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How to Cook Healthy Food

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In order to cook healthy, the first thing to keep in mind is to use healthy ingredients rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and other essential nutrients. They are not only necessary for proper functioning of all the system but also keep our immune system strong so that it can effectively fight diseases. Of this fact, many are aware and make it a point to carefully choose a balanced diet and choice ingredients! But there are some equally important aspects of healthy cooking that unfortunately get ignored – mostly due to lack of awareness.

For one, the cookware we use greatly affects the quality of food cooked in it. Consider conventional cookware that’s made of different metals and ceramics that are not appropriate for cooking albeit being so popular. Why is it not appropriate? Read on:

Food is a biochemical entity. All metals are reactive to nutrients that are in the form of oxygen, hydrogen halogens, acids, and bases. At cooking temperature, metals break into ions and react with food. They are then digested with food and accumulate in tissues and organs. When this continues for long, it becomes the foundation for various health problems that may range from minor illnesses to chronic diseases. The immune system is compromised as well which makes it difficult for the body to fight diseases on its own.

Try touching a metal pan five minutes into heating, it burns tissues and leaves a scar. Same thing happens to the nutrients in food when cooked in metal or ceramic cookware. On one hand, the harsh heat damages the delicate nutrients by dissolving them. On the other, water-soluble nutrients evaporate as steam and deplete the nutritional value of food. What’s left is food lacking in nutritive value and full of toxins.

It’s easy to find out if your cookware is leaching, just do an alkaline baking soda test at your home to check the toxicity of a cookware!

There is no healthy cooking without healthy cookware! – one that doesn’t leach toxins into food and doesn’t mess with the nutrients. Pure clay is a healthy material that is appropriate for making healthy cookware. It can be harvested from unfarmed and non-industrialized lands, as it is found in purest form at those places. Pure clay has naturally inert properties making it the most non-reactive of all cookware materials in the market.

Also, they radiate a unique far-infrared heat that penetrates deep into every grain and gently cooks without destroying the delicate nutrients. They are known for their excellent steam management properties that play a key role in preserving water-soluble nutrients. Thus, the nutritional value of food remains intact, making pure-clay the best choice for making healthy cookware.

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Source by Sharon Ray

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Baby Food Mill – Puree Wholesome & Natural Food for Your Little Ones

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Get your little ones off to a healthy start in life by feeding them with homemade baby food. They provide an efficient way of preparing healthy and nutritious food for your little ones. Today’s mills are multi functional in that they can grind most products (carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, apples and even meat) to the desired texture. During the teething process a good quality grinder is specially designed to crush solid food into a semi solid state which helps with your baby’s ease of swallowing. They are compact, easy to assemble and clean, lightweight and are travel friendly.The process of grinding is extremely straightforward; you put the desired food inside the baby food mill and grind.

When choosing a product you should purchase based on the following criteria.The capacity of the baby food mill should be your first consideration as each of these appliances process varying amounts of food at a time. Larger volume baby food processors allow you to process several meals at once so that the food can be stored for later use or for freezing.

The second consideration is the wattage of the appliance especially if you plan on preparing food for your baby several times a day. Check the wattage of the Baby Food Mill and choose a unit that has the higher wattage to insure that is will hold up to continual use in the kitchen. The higher the wattage the more powerful the appliance and the more efficient it will work since it will have a more robust motor. This ensures more uniformed baby food.

Functionality is the third consideration. Some baby food mills are suitable only for making puree while others can also grind hard veggies, fruits and boneless meat.

The fourth consideration is composition.It is important to check the composition of the material used to manufacture the appliance. It should be BPA, Phthalate and PVC free. This is especially important if you are considering purchasing an electrical appliance.

Price is the fifth criteria when choosing a mill. There are a wide variety of manufacturers on the market each supplying differently priced units The price ranges vary considerably and are generally based on whatever features and optional extras that are included. The top of the range Baby Food Mills will heat and steam your fruits and vegetables.

Baby Food Mills are an ideal investment for preparing puree. They make the transition from processed to solid foods for your child a lot easier. They are great time savers and provide consistent textures when cooking in bulk for your baby. They are easy to operate and are highly portable ideal when travelling or dining out. These appliances are great at removing indigestible husks, skins, and seeds. You can save money by eliminating the extra costs associated with buying expensive packaged foods.

These units will last a long time if you follow the instructions correctly. They can chop vegetables and fruits and is more efficiently. Apart from the motor all parts of the baby food mill can be washed under the tap or in the dishwasher. Using a these compact units will ensure your baby will have the freshest food possible. Feeding your child wholesome foods that contain an abundance of nutrients helps in their development.

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Source by Caroline Smyth

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The Data Center Temperature Debate

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Though never directly articulated by any data center authority, the prevailing practice surrounding these critical facilities has often been “The colder, the better.” However, some leading server manufacturers and data center efficiency experts share the opinion that data centers can run far hotter than they do today without sacrificing uptime and with a huge savings in both cooling related costs and CO2 emissions. One server manufacturer recently announced that their rack of servers can operate with inlet temperatures at 104 deg F.

Why does it feel the need to push the envelope? The cooling infrastructure is an energy hog. This system, operating 24x7x365, consumes a lot of electricity to create the optimal computing environment, which may hover anywhere between 55 to 65 deg F. (The current “recommended” range from ASHRAE is 18-27 C or 64.4 deg F through 80.6 deg F)

To achieve efficiencies, a number of influential end users are running their data centers warmer and are advising their contemporaries to follow suit. But the process isn’t as simple as raising the thermostat in your home. Here are some of the key arguments and considerations:

Position: Raising server inlet temperature will realize significant energy savings.

Arguments for:

o Sun Microsystems, both a prominent hardware manufacturer and data center operator, estimates a 4% savings in energy costs for every one (1) degree increase in server inlet temperature. (Miller, 2007)

o A higher temperature setting can mean more hours of “free-cooling” possible through air-side or water side economizers. This information is especially compelling to an area like San Jose, California, where outside air (dry-bulb) temperatures are at or below 70 deg F for 82% of the year. Depending on geography, the annual savings from economization could exceed six figures.

Arguments Against:

o The cooling infrastructure has certain design setpoints. How do we know that raising server inlet temperature won’t result in false economy, causing additional, unnecessary consumption in other components like the server fans, pumps, or compressors?

o Free-cooling, while great for new data centers, is an expensive proposition for existing ones. The entire cooling infrastructure would require re-engineering and may be cost prohibitive and unnecessarily complex.

o Costs from thermal-related equipment failures or downtime will offset the savings realized from a higher temperature setpoint.

Position: Raising server inlet temperature complicates reliability, recovery, and equipment warranties.

Arguments for:

o Inlet air and exhaust air frequently mix in a data center. Temperatures are kept low to offset this mixing and to keep the server inlet temperature within ASHRAE’s recommended range. Raising the temperature could exacerbate already-existing hotspots.

o Cool temperatures provide an envelope of cool air in the room, an asset in the case of a cooling system failure. The staff may have more time to diagnose and repair the problem and, if necessary, shut down equipment gracefully.

o In the case of the 104 degree F server, what’s the chance every piece of equipment-from storage to networking-would perform reliability? Would all warranties remain valid at 104 deg F?

Arguments Against:

o Raising the data center temperature is part of an efficiency program. The temperature increase must follow best practices in airflow management: using blanking panels, sealing cable cutouts, eliminating cable obstructions under the raised floor, and implementing some form of air containment. These measures can effectively reduce the mixing of hot and cold air and allow for a safe, practical temperature increase.

o The 104 degree F server is an extreme case that encourages thoughtful discussion and critical inquiry among data center operators. After their study, perhaps a facility that once operated at 62 deg now operates at 70 deg F. These changes can significantly improve energy efficiency, while not compromising availability or equipment warranties.

Position: Servers are not as fragile and sensitive as one may think. Studies performed in 2008 underscore the resiliency of modern hardware.

Arguments For:

o Microsoft ran servers in a tent in the damp Pacific Northwest from November 2007 through June 2008. They experienced no failures.

o Using an air side economizer, Intel subjected 450 high density servers to the elements-temperatures as high as 92 deg and relative humidity ranges from 4 to 90%. The server failure rate during this experiment was only marginally higher than Intel’s enterprise facility.

o Data centers can operate with a temperature in the 80s and still be ASHRAE compliant. The upper limit of their recommended temperature range increased to 80.6 deg F (up from 77 deg F).

Arguments Against:

o High temperatures, over time, affect server performance. Server fan speed, for instance, will increase in response to higher temperatures. This wear and tear can shorten the device’s life.

o Studies from data center behemoths like Microsoft and Intel may not be relevant to all businesses:

o Their enormous data center footprint is more immune to an occasional server failure that may result from excessive heat.

o They can leverage their buying power to receive gold-plated warranties that permit higher temperature settings.

o They are most likely refreshing their hardware at a more rapid pace than other businesses. If that server is completely spent after 3 years, no big deal. A smaller business may need that server to last longer than 3 years.

Position: Higher Inlet Temperatures may result in uncomfortable working conditions for data center staff and visitors.

Arguments for:

o Consider the 104 degree F rack. The hot aisle could be anywhere from 130 deg to 150 deg F. Even the higher end of ASHRAE’s operating range (80.6 deg F) would result in hot aisle temperatures around 105-110 deg F. Staff servicing these racks would endure very uncomfortable working conditions.

o Responding to higher temperatures, the server fan speed will increase to dissipate more air. The increased fan speed would increase the noise level in the data center. The noise may approach or exceed OSHA sound limits, requiring occupants to wear ear protection.

Arguments Against

o It goes without saying that as the server inlet temperature increases, so does the hot aisle temperature. Businesses must carefully balance worker comfort and energy efficiency efforts in the data center.

o Not all data center environments have high user volume. Some high performance/supercomputing applications operate in a lights-out environment and contain a homogeneous collection of hardware. These applications are well suited for higher temperature setpoints.

o The definition of data center is more fluid than ever. The traditional brick and mortar facility can add instantaneous compute power through a data center container without a costly construction project. The container, segregated from the rest of the building, can operate at higher temperatures and achieve greater efficiencies (Some close-coupled cooling products function similarly).

Conclusions

The movement to raise data center temperatures is gaining but it will face opposition until the concerns are addressed. Reliability and availability are at the top of any IT professional’s performance plan. For this reason, most to date have decided to error on the side of caution: to keep it cool at all costs. Yet, higher temperatures and reliability are not mutually exclusive. There are ways to safeguard your data center investments and become more energy efficient.

Temperature is inseparable from airflow management; data center professionals must understand how the air gets around, into, and through their server racks. Computational fluid dynamics (CFDs) can help by analyzing and charting projected airflow on the data center floor, but as cooling equipment doesn’t always perform to spec and the data you enter could miss some key obstructions, onsite monitoring and adjustments are critical requirements to insure that your CFD data and calculations are accurate.

Data centers with excess cooling are prime environments to raise the temperature setpoint. Those with hotspots or insufficient cooling can start with low-cost remedies like blanking panels and grommets. Close-coupled cooling and containment strategies are especially relevant, as server exhaust air, so often the cause of thermal challenges, is isolated and prohibited from entering the cold aisle.

With airflow addressed, users can focus on finding their “sweet spot”-the ideal temperature setting which aligns with business requirements and improves energy efficiency. Finding it requires proactive measurement and analysis. But the rewards-smaller energy bills, improved carbon footprints and a message of corporate responsibility-are well worth the effort.

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Source by Ariel Liu

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Choosing the Right Freezer for You

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Buying a freezer is just like buying anything else, a process that begins with asking your self a few simple questions. In what space would you like to have your freezer? What size items will you be storing? Do you want a frost-free or a manual defrost system? Questions like these will point you in the right direction. Yet, if you are still uncertain about what type of freezer suits your needs best, taking a look at what types of freezers out there have to offer will get you on the right track.

The first type of freezer to look into would be a chest freezer. These freezers won’t go very will with your kitchen decor, but they are perfect fits for garage or basement storage. They are especially perfect if you store very large items, as there are now confinements to where you put your items inside the freezer itself. Chest freezers are simply ice boxes, and they do take up less floor space then other types. They also are suitable to supplement your kitchen freezer if you need some extra storage space.

As far more traditional freezers go, there are two types: fridge freezers and upright freezers. Fridge freezers can come in all sizes, and most come in a combination package as part of a refrigerator. If you would like to be able to access both your refrigerated and frozen goods in the same locale, a fridge freezer is the right option for you. Yet, if you don’t like drawers and confinements to tell you how to store your frozen items, then an upright freezer might be the best option. These come in all sizes as well, and can stand alone in your kitchen. They often have shelving and drawers inside of them, but many models have adjustable or removable storage racks and bins. However, don’t expect to be able to fit a whole frozen turkey in an upright freezer. They are for those who like to pack their freezers full to the brim with smaller items.

The last option for fridge and upright freezers has to do with the type of defrosting system. Many freezers come with a manual defrost process, but it is often very tedious and a hassle. If you don’t like your frozen items covered in frost, then maybe a frost-free freezer is the right one for you. This is much less time consuming and makes life a little bit easier, but you do give up some storage space. Frost-free freezers make it necessary to leave space in-between items to allow air to circulate. If you are the pack-rat type, then maybe a manual defrost freezer is right for you.

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Source by Charlie C Dean

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What Makes Our Food More Appetizing?

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Have you ever heard it said we eat with our eyes? Although the phrase may sound silly give it some thought. Our eyes tell us when we’re attracted to the opposite sex. You’re not going to get up close and personal with someone you don’t find physically appealing are you? It’s the same with food.

So it could be said we do eat with our eyes. If we don’t find it physically pleasing then it’s unlikely we’ll want to eat it. Ever wondered why restaurants serve up meals with a little garnish on the plate, some salad, etc. It’s to make the food seem more attractive. If it looks pleasant then chances are it probably tastes that way as well. A problem a lot of people have is not making their meals look good enough. When people start a diet they invariably make their meal look dull and boring. Extra effort is needed to make it seem exciting and appetising.

Do we perhaps make unhealthy meals seem more appealing? Dress them with trims and garnishes as we don’t like to think how bad they are for us. Is this perhaps true with some meal choices in restaurants? Maybe they don’t want us to think of all the unhealthy ingredients that make up the dish.

So how can we make our diet more attractive? Let’s discuss some important points.

Colour

As with all things in life we’re guided by our senses. We’re not attracted by things that give off an unappealing aroma or don’t look good on the eye. It’s the same with food. Make your meal look pleasant and enjoyable by adding lots of colour. Lemon or other acidic juices sprinkled over your food will help it keep its colour until ready to serve. A good tip to keep green veg from losing colour is to only cook it briefly.

It’s vital to add lots of colour to mealtimes. Be creative and make your food vibrant and appealing. If it’s overcooked, dull or soggy it’s not going to appear appetizing. Vegetables are a great way of adding appeal to food as they come in so many colours. Yellow peppers, red onions, green celery, all excellent additions to your plate and attracting the eye.

Next time you’re at a market or in the vegetable aisle at a store have a look around at the wide variety of colour available. Check out the freshness. Make food tempting to the nose and taste buds as well. Add lots of spices and herbs to give a rich aroma and flavour.

All too often healthy low fat food can seem tasteless but with a little know how it can be turned into a vibrant and delicious feast. A cheap and easy way of adding taste is by using peppers to make a meal hot and spicy. Tone it down a little and add sweetness by using a little sugar.

Texture

Unfortunately this is often missed in the cooking and preparation of meals. Just as important as taste and smell, if it isn’t feeling good to chew then you’re most likely going to want to spit it out! Don’t burn or over cook your food. Blanch your veg to keep it crisp – nothings worse than soggy vegetables! Don’t turn your meals into dull, tasteless experiences – keep everything as good on the eye and taste buds as they were before they were cooked.

Organise the food on your plate so it looks appealing and attractive as well. Make your meal look larger by using a smaller plate. Don’t just dump the food on your plate – arrange everything out nicely and spread it out well covering the whole plate. Add aroma to mealtimes by burning scented candles or incense while you eat. Be aware though that the fruit scented ones may increase your appetite! An appealing fragrance in the air will make you forget about your hunger.

Don’t forget to take in plenty of liquids with your meal. It’s not a good idea to wait until after eating to have your drink, take it whilst you eat as this makes your stomach feel fuller and aids digestion.

The key to a successful diet is not to have the brain thinking its being denied all the food it enjoys. Make all your meals exciting to the senses. Try new ideas and experiment with recipes. Achieving this will help your goal of a successful diet.

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Source by Jonathan Jenkins

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Energy Efficiency in Air Cooled Chillers

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An air cooled water chiller removes heat from water or other process fluid by use of a refrigeration system that then dissipates that same heat into the air. The energy efficiency is given by the chiller COP.

 

The chiller operates by using the change of state of a refrigerant gas which when forced through an orifice at high pressure changes state from a liquid to a gas, absorbing heat through the chiller evaporator heat exchanger. This cold expanded gas then travels to the chiller refrigeration compressor where it is compressed into a hot, dense gas and pumped to the chiller condenser. The volume that the compressor can pump, the refrigeration gas used, and the operating conditions determine how much heat is removed.

 

At the air cooled chiller condenser the refrigerant is forced by the compressor through smaller copper tubes which have thin aluminum fins mechanically bonded to them. Ambient air is then forced through the condenser coil by the chiller fans. This causes the hot refrigerant gas to condense into a liquid, changing state, and releasing the heat that the gas collected at the chiller evaporator. The waste heat is then carried away into the ambient air by the fans. The liquid is then forced through the orifice and the process starts again.

 

The heart of the chiller is the refrigeration compressor. This is a pump that uses electrical energy to pump refrigerant around the system. Depending on the application like size or operating temperature, a different compressor pumping technology is used. Smaller chillers use refrigeration compressors like rotary compressors, scroll compressors, and reciprocating compressors. Larger chillers use refrigeration compressor like reciprocating compressors, screw compressors, absorption compressors, and centrifugal compressors.

 

Each type of refrigeration compressor can operate more or less efficiently in the air cooled water chiller depending on the water or glycol outlet temperature required, the ambient air temperature conditions and the chiller refrigerant used.

 

The efficiency of the chiller compressor is given by the COP or Coefficient of Performance which is the ratio of kW of heat removed to kW electrical input required. The higher the chiller COP is, the better the energy efficiency. For example a COP of 3 means that for every 1 kW of electrical input, 3kW of heat is removed from the water. A chiller COP of 5 means that for every 1kW of electrical energy input, 5kW of heat energy is removed from the water.

 

Typically chiller COP will vary as follows:

1. Holding the chiller condensing temperature constant: a lower chiller evaporating temperature will use more electrical power per kW heat removed and the chiller COP will be worse, while a higher chiller evaporating temperature will use less electrical power per kW of heat removed and the COP will be higher. 

2. Holding chiller evaporating temperature constant: a higher chiller condensing temperature will have a worse chiller COP that having a lower chiller condensing temperature.

 

A customer’s process cooling requirement will determine the operating temperature for the air cooled water chiller. For example an air conditioning chiller will require water typically at 7 deg C outlet from the chiller evaporator and 12 deg C return. This would require a chiller refrigerant like R407C which is fine for ambient air environments of up to 45 deg C.

 

Where a higher chiller water outlet temperature is required a chiller refrigerant gas like R134a would be acceptable and this has the added benefit of allowing the chiller to operate in much higher ambient conditions – for example – chillers in the Middle East and chillers in Australia – remote locations like mine sites – are often located where the ambient air can be 50 deg C or above.

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Source by Daniel Rollston

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Whirlpool American Fridge Freezer – An Easy 7 Point Guide

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This article is for someone who is considering buying a Whirlpool American fridge freezer. This maybe because they already trust this brand from prior purchases or from a recommendation given by a friend. Now is the time to narrow down your choice amongst the 13 different Whirlpool side by side models. Use the following 7 points as your guide.

1. Budget

They range in price from around £725; for the Whirlpool 20RI-D1L model to £1700 for top of the range Whirlpool 20RI D4 ESPRESSO. With around a £1000 difference, this is clearly an important first consideration. Keep in mind that even the cheapest model has significant benefits over a conventional fridge/freezer, such as size and special features.

2. Size

Here we are talking about the external dimensions of the fridge-freezer. Since side by side fridge freezers are much larger than conventional ones, it is critical to pay attention to width, height and depth. Firstly, due to its size the manufacturer recommends a house door opening of at least 62 cm. (the unit will then fit through with its doors removed). Secondly, not only does it have to fit in your kitchen, but it has to look right with the general design and layout of the kitchen.

Models such as the Whirlpool WSC5555 AN and the Whirlpool 25RID 4 are 177 cm. high, 91.1 cm. wide and 74.3 cm. deep. If you need one with the least depth, go for the Whirlpool 20 TBL 4 or Whirlpool 20 TML 4, which both have a depth of only 67.4cm.

As with all American style fridge freezers it is advised to leave an air space of 2 cm. all round the unit for it function optimally.

3. Storage Capacity

All the Whirlpools have at least a total net capacity of 500 litres. The models with second largest storage capacity are actually the cheapest ones, the Whirlpool 20 RID 1l and the Whirlpool 20 RBD 1l, with a capacities of 521 litres (325 litres for the fridge and 196 litres for the freezer). The reason for this is that they do not have a water and ice dispenser, leaving more space for food. Only the most expensive model, the Whirlpool 20RI D4 ESPRESSO has a capacity that surpasses them – 522 litres and it does have a water and ice dispenser.

4. Colour

There are plenty of models that are either black or stainless steel. In addition the Whirlpool 20RI D4 ESPRESSO is in satina mist, the Whirlpool 20TM L4 comes with a mirror finish and the Whirlpool 20SI L4 is with a brushed stainless steel look.

5. Energy Efficiency

Everybody is much more energy conscious these days for the sake of the environment and one’s pocket and with these rather large appliances it is especially important. The good news is, all the models have either an A + or an A rating. In fact with an A+ energy efficiency, you may well be saving energy by having a combined fridge/freezer, instead of running two separate units.

6. Water and Ice Dispenser

Apart from the Whirlpool 20 RID 1L and the 20RBD 1l, all come with a water and ice dispenser. With the exception of the Whirlpool 20RI D3L and the 20RB D3L all the dispensers are in-door which allows for greater storage within the freezer.

7. Extra Features

Here is where the Whirlpool American style fridge freezers come into their own. I will list a few for you but there are many more.

  • 6th Sense Technology: adapts quickly to changes in temperatures (all models).
  • Anti bacterial filter with Microban: keeps the unit free of bacteria and mildew (all models).
  • Blackout Alert Alarm: after a power-cut, if the unit detects that the freezer temperature has risen above freezing, it will sound an alarm.(all models)
  • Makes Espresso Coffee: I am not joking, the Whirlpool 20RI D4 ESPRESSO, as its name implies, will even make you a cup of coffee.

So that concludes my 7 point guide for buying a Whirlpool side by side fridge freezer. By now you should have a good idea what to look for to find the ideal unit for you and your family.

Good Luck!

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Source by Charles Wolfe

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Removing Fence Posts Mounted in Cement Footings – DIY Fence Repair

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The best way to remove a fence post installed in a solid concrete base if the wood post is broken off at ground level without digging or using expensive equipment. There are plenty of solutions on the internet that are satisfactory when the fence post is strong and sturdy: use a lever to raise the fence post, excavate a trench at the side of the fence post and push the post out, raise the post using a bumper jack or high lift agriculture jack, or bring in heavy equipment – but each of these methods really doesn’t tackle the common dilemma confronting a home-owner after wind damage – the wood post is snapped off.

All too often the fence post is splintered so there is nothing available above ground that is solid, the base is of unknown dimension and depth, and the fence to be repaired is in a location close to structures that hamper accessibility of a backhoe (not even accounting for the rental expense or the harm they may cause to yards). In the event that only a few fence posts are damaged on a fence, the new posts really need to be set in the very same position – chopping the broken posts off lower than lawn level and installing the replacement wood posts utilizing an off-set is simply not a solution.

Applying a combination of approaches is the best approach – first cut down the hold the ground has on the post by using the Wood Post Puller (a simple engineering solution to the dilemma) and then execute the best lifting technique accessible. Making use of a brute force procedure of lifting concrete is plainly a poor idea; concrete is extremely strong when compressed, but tremendously fragile when pulled – in fact, the tensile strength of concrete is only about 10% of its compressive strength. Pulling the cement out of the ground is very likely to cause dangerous flying chunks as the concrete fractures under the tension.

Fence Post and Concrete Base Removal

Step 1: Remove anything fastened to the wood post and clear the area nearby the post and cement footing.

Step 2: With the water hose attached and water flowing, push the spike tool fully in the ground at the edge of the cement base.

TIP – Attempt to wiggle the post after the initial insertion – any type of shift of the cement base in the ground (even a vibration) will allow the water to force its way alongside the surface of the concrete footing and develop a thin layer of mud. If the fence post is broken try to jam a pry bar into the existing wood post and then push the bar forwards and backwards, or hit the cement footing strongly side to side with a sledgehammer. Now try lifting the fence post and cement footing using the instructions in Step 4 – often the wood post will come right out!

Step 3: Repeat step 2 at uniform locations around the footing – typical fence posts will call for less than 4-6 insertions of the spike tool, but stubborn posts can need the spike tool to be inserted every 2-3 inches until you have encircled the complete cement footing. If you are unable to pull out the fence post and cement base in Step 4, replicate Step 3 at even more locations around the post.

Step 4: [Different lifting methods could be selected] Securely force a pry bar into the cement base at about a 45 degree angle from the soil. Duplicate the arrangement on the opposite side of the cement footing. The closer the pivot is positioned to the footing the more leverage will be utilized. Two 5-6 foot pry bars are excellent but a multitude of various other things could also be applied. Completely insert the spike into the ground right next to the cement footing. With the water turned on completely to the spike, apply even downward force to both pry bars [requires 2 people], lifting the concrete base and post. Do not hurry up this step – permit time for the water to start building hydraulic force on the bottom side of the cement footing and help out on the lift. The water must be on during this action or raising the concrete footing will start building a sucking force pulling the fence post back down.

TIP – If the bars are sinking into the soil, support them with scrap pieces of 4×4, or old fence posts.

TIP – Begin the pry bar position at 45 degrees or less – if they are too vertical the bars will be pressing in opposition to one another and not lifting the cement footing out of the ground.

Step 5: Alternately remove either of the pry bars and reset back again to the 45 degree beginning position – using the other pry bar to hold the concrete footing during the reset. After both pry bars are reset, repeat Steps 4 and 5 until the post is fully removed from the soil.

Caution – the post and cement footing combined are heavy (frequently over 100 pounds)! If the cement footing stays complete you will be able to pull out the post and cement footing as one solid piece, if the cement footing has cracked quite often the pieces may be taken out together due to the fact that the pry bars compress them towards each other like a jigsaw puzzle. Even if the wood post is considerably rotten inside the concrete footing and portions break off they will be simply picked up after removing the main portion – just reach within the soil and peel the damaged cement from the sides of the hole and from the bottom.

Immediately cover or otherwise secure the opening to avoid any unintentional entry or injury.

Given that you have removed the post and cement and have a nice clean hole, don’t duplicate the bad decision by installing your wood post with cement. Excavate a 10 inch hole and set the wood post 1/3 of its length into the ground [a traditional 8 ft wood post should be buried at least 2 1/2 feet]. Use the correct supplies [a treated 4×4 fence post approved for direct burial] and set the fence post with crushed gravel. Put 6 inches of crushed gravel in the bottom of the hole and compress the crushed stone firmly every 2-3 inches as you fill the hole and true the fence post. Using this procedure, your fence should be vertical and sturdy for many years.

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Source by D. Sawyer

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The History of CNC Machining

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The concept for modern numerical control (NC)- the forerunner to today’s computerized numerical control (CNC)- was originally conceived c.1947 by John T. Parsons (1913-2007) and Frank L. Stulen (1921-2010) at the Rotary Wing Branch of the Propeller Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, in Dayton, Ohio as a result of the US Air Force’s (USAF’s) search for a system to design and manufacture more accurate and complex airplane parts (Source: History of CNC Machining: How the CNC Concept Was Born,” CMS North America, Inc.). Early on, Parsons and Stulen developed a helicopter-blade template fabrication system using an IBM 602A multiplier to calculate airfoil coordinates and feed data points directly into a Swiss jig-borer, which impressed their USAF research colleagues. Shortly thereafter, Parsons and Stulen developed a unique, computerized, punch-card program to render complex 3-D shapes, leading Parsons to start his own company, Parson Corp., operating out of Traverse City, Michigan.

In 1948, representatives of the US Air Force (USAF) visited the Parsons Corp. headquarters and Parsons was awarded a contract to make new and innovative wing designs for military applications. This, in turn, led to a series of USAF research projects at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Servomechanisms Laboratory, culminating in the construction of the very first numerically-controlled, albeit awkward, machine prototype. To accomplish this, Parsons purchased a Cincinnati DK Series, 28-inch Hydro-tel verticle-spindle contour milling machine consisting of a table and spindle that moved along X, Y and Z-axes. Over the next two years, the Cincinnati was disassembled, significantly modified, retrofitted, and reassembled. As application studies proceeded, the prototype was augmented to produce a motion of the head, table, or cross-slide to within 0.0005″ for each electrical impulse fed by the director. To ensure the prototype was functioning as instructed, a feedback system was added. In response to movement, synchronous motors geared to each motion produced voltage. This voltage was sent back to the detector for comparison to the original command voltage.

By 1953, enough data had been culled to suggest practical, aeronautic applications, and the Cincinnati prototype, which employed a Friden Flexowriter with its 8-column paper tape, tape reader, and vacuum-tube control system, became the de facto prototype for all successive developments. To this day all CNC controlled machines, even the most sophisticated still require three basic systems to operate: a command function system, a drive/motion system, and a feedback system.

Although CNC gained slow acceptance throughout the ’50s, in 1958 MIT Servomechanisms Laboratory developed g-code, which has become the most universally used operating language for CNC devices.

In the early ’60’s the Electronic Industry Alliance (EIA) standardized g-code and computer-aided design (CAD) became a nascent technology providing a firmer technology foundation. As a result, CNC soared and began steadily supplanting older technologies.

By the ’70s, minicomputers such as the DEC PDP-8 and the Data General Nova made CNC machines more powerful and cost-effective. US companies responsible for the CNC revolution, focused on high-end equipment. German and Japanese companies sensing the need, began producing smaller, less expensive CNCs, and since 1979 they have been outselling the United States.

Finally, PCs have now made CNC controls even cheaper, making way for the use CNC-controlled machines for the hobby and general purpose markets. CNC control language now known as LinuxCNC (formerly known as Enhanced Machine Controller, or EMC2) continues to thrive, as are many other CNC technologies.

Work Cited:

“History of CNC Machining: How the CNC Concept Was Born,” CMS North America, Inc., http://www.cmsna.com/blog/2013/01/history-of-cnc-machining-how-the-cnc-concept-was-born/

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Source by Adrian K Thomas

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L&I Interpreter Services: Upcoming Improvements and Online Systems

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L&I claim online interpretation services

English is a second language for many people with a workers compensation claim or work injury claim. In fact, there are many work injury claimants that their native language is Spanish, Thai, Russian, Chinese or another common language. Under RCW 39.26.300 enacted in 2018, L&I had to review its interpreter services process. Then, following the review, L&I announced changes to interpreter services starting in Fall 2020. Specifically, L&I will continue to use independent interpreters in some cases. However, L&I is also launching a new online spoken-language interpretation scheduling system.

L&I chose Interpreting-Works to implement and administer the new scheduling system. This new system will improve meaningful access to verbal interpretation services for people with an L&I claim. It will also improve the process for healthcare providers, vocational providers, and interpreters. For example, the system enables providers to arrange for interpreters online using a novel platform. In addition, all online operations are available for both mobile devices and personal computers. Also, other improvements include internal quality assurance measures, which are compliant with the ethical requirements under WAC 388-03-050.

L&I claim interpretation help

L&I says that the new platform is a user friendly. It is a good end-to-end system for managing interpretation services. For interpreters, the new service offers real-time listing of available interpreting jobs by location. With it, interpreters can track job assignments and check in and out of appointments using a simple QR code. Even better, the new system generates electronic invoices to ensure prompt payment for services.

L&I is encouraging interpreters and providers to sign up and enroll with Interpreting-Works. Professional interpreters can sign up by completing an online enrollment form. After completion, one of their staff members will reach out to complete the enrollment process. The entire process only takes two to three business days to complete. Furthermore, it’s important to note that interpreters must have a National Provider Identification (NPI) number. NPIs are 10-digit numbers for identifying specific providers and many providers nationwide use the NPI identification standard. Interpreters who need to get an NPI number can obtain one through the Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website. Also, it’s free to sign-up and receive an NPI number.

Enrollment for providers and online information

Healthcare and vocational providers can pre-enroll with Interpreting-Works. If they do, their account will be ready when the system launches in the Fall. For more information about the new L&I online interpreter scheduling service, visit the L&I FAQ page

This article was first published on https://tarareck.com/l-and-I-interpreter-services/

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Source by Tara Reck