text:
There are men, and then there are men who are of the salt of the earth. If former coal secretary PC Parakh is to be believed prime minister Manmohan Singh is not of the salt of the earth.
Singh lacked the guts to take on the coal mafia and impose his writ on his government and party, says Parakh in his book 'Crusader or Conspirator? Coalgate and Other Truths', which hit the stands on Monday.
The book spills the beans on the Rs 1.86 lakh crore coal scam. Coming close on the heels of Sanjay Baru's 'The Accidental Prime Minister', 'Crusader or Conspirator?' is another indictment of Singh, though this one, according to former cabinet secretary TSR Subramanium, "is not salacious gossip but facts".
Crusader or Conspirator?... pits the upright, inflexible bureaucrat against an insipid PM, corrupt members of parliament and ministers and easily manipulated officials. It paints Shibu Soren and Dasari Narayan Rao as villains for scuttling reforms and it puts Naveen Jindal in the dock for trying to influence policy.
The book lays bare the PM's soft underbelly: his indecisiveness, and total capitulation to his party. and to the machinations of a cabal of members of Parliament at large, irrespective of party, who Parakh has labelled as "blackmailers".
"I do not know if the country would have got a better prime minister if Dr Manmohan Singh had resigned instead of facing the humiliation of his own ministers not implementing or even reversing his decisions. By continuing to head a government in which he had little political authority, his image has been seriously dented by 2G and Coalgate although he has had a spotless record of personal integrity," writes Parakh.
Parakh narrates that soon after Singh took over as coal minister, Parakh's suggestion to open up the coal sector through commercial mining and allocation of coal blocks through competitive bidding was "scuttled" by the PMO and ministers against "transparency".
"A number of letters started pouring in from members of parliament opposing the proposed move towards the bidding system. This included one from Mr Naveen Jindal who had considerable interests in coal mining," Parakh writes.
But while stating that the PMO "at no time made recommendations or exert pressure in favour of any party", Parakh is scathing in his attack on the PM for his statement in Parliament on the CAG's report.
In the process he also dismisses the statements of P Chidambaram and Salman Khurshid, also made in Parliament, criticising the CAG as "so bereft of logic that they do not even merit comments."
Parakh writes that CAG Vinod Rai was not far off the mark when he stated in his report that the country lost Rs 1.86 lakh crore due the coal scam. "It's unfortunate that while the prime minister was keen on implementing open bidding, he was unable to counter vested interests within his government and party," Parakh writes. "The government's inability to take a right decision at a right time resulted in Coalgate and subsequent CBI investigations..."
In another reference to Naveen Jindal, who stood to gain directly from maintaining status quo in coal block allocations, Parakh writes: "In a TV interview Mr Naveen Jindal argued that all over the world mining properties are given free and governments receive revenue by way of royalty and taxes. I am not aware of any country where mining properties are given free.., In the US, federal coal properties and allocated through a bidding system since the early 1980s."
In the chapter, 'Appointment of the CMD Coal India: Blackmail by the Ministers', Parakh lines up instances when Coal India officials were "pestered" to make "monthly payments" to ministers if they wanted to be appointed to certain posts. "How can chiefs of central public sector undertakings and heads of the government departments control corruption in their organisations if they have to bribe ministers for
their appointments?" he asks.
Parakh, who was introduced by TSR as "un-influence-able", says he was influenced by Munshi Premchand's 'Namak Ka Daroga" which he read when he was a boy. "All my life I have stayed true to the character of the protagonist who refused to take bribes and was punished for being inflexible. But then he was also rewarded for being one of the salt of the earth. My reward has been a CBI raid," says Parakh, a man who's of the salt of the earth.


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05.10.07 - By Francisco Cairol: Many people think tha Manny Pacquiao will completely steamroll Marco Antonio Barrera this Saturday. While that is understandable, specially when one remembers their first fight, I think that's wrong. I have a feeling Barrera wasn't at his best on that first fight. You can see he was flat and listless although that takes nothing away from Pacquiao's total dominance. This time, I think it's Pacquiao who isn't at his most focused. As a matter of fact he didn't look that into it when he fought Oscar Larios or Jorge Solis..
He was very lackadaisical in both fights. I also think Morales wasn't at his best on their last two fights. Thats not to take anything away from Pacquiao. Even if Barrera and Morales (in their last two fights) weren't at their best it is not his fault. He did what he had to do and in spectacular fashion. As a matter of fact, Morales went on to give a great demonstration in his next bout after Pacquiao against David Diaz for the Lightweight championship in a fight many people thought he won.
Manny's awe inspiring punching power and effective aggression can also make one forget that he can be out-boxed. Barrera was out-boxed by Juan Manuel Marquez after he inflicted those three first round Knockdowns and he was out-boxed by Morales in their first fight and the first couple of rounds of their second fight.
Can Barrera out-box Pacquiao? When Barrera is on he is a master boxer. He is without a doubt one of the top five greatest Mexican champions ever...and that's saying quite a lot! He is in the good company of names like Julio Cesar Chavez, Ruben Olivares, Carlos Zarate, Salvador Sanchez etc. How much of a toll have all the ring wars over the years taken on him? It's hard to tell but most will agree he is winding down. He hasn't looked that great lately. He got a bit tired in the late stages of his last Morales fight, the only one to be scored correctly in my opinion, went life and death with Juarez the first time, easily out-boxed Juarez the second time and lost a close somewhat controversial decision to Marquez.
I have a feeling that Barrera has been training intensely and still has one last great bout in him. Many great champions reach back for that one last hurrah and manage to turn back the clock. Every time Barrera has been counted out, After defeats to Junior Jones and Pacquiao, he has come back impressively. That coupled with a, it seems, less than 100% focused Pacquiao will make for a very competitive bout. While I don't have a crystal Ball and I haven't had much luck predicting fights this year, I will go out on a limb and predict a Barrera victory by decision in a close fight. I am just not going to put any money on that! Seriously if Pacquiao disposes of him easily I'll happily admit I'm wrong and proceed to eat some crow! As always, I'm just hoping for a great fight.
P.s. I am glad my pound for pound article created a lot of debate in the comments section. Any list of that kind will always be very subjective so I don't mind anyone disagreeing with me, that's part of the fun! So thanks to everyone who reacted to it!
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Dam Good Coffee
Every month at the Beaver Brew Cafe, we offer specialty drinks that only make an appearing every once in a while. Be sure to catch them while you can!
This Month:
Sunshine Smoothie
(Strawberry Smoothie, Orange, & Creme de Banana)
Blushing Penguin
(Raspberry, Tiramisu, & White Chocolate)
Roca Rum Chai
(Vanilla Chai, Almond Roca, & Butter Rum)
Girl Scout Cookie
(Coconut, Chocolate, & Caramel Sauce)
If you're looking for the best coffee house in town, then you've come to the right place. We've got what's satisfying, no matter what mood you're in.
Not only do we have good coffee though but Beaver Brew Cafe is also a locally owned, locally managed, locally supplied, local everything store. From the Mojo Roast coffee we brew to the food items we sell even to the awesome merchandise we carry, we cooperate with local businesses. So you know we care about our community almost as much as we care about making good coffee.
Stop by and check us out. We promise you won't regret it!
At the Beaver Brew Cafe we're about more than just coffee, we offer a complete experience of our own. Come join any number of our events to be a part of our unique coffee culture or contact us to have us host your special occasions.
First Friday (Art Display)
Every 1st Friday of the month we change the artwork on our walls. Artwork is often available for purchase from the local artists. Click here to have your work showcased. Download application.
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Every other Friday at 7pm. Like us on Facebook to find out exact dates.
Times and date subject to change.
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With explore you will learn more about yourself and your own behavior. Your personal coach will ask questions about yourself, your daily activities, your habits and opinions. Additionally, explore tracks your locations and movements. You will get realtime feedback of your behavior compared with that of other users. Reasons to use your personal coach explore:
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We can draw a colorful picture of people's everyday lives from the data we collect via smartphones. To tell the data-story, we need to translate the raw measurements into meaningful events, like "driving a car", "strolling in a mall", or even more intimate, like "being nervous". We will show how to access the phone's data, how to derive complex events from the phone's raw data, and how to bring it into a meaningful story, and how […]Read More →
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Vitamin C (from Calcium Ascorbate' Ascorbyl Palmitate) 500 mg / 833 %
Calcium (from Calcium Ascorbate) 50 mg / 5 %
Citrus Bioflavonoid Complex (may be derived from Lemon' Orange' Lime' Tangerine) 200 mg / *
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Other ingredients: Hypromellose' Magenesium Stearate' SIlica' Water.
No Yeast' Wheat' Corn' Milk' Egg' Soy' Glutens' Artificial Colors or Flavors' Added Sugar' Starch or Preservatives.
Take 1 capsule' up to two times daily' preferably with a meal.
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Author(s): Moran, Richard
ISBN 10: 0691089450. See all ISBN's
Publisher: Princeton University Press
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Since Socrates, and through Descartes to the present day, the problems of self-knowledge have been central to philosophy's understanding of itself. Today the idea of ''first-person authority''--the claim of a distinctive relation each person has toward his or her own mental life--has been challenged from a number of directions, to the point where many doubt the person bears any distinctive relation to his or her own mental life, let alone a privileged one. In Authority and Estrangement, Richard Moran argues for a reconception of the first-person and its claims. Indeed, he writes, a more thorough repudiation of the idea of privileged inner observation leads to a deeper appreciation of the systematic differences between self-knowledge and the knowledge of others, differences that are both irreducible and constitutive of the very concept and life of the person.
Masterfully blending philosophy of mind and moral psychology, Moran develops a view of self-knowledge that concentrates on the self as agent rather than spectator. He argues that while each person does speak for his own thought and feeling with a distinctive authority, that very authority is tied just as much to the disprivileging of the first-person, to its specific possibilities of alienation. Drawing on certain themes from Wittgenstein, Sartre, and others, the book explores the extent to which what we say about ourselves is a matter of discovery or of creation, the difficulties and limitations in being ''objective'' toward ourselves, and the conflicting demands of realism about oneself and responsibility for oneself. What emerges is a strikingly original and psychologically nuanced exploration of the contrasting ideals of relations to oneself and relations to others.
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HERRICK, S.D. (AP) — A Herrick man is dead in a two-vehicle crash near the southeastern South Dakota town.
The Highway Patrol says 24-year-old Steven Wheeler was driving a car that was struck by a pickup truck at a rural intersection shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Wheeler died at the scene. The driver of the pickup suffered injuries that the patrol called serious but not life-threatening.
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A fourth case of bird flu has been confirmed on a northeast Nebraska farm.
The state Agriculture Department said Wednesday the latest case involves 3 million hens on a farm in Knox County.
The new case of contagious bird flu was found 50 miles away from three cases in Dixon County that involved 4 million birds. All four of the infected farms are owned by the same company.
The Knox County farm has been quarantined, and nearby farms with birds will be tested.
Agriculture Director Greg Ibach says poultry farmers should restrict how many people and vehicles enter their farms.
Officials say the bird flu doesn't represent a significant health risk for humans, but more than 40 million birds have been killed nationwide to limit the spread of the disease.
BURWELL, Neb. (AP) — A rural one-room schoolhouse in Nebraska is set to close after 45 years.
The Grand Island Independent (http://bit.ly/1c4cikC ) reports the District 70 School in Garfield County will close Wednesday. The Burwell Public Schools board decided in January to close the school at the end of this school year.
District 70 was created in 1970 after four other rural schools were consolidated. Over the years, the school shrank to one teacher, a paraeducator and five students in grades four through six.
Two of the students will travel to Burwell to attend school next year, prompting parents to send their siblings as well. This partly contributed to the board decision to close the school.
Information from: The Grand Island Independent, http://www.theindependent.com
The 2015 Peace Officer Memorial Day Wreath Laying Ceremony was held today at the O'Neill Cemetery. Speakers were Police ...
Posted by KBRX O'Neill on Friday, May 15, 2015
The 2015 Peace Officer Memorial Day Wreath Laying Ceremony was held today at the O'Neill Cemetery. Speakers were Police ...
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The cost of brand inspections for cattle could rise to as much as $1.10 per head under a law signed by Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts.
Ricketts notified lawmakers Wednesday that he approved the legislation, which allows the Nebraska Brand Committee to charge the higher maximum fee. Committee employees inspect cattle that are about to be sold and investigate reports of missing or stolen livestock.
Sen. Al Davis of Hyannis told lawmakers last month that the committee has reached the maximum fee it can charge under state law. The ceiling was last increased from 65 cents to 75 cents per head in 2005.
Davis says the committee needs to upgrade its records system, and is struggling to recruit and retain quality employees because of low salaries.
The bill is LB85.
DELMONT, S.D. (AP) — The Red Cross is partnering with local disaster relief organizations to open a resource center in Delmont to help those affected by the recent tornado.
The humanitarian organization says it will open the Multi-Agency Resource Center at noon on Thursday at the American Legion in Delmont.
The center will have trained Red Cross caseworkers available to help people create personal recovery plans, navigate paperwork and find assistance.
Representatives from 10 non-profits, religious groups and government agencies will also be on hand to assist people impacted by Sunday's tornado that injured nine people and damaged at least 84 structures in and around Delmont.
A donations management center has also been opened in Delmont for anyone wanting to donate to affected residents.


text:
A fiber-optic sensor device utilizing modal interference in a multimode optical sensor fiber, having output light from the sensor fiber coupled to an axially separated detection lead fiber, and having light from the detection lead fiber coupled to a substantially uniform light detector.
1. A fiber-optic sensor system utilizing modal interference in a multimode sensor fiber comprising:
a) coherent source means for launching light into a first end of said multimode sensor fiber;
b) light diverging means for projecting a multimode speckle pattern from a second end of said multimode sensor fiber;
c) detection fiber for collecting a portion of the speckle pattern light projected by said light diverging means onto a first endface of said detection fiber and providing a light output signal at a second end; and,
d) detection means for measuring the intensity of said light output signal and providing an output representative of the parameter being sensed by said multimode sensor fiber;
characterized in that:
said light diverging means comprises a spacer means of a predetermined axial length disposed between said multimode sensor fiber and said detection fiber to provide a pre-selected axial separation between the ends thereof; and,
the core diameter of said detection fiber is less than the diameter of said multimode speckle pattern projected by said light diverging means onto the first endface of said detection fiber, thereby enabling the collection of said portion of said projected speckle pattern light.
2. The fiber-optic sensor system of claim 1, wherein said light diverging means further comprises:
a) first connector body for receiving said second end of said multimode sensor fiber; and
b) second connector body for receiving said first end of said detection fiber; and wherein,
said spacer means separates said first connector body and said second connector body.
3. The fiber-optic sensor system of claim 2, wherein said spacer means comprises a flat annular ring for providing an air gap between said second end of said multimode sensor fiber and said first end of said detection fiber.
4. The fiber-optic sensor system of claim 2, wherein said spacer means comprises a preselected thickness of transparent dielectric material for providing a separation between said second end of said multimode sensor fiber and said first end of said detection fiber.
5. The fiber-optic sensor system of claim 4, wherein said transparent dielectric material comprises glass.
6. The fiber-optic sensor system of claim 5, wherein said spacer means comprises a glass disk.
7. The fiber-optic sensor system of claim 2, wherein said spacer means is attached to one of said connector bodies.
8. The fiber-optic sensor system of claim 7, wherein said spacer means is attached with glue to one of said connector bodies.
9. The fiber-optic sensor system of claim 2, wherein said first and second connector bodies are held together by a connector coupling sleeve.
10. The fiber-optic sensor system of claim 9, wherein said spacer means is integral with said connector coupling sleeve.
The present invention relates to fiber optic sensing systems utilizing modal interference in multimode optical fiber.
When light is passed through an optical fiber that guides a plurality of modes, the different modes will generally have different optical phase shifts associated with them that depend on the length of the fiber and the differences in phase velocities of the different modes. This will cause interference effects when light from the different modes is mixed. If light intensity is measured at a point on the end of the fiber or in any region removed from the end where the modes are mixed (and less than the entire output region), the observed intensity will depend on the relative phases of the modes, and will generally change if the phases change. A very small disturbance of the fiber can cause significant inter-modal phase shifts, so this principle can be used to construct a sensor for motion, vibration, pressure changes, or any other effect that can be coupled to a fiber to induce phase changes. This type of sensor is called a modal-domain sensor. Such modal domain sensors are known in the art. See e.g. Bucaro, Dardy and Carome, "Optical Fiber Acoustic Sensor", Applied Optics, Vol. 16, No. 7, July 1977, pp. 1761-62; Butter U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,684; Kingsley et al., "Multimode Optical Fibre Phase Modulators and Discriminators", Electronics Letters, Vol. 14, No. 11, May 25, 1978, pp. 322-324 and 335-337; and, Kul'chin et al., "Investigation of the Influence of an Aperture stop on the Signal/Noise Ratio in a Single-Fiber Interference-Type Sensor", Sov. J. Quantum Electron., Vol. 16, No. 8, Aug. 1986, pp. 1092-1095.
To detect a good signal from a modal-domain sensing fiber, it is necessary to have both mixing of the modes and restriction of the light that is received by the detector. Mixing is necessary to create interference. Restriction is necessary because for small disturbances of the fiber the total amount of power that emerges is constant, even though the spatial or angular distribution of the power may change because of mixing and phase changes.
In most implementations, mixing will occur without much effort because light from more than one mode strikes each region of the detector. In any implementation, explicit means are necessary to achieve good restriction. Some restriction will always occur naturally because the detector, and the optical path between it and the fiber, are never perfectly homogeneous; but such "natural" restriction cannot be relied upon to give high sensitivity or controlled performance.
Many applications of sensors require that the sensor and the electronics for analyzing the signals from it be remote from each other. Furthermore, it is necessary that disturbances of the means for coupling signals between the sensor and the electronics should not create effects that can be confused with signals from the sensor. In the case of a fiber-optic modal-domain sensor, it is valuable to use a "source lead fiber" to couple the light source to the sensing fiber, or to use a "detection lead fiber" to couple the sensing fiber to the detector, or both. In a fiber sensor system with one or both lead fibers, the system should be highly sensitive to disturbances in the sensing fiber and insensitive to disturbances in the lead fiber or fibers.
Several prior art references have discussed means for avoiding signal distortion due to disturbances which do not impact the sensor fiber. Jeunhomme U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,233 describes an insensitive source lead system with a singlemode fiber 2 disposed between the coherent light source 1 and the multimode sensor fiber 3. In addition, one or more optical fibers 5n with core diameters smaller than that of the multimode sensor fiber 3 are placed between the multimode sensor fiber and the detectors 6n in order to provide restriction. This restriction means can have an economic and/or performance disadvantage, due to the combination of fibers with different core diameters. Also, optimizing the fiber parameters for system performance may require a special fiber that is not mass produced for other applications and is therefore expensive.
Martin, Le Boudec and Jeunhomme, "Integrating Fiber Optic Vibration Sensor", SPIE Vol. 985 Fiber Optic and Laser Sensors VI (1988), pp. 344-348, also describe a small core returning fiber, as well as the use of laterally offset sensor and return fibers in order to convert "the spatial modulation of the speckle pattern into [the] intensity modulation of the detected light". (page 345, FIG. 2). This system has the serious disadvantage that a special component is needed to establish and maintain the offset, which may be costly because most commercially available fiber-optic components are coaxial and do not create controlled lateral offsets.
Butter U.S. Pat. No. 4,297,684 describes a method of de-sensitizing sections of a sensor fiber by shielding them within a length of copper tubing (col. 2, 11. 34-40). Leung et al., "Fiber optic line-sensing system for perimeter protection against intrusion", Tech. Digest, OFS 86, Tokyo, Japan, p. 113, describes burying insensitive sections at a deeper level than sensitive sections. This kind of protection for sections of a sensor fiber is impractical for many applications, and expensive even where practical.
I have invented a method for making a fiber-optic modal-domain sensor system, with a detection lead fiber or with both source and detection lead fibers, that is insensitive to disturbances in the detection lead fiber, and that is economical to manufacture because of simplicity and the applicability of components that are mass produced for other applications with larger markets such as telecommunications.
The present invention relates to a fiber-optic sensing system utilizing modal interference in a multimode sensor fiber, a coherent source, a detector and restriction means to truncate a portion of the multimode speckle pattern projected from the output end of the sensor fiber. A detection fiber is interposed between the restriction means and the detector and provides a disturbance insensitive light output signal to the detector. The detector measures the intensity of the light output signal and provides an output representative of the parameter being sensed by the multimode sensor fiber. The restriction means is disposed between the multimode sensor fiber and the detection fiber, to provide axial separation between the ends thereof.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the restriction means comprises a spacer disposed between first and second connector bodies which hold the axially separated ends of the sensor fiber and the detection fiber.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, the spacer means comprises a flat annular ring. In a further embodiment, the spacer means comprises a glass disk.
FIG. 1 is a schematic of a fiber optic sensing system in accordance with the present invention, with a connector-like restriction means in cross section.
FIG. 2 is a schematic of an alternative embodiment of the inventive fiber optic sensing system, with an alternative restriction means in cross-section.
Two embodiments of the invention are described below, by reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The drawings are not intended to indicate scale or relative proportions of the elements shown therein.
In FIG. 1, a laser 10 illuminates the first end of the sensor fiber 20 directly. The second end is terminated in a ferrule-type fiber-optic connector 30. Light leaving the second end diverges and part of it is collected by the first end of detection lead fiber 40, which is also terminated with a ferrule-type fiber-optic connector 50. The detection lead fiber may be of the same type as the sensor fiber. The distance between the two fiber ends is controlled by a small washer 60, preferably having a diameter not greater than that of the ferrules. The two ferrules and the washer are held together by a fiber-optic connector coupling sleeve designed for the connectors used. Because the washer is thin and the connectors are spring-loaded (not shown), the added distance between the ferrule ends does not adversely affect the mechanical functioning of the coupling sleeve. Light leaving the far end of the detection lead fiber (which may be quite remote, e.g. several meters to several kilometers) is gathered by a large-area detector 80 with response to light that is substantially uniform spatially.
Mixing is accomplished as the interference pattern or "speckle" pattern is projected onto the plane of the first end of the detection lead fiber. Restriction is accomplished because this detection lead fiber gathers light from only a partial region of this plane. Insensitivity is accomplished because moving the detection lead fiber only changes the distribution of light on the large-area detector 80, not the total amount that strikes it. The thickness of the washer can be chosen to produce optimum performance. For example, standard multimode optical fiber with a core diameter of 50 microns can be used for both the sensor fiber and the detection lead fiber, and illumination may be accomplished with a 780-nm diode laser. In this case, a washer thickness of about 0.013 inch is effective. If it is made either much thinner or thicker, the peak-to-peak variation of the signal may become smaller as the sensor fiber is moved.
An embodiment of the FIG. 1 system was built using a Sharp LT023MS laser operating at a wavelength of 780 nm, exciting a multimode sensor fiber. The multimode sensor fiber was a standard graded index 50-micron-core fiber with a numerical aperture of 0.2. This same standard multimode fiber type was used for the insensitive detection lead. For coupling the sensor fiber to the detection lead, industry-standard "ST" fiber-optic connectors were used (a 3M Model 01-00063 connector on each fiber end, coupled with a 3M Model 02-00033 coupling sleeve). A flat stainless-steel washer (Allied #DY730) with an outer diameter of 0.090 inch and a thickness of 0.012 inch was inserted in the coupling sleeve between the ends of the two connector ferrules.
In FIG. 2, a remote laser illuminates the first end of the sensor fiber 20 through a length of single-mode fiber 15. The single-mode fiber 15 does not produce intermodal phase shifts when it is disturbed, because there is no significant modal interference. (If common circularly symmetric single-mode fiber is used there are actually two "degenerate" modes due to polarization, but such a source lead fiber does not significantly diminish the insensitivity of the system.) The remainder of the FIG. 2 system is similar to the system described with reference to FIG. 1 except that separation between the sensor fiber and the detection lead fiber is accomplished with a solid glass disk 65 rather than a washer. The glass disk 65 may be attached by glue joint 70 to the end of one of the ferrules, making assembly in the field easy because a separate small part does not need to be handled. Also, because the index of refraction of the glass can be chosen to closely match that of the fibers, glass disk 65 can significantly reduce reflections that may cause noise in the laser light source. Mixing, restriction, and insensitivity in the FIG. 2 system are accomplished by principles similar to those for FIG. 1. thickness of approximately 0.020 inch gives suitable performance when 50-micron multimode fiber is used for both the sensor fiber and the detection lead fiber, with illumination via a 780-nanometer diode laser.
The embodiment of FIG. 2 was constructed using the same components described above for the embodiment of FIG. 1, except that the laser excited the sensor fiber through an insensitive source lead made from Corning "Flexcor 850" single-mode fiber, and except that glass disk 65 was used instead of a steel washer 60. The disk was made of B270 white crown glass, 0.020 inches thick and 0.095 inches in diameter, and was attached by glue joint 70 to the end of one of the connector ferrules.
Various additional modifications and adaptations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, some fiber-optic connector couplings intentionally create attenuation of the light by making a controlled axial offset of two connector ferrules. Such a coupling may also be used without modification to create restriction as required by this invention. The 3M Model 06-00040 Fixed Attenuator and related devices are examples of this type of coupling for the standard "Biconic" type of fiber-optic connector.
Although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose of illustration, it is understood that such detail is solely for that purpose, and variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which is defined by the following claims.
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DetailsOnly knitwear can give you this much handmade luxury from so little effort! Enhance your favorite fashions with a beaded sash. Pack your essentials ìto goî in a knit tote bag. Ward off winterís chill with a simple ear warmer or a clever scarf-and-cap combination. And when your busy day ends, slide your work-weary feet into the ultimate comfort of knit socks and slippers. Indulge in knitting ó itís the perfect fit for every facet of your life. 6 designs to knit: socks, sash, slippers, scarf/cap, tote bag, ear warmer
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Date Published Jul 1, 2005 Country of Manufacture N/A Front Cover Author Leisure Arts
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This group of patterns is wideranging and very attreactive. Instructions are clear and easy to follow.


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Dex Provides Building Blocks for Major Art Exhibit
Exhibit at
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090422/LA02819)
The exhibition, created by artist
"Our goal at Dex has always been to provide consumers with tools to help them connect with one another," said
"This ambitious exhibit would not have been possible without the support of many organizations and individuals," said Hesse McGraw, curator, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts. "Dex, in particular, literally helped provide the building blocks for the exhibit. Without them an exhibit of this size would not have been possible. We're grateful for their support."
All directories utilized in this project will be recycled through a partnership between the Council Bluffs Recycling Center and Dex at the conclusion of the exhibit. All Dex directories use environmentally-friendly inks and dyes and are comprised of paper containing 25 percent post consumer recycled materials. No trees are cut down in the production of Dex directories. Additional recycling information for outdated directories can be found by visiting dexknows.com/recycle.
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