text:
High strength composite fibers are disclosed comprising a core, e.g., of carbon or the like, and a thin and uniform, firmly adherent electrically conductive layer of an electrodepositable metal, e.g., of nickel or the like. The composite fiber can be produced by electrodeposition from an electrolyte onto the core but the procedure must use external voltages high enough both (i) dissociate the metal at the core and (ii) to mucleate the metal through the boundary layer into direct contact with the core. Such composite fibers are chopped to shortened lengths to provide chaff, which is effective as a radar countermeasure.
1. A method of reflecting radar comprising dispersing in effective proximity to a radar source an effective amount of a chaff comprising continuous composite fibers, each comprising a semi-metallic core and at least one thin and uniform, firmly adherent, electrically conductive layer of at least one metal on said core, said composite fibers having been chopped into one or more lengths.
2. A method of reflecting radar according to claim 1, wherein said composite fibers have been chopped into wavelengths relative to the wavelength of one or more radar frequencies.
3. A method of reflecting radar comprising dispersing in effective proximity to a radar source an effective amount of a chaff comprising continuous composite fibers, each comprising an electrically conductive semi-metallic substantially undegraded core and at least one thin and uniform, firmly adherent, electrically conductive layer of at least one metal one said core, said composite fibers having been chopped into one or more lengths.
4. A method of reflecting radar according to claim 3, wherein said composite fibers have been chopped into wavelengths relative to the wavelength of one or more radar frequencies.
5. A method of reflecting radar comprising dispersing in effective proximity to a radar source an effective amount of a chaff prepared by a process comprising:
(a) providing a plurality of semi-metallic core fibers,
(b) continuously immersing at least a portion of the length of said biers in bath capable of electrolytically depositing at least one metal,
(c) applying an external voltage between the fibers and the bath in excess of 10 volts,
(d) maintaining said voltage and resulting current for a time sufficient to produce a thin and uniform, firmly adherent, electrically conductive layer of electrolytically deposited metal on said core,
(e) maintaining said fibers cool enough outside said bath to prevent degradation of said fibers, and
(f) chopping the resultant metal coated fibers into shortened stands.
6. A method of reflecting radar comprising dispersing in effective proximity to a radar source an effective amount of a chaff prepared by a process comprising:
(a) providing a plurality of semi-metallic core fibers,
(b) continuously immersing at least a portion of the length of said fibers in bath capable of electrolytically depositing at least one metal,
(c) applying an external voltage between the fibers and the bath in excess of 10 volts.
(d) maintaining said voltage and resulting current for a time sufficient to produce a thin and uniform, firmly adherent, electrically conductive layer of electrolytically deposited metal on said core,
(e) maintaining said fibers cool enough outside said bath to prevent degradation of said fibers, and
(f) chopping the resultant metal coated fibers into shortened stands, and wherein said process includes recycling the bath into contact with the fibers immediately prior to immersion therein so as to provide increased current carrying capacity to the fibers and replenishment of the electrolyte on the surface of the fibers therein.
7. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said core fibers comprise carbon fibers and said metal comprises nickel.
8. A method as defined in claim 3 wherein said core fibers comprise carbon fibers and said metal comprises nickel.
9. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein said core fibers comprise carbon fibers and said metal comprises nickel.
10. A method as defined in claim 6 wherein said core fibers comprise carbon fibers and said metal comprises nickel.
This is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 584,483 filed Feb. 28, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,609,449, which in turn is a continuation of commonly assigned U.S. application Ser. No. 541,611, filed Oct. 13, 1983, now abandoned, which in turn is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 358,637 filed Mar. 16, 1982 and now abandoned.
The present invention relates to continuous composite fibers comprising semi-metallic cores coated with thin adherent layers of conductive metals, to methods for their production, and to chopped lengths of such fibers, useful as strategic chaff.
In copending U.S. Application Ser. No. 541,611 filed Oct. 13, 1983, incorporated herein by reference, it is disclosed that non-metal or semi-metal fibers, such as carbon fibers, may be uniformly coated with a metal layer which is thin, continuous, and exhibits a high metal-to-core bond strength. Such metal coated fibers in the form of filaments, mats, cloths and chopped strands are disclosed therein to be useful in reinforcing metals and plastics including aluminum, steel, titanium, vinyl polymers, nylons, polyesters, etc., for use in aircraft, automobiles, office equipment, sporting equipment and other fields; and now it has been discovered that chopped lengths of such metal coated fibers, due to several inherent physical and electrical properties, are well-suited for use as chaff, i.e., dipoles or passive and active reflectors that give return readings on radar equipment, and may thus serve, e.g., as an electronic decoy.
A brief history and summary of the principles of microwave reflection by chaff is given by Butters, B. C. F., "Chaff", I.E.E. PROC., Vol. 129, Part F, No. 3, pp. 197-201 (June 1982). Dr. Butters identifies 3 principal chaff types: silver coated nylon, shredded aluminum foil, and aluminized glass. Each has disadvantages, e.g., silver coated nylon is expensive and difficult to manufacture in diameters less than about 90 microns, and shredded aluminum and aluminized glass have a comparatively high bulk density compared to silver coated nylon, have high contact resistance, and are more susceptible than silver coated nylon to distortion in manufacturing or when dispersed. However, the relatively slow rate of descent when dispersed, the high conductivity of aluminum, and the comparative ease and low cost of manufacture make aluminized glass the favored chaff material; and it is pointed out that other substrates, specifically carbon or graphite fibers, have not been successfully used for chaff because they are difficult to adherently coat with metals, and uncoated they are too resistive, to be efficient chaff.
It has now been discovered that the metal coated fibers produced in accordance with this inventor's discovery disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 541,611, filed Oct. 13, 1983, exhibit unexpectedly even and adherent metal coatings, and, as additionally disclosed herein, chopped lengths of such metal coated fibers are superior materials for use as chaff.
Several techniques have been developed for metal coating semi-metallic core fibers such graphite, however they have proved only marginally successful, largely due to the boundary layers present on such fibers.
High strength carbon fibers are made by heating polymeric fiber, e.g., acrylonitrile polymers of copolymers, in two stages, one to remove volatiles and carbonize and another to convert amorphous carbon into crystalline carbon. During such procedure, it is known that the carbon changes from amorphous to crystalline form, then orients into fibrils. If the fibers are stretched during the graphitization, then high strength fibers are formed. This is critical to the formation of the boundary layer, because as the crystals grow, there are formed high surface energies, as exemplified by incomplete bonds, edge-to-edge stresses, differences in morphology, and the like. It is also known that the new carbon fibrils in this form can scavenge nascent oxygen from the air, and even organic materials, to produce non-carbon layers which are firmly and chemically bonded thereto, although some can be removed by solvent treating, and there are some gaps or open spaces in the boundary layers. Not unlike the contaminants on uncleaned, unsized glass filaments, these boundary layers on carbon fibers are mainly responsible for the failure to achieve reinforcement with plastics and metals, and contribute to the high electrical resistance and poor current carrying abilities of carbon fibers as compared with metals.
Numerous unsuccessful attempts have been reported to provide such filaments, especially carbon filaments, with uniform adherent conductive coatings. Most have involved depositing layers of metals, especially nickel and copper as thin surface layers on the filaments. The metals in the prior art procedures have been vacuum deposited, electrolessly deposited, and electrolytically deposited, but the resulting composite fibers were not suitable.
Vacuum desposition, e.g., of nickel, on carbon fibers according to U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,828 (Nakamura et al.), gives an apparently continuous coating, but the vacuum deposited metal first touches the fibrils through spaces in the boundary layer, then grows outwardly like a mushroom, the coating growing away from the surface, as observed under a scanning electron microscope. The deposits are also only "line-of-sight", not penetrating to sub-surface fibers in a yarn or cloth. This is known as nodular nucleation. If the fiber is twisted, such a coating will fall off. The low density non-crystalline deposit limits use.
Electroless nickel baths have also been employed to plate such fibers, but again there is the same problem: The initial nickel or other electroless metal seeds only small spots, through holes in the boundary layer, then new metal grows up like a mushroom and joins into what appears to be a continuous coating, but it too will fall off when the fiber is twisted. The intermetallic compound is very locally nucleated, and this too limits use. In the case of both vacuum deposition and electroless deposition, the strength of the metal-to-core bond is always substantially less than that of the tensile strength of the metal deposit itself.
Finally, electroplating with nickel and other metals, to provide carbon fibers with a metal layer and achieve compatibility with metals and plastics, is reported in U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,283 (Sara). Short lengths of carbon fibers are clamped in a battery clip, immersed in an electrolyte, and by continuously reversing end on end are electroplated with nickel. When fibers produced by such a process are sharply bent, on the compression side of the bend there appear a number of transverse cracks and on the tension side of the bend the metal breaks and flakes off. If the metal coating is mechanically stripped, and the reverse side is examined under a high-power microscope, there is either no replica or at best only an incomplete replica of the fibril, the replica defined to the 40 Angstrom resolution of the scanning electron microscope. The latter two observations are strongly suggestive that failure to reinforce the matrix was due to poor bonding between the carbon and the nickel plating due to a very localized nucleation that became the site for further growth of the coating In such cases, the metal-to-core bond strength is also only a fraction of the tensile strength of the metal coating.
It has now been discovered that where electroplating is the coating technique selected, if a very high order of external voltage is applied, much higher than was thought to be achievable in the prior art, then uniform, continuous, adherent, thin metal coatings can be provided to reinforcing fibers, especially carbon fibers. The voltage must be high enough to provide energy sufficient to push the metal ions through the boundary layer to provide uniform nucleation with the fibrils directly.
Composite fibers comprising the thin and uniform metal coatings on fibers, and yarns or tows, woven cloth, and the like including such fibers prepared according to this invention, can be knotted and folded without the metal flaking off. The composite fibers can be sharply bent without producing either transverse cracking ("alligatoring") on the compression side of the bend, or breaking and flaking when the elastic limit of the metal is exceeded on the tension side of the bend. In other words, the composite fibers of the present invention are distinguishable from those of the prior art because they are continuous and the composite fibers have a thin and uniform metal coating. Additionally, the bond strength (metal-to-core) on the fibers is high. The high metal-to-core bond strengths are not critical for the suitability of the metal coated fibers of this invention for chaff, but such bond strengths are a distinction between such materials and the prior art. Metal-to-core bond strengths approaching the tensile strength of the metal can be achieved herein.
Chaff produced from such metal coated fibers has several advantages. For example, a wide range of conductive metals and combinations of such metals can be used, and coated strands can be chopped at various lengths (in relation to the operating radar frequencies the chaff is used against). In addition the metal coated fibers of the invention can be of a particular light weight, enhancing its effectiveness as chaff.
The invention may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a transverse cross sectional view of a metal coated fiber of this invention.
FIG. 1a is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a metal, coated fiber according to this invention.
FIGS. 2 and 2a are transverse cross sectional views of, respectively, a multinodal core and a "cracked" core fiber coated with metal according to this invention.
FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal cross section of sharply bent metal coated fiber according to this invention; and FIG. 3a shows a longitudinal cross section of a sharply bent metal coated composite prepared according to the prior art.
FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of metal coated composite fibers according to the present invention embedded in a polymer matrix.
FIG. 5 is a view showing an apparatus for carrying out the process of the present invention.
All the drawings represent models of the articles described.
According to the present invention, continuous high strength composite fibers are provided, which fibers comprise a core and at least one thin and uniform, firmly adherent, electrically conductive layer of at least one electrodepositable metal. The bond strength in each fiber is at least sufficient to provide that when the fiber is bent sharply enough to break the coating on the tension side of the bend because its elastic limit is exceeded, the coating on the compression side of the bend will remain bonded to the core and will not crack circumferentially.
Contemplated for the core fiber herein are non-metallic and semi-metallic fibers, especially carbon fibers and graphite fibers. Carbon fibers are preferred.
Another characteristic feature of the composite fibers is that the metal coating is thin and uniform. For example, in observing a large number of coated fibers in section, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a great majority of the composite fibers of the present invention exhibit thinly plated metal coatings, the coatings are continuous (completely bonded to the core circumferentially), and the uniformity of the metal coating, in terms of the plating thickness (which may be controlled, e.g., from about 0.03 to about 10 microns) and the continuity, from fiber to fiber, is very high (e.g., averaging about 95%). Also, aggregation (more than one fiber encapsulated together in a metal coating) is relatively low, e.g., averaging less than 10% and often substantially less than 10%.
Preferred composite fibers will be those in which, when the coating is removed by mechanical means and examined, there will be a replica of the fiber or fibril surface on the innermost surface of the removed coating, as examined under a scanning electron microscope of a resolution of about 40 Angstroms or better.
Among the features of the invention are knottable composite fibers, chopped strands of such fibers and articles, and specifically chaff comprising such fibers chopped to lengths relative to the wavelength of the radar frequency or frequencies the chaff is intended to be a countermeasure against (typically 1/2 the wavelength of the radar frequency and in some cases the full wavelength for very high frequency radars).
Preferred coating metals for chaff include nickel, silver, zinc, copper, lead, iron, or the mixture or alloys of any of the foregoing, without limitation, preferably in crystalline form. Metals may be selected with regard to conductivity, contact resistance, galvanic couples, specific gravity, conversion to various salts, ability to retain organic films, etc., depending on specific properties obtained and desired use. Thus, other metals and combinations thereof are contemplated within the scope of the present invention. Oxides of such metals are also contemplated, for example copper oxide, to provide chaff additionally capable of becoming an infrared decoy.
In another principal aspect, the present invention contemplates a process for the production of continuous high strength composite fibers, said process comprising:
(a) providing a plurality of continuous, high strength, semi-metallic core fibers,
(b) immersing at least a portion of the length of said fibers in a bath capable of electrolytically depositing at least one electrically conductive metal thereon,
(c) applying an external voltage between the fibers and the bath in excess of that sufficient to (i) dissociate the particular metal and (ii) uniformly nucleate the dissociated metal through any barrier layer onto the surface of said fibers; and
(d) maintaining said voltage for a time sufficient to produce a thin, uniform, firmly adherent, electrically conductive layer of electrolytically deposited metal on said core.
While the above technique is suitable for the treatment of various different fibers, the use of carbon fiber is especially contemplated for chaff.
Other preferred features comprise the steps of chopping the coated fibers into shortened lengths, to produce a plurality of chaff dipoles.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 1a, continuous high strength fibers for use in the core 2 according to the present invention are available from a number of sources commercially. For example, suitable carbon fibers are available from Hercules Company, Celanese Corp., Great Lakes Carbon Company, Union Carbide Corp. and similar sources in the United States and overseas. All are made, in general, by procedures described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,705. For coating, the fibers can be long and continuous or they can be short, and can be individual fibers or in the form of yarn or tows, i.e., spun or simply gathered bundles of fibers. As mentioned above, such carbon fibers will contain a thin, imperfect boundary layer (not shown) of chemically bonded oxygen and chemically or mechanically bonded other materials, such as organics.
Metal layer 4 will be of any electrodepositable metal, and it will be electrically continuous but may be overlaid with less conductive oxides. Two layers, or even more, of metal can be applied, and the metals can be the same or different, or alloys, as will be shown in the working examples. In any case, the innermost layer will be so firmly bonded to core 2 that sharp bending will neck the metal down as shown in FIG. 3, snapping the fiber core and breaking the metal on the tension side of the bend when its elastic limit is exceeded. This is accomplished without causing the metal to flake off when broken (FIG. 3a), which is a problem in fibers metal coated according to the prior art. As a further distinction from the prior art, the metal layer of the present invention fills interstices and "cracks" in the fibers, uniformly and completely, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 2a.
Formulation of the metal coating layer by the electrodeposition process of this invention can be carried out in a number of ways. For example, a plurality of core fibers can be immersed in an electrolytic bath and through suitable electrical connections the required high external voltage can be applied. In one manner of proceeding, a high order of voltage is applied for a short period of time. A pulse generator, for example, will send a surge of voltage through the electrolyte, sufficient to push or force the metal ion through the boundary layer into contact with the carbon or other fiber comprising the cathode. Because the fibers are so small, e.g., 4 to 10 microns in diameter, and because the innermost fibers are usually surrounded by hundreds or even thousands of others, even though only 0.5 to 2.6 volts are needed to dissociate the electrolytic metal ion, e.g., nickel, silver, copper, depending on the salt used, massive amounts of external voltage are needed to uniformly nucleate the ions through the bundle of fibers into the innermost fibril and then through the boundary layer. Commonly external voltages of, e.g., 10 to 50, or even more, volts are necessary.
Although pulsing as described above is suitable for small scale operations, for example, to metallize small lengths of carbon fibers, yarns or tows, it is preferred for large scale production to carry out the procedure in a continuous fashion on a moving tow of fibers. To overcome the problem of fiber burnout because of the high voltages, it is preferred to operate in an apparatus shown schematically in FIG. 5. Electrolytic bath solution 8 is maintained in tank 10. Also included are anode baskets 12 and idler rolls 14 near the bottom of tank 10. Two electrical contact rollers 16 are located above the tank. Tow 24 is pulled by means not shown off feed roll 26, over first contact roller 16 down into the bath under idler rolls 14, up through the bath, over second contact roller 16 and into take-up roller 28. By way of illustration, the immersed tow length is about 6 feet. Optional, but most preferred, is a simple loop comprising pump 18, conduit 20, and feed head 22. This permits recirculating the plating solution at a large flow rate, e.g., 2-3 gallons/min. and pumping it onto contact rolls 16. Discharged just above the rolls, the sections of tow 24 leaving the solution are totally bathed, thus cooling them. At the high current carried by the tow, the I2 R heat generated in some cases might destroy them before they reach or after they leave the bath surface without such cooling. The flow of the electrolyte overcomes anisotropy and contact resistance. Of course, more than one plating bath can be used in series, and the fibers can be rinsed free of electrolyte solution, treated with other conventional materials and dried, chopped, all in accordance with conventional procedures.
Chaff according to the present invention is prepared by chopping stands of composite fibers metal coated as described above into lengths designed to effectively reflect impinging radar waves. Preferably, the fibers are cut to a length roughly 1/2 the wavelength of the radar frequency the chaff is intended to be used against or, where very high radar frequencies are encountered, full wavelengths.
In practice, a radar operator may be monitoring several frequencies, currently in the 2-20 GHz range. In the future, radars may be developed using much higher frequencies. An advantage of the chaff of the present invention is that it can be adapted to the present and contemplated radar frequencies. Therefore, while present strategic chaffs may contain different lengths of filament ranging from several centimeters and shorter (e.g., 0.01-10 cm), corresponding to the halfwave lengths (or full wavelengths) over an entire bandwidth, the range that may be achieved with the chaff of this invention is from 100 microns to hundreds of meters, depending on the specific use contemplated. However, if the particular impinging frequency to be defended against is known, the chaff may be "tuned" by increasing the proportion of chaff dipoles reflecting that particular frequency, and many more dipoles per unit volume of chaff may be dispersed.
Chaff prepared in accordance with the present invention is highly efficient in comparison with previously known chaff materials because the coating is continuous and of high purity.
In addition, due to the core material, the chaff fibers are much stiffer than prior materials, which facilitates dispersion. This ensures that the dipole length will remain tuned to the object radar frequency.
The dispersibility of the chaff may be assisted by further treatment of the fibers before chopping into strands to make them mutually repellant, or at least non-adhesive. For example, rinsing the coated fiber with a solution to change the surface qualities of the chaff dipoles is a typical method. In the case of several of the preferred embodiments of this invention, e.g., nickel, silver or lead coated carbon fiber, sizing the coated fiber with a solution of oleamide in 1,1,1-trichloroethane (e.g., about 10 g/l) has been found to provide a hydrophobic and slippery surface and greatly aid dispersion of the chaff. After the sizing dries and fuses, the plated, sized tow of fibers is typically pulled through a series of rollers or rods ("breaker bars") to break apart fibers stuck together by the sizing. This also is a means of maintaining collimation of the fibers. Other rinses or sizings, as well as other treatments to aid chaff dispersion, will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art and are fully contemplated herein.
When broad band reflection is desired a certain amount of contact between individual chaff dipoles may be advantageous. Because contact between two chaff dipoles according to the present invention creates an effective longer dipole, controlled contact provides larger dipoles that respond at different frequencies as the chaff disperses and the individual dipoles separate. This is another method of "tuning" the chaff to the radar, made possible by the present invention. Also, core fibers such as graphite fiber are available in various shapes, e.g., X or Y shapes, permitting multilobal radar reflection.
A further advantage of the composite fiber chaff herein is its low bulk density.
A chaff bundle may also contain a mixture of differently coated chaffs, which gives a radar response markedly different from conventional chaff. Varied responses from mixed chaffs can cause confusion if not deception of radar operators, or can cause delays in computer-assisted analysis of radar signals.
The small comparative diameters of fibers contemplated herein permit chopping to very short lengths, e.g., 100 microns, so as to be effective against super high frequency radars. Also, broad band reflection is within the scope of the present invention. Further contemplated within the scope of the invention are magnetic coatings, such as nickel, iron, and nickel/iron alloys, and "active" chaff, generating galvanic values, for example, zinc over graphite fiber (or nickel coated graphite), which will create a battery effect under the proper humidity conditions (e.g., rain or an electrolyte included in the chaff package).
The following Examples illustrate the present invention, but are not intended to limit it.
In a continuous electroplating system, a bath is provided having the following composition:
______________________________________Ingredient Amount______________________________________Nickel Sulfate (NiSO4.6H2 O) 40 ounces/gallonNickel Chloride (NiCl2.6H2 O) 12-20 ounces/gallonBoric Acid (H3 BO3) 5-8 ounces/gallon______________________________________
The bath is heated to 140°-160° F. and has a pH of 3.8-4.2.
The anode baskets are kept filled with electrolytic nickel pellets and 4 tows (fiber bundles) of 12,000 strands each of 7 micron carbon fibers are continuously drawn through the bath while an external voltage of 30 volts is applied at a current adjusted to give 10 ampere-minutes per 1000 strands total. At the time, electrolytic solution is recycled though a loop into contact with the entering and leaving parts of the tow. The tow is next passed continuously through an identical bath, at a tow speed of 5.0 ft./min. with 180 amps. current in each bath. The final product is a tow of high strength composite fibers according to this invention comprising a 7 micron fiber core and about 50% by weight of the composite of crystalline electrodeposited nickel adhered firmly to the core.
The metallurgical properties of the coating can be controlled by adjusting the temperature and pH of the bath. For example, for stiffness, the same bath at 80°-100° F. and pH 5.2 can be employed.
Chopped strands of such materials can be used as chaff.
If a length of the fiber is sharply bent, then examined, there is no circumferential cracking on the metal coating in the tension side of the bend. The tow can be twisted and knotted without causing the coating to flake or come off as a powder. If a section of the coating is mechanically stripped from the fibrils, there will be a perfect reverse image (replica) on the reverse side.
If the procedure of Example 1 is repeated using nickel coated graphite fibers, substituting two baths of the following compositions, in series, and using silver in the anode baskets, silver coated fibers according to this invention will be obtained. Chopped strands of such materials can be used as chaff.
______________________________________Ingredient First Bath Second Bath______________________________________Silver Cyanide 0.1-0.3 oz./gal. 7-11 oz./gal.Potassium Cyanide 12-20 oz./gal. 12 oz./gal.Potassium Hydroxide -- 1-2 oz./gal.______________________________________
The first bath can be operated at room temperature and 12-36 volts; the second at room temperature and 6-18 volts.
The procedure of Example 1 can be modified by substituting for the nickel bath two baths of the following composition, using standard 80% cu/20% zinc anodes, and brass coated graphite fibers according to this invention will be obtained.
______________________________________Ingredient Amount______________________________________Copper Cyanide 4 oz./gal.Zinc Cyanide 1.25 oz./gal.Sodium Cyanide 4 oz./gal.______________________________________
Both baths are run at 110°-120° F. Since one-third of the brass is plated in the first bath, at 24 volts, and two-thirds in the second at 15 volts, the current is proportioned accordingly. Following two water rinses, the brass plated fibers are washed with a solution of pH 3 phosphoric acid to prevent tarnishing, and then rinsed twice again with water.
The procedure of Example 1 can be modified by substituting for the nickel bath a bath of the following composition, using solid lead bars in the anode baskets, and lead coated graphite fibers according to this invention will be obtained.
______________________________________Ingredient Amount______________________________________Lead Fluoroborate, Pb (BF4)2 14 oz. Pb/gal.Fluoroboric Acid, HBF4 13 oz./gal.______________________________________
Optionally, about 2 g/l of β-naphthol and of gelatine are added. The pH is less than 1, the bath is operated at 80° F. and an external voltage of 12 volts is applied. If the coating thickness exceeds 0.5 microns, there is a tendency for the lead to bridge between individual filaments. The same procedure can be used to coat lead onto nickel coated graphite fibers.
By the general procedure of Example 1, and substituting a conventional mixed chloride iron bath for the nickel electroplating bath and applying sufficient external voltage, composite high strength fibers comprising iron on graphite fibers are obtained.
The foregoing patents and publications are incorporated herein by reference. It will be understood that chopped lengths of any of the coated fibers exemplified above or disclosed herein will be useful as chaff. Many variations of the present invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in this art in light of the above, detailed description. For example, aluminum can be deposited from ethereal solutions. Metals, e.g., tungsten, can be deposited from molten salt solutions, e.g., sodium tungstenate. The tow can be treated to remove metal from sections thereof, to alter effective dipole lengths. Chaff for reflecting electromagnetic waves other than those used in radar is also contemplated: Thus, lead-over-nickel coated graphite or lead coated graphite are effective as hard radiation blockers; copper and black oxide (e.g., EBENAL C, Ethone, Inc.) coated carbon fiber chaff may be an effective infrared absorber; and nickel coated carbon fiber chaff may be used as a wide-area laser beam or particle beam reflector. All such variations are within the full intended scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Citations de brevets
Citations hors brevets
Référencé par
Événements juridiques
Image d'origine
Faire pivoter


text:
Italy Day 2
COMO, Italy -- The University of New Mexico women's basketball team arrived in Milan at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday (12:30 a.m. Mountain Time). The winner, by far of the unofficial ability-to-sleep-on-the-plane contest went to video coordinator Vera Jo Bustos, who said she was about to sleep about four hours of the 8 1/2-hour flight from Atlanta to Milan.
Bustos credited her playing career at Adams State and previous coaching gig at Western (Colo.) State for her proclivity to sleep on airplanes. Several members of the traveling party reported pulling an all-nighter.
The team then took an hour-long bus trip to the mountain city of Como, which is named after the adjacent body of water, Lake Como, in the northern-most tip of Italy. Our tour guide, Richard, said that in good visibility, onlookers can see into Switzerland.
After checking into the Palace Hotel, a three-story structure that fits one person and his or her luggage comfortably in the elevators, the team gathered for lunch about 200 yards from the hotel at about 12:30 local time, or as assistant coach Anthony Turner noted, "there's nothing like pizza at 5 in the morning (MT)."
On the menu? Pizza! Surprisingly, the base meat was not pepperoni – or even sausage. Ham was the meat offered to the team. The other toppings that were prevalent were mushrooms, olives and artichoke hearts. There were seafood options, and the cooks tried to pass along a couple of tuna-with-mushroom pizzas.
Not surprisingly, there were no takers.
A couple of the players were smart enough to work out a deal to get sausage on their pizza. The fresh mozzarella added to the taste!
After lunch, the team took a tour of "Il Duomo" ("The Cathedral"), whose exterior and interior structures were awesome to see and photograph. Il Duomo stood on the edge of a "downtown" district with shops and dining establishments.
A few of the players were in awe of a mime painted in gold that appeared to be sitting without a chair.
By far, the toughest part of the tour took place after the walking tour of the cathedral ended. The team had free time until meeting in the lobby at 6:15 to go to dinner. Tough – because most of the team decided to take a nap before dinner and discovered how difficult it was to get up after about two hours of sleep.
The tired but game Lobo crew gathered for dinner a couple of doors down from our lunch establishment and had a three-course meal. The "appetizer" was a pasta dish with vegetables mixed in. The main course was veal it was rumored that some of the players do not know what type of meat veal is, but Khadijah Shumpert called it the best steak she's ever had).
After dinner, head coach Yvonne Sanchez and several other members of the traveling party went up to the top of Como via a small tram-type apparatus, only steeper. Turner reported being able to see the Swiss Alps from the top of the mountain.
On Wednesday, the team takes a boat ride to Bellagio (not the Las Vegas casino) as it adjusts to Italy time in preparation for Thursday's first game against AS Vicenza.
Due to technical difficulties, we were unable to post a video, but we do have a photo gallery available.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
+27 11 780 7810
The Morula Hotel offers 3-star accommodation within the Morula Casino and Hotel complex. The Morula Hotel offers 73 beautifully appointed, warm and inviting rooms, all overlooking the Morula Gardens, sparkling guest pools and a view of the Nooitgedacht Dam. This hotel offers guests a natural retreat, a spectacular casino, a choice of fantastic dining options and live entertainment.
Sun International supports responsible gambling. Gambling for persons 18 years and older. Winners know when to stop.
National Responsible Gambling toll-free counselling line 0800 006 008. Sun International Casinos are licensed Casinos. For more information visit: Responsible Gambling


text:
U.S. Representative Paul Broun of Georgia's 10th Congressional District, in coordination with U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, will host a Military Academy Day on Saturday, October 20th from 10 a.m. until noon in the auditorium of Athens Technical College.
Representatives from the United States Air Force, Naval, Military, and Merchant Marine academies will be in attendance to talk about the application and nomination process and to answer questions.
The event is free and open to students in grades eight through twelve. Those who are interested in attending must make a reservation by contacting Matthew Waldroup at 706-886-1008 or [email protected].


text:
Loading stream...
|All Content
|View all podcasts & RSS feeds
The man charged with shooting and killing his wife at an Akron hospital earlier this month in a suspected mercy killing pleaded not guilty this morning.
66-year-old John Wise is charged with aggravated murder, murder and felonious assault. A friend says the man's wife, Barbara, had been disabled by a stroke when he shot her in the intensive care unit.


text:
Rental Quick Search
Long Term Rentals
Steamboat Springs Events
Rocky Mountain Bull Bash
|Come watch the thrilling Rocky Mountain P.B.R. Bull Bash on Sunday August 31st in Steamboat! Watch 40 of the top professional Bull Riders in the world compete for over $15,000 in prize money. Gates open at 3 and the event starts at 5. Fun for the whole family!


text:
MMA News
Dana White Opens Up On TRT, Talks Evolution Of MMA & More | UFC NEWS
By: Red Mattos
UFC president Dana White recently sat down with national columnist Mark Kriegel and
Al Bundy Ed O'Neill to discuss all things MMA. You may or may not know this but, believe it or not, Ed O'Neill is a black belt in Gracie jiu-jitsu. He rolls with Rorion Gracie and he's been doing it for over 20 years. He knows a little bit about the sport. The touch on everything from Mayweather to Overeem, all available on foxsports.com but I've picked out some of (what I think) are the more interesting nuggets of conversation.
On the evolution of the UFC fighters:
Ed O'Neill started it by saying, "We were just talking about the quality of athletes that you're getting out in the UFC. It's really impressive. I mean, you know, when it started it out there were some good guys, there were some skillful guys, there were also some guys that were out of shape. But today, you got world class guys in there. World class athletes."
Dana accepted the praise and added to it. "What's happening now is, you know, because there is so much exposure and so much money involved in the sport, you've got guys that would've played football, baseball, basketball." Ed O'Neill interjected with, "Guys who are coming in to your sport."
"Let's be honest and not knock on all the other sports but, as men and this doesn't just work here in the United States, it's all over the world. Every guy, you know, has that thing … would love to be a fighter. To be the world champion means more than winning a ring. Hey, we threw more balls through a circle. Hey we hit more balls over a wall with a stick. But to be the champion…"
On the subject of Jon Jones vs the world:Kriegel chimes in with the notion that being the heavyweight champion is the "central, iconic title in sports. The one thing that UFC hasn't had is a long reigning Heavyweight champion."
O'Neill and White both agree that Dos Santos is the real deal. O'Neill believes that if Jones were to move up he would not be able to take Dos Santos, adding, "He's not big enough, not strong enough and by the way, he doesn't punch all that good. He's not a striker." Dana agreed with his assessment.
They did praise Jones on his wrestling and his ability to adjust and adapt with the fight, mentioning those elbows he landed on Rashad, that no one at the table had seen thrown that way before.
On Jones' next opponent Dan Henderson, Kriegel couldn't see how a 42 year old could challenge a 24 year old.
"Dan Henderson is a pain in my ass." Dana said, "He's the biggest pain in my ass, but Dan Henderson, I will give him all the credit in the world on what a tough guy… great wrestler and he can knock you out with either hand and he's got a chin like granite. That's a very dangerous fight. That's gonna be one of those fights, as we continue to assess Jon Jones throughout his career here… again the kid is still twenty-four years old, he's young he's got a lot of learning to do."
Kriegel pose the question to O'Neill asking if he thought Hendo has a shot. O'Neill didn't hesitate: "Yeah, if Henderson hits him on the chin he's out."
The next part of the conversation moved on to everyone's favorite heavyweight- Overeem. Kriegel posed an interesting question asking, would they give him "additional punishment above what Nevada has imposed?"
Dana answers: "That's a great question. I gotta fly back to Las Vegas today get together with my crew and we're gonna figure out what's going to happen with Alistair Overeem. He's got a nine month suspension from the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). So I need to get back into the office and figure out what we're going to do."
"There is a value and a message being sent, right?" Kriegel said, to which Dana replied, "I agree."
Dana gave his final thought on the subject, "The bottom line is the NSAC regulates us and what happens in the sport. They've given him a 9 month suspension, which I thought was gonna be bigger. I thought he was gonna get a bigger suspension. So the fact that they gave him 9 months… says that they found some validity in his story."
With regards to Overeem not fighting Dos Santos –
Ed O'Neill: "Junior Dos Santos would've knocked Overeem out anyway. Here's the thing, Overeem got enormous, he never punched any harder. He punched the same way he punched when he was 210. He wrestles better, stronger. But it didn't help his kicking, it didn't help his punching."
Dana added, "Well no matter how big you are or how much muscle you pack on, you still got the same chin. Your chin isn't going anywhere. Chuck Liddell knocked him out at 205 pounds."
The conversation took an Iceman detour –
O'Neill says he heard Chuck might fight again to which Dana quickly responded: "He'll never fight again."
According to Dana: "The problem with Chuck Liddell is, and it's the beautiful thing about Chuck Liddell, this guy was born to fight. It's who he is; it's who he is inside. He was born a fighter. So for me and him to sit down as friends and have that conversation where I'm like 'brother I don't want to see this happening anymore'…"
O'Neill recalls a similar conversation he had with Liddell, discussing his last fight, a knockout loss to Rich Franklin. "I said 'were you thinking about it, cause you got knocked out funny.' You see fighters get hit like that and they're done, they can't take a punch anymore. And he said 'No, I thought I was out of shape for those fights. But then when this happened I realized I can't take a punch.'"
On Overeem's NSAC troubles –
Kriegel asked is it a fighter problem or at some level is it a doctor problem? You can get a quack doctor to get you what you want, what you don't know about – you have a doctor problem."
Dana White: "It's a fighter problem because if you get the quack doctor it means you don't want to know about it. So what happens is, it's very simple as we get older your body produces less and less testosterone. Testosterone replacement therapy is a great thing it's actually, you know, science has come out with a way where you can replace that testosterone and it's one hundred percent legal, if you're up front and honest about it with the athletic commission and they test your levels. You're supposed to be within this range (6-1). What's happening now is, guys are using to cheat, of course. You know. Whenever there's a way to cheat guys are using it."
He went on to say, "So what these guys will do is they'll train their whole training camp at these elevated levels, then bring it back down for the fight. So now what the athletic commission is doing is they're bringing guys in and randomly testing them and there's nothing wrong with (that).
What happened with Overeem is, he sat at a table just like this, told me and my partner 'I'm the most tested athlete in all of sports they can test me whenever they want' yadda yadda yadda. So he goes out and he pops at a 14 to 1 ratio."
"I want to sit down with a guy who is one of my athletes who I consider my partner in this business that I'm in and I want you to be honest with me and tell me the truth. Don't lie to me. And now he's coming in and saying that he was taking these shots for anti-inflammatory. Then you should've told the athletic commission that."
On May 5th and Mayweather –
Dana thinks it's a great thing to have both shows on the same night. Since the UFC show will end before the Mayweather PPV, a person could theoretically sit around and watch people fight on TV all night long. Whether or not Mayweather should fight was a question Kriegel asked and after standing up for Las Vegas Dana responded with, "The judge that decided to let Floyd Mayweather not go to jail and fight instead, I mean, Floyd is very lucky to live in a city where they care more about money than justice. The craziest thing I have ever seen in my life."
Asked if it had been a prominent UFC fighter, would he be allowed to fight, Dana said, "There's no way in hell. There's absolutely a double standard."
16 Responses to "Dana White Opens Up On TRT, Talks Evolution Of MMA & More | UFC NEWS"
Lol, im wondering y they never mention Mr. Sonnen levels? if i remember correctly his levels was higher then overeem
Sonnen was 19:1
Actually 16.9
Chael "16.9" Sonnen
Chael's levels were 16:9 testosterone to estrogen. not the same thing by far.
yeah and everyone at his weight class is the same size anyway for the most part. unlike the HW division.
So you are saying he was on steroids and not TRT?
"He punched the same way he punched when he was 210. He wrestles better, stronger. But it didn't help his kicking, it didn't help his punching."
I think it's safe to say his knees got better lol
If Overeem comes back and has a big fight, I wish someone comes and asks Dana White what he thinks of him then, it'll be a different story
Didn't help his kicks or punches? Overeem was a K-1 Champion. A WORLD LEVEL kickboxer.
Dana bitches about the judge having double standards which is funnt considering his sidekick right hand man Sonnen is the 2nd worst abuser in MMA (BEHIND Nate "THE CHEAT" Marquardt) to date but you never hear him say anything about that FELON-CHEAT. whats ok fro Sonnen is not ok for anyone else. Do you notice none of the MMA interveiwers have the balls to mention Sonnen name. Dana always says how pissed he is at Overeem but NEVER ONCE has he ever said one damn thing about Sonnen who is the biggest scumbag-CHEAT-Felon to ever set foot in a the UFC.
I have noticed that.Hey GET RID OF FITCH check out my comment on paul daleys sorry article.Curious of your opinion bro
I think one big reason is sonnen got popped After the big fight now before like reem and Marquart. They cost him a lot of money and that's bottom line for him which I see no problem with GO CAPITALISM
Yep Dana doesn't give a rats ass about steroids if you don't get caught and cost him money. Sonnen is JUICED up year round more than any other fighter but all dana cares about is as long as he keeps making him richer he can ROID up as much as he wants. All this talk about random testing is just bullshit because if they really cared they would be at least randomly testing all the Sonnens and Nate "THE CHEATS" that have proved already they are cheaters. Noone has been busted more than Nate
It's been said by ga few guys above already, but I need to say it too. Dana White has fucked up double standards!
Mad at Overeem for pissing LESS hot than his buttbuddy Sonnen. Why the fuck isn't he talking the same way about Sonnen?
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.


text:
Creamy Lemon Sauce
This velvety-smooth sauce with a rich taste is surprisingly made with reduced-fat ingredients.
Total Time:
Level: Moderate
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
- 1 lemon
- 1.33 c. reduced-fat sour cream
- 0.33 c. light mayonnaise
- 0.25 tsp. salt
- 0.25 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- From lemon, grate 1 teaspoon peel and squeeze 3 tablespoons juice.
- In small bowl, mix lemon peel and juice with sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and garlic until blended. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve or up to two days.
More recipes like this
What do you think?
More From Food & Recipes


text:
NB: the Little Comfort Popeazy maxi is from 20lbs upwards, not 20kg. Brain blunder!
Cloth nappies are not what they used to be; most people think of terry squares and safety pins but this couldn't be further from the truth these days (in most cases, I have heard of people who still use the tried and tested terry squares). There are various differnt types of cloth nappies avaialble, and they all come in differnt brands, shapes, sizes and colours. The type I'm going to review today though are all pocket nappies. Essentially the nappies have a pocket into which you put inserts which soak up baby's urine. They are really easy to use, really really cute and hugely cost effective compared to using disposable nappies.
I have three different brands of pocket cloth nappies to review, Fuzzibunz Elite One-Size (from birth), Charlie Banana One-size (from birth) (kindly sponsored by www.joeyroo.com) and Little Comforts Popeazy (from 20lbs) (kindly sponsored by www.littlecomfort.com). I'm going to break the review up into sections, this is probalby the easiest way as there's a huge amount to cover.
The Cost
So this is another area that people ask about when they hear about cloth nappies. For a second lets talk about diposable nappies. The average child will use approximately 6000 nappies until toilet training, sometimes more if the child trains at an older age. This is usually 1 bin bag per week, adding up to around 1 tonne of waist in the child nappy-wearing stage. That is a lot of waste from one little bum! The cost of this when you take into account the average cost of disposables being roughly €0.21 each comes to a grand total of €1,260, that is a serious amount of money that could be spent a lot of other ways, and on nicer things!
The cost of cloth nappies can ary quite a bit, but the 3 nappies that I am reviewing here today are all roughly within the same budget. The Fuzzibunz can be purchased for €17 per nappy or on special offer at the moment of buy 5 nappies and get one free for €85 (€14.16 per nappy). The Charlie Banana are €16.50 per nappy, but can also be purchased in value packs for as little as €15.50 per nappy when bought in a 24 pack value set. The Little Comfort Popeazy are €14.99 per nappy, and can also be bought in various value packs for as little as €14 per nappy. The Popeazy can also be purchased in a full set which includes 12 of the Maxi size, and also 12 of the mini size of the nappy, including a roll of liners (for catching solids) this pack is great value!
Looking at the figures, and usingthe most expensive nappy as an example (€17 each), each nappy costs the same as approximately 80 disposables which tends to be two packs of disposables. After that, the cloth nappy has more than paid for itself with each use. The average baby in full time cloth nappies needs around 24 cloth nappies to keep things going, this is variable on how often parents want to wash, but 24 would be a good number to have. Again taking the most expensive nappy, 24 cloth nappies at €17 each is €408. There will be additional small costs along the way including the liners, maybe 3 more machine washes per week and the electricity/water bills for that, but in now way would it ever add up to the average cost of €1,260 that is used on disposables. And not forgetting, that is with the most expensive nappy of the 3!
For me, looking at all the costing figures, the environmental aspects and the benefits for baby cloth nappies really are a no brainer.
The health benefits for baby
A lot of people do not realise the quantity of chemicals that are in disposable nappies. They are bleached to be perfectly white, there's are chemicals used to absorb baby's urine, the linings tend to be made of synthetic materials. Have you ever seen those little gel balls that come out of a saturated disposable, that gel is called Polyacrylic Acid. This was the substance that was removed from tampons back in the 1980s due to links with Toxic Shock Syndrone, it can have a link with infertility in women also. This gel in nappies can cause nappy rash, to the extent of chemical burns of baby's bum. Just a note to add for mamas, Always have recently admitted that Polyacrylic Acid is still used in their female pads, this is something to consider for yourself,
Think of the difference soft bamboo, fleece and cottons would have against baby's bum, all natural materials which are also available in organic options. This reason alone is enough to make me change to cloth nappies.
Each of the nappies are fitted in a slightly different way, all use poppers as the primary method but the Fuzzibunz and the Charlie Banana have additional sizing features that can be used, this is a great option as these nappies are sold to use from birth through to toilet training; big size differences there so maximum control is essential. The Little Comfort Popeazy does not have any elastic sizing options, I thought initially that this may be a disadvantage.
Here's a look at the different way each nappy is sized:
As mentioned above, the primary way to size each of the nappies is using poppers. There are two rows of poppers, the top being for waist adjustment and the lower being for around baby's leg/thigh. The waist poppers on the Fuzzibunz do not cross over (as seen in the second photo below) giving the option for a more snug fit for smaller babies. The Fuzzibunz do however have an adjustable elastic number based setting in the waist band, at the back of the nappy ( see the third photo below), and also around the leg/thigh area too. This does give a good range of sizes for the nappy. I felt the waitstband was a little tough feeling against my little one's skin and this was when the waistband was on the biggest setting. I would have reservations about how a newborn skin would hold up against the waistband at the smallest setting, for me it was a downer.
Charlie Banana
The Charlie Banana again uses poppers as the primary method of sizing. The waist poppers in the Charlie Banana do cross over which I feel is a huge advantage for fitting the nappy to a smaler baby. The Charlie Banana also has an adjustable elastic setting in the leg/thing area which is done using a "bra" type system with a number of settings marked on the elastic for ease of syncing all nappies to the same size. I likes this sizing system as there is no excess elastic sticking out of the nappy, everything tucks in really nicely. The Charlie Banana does not have the adjustable elastic in the waist, initially I thought this may be a disadvantage but the cross-over option onthe waist poppers more than makes up for this. The waistband on the Charlie Banana is really super soft and wide so it is really comfy against baby's back.
Little Comfort Popeazy Maxi
Just like the other two nappies, the Popeazy uses poppers for it's sizing. The main difference about the Popeazy is though that it only uses poppers for it's sizing adjustments. On first seeing this cloth nappy compared to the other two, I thought this would be a clear disadvantage as there were less options. Of course, I had forgotten that the Popeazy maxi is intended for use from 20lbs upwards, not from birth upwards like the other two. The Popeazy has the waist poppers and the leg/thigh poppers, but it also has rise adjustment poppers too which allows you to adjust the length of the nappy for use on a smaller sized baby. The waist poppers, like the Charlie Banana, cross over and at the smallest setting actually hasa waist very similar in size to the smallest setting of the other two nappies. The waistband on the Popeazy is just wide enoguh so that it is comfy on baby, but not too wide that it gets bulky.
The Inserts
Each of the nappies comes with the own insert (this is what absorbs babies urine). The Fuzzibunz and the Charlie Banana both come with two inserts, a long and a short one. The Little Comfort Popeazy comes with one long insert which can be folded in half. The Fuzzibunz and the Charlie Banana inserts are both microfibre, the Popeazy insert is made of 60% bamboo and 40% cotton fleece. I found each of the inserts to be really good, and we only had 1 leak which was over a 13 hour night stretch! The Popeazy insert is probably a touch more absorbent than the microfibre inserts, this is down to the fact it is mainly bamboo which is an extremelly absorbent material. The downside to the bamboo is that it is a very slow drying material.
Another element of the inserts is how easy or difficult it is to actually stuff them into the nappy pocket, and removing them once the nappy has been used. For me, I found the Fuzzibunz to be the hardest to stuff. The outer shell material is quite "sticky" and the insert gets stuck as you're trying to put it in, also the crotch width of the Fuzzibunz is narrower than that of the Charlie Banana and the Popeazy, so getting the insert to lay flat in that area takes more effort. The Charlie Banana and the Popeazy were the same to stuff, really easy! The outer shell material isn't at all "sticky" so it's really easy to get the inserts in and in place with little effort.
The Fuzzibunz and the Popeazy pockets both open at the back of the nappy, and the Charlie Banana open at the front of the nappy. To be honest, I didn't find much difference between the two options and had no issue with removing wet, soiled inserts from either. The only slight advantage I felt the Charlie Banana had in this area was there was no risk of the fleece lining sticking up over the nappy waistband which could lead to leaks onto baby's cloths. So with the back opening nappies, I'd just say to be careful that everything is tucked in nicely below the waistband.
NB: You can see the difference I mentioned above regarding the waistbands in the photos below
Dirty nappies, and washing the nappies
So the things people ask about using cloth nappies are typically about how to deal with dirty nappies, and the washing of them. Both of these are really easy processes, and involve very little effort. There is an option to use a liner in any cloth nappy, bascially they look like a dryer sheet, and this is what catches any solids, this is then tipped into the toilet and flushed away. Simple as that. There tends to be very little residue left on the nappy, so there's no major stink left lingering afterwards. It really could not be more simple than that! Used nappies can be stored in a bucket, and a few drops of Tea Tree oil will keep smells at bay until there's enough nappies to do a wash.
The washing of the nappies takes a few stages, but it is in no way challenging First off the nappies need to go on a cold rinse cycle. This rinses out most of the urine, and is the best way to keep the nappies stain and stink free. They then go on a 40degree (celcius) wash with powder (liquid detergent tends to build up on the nappies and reduce the absorbency, which you do not want!), I set the machine to use extra water for this wash, and then once that's finished use another rinse cycle to remove any remaining powder residue. It takes a little bit of time to get the wash cycles done, but minimal effort. I like to wash the nappies from that day inthe evening when my little one goes to bed, then hang them up on my way to bed; some will be ready for use the next day!
The Verdict
Comparing and contrasting all the pros and cons of each nappy, it ultimately came down to the Little Comfort Popeazy and the Charlie Banana. For me the Fuzzibunz just had to many cons for me to be 100% satisfied with using it all the time. Trying to stuff the nappy with inserts, the thinner waistband that just did not seem comfortable, and also the fact that my daughter just did not seem to be entirely happy with this nappy. It is a great option, but it just didn't work 100% for us.
The Little Comfort Popeazy and the Charlie Banana are similar in a lot of ways, so it's very hard to compare them. What I really came down to was which was I happy to order more of for using n our day to day lives and that was the Little Comfort Popeazy! This nappy is super value and it does a really super job. The fit is perfect on my tall and skinny daughter, apparently not having the adjustable elastics in the wait and leg area did not make a bit of difference. The quality o the nappy is supurb, and each of the materials was super soft. My daughter just loved these nappies too which was a winner for me, afterall it is her who has to wear them!
So what do you think, will you give cloth a go? If you're still left wondering about the whole thing, please don't hesitate to contact me and I will advise in any way I can.
PS Well done if you've got this far, you deserve a prize for reading all the above


text:
With The Dark Knight Rises officially out tomorrow the anticipation has reached fever pitch and to celebrate Virgin Media TiVo has teamed up with Warner Bros
Virgin Media, Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures have teamed up to release an exclusive app on Virgin Media's TiVo service offering up large helpings of exclusive images, interviews and more on the upcoming blockbuster.
The app will give TiVo viewers the chance to delve into the world of Nolan's Batman watching character bios and also exclusive videos that help recap the story so far.
Aleks Habdank Director of Digital Entertainment Product at Virgin Media believes this is the most immersive experience yet for fans of the Batman trilogy.
"The hotly anticipated finale of Christopher Nolan's trilogy is sure to be the summer blockbuster and our new app gives TiVo customers the perfect way to immerse themselves in the action and catch up on the story in advance of the film's release."
Built by Virgin Media the app can be found exclusively on the Apps and Games section on TiVo alongside the likes of BBC iPlayer, YouTube and Spotify.


text:
Steeped 10 minutes, 1.5 tsp. leaf to 8 oz. water.
I haven't had this in a long time! But its September and cool out; it's time to bring out autumn-esque teas.
I thought the smell of the dry leaf was a little more accurate than I remembered – more sweet potatoey. Still very heavy on the cinnamon, but usually sweet potato pie is heavy on cinnamon too. The taste of the tea, however, is also mostly cinnamon. I get some buttery crust notes on the swallow, but its more of the shadow of a taste, rather than the taste itself – it's the same with the sweet potato flavor. Maybe the flavor has lightened because I've just had it awhile?
Even as it cools, I'm not getting any more flavor. Next time I'll have to remember to add sweetener to see if that brings it out more…


text:
Adidas Unveils 2013 NBA All-Star Uniforms
Like Us On Facebook
Like Us On Facebook
Adidas today unveiled new uniforms for the 2013 NBA All-Star Game on February 17 at the Toyota Center in Houston — Designed by adidas, the 2013 NBA All-Star uniforms were inspired by Houston's rich aeronautical history and the speed of the jet planes that dot its skies.
The uniforms' eye-catching impact camo pattern evokes the world's fastest fleet of aircraft with the classic silhouette of a basketball net.
Great jerseys for the best All-star game hands down.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Like Us On Facebook


text:
*image shown is 5 x 8 or larger rug
*smaller sizes will not show complete pattern, will be scaled down to fit.
Rating: 4.00
Read 1 Review >>
Name: #U34161
Manufacturer: Dalyn Rugs
Material: Acrylic
, Polyester
Construction: Machine Made
Colors: Blacks/Greys , Whites
Origin: China
Description: Tufted with a cotton canvas backing, these designs give contemporary flair to your home. (#U34161)


text:
Resisting the trend toward cheaper production methods using foam rubber panels and plastic trees, saddles made by County Saddlery continue to be painstakingly handmade on our laminated beechwood trees, covered in the worlds finest leather, and flocked with pure wool to maximize your horses' comfort and fit. As one of the few saddlery companies in the world which actually make their own trees, County sets the industry standard in design and innovation.
Our traditional methods take longer and require a higher degree of craftsmanship, but once you sit in a County saddle, we know you will agree that the results are clearly worth it. Although we custom make saddles for many of the worlds leading riders, our commitment to quality and detail is reflected in every saddle we make, including the one we will make for you.
Locations:Alabama AL
Alaska AK
American Samoa
Arizona AZ
Arkansas AR
British Columbia BC
California CA
Colorado CO
Connecticut CT
Delaware DE
District of Columbia DC
Florida FL
Georgia GA
Hawaii HI
Idaho ID
Illinois IL
Indiana IN
Illinois IL
Indiana IN
Iowa IA
Kansas KS
Kentucky KY
Louisiana LA
Maine ME
Maryland MD
Massachusetts MA
Michigan MI
Minnesota MN
Mississippi MS
Missouri MO
Montana MT
Nebraska NE
Nevada NV
New Hampshire NH
New Jersey NJ
New Mexico NM
New York NY
North Carolina NC
North Dakota ND
Northern Marianas Islands
Ohio OH
Oklahoma OK
Oregon OR
Pennsylvania PA
Puerto Rico PR
Rhode Island RI
South Carolina SC
South Dakota SD
Tennessee TN
Texas TX
Utah UT
Vermont VT
Virginia VA
Virgin Islands VI
Washington WA
West Virginia WV
Wisconsin WI
Wyoming WY
Quebec, Canada


text:
Sponsored links:
Amazing Rube Goldberg machine using innovative set ups, including cell phone, chess board, bow and arrow and a slinky.
Sponsored links:
This contraption takes up every room in a two-story house.
How Flixxy is different from other video sites: SELECTION: From the 1 billion videos uploaded to YouTube daily, Flixxy editors selects only 3‑5 videos to be added to the site daily. PG RATING: Flixxy videos and comments are all PG rated. They are "Safe For All Ages" and "Safe For Work". All content is "uplifting". SELECTED START AND END POINTS: Many of Flixxy's videos start late or end early - in talent show videos for example we skip over the foreign language content. CONCISE CAPTION AND DESCRIPTION: Tired of reading through lots of useless comments? We know your time is valuable, so we distill the information down to what you need to know to enjoy the video. Not more - not less. FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER: Viewers can get the latest videos delivered to their inbox by subscribing to the free "Video of the Day" newsletter here.


text:
Event Details
Petra the bald eagle, Gandalf the great gray owl and Maverick the peregrine falcon are among the birds who visit us at the Alaska Public Lands Information Center each week during the summer season. Come see our feathered friends and their volunteer handlers from the Anchorage Bird Treatment and Learning Center on Saturdays at 2 pm. All of the birds are rescues and have a great stories to tell. For more information about this program or to find out who's coming, visit AlaskaCenters.gov/btlc.cfmMore »


text:
WebtechLearning's Specials view all courses >>
What makes us proud?
Professionals Trained
Professionals Trained
Successful Batches
Successful Batches
Rating given by StudentsSee Students Picture
Rating given by StudentsSee Students Picture
Why choose us?
Many Reasons for Choosing us as Your Trainer:
- Learn From Experts (14+ year experience) - No hired faculty
- Assignment: Entire training is based on daily assignments
- 100% Practical Training: Students can carry your own laptop.
- Certificate: Get an industry-recognized certificate from W3Certifications.
- Live projects: All training on live projects thru Certified Trainer
- 100% Job assistance and interview scheduling
- Weekend Batches - Convenient Timing for Professionals
- No Registration / Examination Fee
- First 2 lectures, free of cost (Fee refundable)
- Back up classes in case you miss few classes
- Repeat classes in case of doubts
- Expertise in the latest algorithm and web versions
- We prepare our students for interviews
- We provides 5 E-Books (Free of cost)
- We provide online money making tips (adsense/affiliate)
Quick Enquiry?
Interested Students?
Please fill up the below form and we will contact to you in next 1 hours!
100% privacy guaranteed.
We'll never share your email.
Call us now at 9915337448 for professional training
Webtech LearningTM - Web Education Academy
SCO 177, 2nd Floor, Sector 37-C,
Chandigarh, INDIA
Mobile: +91 9915 337 448
see how to reach
100% Job Assured Web Courses
WebTech LearningTM offers job placement assistance to students & recruitment assistance to companies looking to hire trained IT professionals.


text:
D-backs deserve a refund
Did anybody happen to keep the receipt from the Diamondbacks' 2011 National League Division Series?
Arizona deserves a refund. And don't give us any of that malarkey about a "30 Day Return Policy." Wait, guess what? That looks like Kirk Gibson in line at the service desk.
"It's interesting we haven't heard from him," the D-backs skipper said Wednesday when asked whether suspended superstar Ryan Braun should be stripped of his 2011 MVP trophy. "I think he does need to get in front of the people and answer questions."
Look, we're not going to go all Sedona Code Red here ("You want answers? I want the truth!") and start screaming like the late comedian Sam Kinison ("Ahhhh!!"), known for his short temper.
Sadly, we've been through this before as baseball fans, right? We're realistic to know that there's no crying in baseball (wait, check that, did anyone see David Hernandez after the D-backs' extra-inning loss on Wednesday night?).
Instead, let's amend that to there's "no rewind button in baseball." Our local team will never be allowed to become the DVR-backs and somehow replay that 2011 playoff series, despite the specter of instant replay.
We gotta live with the 2011 playoff loss�in extra innings�in the deciding game� in a series where Braun raked D-backs pitching (batting .500 with nine hits in 18 at-bats). And then Braun shamelessly and defiantly defended his innocence against performance enhancing drugs a few months later.
"I promise you on everything that's ever meant anything to me in my life, the morals, the values, the virtues by which I've lived for my 28 years on this planet, I did not do this," Braun stated from the Brewers' spring training complex in Maryvale, only to accept a 65-game suspension this week.
No wonder Gibby-ball didn't hesitate to play hardball when lobbed a question by the local media: "Something tells me he's rehearsing his next speech right now, because he was pretty good at the last one."
No doubt. Maybe that's why Braun opted to issue a statement that included the following: "I am not perfect. I realize now that I have made some mistakes. I am willing to accept the consequences of those actions."
Once again, Braun doesn't get it. It's the game of baseball that suffers the consequences. See, the real crime is that it's not victimless. It cuts to the core of the baseball itself by compromising the integrity of the game.
We already knew that self-serving cheaters (McGwire, Sosa, Clemens, Bonds, etc.) permanently corrupted the record books. Now we've come to the sobering realization that multiple playoff series have been directly compromised and forever tainted. How selfish. How myopic. How unnerving and demoralizing.
And, finally, how silly that we endlessly debate whether the All-Star Game should decide home field advantage in the World Series. When, all the while, cheaters are still deciding the very outcome of the Fall Classic itself.
No wonder the D-backs decided to debut a mascot wearing a luchador mask.
Once again, baseball has more in common with professional wrestling than it cares to admit.


text:
Advanced Search
Projectors | News
Epson has unveiled its newest set of projectors -- the PowerLite 4000 series -- designed for large venues.
Epson's new projectors include the PowerLite 4650, 4750W, and 4855WU. The 4650 offers a brightness of 5,200 lumens and a native XGA resolution (1024 x 768 pixels). The 4750W, a 4,200-lumen unit, features a native WXGA resolution (1280 x 800 pixels). The 4855WU delivers 4,000 lumens of brightness and a native WUXGA resolution (1920 x 1200 pixels). All three projectors feature 3LCD, 3-chip technology and a lamp life of up to 5,000 hours in economy mode.
Additional features include:
The PowerLite 4000 series will begin shipping this July. The 4650 and 4750W will be available for $1,999. The 4855 will be available for $2,999. All projectors come with a two-year limited warranty (three years for customers enrolled in Epson's Brighter Futures program) that includes Epson's PrivateLine phone support and two-year projector replacement program. Additional information is available at Epson's Web site.
About the Author
Kanoe Namahoe is online editor for 1105 Media's Education Group. She can be reached at email@example.com.
All Webcasts
Paul VI Catholic School wanted to develop a laptop program that would equip its students and teachers with the right tools to increase classroom learning, prepare their students for college, and to develop the 21st Century skill sets required by today's employers. Download this White Paper to learn about their comprehensive selection process and how they are using their new laptops to revolutionize the learning process.
Read more...
All Whitepapers


text:
The Huawei Ascend G600 Set To Scale Select Markets Next Month
So many new phones and so little time! IFA is underway and electronics manufacturers from across the globe have descended on Berlin to show off the latest advancements in their wares. The latest in everything from PC's to TV's and of course our favorite, smart phones are on display for the world to see. Some years a clear show stopping device surfaces to the top of all the other announcements and wins the market share of our minds. This year, that unique device may have not appeared yet, but the new Huawei Ascend G600 is indeed a part of the short list of contenders.
The Ascend line is to Huawei as the Galaxy line is to Samung. The difference is there are considerably less Ascend's than Galaxies. The latest in Ascend however has appeared in the flesh at this year's IFA. The Huawei Ascend G600 was shown off and made official at the trade show alongside a lower end Ascend G330 and a MediaPad 7 tablet. The Ascend G600 is an amazing new smart phone. It starts with a perfectly sized Gorilla Glass protected 4.5 inch qHD IPS LCD styled touch screen that clocks in a 540×960 pixel resolution at 245 pixels per inch. Computing power for the Ascend G600 comes from a dual core Qualcomm made 1.2 GHz chipset, 768 MB of RAM and 4GB on board storage. An expandable microSDHC memory option is also available and can accommodate up to 32GB. Power for all this amazing processing is drawn from a more than capable 1930 mAh battery. Around back an 8 mega pixel camera with video recording capabilities resides. An unspecified front facing camera is, according to the press release "designed for high-resolution video telephony over Skype® and other VoIP providers". Additional detail of the new Ascend G600 give it Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, micro USB, DLNA and NFC connectivity. Topping the Ascnend off like a cherry on a banana split is Android version 4.0.4 also known as Ice Cream Sandwich. The lovable Android operating system is then layered with the likes of Huawei's Emotion UI. The Ascend G600 while brand new to most prying eyes will actually be made available to unidentified "selected markets" starting in September 2012, which is actually only a few hours away!
Any takers? Anyone interested in this Huawei G600? Sound off in the comments below and let us know what you think of the solid new smart phone. But remember, all the very best in Huawei Accessories are here at WirelessGround.Com.Ascend, Ascend G600, android operating system, qualcomm, 4.0


text:
Manage Subscriptions
Log Out
Log In
Check out the royal baby announcement as it appeared in newspapers around the world.
If anything unusual happens to you Friday, you'll be right to say it was "once in a blue moon."
Unsurprisingly, there were no requests for "Free Bird" during this impromptu performance in Vancouver, Washington.
A man moving a parked car out of a bike lane has gone viral, garnering nearly 5 million views as of Wednesday morning.
The newest fashion trend to hit Japan is panty scrunchies. Yes, you heard that right.
A traffic stop of one car in Vermont over the weekend netted two drunken-driving arrests after police said a backseat passenger jumped behind the wheel.
With July marking National Vehicle Theft Protection Month, take a look at the National Insurance Crime Bureau's annual list of the top hot spots for car thieves as ranked by auto theft rates per 100,000 residents. Click on to find out if your city is among the top 10.
Getting bumped up to first class is good. But upgrading to a private jet is even better.
Delta Private Jets, a subsidiary of the airline, will soon offer some travelers the chance to upgrade their commercial ticket to fly on a private jet that would ...
Sign up for Breaking News, Daily Headlines & more!
Every year, parents send their children off to more than 12,000 day and overnight camps nationwide. In the last 20 years, the number of day camps alone has exploded by 90 percent, and highly specialized camps now cater to every child's interest, from clown acrobatics to hip hop.
No email address was supplied by
To complete your registration on this site, please supply an address.
Please confirm or modify the email address to which you will have subscription offers sent.
For a more personalized experience, please supply the following optional information.


text: Media Contact: Dave Lavallee, 401-874-5862KINGSTON, R.I. – November 1, 2006 – In the Northeast, the impact of Hurricane Katrina has probably faded in the minds of many people. In fact, many New Englanders may have never even heard the full story. Students from the University of New Orleans, however, are still coping with the storm's aftermath.


text:
Sunday, March 23, 2014
A hotel manager had to call police because two women at the hotel were causing a disturbance.
She explained to the responding officer that two women were walking their three dogs along the hotel property, allowing the dogs to do their business on the property. This would not have been a big deal if they cleaned up behind their dogs, per town ordinance, but they did not.
The hotel manager then approached the women to remind them to clean up the dog poop, but it only resulted in a verbal disagreement.
The two suspects became irate and started screaming that the hotel had bed bugs. The two women went on and on yelling and causing a scene so the manager walked away.
In fact, she walked right back inside and called police to have them placed on trespass notice.
When the officer arrived on scene, he found the women walking their dogs just up the road and stopped to speak with them. He informed them that they were being placed on trespass notice and they signed the forms saying they understood the parameters.
The Berkeley Independent is pleased to offer readers the enhanced ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. We do not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not The Berkeley Independent.
If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website. Read our full terms and conditions.
© 2015 The Berkeley Independent an Evening Post Industries company. All Rights Reserved.
Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Parental Consent Form.