text:
Is the Swamp swallowing Trump? 1
Is the Swamp swallowing President Trump?
Seems so.
Seems he's being isolated in the White House. His enemies have put a wall round him. They've stopped him from reading Breitbart. They take him print-outs of the news they want him to read. The only person they cannot stop getting close to him is his son Don. They are trying to stop Don taking Breitbart news to him.
People who should be carrying out his orders are not doing so. They do what they want to do. And what they want to do is the opposite of what he wants them to do.
They have got rid of or blocked everyone who was on his side.
But is the stalwart redoubtable winner Donald Trump so easily held captive? So easily bent to others' will? Surely not!
Linda Goudsmit writes at Canada Free Press an open letter to President Trump from which we quote:
Mr. President, your government continues to be informed and advised by Obama legacy staffers who remain in government advancing Obama's anti-American, pro-Islamic, pro-Iranian, and pro-Muslim Brotherhood agenda. …
Identifying your friends and identifying your enemies in your administration, the military, and among national security staffers is an urgent matter. … Any advisor or staffer who refuses to utter the words radical Islamic terror does not belong in your administration. If staffers embrace sharia law, promote Islam, are apologists for Islam, are members of the Muslim Brotherhood or CAIR and support Obama's purging of materials that implicate Islam, they are your enemies and must be removed.
You are being surrounded by Obama leftovers who will continue to disinform you so that your decisions will tilt toward Obama's failed globalist policies.
Mr. President you are being dragged into the swamp you were elected to drain.
H.R. McMaster was recommended for the position of National Security Advisor (NSA) director by #2 swamp creature John McCain. Under McMaster's leadership the people who have the courage to speak out and expose the existential danger of Islam are being purged from the military and from the national security staff. Those who have the courage to support the initiatives of your America-first candidacy are being eliminated while the Obama globalist leftovers remain.
Trump loyalists Michael Flynn, K.T. McFarland, Ezra Cohen-Watnick, Derek Harvey, Rich Higgins, Adam Lovinger, Steve Bannon, and Sebastian Gorka are all gone. Obama loyalists Dina Habib-Powell, Allison Hooker, Fernando Cutz, Andrea Hall, Rear Admiral David Kriete, Jessica Cox, Stephanie Morrison, Heather King, and Robert Wilson all remain. McMaster's indefensible defense of Obama loyalist Susan Rice allowed her to retain her security clearance. McMaster claimed Rice did nothing wrong unmasking the identities of Trump transition aides and leaking the transcripts of Mr. Trump's phone conversations with foreign leaders. REALLY? …
Sixteen years [after 9/11) there is no excuse for illiteracy regarding Islam, yet the national security voices are still trying to deny the connection between Islam and terrorism.
And now former FBI director Robert Mueller is investigating you?? Mueller is another leftover whose past foretells his future. Mueller has been part of the intricate cover-up protecting the Muslim Brotherhood for years.
Judicial Watch has uncovered stunning documentary evidence that Robert Mueller worked with Islamist groups to purge anti-terrorism materials offensive to Muslims while he was FBI director. Offensive to Muslims? Is this the metric for our national security? Candidate Trump promised to reverse Obama's suicidal policies – President Trump has hired personnel who continue to advance them. …
You and your America-first policies pose an existential threat to the globalist elite and that is why they are determined to destroy you and eliminate any Trump administration personnel who share your vision. H.R. McMaster is part of the insidious swamp battling against you. He is part of the reheated Obama leftovers who are hazardous to your presidency. Candidate Trump's courageous Americanism and bold America-first policies require President Trump to find fresh ingredients – throw out the leftovers. H.R.McMaster and his gang need to hear: "You're fired!"
The last and most difficult message I have for you is a personal one. Your daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner are loyal loving members of your family and your administration but you must never forget that they have been educated toward globalism by the prevailing re-education curriculum in American schools. You can be proud of their extraordinary achievements but must never forget that their prism is not your prism. They were raised on John Lennon's "Imagine." You were raised on the "Star Spangled Banner" – the difference is Huge.
And Daniel Greenfield writes at Front Page:
The foreign policy deck has been cleared of Islam realists. And it shows.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Sunday that Sebastian Gorka was "completely wrong" in his resignation letter's assessment of the battle over Trump administration policy.
"Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace asked Tillerson about Gorka's accusations, especially regarding the president's recent speech on Afghanistan.
"Sebastian Gorka in his resignation letter wrote this about the Afghanistan speech: 'the fact that those who drafted and approved the speech remove any mention of radical Islam or radical Islamic terrorism proves that a crucial element of the presidential campaign has been lost.' Is he right?" Wallace asked.
"I think he's completely wrong, Chris," Tillerson said. "And I think it shows a lack of understanding of the president's broader policy when it comes to protecting Americans at home and abroad from all acts of terrorism. The president has charged us to develop policies and tactics, both diplomatically and militarily, to attack terrorism in as many forms wherever it exists in the world and wherever it might present a threat to the homeland or to Americans anywhere."
"This means that we have to develop techniques that are global in nature. All we want is to ensure that terrorists do not have the capability to organize and carry out attacks," he added.
Are there any non-Islamic global terrorist threats? What are we fighting in Afghanistan except Islamic terrorism?
Are we at war with Mormons or the Amish in Afghanistan? Who are the Taliban again? Or the Haqqani Network? Or the Islamic State?
Best not to ask. See nothing. Hear nothing. Say nothing. It's worked brilliantly since 9/11. I can imagine how different things might have been under Secretary of State [John] Bolton. But as Whittier said, "For all sad words of tongue and pen, The saddest are these, 'It might have been'."
And now the President's Keepers are not allowing John Bolton anywhere near him.
Ryan Mauro writes at Clarion Project:
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson opposes designating the [Muslim] Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and is going to bat for Qatar and Turkey. National Security Adviser McMaster is also reportedly opposed, as would be expected from his staunch stance against using terminology like "radical Islam" and his endorsement of a book with the premise that only "militant Islamists" are our enemies, not non-violent Islamists.
Now, we have someone as the new Chief of Staff [John Kelly] who authorized the writing of a thank-you letter to CAIR.
A thank-you letter to an Islamic organization that supports Hamas and its terrorism, preaches the Islamization of America – and approves of the appointment of H. R. McMaster to his powerful position as the President's chief advisor on national security (which in itself should be a warning to the President).
And this is from an article by Jeff Crouere at Canada Free Press:
President Donald Trump is attacked on a daily basis by his enemies in the media, the political establishment, and the deep state. He is under unrelenting assault, more so than any other U.S. President in recent history.
Usually, even a besieged President can count on support within the ranks of his top advisers. While they may disagree in private, top administration officials have an obligation to present a unified front to the American people. However, when a President starts getting attacked by a member of his own administration, it is time to fire that untrustworthy individual and demand loyalty of everyone else.
If the appointee is not fired, he should have the decency to resign if he cannot publicly support the President. A principled letter outlining the reasons for his resignation is what National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn should have delivered to President Trump.
Cohn, a former Democrat, was dissatisfied with the President's balanced criticism of "both sides" in the aftermath of the riots in Charlottesville, Virginia. Instead of keeping his complaints private, Cohn gave a controversial and utterly unhelpful interview to the Financial Times blasting the President while inferring his own moral superiority. According to Cohn, "This administration can and must do better in consistently and unequivocally condemning these groups and do everything we can to heal the deep divisions that exist in our communities."
Of course, Cohn was referring to the KKK, neo-Nazis and white supremacists who attended the initial Charlottesville rally. He is right, the groups must be vigorously denounced, which is why the President condemned them multiple times. How many more times must the President criticize the hateful beliefs of these groups before it satisfies Cohn and the liberal media?
What really upset Cohn and all of the other Trump critics is that the President also criticized the "Alt-Left" groups who participated in a counter-rally in Charlottesville. In the Financial Times interview, Cohn laughably said "Citizens standing up for equality and freedom can never be equated with white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and the KKK."
The "Alt-Left" protesters in Charlottesville included people who engaged in a variety of violent activities such as throwing bags of urine and feces and using pepper spray and bats to assault people. They also attacked innocent journalists, a photo journalist for a local TV station and a reporter for The Hill, who were trying to cover their activities.
The "Alt-Left" counter demonstrators in Charlottesville included anarchists, socialists and communists who subscribe to a deadly ideology that has caused the death of untold millions of people around the world. It is an ideology of evil that should be criticized by President Trump and everyone in his administration, including Gary Cohn.
Instead of telling the truth about the "Alt-Left" protesters, Cohn decided to launch a public attack against the President, who has been unfairly criticized by the liberal media since the day he entered the presidential race on June 16, 2015. …
These "Alt-Left" groups are spearheaded by the notorious band of thugs known as Antifa (anti-Fascist). While Cohn and his liberal colleagues in the media and the Beltway think the group is fighting for "freedom", a growing number of Americans strenuously disagree. In fact, a recent White House petition demanding that the Pentagon label Antifa a terrorist group "on the grounds of principle, integrity, morality and safety" accumulated over 302,000 signatures in only eight days. …
As the President courageously declared, [Antifa's] violent behavior undoubtedly contributed to the chaos and turmoil in Charlottesville. Sadly, Gary Cohn does not want to admit this reality for he prefers the illusion of political correctness.
Reportedly, in the aftermath of the President's Charlottesville comments, Cohn was under intense pressure from his Wall Street friends to resign from the administration. He should have done the President and the country a big favor by succumbing to the pressure.
To be continued …
Failure of the rule of law? 1
Is it not obvious that crimes have been committed by former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, former FBI Director James Comey, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton?
And that they are getting away with them?
Deroy Murdock writes at Townhall:
James Comey, Loretta Lynch, and the Clintons should do time for their crimes. So should the unnamed leakers who give away state secrets as if they were handing out leaflets at a busy street corner.
While the relentless Russiagate probe continues its futile search for lawbreaking among Team Trump, actual crimes already have occurred at the highest levels of the Deep State and among former Democratic officials. These perpetrators should be prosecuted.
Someone violated federal law by unmasking former national security adviser Michael Flynn's name from National Security Agency transcripts or other surveillance records of his conversations with Russian ambassador to Washington Sergey Kislyak. As part of the presidential transition, it was perfectly normal for Flynn to speak with Kislyak and other foreign emissaries. It also is no surprise that the NSA and other American intelligence agencies cup their ears when Kislyak speaks.
However, the identities of Americans in such conversations are supposed to remain confidential. Whoever unmasked Flynn in such documents violated the federal Espionage Act of 1917, 18 U.S. Code § 793. It prohibits the improper handling and transmission of "information respecting the national defense".
The anti-Flynn leaks also appear to breach 18 U.S. Code § 798, which forbids disclosure of classified data "concerning the communication intelligence activities of the United States or any foreign government." …
Leaking seems to be Washingtonians' favorite indoor activity. And Comey got in on the fun, too. Referring to his memo-to-file about a private Oval Office meeting with Trump, Comey said, "I need to get that out into the public square," as if that were his job.
… and as if there was something so incriminating in what the president said that it simply had to be broadcast to the nation.
But surely if there had been something of that sort, it would have been the right procedure for the FBI to bring to the attention of the Justice Department?
It is not normal FBI procedure to leak details of an investigation to the press rather than use it to build a criminal case.
A president cannot be charged with a criminal offense, but if there is proof that he has committed crimes, or has said something that could be interpreted as criminal, he could be impeached. But only by Congress, not by the readers of a Communist Youth organ such as the New York Times.
Yet the Dirctor of the FBI wanted it to reach the NYT at all costs. So he leaked it through the conduit of a leftist academic.
Comey told the Senate Intelligence Committee on June 8: "I asked a friend of mine to share the content of the memo with a reporter." This "close friend who is a professor at Columbia law school," is named Daniel C. Richman. …
"I asked him to because I thought that might prompt the appointment of a special counsel," Comey explained.
Comey's leaked memo hit the front pages, and Assistant Attorney General Rod Rosenstein named a special counsel: Comey's mentor and one-time boss, former FBI chief Robert Mueller.
Comey and Mueller's toasty relationship raises legitimate worries about Mueller's capacity for disinterest in a case that involves the dismissal and public ostracism of his protégé of at least 14 years. …
How can Mueller be objective about his bosom buddy, who now is at the epicenter of this entire probe?
Also troublesome: Mueller's team includes attorneys who maxed out in donations to Hillary and Obama, defended Hillary against Freedom of Information Act requests, and even represented a Clinton staffer at the heart of E-mailgate. …
According to Political Insider, "In total, Mueller's team has made $52,650 in political donations since 1997, 95 percent of which ($49,900) went to Democrats."
Among some 100,000 attorneys in the Washington, D.C. Bar, was Mueller really unable to employ lawyers who neither have worked for the Clintons nor underwritten their campaigns? Could he not have hired professionals unconnected to either the Clintons or the Trumps? Was that really so hard?
Or maybe Mueller deliberately assembled a kennel full of Hillary-loving legal Rottweilers.
Whatever Mueller's objectives, he has crafted at a minimum — a major appearance of impropriety. If Team Mueller fairly, honestly, and properly discovers wrongdoing among Team Trump, Republicans may dismiss his findings as the crooked output of a rigged system. But if Mueller correctly exonerates Trump & Co., Democrats may scream that the special counsel chickened out, to avoid being accused of running a politically tainted probe. Either way, such second-guessing would erode confidence in American justice.
For his part, Comey's leak to Professor Richman looks like a violation of, at least, 18 U.S. Code § 641, which bars the unauthorized conveyance of "any record" belonging to the U.S. government. Comey should be brought back before Congress and forced to spell out any and every such leak he ever made, describe the documents he spilled, the dates he did so, etc. Each one of those instances should constitute an individual count in an indictment for breaking the Espionage Act.
According to Comey, former Attorney General Loretta Lynch instructed him to refer benignly to E-mailgate as a "matter" rather than an "investigation". While that latter word was more politically volatile, it also was accurate. After all, Comey ran the Federal Bureau of Investigation, not the Federal Bureau of Matter.
According to Circa.com's John Solomon and Sara A. Carter, Comey told senators behind closed doors about "a communication between two political figures that suggested Lynch had agreed to put the kibosh on any prosecution of Clinton", never mind evidence of Hillary's crimes.
Comey reportedly showed Lynch that do-not-prosecute record. As one source familiar with Comey's comments told Solomon and Carter, "the attorney general looked at the document then looked up with a steely silence that lasted for some time, then asked him if he had any other business with her and if not that he should leave her office". …
Coupled with Lynch's notorious "golf clubs and grandkids" pow-wow with Bill Clinton on her official plane at Phoenix Airport last June 27, just five days before the FBI questioned Hillary (inexplicably, not under oath), Lynch's behavior reeks of obstruction of justice.
Comey stated last July 5 that "no reasonable prosecutor" would bring charges against Hillary Clinton in E-mailgate. This claim instantly was refuted by reasonable former federal prosecutors including Sidney Powell, Andrew McCarthy, Rudolph W. Giuliani, and Michael Mukasey. They all stated why Hillary deserved indictment.
Comey said that Hillary should have stayed free because she had no criminal intent to violate the Espionage Act. However, to be convicted under this statute, one need not possess criminal intent. …
Hillary could be convicted merely for handling classified documents in a "grossly negligent" fashion. She certainly did this. …
Beyond E-mailgate, the Clinton Foundation's bribes-for-favors scandal has gone entirely unpunished. Hillary approved the Kremlin's purchase of 20 percent of U.S. uranium supplies. She permitted Russia's Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation to acquire Uranium One Inc. This is the sort of cloak-and-dagger Russian collusion about which Democratic mouths have foamed since last fall. The $145 million that Uranium One's investors pumped into the Clinton Foundation before, during, and after this grotesque deal epitomizes the pay-to-play bonanza for which Hillary should be tossed in the clink. Ditto the $500,000 fee that Kremlin-controlled Renaissance Capital handed Bill Clinton for a one-hour speech while Hillary decided to green-light this transaction. Remember: the Clintons literally gave Vladimir Putin access to the active ingredient in hydrogen bombs — extracted from American soil. …
And "giving aid and comfort" to the enemy is treason according to the Constitution.
The House Government Oversight Committee should hold public hearings and subpoena Comey, Lynch, and the Clintons and make them testify publicly about these crimes, under penalty of perjury.
After that, President Trump should keep a promise that he made in the October 9 debate against Hillary: "If I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation."
Prosecuting Comey for leaking government papers, Lynch for sandbagging the E-mailgate probe, and the Clintons and Clintonites for running their bribes-for-favors scams would not signal American devolution into a banana republic. Rather, this would reinvigorate a core principle of American constitutional republicanism: Equal Justice Under Law.
On all that is wrong with James Comey's buddy Robert Mueller being appointed to sniff out an unknown crime in the Trump administration, Andrew McCarthy writes:
So I've been wondering: Why on earth does a prosecutor, brought in to investigate a case in which there is no apparent crime, need a staff of 14 lawyers?
Or, I should say, "14 lawyers and counting." According to the press spokesman for special counsel Robert Mueller — yeah, he's got a press spokesman, too — there are "several more in the pipeline."
Concededly, none of Mueller's recruits requires Senate confirmation, as do Justice Department officials — notwithstanding that the former may end up playing a far more consequential role in the fate of the Trump administration. But does it seem strange to anyone else that, by comparison, the president of the United States has managed to get — count 'em — three appointees confirmed to Justice Department positions in five months?
A special counsel, the need for whom is far from obvious, has in just a few days staffed up with four times the number of lawyers. And all for a single investigation that the FBI has described as a counterintelligence probe — i.e., not a criminal investigation, the kind for which you actually need lawyers.
Oh, and about those three Justice Department appointees: One of them, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, has already recused himself from the investigation in question — the department's most high profile undertaking. Another, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, is reportedly weighing whether he, too, should bow out. Perhaps he figures he has already done quite enough, having sicced a special-counsel investigation on the Trump Administration by flouting both the regulation that requires a basis for a criminal investigation before a special counsel is appointed, and the regulation that requires limiting the special counsel's jurisdiction to the specific factual matter that triggers this criminal investigation.
The way this is supposed to work is: the Justice Department first identifies a likely crime, and then assigns a prosecutor to investigate it. Here, by contrast, there are no parameters imposed on the special counsel's jurisdiction. Mueller is loosed—with 14 lawyers and more coming—to conduct what I've called a "fishing expedition".
But it is actually worse than that … Mueller's probe is the functional equivalent of a general warrant: a boundless writ to search for incriminating evidence. It is the very evil the Fourth Amendment was adopted to forbid: a scorch-the-earth investigation in the absence of probable cause that a crime has been committed.
For now, Mueller appears utterly without limits, in his writ and in his resources. As the ease with which he has staffed up shows, it is not hard to recruit lawyers. All you need is money. Mueller has a bottomless budget, thanks to a bit of Treasury Department chicanery known as "permanent, indefinite appropriations".
Under the Constitution's Appropriations Clause, no funding is supposed to be paid out of the treasury unless Congress has approved it in advance. Under the Framers' design, with an eye toward limited, accountable government, every spending initiative must compete with every other one when Congress enacts a budget. Lawmakers must decide what we can and can't afford when they draw on what is supposed to be the finite pot of money confiscated from taxpayers. We are supposed to know what we are underwriting and what it will cost.
The Swamp, ever resistant to such restraints, has developed a scheme known as "indefinite appropriations". These are slush funds for future contingencies. A good example is the "Judgment Fund" which President Obama raided to underwrite nearly $2 billion in ransom payments demanded by Iran, the sweetener he needed to close the infamous nuclear deal.
And that sounds like treason too.
It is an Orwellian game. What makes an appropriation an appropriation is that Congress provides a definite amount of funding suitable to the task it has approved. If it turns out more is needed, the executive branch is supposed to come back to Congress — ask for it and justify why it should be prioritized over other needs.
Mueller's special counsel investigation is somehow under no such restrictions, according to the Justice Department. He unilaterally decides how much staffing he needs. And unlike a normal prosecutor's office, the special counsel does not have to apportion his resources over hundreds of cases. He can direct all of them at one investigative target.
In this instance, the target is Trump, and the resources — apart from what will be scores of FBI agents — include 14 lawyers (going on 15 … going on 16…).
These lawyers, overwhelmingly, are Democrats. … Mueller's staffers contribute to Trump's political opponents, some heavily. The latest Democratic talking-point about this unseemly appearance is that hiring regulations forbid an inquiry into an applicant's political affiliation. That's laughable. These are lawyers Mueller has recruited. They are not "applicants". We're talking about top-shelf legal talent, accomplished professionals who have jumped at the chance of a gig they do not need but, clearly, want. …
Notice that, consistent with the familiar ethical canon that lawyers must avoid even the appearance of impropriety, the standard here is based not on the lawyer's personal rectitude or his subjective belief that he can administer the law impartially. The issue is: What would this look like to fair-minded observers?
Consequently, if this boundless investigation careens into a criminal prosecution, Mueller could have some major soul-searching to do. I thus confess to being taken aback that he has exacerbated the problem, rather than trying to mitigate it, with his staffing decisions. Into an investigation that was already fraught with political tension, the special counsel has recruited partisans — to politicians who describe themselves not as a loyal opposition but as the Trump "Resistance". What are fair-minded people to make of that?
Not just one or two recruits, but 14 lawyers, with more to come. …
Why does special counsel Mueller need 14 lawyers (and more coming) for a counterintelligence investigation, as to which the intelligence professionals — agents, not lawyers — have found no "collusion with Russia" evidence after over a year of hard work? What will those lawyers be doing with no limits on their jurisdiction, with nothing but all the time and funding they need to examine one target, Donald Trump?
The Mueller investigation itself has the smell of corruption about it.
The law is the house in which we live. If its timbers are rotten, what will become of us?
Whodunnit? A new James Comey mystery 4
James Comey, Director of the FBI, continues to be enigmatic. (For our earlier ruminations on him, see here and here.)
Whom or what is he for and against?
Whom, in his own mind, does he serve? To what end?
Bizpac Review reports:
Rep. Trey Gowdy [R-SC] questioned FBI Director James Comey Monday [March 20, 2017] during a House Intelligence Committee hearing about leaks of classified information to the media.
In reference to the taped call between Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn and the Russian ambassador, the South Carolina lawmaker grilled Comey about who can "unmask" a U.S. citizen when collecting intelligence.
Gowdy would later point out that making a person's identity publicly known when protected by law is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. He asked how many people are able to unmask a person and what other agencies have the authority to do so — besides the FBI, Comey named the NSA, CIA and the Justice Department.
He also said the White House can request the agency collecting the intelligence to unmask a person, but said they can't do it on their own.
Gowdy named a number of people from the Obama administration, to include former national security adviser Susan Rice, former Attorney General Loretta Lynch and then-acting Attorney General Sally Yates, all of whom Comey confirmed would likely have had access to the name of an unmasked U.S. citizen.
He asked Comey if he briefed former President Barack Obama on any calls involving Flynn, but the director would not comment on his conversations with Obama.
Gowdy proceeded with the precision of a surgeon in discussing "nefarious motives" for leaking Flynn's name, none of which reflected well on the last administration.
Regardless, Comey would not confirm whether an investigation into who unmasked Flynn is underway, although he confirmed earlier the bureau is investigating Trump campaign ties to Russia.
So he was happy to confirm that the FBI is investigating "Trump campaign ties to Russia" – which have not been found, though the investigation has been going on since July 2016. By doing so he is thickening the cloud of suspicion that the Democratic Party has created in its efforts to destroy the Trump presidency.
But he would not say whether an investigation is underway into the only known felony that has certainly been committed in connection with this evil Leftist conspiracy – the betrayal of the American citizen Michael Flynn to the Democratic Party's toady press; the "betrayal" being a report of a perfectly legitimate conversation between Flynn as a member of the Trump campaign when Donald Trump was president-in-waiting and a diplomat with whom he had official business. The crime was the leaking of the intercepted conversation to the New York Times and the Washington Post. It needs to be investigated, the leaker needs to be arrested and tried – but that is something that the head of the FBI does not feel he can talk about to the people's representatives in a Congressional hearing.
So there is a long ongoing investigation into alleged nefarious activity where not a trace of evidence for any wrong-doing has been found in eight months, and the head of the FBI can announce that fact to all the world. But he cannot say whether or not his bureau of investigation is looking into a serious crime, known to have taken place, that affects the democratic processes on which the government of the country depends?
Why? Why is the great detective openly chasing after a shadow while apparently ignoring a crime?
And why has President Trump kept this man Comey in his job?


text:
Calcined Alumina Products
Calcined Alumina (Al2O3) is produced through the calcination ("heating") of alumina to various temperatures. By controlling the calcination temperatures and time, the properties of the alumina can be tailored to allow for a broad range of physical properties. Calcined alumina is therefore utilized in a variety of industrial applications including Structural ceramics, Technical ceramics, Polishing compounds for plastic, metal, and glass, Fillers for Rubber and Plastics, Refractories, Paint & Coatings and Thermal Spray Powders.
Typically the primary variables in selecting the proper calcined alumina for your application are:
•Density of crystal: low/soft, medium or high/ hard material
- These factors are determined by the degree and duration of calcination.
•Surface area of the powder: decreases with a higher degree and duration of calcination.
•Soda content: decreases with higher degree of calcination and chemical treatments.
•Alpha Alumina Content.
•Primary Crystal size.
The chart below describes the sizing, surface area and hardness properties of each individual product. It is organized by calcination level (hardness) with the harder materials starting in the upper left and ending with the softest material at bottom right of the chart.
The sizing of the powders below typically represents the agglomerated state. The agglomerations break down during the polishing process and create a double action of cutting and buffing as the material diminishes down to its primary crystal size. This allows for very fine finish of your material.
Panadyne is proud to be the North American distributor for Martinswerk GmbH located in Bergheim, Germany. Martinswerk is a world leader in producing Calcined and Reactive aluminum oxides used in Polishing, Technical Ceramics, refractories and general filler applications.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Hello lovelies!
Today I wanted to share with you 3 beauty hacks that I've found floating around the internet and give you a thumbs up or thumbs down.
I tested three hacks that seemed a bit intimidating to me. Maybe I'm just a bit of a coward, but I still was nervous after reading up on them. But now that I've suffered and succeeded, you all can benefit!
Here goes nothing!
The Infamous Sugar Wax
Okay, so let me preface this by saying I have never had anything but my eyebrows waxed before I tried this beauty DIY. But I had just purchased a cute new pair of underwear and I live in Florida–where fall is still shorts weather–so I was hunting for a chemically safe way to wax.
I waited until everyone in my house had gone to bed before I cooked up the wax. (If this turned out horribly I did not want to have to admit what I was doing.)
I found several different recipes online but I settled on:
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1/4 cup of water
My first batch was a total disaster. I think 1 1/2 cups of sugar is too little. I kind of eyeballed it but I think I ended up with 2 cups of sugar. Terrified, I brought the concoction to a boil for a few minutes and then removed it from the heat.
The first problem came right away. I had decided to use hot wax with strips, but I had to wait for it to get down to a reasonable temperature.
It was too hot to put on my skin without it burning and when it cooled off, it hardly stuck to my leg!
I finally managed to get some of the goopy stuff on my leg, placed fabric on it, and ripped.
Don't listen to this stuff that says it's not painful. It hurts just as much as you'd expect a sticky substance ripping out your hair to hurt. Thankfully, it stopped hurting very quickly. It was relatively effective, but I have very long legs and the effort and pain it took to apply it to my whole leg was just not worth it.
Then, my brilliant little mind had another idea. I thought, "Well, it works, but I just don't want to do my whole leg. But what about a small area?"
Yes. I attempted the bikini wax.
My friends, do not make this mistake.
The result was some of the worst pain I have ever experienced.
I give the sugar wax a thumbs down. While it is decently effective and may be worth a shot if you simply must wax, it is much more of a hassle than it's worth. ):
Shaving My Face
This one was pretty hilarious. I honestly can't believe I attempted it.
But after several hours of youtube binge watching, I stumbled across these handy little things:
After much research I decided to give it a try. These came in the mail and I followed the instructions (dry face, shaving at an angle). It was so much fun! There is something so satisfying about getting rid of hair.
Unfortunately, my hand slipped during the process…
(There's now one section of my eyebrow that needs more make up than the rest.)
I'm blonde and have very little peach fuzz to begin with, but I was stunned by how much hair was on my face!
Afterwards though, my face started to sting and now my face feels a bit prickly instead of soft. Supposedly it makes makeup application easier, but I haven't noticed a difference yet.
Can I say thumbs up AND thumbs down? Someone with darker hair would find this a lot more beneficial! It's really effective at getting rid of hair without feeling like you're really shaving your face. For someone with lighter hair like me, it just adds a stubble kind of feeling for no good reason.
But, if you have a steady hand, I think you should definitely own one of these for managing eyebrows.
You can find them here: http://amzn.to/2zAnKnF
Honey and Sugar Exfoliant
Currently I'm on a lot of different supplements to get my health back where it needs to be. Those supplements have helped me detox, but in the process, I've started to sweat a lot more. The result? More acne. -___-
Desperate for a solution, I searched and searched for a chemically safe exfoliant scrub. (I'm extremely sensitive to chemicals in normal face washes.) The honey and sugar scrub stood out to me right away. Not as slimy as coconut oil and sugar, but still a good consistency.
I read different takes on this. Some people swear by it, others say it harms your skin.
I decided to give it a try to see for myself.
First of all, this thing is SO easy to whip up. You decide how much honey and how much sugar you want to mix together. I put in plenty of sugar to make sure my skin was exfoliated well.
Then you just smear it on your face, arms, legs, etc.
You look kind of disgusting with sugary goop dripping off your face, but just scrub a bit and then wipe it off with water. Don't leave any in your hair. lol (Using it in the shower is much easier.)
After I scrubbed and rinsed it off, my skin felt amazing. I've used it about four times in the past two weeks and my acne and blackheads have improved radically.
Obviously don't scrub so hard that you harm your skin, but if you're not psycho with it, sugar isn't going to hurt you.
Huge thumbs up!! I love this stuff. So simple, so healthy, and so effective. I feel no need to purchase exfoliants from the store anymore. Why waste the money on something so expensive and "chemically" when this is an alternative?
Well there you have it, 3 beauty hacks tested so you don't have to! If you happen to try any of these and have a different experience let me know! And comment below with any more suggestions for beauty hacks I can try out for ya'll.
Subscribe and follow me on insta! @lifeaslynn.z
Have a great day my loves!
Follow my blog with Bloglovin


text:
by Roger Burg
from Signs of the Times, No. 13 - Apr 2004
Well, it's not gay marriage. It was the old adelphopoiesis ceremony that the historian John Boswell 'discovered' in the 1990s, the rite by which the Church in Eastern Europe united same-sex couples.
I had got fed up with the resistance to the Civil Partnerships Bill, which came from the socalled 'traditionalists' in 'the Churches'. It was clear that someone ought to do something, but who and what?
Then I read about the Roman Catholic movement for women's ordination. The women were up against a strong argument. It went something like this: 'Mother Church has always known that only men can be ordained into holy orders, therefore it follows that women will never be ordained and never have been.' Theological argument can be so conclusive.
So some of the women had had the cheek to re-enact the ancient Catholic ceremony in which thousands of women had once been ordained into the diaconate and thus into holy orders. They incorporated the tales and acted the voices and testimonies of some of them in a beautiful event in a church in central London, and put the text, sounds and pictures on the Internet. Enacting it rather sidestepped the argument.
That answered the question for me of what should be done: the ancient same-sex union rite should be re-enacted.
I put the idea to a couple of the most likely national gay Christian organisations, which were impressed, but were overwhelmed with the fallout from Canon Jeffrey John and Bishop Gene Robinson. Well, if a job needs doing, do it yourself. So that answered the question of who should do it.
A homely event
This meant there would be no big event in London. But the idea might grow slowly from small beginnings, gathering support as it went on. So I persuaded my supportive and longsuffering partner that we aim for a date of Sunday 23rd November for a first attempt.
Then the first big surprise hit us. A bishop in the Old Catholic Church told us that the ceremony has been in use in every century for well over 1000 years and he was updating the translation for his own Church today.
A second surprise was the length of the ceremony. As Boswell translated it, it looked like a litany and a couple of prayers. In fact it's over an hour long and importantly includes the pre-sanctified communion. So drawing up the script suddenly became a major task. Costumes proved more difficult than expected, not least the first millennium East European vestments. You have to know your sticharion from your epitrachelion, even if you run them up from Oxfam duvet covers. And where were we going to get a censer?
For the first re-enactment no church hall would have us so we eventually settled for small numbers in our lounge.
The day dawned clear and chill (because the central heating broke down), costumes were half finished, and the censer was made out of tin foil and sellotape. But the re-enactment and discussion afterwards were enthusiastically approved and the group decided firmly to attempt a proper version in spring. The discussion at the end rambled and needed to be broken into informative talks, and we would have to get an expensive commercial venue.
The second attempt
A local gay group offered us a subsidy to cover hire costs and another invited us to its monthly public meeting on April 13th. Unexpectedly, a local Church offered us its hall at a surprisingly cheap rate for Sunday, March 21st.
Then another surprise; one of us found that the Western, Catholic Ordo ad Fratres Faciendum (brother making) was printed in the original Latin, in Alan Bray's book, The Friend. This was too good to ignore! We still hadn't got all the costume for the eastern European rite - and no progress on the censer. But we had to include the western rite, and some of the more perceptive theological insights that various sources contain about the ceremonies.
Then the vicar insisted that we use the Church, not the hall, and allowed us to use the censer!
We converged from Essex, London and Hampshire for a hurried rehearsal after the morning service (and broke the censer).
The vicar opened the event with a warm welcome and unprompted explanation of some historical background and referring to some of the English same-sex couples united in the communion.
Our Old Catholic bishop explained the theology of the adelphopoiesis. Jeremy Marks, of Courage, spoke about this ex-gay ministry whose experience and search for answers led it eventually to accept gay sexuality and gay partnerships as a gift of God. Sadly these had come too late to include in the publicity, but improved the programme enormously. And a friend presented the tale of the saints Sergius and Bacchus, invoked in both ceremonies (which gave us a break to mend the censer). They were martyred for their faith, and through their witness others came to believe. (There's an evangelistic theology to same-sex unions, seen again in the Gospel reading from John 17.)
We had two discussion sessions. In one it was pointed out that the first ceremony is clearly distinct from marriage, but its form follows closely the heterosexual union blessing. The wedding theology centres on sex and child bearing, and Greek Churches would welcome an adelphopoiesis to balance the earthly unions with the spiritual adelphopoiesis.
We also saw that the prayers that seem to prohibit gay relationships insist the same-sex couples are brothers, not 'by fleshly union', 'carnal intercourse, 'earthly lust' (variously translated) but 'by faith and the Holy Spirit'. This is a reference to John 1 v13, in which believers are sons of God and thus brothers in Christ 'begotten not by the fleshly lusts of an earthly father, but by faith and the Holy Spirit'.
We concluded by commenting on the government's proposal to restore some legal status for these same-sex relationships in the Civil Partnerships Bill, and began on a strategy to present a more truly Christian approach to the Bill.
And finally at 4:30 we relaxed over a rather nice buffet tea.
There's much more on the website at www.samesexunions.org.uk. There's information on future events and pictures and transcripts. Please feel free to offer more material for the event or website, (and do tell us if you know where we can pick up a decent censer).


text:
Among the Cinders
Item #: AE5060
All Products
(2 Total)
View by Size:
Getting , please wait.
|Sometimes interesting coming of age drama about a 16-year-old New Zealand boy who runs away to his grandfather's farm to forget about his friend's accidental death. At the farm, he meets an older woman and compromises his virtue.
|Directed by:
|Rolf Haedrich. Producer: New World Pictures.
|New World Pictures.
|Paul O'Shea, Derek Hardwick, Rebecca Gibney, Yvonne Lawley, Amanda Jones


text:
If you are
- pioneering a new bible evangelistic bible study, or maybe
- leading an existing one,
- running s Sunday School Class
you may be trying to figure out how to ask effective questions to have deeper conversations.
This week, I purchased this 62 page eBook of Questions ($15 if you order through the last link on the sales page, not $19 as it says on the sales page today).
I found it very useful for
- Sunday School teachers,
- Small group leaders,
- Bible study leaders,
- Pastors,
- House Church Leaders,
- Missionaries pioneering new groups.
Some of these questions will help your evangelism discussions as well with seekers in your groups.
The author also points out which questions would be good for mature believers, seekers, youth, children.
How I could use this ebook of questions
Now, I'm not allowed to give you the 52 questions directly. The copyright belongs to the author who is selling this resource at a fair price.
However, I can share with you one of my favorite questions in this bunch:
Is there anything you wish the biblical author had included in the story? Why do you think this was not a part of Scripture?
I can imagine using that with some seekers who might be looking at the biblical text for the very first time.
They might ask questions of the text that we long time Christians hadn't thought of.
It might also reveal an insight into their spiritual thirst.
That is what I'm looking for when having bible studies for seekers.
Spiritual thirst allows me to tap into what God is doing in that person's life to draw that one to Himself. (Read how spiritual thirst opens the conversational door).
Here is another one:
What are the surface issues that Jesus skips past to get to the heart issue?
Likewise, I could use this question in my discernment of spiritual thirst of a person.
You could rework this question to speak of the prophet or leader or other central character in the text.
As questions get below the surface, answers can potentially reveal what is really in the heart.
As evangelists, spiritual thirst is what we look for.
The Ebook
When I first encountered this ebook, my skeptical mind asked:
"Why would I spend $15 on 52 questions? I can ask great questions already! I hope I don't get a one page text file."
I was surprised.
The 62 page ebook is laid out with one question per page, plus some background as to why that question is effective. The layout gives the author room to tell us how to leverage those questions for specific situations and his experiences in using them.
The 1 per page format is useful for printing out and storing in a 3 ring binder for your study.
I was also impressed with how field-tested these 52 questions are.
Likewise, as I read these questions, I found myself creatively spinning off variants that will help me have more discussions with spiritual seekers. This little ebook spurred some great creativity.
These can be a useful tool in your leadership skills.
Order Yours
To buy your copy, please click here or tap the big blue order button. It'll take you to a sales page with the purchase link at the top right.
The purchase page is a little old, graphic and color wise, but the links work.
Sneaky: Use the last link on the bottom of the sales page to find the $15 price in the shopping cart rather than $19. Save 20%
This is an affiliate product, which means I will make a small commission off your purchase.


text:
IMF Isn't About to Apologize for Greece
The International Monetary Fund may have learned from its mistakes in its historic Greek program. But to be clear, it's not apologizing.
IMF chief Christine Lagarde's apology to the U.K. for getting its economic prescription wrong sparked calls for the fund to ask forgiveness for its Greek program.
Asked whether the fund should make amends for its Greek bailout, IMF spokesman Gerry Rice said the fund has been very open and candid in its assessment of the bailout, and has incorporated lessons learned into the new bailout.
It's not expressing remorse, however.


text:
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, 1856PRO'BATE, noun [Latin probatus, probo, to prove.]
1. The probate of a will or testament is the proving of its genuineness and validity, or the exhibition of the will to the proper officer, with the witnesses if necessary, and the process of determining its validity, and the registry of it, and such other proceedings as the laws prescribe, as preliminary to the execution of it by the executor.
2. The right or jurisdiction of proving wills. In England, the spiritual court has the probate of wills. In the United States, the probate of wills belongs to a court of civil jurisdiction established by law, usually to a single judge, called a judge of probate or a surrogate.
3. Proof. [Not used.]
1. The proof before an officer appointed by law, that an instrument offered to be recorded is the act of the person whose last will and testament it purports to be. Upon proof being so made and security being given when the laws of the state require such security, the officer grants to the executors or administrators cum testamento annexo, when there been adopted, but provision is made for perare no executors, letters testamentary, or of administration.
2. The officer who takes such probate is variously denominated; in some states he is called judge of probate, in others register, and surrogate in others. Vide 11 Vin. Ab. 5 8 12 Vin. Ab. 126 2 Supp. to Ves. jr. 227 1 Salk. 302; 1 Phil. Ev. 298; 1 Stark. Ev. 231, note, and the cases cited in the note, and also, 12 John. R. 192; 14 John. R. 407 1 Edw. R. 266; 5 Rawle, R. 80 1 N. & McC. 326; 1 Leigh, R. 287; Penn. R. 42; 1 Pick. R. 114; 1 Gallis. R. 662, as to the effect of a probate on real and personal property,
3. In England, the ecclesiastical courts, which take the probate of wills, have no jurisdiction of devises of land. In a trial at common law, therefore, the original will must be produced, and the probate of a will is no evidence.
4. This rule has been somewhat changed in some of the states. In New York it has petuating the evidence of a will. 12 John. Rep. 192; 14 John. R, 407. In Massachusetts, Connecticut, North Carolina, and Michigan, the probate is conclusive of its validity, and a will cannot be used in evidence till proved. 1 Pick. R. 114; l Gallis. R. 622 1 Mich. Rev. Stat. 275. In Pennsylvania, the probate is not conclusive as to lands, and, although not allowed by the Register's court, it may be read in evidence. 5 Rawle's R. 80. In North Carolina, the will must be proved de novo in the court of common pleas, though allowed by the ordinary. 1 Nott & McCord, 326. In New Jersey, probate is necessary, but it is not conclusive. Penn. R. 42.
5. The probate is a judicial act, and while unimpeached, authorizes debtors of the deceased in paying the debts they owed him, to the executors although the will may, have been forged. 3 T. R. 125; see 8 East, Rep. 187. Vide Letters testamentary.
Black's Law Dictionary, 1st Edition, 1891
The Century Dictionary, an Encyclopedic Lexicon of the English Language, 1895
Black's Law Dictionary, 7th Edition, 1999
1. To admit (a will) to proof.
2. To administer (a decedent's estate).
3. To grant probation to (a criminal); to reduce (a sentence) by means of probation.
Probate jurisdiction
Jurisdiction over matters relating to wills, settlement of decedents' estates, and (in some states) guardianship and the adoption of minors.
Probate judge
A judge having jurisdiction over probate, inheritance, guardianships, and the like. – Also termed judge of probate; surrogate; register.
WEX Legal Dictionary
The judicial procedure by which a testamentary document is established to be a valid will.
Unless set aside, the probate of a will is conclusive upon the parties to the proceedings, and others who had notice of the proceedings, on all questions of testamentary capacity, the absence of fraud or undue influence, and due execution of the will. Probate does not preclude inquiry into the validity of the will's provisions or on their proper construction or legal effect.
Probate court
A probate court is a court of limited jurisdiction that hears matters surrounding a person's death. For example, probate courts oversee the distribution of dead peoples' assets according to their wills and direct the distribution of dead peoples' assets if they die without a will.
Some probate courts also hear petitions to declare people incompetent and oversee guardians or conservators. Other jurisdictions leave these matters to family courts.
Probate courts are governed by state and local law. Some jurisdictions have surrogate courts instead of probate courts.


text:
Make, learn and talk about needle lace.
101 members
33 members
233 members
80 members
90 members
Join Needle Lace Talk
Welcome toNeedle Lace Talk
Sign Upor Sign In
© 2020 Created by Lorelei Halley.
Powered by
Badges |
Report an Issue |
Terms of Service
Please check your browser settings or contact your system administrator.


text:
Eric Clapton auctions guitars for charity
- Published
British rock guitarist Eric Clapton has sold more than 70 of his instruments at a charity auction in New York.
The sale by Bonhams raised more than $2.15m (£1.3m) for a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in Antigua, which Clapton co-founded.
A 1948 Gibson hollow body guitar raised the highest price at $83,000, way above its estimated value of $30,000.
The sale also included amplifiers and a Gianni Versace suit made for Clapton's 1990 concert at the Royal Albert Hall.
Another of the guitars sold was a replica of Clapton's famous Fender Stratocaster, known as "Blackie", which raised more than $30,000.
The original was auctioned seven years ago for just under $1m (£600,000).
Clapton founded the Crossroads Center in Antigua in 1998 after conquering his own addictions to alcohol and heroin.
Two previous auctions have been held to benefit the centre, in 1999 and 2004.


text:
Details & Specs
Forty Winks Powersleep Ultra Firm Bed For Sale
The Forty Winks Powersleep Ultra Firm is a Pro-active Capsule Pocket coil mattress featuring a high density foam for reduced partner disturbance and head to toe spinal support.
Forty Winks beds are designed with three Proactive Capsule Pocket springs which have been created to reduce partner disturbance and offer head to toe spine support. The spring unit design of the Forty Winks Powersleep Ultra Firm mattress boasts the Pro-active Capsule Pocket Coil design for the maximum spinal support. They also have reinforced side support bars to prevent the bed softening or rolling on the ends.
Reduced partner disturbance offers you a peaceful night's sleep uninterrupted by the motion and movements of your partner. These features all come together in the Forty Winks Powersleep Ultra Firm bed set to offer you an affordable yet high quality mattress designed for all night comfort and support.
This comfort rating is the most popular of bed comfort levels. The Forty Winks Powersleep Ultra Firm bed allows for proper spinal alignment and is ideal for back or stomach sleepers. The mattress is made from firm foam and is perfect for anyone who does not experience back pain. When sleeping on a firmer surface, your body is supported by your skeleton rather than your muscles meaning that your muscles are less strained, and your circulation is improved.
The Forty Winks Powersleep Ultra Firm supports your back very well and with the proper alignment you are able to increase your oxygen intake while sleeping, this leads to a better night's sleep.
What is the difference between Forty Winks firm, medium and plush comfort?
The difference between a Forty Winks firm medium or soft mattress is the feel and the amount of give that you feel when you lie on it. A firm conmort level provides a firm sleep surface, more rigid than a soft or plush mattress that gives quite a bit more and creates the sensation of extreme softness. A medium is right in between, providing a softer surface than a firm, but providing a little more support than a plush mattress
In order to validate the 100 night comfort exchange – you are required to purchase a new mattress protector from Dial-a-Bed. Reason being, every new mattress needs a new protector, to protect your new investment from stains, spills to keep your mattress in a sanitary condition.
Spring Unit
- Pro-active Capsule Pocket coil with re-enforced side support.
- Designed for reduced partner disturbance and head to toe spine support.
Support Layer
- Extremely High density resilient foam.
Special Features
- Turn free Mattress with traditional construction.
- The fabric has a high cotton content combined with charcoal linen look upholstered base.
- Nested Pocket
- Mattress Height : 30cm
- Base Height (with legs): 36cm
- Total Height: 66cm
Guarantee & Warranty
- Guarantee: 2 Years
- Warrantee: 8 Years
|Furniture Storage
|Bed Comfort Type


text:
- 10-13 year olds
- 5-9 year olds
- All ages.
- Autumn/Fall
- Back-to-school
- Beachy
- Birthday party ideas
- Christmas
- Cooking with kids.
- Earth Day
- Gardening
- Gifts for Pet Lovers
- Good Causes
- Halloween
- Homemade Gifts
- Make Believe
- Math
- Mother's Day Gifts
- Music
- Outdoor activities
- Paid Endorsements
- Places to visit
- Pre-school
- Read and Do
- Recycled Materials
- Science
- Seasonal/Holiday
- Sensorial
- Spring/Easter
- Summer
- Thanksgiving
- The Basics
- Uncategorized
- Valentine's Day
- Wearable art
Contact Beth
- Heart-shaped baking tin
- Plastic bowl or container that is wider than your baking tin and about 2″ deep.
- One cup sand
- One-half cup water
- Candle wick
- Small metal washer
- Wax
- Candle dyes or crayons for color
- Candle scent (optional)
- Double boiler (Note: You can melt wax in the microwave or in a tin can in a shallow pan of water over low heat. Add color and scent after wax is melted.)
- Newspaper
- Scissors
Fill bowl with sand and water. Press bottom of heart tin into wet sand. Pull out leaving a heart shape. If the sides fall in, press tin in again and add some more water to sand. Tie wick to washer and place in center of the sand-shaped heart. Tie other end of wick onto a pencil and set on top of container. Make sure wick is taut. Pour melted wax into the heart-shaped hole in the sand. Position wick so it is in the center. Let wax harden and cool, about 45 minutes. Carefully lift heart candle from container and place on newspapers. Trim wick with scissors.
As ubiquitous as they may seem to some in their quaint, kitschy way, who can't resist homemade cookies? And if you can make the planning and preparation that much easier, you've got the perfect gift. Here are some suggestions for those layered cookies in a jar you can pass out to all your friends, relatives and kid's teachers. Put all ingredients in a Mason jar decorated with some nice fabric, ribbon and a tag with recipe and baking instructions.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix Read the rest of this entry »
Another great group activity for a birthday, play date or class project.
Small clay flower pots
Tile grout
Trowel or knife to smooth grout
Decorative objects like tiles, sea glass, sea shells, beads, acorns etc.
Damp cloth
Give each child a small flower pot and some tile grout to smear on the outside of the pot. Explain to them that they are going to decorate the outside of the pot with the objects. They can cover the entire pot or make a pattern. It is up to them to use their own imagination and creativity. Once the tile is set and the objects are secure, gently wipe away any tile grout that is on the decorations. If you have time, you can take this project one step further by planting flowers in the pots.
This is a great activity for kids to do at a birthday party, especially a sleepover, and it also makes a wonderful gift for grandparents. Can be transferred onto a sweatshirt too.
Plain white T-shirts (cotton/poly blends work best)
Fabric crayons (available at craft stores)
Plain white paper
Iron and ironing board
Piece of cardboard
Using the fabric crayons, have the children draw a design on the piece of paper. Set your iron on the cotton setting and place the cardboard between the front and back of the T-shirt. Place the design on top with the drawing side down. With the iron, apply an even pressure across the entire design. Remove the paper and the design will be transferred onto the shirt. Tip: Remind the children that the design will be reversed so if they are writing words or a message they should write it backwards because the finished result will be the mirror image of the original. Caution: Children should be warned that the iron is hot and adults only are to touch the iron.
These go very nicely with the Button Bracelets.
You will need:
Decorative shank buttons
Pipe cleaners in assorted colors
For each ring, cut a pipe cleaner about 4 inches long. Thread it through the hole in the back of the button, placing the button in the center. Wrap the ends of the pipe cleaner together to form a ring, lengthening or shortening depending on the size of your finger. You may need to trim it a little bit. Be sure to twist the ends securely so that you don't pinch your fingers. Wear them and be glamorous!
This is a quick and easy fun project you can do with all those extra buttons you have lying around the house. If you need more, you can always buy them in bulk at craft stores like and Beverly's. This project is also a perfect birthday party activity. Can be adjusted for a seasonal activity using season themed buttons like heart shapes or Christmas trees.
You will need:
- 1-inch wide elastic
- Strong needle and sewing thread
- Scissors
- Assorted buttons in various shapes and colors
Cut a piece of elastic about 2 inches longer than your wrist. Before you start, think about a design or theme idea. You may want buttons of similar colors like all primary colors, all pastels or just black and white. Buttons in the shapes of flowers or bugs could be a garden theme. Try all square or all round buttons. You get the idea. When you have a plan, start sewing the buttons onto the elastic leaving an inch blank on either end. Overlap the edges of the elastic and sew the ends together. Make sure you use a lot of stitches so your bracelet is secure. When you are finished, sew on more buttons to cover the stitches.
Note: You can use 2 or 4 holed buttons as well as shank. Sew the holed buttons on first and then fill in the blank areas with the shank buttons.
Create musical hanging chimes with a few simple materials found in the hardware store.
Small embroidery hoop or stick
Large nails of various sizes
Fishing line or sturdy string
Cut a length of fishing line, tie one end under the head of the nail, and secure the other end to the embroidery hoop. Continue tying the nails around the hoop at regular intervals until the frame is full. When finished, strike the nails gently and listen to the bell-like chords. Then hang it outside and let the wind create soft, gentle tones
You won't need a special heart-shaped muffin tin to make these muffins.
Your favorite muffin recipe
Muffin tins
Muffin or cupcake liners
Marbles or marble-sized rolled up balls of foil.
Line the muffin tins with the liners and prepare your favorite muffin or cupcake recipe. Fill the liners with the batters. Place the marble or foil between the liner and the edge of the muffin tin. Bake as usual. As the muffin bakes the batter will pull away from the sides and form a heart shape.
Pretzels are fun snack to make with your children. Why not fashion them into heart shapes as a healthy alternative to the traditional Valentine chocolates?
1 cup warm water
2 T sugar
2 pkgs. fast acting yeast
1 egg
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour
Kosher salt
Stir the yeast, water and sugar together in a large bowl until the yeast is dissolved. Set aside for about 15 minutes or until the yeast gets foamy. This is called "proofing". Afterward, stir in the flour a little at a time until the dough is stiff. Remove dough from bowl and knead on a floured surface for five minutes. Shape dough into a large ball and place in a buttered bowl. Cover with a dish towel and set in a warm place to rise until it is doubled in size. Once the dough has risen, punch it down. On a lightly floured surface, roll it out into a rectangle. Cut fat strips and shape into heart shaped pretzels and place on a baking sheet. Beat the egg with a fork and brush onto the pretzels. Sprinkle on some kosher salt and bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
If your child wants to exchange valentines at school and you don't want to give candy, here are some simple alternatives that are quick and easy to make.
Materials for crayons:
- Heart-shaped candy molds available at craft stores.
- Old, broken crayons
- Small glass jars like baby food to melt crayons in microwave. You can also place jars in pans of water on stove over low heat.
A few hours before you begin, place crayons in a bucket of cool water. Left to soak, the crayons should be easy to peel. Small children love this task. Sort crayons by color and place in glass jars. Melt in microwave or on stove. Let cool slightly and pour into molds. Once completely cooled, the heart-shaped crayons should pop right out. You may want to attach a note to the recipients letting them know the hearts are not candy.
To make the heart-shaped soaps follow the above instructions substituting glycerin soap for the crayons. I purchase inexpensive glycerin soaps at the grocery store and melt them in the microwave.


text:
Archive for December, 2010
Snowfall Rates To Increase Again tonight! The Night of Lights should be Spectactular!
Saturday December 18, 2010
Posted at 1:35 pm by Howard
So far….snowfall amounts ranged from 5 feet over the crest to 2 to 3 feet near the village. Snowfall to increase again tonight!
Today's WX pattern is consistent with yesterday. Upper ridge continues over the dateline with weak tropical low to the south near 22n-179w spinning up moisture. This pattern continues to advect moisture northward from west of Hawaii then NE toward the west coast. The deep vortex over Gulf of AK has now moved SSE to off the Oregon coast. The upper westerly flow is consoladating at the base of the upper low. Meanwhile subtropical moisture is being pulled eastward and as it approaches the west coast it is being energized by the upper jet.
Latest AMSU TPW shows a even higher moisture content within the river with peak values 1.5 to 1.6 inches now.
Looking at the the NAM 12 Time Height Sections off the 18z Run, ( http://weather.utah.edu/index.php?t=nam212&r=MSA&d=ET#) UVM was at low ebb over Mammoth Mt. today. DVM will continue until about 7:00pm (03z) then increase into the night. Plenty of deep moisture with this system…..way up to 300mb. Snowfall rates will increase again after 7:00pm…with peak UVM about 15z Sunday. (7:00AM) Plenty of Upward Vertical Motion exists through Sunday afternoon in the saturated air mass. Expecting another 2 to 4 feet at the village by Sunday night.
The cold front will move toward the state early Sunday and reach the coast during the morning. FROPA for Mammoth should be about 02z Monday. (6:00pm Sunday) The max precip will be from Central Ca south toward Southern Ca.
Dr Howard and the Dweebs………………………….:-)
Potential Bluebird Morning……. December 22nd!
Reference Glossary of Weather Terms
Disclaimer: I have been a hobbyist meteorologist for over 30 years here in the Mammoth area and I do this for my personal enjoyment. The National Weather Service saves lives every day . . . I do not. When making important planning decisions please use information provided by the National Weather Service as they are the most knowledgeable and accurate information source available today.
Snow Now Falling In Mammoth
Friday December 17, 2010
Posted at 1:06 pm by Howard
Snowfall began at 3:00am this morning and is now expected to continue for several days. No surprises this morning with QPF on track. Updated HPC 5 day amounts for the south central sierra is up to 14 inches over the period along the west side and 9 to 10 inches over the crest. This means that Mammoth MT is likely to receive a good 10 to 12 feet in the coming 5 days. (10:1 ratio)
The Town of Mammoth 4 to 6 feet. It still appears that for the most part, it will all be snow for the town. There are several waves within the subtropical fetch now currently connected to the central coast. Periods of strong vertical motion will coincide with heavier snowfall rates. Moisture Flux Divergence within the flow is expected to be extreme.
As far as the models go over the next 3 or 4 days…..the large upper low in the gulf of Alaska will remain pretty much stationary with a swift zonal flow underneath that system. The upper jet at 160knots stretches from 160w to the west coast just south of 40 north. The little eddies or impulses that streak across the zonal flow are enhanced areas of vertical motion and represent potential heavier areas of precip when they move on shore.
Looking at the CIRA TPW loop from AMSU http://amsu.cira.colostate.edu/TPW/global.htm You can see the juice up to 35 to 40 mm within the stream . A subtropical upper low near 30 north- 175 west is keeping the pump juiced.
There has been some talk around town of this being a pineapple connection. A pattern similar to February 1986. This is not true. The February 16 through 19th event was a true pineapple connection.
The analog shows that a blocking high became cut off over Alaska while the typical upper jet diverged to the right and dug back an upper trof that became confluent with the subtropical jet which road over a subtropical ridge into California. The 500mb heights over Mammoth went as high as 570dm and we had 6 to 7 inches of rain over a heavy snow pack. That was the winter that the Sherwin's slid.
This system is totally different. Instead of high pressure in the northern Gulf of AK, there is a deep vortex. The blocking high is out near the dateline in a quasi REX configuration. Check out the analog at http://vortex.plymouth.edu/reanal-u.html then compare to current 3 day means.
Better analogs are 1968 11/28; 1971 11-28; 1961 12/22 and 1966 11/29
The Dweeber………………………:-)
Reference Glossary of Weather Terms
Disclaimer: I have been a hobbyist meteorologist for over 30 years here in the Mammoth area and I do this for my personal enjoyment. The National Weather Service saves lives every day . . . I do not. When making important planning decisions please use information provided by the National Weather Service as they are the most knowledgeable and accurate information source available today.
Mammoth Readies Itself For A "Mammoth" series of Storms!
Thursday December 16, 2010
Posted at 6:01 am by Howard
Just had discussion with Alex…..Leed forecaster with NWS RNO:
One more day "today" to make sure everything is in order.
Check list:
1. If you have a gas powered electric generator, make sure you have gas and it is working properly.
2. Snow blower working, extra sheer pins available and of course shovels handy.
3. It look like more snow now as the models are coming in cooler. Nevertheless, those that are in low lying areas of town should clear out their culverts to make sure they are free of debris.
5. We are expecting a good 3 to 4 inches of water EQ in the Town of Mammoth between Friday night through mid day Sunday. (2 to 3 feet+) High winds of 60 MPH in town, coupled with the heavy snow fall will create a loading problem for trees and power lines. Be prepared for possible power outages.
It will be a mess in town Saturday so CHAIN UP for 4WD may become a necessity.
Again the models have been trending a bit cooler the past 24 hours and so it may be, that the period of rain will be shorter lived for the town, which will impact the town with more snow. Avalanches may becomes a problem in non controlled areas. You folks in the June Lake loop should be prepared as well as you will get buried…..
Folks…this will be the kind of snow that you get stuck in. Even for 4WD's. Very heavy, dense, moisture leaden cement. So get your chains ready for your FWD's Saturday and be extra safe!
Better yet, probably a good idea to stay home!
A deep Eastern Pacific closed low is forecast to drift toward the Pacific Northwest with the center remaining off shore into Sunday. This cold upper low and associated polar jet will combine with a fetch of tropical and subtropical moisture emanating out of another tropical low located along the date line at 23 north latitude. This tropical low which has been part of an ongoing REX block has been tapping moisture out of the ITZ. The under cutting subtropical jet and associated moisture will combine with the polar jet, north and east of the Hawaiian islands creating a copious precipitation event for both Northern and Central California. Then into next week……although the models retrograde the tropical low…..the remaining moisture train continues a few more days and continues to be entrained, into the long wave trof parked off shore.
A steady stream of moisture along with strong upward vertical motion will impact the northern 2/3s of the state. The upper jet aligns from Oregon to Central Ca through the weekend gradually sliding southward. This mornings the latest guidance still shows that the heaviest precip will be through Northern and Central Ca….with QPF totals, according to HPC, up to 6 inches by Sunday morning. Another 5 to 6 inches is expected between Sunday morning and Tuesday morning.
Outlook: More storms on the way over the holiday with breaks……
One more thing……although the REX block breaks down the middle of this week…it redevelops the following week…..
Update Friday:
On the realm of Global warming and Global cooling……
Did you folks know that the sun is unusually quiet?
In fact it is spotless again this morning.
Geoff Sharp is a solar scientist.
Below are his comments this morning…..
2010/12/16 8:00 1133 is still just visible but is under the threshold at 240 pixels. There is a small speck region measuring 83 pixels in the early northern region that shows some potential on the magnetogram. There is also another region on Stereo Behind about to rotate on that may be worth watching. Its cold in the NH right now, the predicted massive northern winter is beginning to happen.
Yesterday's adjusted F10.7 flux figures measured at 20:00 UTC recorded 84.2 (87.5), on the way down again. The DSN value for today is 110 with the previous measurement at 214.
SEE: http://www.landscheidt.info/?q=node/189
Reference Glossary of Weather Terms
Disclaimer: I have been a hobbyist meteorologist for over 30 years here in the Mammoth area and I do this for my personal enjoyment. The National Weather Service saves lives every day . . . I do not. When making important planning decisions please use information provided by the National Weather Service as they are the most knowledgeable and accurate information source available today.


text:
About Us
Contact Us
Français (Canada)
English (United States)
Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Nelke Dolls
Site Menu
Central Penn Doll Collectors Club Home
2020 Annual Show and Sale ~ CANCELLED
BJDs - Modern Ball Jointed Dolls
Nelke Dolls
A Shirley Temple Doll For Everyone: The Look-Alikes
Nelke Dolls
July 2018 - Nelke Dolls
Around 1900 the Elk Knitting Mills Co. was started in Philadelphia by Harry Nelke. The company produced knit underwear for women and children.
In 1917, a woman approached the Nelkes about buying a small quantity of their fabric to make dolls for a charity bazaar. A few weeks later, the lady returned with two of the dolls she had made as gifts for Nelke's children.
The company had been losing business because of the changes in fashion so, after seeing the dolls, Nelke had his staff work on a doll that they could make in the factory using their stockinet material. This group was called the Nelke Corp. Their biggest problem in making the dolls was developing a paint that would be nonpoisonous, stick to the fabric and not wash off or be sucked off by a child.
Finally in 1920, Harry Nelke applied for a patent for his Nelke doll. The doll was made of stockinet and stuffed with a light fabric from Java which would float and dry quickly. The face was hand painted. There were no buttons or pins attached to the doll which had a label marked with the diamond logo signed Nelke.
Nelke started adding new characters to his line - a clown, kitten, rabbit and dog. Prices for the dolls were low with the small 8 inch dolls selling for 50 cents. In 1923, they added the Nelke Cop who was supposed to keep them all in line. Dolls were made in colors for the holidays such as black and orange for Halloween or red, white and blue for patriotic holidays which made them fun seasonal items.
The dolls proved to be very successful and in 1923, the company sold 400,000 of them. Herbert Nelke, the company's secretary and treasurer said that some dealers had placed standing orders for daily shipments.
Other lines were added. There was an infant's line which came in pink, white and light blue, as well as a sailor, bear, Indian, pig and Kewpie.
The dolls came in various sizes with 8 inches being the most common. In 1927, Nelke advertised a 30 inch doll and in 1926 an even larger clown was made for the Sesquicentennial in Philadelphia. It was billed as "The Largest Doll Ever Made,"
In spite of the fact that hundreds of thousands were produced, they have been hard to find. Probably because the dolls were cloth and inexpensive, they were not saved. When they got soiled they were likely thrown away. If the tag is missing from the collar, the doll may not be identified.
The last mention of the Nelke dolls I could find was from 1929 and they closed around 1930, possibly a victim of the Depression. It's a shame that they were able to survive the change in fashion but not the economy but at least some of their dolls survived to remind us of their story.
Favorite Links
UFDC National
Doll Show USA
Valarie Moyer's Doll Shop
Central Penn Doll Collectors Club
Terms Of Use
Privacy Statement
DotNetNuke® is copyright 2002-2020 by DotNetNuke Corporation


text:
I could stay awake just to hear you breathing,
Watch you smile while you are sleeping,
While you're far away and dreaming,
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender,
I could stay lost in this moment forever,
When every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure,
Don't wanna close my eyes,
I don't wanna fall asleep,
Cause I'd miss you baby,
And I don't wanna miss a thing,
Cause even when I dream of you,
The sweetest dream would never do,
I'd still miss you babe,
And I don't wanna miss a thing.
Lying close to you,
feeling your heart beating,
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming,
Wondering if it's me you're seeing,
And then I kiss your eyes,
And thank God we're together,
I just wanna stay with you in this moment forever,
Forever and ever.
And I don't wanna miss one smile,
I don't wanna miss one kiss,
I just wanna be with you,
Right here with you, just like this,
I just wanna hold you close,
And feel your heart so close to mine,
And just stay here in this moment,
For all the rest of time (Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah YEAH!!)


text:
November 20, 2014
Overland Park Regional Medical Center (OPRMC) —part of HCA Midwest Health, Kansas City's leading healthcare provider—announces the opening of a 10,000-square-foot Emergency Room in Shawnee. Located at 10310 Shawnee Mission Parkway, one block west of Interstate 35, the freestanding department is a full-service ER, offering everything a patient would receive at a traditional hospital ER. Ambulances will bring patients from across the area, including Shawnee to as far north and west as Tonganoxie, Leavenworth, Bonner Springs and Kansas City, Kan. Walk-in patients will be treated as well.
Linda Helenthal, Administrative Director of Emergency Services for Overland Park Regional Medical Center, notes the new OPRMC ER of Shawnee is the closest and best option for people in northern Johnson County and even Wyandotte County. "This state-of-the-art ER is the closest option to come to and will lighten the burden on other area emergency rooms," says Helenthal, adding that people from those areas are already transported to the Overland Park Regional Medical Center Emergency Room on a regular basis. "Here, we are right between two major highways (Interstate 35 and Interstate 435), which means easier access from across the area translating to a more efficient patient experience."
Kevin Hicks, Chief Executive Officer of Overland Park Regional Medical Center, notes the ER of Shawnee represents a collaborative effort with the City of Shawnee and the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce. "This has been a coming home of sorts for me," says Hicks. "I grew up across the street, so being back here where my friends and family still live has great meaning to me personally and professionally. We will continue to be a strong partner with this community for years to come by offering high-quality and compassionate care, but also by giving back."
The OPRMC ER of Shawnee is complete with CT scanner, full laboratory for blood and other tests, full radiology department, trauma room, contamination room, isolation room and 10 patient rooms. Through a digital communications system, the emergency room can stay in communication with surrounding area emergency rooms and divert traffic to Shawnee Mission Parkway location when needed.
"If we can relieve the trauma system and move less involved cases here, it benefits everyone," says Helenthal. "This was designed to get people connected to the right service as quick as possible. Here, we have a waiting room but there is no waiting in this waiting room. We're all about patient care and doing the right thing for the patient."
The OPRMC ER of Shawnee is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The staff includes a full-time physician, Roger Goldenberg, M.D., and a full-time nursing staff with more than 75 years of combined experience. Laboratory Technician Dan Guillotte runs the laboratory that is capable of doing most major blood tests as well as urinalysis, mono, strep and pregnancy tests. The building also features a contamination room in the event of a chemical spill and an isolation room in the event someone comes in with a rare infectious disease.
HCA Midwest Health has the metro area's largest group of Level I, Level II and Level III Trauma Centers and emergency departments. The five hospitals with emergency departments and accredited Trauma Centers include Research Medical Center, Level I; Overland Park Regional Medical Center, Level II; Centerpoint Medical Center, Level II; Belton Regional Medical Center, Level III; and Lee's Summit Medical Center, Level III. Research Medical Center-Brookside Campus and Menorah Medical Center round out HCA Midwest Health's major emergency departments.


text:
Salmon spiral bake
300g pasta spirals 1 cup low-fat sour cream 2 cloves garlic, chopped 4 spring onions, chopped 210g can salmon, drained and flaked Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 small tomatoes, sliced 2 tbsp dry
|1 cup
|Low-fat sour cream
|300 g
|Pasta spirals
|2 cloves
|Spring onions
|210 g
|Boneless salmon fillets
|1 to taste
|Salt & freshly ground pepper
|2 Tbsp
- Heat oven to 200 degC. Cook pasta in plenty of boiling salted water for 8 to 10 minutes or according to packet instructions until just tender to the bite.
- Drain pasta well and transfer to a bowl. Stir in sour cream, garlic, spring onions and flaked salmon. Season with salt and pepper and gently toss to combine.
- Spoon mixture into four greased individual oven-proof dishes. Arrange a few slices of tomato over each and scatter with breadcrumbs. Bake for 15 minutes, or until hot and golden brown.


text:
Worst date ever: Boyfriend bails as foul ball hits girlfriend
Many women would do anything for a boyfriend who likes to dance.
But as one woman unfortunately learned on Monday, a man who decides to do the Texas two-step and electric slide away from your side as a foul ball screams toward you into the stands is far from a dream date.
In one of the funnier foul ball mishaps I've seen, a woman named Sarah was struck with a foul ball at the Houston Astros game after her male companion named Bo ducked out of the way.
As most of the blogosphere is noting this morning, chivalry is officially dead.
After all, if a man can't abide by the simplest rule of a baseball date — don't let your company get hit by a foul ball — what hope can women hold for things like flagging down the beer vendor or having their scorecard kept when they head to the ladies room?
On the bright side, Sarah's only injury was a bruise and Bo's strict interpretation of the term "dodgeball" earned the couple a lighthearted moment in the spotlight. Sarah later told the Astros television reporter that she, unlike her boyfriend, saw it coming:
"As soon as we got here and I saw where we were sitting, I said 'Baby, I'm going to get hit," Sarah said. "He said, 'No, you won't. I'll catch it if you do.' We just had this conversation and sure enough, the ball comes at me. He just bailed."
So what was Bo's excuse for his comedic act of temporary cowardice? Well, he claimed to have lost Chris Johnson's(notes) drive in the lights at Minute Maid Park.
Of course he lost it in the lights. Here's hoping that the couple stopped at a sporting goods store for some eyeblack. You know, just after their postgame trip to the florist.


text:
Shopping Cart
0 item -
You have 0 items in your shopping cart.
Item code: 0011437
Availability: In stock
Place it in your garden for a natural pathway design look.
Type: Granite slab with plain surface
Material: Granite
Size: Length 30cm | Width 30cm | Thickness 3cm (Approximate)
Delivery Islandwide
Great Customer Service
Hassle-Free Exchange
Online Exclusive
10% Off on regular-priced items *Register/Login required


text:
Techniques to Prevent/Minimize Die Lines
- Published: April 29, 2010, By Tom Bezigian
I'm sorry about the long gap between posts. I have been working as an expert witness on a very interesting and demanding case which has taken all of my time for the last two months. Now… back to die lines.
The best way to get rid of die lines is to never have them in the first place. Other than a physical defect in the die lips themselves, die lines are quite often caused by carbon buildup in the die land area, i.e., the area just before the plastic exits the die. The pressure drop across this area is in the range of 250-750 psi (1.72-5.17 MPa), so it is not possible for the carbon or other contamination to enter the die from the outside, so the carbon comes from either the resin itself or the extrusion manufacturing process. In my experience, it is usually the latter of these two possibilities.
While die design varies between processes, the extrusion process is universal. If the temperature the polymer is exposed to is too hot, the rate of polymer degradation will accelerate. If the polymer is exposed to high temperatures for an excessive period of time, degradation will occur. The degradation process is goes something like this: polymer - too hot for too long - reduced viscosity - gels - soft carbon - medium brown carbon - dark carbon & gas. A good analogy is when the fluid from the apple pie dish spills over onto the bottom of the oven, it slowly goes from its original medium brown color to various stages of darker and darker brown until it finally turns into dark black carbon. I happen to like baking apple pies, so I have learned this through experience. The same process happens to the polymer in the extruder and die.
It may seem obvious that the temperatures have to be set correctly, but on one assignment at a flexible packaging converter who was experiencing die lines, their extrusion coating die was set at 675?F (357?C), which is excessive. As soon as we opened the die to inspect for carbon buildup, the polymer caught on fire. In addition to being set too hot, we later found that the temperature controllers were not calibrated, and the actual temperature was 30?F (17?C) hotter than the readout indicated. They got the point, and changed their process conditions and maintenance procedures to my recommendations, and the problem went away.
So, as far as preventing die lines, the most important thing to do is to prevent carbon build up in the die. To do this, it is important that all your temperature set to temperatures that will not degrade the plastic and that the temperature controllers are calibrated and working properly. Next, it is critical that the polymer flow (output) does not go to zero or anywhere near zero. Let me give a detailed example that I have direct experience with to illustrate my point.
Let's assume the following: A converter has a 5-layer flexible packaging barrier blown film coextrusion line designed to produce a structure with all layers being 15 microns (0.6 mils) thick for a total thickness of 75 microns (3.0 mils). These are ultimately used as flexible barrier packaging bags for use in meat and cheese packaging. Over the past 20 years, the screw and barrel were not maintained properly, and the radial flight clearance of the 45 mm screws increases from 125 microns (5 mils) to 625 microns (25 mils), and output drops from the original design of 500 lbs/hr (227 kg/hr) to 300 lbs/hr (136kg/hr). Let's also say that in an attempt to reduce costs, the thickness of the expensive EVOH barrier layer is arbitrarily reduced from 15 microns to 6 microns. What has effectively happened is that the output of that layer has been reduced from the original design criteria by 76%. This means that instead of the EVOH having a bulk residence time of approximately 8 minutes in the extruder and die, it now has a residence time of about 30 minutes. This is not good.
Let's also say for example that the outer layer of the structure is nylon, which requires a higher temperature than the rest of the structure, and that the die temperature is set at 470?F (243?C) to accommodate the nylon. This is approximately 30?C higher than it should be, meaning that the EVOH is being subjected to about 8 times more heat input than it was designed for. When you couple the extra heat with the extra time the EVOH is subjected to in the extruder and die, we have a situation where the EVOH is receiving a minimum of 30 times more energy input than the original design specification.
Let's also say that this converter is in the Southeastern part of the United States, which is subject to frequent thunderstorms and lightning strikes. A lightning strike can take down an entire plant in an instant, quite often leaving the polymer in the extruder to overheat and bake for 20-30 minutes. This in and of itself is devastating. When this happens, it is imperative to immediately purge the extruders with the proper purge compounds to remove the degraded polymer as soon as possible so it does not degrade to carbon and thus build up in the die. Any hard carbon in the extruder should be caught by the screen packs in the breaker plate.
It should also be obvious that routine disassembly of the die and extruders is necessary to maintain consistent quality for demanding applications such as barrier food packaging films. Having a spare die is very important for two reasons. First, it is the heart of the blown film system, and without it, you cannot make film. Second, when you do disassemble the extruder for cleaning and maintenance, having a clean spare die will greatly reduce the downtime associated with cleaning the die. That is, the spare die can be cleaned offline.
I consulted with the manufacturer, Gloucester Engineering in this case, and they confirmed my conclusions. I actually got my Plastics Engineering degree at UMASS-Lowell with Bill, the chief engineer at Gloucester, so it was fun to reconnect with him. Had this film manufacturer followed Bill's advice, they would not have experienced the problems they did experience with their bags, and ultimately would not have gone out of business.
This is obviously an extreme case of the effect of die lines on product quality, but it shows the importance of having a knowledge of the degradation process, and applying that knowledge to the extrusion process to maintain product quality. Lastly, if you don't have in-house expertise, it is important to hire outside help to get you through these important issues.


text:
Reviews (4.1 out of 5 Grommets)
I bought several of these for Christmas gifts. They were well received.
This candle is just to pretty to burn, great aroma and everyone who sees it loves it
Bought these to give to co-workers at the holidays - inexpensive and lovely quality.
Gifts galore! Great for anyone, as these products aren't easy to get just anywhere. Original, artistic and well made. Can't wait for the thank yous to come!
I love it! First of all, it was shipped so fast. When I opened it, was so delighted with this flat candle. I had ordered Christmas ones before, but this so well crafted and beautiful.
Great gift idea! An item a bit different and fun!
Bought these for 4 friends. Everybody loved them, put a smile on their faces. Different, beautiful and exactly as described.
This is a beautiful unique candle and gift my sister loved it!
Thank you
These are so unique and beautiful!!
I've never seen anything like these before and they are beautiful. So beautiful that I ordered more. My artistic granddaughter found them inspiring. My sister-in-law will, too. I'm unsure who will receive some of those that remain - or maybe I'll need to keep one or more. For sure, they're almost too lovely to burn.
The Flatyz Story
Lean Light
The candles not only look clean, they burn cleaner, too. The twin wicks burn evenly and self-extinguish as they near the base, so there's no dripping wax or smoke.
Whether you're setting the scene for a holiday or adding a decorative touch to your space, the handmade candles are an eye-catching new way to get that festive glow.


text:
TUSUR University and the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts (Conservatoire national des arts et métiers, CNAM), the oldest engineering school of France, have signed a cooperation agreement.
The new agreement was signed by Rector of TUSUR Alexander Shelupanov and Director of CNAM Michel Terre and provides for joint activities in education and research, including student exchanges, joint postgraduate programs and collaboration in European research projects.
The new agreement with CNAM marks a new dimension in academic cooperation between TUSUR and universities of France. TUSUR University has strong ties with the University of Limoges, the two universities run a joint Master program on Home Automation.
During its visit in France, the delegation of TUSUR University has also participated in the French-Russian Forum of Aerospace Education and Research and visited a number of French universities, The Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales (ONERA), the Department of Civil Aviation, the Research Institute of Aeromechanics, laboratories of the Higher School of Civil Aviation and the Air-Traffic Simulation Center.
TUSUR delegation has visited the laboratories and faculties of ISAE-SUPAERO, National Higher School of Aeronautics and Space, one of the most prestigious aeronautical schools in the world. ISAE-SUPAERO is the core school supporting the aerospace industry of France. One of its graduates is a French ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet who is currently working at the ISS.


text:
Cirque du Soleil to return to big tent on Kenaston Boulevard in September with Amaluna
Cirque du Soleil is coming back to Winnipeg this fall, and is bringing their big tent with them.The world-famous Canadian circus will bring their big top for 43 performances of Amaluna, starting Sept. 14.Amaluna features a cast that comprises mostly women, with a female band, the first time in Cirque's history. "Amaluna is a tribute to the work and voice of women", said director of creation Fernand Rainville.READ MORE: 'I was wondering if it was even possible': new Cirque du Soleil show has a Winnipeg feel"The show is a reflection on balance from a women's perspective.""I didn't want to build a 'women's agenda' show. I wanted to create a show with women at the centre of it, something that had a hidden story that featured women as the heroines," said director Diane Paulus.The show features classical influences, characters and tales from Greek and Norse mythology, Mozart's The Magic Flute and Shakespeare's The Tempest.Tickets go on sale Apr. 18.RELATED: Cirque du Soleil: New challenges for the performers