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Thursday marked four years since four-year-old Sean Paddock was killed at the hands of his adoptive mother, Lynn Paddock.
What did both tragic deaths have in common?
Parenting methods that followed the writings of Michael and Debi Pearl.
Countless bloggers have written about the deaths in the past month, and their words say everything my heart is feeling right now. Outrage that these "Christian parenting experts" continue to poison well-meaning parents with their writings. Sorrow and horror over the deaths of these children, and the harm - physical, emotional, and spiritual - caused to untold numbers of other precious little ones. Disgust at the manipulative twisting of Scripture that attempts to cloak abuse in a loving, God-mandated covering.
In Heartbroken. Angry. Again., TulipGirl wrote:
"Well intentioned or not, the abusive parenting influenced by Michael and Debi Pearl led to another child's death. How many more children are being abused behind closed doors and condoned by the Church in the name of "no greater joy" and "first time obedience"? When will the Pearls take full responsibility for the harm of their teachings? When will Christian parents see through the lies cloaked in Scripture?"
Links to many of TulipGirl's extensive articles on the Pearls are included at the end of the post. Several external links are also included in her entries Vulnerable, To Abuse and Who Is Speaking Out Against Abuse?.
In Hold 'em Down, Defeat Totally, TulipGirl responds to Michael Pearl's statement:
"If, indeed?! A child is dead, another one hospitalized for nearly two weeks, and the other seven children conveyed this so-called discipline was normal in their home. The Pearls' teachings could no more turn someone away from "abusive habits," as their very instructions set parents up for normalizing patterns that lead to abuse — "defeat totally. Accept no conditions for surrender. . . five to ten licks. . . continue the spanking. . . continue the disciplinary action until the child is surrendered.""
The heartbreaking entry In which I discuss the unthinkable, written by close friend of the Schatz family Laurie Mathers, details the horror of coming to terms with the knowledge that the people they love could have committed such an unspeakable act:
"As the days have gone by, more and more information has been uncovered about our friends. It turns out they were following the methods of Michael and Debi Pearl's "ministry" of systematic child "training". My husband and I have spent hours upon hours since this discovery poring over Pearl literature, disgusted. Horrified. I wanted understanding of what could have led to this tragedy, and I got it. The Pearl Method was the missing link. It made "sense" of what made no sense before. From what I've read, and even from some hindsight reflections of what I knew of this family, it appears they were following Pearl teachings very carefully - in doctrine and in practice. If the autopsy reports verify what preliminary findings suggest, it was the form of whipping (using the identical implement recommended in Pearl literature) taught by them which killed Lydia, and nearly killed Zariah."
As heartbreaking as it is, this is such an important entry to read.
In child abuse in the name of Jesus, thatmom writes about other incidents of abuse resulting from similar twisted "Christian" teachings:
"This is just the tip of the iceberg; an unbiblical philosophy and theology of power and control is behind their suggestions for discipline."
Salon.com has posted an extensive article by Lynn Harris entitled Godly discipline turned deadly:
"Attorney Mike Ramsey told Salon that the Schatzes had explicitly described to police their adherence to the Pearls' philosophy, which, as one of many horrified anti-Pearl bloggers within the conservative Christian community observes -- recalling precisely what prompted the Schatzes' call to 911 -- includes the admonition that a proper spanking leaves a child "without breath to complain.""
In This made me cry today..., Rebecca Diamond writes extensively on the discord between the theology of the Bible and that of Michael Pearl:
"They did it to her in the name of Jesus and Michael Pearl. Just in case any of my readers are confused, let me explain. You may not know who Mr. Pearl is – I'll get to that – but I'm pretty sure you don't know who their Jesus is either. Because that Jesus isn't the same Jesus I serve, the one who clearly stated "Let the children come to me, and forbid them not" and "the kingdom of Heaven is of such as these" and "what you did unto the least of these my brethren, you did to me" and "unless you become as a little child, you shall in no wise enter the kingdom"."
In When Parenting Kills – What Can We Do?, Katiekind touches on the adoption aspect:
"One risk factor [the Pearls] don't seem to consider is the effect on children of attachment and trauma issues, such as RAD (reactive attachment disorder) – something sometimes associated with older-child adoptions. It may be no coincidence that these victims were adopted three years ago from a war-torn African country. Who knows what children who are put up for adoption under such circumstances have endured. Under what circumstances did they lose their family? What did they witness personally? What did they themselves endure? What was orphanage life like? Naturally children shaped and damaged by such experiences may respond differently to Pearlesque discipline than the joyful unconditional surrender depicted by the Pearls."
In her heartwrenching entry, Perfectionism, Ann Voskamp of A Holy Experience writes about her family's personal experiences applying the teachings of Michael and Debi Pearl:
"Do you not train me well enough, Lord? I don't obey You without fail, Father. And You are an infinitely better Father to me than I am a Mother to these children. Then why did I think I could have "always" obedience from these precious ones? You discipline me, Lord--- but always in the context of mercy and love---and a Cross."
If you read anything, read that one.
How many more? How many more children need to die before the teachings of the Pearls are seen for what they really are? How much longer will this needless abuse happen behind closed doors, not at the hands of monsters, but those of well-meaning, loving parents who have been taken in by the Pearls' promises of godly children? This is not a case of taking away nuggets of gold and leaving behind the small part that tends to the extreme - no, this is a case of digging through a garbage dump in hopes of finding one small fleck of gold. Perhaps the Pearls are all the more insidious for that very reason: for all their advice of "tying heartstrings", the practicality of carrying out what they put forth achieves anything but attachment.
Continue to speak out. This abuse cannot be permitted to continue under the guise of "godly parenting". It cannot be permitted to continue, period. My fervent hope in this tragedy is that the truth of what the Pearls teach will, at long last, be exposed for the evil it is.


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I finally got some pictures taken of my new "Lace Tipped Striped Scarf".
I really really like it. The colors are great and will add a dash of color to a blah winter outfit.
I knit this scarf using 2 balls of Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK and one ball of Rowan Kid Silk Haze on US size 4 needles.
The combination of dk weight and lace weight made an interesting, lightweight but warm texture. Its very soft!
I was craving something something striped to knit and this project was perfect! I like that there is a bit of lace detail on the bottoms to add a little interest, so that its not just plain old stripes.
I also think its so pretty how the yarn combinations make this scarf transparent when held up to the light.
Great pattern. Fun to knit. Fun to wear. What more could a knitter ask for?

subset: commoncrawl


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Women of the Word
February 20, 2024 6:30pm
Room: Classroom - 113
We hope you will join us each Tuesday evening as we gather together to grow in our faith. We will have a variety of studies as we go through the year and also a time for fellowship. We want this group to be one that grows not only in faith but also in community with each other. Childcare is available upon request. Monica Spencer will lead this new group.


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Both mandatory unions and mandatory professional organizations are antithetical to Constitutional Free Speech *UPDATED*
The State Bar of California, which I have to pay into in order to practice law in the State of California, long-ago abandoned its core responsibility of ensuring that people who hold themselves out as lawyers to California citizens are at least minimally qualified. As with all these mandatory organizations, it's turned into a political advocacy group and, again in sync with all these mandatory organizations, it advocates Left. That is, it forces me to pay money if I want to have a livelihood in my chosen profession, and spends that money on heavily politicized issues such as abortion. (It hews so far Left that, even when I was a Democrat, I was offended by many of the political stands it took with my money.)
The State Bar isn't the only professional organization that leans Left. The American Bar Association is heavily political too in a Leftist kind of way. The difference between the ABA and the State Bar, though, is that the form is a voluntary organization. I was therefore able to cancel my membership when I realized that my money was being used to support political causes that were unrelated to law and with which I disagreed. Sadly, I can't opt out of the State Bar — not if I want to be a practicing lawyer, that is.
Looked at this way, I have the same lack of rights as union members who don't live in in right-to-work states. Here's the deal: if unions and bar associations limited themselves to their original function, which was to ensure that union workers have good conditions or that lawyers have reasonable qualifications, union dues and mandated bar memberships would be less of an issue. Unions and Bar associations, however, have drifted far afield from these core responsibilities. They've branched out since the 1970s or so to become political action groups taking far Left stands on just about everything.
When states mandate that workers must join unions or that professionals must join professional associations, the state is effectively coercing citizens into funding speech with which they may disagree. Looked at this way, mandatory participation in activist unions and professional associations is a profound perversion of the First Amendment right to free speech. Free speech doesn't just include the right to speak freely, it also includes the right to refrain from participating in speech with which one doesn't agree.
All of this popped into my mind when I received an email from the president of the State Bar of California (emphasis mine):
By now, you should have already received your State Bar of California fee statement. Statements were sent out on Nov. 30, and many of you may be taking steps now to send your payments before the Feb. 1, 2013 deadline. If you have not yet received your statement, it may be helpful to know that you can sign in to My State Bar Profile to calculate and pay your 2013 fees.
As the president of the State Bar, I would like to take this moment to enlist your help with an important opportunity that you have through your annual dues.
As attorneys, other people's problems challenge us to do our very best. We straighten out transactions gone awry. We resolve property and commercial disputes. We counsel our clients through criminal proceedings and personal difficulties and help with innumerable other problems that ordinary people have every day.
But there is a new challenge. Sadly, our economy has experienced an almost unprecedented downturn with interest rates at historic lows. It is the Interest on Lawyers' Trust Account (IOLTA)* revenue that pays for civil legal assistance for indigent people statewide; and it is barely a quarter of what it was in 2008. There is no cushion left as we struggle to close the justice gap – the gap between the legal needs of the poor and the legal help we can provide for them. This is an unprecedented crisis for those we are charged with protecting.
But there is a powerful step each of us can take in seeking a solution to the justice gap. Your tax-deductible donation to the Justice Gap Fund (a component of the statewide Campaign for Justice) will expand access to justice for the millions of Californians with nowhere else to turn. The Justice Gap Fund is the only statewide vehicle to restore critical funding to nearly 100 legal nonprofits that serve our biggest cities as well as the most isolated rural communities.
A gift made at line 10 of your annual dues statement, or online anytime at www.CAforJustice.org, will make a real difference.
Please join me in the Campaign for Justice. Make a life-changing gift to the Justice Gap Fund – it will make a real difference to those who most need our help.
I have to say that my heart strings remain un-tugged. The Leftist policies of coercive organizations such as the California Bar Association helped lead to a long, deep economic collapse and painfully drawn-out recession. The Bar, with its speech amplified by coerced dues, managed to out-shout someone like me, who would have had more money if the Bar hadn't taken it away. If I could have been left to my own political speech, I might then have been more amenable to contributing to a fund that helps poor people entangled in the political system. Because the fund is owned and managed by the same group of people who contributed to this mess, however, I'll hang onto my money until I find more worthy charities.
UPDATE: You have to check out Michael Ramirez's perfect editorial cartoon, because it distills to a single picture the whole free speech (or non-free speech) argument I made above.


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In part 28 of our infinite (hopefully) set of label profiles, the subject is Post Present Medium. Set up by Dean Allen Spunt of noise-rock duo No Age, it has gone from strength to strength, with the current roster including Abe Vigoda, Wavves, Mika Miko and Silk Flowers. DiS had a brief chat with Dean the other week...
So, as these things usually begin...how did Post Present Medium start off? What spurred you on?
It started in 2001 when I was a wee child. I saw a band I really fell in love with called The Intima. around the same time I got in a car accident and got a settlement which allowed me to pursue my dream of losing money in a record label. I designed and silk screened that first release and after I didn't sell any of the records I sort of forgot I had a label. When Wives (my former band) started, we recorded some music and we had nobody to release it, then I remembered I had a record label, so the second release was the first Wives' 7".
Obviously being in a band yourself, you've got an experience of dealing with record labels and "the industry in general", has this formed the way PPM works as a label?
Yeah it has. I try and run it the way I would want a label run as a musician or an artist. Being in a band has helped me make the label good, I understand the things that only a touring artist can, like Gregg Ginn, or Jay-Z.
You're obviously signed to Sub Pop with No Age, what with them being, for many, the 'ULTIMATE' Indie label having reached legendary status, did that influence you at all?
Yes. Sub Pop is a label that I think is incredible. Along with SST, Touch & Go, Rough Trade, K etc... After we signed to Sub Pop it gave me incentive to take PPM up a notch, I got really excited going to the Sub Pop offices and looking around, dreaming one day I could have an office with a beer machine and a yoga studio inside too!
You've got a few bands on your label who are of a similar sort of ethic and sound (Abe Vigoda, Wavves, Mika Miko)...is this intentional, or is it just the sort of stuff you want to be putting out?
I try to put out things by friends or people who I think share my aesthetic. I consider these people "lifer's". All the people I choose to work with in one way or another are dedicated to their art to a ridiculous degree. To me those bands all sound extremely different so the PPM aesthetic is 'work and fun' and the bands I am putting out click with me somehow.
Have you ever toured with a band, or played a show with a local band and been so blown away that you've wanted to put out a record by them?
Yes, it happens a lot where we play with people and I'm super stoked. We played with a show with Sex Vid in Olympia, Washington and Gun Outfit opened the show. I was blown away and asked them to do a record, and now they are on PPM. It's rare that happens, but when it does it is beautiful.
Do you ever listen to a band and think "that's a PPM band..." or "no, definitely not.". Is it an inclusive or exclusive thing? I can't imagine, what with touring a lot, that you've got all the time in the world...
Hmmm, I think it's a weird one. I hear a lot of stuff, people send me stuff all the time, some I don't know, some are friends and I just can't put out everything I like. I can put stuff out that I feel will fit on the label and will serve a purpose though, some things just click with me and most the time when i find something I like a lot. I'm lucky enough to be able to put something out. I don't know what a PPM band even sounds like, and I like that...
What is the operation like in terms of organisation and scale?
I'm very disorganised sometimes. Luckily I have a few people that help me run the label now, which is awesome. I still do most of the stuff myself but there is no way I could run it alone, and my distributor, Secretly Canadian, is amazing. It's still pretty small scale, which I like, but it seems to grow a little every day, like a small puppy or kitten.
What have you got lined up this year in the way of releases?
Well, the new Silk Flowers LP, High Places / Soft Circle split 12", White Shit LP, Quail Lungs 7", Infinite Body LP, No Age 7" and I think that is it for the rest of this year.....
And what other things have you got planned as a label? I'm starting a sub-label with designer friend Brian Roettinger to release stuff together, not really music, just whatever we want like zines, posters etc... PPM is still going to put out good challenging and fun records for you and your friends to enjoy, just trying to be a good influence.
Tell us about some of the bands on your label who aren't so well known in the UK... bands like Silk Flowers, White Shit, Soddam Inssein and Party Fowl...what have they got coming up?
Well, Soddamn Inssein and Party Fowl are no longer bands. Silk Flowers are the new shit. Beyond light years ahead of shit, super minimal and great. You should listen to them. White Shit comes out in September and it is a new hardcore band from Andy Coronado (Wrangler Brutes, Monorchid etc) and Jared and Cody (Big Business, Melvins) and they are fucking great. The UK will know these bands soooon enough.
What do you make of Wavves' rapid rise? It seems like the microscope was on him pretty intensely for a while and then when something broke, people jumped on it (and him) pretty heavily...
Yeah it's a weird thing, people seemed to hype Nathan up too much for anybody's good. It must be a hard thing to deal with, but I stand behind the PPM 7", that is a good fucking song.


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An old book cover is the backing for this old postcard and vintage items mixed media collage.
"Love's Dream After the Ball"
Used the same material for this mixed media collage.
"All Dressed Up!"
Lots of old and newer trims used on the mixed media collage. This was an old photograph I had collected years ago. Loved this image because of her hat and Sunday best clothing.
This journal is covered with vintage flocked wall paper on both the front and the back covers. This front has an overlay of lace as well. Then I added the image (from Paper Whimsy), corner covers, vintage flowers and buttons. Simple yet pretty. Great journal for a young lady.
And that is what I have been up to lately! Hope you like it.


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Fresh Perspectives - New Docs in Practice
In the Trenches - AAFP Advocacy Updates
FPs on the Front Lines - Meeting the Challenge
The opinions and views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the opinions and views of the American Academy of Family Physicians. This blog is not intended to provide medical, financial, or legal advice. All comments are moderated and will be removed if they violate our Terms of Use.


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Atlanta Bread has announced that it will be switching all of its cafes' caffeinated espresso beans to Rainforest Alliance, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving biodiversity and ensuring sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business, and consumer behavior.
"We are making a great effort to take fresh, sustainable initiatives that support farm-to-table efforts", says Jerry Couvaras, president and CEO for Atlanta Bread.
"This partnership with the Rainforest Alliance fits in perfectly with our brand values and our GLIDE Platform (Green Leaf Initiative Development Education)," he adds, "and we are very proud to partner with such an amazing organization as we continue to bring our guests the freshest ingredients and most innovative, flavorful products."
To help celebrate this new partnership, Atlanta Bread has launched a contest giveaway in which guests can go to the company's Facebook page to register to win one of 10 At-Home Keurig Espresso Brewers.
Additionally, Atlanta Bread has launched a new Orange Mocha Latte featuring Rainforest Alliance Espresso Beans.
Blending sustainable beans from the Rainforest Alliance with rich orange and mocha flavors, the Orange Mocha Latte is sure to delight guests with its fresh flavors, while simultaneously supporting a sustainable cause.


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Hitoshi Shinso High Top Shoes Custom Anime Sneakers
All of our Anime Shoes high-top shoes canvas are custom made-to-order and handcrafted to the highest quality standards.
- Full double-sided print with rounded toe construction. Rubber out-sole tough enough to withstand daily wear and tear
- Natural rubber outsole offers traction and durability.
- Soft textile lining with lightweight construction for maximum comfort.
- High-quality EVA outsole for traction and exceptional durability.
- Designed by GearAnime
Please allow 10-15 business days to receive a tracking number while your order is hand-crafted, packaged, and shipped from our facility.
Enjoy your shopping at Gearanime.com and email us if you have any questions!
Important Update Regarding Order Fulfillment and Shipping Please be advised that our warehouse team will be observing a staff holiday from February 6th to February 13th. As a result, there may be a delay in order fulfillment and shipping during this period.
Delivery Time = Processing time + Shipping time
We process orders on business days (days) which are Monday through Friday, Eastern Standard Time, and exclude holidays observed by the Post Office: New Year's Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Region |
Processing time |
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Commitment timeframe |
United States Canada |
10-15 days |
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17-25 days |
Europe & UK |
10-15 days |
10-15 days |
20-30 days |
Australia, New Zealand, and other regions |
10-15 days |
10-15 days |
20-30 days |
Custom: Our unique anime shoes are crafted by hand and made to order and all this only 10-15 business days.
Shipping carrier: Gear Anime orders are sent out with FedEx, DHL, or Yun Express couriers. A tracking number is sent via email after the order is processed.
Please be reminded that Our policy lasts 7 days from the date that you receive your product from us. If 7 days have gone by since the delivery of your purchase, we can't offer you a refund or exchange, unfortunately. We stand behind the quality of our products and guarantee our workmanship. Any defects or errors on our part will result in a replacement at no charge.
Due to all our products are made-to-order so we typically do not accept returns or exchanges due to user errors such as incorrect selection of sizes, designs, colors, etc.
Please be informed that our products are customized and manufactured under market demand; thus, they are not always available items. Also, advertised images may be slightly different from the actual item in terms of color due to the lighting during photo shooting or the monitor's display. Hence, please allow the 20% difference between the advertised images and the actual item you received.


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Nick Leith-Smith Architecture, formerly Data Nature Associates, was founded in 2000. The practice specialises in high quality, bespoke contemporary design. The studio has extensive experience of working in luxury retail design as well as high-end residential work, delivering detailed, highly crafted projects with strong elements of personalisation and individual taste. Nick also has strong connections to the fashion world, together with a thorough understanding of bespoke design, resulting in a playful yet distinguished approach that marries a sound understanding of historic and contemporary design with contemporary craft, materials and form.
- Address
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- Home
- Departments
- Community & Economic Development
- Historic Preservation
- Historic Preservation Links and Resources
Historic Preservation Links and Resources
Financial Resources
Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Grants (Legacy Grants)
When Minnesota voters passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment in 2008, the state legislature created the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (H.F. 1231), a portion of which was appropriated to the Minnesota Historical Society for history-related projects around the state. Legacy Grants are divided into categories based on size: Small and Structured Grants (less than $10,000) and Large Grants (over $10,000), as well as into categories based on the scope of the project: History or Historic Preservation. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, state/local government units, federally-recognized tribes and educational institutions.
State and Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credits
The Minnesota Historic Structure Rehabilitation Tax Credit offers a 20% state income tax credit for qualified historic rehabilitations, and parallels the existing Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit. It also offers project investors an option of a grant-in-lieu of a credit, whichever option best suits a developer's tax situation, in order to maximize the efficiency of public dollars assisting in the project. The program requires an application with the State Historic Preservation Office before project work begins. Projects must meet the following basic eligibility requirements:
- The property must be a certified historic structure. A building listed on the National Register of Historic Places or certified as contributing to a Registered Historic District.
- Owner must submit an application to the SHPO before construction work begins.
- The project must meet the "substantial rehabilitation test".
- Project plans must be approved by the National Park Service (NPS) and certified as meeting the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.
- The completed work must be approved by NPS and allowed the federal tax credit.
- The completed project must be income-producing.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek the advice of a qualified tax advisory with questions concerning specific tax consequences before proceeding with any tax credit rehabilitation project.
Foundation Grants
Some private foundations include historic preservation among activities eligible for funding. You may need to be creative in finding a fit for your project; the term historic preservation is often not used by funders. See the Minnesota Council on Foundations' Guide to Minnesota Grantmakers or look for the guide at your local library.
Façade Easements
The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota accepts easement donations from property owners who wish to preserve in perpetuity the facades of qualifying historic buildings. Such donations are eligible for federal and state income tax deductions and may qualify for ongoing tax advantages.
Construction Resources
The State Historic Preservation Office provides a Preservation Specialists Directory as a resource for those seeking the products or services of companies/individuals with experience in preserving, rehabilitating or evaluating historic properties or assisting local historical organizations and museums. These companies/individuals have requested or consented to be placed on this list. However, the SHPO and the City of Faribault in no way endorses any of these companies or individuals. We strongly recommend you check references, review previous projects and conduct careful interviews of prospective providers. They also provide information to property owners on how to maintain and rehab their historic properties. In addition, they have handy tips for Selecting a Historic Properties Contractor.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a private, nonprofit organization that works to preserve historic buildings and landscapes. The website has links to National Trust programs and includes information for owners of historic homes.
The National Park Service maintains Links to the Past, comprehensive information about cultural resources, including the National Register of Historic Places, preservation tax credits and technical preservation publications.
Historic Research Resources
The Rice County Historical Society was founded in 1926 with the mission of "discovery, preservation and dissemination of the knowledge of the history of Rice County and the State of Minnesota. They operate history camps, school tours, public programs and workshops, in addition to maintaining historical displays, a genealogical research center, exhibit area and the Faribault House.
The Dalby Database contains a wealth of information on history books, plats, obituaries, cemeteries, church records, marriage and birth records, Civil War veterans and city directories of Rice County.
The Minnesota Historical Society provides information on Minnesota's historic sites, programming, searchable collections and other information about the history of Minnesota. The State Historic Preservation Office is a branch of the MHS which identifies, evaluates and protects Minnesota's important historic and archaeological resources. Their websites provide information on survey and planning efforts, contacts for technical assistance and on-line public information publications.


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Animal Wildlife | Sloth | Sloths are tree dwelling mammals that pass their time sleeping and eating.The sloth happily eats both plants and insects,and occasionally small reptiles and birds.The sloth is indigenous to the jungles of central and south America,with the general opinion being that the sloth cannot survive outside of this specific habitat.
The average sloth tends to be around 50 - 60cm long with a short tail of around 7cm in length. The body temperature of the sloth is usually around 30 to 34 degrees celsius (86 to 93 degrees fahrenheit). There are two main species of sloth, the two-toed sloth and the three-toed sloth. It is thought that until recent times, larger ground sloths inhabited the jungle floor of both North and South America. As with many animal species around the world, the ground sloth is thought to have become extinct around the same time that human settlers went to these parts of the world.
Although sloths have an omnivorous diet and eat both plants and animals, the majority of the sloth's diet is made of leaves. Leaves contain very little energy and nutrition so the sloth has adapted to have a large and complex digestive system in order for the leaves to pass through the sloth effectively. Sloths have long, sharp claws which they use to get good grip when they are climbing trees or hanging from branches. The sloth is a slow moving animal, and their long claws are the only form of defence that the sloth has. Sloths attack predators or threats by swiping at them with their claws out. Sloths are prey upon by jaguars, large birds of prey, snakes and humans.
Sloths are thought to be distantly related to animals like anteaters and armadillos.All three belong to a groups of mammals that are thought to have first evolved around 60 million years ago.Sloths are solitary animals and only come together to mate.Sloths are known to have a load call, which is thought to increase in frequency during the mating season.After a gestation period of between 4 and 5 months,the female sloth gives birth to a single baby sloth. - ANIMAL WILDLIFE
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Apple's Mac App Store, which lets users of the company's computers buy and install software in a similar way to its iOS customers, has just opened for business with more than 1,000 apps to choose from.
We'll be taking a look at the best of the music software already available through the store soon, but possibly the biggest headline is that GarageBand '11 is now available on its own for £8.99. This is great news for anyone who wants to upgrade to this latest version but doesn't need the other apps in iLife '11, which costs £45.
To gain access to the Mac App Store you'll need to be running OS X Snow Leopard and use Software Update to download the latest version (10.6.6). As we've previously reported, it looks like plug-ins won't be eligible for entry due to the way they install, but it'll be very interesting to see what kind of music software does go on sale and at what price.


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Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Axl's 25-Year Plan
Tactics Are the New Strategy
Strategic management can be a huge time drain for managers. Why not just ditch the conventional wisdom and go with your intuition in order to innovate once in a while?
Axl Rose is too strategic.
Like many managers who get lost in pursuit of excellence, the Guns N' Roses front man labored for 15 years producing the band's sixth album, Chinese Democracy, to mixed reviews and sales. While the album did well Internationally, was all the time and effort worth the ROI? When recording began CD's were popular. It was released to a world of Pandora, Spotify, and Rdio.
Conventional wisdom states that strategy is what matters. Managers devote an excessive amount of time developing, researching, and validating their strategy. But strategic development can also be a huge time drain. Companies get sucked into a strategy vortex and lose focus on their customer, culture, and their competition. Or they strategize too far out into the future, instead of maximizing the here and now. By the time their strategy is implemented, the market has moved elsewhere.
Those who are strategy-laden often ignore a real-world truth today. Strategy is tactics — and tactics are strategy. The Great Recession forced many corporations to throw out the old rules and experiment. And many built sales and strengthened their strategies through tactical execution. Let's look at three examples.
While researching our book Spend Shift, we noticed in Young & Rubicam Brands's quarterly panel of 16,000 consumers in BrandAsset Valuator, which examines 40,000 brands around the world, sharp increases in customer desires for "kindness and empathy" (an increase of 391 percent) between 2008 and 2010. This was the largest movement of an imagery attribute ever in our data collection. And it came at a time when trust in corporate behavior declined by 58 percent over the same time period. Customers were essentially telling companies if you want to sell to me, you better understand my life. They wanted companies to be good citizens and regard them as people who matter, not just consumption machines.
At the same time Hyundai launched its buyers reassurance program. The idea was simple: If you lose your job, you can return the car. Hyundai struggled to compete in the American marketplace. Yet with this tactic, its market share increased to 4.3 percent in the first ten months of 2009 from 3.1 percent in the same year-ago period. In September of 2009, while the industry suffered a 22 percent sales drop, Hyundai grew by 27 percent, according to Advertising Age, which named Hyundai "Marketer of The Year." And today in our BAV data, Hyundai is 24 percent more trustworthy, 26 percent higher quality and 17 percent friendlier. Hyundai's simple gesture had run headlong into the cultural zeitgeist of empathy and the market responded.
Like Hyundai, Walmart had its share of challenges. In 2008, its corporate image correlated with Exxon, Halliburton, and AIG in our data. It also responded with tactics, including its Eleven Moms program. Realizing mommy bloggers were the new 'soccer moms' in culture, Walmart asked them to act as an informal advisory board. Along with food labeling and local food sourcing, Walmart's brand image began improving. Today, Walmart is 40 percent healthier, 30 percent more energetic, and 22 percent more different.
Long associated with the decline of Detroit, Ford's resurgence came from improved quality and a renewed focus on economical and green cars. Ford's pre-crisis financial restructuring also helped it avoid Chapter 11 and provided a tactical opportunity. In our BAV polling, 56 percent of Americans said they would not support a company who took bailout money. So while GM and Chrysler were on Capitol Hill, Alan Mulally's 2009 keynoted at CES to tout its Microsoft Synch technology platform, and I wrote a post that week from Las Vegas suggesting this might bring Ford back. And in two years, brand asset value data shows that Ford is 36 percent more unique, 36 percent more intelligent, and 30 percent more innovative.
In each instance, tactics moved markets. That's because in the tug of war between strategy and tactics, they are really one and the same. A sailboat tacks (that is, changes direction) to maximize the benefit of the wind, but it keeps its destination-point fixed. Similarly, a defined strategy needs tactics to reach its destination faster. Tactics also provide tangible evidence of progress to the organization. It makes the strategy (and change) visible and real. And when strategy and tactics are intertwined, a manager can exploit competitive missteps, address crises proactively, and capitalize on ideas that emerge from cultural shifts. Learning is a byproduct of action, not inaction.
Science provides evidence that action is a trait of the most highly successful managers. Weston Agor, professor of public administration at The University of Texas at El Paso, conducted intuition tests on more than 10,000 executives. "The higher the level of management, the higher the raw ability to intuit solutions, and the more reliance placed on intuition," Agor concluded. Other researchers confirm that experts rely on their instincts during stressful situations. Chief Scientist Gary Klein studied men and women working in intensive care units, Black Hawk helicopters, fire stations, multimillion-dollar corporations, and M1 tanks. He found that these expert decision makers, from veteran firefighters to battle-tested software programmers, are unable to explain how they make decisions. "Their minds move so rapidly when they make a high-pressure decision, they can't articulate how they did it," Klein said. Instead these individuals react immediately, using instinct as a guide.
Managers should realize they've actually encoded the skills needed for fluid real-time management and should trust them more often. Instead of becoming prey to consultants and their three-year projects, they might instead do something small that might become gigantic. Act accurately, but by all means, act.
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Recently the Newspaper Association of America (NAA) released a study exploring how people consume local news. It looked at the patterns and motivation of the typical consumer's usage of different media platforms to access their local newspapers during a typical week.
The results showed that consumers still rely heavily on the information provided by newspapers, and value and trust the content in their local papers. The difference is that in today's digital world, people access their local papers using different media platforms throughout the day.
The main message to marketers -newspaper articles can play an important role in your content marketing strategy and it's worth the effort of finding ways to get your articles placed in news publications that appear both in print and online.
Just take a look at the infographic below and you can see that by targeting just print placement, you will miss a large pool of potential consumers who are accessing news sites through their tablets, computers and smartphones for valuable information throughout the day.
There's a lot of ground to cover. Good thing the mat release has adapted to the digital world too!


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Titanium (pronounced /taɪˈteɪniəm/) is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It is a light, strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant (including resistance to sea water and chlorine) transition metal with a grayish color. Titanium can be alloyed with other elements such as iron, aluminium, vanadium, molybdenum and others, to produce strong lightweight alloys for aerospace (jet engines, missiles, and spacecraft), military, industrial process (chemicals and petro-chemicals, desalination plants, pulp and paper), automotive, agri-food, medical (prostheses, orthopaedic implants, dental implants), sporting goods, jewelry, and other applications.[1] Titanium was discovered in England by William Gregor in 1791 and named by Martin Heinrich Klaproth for the Titans of Greek mythology. The element occurs within a number of mineral deposits, principally rutile and ilmenite, which are widely distributed in the Earth's crust and lithosphere, and it is found in almost all living things, rocks, water bodies and soils.[1] The metal is extracted from its principal mineral ores via the Kroll process.[2], or the Hunter process. Its most common compound, titanium dioxide, is used in the manufacture of white pigments.[3] Other compounds include titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) (used in smoke screens/skywriting and as a catalyst) and titanium trichloride (used as a catalyst in the production of polypropylene).[1] The two most useful properties of the metal form are corrosion resistance, and the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal.[4] In its unalloyed condition, titanium is as strong as some steels, but 45% lighter.[5] There are two allotropic forms[6] and five naturally occurring isotopes of this element; 46Ti through 50Ti with 48Ti being the most abundant (73.8%).[7] Titanium's properties are chemically and physically similar to zirconium. Additional recommended knowledge
HistoryTitanium was discovered combined in a mineral in Cornwall, England in 1791 by amateur geologist and pastor William Gregor, the then vicar of Creed parish. He recognized the presence of a new element in ilmenite[3] when he found black sand by a stream in the nearby parish of Manaccan and noticed the sand was attracted by a magnet. Analysis of the sand determined the presence of two metal oxides; iron oxide (explaining the attraction to the magnet) and 45.25% of a white metallic oxide he could not identify.[5] Gregor, realizing that the unidentified oxide contained a metal that did not match the properties of any known element, reported his findings to the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall and in the German science journal Crell's Annalen.[8] Around the same time, Franz Joseph Muller also produced a similar substance, but could not identify it.[3] The oxide was independently rediscovered in 1795 by German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth in rutile from Hungary.[9] Klaproth found that it contained a new element and named it for the Titans of Greek mythology.[8] After hearing about Gregor's earlier discovery, he obtained a sample of manaccanite and confirmed it contained titanium. The processes required to extract titanium from its various ores are laborious and costly; it is not possible to reduce in the normal manner, by heating in the presence of carbon, because that produces titanium carbide.[8] Pure metallic titanium (99.9%) was first prepared in 1910 by Matthew A. Hunter by heating TiCl4 with sodium in a steel bomb at 700–800 °C in the Hunter process.[2] Titanium metal was not used outside the laboratory until 1946 when William Justin Kroll proved that it could be commercially produced by reducing titanium tetrachloride with magnesium in what came to be known as the Kroll process. Although research continues into more efficient and cheaper processes (FFC Cambridge, e.g.), the Kroll process is still used for commercial production.[3][2] Titanium of very high purity was made in small quantities when Anton Eduard van Arkel and Jan Hendrik de Boer discovered the iodide, or crystal bar, process in 1925, by reacting with iodine and decomposing the formed vapors over a hot filament to pure metal.[10] In the 1950s and 1960s the Soviet Union pioneered the use of titanium in military and submarine applications (Alfa Class and Mike Class)[11] as part of programs related to the Cold War.[12] Starting in the early 1950s, Titanium began to be used extensively for military aviation purposes, particularly in high-performance jets, starting with aircraft such as the F100 Super Sabre and Lockheed A-12. In the USA, the Department of Defense realized the strategic importance of the metal[13] and supported early efforts of commercialization.[14] Throughout the period of the Cold War, titanium was considered a Strategic Material by the U.S. government, and a large stockpile of titanium sponge was maintained by the Defense National Stockpile Center, which was finally depleted in 2005.[15] Today, the world's largest producer, Russian-based VSMPO-Avisma, is estimated to account for about 29% of the world market share.[16] In 2006, the U.S. Defense Agency awarded $5.7 million to a two-company consortium to develop a new process for making titanium metal powder. Under heat and pressure, the powder can be used to create strong, lightweight items ranging from armor plating to components for the aerospace, transportation and chemical processing industries.[17] CharacteristicsPhysicalA metallic element, titanium is recognized for its high strength-to-weight ratio.[6] It is a light, strong metal with low density that, when pure, is quite ductile (especially in an oxygen-free environment),[18] lustrous, and metallic-white in color. The relatively high melting point (over 1,649 °C or 3,000 °F) makes it useful as a refractory metal. Commercial (99.2% pure) grades of titanium have ultimate tensile strength of about 63,000 psi (434 MPa), equal to that of some steel alloys, but are 45% lighter.[5] Titanium is 60% heavier than aluminium, but more than twice as strong[5] as the most commonly used 6061-T6 aluminium alloy. Certain titanium alloys (e.g., Beta C) achieve tensile strengths of over 200,000 psi (1380 MPa).[19] However, titanium loses strength when heated above 430 °C (800 °F).[5] It is fairly hard (although not as hard as some grades of heat-treated steel) and is difficult to machine, as it will gall if sharp tools and proper cooling methods are not used. Like those made from steel, titanium structures have a fatigue limit which guarantees longevity in some applications.[20] The metal is a dimorphic allotrope with the hexagonal alpha form changing into the body-centered cubic (lattice) beta form at 882 °C (1,619 °F).[5] The heat capacity of the alpha form increases dramatically as it is heated to this transition temperature but then falls and remains fairly constant for the beta form regardless of temperature.[5] ChemicalThe most noted chemical property of titanium is its excellent resistance to corrosion; it is almost as resistant as platinum, capable of withstanding attack by acids, moist chlorine gas, and by common salt solutions.[6] Pure titanium is not soluble in water but is soluble in concentrated acids.[21] While the following pourbaix diagram shows that titanium is thermodynamically a very reactive metal, it is slow to react with water and air. This metal forms a passive and protective oxide coating (leading to increased corrosion-resistance) when exposed to elevated temperatures in air, but at room temperatures it resists tarnishing.[18] When it first forms, this protective layer is only 1–2 nm thick but continues to slowly grow; reaching a thickness of 25 nm in four years.[8] Titanium burns when heated in air 610 °C (1,130 °F) or higher, forming titanium dioxide.[6] It is also one of the few elements that burns in pure nitrogen gas (it burns at 800 °C or 1,472 °F and forms titanium nitride, which causes embrittlement).[23] Titanium is resistant to dilute sulfuric and hydrochloric acid, along with chlorine gas, chloride solutions, and most organic acids.[2] It is paramagnetic (weakly attracted to magnets) and has fairly low electrical and thermal conductivity.[18] Experiments have shown that natural titanium becomes radioactive after it is bombarded with deuterons, emitting mainly positrons and hard gamma rays.[2] When it is red hot the metal combines with oxygen, and when it reaches 550 °C (1,022 °F) it combines with chlorine.[2] It also reacts with the other halogens and absorbs hydrogen.[3] Occurrence
Due to rounding, values do not sum to 100%. Titanium is always bonded to other elements in nature. It is the ninth-most abundant element in the Earth's crust (0.63% by mass)[5] and the seventh-most abundant metal. It is present in most igneous rocks and in sediments derived from them (as well as in living things and natural bodies of water).[18][2] In fact, of the 801 types of igneous rocks analyzed by the United States Geological Survey, 784 contained titanium.[5] Its proportion in soils is approximately 0.5 to 1.5%.[5] It is widely distributed and occurs primarily in the minerals anatase, brookite, ilmenite, perovskite, rutile, titanite (sphene), as well in many iron ores. Of these minerals, only rutile and ilmenite have any economic importance, yet even they are difficult to find in high concentrations.[3] Significant titanium-bearing ilmenite deposits exist in western Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, and Ukraine. Large quantities of rutile are also mined in North America and South Africa and help contribute to the annual production of 90,000 tonnes of the metal and 4.3 million tonnes of titanium dioxide. Total known reserves of titanium are estimated to exceed 600 million tonnes.[8] Titanium is contained in meteorites and has been detected in the sun and in M-type stars;[2] the coolest type of star with a surface temperature of 3,200 °C (5,792 °F).[8] Rocks brought back from the moon during the Apollo 17 mission are composed of 12.1% TiO2.[2] It is also found in coal ash, plants, and even the human body. Production and fabrication The processing of titanium metal occurs in 4 major steps:[25] reduction of titanium ore into "sponge", a porous form; melting of sponge, or sponge plus a master alloy to form an ingot; primary fabrication, where an ingot is converted into general mill products such as billet, bar, plate, sheet, strip and tube; and secondary fabrication of finished shapes from mill products. Because the metal reacts with oxygen at high temperatures it cannot be produced by reduction of its dioxide. Titanium metal is therefore produced commercially by the Kroll process, a complex and expensive batch process. (The relatively high market value of titanium is mainly due to its processing, which sacrifices another expensive metal, magnesium.[5]) In the Kroll process, the oxide is first converted to chloride through carbochlorination, whereby chlorine gas is passed over red-hot rutile or ilmenite in the presence of carbon to make TiCl4. This is condensed and purified by fractional distillation and then reduced with 800 °C molten magnesium in an argon atmosphere.[6] A more recently developed method, the FFC Cambridge process,[26] may eventually replace the Kroll process. This method uses titanium dioxide powder (which is a refined form of rutile) as feedstock to make the end product which is either a powder or sponge. If mixed oxide powders are used, the product is an alloy manufactured at a much lower cost than the conventional multi-step melting process. The FFC Cambridge Process may render titanium a less rare and expensive material for the aerospace industry and the luxury goods market, and could be seen in many products currently manufactured using aluminium and specialist grades of steel. Common titanium alloys are made by reduction. For example; cuprotitanium (rutile with copper added is reduced), ferrocarbon titanium (ilmenite reduced with coke in an electric furnace), and manganotitanium (rutile with manganese or manganese oxides) are reduced.[23] About 50 grades of titanium and titanium alloys are designated and currently used, although only a couple of dozen are readily available commercially.[27] The ASTM International recognizes 31 Grades of titanium metal and alloys, of which Grades 1 through 4 are commercially pure (unalloyed). These four are distinguished by their varying degrees of tensile strength, as a function of oxygen content, with Grade 1 being the most ductile (lowest tensile strength with an oxygen content of 0.18%), and Grade 4 the least (highest tensile strength with an oxygen content of 0.40%).[20] The remaining grades are alloys, each designed for specific purposes, be it ductility, strength, hardness, electrical resistivity, creep resistance, resistance to corrosion from specific media, or a combination thereof.[28] The grades covered by ASTM and other alloys are also produced to meet Aerospace and Military specifications (SAE-AMS, MIL-T), ISO standards, and country-specific specifications, as well as proprietary end-user specifications for aerospace, military, medical and industrial applications.[29] In terms of fabrication, all welding of titanium must be done in an inert atmosphere of argon or helium in order to shield it from contamination with atmospheric gases such as oxygen, nitrogen or hydrogen.[5] Contamination will cause a variety of conditions, such as embrittlement, which will reduce the integrity of the assembly welds and lead to joint failure. Commercially pure flat product (sheet, plate) can be formed readily, but processing must take into account the fact that the metal has a 'memory' and tends to spring back. This is especially true of certain high-strength alloys.[30][31] The metal can be machined using the same equipment and via the same processes as stainless steel.[5] ApplicationsTitanium is used in steel as an alloying element (ferro-titanium) to reduce grain size and as a deoxidizer, and in stainless steel to reduce carbon content.[18] Titanium is often alloyed with aluminium (to refine grain size), vanadium, copper (to harden), iron, manganese, molybdenum, and with other metals.[32] Applications for titanium mill products (sheet, plate, bar, wire, forgings, castings) can be found in industrial, aerospace, recreational and emerging markets. Powdered titanium is used in pyrotechnics as a source of bright-burning particles. Pigments, Additives and CoatingsAbout 95% of titanium ore extracted from the Earth is destined for refinement into titanium dioxide (TiO2), an intensely white permanent pigment used in paints, paper, toothpaste, and plastics.[33] It is also used in cement, in gemstones, as an optical opacifier in paper,[34] and a strengthening agent in graphite composite fishing rods and golf clubs. TiO2 powder is chemically inert, resists fading in sunlight, and is very opaque: this allows it to impart a pure and brilliant white color to the brown or gray chemicals that form the majority of household plastics.[3] In nature, this compound is found in the minerals anatase, brookite, and rutile.[18] Paint made with titanium dioxide does well in severe temperatures, is somewhat self-cleaning, and stands up to marine environments.[3] Pure titanium dioxide has a very high index of refraction and an optical dispersion higher than diamond.[2] Recently, it has been put to use in air purifiers (as a filter coating), or in film used to coat windows on buildings which when exposed to UV light (either solar or man-made) and moisture in the air produces reactive redox species like hydroxyl radicals that can purify the air or keep window surfaces clean.[35] Aerospace and MarineDue to their high tensile strength to density ratio,[6] high corrosion resistance[2] and ability to withstand moderately high temperatures without creeping, titanium alloys are used in aircraft, armor plating, naval ships, spacecraft and missiles.[3][2] For these applications titanium alloyed with aluminum, vanadium and other elements are used for a variety of components including critical structural parts, fire walls, landing gear, exhaust ducts (helicopters) and hydraulic systems. In fact, about two thirds of all titanium metal produced is used in aircraft engines and frames.[20] The SR-71 "Blackbird" was one of the first aircraft to make extensive use of titanium within its structure, paving the way for its use in modern fighter and commercial aircraft. An estimated 58 tons are used in the Boeing 777, 43 in the 747, 18 in the 737, 24 in the Airbus A340, 17 in the A330 and 12 in the A320. The A380 may use 77 tons, including about 11 tons in the engines.[36] In engine applications, titanium is used for rotors, compressor blades, hydraulic system components and nacelles. The titanium 6AL-4V alloy accounts for almost 50% of all alloys used in aircraft applications.[37] Due to its high corrosion resistance to sea water, titanium is used to make propeller shafts and rigging and in the heat exchangers of desalination plants;[2] in heater-chillers for salt water aquariums, fishing line and leader and for divers' knives. Titanium is used to manufacture the housings and other components of ocean-deployed surveillance and monitoring devices for scientific and military use. IndustrialWelded titanium pipe and process equipment (heat exchangers, tanks, process vessels, valves) are used in the chemical and petrochemical industries primarily for corrosion resistance. Specific alloys are used in downhole and nickel hydrometallurgy applications due to their high strength (titanium Beta C) or corrosion resistance or combination of both. The pulp and paper industry uses titanium in process equipment exposed to corrosive media such as sodium hypochlorite or wet chlorine gas (in the bleachery).[38] Other applications include: ultrasonic welding, wave soldering,[39] and sputtering targets.[40] Consumer and Architectural Titanium metal is used in automotive applications, particularly in automobile or motorcycle racing, where weight reduction is critical while maintaining high strength and rigidity. The metal is generally too expensive to make it marketable to the general consumer market, other than high end products. Late model Corvettes have been available with titanium exhausts,[41] and racing bikes are frequently outfitted with titanium mufflers. Titanium alloy is used for the connecting rods in the engine of the 2006 and later Corvette Z06. Other automotive uses include piston rods and hardware (bolts, nuts, etc.). The Parker Pen Company used titanium to form the T-1 fountain pen, later expanded to T-1 ball pens and rollerballs. The T-1 fountain pen was introduced in 1970 and the T-1 rollerball and ball pen in 1971. Production was stopped in 1972 due to the high cost of manufacturing titanium. Parker T-1's are prized for their collectibility by collectors. Hammer heads made of titanium were introduced in 1999. Their light weight allows for a longer handle which increases the velocity of the head and results in more energy being delivered to the nail, all while decreasing arm fatigue. Titanium also decreases the shock transferred to the user because a titanium head generates about 3% recoil compared to a steel head that generates about 27%. Titanium is used in many sporting goods; tennis rackets, golf clubs, lacrosse stick shafts; cricket, hockey, lacrosse, and football helmet grills, and bicycle frames and components. Titanium alloys are also used in spectacle frames. This results in a rather expensive, but highly durable and long lasting frame which is light in weight and causes no skin allergies. Many backpackers use titanium equipment, including cookware, eating utensils, lanterns and tent stakes. Though slightly more expensive than traditional steel or aluminium alternatives, these titanium products can be significantly lighter without compromising strength. Titanium is also favored for use by farriers, since it is lighter and more durable than steel when formed into horseshoes. Titanium horseshoes can be found in horse racing, and are used by many Amish horse owners, who rely entirely on horse-drawn carriages for transportation. Titanium has even become somewhat popular for use in jewelry, such as rings and body piercings. Because of its durability, titanium has become more popular for designer jewelry in recent years, whereas until recently the metal was too difficult to work into the intricate shapes with the precision necessary for fine jewelry. Today, titanium rings -- including engagement rings and wedding bands -- are one of the fastest growing segments of the titanium jewelry market, in part due to the ability of the metal to be grooved, inlaid, and carved without losing strength. Some titanium jewelry also incorporates diamonds or other gemstones, typically in close settings such as bezels, flush, or tension designs. Its inertness again makes it a good choice for those with allergies or those who will be wearing the jewelry in environments such as swimming pools. Titanium has occasionally been used in architectural applications: the 120 foot (40 m) memorial to Yuri Gagarin, the first man to travel in space, in Moscow, is made of titanium for the metal's attractive color and association with rocketry.[42] The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and the Cerritos Millennium Library were the first buildings in Europe and North America, respectively, to be sheathed in titanium panels. Other construction uses of titanium sheathing include the Frederic C. Hamilton Building in (Denver, Colorado).[43] Due to its superior strength and light weight when compared to other metals traditionally used in firearms (steel, stainless steel, and aluminum), and advances in metal-working techniques, the use of titanium has become more widespread in the manufacture of firearms. Primary uses include pistol frames and revolver cylinders. MedicalBecause it is biocompatible (non-toxic and is not rejected by the body), titanium is used in a gamut of medical applications including surgical implements and implants, such as hip balls and sockets (joint replacement) that can stay in place for up to 20 years. Titanium has the inherent property to osseointegrate, enabling use in dental implants that can remain in place for over 30 years. This property is also useful for orthopedic implant applications.[8]
Its inertness and ability to be attractively colored makes it a popular metal for use in body piercing.[44] Titanium may be anodized to produce various colors.[45] A number of artists work with titanium to produce artworks such as sculptures, decorative objects and furniture. CompoundsThe +4 oxidation state dominates in titanium chemistry, but compounds in the +3 oxidation state are also common. Because of this high oxidation state, many titanium compounds have a high degree of covalent bonding. Star sapphires and rubies get their asterism from the titanium dioxide impurities present in them.[8] Titanates are compounds made with titanium dioxide. Barium titanate has piezoelectric properties, thus making it possible to use it as a transducer in the interconversion of sound and electricity.[6] Esters of titanium are formed by the reaction of alcohols and titanium tetrachloride and are used to waterproof fabrics.[6] Titanium nitride (TiN) is often used to coat cutting tools, such as drill bits. It also finds use as a gold-coloured decorative finish, and as a barrier metal in semiconductor fabrication. Titanium tetrachloride (titanium(IV) chloride, TiCl4, sometimes called "Tickle") is a colourless liquid which is used as an intermediate in the manufacture of titanium dioxide for paint. It is widely used in organic chemistry as a Lewis acid, for example in the Mukaiyama aldol condensation. Titanium also forms a lower chloride, titanium(III) chloride (TiCl3), which is used as a reducing agent. Titanocene dichloride is an important catalyst for carbon-carbon bond formation. Titanium isopropoxide is used for Sharpless epoxidation. Other compounds include; titanium bromide (used in metallurgy, superalloys, and high-temperature electrical wiring and coatings) and titanium carbide (found in high-temperature cutting tools and coatings).[3] IsotopesNaturally occurring titanium is composed of 5 stable isotopes; 46Ti, 47Ti, 48Ti, 49Ti and 50Ti with 48Ti being the most abundant (73.8% natural abundance). Eleven radioisotopes have been characterized, with the most stable being 44Ti with a half-life of 63 years, 45Ti with a half-life of 184.8 minutes, 51Ti with a half-life of 5.76 minutes, and 52Ti with a half-life of 1.7 minutes. All of the remaining radioactive isotopes have half-lives that are less than 33 seconds and the majority of these have half-lives that are less than half a second.[7] The isotopes of titanium range in atomic weight from 39.99 u (40Ti) to 57.966 u (58Ti). The primary decay mode before the most abundant stable isotope, 48Ti, is electron capture and the primary mode after is beta emission. The primary decay products before 48Ti are element 21 (scandium) isotopes and the primary products after are element 23 (vanadium) isotopes.[7] PrecautionsTitanium is non-toxic even in large doses and does not play any natural role inside the human body. An estimated 0.8 milligrams of titanium is ingested by humans each day but most passes through without being absorbed. It does, however, have a tendency to bio-accumulate in tissues that contain silica. An unknown mechanism in plants may use titanium to stimulate the production of carbohydrates and encourage growth. This may explain why most plants contain about 1 part per million (ppm) of titanium, food plants have about 2 ppm and horsetail and nettle contain up to 80 ppm.[8] As a powder or in the form of metal shavings, titanium metal poses a significant fire hazard and, when heated in air, an explosion hazard. Water and carbon dioxide-based methods to extinguish fires are ineffective on burning titanium; Class D dry powder fire fighting agents must be used instead.[3] Even bulk titanium metal is susceptible to fire, when it is heated to its melting point. A number of titanium fires occur during breaking down devices containing titanium parts with cutting torches. When used in the production or handling of chlorine, care must be taken to use titanium only in locations where it will not be exposed to dry chlorine gas which can result in a titanium/chlorine fire. Care must be taken even when titanium is used in wet chlorine due to possible unexpected drying brought about by extreme weather conditions. Titanium can catch fire when a fresh, non-oxidized surface gets in contact with liquid oxygen. Such surfaces can appear when the oxidized surface is struck with a hard object, or when a mechanical strain causes the emergence of a crack. This poses the possible limitation for its use in liquid oxygen systems, such as those found in the aerospace industry. Salts of titanium are often considered to be relatively harmless, but its chlorine compounds, such as TiCl2, TiCl3 and TiCl4, have presented several unusual hazards. The dichloride takes the form of pyrophoric black crystals, and the tetrachloride is a volatile fuming liquid. All of titanium's chlorides are corrosive. See alsoReferences
Categories: Chemical elements | Transition metals | Titanium |
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Titanium". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia. |


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Tutorial: Internet of Things Printer for Raspberry Pi @ The Adafruit Learning System.
In the future, everything will be connected to the internet. And all restaurants will be Taco Bell! The "Internet of Things" is the idea of pervasive connections between physical objects and the online world. These connected devices don't just idly sit around waiting for commands or files…they're active agents that anticipate your needs and can push or pull data from the internet.
Our Internet of Things Printer is a small, internet-connected thermal printer that can have a daily weather forecast ready before you head out in the morning, a puzzle to work on while riding the subway, provide a list of "tweets" relating to your interests…or any other task you can program!
This second version of the printer is built around the Raspberry Pi, a tiny computer that packs a wallop: more processing power, more RAM and the potent Linux operating system. The new kit has an easier time handling graphics and looks super tidy with its wireless networking…


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As a parent about to embark upon the costly business of sending my children to a Catholic secondary college, this news is most welcome: Bi-partisan support for Catholic school funding:
Catholic education in Victoria received an early Christmas present on 9 November when the Labor Government announced that funding for Catholic schools would be increased to 25% of the cost of education in a government school if it wins the state election…
The Coalition pledged in 2008 to increase funding to Catholic schools to 25% of the cost of education in a government school if it is elected to government on 27 November.
The almost $200 million funding boost, also includes an additional $5m for teacher professional development
In welcoming the decision, Mr Elder said Labor's commitment would particularly benefit Catholic families in disadvantaged areas.
…[CEO chief executive officer Mr Stephen Elder said:] "Catholic schools continue to serve families in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the state. I have no doubt the decision will be widely welcomed by Catholic school communities."
…"The personal story of Australia's first saint – St Mary of the Cross – is a powerful illustration of Catholic education's mission to serve the most disadvantaged in our community. The announcement will provide funding to Catholic education to continue this legacy," said Mr Elder.
School fees have been rising steadily, mostly due to a lack of Government funding. My own daughter's fees for next year have risen about %10 from what we were told when we first enrolled her last year. Sending both my daughters to Catholic secondary college will cost me about 20% of my annual income.
If you do the sums you realise that parents who send their children to Catholic Schools are in fact (even under this new funding) saving the government 75% of what it would cost to educate their children in State Schools. I think we need some recognition of that.
All that being said, we are a long way from the days of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop. One reason why Catholic schools are costly for parents today (although no where near the cost of other independant schools) is that we no longer have the "cheap labour" force that once supplied teachers for our systems, ie. religious sisters and brothers. What a boost it would be for the Catholic School system if St Mary's vision were to become truly alive again today!