THE SECOND HALF: ‘Living close to the bone’
Dear Tracey,
When my husband and I retired over 10 years ago, we thought we would be pretty comfortable financially. He has a pension and we both have social security. But its not working out that way. Medical expenses have hit us hard. We are lucky to own our own home and cars, but we seem to be struggling every month to get by. I have always been good with our money, able to stretch it. But lately, I just get so discouraged -- I dont see where I can cut back. What do you say to retirees who are having this trouble?
Signed,
Living Close to the Bone
Dear Reader,
What do I say to retirees who are having this trouble? For starters, I say that I am very sorry the current economy is causing you hard-working folks any grief at all. Its just not right, is it? I also say you are not alone -- so many people find themselves pinching pennies these days. It is a difficult time.
As discouraging as this is, perhaps there are other places you can modify your spending. Here are some ideas:
1) Call your power company and ask them for tips on cutting your utilities. (Imagine my utter surprise when we discovered that periodically using a small, strategically located electric space heater was far more economical than using our propane gas furnace full time.) The utility companies are full of ideas, and they even have some energy-saving programs you may qualify for.
2) Attack your grocery shopping with a vengeance! Plan your weekly menus and consume
Silver Inks, Adhesives offer reduced-conductivity alternative.
Creative Materials Inc.
12 Willow Road
Ayer, MA, 01432
USA
Creative Materials Offers New Lower Cost Silver Inks and Adhesives
Ayer, MA: Creative Materials, Inc., has continued to develop promising lower cost alternatives to conventionally manufactured silver inks and adhesives. With several new products qualified for production, we are confidently expanding our lower cost product line. In applications where a slight reduction in conductivity may be acceptable, these new economical products can provide cost savings while delivering the same high-quality performance of our standard silver inks and adhesives.
Two new successful lower cost products:
125-43A/B119-44, Solvent-Resistant Electrically Conductive Ink-Developed for touch screens and shielding applications, this product has been successfully implemented in the manufacture of RFI-shielded displays. Adapted from CMIs highly regarded 118-09A/B, 125-43A/B offers the same properties and chemical composition, with a slight decrease in overall conductivity. http://server.creativematerials.com/datasheets/DS_125_43A_B.pdf
125-46A/B,C, Economical Electrically Conductive Epoxy Adhesive-With little compromise to overall conductivity, this product was developed for making attachments on electrical and mechanical devices. Available for a wide range of dispensing options, 125-46A/B,C can be used with direct write and jet-dispensing systems. Based on the chemistry of our popular 124-08A/B,C, this product is also available in a two-component easily mixed one-to-one system and a one-component pre-mixed system. http://server.creativematerials.com/datasheets/DS_125_46.pdf
Creative Materials RD team has been able to reduce overall silver content through a proprietary process, yielding very little change in performance. These silver complex inks and adhesives feature excellent adhesive properties, flexibility, and solvent resistance. We are expanding this innovative process to other products, responding to the demand for lower cost alternatives in the face of increased silver cost. Products can be customized to your application needs and product specifications. Please contact us with the specifics of your application.
Creative Materials, Inc., is a leading manufacturer of electrically conductive inks, coatings, and adhesives. Products from Creative Materials are used in electronic components for computers, keyboards, cell phones, solar collectors, automobiles and aircraft, for medical electrodes, medical instruments, and heating equipment. Creative Materials is ISO 9001 certified, with an extensive product line with more than 1,000 products. We are renowned for creating custom formulations that are used in a wide variety of global applications, providing cost-effective design solutions for demanding production requirements. With over 80 years of experience in the adhesives, ink and coating industry, our staff combines technical expertise with nimble production capabilities, enabling us to reduce time-to-market for new product applications.
Our products are manufactured to order, with typical lead times of two to three weeks. Pricing is available upon request. For more information about these and other products, please visit our website at www.creativematerials.com, or contact us at info@creativematerials.com.
ACUTRONIC MEMS testers enable economical test at the fab
March 19, 2012 -- ACUTRONIC released standard, off-the-shelf 2-axis rate tables to test several micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) devices simultaneously. The 21-series is an economical version of the companys highly customized high-end systems and is primarily made for MEMS manufacturers.
The 21-series tests small inertial measurement units (IMU) or other MEMS sensors. The testers mechanically stimulate MEMS for calibration and performance verification.
An integrated motion controller allows precise measurement and closed-loop control of position, rate, and acceleration. The controller supports a subset of the industry-standard ACUTRONIC Command Language (ACL) for communicating with a host computer.
Suiting use at the MEMS fab, the rate and position tables are designed to handle larger production volumes and integrate easily into the production line.
The 21-series comes in five standard configurations for testing devices used in commercial, medical, industrial, and ground transportation applications.
Access product data at http://www.acutronic.com/fileadmin/cms_files/AUS_DS/Datasheets-2-Axis-Rate-Tables-21-Series.pdf.
View recent issues of the MEMS Direct newsletter
Nissan is bringing Datsun brand to India
There were some reports doing rounds about two weeks back that Nissan Motor Company is mulling to revive its erstwhile Datsun nameplate for building and selling economical cars in the developing markets. The speculation was fueled when chief executive of Nissan Motor, Carlos Ghosn went coy when asked about the revival of Datsun brand at the recently concluded 2012 Geneva Motor Show.
Now according to our sources close to the company, Nissan Motor is indeed dusting the cobwebs off its Datsun brand, after abandoning it nearly 30 years ago. An announcement by the company is expected to follow this week, which will officially confirm the Datsun brands resurrection and its entry into the Indian market.
After 30 years of being in limbo, the Datsun brand will not only make its way into the Indian market, but will also be introduced in Russia and other developing Asian countries such as Indonesia. The fundamental reason for Datsuns revival is the companys intention of building and selling inexpensive cars in the developing markets, but at the same protecting the image and reputation of the parent company, Nissan. Economical cars wearing the Datsun nametag are expected to arrive in the Indian market by 2014.
Salesmaster Collaborates with Multi-Wall for Honeycomb Packaging Solutions
Honeycomb is a lightweight yet extremely strong and durable custom-engineered kraft paper material that is an economical solution for a broad range of packaging applications.
Cheap and economical cars
With the US Environmental Protection Agency rating the all new Kia Rio at 30 miles per gallon in town and 40miles on the highway, having it in the driveway makes one smug when most are seen complaining about the cost of filling up their vehicles. An owner of an aging Chevy Suburban in US would seem shocked about being charged over US$100 (FJD $178) for a single refill. With low end all new Rio, his fuel savings would probably cover the monthly payments of the new Rio.
Not so long ago, trading down to an inexpensive small car was a sacrifice. Yes, the mileage was better. But everything else was worse, including the styling, construction quality and interior room. But all that began to change a few years ago, as the all new Rio shows. It also offers an impressive amount of head, shoulder and leg room, even in the back seats. The most impressive feature is the all new Kia Rio the Gamma 1.4 Gasoline Engine which has been geared to substantially increase fuel efficiency and power, and reduce emissions. An automatic transmission, which usually takes all the fun out of driving cars with such a small engine, at the same time the performance is more than adequate..
Styling on both the sedan and hatchback versions of the all new Kia Rio are clean and aggressive, with flared rear wheel helping to create a sporty impression. The grill and air dam makes it look even hotter.
The interior is clean and simple, a vast improvement from earlier small economy cars. The front bucket seats are surprisingly well bolstered and supportive. Optional features include as a rear camera display, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift knob, and power outside mirrors that folded in with the touch of a button a nice feature when parking on narrow streets.
According to Kia, when fuel prices started to climb in 2008, customers looking for better mileage began coming into the Kia showrooms thinking a new basic Kia was all they could afford. Instead, they found better-than-expected, stylish, fuel efficient and feature-rich Kia cars and crossover that still gave huge saving on fuel. As a result, Kia actually saw sales increase during the recession, something that didnt happen to other manufacturers.
The award winning all new Kia Rio and along with the full range of fuel efficient, feature rich and design lead Kia vehicles are backed by a three year/ 100,000km warranty in Fiji, and now available from Kia Motors Fiji showroom, located at the corner of Grantham Road and Carpenter Street, Garden City, Raiwai Suva.
NFU outlines economical, effective Farm Bill plan
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson testified this week before the US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry to discuss risk management and commodities in the 2012 Farm Bill.
Every family farmer, rancher and consumer benefits from a strong and effective safety net for commodities, Johnson said. Commodity prices do not remain high and do not always return a profit to our producers. When prices fall, and we know they will, it is critical that a price-based safety net be in place, because we know that long lasting drops in commodity prices and artificially high price peaks are harmful to the entire production supply chain, in both domestic and international markets.
In an effort to offer Congress a plan that might be more effective and less expensive than what is currently in place, NFU commissioned the University of Tennessees Agricultural Policy Analysis Center (APAC), to help develop a farm program that would moderate extreme price volatility in commodity markets while allowing farmers to receive their income from the marketplace rather than from government payments, saving the federal government a significant amount of money in the process.
The plan NFU proposes is known as the Market-Driven Inventory System (MDIS).
MDIS is an agricultural commodity program that mitigates price volatility, said Johnson. It provides advantages to livestock producers and the biofuels industry. In addition, it would reduce government expenses, increase the value of crop exports and maintain net farm income over time. The central feature of MDIS is a voluntary, farmer-owned and market-driven inventory system based on recourse loan rates set a level below total cost of production but above variable costs.
According to the study by APAC, during the 1998 to 2010 time period, actual government payments for the eight program crops (corn, wheat, soybeans, grain sorghum, barley, oats, cotton and rice) totaled $152.2 billion, excluding crop insurance premium subsidy payments. If MDIS had been in place during this time, farmers would have received $56.4 billion from the government (in storage payments), while earning roughly the same net farm income over the period as historically received. Taxpayers could have saved nearly $100 billion. If current programs were continued from 2012 to 2021, government payments would total $65 billion over those 10 years. With MDIS in place, government payments are estimated to total $26 billion, or 60 percent less.
NFU will remain engaged during the coming weeks and months as more decisions are being made related to the 2012 Farm Bill, said Johnson. We will continue to work with Congress on coming to an agreement that will benefit family farmers in times of market crashes or when disasters strike so that the United States can continue to provide a consistent, safe and abundant food supply to its residents and the world.
Economical CFD Engineering Services, CFD Analysis Services Company
Economical CFD Engineering Services, CFD Analysis Services Company
CFD Analysis Services Company offering CFD engineering services, CFD design simulation, air flow analysis, FEA consulting services at economical rates. Request a free quote for CFD engineering services.
Posted via Industry Today. Are you into it? Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday
We provide efficient CFD engineering services, CFD consulting, CFD simulation design and FEA analysis services at economical rates.
We are leading CFD analysis Services Company helping offshore engineering firms for all types of computation fluid dynamics and finite element analysis related works. We help to resolve engineering problems for manufacturing and product development industries at economical rates. We have been providing CFD engineering services for over a decade.
Our CFD Engineering Services include:
bull; Autodesk CFD Analysis
bull; CFD Design and Simulation
bull; 3D CFD Models
bull; Cascade CFD Analysis
bull; CFD Flow Modeling
bull; Air Flow Calculations
bull; Heat Exchange Analysis
bull; Aerodynamic and Hydrodynamic Analysis
bull; Fluid Structure Interaction
bull; Moving Mesh Analysis
bull; CFD Building Simulation
bull; Buckling Analysis
bull; FEA FEM Services
bull; Other CFD Engineering Support
Advantages with us:
bull; Qualified CFD Engineers and Analyst
bull; Over 10 Years of Experience
bull; Less Errors and Reduce Production Cost
bull; Minimum Turn Around Time
bull; Efficient and Accurate Outputs
We serve CFD engineering services to aerospace industry, marine, product development companies, building construction companies, heavy engineering industry. We aim to provide our overseas clients with CFD engineering and design services from short turn around investigations to large design optimization projects.
We can quote by man-month/man-hour/job/sheet or project. Request free quotes at info@cfdoutsourcing.com for CFD Engineering and CFD Consulting Services.
Ultra-Portable Methane Analyzer Enables Economical Measurements Anywhere
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --
Los Gatos Research (LGR), the leader in precision trace gas analyzers, has expanded the company's range of ultra-portable greenhouse gas analyzers (UGGA) by introducing the first in a series of economical, single-gas analyzers. This new, ultra-portable methane (CH4) analyzer offers parts per billion precision and accuracy in a rugged, crush-proof and compact package, measuring only 18.5 in. x 14 in. x 7 in. (47 cm x 36 cm x 18 cm), and weighing less than 19 kg. In addition, the analyzer consumes less than 60 watts and can operate natively on either AC or DC (battery) power. It features an extremely wide linear dynamic range - an Extended Range option even enables high precision measurement of CH4 concentrations as high as 10%, while maintaining ppb sensitivity. This economical analyzer reports CH4 and H2O concentrations in real time, continuously at user selectable rates as fast as 1 Hz. These measurements are unaffected by crosstalk from other common atmospheric gas, hydrocarbons, or combustion-generated gases (like CO, CO2, O2). For example, the new methane analyzer automatically corrects the real-time CH4 measurements for all water vapor dilution and spectroscopic effects, and reports the concentration as a dry mole fraction directly and without any data post processing. This eliminates the need for sample drying to achieve highest accuracy. Moreover, unlike other technologies which require much higher power and long warm-up times, LGR's analyzers start reporting reliable data in less than 2 minutes after power on. This makes them ideal for portable operation (e.g., natural gas leak detection, compliance monitoring) - in a vehicle, plane or ship - as well as for remote, extended use at challenging locations with limited power (with full control via the Internet).
LGR President Dr. Douglas Baer explains that, "The unique combination of portability, remote operation, data archiving, absolute accuracy, and huge dynamic range make this rugged, ultraportable methane analyzer ideally suited for use by federal, state and local monitoring agencies, as well as natural gas suppliers, where operational flexibility and reliability are paramount requirements. And, we believe that the significantly lower cost of this single-gas instrument will enable its use by a broad spectrum of users, including teaching institutions and other organizations with very limited budgets."
LGR precision gas analyzers are based on the company's patented Off-axis Integrated Cavity Output Spectroscopy (OA-ICOS) technology, a fourth generation, cavity-enhanced laser absorption technique. This unique approach is more rugged, more precise and simpler to service than earlier cavity-enhanced techniques, such as conventional cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS), because the performance of OA-ICOS does not need ultra-precise alignment or sub nanometer stability of its optics, or a high degree of thermal control. This ensures higher absolute accuracy, longer maintenance intervals, higher reliability and reduced cost of ownership.
LGR (
www.LGRinc.com ) makes the world's most precise, rugged and reliable instruments for measurements of trace gases and isotopes. LGR instruments have been deployed by scientists for acquiring the most accurate measurements possible on all seven continents, in unmanned aerial vehicles, in mobile laboratories, on research and commercial aircraft, and in undersea vehicles.
This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit
http://www.24-7pressrelease.com .
SOURCE LGR, Inc.
Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
Ultra-Portable Methane Analyzer Enables Economical Measurements
LGR introduces a low-cost, ultra-compact, ultra-portable methane (CH4) analyzer that delivers parts per billion precision in just seconds, and an extended dynamic range up to 10% mole fraction.
Mountain View, CA /PRNewswire/ -- Los Gatos Research (LGR), the leader in precision trace gas analyzers, has expanded the companys range of ultra-portable greenhouse gas analyzers (UGGA) by introducing the first in a series of economical, single-gas analyzers. This new, ultra-portable methane (CH4) analyzer offers parts per billion precision and accuracy in a rugged, crush-proof and compact package, measuring only 18.5 in. x 14 in. x 7 in. (47 cm x 36 cm x 18 cm), and weighing less than 19 kg. In addition, the analyzer consumes less than 60 watts and can operate natively on either AC or DC (battery) power. It features an extremely wide linear dynamic range - an Extended Range option even enables high precision measurement of CH4 concentrations as high as 10%, while maintaining ppb sensitivity. This economical analyzer reports CH4 and H2O concentrations in real time, continuously at user selectable rates as fast as 1 Hz. These measurements are unaffected by crosstalk from other common atmospheric gas, hydrocarbons, or combustion-generated gases (like CO, CO2, O2). For example, the new methane analyzer automatically corrects the real-time CH4 measurements for all water vapor dilution and spectroscopic effects, and reports the concentration as a dry mole fraction directly and without any data post processing. This eliminates the need for sample drying to achieve highest accuracy. Moreover, unlike other technologies which require much higher power and long warm-up times, LGRs analyzers start reporting reliable data in less than 2 minutes after power on. This makes them ideal for portable operation (eg, natural gas leak detection, compliance monitoring) - in a vehicle, plane or ship - as well as for remote, extended use at challenging locations with limited power (with full control via the Internet).
LGR President Dr. Douglas Baer explains that, The unique combination of portability, remote operation, data archiving, absolute accuracy, and huge dynamic range make this rugged, ultraportable methane analyzer ideally suited for use by federal, state and local monitoring agencies, as well as natural gas suppliers, where operational flexibility and reliability are paramount requirements. And, we believe that the significantly lower cost of this single-gas instrument will enable its use by a broad spectrum of users, including teaching institutions and other organizations with very limited budgets.
LGR precision gas analyzers are based on the companys patented Off-axis Integrated Cavity Output Spectroscopy (OA-ICOS) technology, a fourth generation, cavity-enhanced laser absorption technique. This unique approach is more rugged, more precise and simpler to service than earlier cavity-enhanced techniques, such as conventional cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS), because the performance of OA-ICOS does not need ultra-precise alignment or sub nanometer stability of its optics, or a high degree of thermal control. This ensures higher absolute accuracy, longer maintenance intervals, higher reliability and reduced cost of ownership.
LGR (www.LGRinc.com) makes the worlds most precise, rugged and reliable instruments for measurements of trace gases and isotopes. LGR instruments have been deployed by scientists for acquiring the most accurate measurements possible on all seven continents, in unmanned aerial vehicles, in mobile laboratories, on research and commercial aircraft, and in undersea vehicles.
This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.
SOURCE LGR, Inc.
Copyright [2012] PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.