, which features a jeepney design on its front and in the lining, comes in two limited edition versions: denim blue and black satin.
Sequins adorn the Manilacabas' front panel, while the sides were made by the women artisans from the GREAT (Gender Responsive Economic Action for the Transformation of Women) Women in ASEAN initiative, a platform that supports the economic empowerment of Asian women artisans.
"I have always been captivated by the Philippines' beauty: the perfect combination of sparkles, mother-of-pearl, and shells. But this project really started to make sense to me when I discovered the richness and the quality of craftsmanship the GREAT Women in ASEAN artisans were able to develop," said Christian in a release.
"Designing the side-panels with Christian was a rich experience. The pattern Christian elaborated for them was new for the artisans who were used to weaving traditional motifs with this technique. But when we saw the encounter of tradition and creativity happen on the fabric, we thought: how interesting, we should have done this before! This is an inspiring story of mutual respect," said Jeannie Javelosa, co-founder of the GREAT Women in ASEAN initiative.
Ten percent of the profit from the sale of each Manilacaba will benefit the initiative.
Aside from the Manilacaba, Christian also created a limited edition "Piloutin" clutch, inspired by the Philippines' oceans. The bag features Swarovski crystals and pearlescent shells. You can also get an "Artemistrap" to go with your Piloutin. Only 10 Piloutin bags and 10 Artemistraps are available worldwide.
– Rappler.com


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Washing machines today are an essential part of many households and they have no doubt made our lives easier when it comes to washing those stubborn stains and dirt. While most of the people still prefer doing it manually, fully automatic washing machines do help to save both labour and time.
There are a plethora of options ranging from front loading to top loading washing machines to make your task easier. Here we bring to you the top 5 best washing machines which are available in India right now. Let's get started.
|Top 5 Washing Machines
|Consumer Rating (Out of 5)
|IFB Senorita Aqua VX
|Rs 28,990
|Bosch WAK24168IN
|Rs 29,499
|Samsung WA65M4100HY/TL
|Rs 15,999
|Rs 25,499
|Whirlpool Stainwash Deep Clean 7.0
|Rs 19,999
IFB 6.5 kg Fully Automatic Front Load Washing Machine White (Senorita Aqua VX)
IFB is a known name when it comes to home appliances and this one is no different. The IFB Fully Automatic Front Load Washing Machine is available online for Rs 28,990 and has a 6.5 kg washing capacity, which is more than enough for a medium-sized family. It has a maximum Spin Speed of 1000 rpm and requires a power supply of 220-240V. The washing machine has a dimension (H X W X D) of 675 x 570 x 880 mm, and it weighs 66kgs. It has display features like 4 Digit Large Display, 7 Segment LED Display, Audio Visual Indication, Program Time and Progress Indication.
This washing machine comes with a special built-in Aqua Energy filter that treats hard water efficiently, thus improving the quality of water. The result is better detergent action, lesser detergent consumption and better wash quality while improving the life of the washing machine. This IFB washing machine consumes a maximum of 2200 watts of power to efficiently wash clothes.
It has Hygiene and Safety Programs in which you can Rid your washing machine of bacteria or fungus, scaling and bad odours with the Tub Clean feature. Keep it safe from rodent attacks with the protective rat mesh. With the Auto Imbalance System, this washing machine balances the load within the tub in case of uneven distribution.
It comes with crescent moon shaped pattern on the drum to gently wash clothes without damaging them. The Foam Control System helps to clear excess foam so that you get quality wash always. The IFB Senorita Aqua VX comes with a Laundry Add feature that lets you add missed out laundry even if the wash cycle has already started. Also, it lets you choose from 100 different wash programs based on your fabrics and washing requirements. Overall, the washing machine can be considered as a good option.
Bosch 7 kg Fully Automatic Front Load Washing Machine Silver (WAK24168IN)
This Bosch Fully Automatic front loading washing machine is available online at Rs 29,499 and has a 7 kg washing capacity. It has a maximum Spin Speed of 1200 rpm with a power consumption of 2150 W. The washing machine has a dimension (H X W X D) of 85 x 62 x 60 cm and it weighs 78kg.
This washing machine is equipped with many innovative features which will make short work of doing laundry. With its 24hrs Time Delay function, it lets you delay the wash cycle, so you can get clean laundry whenever you need it, without any foul smell. This way you can ensure your clothes are freshly laundered when you need them without waiting for the cycle to finish.
It features the ActiveWater, which adjusts the level of water according to the amount of load and fabric type. It further uses hot water to remove the detergent residue and bacteria from clothes. Then there is the Super Quick 15 Programme through which one can wash, rinse and spin up light-soiled clothes in just about 15 minutes.
The machine also comes with a Reload Wash option, which allows you to open the door early in the cycle to add or remove items easily. Then there is various drum which has asymmetric paddles that power heavy-duty washing and raindrops drum surface design that is gentle on the clothes. Its advanced water flow system ensures efficient distribution of water and detergent throughout the wash.
The AntiVibration design of this washing machine helps in experiencing less vibration and noise during spin cycles. This design feature also ensures that your machine is stable and doesn't shake while washing heavy loads.
Samsung 6.5 kg Fully Automatic Top Load Washing Machine Silver (WA65M4100HY/TL)
Samsung has made its presence felt in this segment with some good products in the past and same can be said for this. The Samsung Fully Automatic Top Load Washing Machine is available online for Rs 15,999 and has a 6.5 kg washing capacity. It has a maximum Spin Speed of 700 rpm with a power consumption of 350 W. The washing machine has a dimension (H X W X D) of 906 x 540 x 568 mm and weighs 31kgs.
The top loading washing machine has Wobble technology that protects delicate fabrics from friction damage during spinning action. The device's lid can open and close smoothly and there is a tempered glass window, to view the washing without lifting it. It also minimizes knots and tangles, thereby reducing damage to your clothes. Then there is a Magic Filter in the tub effectively gathers the lint, fluff and particles that come out of your clothes when they are being washed.


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C3X World Tour: Leg Three, Week Twelve
"...So grab your Grandpa and stay indoors and play these songs! Honestly, you don't need your grandpa to enjoy these songs. They are THAT good!" -ws54: Nifty Fifties
Sorry, you've got the wrong number...
We coming in live from the most iconic punk venue,
924 Gilman Street
Grab your Xbox 360 and ignore your elders, this week's pack is very E D G Y
We're featuring several artists, so let's just jump into it
(Click the visualizers or check the database to download/visit the Xbox store)
Green Day - Insomniac Album
Authored by: IMMCTNTJK
Bass and Drums on "Armatage Shanks", "86", "Stuart and The Ave.", and "Westbound Sign"
Authored by: nsw1-6
(Go buy "Geek Stink Breath" and "Brain Stew/Jaded" from the store )
Does it count to have clean versions of punk songs?
Download the clean versions to play with your Grandpa here:
Stuck With Me
No Pride
Bab's Uvula Who?
Panic Song
Stuart and The Ave.
You know how I said I was working on this album... a year and a half ago?
You'd have to be a Nimrod to not know that...
Maybe I should think twice before I promise something next time...
Also featuring selections from The Offspring!
Authored by: VreyIsGrey
"This song, if it wasn't made apparent from the title, is a lyrical "adaptation" of Morris Albert's "Feelings." This song takes a complete 180 from the original song and gives it that punk angst, courtesy of The Offspring.
Instead of the original lyrics about "feelings of love", this song takes a turn and changes it to "feelings of haaaaaate!"
Have You Ever
Authored by: Kamotch
"I never paid too much attention to The Offspring growing up. My main exposure to them was "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)" which I basically considered a novelty song. Sure I heard some of their other hits occasionally -- "The Kids Aren't Alright" and "Self Esteem" for example -- but I never really appreciated those songs until hearing them much later when they became Rock Band DLC. But even though I consider myself a fan of both those songs, I still couldn't really think of The Offspring as anyone but the "White Guys" from the music video. Add to that, I really disliked their on-disc Rock Band 2 song. So anyway, my brother one day had this particular song stuck in his head and told me to listen to it. I have no clue where he heard it or under what circumstances, but I can say that it is really odd that my brother would recommend an Offspring song. But hey, I liked it! So ever since then, it's been one of the the few Offspring songs I keep in rotation, and the only one of them not yet playable in Rock Band. Until now!"
We have two new customs from AFI!
Authored by: TheFrisk
"You can't have a punk week without AFI, and nothing is punkier than their early material. Hot off their second full length,
and the first they've ever printed onto a CD (if that isn't dating this), we've got a fan favorite, "This Secret Ninja"."
"You can't have something old without something new, right? "Get Dark" is the latest single from the band,
off their 2017 EP "The Missing Man".
It's a simple, guitar-driven punk track featuring a difficult solo for all the guitarists out there."
And for the finale of this week, we have Blink-182 and Four Year Strong!
Blink-182 - Man Overboard
Authored by: DemonUnicorns
"Man Overboard was written during sessions for Enema of the State and has a sound that would fit perfectly in the classic album.
Each instrument has an enjoyable chart, so this is a must have for your Blink-182 library."
Four Year Strong - Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die
Authored by: FUGGNUTZ
"Vocals: GreenPanda12"
The tour is almost coming to a close!?
Enjoy the songs!


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Singapore based investment company, GIC is looking to acquire stakes of Irish telecommunication operator Eircom (Eir). GIC is planning for a multimillion-dollar minority stake in Eir in a deal valuing the Eir at around €3.5 billion ($4 billion). Eir is a rapidly growing telecommunication operator, who has invested in building modern telecommunication infrastructure in Ireland. The Singaporean sovereign-wealth fund is now flexing its financial muscle to invest in Eir.
Eir said GIC intends to buy shares in the group worth up to €230 million at a price of €232 a share, from existing shareholders. However, the company authorities declined to add further detail on any potential final shareholding position for GIC, given the early-stage timeline of the sale process. The U.S hedge fund Anchorage Capital is the biggest shareholder of Eir and will remain even after GIC's buying. Anchorage has more than 35% stake in Eir. Anchorage Capital welcomed GIC as a "new long-term shareholder" and said it looked forward to partnering with GIC on further "value creation opportunities"
Eir, which was a former state-owned monopolist is now a fixed, mobile and broadband telecommunications company in Ireland and is the largest telecommunications operator in the Republic. Eir has a division to service the business & corporate telecom markets in Northern Ireland and Britain. As Bord Telecom Éireann, the company was state-owned until 1999. Eir operates the fixed-line telephone network, an LTE (4G), HSDPA (3G) and GSM/EDGE (2.75G) mobile telephone network Meteor (acquired from AllTel (Western Wireless) in 2005) and acts as an internet service provider (ISP) eircom.net as of now.
Eir deploys an amid or aerial and underground access solutions to provide broadband services to its subscribers. Eircom had 54% market share of fixed voice lines; 40% market share of fixed broadband; 11% of mobile broadband; and 17% of mobile. Eir's main competitors are Virgin Media Ireland, Vodafone Ireland, Imagine Communications, Magnet Networks, and Smart Telecom. Virgin operates cable TV and broadband network in Ireland. Vodafone Ireland has bought a residential customer base from BT and is now accessing through Eir's network and BT Ireland's fibre networks.
Eir operates under license from the Commission for Communications Regulation. Most homes and businesses in the state are dependent on their network. A range of telecommunications services is provided on the network including Business IP, its MPLS platform. Eir have also completed a wholly-owned fibre network ring around Northern Ireland and another around Belfast. The ISP division Eir Net, provides dial-up services, as well as broadband services.
In a separate incident, Eir had expressed its dissatisfaction with using the ESB's (utility company) network to roll out its new fibre broadband product and has told that the energy company's stance could further delay the introduction of high-speed broadband to many parts of the country. ESB denied the claims made by Eir, but it shows the heightening of tensions between the two utilities ahead of the awarding of contracts for the National Broadband Plan (NBP), in which both companies are involved.


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HP Desktops Computer Customer Support & Repair Services
Hp Desktops Customer Support, Hp Desktops Technical Support, Hp Desktops Tech Support, Hp Desktops Support, Hp Desktops Customer Support Number, Hp Desktops Technical Support Number, Hp Desktops Computer Support. Years Of Experience, combined with cutting-edge tools allow us to find out what's wrong with your computer, and fix it! Is your HP DESKTOPS Computer running slow? Internet connection problems? We can remove most viruses and spyware and prevent them before they damage your computer. As owner or manager of a business or home office you know only too well how a computer glitch can have a major effect on your business performance and revenues. Whether that computer is in the office or by your side when you visit customers, the time it takes to fix it could have been more profitably spent managing your business. With HP DESKTOPS Computer Customer Support Repair you and your staff have access to prompt on-site business HP DESKTOPS Computer repair services either on-demand or under our monthly service agreements. We let you focus on your company, while we keep your business systems up and running
Our primary focus is on service; to maintain and improve performance of both new and used computer systems. With the decades of experience I bring I am able to diagnose and correct most issues in a relatively short amount of time, which tranDesktopss into savings for you!
HP Slow Computer
In today's world, this is likely caused by a Virus or Trojan. These can cause serious damage and present critical security concerns.
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Improperly setup WiFi Access Points (Your Modem) are a serious security concern. If you're having problems schedule a WiFi House Call!
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We all have important Data. Sometimes it needs to be backed up and kept safe.
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I also offer tutoring on various subjects on a case by case basis.
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I can also offer website design as needed. From Basic to e-Commerce. On a case by case basis.
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We sell everything related to security cameras at a great price and with maximum quality and guarantee, also give total service in everything related to desktop and laptop computers (Mac & window), here we detail some of our services:
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BotCon 2010 Registration goes live!
{mosimage} Registration for this year's Botcon is now online! In case you may have missed it, the theme for this year is"G2 Redux". Which means that the exclusive box set of figures include such G2 figures as Autobot Spark, Clench, Breakdown, Streetstar, and the odd man out, Sky-Byte! For those of you trying to get into the classes, tours, or just trying to get one of the first 100 pins, we wish you luck!
Click here to go to Botcon.com, or here to read the press release!
Fort Worth, TX – May 18, 2010 – Fun Publications, Inc., licensee for Hasbro's official Transformers Collectors' Convention, BotCon, announced today that the all-new and highly anticipated online registration system has been completed and has gone live. Pop Culture enthusiasts from around the world are now able to register for BotCon 2010, being held at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort June 24th –June 27th in Orlando, Florida. Fans and Collectors' who register for BotCon as a Primus package holder will receive the 5 piece convention set "Generation 2: Redux," admission to the Friday private sales room experience, all panels and seminars and the Hall of Fame Celebration dinner. The dinner will feature the first four "human" inductees into the Transformers Hall of Fame, including: Peter Cullen (voice of Optimus Prime), Bob Budiansky (Editor responsible for the original Transformers storyline), Yoke Hideaki (Takara/Hasbro liaison and the man behind toys such as Megatron and Soundwave), and Kojin Ohno (designer who created the first "car to robot transforming toy" Sunstreaker and the largest Generation 1 toy, Fortress Maximus). Finally, Primus package attendees will also receive a special bonus Transformers Deluxe figure to go along with their convention box set.
This is the first year BotCon has been held in the sunny state of Florida. "We couldn't be more excited about bringing BotCon to a location where fans can experience everything Transformers and the amazing Disney World together, in one fun filled week" said Brian Savage, BotCon event organizer and Director of the Transformers Collectors' Club. BotCon is in its 16th year and will once again feature a large dealer room with thousands of Transformers collectibles as well as other toys such as Star Wars, G.I. Joe, Marvel figures and many other great collectibles from the 80's, 90's and modern day! Also at the show will be additional special guests, IDW, Activision, comic book artists and many other events/features for fans of all ages to enjoy!
For more information on BotCon, the weeklong activities and the exclusive figure offerings, please visit BotCon.com.
About HASBRO
Hasbro, Inc. (NYSE:HAS) is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time products and services with a rich portfolio of brands and entertainment properties that provides some of the highest quality and most recognizable play and recreational experiences in the world. As a brand-driven, consumer-focused global company, Hasbro brings to market a range of toys, games and licensed products, from traditional to high-tech and digital, under such powerful brand names as TRANSFORMERS, PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, G.I. JOE and WIZARDS OF THE COAST. Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com. (C) 2010 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
About Fun Publications, Inc.
For over 15 years, Fun Publications, Inc. has been a Hasbro licensee offering fans and collectors of pop culture memorabilia news, exclusive product and family events through different print offerings, websites, collector clubs and brand specific conventions such as GIJoeCon and BotCon. Located in Fort Worth Texas, Fun Publications reaches a large audience, serving the United States and many other countries such as Japan, Great Britain, Brazil, Australia and Canada. For more information visit TransformersClub.com, GIJoeClub.com, GIJoeCon.com, and BotCon.com. BotCon is a registered trademark of Fun Publications, Inc. (C) Fun Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.


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Oubre Lifts Jayhawks Over TCU in Big 12 Tournament
"We're always happy with a win but it was an ugly win in our eyes." – Frank Mason, January 28th after playing at TCU.
This game against the Horned Frogs was not any different.
Kansas was once again without Perry Ellis (knee) and Cliff Alexander (eligibility). The question on the mind of every Jayhawk fan asked which of KU's 3 big men would step up and replace the production of Ellis? Would it be Jamari Traylor, Landen Lucas, or Hunter Mickelson? As it turned out, the answer was none of the above.
After the three available big men got into foul trouble early in the game, Bill Self went to a smaller lineup and played Kelly Oubre at power forward.
The Jayhawks would end up needing a career night from the talented freshman Oubre to advance to the next round of the Big 12 tournament.
The game was back-and-forth with both teams exchanging the lead for most of the first half until Kansas took a seven-point lead into halftime, up 33-26. That would be the largest lead of the game for either team.
TCU came out of halftime and scored 6 straight points, cutting the Kansas lead to 33-32.
Throughout the entire game it was hard for either team to get momentum, as the referees were constantly interjecting; both teams combined for a total of 46 fouls.
Just like previous times this season KU and TCU have matched up, the Horned Frogs put up a fight and took this game down to the wire.
Kelly Oubre went on a rampage in the second half, scoring 15 of KU's final 21 points and setting a new career-high of 25 points.
The game wasn't pretty, but the Jayhawks managed to survive and advance to the next round of the tournament.
- Oubre: 25 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks, and 15-19 on free throws.
- Lucas: 13 points on 6-7 shooting, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks. He has grown a substantial amount in his game in the last month. He's not Cliff Alexander, but he's making up for the loss more than we any of us expected him to do.
- Selden: 7 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and a team-high 4 turnovers.
- Mason: 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals. He played 37 minutes. He's played 1,078 minutes this year, 120 more than any other Jayhawk.
- Traylor: 6 points, 3 blocks.
- KU was out-rebounded by TCU twice this year, but on Thursday, they had a 34-28 advantage. Pretty impressive to do against a solid rebounding team without your top two board-getters.
- TCU rebounded just eight of their misses after snagging 38 offensive boards in the first two meetings.
- Kansas went yet another game without hitting a three pointer, finishing 0-8 from behind the arc.
- Kansas is now 6 of their last FIFTY–FIVE (!!!) from three. That's an absurd cold streak. It's also 11%. Six made threes in KU's last 189 game minutes.
- Kelly Oubre has made 30 free throws since the last time Brannen Greene or Wayne Selden made a three.
- Greene has missed 14 consecutive threes. Selden has missed 12 straight. Oubre is 1 for his last 10. This can't continue much longer, can it?
- The crazy stat that still is true: Since 2006, Kansas is 15-0 when making either zero or one three-pointer.
- Jamari Traylor and Hunter Mickelson had a hard time dealing with foul trouble, as they combined for just 8 points and 3 rebounds in only 28 minutes.
- As a big Svi fan, it was good to see him make a bucket again. His one make in this game matched his output in the last 5 games.
- These new March uniforms are so bad. I may start a petition to bring back the throwbacks KU wore against Texas for the rest of the year.
It's difficult to make Kelly Oubre not beautiful but these jerseys have done it.
— Tom (@TJFsports) March 12, 2015
Landen has shown me way more today than any game before. Sealing his man fantastically and the guards are nailing the over the top passes
— Tom (@TJFsports) March 12, 2015
this might beat @ WVU for our worst reffed game of Big 12 season. TCU (somehow) capitalizing at the line too.
— rockchalktalk (@rockchalktalk) March 12, 2015
Officiating tweet here. It's brutal. It's not fun to watch. It's a bunch of idiots blowing whistles with occasional basketball.
— Rock Chalk Blog (@RockChalkBlog) March 12, 2015
Kelly Oubre is so, so smooth. Now with a career high 24 points. #kubball
— Rock Chalk Blog (@RockChalkBlog) March 12, 2015
After that last miss, Greene is at 36-of-86 from 3 on the season. Mason is also at 36-of-86. Competition for #kubball's best shooter?
— Scott Chasen (@SChasenKU) March 12, 2015
Svi Mykhailiuk, who will be 18 in June, is making a lot of basketball plays today. Rarely in the wrong spot.
— Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) March 12, 2015
Next up: Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City: Friday vs. Baylor, 6:00 p.m.


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Radiation-Emitting Products
Radiation-Emitting Products Industry Assistance: Walk-through
This page is intended to help manufacturers of radiation-emitting products (all nonmedical and medical) to get industry guidance, policies, procedures, and reporting documents in one place.
Where to Start
|New manufacturers or importers
|Experienced manufacturers or importers of any radiation-emitting products
1.1 Are you involved in manufacturing or importing any radiation-emitting products or radiation-emitting medical devices (21 CFR §1000.3(n))
No - But I am a distributor of radiation-emitting products or radiation-emitting medical devices
1.2. The FDA's statutory authority to regulate these products is granted by Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, Chapter 5, Subchapter C - Electronic Product Radiation Control.
Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Subchapter J, Parts 1000 through 1050 (21 CFR 1000 – 1050) contains radiation safety regulations for manufacturers of radiation-emitting electronic products. Manufacturers are responsible for producing products that do not emit hazardous and unnecessary radiation.
Generally speaking, if your firm is subject to these regulations, there are four steps you must follow prior to marketing your product in the United States.
1.3 Frequently Asked Questions about the Radiological Health Program
|Information about FDA's procedures and when the manufacturer may begin shipping the product can be found at the website Getting a Radiation Emitting Product to Market
2. Is your product also a medical device?
Firms that manufacture veterinary radiation emitting devices need to comply with the radiological health regulations, administered by CDRH. However, radiation emitting devices intended for veterinary use only although considered medical devices as defined in section 201(h) of the Federal Food Drug & Cosmetic (FD&C) Act, are regulated by the Center for Veterinary Medicine, see: Is The Product A Medical Device. Please note, that there is a labeling requirement (21 CFR 801.109) to restrict sale to veterinarians, as appropriate.
|See your product area in the list below.
3. What type of radiation-emitting product is this?
Topic links include pertinent Radiological Health policies, industry guidance, and specific reporting forms in PDF.
Please bookmark your product page and check back for new policies or guidance. Updates can be effective immediately and require your attention. There may be modifications or relaxations to requirements that will be of interest to you.
3.1. For specific Performance standards visit Summary Of The Electronic Product Radiation Control Provisions Of The Federal Food, Drug, And Cosmetic Act
No Performance Standard:
Radiation emitting products that are not covered by the performance standards listed in 21 CFR 1020-1050 are still subject to general requirements in the Title 21 CFR 1000-1005, specifically, accidental radiation occurrence notifications and notifications of defect, 21 CFR 1003 & 1004.
4. Reporting: to determine what, if any, reporting requirements your product is subject to, see Table 1, 21 CFR 1002.1 and descriptions of the reports 21 CFR 1002.10-13.
Once you have determined that your firm is obliged to submit some kind of report or other submission to FDA concerning a radiation-emitting product or device, you have three ways by which you may submit your information: (a) on CD after preparing your submission with FDA software; (b) through the FDA Electronic Submissions Gateway after using the FDA software; (c) or paper.
|4.1 Electronic on CD by mail
Preparing your submissions using the FDA eSubmitter electronic submissions software is the best way to prepare information for submission to FDA.
Once the submission has been completed and packaged following the FDA eSubmitter instructions, you may copy the report package (a ZIP file) to a CD and mail the CD and your signed submittal letter to the FDA address given in the eSubmitter software. If the submission is a report, the CD will be processed by our Document Control Center and you will receive an acknowledgement email within a few days giving you the FDA assigned Accession Number for the report.
This option may be the best option when you have a need to submit a report immediately, but it doesn't offer the fastest response for the acknowledgement email notice. The FDA Gateway provides the fastest response (minutes instead of days).
|4.2 Electronic through the FDA Gateway
Preparing the report for submission via the FDA Electronic Submissions Gateway is the same as preparing one to submit on a CD. However, it is necessary to establish a WebTrader account with the FDA Gateway before you can submit through the Gateway.
The FDA Electronic Submissions Gateway has its own separate web site where you can find information about the Gateway and the procedures for setting up an account.
Of particular help are the links on the left side of the homepage to Center-Specific Submission Preparation Guidelines, Setting up a WebTrader Account Checklist, and the Tutorials link under Resources for You.
Submissions made through the FDA Gateway are automatically routed to the proper Center for control by its Document Control Center. Reports submitted to FDA for radiation-emitting products will typically be acknowledged by email within a few minutes or hours.
Please note, there are two different Help Desk email addresses provided, one for setting up an account and answering policy questions and the second for problems with particular submissions.
|4.3 Paper
Product reports may also be prepared using the printed paper reporting guides we have had for many years and mailing the report to FDA. These reports will be controlled by the Document Control Center and an acknowledgement letter will be mailed to the reporting official and the submitter within about 30 days.
The paper reporting guides are available for the particular kind of electronic product being reported from the Radiological Health web site.
|5. Imports: Is your product being shipped to the United States for sale?
U.S. Agent - All imported radiation-emitting products must meet established standards; and all products must contain informative and truthful labeling in English. Every manufacturer of electronic products, prior to offering such product for importation into the United States, shall designate a permanent resident of the United States as the manufacturer's agent upon whom service of all processes, notices, orders, decisions, and requirements may be made for and on behalf of the manufacturer.
|I am a domestic manufacturer.
6. Adverse Event reporting.
Reporting of accidental radiation occurrences - 21 CFR 1002.20(a)
Whenever they hear of an incident, manufacturers of radiation-emitting electronic products must immediately report accidental radiation occurrences (AROs) to CDRH following the instructions in 21 CFR 1002.20(a). The report may be submitted in the form of a letter, following the instructions in 21 CFR 1002.20(b).
Also, both manufacturers and anyone in the general public may use the following fillable form to submit a report on any radiation incident or potentially hazardous event: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AboutFDA/ReportsManualsForms/Forms/UCM236066.pdf
Alternatively, manufacturers may use the FDA eSubmitter software to prepare and submit ARO reports and other correspondence electronically. You can download the FDA eSubmitter software and follow the instructions that accompany the software. More information on the FDA eSubmitter software can be found on the FDA web site.
Medical Device Adverse Event reports - 21 CFR 803
If your radiation-emitting product is also a medical device, the MedWatch Medical Device Reporting (MDR) requirements supersede the ARO reporting requirements noted above. A manufacturer does not need to file both an ARO and MDR for the same adverse event.
The MDR regulations require firms and other entities which become aware of deaths, serious injuries and in some cases malfunctions associated with the medical devices to notify the FDA using Form 3500A. The MedWatch program also has provisions for voluntary reporting of a death, serious injury or malfunction associated with a medical device by anyone who wishes to make FDA aware by using Form 3500. Please visit: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/default.htm
7. Variances or Exemptions from the Performance Standards (21 CFR 1000-1050)
For Manufacturers who have a new product that doesn't fit the existing performance standards – what can you do?
If certain requirements are not appropriate or would cause the new product not to be able to function as intended, manufacturers of products that are subject to performance standards in 21 CFR 1020-1050, may be granted variances or exemptions from these requirements under certain circumstances.


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Saturday, September 26, 2009
Some More Little Paintings
I'm continuing to paint these little still lives. You can see my set-up in this video, below. More videos can be soon on my
YouTube channel
. Right now I am simply using a cardboard box with a black cloth napkin in it to house my still life. The light is just what's coming from the ceiling fan! I also have a box that has flap windows cut into it so that I can alter the lighting, but I haven't been using it. It might be about time to play around with that, and to find something new to set my little subjects on.
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