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Women’s Clothes

Vogue that was well-liked in the 1950s Brightly coloured clothes and equipment became fashionable within the Fifties and the bikini was developed. Yes, there have been other styles, but truthfully pearls are so ’50s and so easy to find why wear anything. Women wore suits as daywear or work wear for a number of decades, and the Nineteen Fifties was no exception. Black and white saddle shoes were all the fad for teens in the Nineteen Fifties however girls wore them, too. All through the early 50s the ponytail was a well-liked youthful hairstyle and it matured into the French pleat.

While the sneakers of the previous decades were still acceptable and worn continuously throughout this era, we have the 1950s trend to thank for the invention of the stilettos. Homelife and politics additionally contribute to lifestyle tendencies, which in flip affect the clothes we put on. In the same vein, rick rack, ribbons, sequins, and beading were used to embellish Nineteen Fifties attire and add interest.

During World Warfare II and the 1940’s , clothing was greatly influenced by rationing and limited portions of fabrics, threads and needles, so the preferred look was a easy outfit utilizing as little …

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Promenade Clothes, Formal Night Dresses, Designer Promenade Attire, Homecoming Attire.

Opening a clothing retailer shouldn’t be a lot totally different than opening a toy store, or a ironmongery store, or any store for that matter. A newcomer on the luxury online-buying scene, supplementing the range of manufacturers on provide the positioning focuses on offering excessive-finish editorial content with a web based magazine that includes designer profiles and trend studies. Founded by Hernán and Judith de Balcázar as a boutique in Notting Hill, London, the enterprise expanded into mail order in 1999 and on-line sales in 2000.

Founded as a men’s and ladies’s fashion boutique in Durham in a Grade 1 listed constructing on Elvet Bridge. In the UK the business has 17 stores mainly in Northern Ireland. What they carry: Ladies’s straight, plus, and maternity sizes, males’s straight and massive and tall sizes, and kids’ and babies’ sizes. Go to the nearby Manufacturing facility Store for great reductions on Men, Womens, and Children shoes and attire.

Based by Frederick Ellis Brigham began out by making strolling boots and biking shoes, opening his first store in Harpurhey. Founded by Con Donovan in Hadleigh, Essex as a listing low cost retailer, the business moved over in the Nineteen Nineties to selling discounted …

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Learn Shoe Store Firm Mission Statements

With quite a few varieties of footgear on the market in any given footwear retail store, the gathering of footwear show system is very important to the shoe shop proprietor, who plans to get productive in attractively presenting his merchandise. Naturally, the store’s inside is minimalist and dowsed in immaculate white, so the attention is immediately drawn to the sneakers and nothing else. Shoes for infants and children in particular might be arduous to buy especially if now we have to carry the babies alongside if now we have no one to go away them with. I did not see any men’s SAS shoes outdoors on display, however I knew this retailer carries this model of shoe.

Skechers retail shoe shops carry the largest choice of shoes in more colours, sizes and widths. Keep an eye on the style types and traits so you recognize what sneakers the market favors. If you want a real really feel of what the brand stands for and a strong offering of the present product, that is the store for you. There are many shops on the net that may even offer free shipping.

These online shoe stores are specially designed for these ladies …

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When Vogue Designers Grow to be Administrators, They Bring Films A A lot

In case you are not afraid of exhausting work and long hours, you could have what it takes to turn out to be a fashion designer. Understanding what’s on pattern will let you understand what the public is buying and what designers are creating. While sewing and pattern-making skills are helpful, they are not a pre-requisite of successful fashion design. Relying on the category you select, style designers for the most part work long hours, particularly to start with.

In the end, you possibly can grow to be a chief designer or a design division head, but that will likely be after accumulating a few years of expertise. The style business is extraordinarily competitive; solely pursue a career in trend if it you’re one hundred pc devoted to the sphere. Bio: Olive Web page is a Wilmington trend designer who recently confirmed her new assortment LIV by Olive J.

Being a style designer is probably for you if: You wish to commit your life to this profession (it is your “vocation”), you do not mind uncertainty or insecurity, you might be willing to face up for what you imagine in, you have got distinct ideas about what is essential in …

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Here’s What Would Happen If Fifties Style Fashions Were Nonetheless Round In the present day

That includes tight bodices and flowing or fitted skirts, excessive heels, and attractive undergarments, Nineteen Fifties style for ladies still has an attraction as well as a mystique. Lengthy skirts or dresses were standard, often worn with brief jackets. At the moment, the hemline for most skirts and clothes was near the knee. 1950s trend was, without doubt, one of many business’s favourite decades. Bangs, worn with both brief and longer hairstyles, had been worn short and curled. Glamourous shapes, colourful prints and all the time exaggerated with voluminous skirts and tiny waists.

The emphasis on silhouette and type created a dependency on basis garments – bullet bras, corselets, waist-cinchers and girdles pulled in, pushed out and persuaded whereas crinolines lifted and formed full-circle skirts. There were also skirts that had been so slim and fitted that women found it hard to walk. Halter type clothes that developed within the 1930s as a part of eveningwear acquired a extra casual strategy; halter sundresses with cute, vibrant patterns like gingham and floral became popular.

Girls in the Nineteen Fifties wore pants and shorts, too. In style hairstyles in the Nineteen Fifties and 60s were the poodle lower and the French pleat …

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    Hearts will never be practical until they are made unbreakable~

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Chronic Wounds and Lymphoedema

Chronic Wounds

This is usually a break in the skin with an ulcer over any part of the body.  Some of these wounds may have been present for over 1 month and have been unable to heal on their own. These wounds may also have secondary bacterial infections resulting in pus discharge, bad odours and surrounding redness and pain.

Common sites and risk factors for developing Chronic Wounds

Chronic wounds are usually found at sites where:

  • there is persistent pressure on the skin (e.g lower back, buttocks, heel of foot), especially in patients who are not mobile and laying down for long periods of time
  • the blood arterial supply is poor e.g lower limbs, foot and toes of patients with peripheral artery disease
  • there is an infection underlying the wound e.g chronic bone infections resulting is a wound on the surface and discharge

Patients who have diabetes or are immunocompromised are also at risk of developing chronic non-healing wounds.

Investigations and Diagnosis

  • The aim of these investigations is to determine the cause of the wound as well as to guide treatment of the wound
  • Wound bacterial swabs and cultures are usually taken to determine presence of bacteria in the wound as well as to guide anti-biotic therapy
  • Some patients may require x-rays, CT scans or MRI scans to determine underlying bone and/or soft tissue infections

For a chronic wound to heal, we must treat 2 key components – the underlying cause and the actual wound itself. For example, if there is underlying peripheral artery disease causing poor blood supply to the region of the wound, then the patients should undergo surgery to treat the artery disease (e/g angioplasty/ stenting) to improve the blood flow to the wound. If there is underlying infection, then the wound may need to be cleaned surgically and antibiotics started.

We then use different techniques with various types of dressing preparations to treat the wound itself.  The dressings range from simple gels applied to the wound to complex types like Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC) or maggot therapy.  Our aim is to have complete healing of these wounds with return of functionality.

Lymphoedema is swelling which affects the limbs due to failure of the lymphatic channels.  Lymphatic channels serve to help drain fluid from the extremities as well as act as an immune gatekeeper (lymph nodes).

Causes of lymphoedema

  • Primary lymphoedema is rare and often due to congenital absence of lymphoedema or the failure of the lymphatic system to work over time.  Patients can present with swollen limbs at birth (congenital absence of lymphatics) or in their teenage years (delayed primary failure).
  • Secondary lymphoedema is more common and is often the result of surgery to remove the lymph nodes (e.g surgery for breast cancer and axilla lymph node clearance ) or radiation therapy to the lymph nodes (e.g radiation to the groin or pelvic lymph nodes)  Sometimes recurrent skin infections (cellulitis) can also damage the lymphatic drainage of the limbs.

  • Diagnosis requires obtaining a history of duration of limb swelling.
  • Exclusion of other cause of limb swelling such as associated vein disease, muscle and soft tissue infections and injury.
  • A lymphoscintigraphy (specialized scan) may be done to determine primary vs secondary lymphoedema as well as extent of disease.

The main aim of treatment is to reduce the limb swelling and allow return of function.  Lymphatic drainage massage as well as compression dressings help reduce swelling significantly, but both have to be done on a regular basis (usually 3 times a week) .  Newer therapies include surgery to connect the blocked lymph drainage channels to small veins (lymphovenous bypass) or lymph node transplants to the affected limb.

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Aurora Apple Platter

SKU: aurora-apple-platter

Beautiful stainless steel aurora apple platter by Mary Jurek. This modern design is a perfect High Holiday gift for any host. Price varies with size.

Price: $90.00
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  • Stainless Steel
  • 5 x 11.5
  • 7.5 x 14


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The US Senate Result Could Reverberate For Decades

By Michael Collins | More Articles by Michael Collins

The US Senate Result Could Reverberate For Decades If Under Democrat Control The Filibuster Goes

Mitch McConnell became senate majority leader in 2015 when Republicans regained control of the 100-strong chamber. Perhaps the most famous comment of this unflamboyant 78-year-old politician is when he warned Democrat senators seven years ago: “You’ll regret this. And you may regret it a lot sooner than you think.”

McConnell was speaking when the then-Democrat-controlled senate voted 52-48 to end the filibuster for most presidential executive and judicial nominations. The filibuster is a senate practice that effectively means that most measures need 60 votes to pass the chamber – this ‘super-majority’ is needed to end debate to allow a majority vote. But the senate can set a new precedent that only requires 51 votes to end the filibuster on certain measures. This was the loophole by which the Democrats in 2013 abolished the filibuster for most presidential nominations.

McConnell’s comment is remembered because the Republican-controlled senate exploited the filibuster’s removal when Donald Trump became president. Trump has appointed more than 200 conservative federal judges without needing to worry about Democrat opposition. Perhaps even more notable, Republicans in 2017 eradicated the filibuster for all judicial appointments to confirm Trump’s first of now two nominees for the supreme court.

Skip to 2020 and polls show the Democrats in November could capture both houses of congress and the presidency for Joe Biden. Any Democratic senate majority, however, would likely only be a narrow one – the polls say today’s Republican senate majority of 53-47 will be reversed. Thus, the only barrier to the Democratic party instilling its agenda would be the senate’s legislative filibuster (though bills tied to the ‘budget-reconciliation process’ can avoid the hurdle). A view is hardening among leading Democrats that the legislative filibuster must go.

Why would a Democrat-controlled senate under majority leader Chuck Schumer of New York state diminish the raison d’être of the senate? Democrats know Republicans will regain control of congress one day.

The answer is that Democrats are so determined to implement their agenda they are prepared to alter the political system to do so. Eradicating the legislative filibuster might only be the first move. The Democrats talk of making the District of Columbia and the territory of Puerto Rico states so all US citizens have the same voting rights. They talk of expanding the number of judges on the supreme court, which congress sets, to ensure like-minded judges are a majority. Such talk goads Republicans, especially that these two new states would likely produce at least three extra Democrat senators. Part of the reason the Democrats are prepared to take such controversial steps is that the Republicans have made many contentious moves in recent times.

A shift in how the US political system operates explains why these parties have become more uncompromising, even radicalised. From the early 1970s candidates have been selected from contested primaries, when people registered to a party vote to decide candidates, whereas before then party leaders worked alongside a patchy primary system to choose their preferred candidates. Under contested primaries, in safe senate races and safe (often gerrymandered) seats in the house of representatives – and that would be most of them – the biggest threat to an incumbent is someone more extremist within the same party launching a primary challenge. This has seen both parties shed their centrists for more militant candidates. One fact that many people think makes it more likely the Democrats will abolish the filibuster is that the move would help Schumer protect himself from a likely primary challenge for his senate spot from the house of reps phenomenon Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

That even talk of a primary threat is mixed up in fundamental change to how congress turns legislation into law highlights the damage contested primaries have done to the US political system. It’s hard to argue against more democracy so contested primaries will deliver more hardliners into congress and maintain donation flows towards candidates rather than the parties. The likely result is an ever-more-dysfunctional and polarised US political system. As inflammatory as the presidential election might be, watch to see if the senate flips to the Democrats. Such a result could usher in changes to the constitutional order that over the long term could destabilise the US political system.

To be sure, one party has to win congress and the presidency for the filibuster to go. While polls in mid-September showed the Democrats were positioned to achieve this feat, public voting intentions could shift. Many other concerns surround this election. Television from the 1960s and social media in recent years have helped elevate candidates over the parties, as did the corruption and cronyism of the era when the parties were under the control of bosses. What’s not to like about more public involvement in politics? Just that the change has delivered less compromise into a political system designed for compromise.

The consequences of a gridlocked congress bereft of centrists are unpredictable when the political polarisation of the US is causing people to lose faith in the country’s liberal democratic system. And if that goes, everybody will be sorry.

For the full version of this article and to view sources, go to:

Michael Collins

About Michael Collins

Michael Collins is an investment specialist at Magellan. Since 2000, Michael has worked as an investment specialist/commentator for money managers, AMP Capital, IOOF/Perennial, Barclays Global Investors (now BlackRock) and Fidelity International.

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Each Office Independently Owned and Operated
109 Portia Drive, Ancaster, ON  L9G 0E8

Detached Home for Sale

MLS# H4087105 Price: $1,149,000

A unique double storey single family residential property with income potential as it has a in-law suite with separate entrance, and zoned commercial for professional use. Currently being utilised as a 2 unit rental property generating $4600/month income with Parking for 8 vehicles. This beautiful home has been renovated from top to bottom with attention to detail throughout finishes include : Hickory ¾” engineered hardwood floors throughout, Valor gas fireplace with Murano glass insert, bathroom vanities from MUTI, black ALT shower fixtures, Sescolite light fixtures, custom weathered barn door and mantel from Loft Door Inc., sound-proof insulation in walls and floor joists, Vinylbilt windows and sliding door, Maibec wood siding with Fusion Stone trim and more The professionally finished basement with separate entrance offers ideal rental or in-law suite potential and features a large recreation room with electric fireplace with a custom Carrera marble surround from Ciot open to the full kitchen with quartz counters and LG stainless steel appliances, two additional bedrooms, laundry room and contemporary three piece bathroom. 178’ deep lot and professionally landscaped! Rare opportunity to find a beautiful income property and walking distance to all amenities and public transit!

What's your Walk Score? 44 Car-Dependent

What's your Transit Score? 47 Some Transit

Property Details: 580 Guelph Line (near woodward/guelph line )
Listing# 65542

Address 580 Guelph Line
City Burlington
Cross Streets woodward/guelph line
District Burlington (31)
Neighbourhood Central (312)
Listing Agent Sandy Smallbone

Sub Type Freehold Type Detached
Price $ 1,149,000 Lease Rate Per For Sale
Style 1 1/2 Storey Approx. Age 51-99 Years
Location Burlington Construction Wood
Heating Forced Air Square Footage 1375

Rooms 7 Bedrooms 4
Full Bathrooms 3 Half Bathrooms 0
Garage None

Room Details All dimensions are in square feet (sq ft).

Level Name Width Length Description
M Kitchen 9.8 16.7
M Living Room 11.9 17.6
M Bedroom 9.11 12.10
M Bathroom 3-Piece
2 Bedroom 10.10 13.10
2 Bathroom 3-Piece
LL Living Room 11.6 12.6
LL Bathroom 3-Piece
LL Bedroom 10.6 11.5
LL Bedroom 9.4 15.11
LL Laundry Room

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Notice! Information contained herein has been obtained from sources deemed reliable. While we have no reason to doubt its accuracy we regret that we cannot guarantee it. All information subject to change and/or withdrawal without notice.


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"Military Escort March - Percussion 1" Sheet Music by Harold Bennett

Scored For: Concert Band
Composers: Harold Bennett
Pages: 1
This product does NOT support transposition

This product is part of a folio of similar or related products. For more info: click here.

SKU: 452690
Publisher: Carl Fischer Music
Publisher ID: YPS136P


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World's Largest Sheet Music Selection

Poeme op. 39

from the Idyll At Twilight

By Zdenek Fibich

Violin and piano (Violin) - intermediate
From the Idyll At Twilight. Composed by Zdenek Fibich (1850-1900). Arranged by Wolfgang Birtel. This edition: Saddle stitching. Sheet music. Einzelausgaben (Single Sheets). Er stand und steht auch heute noch ein wenig im Schatten von Bedrich Smetana und Antonin Dvorak: der bohmische Komponist Zdenek Fibich (1850-1900). Zu Unrecht, denn mit seinem umfangreichen Oeuvre hat der allzu fruh verstorbene Musiker ebenfalls entscheid. Classical. Composed 1893. Op. 39. 8 pages. Schott Music #ED0 9810. Published by Schott Music (HL.49016793).

Item Number: HL.49016793

ISBN 9790001149280. 9x12 inches.

The reputation of the Bohemian composer Zdenek Fibich (1850-1900) has always been somewhat overshadowed by that of Bedrich Smetana and Antonin Dvorak. This is a pity, for Fibich, though he died young, made an equally important contribution to the emerging Czech national styl with his wide range of compositions. After starting piano lessons with his mother as his first teacher, the boy went on to music school in Prague and then to the Leipzig Conservatoire, where he learned his craft as a composer. He spent a few months teaching piano in Paris and then continued his studies with Vinzenz Lachner in Mannheim. Prague was eventually to become the centre for Fibich's musical activities: as his dream of a post at the Conservatoire remained unfulfilled, his main employment was giving private music lessons and as a composer Zdenek Fibich wrote works for many musical genres: vocal and chamber music, piano pieces and orchestral works, operas, stage music and melodramas, literary recitals with orchestral accompaniment to which he gave a new lease of life. There are biographical traces to be found in the 376 piano pieces of the collection 'Moods, Impressions and Reminiscences' Op. 41, written in 1892-98: this tells of his love for his pupil Anezka Schulzova in the form of a 'piano diary'. Its four volumes were frequently a source of material for other works, such as the symphonic poem 'In the Evening' Op. 39 (also known as 'A Summer's Evening' and 'At Twilight'), written in 1893. For his second subject in this 'Idyll' Fibich used the minature no. 139, entitled 'Lento', from his collection of piano pieces. The violinst Jan Kubelik played the melody from 1908 onwards with the title 'Poeme', and the work is still known today under this title: its easy charm has made it a favourite tune in the classical repertoire. This arrangement is based on the orchestral version from which other material was adapted for the Prelude.

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  • September 22, 2012 Poeme

    Beautiful piece of music.

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In Loving Memory
Violeta Jasso-Salgado
Island Dreams Fireside Basket
Same day delivery
Guaranteed Hand Delivery
A local florist will hand deliver your arrangement

Let Violeta's family know that you are thinking of them.

Stunningly unique and vibrant tropical flowers are gathered in a fireside basket as a wonderful offering for a visitation or service. This arrangement is the perfect compliment to the Tropical Summer casket spray or the Tropical Scents urn wreath.
© 2020 Shelton Funeral Home, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Funeral Home website by CFS & TA | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use


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MD 500 is produced by MD Helicopters in America. MD 500 Helicopter series have Rolls-Royce 250-C20B 420 hp engine and they are used as military or civilian helicopters. It is an aircraft that reaches the highest speed and functionality in its category. During its performance, the audience will be fascinated while watching its swift and speedy maneuvers.

MD 500

SHG İletişim Bilgileri / Contact Information

Sivrihisar Havacılık Merkezi Yeşilköy Mah. 26600 Sivrihisar / Eskişehir / TÜRKİYE

Telefon: +90 (222) 724 30 31 - 32

     Fax:  +90 (222) 724 30 33

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January 11, 2017
How to pack for a weekend getaway

We all know how great the feeling is when Friday rolls around! You work hard all week and deserve a weekend getaway. But with getting away comes the hassle of packing! You always want to make sure you have enough, but you don't want to deal with dragging around too much luggage. We're here to make the packing aspect of a weekend getaway a lot easier. Follow our tips below and you're sure to have a great time while still staying fabulously you!

1) Pack light!

Whether you are heading for a glamorous weekend in the city or a low-key affair at the beach, you don't want to over-pack. Baggage fees these days are expensive! The last thing you want is to start racking up expenses before you even get to your location. If you are opting for a road-trip instead of flying, the odds of having enough space for multiple suitcases are still slim-to-none. You also don't want to be that annoying friend that takes up all the space with you stuff! Long car rides can easily get cramped,

2) Always check the weather

It is imperative to always check the weather of your location before you get there. You don't want to think you are heading for a beautiful weekend in Miami, only to arrive and find out there is a cool-front coming through with 90% chance of rain and all you brought is bikinis! We aren't saying cancel your trip by any means if this is the case, just be sure to pack appropriately!

3) Make sure your shoes make sense

There is absolutely no point in bringing your favorite 5 inch pair of stilettos to a weekend skiing in Aspen. The perfect shoe for a weekend in the snow would be our our Sammie boots pictured above! So icy, so chic! They are super comfortable and easy to wear, and you still will make a fashion statement.

4) Roll your clothes, don't fold!

According to USA Today, "Tightly rolling clothes into compact pieces allows for much tighter packing that fits more items into the suitcase". They also go on to state that it is likely to cut down on creases! More room for stuff and less wrinkles?! Sign us up for the rolling method! We also prefer the rolling method because it is easier to keep things organized. You can roll each outfit into their own section. For example, you can roll your dress, jacket, and accessories all into a section which will make getting ready a piece of cake!

5) Pick your luggage wisely

(image via TheBlondeSalad

It is important to pick your luggage incredibly wisely! You do not want to pick a bag that is super small becaues you will be cramming your items in and it will probably break! Pick something large enough to hold all of your items comfortably. We are obsessed with this Samsonite X Chiara Ferragni bag pictured above! Our favorite luggage is always hard shell because your items are far more likely to be protected. The super cute design on the outside doesn't hurt either!

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Butlers White Chocolate Bar with Mixed Berries - 100g

In stock

A wonderfully tangy and fruity white chocolate bar.

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35g Mixed Berry Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, mixed berry pieces 4% (maize starch, strawberry, sucrose, raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, lingonberry), freeze dried raspberries (0.5%), emulsifier: soya lecithin, natural flavourings. (White chocolate contains: 26% cocoa solids minimum, 20% milk solids minimum). Please store in a cool, dry and odourless place.

This product may contain nut traces.

Typical values per 100g Energy 2254kj/539kcal Fat 32g

of which saturates 19g

Carbohydrates 57g

of which sugars 54g

Protein 6.4g

Salt 0.1g


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Whether you're catching up on your workload, doing homework or playing online poker, this sleek computer desk is ready to meet your needs. The streamlined design make it perfect for smaller spaces like an apartment, dorm or home office and the wheels make it easy to move out of the way when company comes over. It features a lower and upper shelf so you can keep files, books and print-outs together at your workstation.

Computer Desk Details

  • Material: Steel and wood
  • Dimensions: 23-1/2" x 17-1/2" x 29-1/2"
  • Unit Weight: 12.3 lbs
  • Care: Wipe clean with a damp cloth
  • Assembly: Low
  • Country of Origin: China


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Silver Ring Set  6pcs

Product Code: RI033

৳ 150

Selver Ring Set  6pcs  Vintage Black Opal Stone Ring Set for Women Antique  Midi Rings Jewelry Accessories

5 in stock

Order By a Call
  • 01879-495557
  • 01799-880282
  • Delivery Charge:Inside Dhaka 50 Taka, Outside Dhaka 100 Taka
  • Return and Refund Policy: Returns accepted if you don't like the product or if the product is not as described .Full Refund if you don't receive your order and any Damage.


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Things To Do

Special Events

Siesta Key

Sunday Night Drum Circle
Every Sunday evening musicians and dancers are joined by the public in a weekly celebration of rhythm and dance. The drum circle is located at the south end of Siesta Public Beach and usually starts around dusk.

Cocktails at the Ca d'Zan
6 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month at The John Ringling Museum.
Tickets $5. Call (941)359-5700.

LeBarge Tropical Cruises
US 41 and Marina Jack's

Downtown Saturday Farmer's Market
This year-round, Saturday morning market is a potpourri of fresh produce, food, flowers and plants, fine artisanship, friends and fun. It has become a community happening – a gathering place for people to bring families, friends, and even dogs to peruse the displays of garden-fresh produce and unique craft products. The market is held every Saturday from 7am until noon and is located on Lemon Avenue, from First Street through to Pineapple Avenue. Customers can park at the State Street Parking Lot or on the 2nd and 3rd levels of the Whole Foods parking garage, and in a number of other spots close by.

 Driving Distances from Sarasota:

City Miles
St. Petersburg 42
Tampa 54
Orlando 132
Miami 216
Key West 345
Daytona Beach 186
Ft. Lauderdale 203
Fort Myers 71
Jacksonville 240
Ocala 145
Panama City 378
Pensacola 479
St. Augustine 227
Tallahassee 285
West Palm Beach 188
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Silent Wave Horse Rescue

Giving A Voice To The Voiceless
We are a 501(c)3) Non-Profit Organization
EIN: 47-3448522

Silent Wave Horse Rescue was started in 2014 as a medium for supporting the efforts of a 6 year old girl whose name in Chinese means Silent Wave. Jin Bo first emptied her piggy bank of its $16 contents to contribute to the purchase and rescue of a horse from the feedlot and since has dedicated herself to saving horses from feedlots and slaughter. Silent Wave Horse Rescue has grown into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which cares for a number of horses who were abused, neglected, or otherwise failed by humans, and those who are at risk, including: aged or medically fragile horses who cannot be rehabilitated and are a part of our sanctuary; healthy, fit younger horses who are in training to reverse or overcome past abuse or traumas; and very young horses rounded up from reservations or otherwise left orphaned or abandoned.

We train our horses so that they may be considered safe and well-behaved, thus having a better chance at re-homing to loving permanent homes.

We practise in-house rehabilitation of horses rescued from auction or owner surrenders, or legal seize. We utilize only the gentlest practices of natural horsemanship and patience to allow equines the time to recover both physiologically and emotionally. These equines come to us deeply traumatized from separation from their owners or herds, or suffering stress and trauma of auctions, feedlots, mass transport, and often starvation or abuse. Many of our horses have been failed by humans multiple times.

We take pride and joy in the process of rehabilitating and training our horses so that they may have long and productive lives. We strive to ensure that every horse is matched to the right owner in the adoption process.

If a horse, donkey, or mule is unable to be rehabilitated, is aged, or is medically fragile, we consider that animal as part of our sanctuary and we are committed to its care for the duration of its natural life.

We believe every equine deserves a permanent and loving forever home.

Please see our gallery for before and after photos of our horses, as well as those who are ready to start their new lives in the loving hands of a new home! If you are interested in adopting from us, please contact us.


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"Sagar Saarthi"

The world is moving very fast and the expectations to find a satisfied employment requires a plan of action to be put in place as soon as possible, this calls for the career planning. Career planning generally involves getting to know who we are, what we want to be, and how to get there. With this vision The two-days Career Guidance Workshop "Sagar Saarthi" concluded at SISTec, to have a direct dialogue between the "aspirants" and "achievers" in various fields of career. Thus, six sessions of ‘Sagar Saarthi’ included sharing of the 'success stories' by the 9 Achievers of CAT / GATE / PSU / Private Sector coming from Pan-India, and their one-to-one interaction with around 1500 budding engineers coming from different colleges of Bhopal.


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What is vertebroplasty?

Vertebroplasty is a treatment for relieving pain due to vertebral compression fractures. Until recently there has been no active intervention for vertebral fractures. In the past conventional treatment were typically weeks to months of bed rest, analgesia, and sometimes bracing. There is now a minimally invasive non-surgical alternative.

Vertebroplasty is a simple procedure. A radiologist inserts a needle through the skin into the vertebra, guided by X-ray machine. Bone cement is then injected to form an internal splint. The cement reinforces the vertebral body and stabilizes the fracture and thus achieving pain relief.

Vertebroplasty significantly shortens recovery time and hasten rehabilitation care.

Why vertebroplasty?

Traditional treatment of vertebral fractures has been bed rest, analgesics orally or by injection, muscle relaxants, external back-bracing, and physiotherapy. Patient may fail to respond to conservative therapy and suffer from prolonged pain and immobility, which can persist for weeks to months.

Prolonged bed rest predisposes to bedsores, pneumonia, clots in the legs and lungs. The pain from vertebral fracture is usually worse when patient try to move and walk.

Prolonged immobility leads to further bone mineral loss, weakens your bone and increases your risk of further fractures. Other complications of vertebral compression fractures include loss of height and kyphosis(bending of spine); respiratory or gastrointestinal disturbances; and emotional and social problems secondary to unremitting pain and loss of independence. Patient may develop adverse effects from high dose analgesia, such as confusion, constipation, respiratory suppression and drug dependency.

It may take only a few days to identify patients who are unresponsive to conservative therapy and have failed to mobilize. These patients are candidates for vertebroplasty.

How is the procedure performed?

You will be briefed about the procedure before you give your consent. You will be given an IV sedation and pain relief. The procedure is performed under local anaesthetics in the angiography suite of radiology department. High quality X-ray equipment is essential for accurate placement of the needle and real-time monitoring of the cement injection. You will need to lie on you tummy facing down on the X-ray table. We will then plan the procedure with the X-ray machine. You will then be prepared with antiseptic solution over the needle entry site. One or two bone biopsy needles will be inserted. The bone cement will be prepared and injected slowly under X-ray monitoring. As early as 30 minutes after injection, if you are conscious and alert, you may sit up or even take a test walk.

How effective is vertebroplasty?

Comparison study has demonstrated that the procedure is highly effective in pain control. The effect is almost immediate. In the treated group at 24 hours, about one quarter of patients was able to cease analgesia completely and 73% patients were able to cut the analgesia by more than 50%. There was also 50% reduction in pain score and 30% improvement in physical function. This translates to earlier mobilization and return of normal activities, avoiding complications such as DVTs and pneumonia. The mean hospital stay can be reduced by 43%, according to a clinical outcome study.

What are the diagnostic work-ups required?

Patient selection is a key factor in the efficacy of this treatment. The treatment is most effective in relieving pain from acute fracture. Some patients have multiple fractures, it is important to know which particular fracture is causing pain. There should be a strong correlation between clinical signs and symptoms, and cross-sectional imaging findings.

MRI is most useful in showing which fracture is recent. When MRI is contraindicated, radionuclide bone scan can be used. However, bone scan can stay hot for months to years after fracture and therefore may not be able to distinguish acute from chronic fractures. CT scan maybe required for procedural planning.

What are the preparations needed?

You should not have solid food for 6 hours before the procedure. Clear fluid and medications can be taken until the time of procedure. If you are on blood thinning medications(such as Wafarin, heparin, claxane, plavix; aspirin is fine), you should ask your usual doctors if the they can be safely stopped or dose reduced.

Are there any risks?

The risk of the procedure is very low. Cement leakage into the spinal canal may occur but symptomatic permanent neurological deficit is less than 1%. Other complications such as injury of rib or transverse process, cement leakage to lungs and allergic reaction to cement are all report to be less than 1%.

What are the aftercares?

If you are conscious and alert, you can sit up 30 min after injection. You may wish to try a test-walk with assistance and under supervision.

You may then return to your ward if you were in-patient. If you were out-patient or patient from another hospital you may be discharged to your carer from us 2 hours after the procedure to allow you recover from the sedation. You should not drive or operate machinery for 24 hours.

Is vertebroplasty funded by Medicare and Private Health Funds?

Unfortunately this procedure is currently not funded by Medicare nor Private Health Fund. Please check with us regarding the doctor’s fee and hospital charges.

How do I organize this treatment?

You need to be referred by your doctor who we can discuss your case with. We need to see your X-rays and MRI. If we and your doctor thought the procedure will be of benefit to you, we can book you in for the procedure. You will have opportunity to ask further questions before the procedure. If you are from home or another hospital, you will be admitted as a radiology day patient. You can be discharged two hour after the procedure, or else your doctor might want you to stay for physiotherapy, occupational therapy or your other medical conditions.

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Essential Business. Vendor FINANCE

$85K + SAV

Retail - Food

Sub Category

Fruit and Veggie Shop

Vendor finance available! PRICE REDUCED.

Get into a successful business with a small deposit! FMCG Business (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods ). An unbelievable opportunity!

We have all concluded the importance of having essential businesses. Here is your opportunity right in front of you!

Even employment does not provide a secure income. Secure your future and never work for anyone again.

This is a superb opportunity to take on a high turnover local business in an area teeming with customers. This business has been operating at the same location since 2008.

This lovely business is now being sold only due to the owner’s wish to move overseas. The vendor is keen to see her green organic grocery business pass to an ambitious and entrepreneurial new owner who can take it to the next level. Opportunities are limitless in this store.

This great shop is well stocked and offers an impressive range of fruit and vegetables along with Asian style prepacked food (noodle, dried vegetables, etc.) items. There are two chilling rooms plus there is a big office space plus another unused space which could be used as a butcher shop, or vegan alternatives could be implemented to the business.

-Reasons to Buy-

+ Vendor finance is available! Fantastic opportunity
+ A well-established business with an excellent reputation and many regular customers.
+ Prime trading position in the busy and vibrant concord indoor market
+ Two full-time two-part time staff allow the owner to have flexibility.
+ Little or no competition locally.
+ Ideal owner managed or partnership business.
+ The current owner is happy to offer a handover to ensure the continued success
+ All fixtures and fittings included making this a real ‘Turnkey’ business opportunity
+ Very long lease until 2037

LINK Business advises early viewing to avoid disappointment.

Broker Details: Serdar Kabul - M. +64 21 188 6144

Note: Some details of this opportunity are confidential and may be disclosed on completion of a Confidentiality Agreement by contacting the business broker. Also for reasons of confidentiality, stock images may be used to indicatively represent the business.

Serdar Kabul

Business Broker

Contact Serdar

Business Broker at

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401 Great South Road
Ellerslie, Auckland, 1051

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Let's see how much attention you paid in class! START

That, Which or Who: Relative Clauses p.4

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Malaga Holidays

The birthplace of Pablo Picasso is a laid-back Spanish port city in the region of Andalucia . There is a major museum dedicated to the city’s favorite son, the Museo Picasso Málaga , showcasing his paintings and drawing visitors who stay to enjoy the dynamic, open-till-all-hours nightlife, tranquil beaches, and …

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How to get to Malaga

Here's what you need to know about getting to Malaga. You can see the cheapest month to fly and a snapshot of flight prices for the following month. Also, don't forget to factor in your travelling time - the typical flight from London Heathrow to Malaga takes 2 hours, 45 minutes.

When to go to Malaga

Typical Holiday Price

£515 per person

The average price of hotels and apartments in Malaga varies according to the time of year. To help you plan when to go, we've looked at the hotels available on our site, then worked out the average price per night for the quietest and the busiest months.

Cheapest Month to Visit

Based on a typical 1 week holiday - adding together the cost of flights and accommodation - November is the cheapest month to go to Malaga.

Things to see and do in Malaga

Terry Wha | FlickrTivoli World
Tivoli World
Michael C | Trip by SkyscannerMuseo Picasso Málaga
Museo Picasso Málaga
montuno | FlickrTeleférico Benalmádena
Teleférico Benalmádena
nachof | FlickrLa Alcazaba
La Alcazaba
Nick Kenrick. | FlickrMijas Pueblo
Mijas Pueblo
Gotardo | FlickrPuerto de Málaga
Puerto de Málaga
Andy_Mitchell_UK | FlickrMariposario de Benalmadena
Mariposario de Benalmadena
MedPlaya Hotels | Trip by SkyscannerSelwo Marina
Selwo Marina
MedPlaya Hotels | Trip by SkyscannerEl Chorro Gorge
El Chorro Gorge
angeldp | FlickrPlaza Mayor
Plaza Mayor

Reviews of Malaga

Georgia  Buck
Georgia Buck

very easy to get to all sights, beautiful beaches and a perfect mix of old and new

Andy Wallace
Andy Wallace

Beautiful City, great people, amazing history, the beach, the city! It’s got everything!

Catriona  Murphy
Catriona Murphy

Wonderful girls trip away, we stayed Barceló Malaga with its roof top pool and easy access from the train station. Recommend the Turkish baths in the old town - superb. Food was top notch. Looking forward to returning some day.

Catherine  Dixon
Catherine Dixon

Great place in Spain to spend a few days exploring matters Picasso, Antonio Banderas and tapas. Malaga really is the gateway to the Costa del Sol. Go to all the historic places in the guide book, find the out of the way tapas bars and Plaza Antonio Banderas. Picasso Museum is brilliant. Not much to the birthplace. Some late night places and an Irish bar.

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Abstract— Extensive cost, time and effort associated with
setting up a production line often inhibits transitioning novel
best suited for meso scale system integration. The concept,
however, is scalable to higher or lower scales.
The paper has ...
A. Manipulation modules
The prototype system consists of linear manipulation
modules of three different ranges of motion i...
E. Unique features
The following features are unique in the presented modular
and reconfigurable manufacturing cell:
1. Fu...
θ  joint angle in case of revolute joints and displacement
in case of prismatic joints;
ξ  twist vector representi...
vi. After the calibration, the automation program is either
retrieved from an on-board memory card of the master
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Quasi-Static Evaluation of a Modular and Reconfigurable Manufacturing Cell

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Quasi-Static Evaluation of a Modular and Reconfigurable Manufacturing Cell

  1. 1. Abstract— Extensive cost, time and effort associated with setting up a production line often inhibits transitioning novel ideas into commercialized products. Sustainable revenue generation in such enterprises requires production in large quantities in order to lower the unit cost, and thus improving the marketability. Although this model has been successful and is being followed by most of the industries today, it also limits the scope for new, non-conventional products; especially in the early stages of development where manufacturing risks are higher. One way of reducing this risk can be through improving the reusability of the manufacturing hardware, thus allowing quick and inexpensive transition among different iterations and even different products with the same set of hardware. In this paper, we present such a novel and revolutionary solution for flexible manufacturing. Consisting of a unique set of hardware and software innovations, our proposed system offers a viable way to low volume manufacturing and low risk prototyping of novel product ideas. Called as the “Modular and Reconfigurable Manufacturing Cell (MRMC)”, this proposed system enables quick and easy setting up of a fully automated robotic manipulation and assembly platform, optimized for specific products. The system relies on a novel and proprietary multifunctional interconnect design, built-in to various hardware modules of the system, and a distributed intelligence based self-locating software architecture to achieve almost any possible assembler configuration that is suitable for a specific set of tasks. Necessary and sufficient precision level is maintained via a novel precision optimized hybrid controller and path planner throughout the automation. Competitive specifications in terms of travel range, resolution, accuracy, repeatability, force output, size, weight, power ratings etc., as compared to standard commercial manipulators, has been experimentally verified for the proposed Modular and Reconfigurable Manufacturing Cell (MRMC). I. INTRODUCTION Today’s industries heavily depend on automation, mass production and reliable output for the commercial success of their products. These factors, however, do not come cheap as they require highly sophisticated equipment in order to maintain the desired yield, throughput and reliability. Generally, almost all of such equipment are dedicated systems for specific tasks; extremely expensive; and require advanced skills to operate them. Veering from conventional and already well-established technologies with such an This research is supported by US Office of Naval Research (ONR). Aditya N. Das, PhD (corresponding author) is a senior research scientist at the University of Texas at Arlington Research Institute (UTARI), Fort Worth, TX 76118, USA. (Phone: +1-817-272-5970; Fax: +1-817-272- 5946; E-mail: Dr. Das is also a special member to the graduate faculty at the University of Texas at Arlington. Stephen Savoie is with University of Texas at Arlington Research Institute (UTARI), Fort Worth, TX, USA. infrastructure is a highly risky endeavor that few are prepared to take upon. One example can be the almost non-existing assembly and packaging infrastructure for 3D and heterogeneous micro/nano systems. Although 3D heterogeneous micro/nano systems promise huge potential, revolutionizing miniaturization technology and availing many novel classes of products with advanced functionalities, there are no standard off-the-shelf equipment to construct them and, therefore, new micro/nano system developments are prohibitively slow and expensive. Another example is the area of low to medium volume productions. In such cases, where only a few tens to a few thousands of units are needed on-demand as opposed to millions of units, it is not commercially viable to establish dedicated manufacturing facilities. Military products and parts, high tech medical research components, novel technology R&D facilities etc. are some of the examples of areas requiring low to medium volume production capability. In the above described example cases, and many more similar scenarios, flexible manufacturing is the only compelling solution that can offer the pathway to rapid, cost- effective productization. This flexibility is generally considered to fall into two categories: machine flexibility and routing flexibility. The first category, machine flexibility, refers to the system's ability to be changed to produce new product types, and ability to change the order of operations executed on a part. The second category, routing flexibility, offers the ability to use multiple machines to perform the same operation on a part, as well as the system's ability to absorb large-scale changes, such as in volume, capacity, or capability. Among the major advantages of flexible manufacturing system the following are noteworthy: reduced manufacturing times; lower cost per unit; greater labor productivity; greater machine efficiency; reduced parts inventories; adaptability to operations; and shorter lead times [1, 2]. Flexible manufacturing systems are, however, significantly difficult to achieve due to the cost to implement and also the requirement of substantial pre-planning. These are also the reasons for their slow acceptance by industry. In this paper, we present a flexible manufacturing system that is low cost and implements an automated pre-planning approach. The proposed modular and reconfigurable manufacturing cell (MRMC) primarily offers machine flexibility, as described above. The modules of the proposed MRMC can be configured and reconfigured for various pick and place, bonding and probing applications, as needed during typical assembly and packaging operations. In this paper we will be discussing a prototype of the MRMC that is Quasi-static Evaluation of a Modular and Reconfigurable Manufacturing Cell Aditya N. Das, Member, IEEE, Stephen Savoie 2013 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) Karlsruhe, Germany, May 6-10, 2013 978-1-4673-5643-5/13/$31.00 ©2013 IEEE 258
  2. 2. best suited for meso scale system integration. The concept, however, is scalable to higher or lower scales. The paper has been organized as follows: in section II we present the background work leading to the development of MRMC. Section III presents the technical details for the MRMC prototype. In section IV, the analytical evaluation of the MRMC prototype has been presented. Section V presents the experimental results. Finally, section VI concludes the paper with notes on future direction. II. BACKGROUND The fundamental principles of the proposed modular and reconfigurable manufacturing cell (MRMC) have been built upon the findings and requirements from our previous research in heterogeneous microsystems development via automated 3D microassembly. In past, we have demonstrated that complex microsystems [3, 4, 5], consisting of heterogeneous 3D parts, can be built reliably with high yield and throughput via a combination of custom manipulation hardware [6] and custom automation software that implements special motion planning [7] and control [8] algorithms. We also demonstrated that necessary and sufficient precision in custom configured manipulation hardware can not only be controlled in real-time via the high speed hybrid controller but also can be predicted, and thereby compensated for beforehand during the automation execution, through a unique kinematic analysis [9] that quantitatively predicts the uncertainty in end-effector position due to individual motion errors in the manipulation hardware and their location in the overall kinematic chain. Built upon these know-hows, we have also presented one-of-its-kind pre-planning software [10] and assembly- process simulation software [11], which aid optimization of manufacturing processes that use custom equipment for system integration. These software help optimizing three general manufacturing metrics, i.e. production yield, overall cost, cycle time, and one product specific metric i.e. device performance. Conceptually, manufacturability ‘M’, involving assembly and packaging via custom hardware, is a function of product complexity ‘Ω’, assembler reconfigurability ‘Λ’ and the production volume ‘v’. Mathematically: M = f (Ω, Λ, v) (1) The expression in equation (1) represents the governing dynamics of a flexible manufacturing system. The complexity index ‘Ω’ is a binary value that primarily suggests if a specific task can be automated using a simple open loop control (Ω = 0) or it requires complex closed loop control with active feedback based manipulation (Ω = 1). The derivation is based on a statistical model which suggests that if the combined uncertainty of locating a part, grasping it with an end-effector, manipulating it to the destination is lower than the designed tolerance in the mating mechanism at the destination then there is a high probability (> 99%) of successful assembly and thus the operation can be executed via open loop control. On the other hand, the reconfigurability index ‘Λ’ is a value in between 0 and 10, with 10 representing the highest reconfigurability, which suggests if a robotic manipulation system is easy to reconfigure or not, as a function of the percentages of cost and time associated with the reconfiguration. For absolutely fixed equipment, such as single function tools and certain off-the-shelf hardware, the associate cost and time for reconfiguration is assumed to be infinity and thus the reconfigurability index for such a system is taken as zero. The production volume ‘v’ is incorporated in the form of a histogram data where the number of bins and bin size are determined based on the product type. Finally the manufacturability index ‘M’ is estimated as a value in between 0 and 10, with 10 representing the highest manufacturability. Development of the proposed modular and reconfigurable manufacturing cell (MRMC) is motivated by the need for a truly flexible robotic hardware system that can serve as an application platform and experimental test-bed for the above mentioned innovations. III. SYSTEM DESCRIPTION The modular and reconfigurable manufacturing cell (MRMC) prototype consists of several linear and rotational manipulation modules, different connecting fixtures, and multiple end-effectors. Figure 1 shows the 3D renderings of two of the many possible configurations of the MRMC prototypes. Figure 1. 3D renderings of different configuration for the manipulation modules of the modular and reconfigurable manufacturing cell (MRMC) 259
  3. 3. A. Manipulation modules The prototype system consists of linear manipulation modules of three different ranges of motion i.e. 30mm, 50mm and 70mm. The rotation module is capable of full 360o rotation. Among the different modular fixtures there are quick-build base plates, sample holders, and 90o angle brackets. Two different types of modular end-effectors, an electromagnetic gripper and a dispenser, have been designed and developed to achieve typical pick & place and bonding operations. Figure 2 shows the actual hardware test-bed at our laboratory. Figure 2. MRMC prototype at the UTARI facility These manipulation units use a 2.4Watt stepper motor with a lead screw that moves the stage. Standard 1/4th inch graphite code bearings house the two stainless steel shafts that guide the motion of the stage. The aluminum body of the manipulation stage has been CNC machined. Apart from these components, each manipulation module also consists of a novel and proprietary multifunctional interconnect that allows mechanical as well as electrical connectivity between modules, fixtures and end-effectors. This interconnect component consists of an orientation independent magnetic locking mechanism, which allows mounting of the manipulation modules in any of the four orthogonal orientations i.e. at 0o , 90o , 180o or 270o . Furthermore, the multifunctional interconnect component also includes a microcontroller circuitry to provide local processing capability. The end-effectors and other fixture also incorporate of the multifunctional interconnect in their design for seamless and rapid integration with the manipulation system. Several end-effectors also are a part of the MRMC. Among them there is an electromagnetic gripper, which uses an electromagnet and a permanent magnet. A balanced force based actuation principle allows smooth, bi-directional operation of the gripper. Among other types of end-effectors, the MRMC also has a quick-change dispensing head. B. Motion controller A custom designed motion control PCB interfaces the manipulation modules with motor drives, peripherals such as a touch screen panel and a vacuum generator, and the computer. As opposed to the 1:1 mapping between motor drives and manipulation units in case of commercial systems, this controller enables 1:8 mapping of motor drive and manipulator. Through a multiplexed signaling architecture, the MRMC controller enables a single motor drive to run up to 8 manipulators. Figure 3 shows a picture of the controller along with a few snapshots of the touch screen interface. (a) (b) (c) Figure 3. (a) MRMC controller box and (b, c) touch panel snapshots C. Communication protocols The MRMC uses four types of communication protocols to interface various modules of the system. The touch panel has been interfaced with the main controller via a full-duplex serial communication. Different manipulation modules are connected to each other and to the main controller over an I2 C bus. USB connectivity has been established in between the main controller and computer. Lastly a few time-critical communication channels have been hard-wired. D. Other peripheral units Different peripheral units such as a microscope, a vacuum pump, a data acquisition module etc. have also been integrated with the MRMC. These peripheral modules are used in different types of operations executing the custom automation plans. 260
  4. 4. E. Unique features The following features are unique in the presented modular and reconfigurable manufacturing cell: 1. Fully automated robotic prototyping system 2. Intelligent robotic modules with distributed intelligence a. Modules can automatically identify their position and orientation in the system b. Multiple modules can be operated via single controller via bi-directional communication channel c. Entire system can be programmed & controlled by a master controller without the need for a computer 3. Extremely portable architecture a. No nuts and bolts needed b. No complicated wiring needed c. Low form factor controller unit 4. Commercialization friendly, as compared to conventional manipulation modules in market a. Lower cost b. Competitive precision output c. Improved force output 5. Revolutionary design enabled extreme flexibility for rapid product transition IV. ANALYTICAL EVALUATION One of the major challenges in flexible manufacturing architecture, where system components are frequently reorganized to accommodate changes in tasks, is to guarantee necessary and sufficient precision metrics such as resolution, repeatability and accuracy. In our past work [12], we had investigated the effect of parametric uncertainties in a serial robot chain composed of prismatic or rotary modules on the overall positioning uncertainty at the end-effector. Two types of errors were considered: static errors due to misalignment and link parameter uncertainties, and dynamic errors due to inaccurate motion of individual links. Using common uncertainty metrics, we had compared the precision of different robot kinematic chain configurations and had selected the best suited ones for a generic peg-in-hole assembly task. A. Problem statement Using the above technique, in this work, we analyzed the MRMC, as shown in figure 1. A simple two-step pick-and- place task was chosen as the case study. The task has been depicted in figure 4. Figure 4. Assembly task for evaluating the MRMC B. Machine setup For the analysis purpose, we tested two different configuration of the modular and reconfigurable manufacturing cell (MRMC) to accomplish the task as shown in Figure 4. Both configurations are shown in Figure 5. The first configuration is a RPP robot with ψ-y-z degrees of freedom, whereas the second configuration is a PPP robot with x-y-z degrees of freedom. (R: revolute, P: prismatic) (a) (b) Figure 5. MRMC configurations for executing the pick and place task Robot configuration 1 assembles the product by moving individual parts from one station to another, as shown in Figure 5(a), with the rotation stage acting as a turret to position the end-effector over the three stations. On the other hand, robot configuration 2 (Figure 5(b)) assembles the product on a single platform by positioning the end effector in 3D space. In both cases, for the sake of simplicity, it is assumed that the parts are fixture in the sample holder(s) in such a way that there is no misalignment along the rotation axes, as shown in Figure 4. Kinematic details for the two robot configurations are given in Tables I and II. TABLE I. KINEMATIC SETUP OF ROBOT CONFIGURATION 1 Degree of Freedom (DoF) Order from the root of the chain DoF type DoF range of motion Accuracy ψ 1 Revolute 360o 7.5o y 2 Prismatic 50mm 8µm z 3 Prismatic 30mm 5µm TABLE II. KINEMATIC SETUP OF ROBOT CONFIGURATION 2 Degree of Freedom (DoF) Order from the root of the chain DoF type DoF range of motion Accuracy x 2 Prismatic 50mm 8µm y 1 Prismatic 70mm 12µm z 3 Prismatic 30mm 5µm As mentioned in the above Tables, different manipulation modules have different precision values. Furthermore, the position of these modules in the serial robot kinematic chain also impacts the error at the tip of the end-effector. C. Analytical model Assembly feasibility estimation was computed using the following analytical model (see [9] for detailed derivation). ( ) ( )[ ] ( )[ ]00 1 0 TeeT N n i iiN iiii         ⋅+≅ ∏= δθξθξ θξδθ   , (2) Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Tolerance: σ12 = 15µm Tolerance: σ23 = 40µm x y z θ φ ψ 261
  5. 5. where θ  joint angle in case of revolute joints and displacement in case of prismatic joints; ξ  twist vector representing the instantaneous motion of a link; T  transformation matrix In equation (2), the additive term is the “static error” or error due to link misalignment, whereas the multiplicative term is the “dynamic error” or error due to joint motion. We used our proprietary iterative analysis software called “Design for Multiscale Manufacturability (DfM2 )”, as mentioned in [10], in order to build a statistical model of the common manufacturing metrics, such as production yield, cycle time and overall cost, for the two assembler configurations shown in Figure 5. A snapshot of the DfM2 software running the robot analysis, using the equation (2), is shown in figure 6. Figure 6. Assembly task for evaluating the MRMC D. Results After 1000 iterations in the analyzer, the statistical data for the two robot configurations suggest the following manufacturing metrics as shown in table III. TABLE III. MANUFACTURING METRICS OBTAINED FROM COMPUTATIONS VIA THE ANALYTICAL MODEL Robot configuration No. of iterations Overall Yield b Cost (% of optimum) a Time (% of optimum) a 1 (Figure 5(a)) 1000 83% 50% 77% 2 (Figure 5(b)) 1000 92% 48% 80% a. optimum desired cost: $3,600; optimum desired time taken in assembly: 4 minutes b. using the design tolerance values as mentioned in the Figure 4 for the parts As evident from the data in Table III, robot configuration 2 offers better yield and cost efficiency at a marginal increase in cycle time. Therefore, although both configurations are capable of executing the specified task, robot configuration 2 is more suited for it. Furthermore, as the tolerance levels for the assembly task changes it also affects the manufacturing metrics. This is shown in table IV. TABLE IV. PERFORMANCE WITH VARING ASSEMBLY TOLERANCE Tolerance Configuration 1 yield Configuration 2 yield σ12:15µm, σ23:40µm 83% 92% σ12:10µm, σ23:30µm 54% 88% σ12:5µm, σ23:20µm 7% 76% It is observed from the Table IV that configuration 2 is a better option as the tolerance for the assembly gets tighter. V. EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION A. MRMC hardware specifications In order to validate the analytical results, as mentioned in the previous section, we use the prototype modules for the modular and reconfigurable manufacturing cell (MRMC), as shown in Figure 2 and also in the video attachment. The prototype module specifications are given in Table V. TABLE V. MRMC PROTOTYPE MODULE SPECIFICATIONS Parameter Value Unit Resolution 4 to 15 µm Range of motion (linear module) 30 to 70 mm Range of motion (rotation module) 360 degrees Maximum thrust 10 lb Maximum speed 3 mm/sec Pull force limit of interconnects 20 lb Motor type Stepper - Motor power rating 5/0.25 Volt/Ampere System power rating 24/0.9 Volt/Ampere Typical configuration time < 2 minutes Typical calibration/ program time < 5 minutes Manipulation module cost ~ 300 $ Controller system cost ~ 500 $ Manipulators per controller 8 - Size (length x width x height) (90-185)x90x35 mm3 Weight 420 to 780 grams Individual cabling to manipulator Not required - Communication frequency 10 KHz Computation frequency 20 MHz Stand-alone interface Touch panel - PC connectivity USB - Configuration identification Automatic - Assembly automation mode Programmable - B. Experimentation steps The experimentation conducted to validate the analysis consists of the following steps: i. The parts are pre-fixtured on the sample holder prior to the assembly. ii. The experimentation begins with a blank base plate mounted to the optical table; this base plate will eventually hold the robot. iii. The system with the master controller is powered on. iv. The manipulation system is configured by placing the robotic modules in a serial order, starting with placing the first one on the base plate and consequent ones on to the previous ones. During this step, the master controller automatically identifies the module’s position and orientation with respect to a global coordinate frame. v. Once the desired robot configuration is achieved, a calibration command is sent from the controller by pressing a button, which initiates a multi-point calibration technique by each of the robotic modules under the field of view (FoV) of a fixed camera. It is assumed, and also experimentally verified that, during configuration of the manipulation system, the locking error in each robotic module is well within the size of the FoV and thus these errors are observable. 262
  6. 6. vi. After the calibration, the automation program is either retrieved from an on-board memory card of the master controller unit or coded by using the appropriate console buttons. vii. Finally, the program is executed by pressing the RUN button which moves the calibrated robotic modules to carry out the assembly task. During this step, the master controller implements a precision optimized path planning and control algorithm for the automation. viii. Success percentage of the assembly is the ratio of the number of parts assembled vs. total number parts in the device. ix. After assembly is completed, the manipulation modules are dismantled and main power is turned off. x. For each repetitions in the experiment, we go back to step ii and repeat the steps up to step ix. xi. Finally, after the desired number of iterations, the compiled data on manufacturing performances is statistically analyzed. C. Experimentation results Table VI shows the data from the experimentations conducted on the modular and reconfigurable manufacturing cell (MRMC) according to steps mentioned above. TABLE VI. MANUFACTURING METRICS OBTAINED EXPERIMENTALLY USING ROBOT CONFIURATION 2 (FIGURE 5-B) FOR 10 ITERATIONS Parameter Value Deviation from analytical model Overall yield 90% - 2% Average time/assembly 3 min. 36 sec. + 6% Total manufacturing cost $1,850 + 3.3% As seen in Table VI, the experimental finding for assembly using the proposed MRMC is close to the analytical predictions. The higher cycle time can be due to delays in image stabilization/processing during the calibration steps. The marginal increase in the actual cost is due to the labor associated with additional cycle time. VI. CONCLUSION In this paper, we presented a novel flexible manufacturing system offering rapid prototyping capability at low cost, which is ideal for low to medium volume manufacturing. The unique hardware, presented in this work, are of much lower cost in comparison to similar commercially available manipulation modules. Furthermore, they significantly reduce reconfiguration complexity; offer competitive performance in terms of range of motion, force output and precision; and allow easy transition between products. A novel and proprietary multifunction interconnect design enables quick-change mounting and untethered connection between different modules of the system. A 1:8 mapping in controller and manipulation module significant reduces the cost and also make the overall system much more compact and portable as compared commercial manipulators. Future directions in this research will focus on rigorous reliability and performance tests on the hardware modules and extending the software analyzer to also generate automation programs along with predicting manufacturing metrics. The discussed modular and reconfigurable manufacturing cells are envisioned to enable manufacturing at remote sites such as on-board ships and aircrafts; make low volume production of highly specialized and advanced products sustainable; and encourage new product development endeavors. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors are thankful to the research and support staff at the University of Texas at Arlington Research Institute (UTARI) for their invaluable help in this work. The authors would also like to extend their gratitude towards office of naval research (ONR) for supporting this work. REFERENCES [1] G. Chryssolouris, “ Manufacturing Systems – Theory and Practice,” in NY: Springer Verlag, 2nd edition, 2005. [2] T. Tolio, “Design of Flexible Production Systems – Methodologies and Tools,” in Berlin: Springer, 2009. [3] A. N. Das, J. Sin, D. O. Popa, and H. E. Stephanou, “Precision Alignment and Assembly for a Fourier Transform Microspectrometer,” in International Journal of Micro-Nano Mechatronics (JMNM), Vol. 5, No. 1-2, Springer Berlin, pp. 15-28, 2009. [4] R. Murthy, A. N. Das, D. O. Popa, “ARRIpede: An Assembled Die Scale Microcrawler,” in Journal of Advanced Robotics, The Robotics Society of Japan (RSJ), 2010. [5] D. O. Popa, R. Murthy, A. N. Das, “M³ - Deterministic, Multiscale, Multirobot Platform for Microsystems Packaging: Design and Quasi- Static Precision Evaluation,” in IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering (T-ASE), Vol. 6, Issue: 2, pp. 345–361, 2009. [6] A. N. Das, R. Murthy, D. O. Popa, H. E. Stephanou, “A Multiscale Assembly & Packaging System for Manufacturing of Complex Micro- nano Devices,” in IEEE transactions on Automation Science and Engineering (T-ASE), vol. 9, Issue 1, pp. 15–64, Jan 2011. [7] A. N. Das, D. O. Popa, “Precision-based Robot Path Planning for Microassembly,” in Proceedings of the 6th IEEE Conference on Automation Science and Engineering (CASE), Toronto, Canada, pp. 527-532, Aug 2010. [8] A. N. Das, D. O. Popa, H. E. Stephanou, “Automated Microassembly using Precision based Hybrid Control,” in Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Anchorage, Alaska, page(s): 4106-4112, May 2010. [9] A. N. Das, D. O. Popa, “Precision-based Robot Kinematics Design for Microassembly Applications,” in Proceedings of the ASME International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC/CIE), Montréal, Quebec, Canada, pp. 857-862, Aug 2010. [10] A. N. Das, H. E. Stephanou, “Concurrent Engineering in A Microfactory,” in Proceedings of Commercialization of Micro-Nano Systems Conference (COMS), Greensboro, North Carolina, USA, August, 2011. [11] A. N. Das, H. E. Stephanou, “Design of Microassembly through Process Modeling in Virtual Reality,” in Proceedings of Microtech conference and expo, Boston, MA, USA, June, 2011. [12] A. N. Das, D. Popa, H. E. Stephanou, “Precision Evaluation of Modular Multiscale Robots for Peg-in-Hole Microassembly Tasks,” in Proceedings of International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), San Francisco, California, USA, pp. 1699 – 1704, Sep. 2011. 263


text:
On 16 September 2004 the Tenements (Scotland) Bill completed its Parliamentary stages.  The Bill, which implements a Scottish Law Commission Report (see No 30), has two main objectives, according to its accompanying Policy Memorandum. The first is to clarify and re-state the common law rules which demarcate ownership of the various parts of a tenement,  removing a number of uncertainties and anomalies in the existing law. The second objective is to provide a statutory system of management for tenements. The overall effect will be that every tenement will have a management scheme and hence a mechanism for ensuring that repairs are carried out and decisions are reached on other matters of mutual interest and concern. The reform is intended to facilitate repair work, and may incidentally remove one casus belli – or perhaps worse – from Scottish urban life (see No 6).

The trial of temporary sheriff Raj Jandoo for alleged offences committed on board an aircraft on its way to Stornoway, where he was due to hold court (see No 332), was adjourned on 15 June 2004 as a result of Jandoo’s illness.  New dates of 30 September and 1 October were fixed for the trial.  A further charge of failing to follow the aircraft commander’s instructions to switch off his mobile phone and laptop computer was laid against Jandoo on 10 August.  Donald Findlay QC is expected to represent Jandoo at his trial.


text:
First, entrepreneur Ken Bretschneider came up with plans to develop The Void, a “virtual entertainment center” scheduled to open this summer or fall in Utah County.

On Tuesday, the high-tech businessman announced plans to expand his entertainment footprint with the construction of The Grid, a 100,000-square-foot “experience center, an electronic playground” featuring an indoor race track with vehicles capable of going 60 mph (provided drivers are qualified to handle that speed).

He’s also broken ground and has buildings rising in a 14-acre park called Evermore, a rendition of a European village of the 18th or early 19th century that “lends itself to the idea of fantasy and romance … theatrical immersive entertainment” for its visitors.

“This is really the future of entertainment,” predicted Bretschneider, the keynote speaker at the Elevating Commercial Real Estate 2018 conference organized by CBC Advisors.

The sponsoring real-estate firm had some big news of its own.

The Salt Lake City firm has become part of Colliers International Group, a commercial real-estate firm based in Toronto. Colliers President Dylan Taylor said his company has 15,400 employees in more than 500 offices in 69 countries. It generated $2.7 billion in revenue last year and manages more than 2 billion square feet of commercial space.

Of 30 acquisitions made by Colliers in the past 36 months, Taylor said, purchasing CBC for an undisclosed price was “without question, the smoothest culturally compatible deal we’ve made.” He predicted Colliers’ presence in the Utah market will “accelerate success” through its emphasis on “expertise, service, community and fun.”

A Canada native who moved to Utah County after marrying a woman from Orem, Bretschneider certainly believes that the future of fun — particularly for scores of millennials along the Wasatch Front — will involve participating in “immersive, interactive, multisensory experiences.”

Utah County needs what he’s building along Pleasant Grove Boulevard, Bretschneider said, because “I feel that Utah needs a lot more fun. … Everything shuts down too early. That has to change.”

Like The Void, where guests will wear goggles providing three-dimensional visuals of settings ranging from primeval forests to alien planets, The Grid will use everything from 3-D projection mapping to smells to make visitors feel as if they are in a car race, going up and down hills up to 17 feet high and banking through sharp turns.

People will be able to compete as individuals or a team, he added, once work is done on a system that allows communications between drivers’ helmets as they race through virtual worlds.

Bretschneider said thousands of trees and flowers will transform Evermore into four types of botanical gardens — English, Victorian, Celtic and fantasy — that will help people involve themselves in activities reminiscent of what might be seen in “Lord of the Rings” or “Harry Potter.”

Based on what he’s learned building Evermore, he encouraged the real-estate agents to use visual reality to get to know their sites better.

“We built [Evermore] in virtual reality so you could walk through the park and visualize it,” he said. As a result, “we made hundreds of changes. It probably saved us millions of dollars in changes we surely would have had to make in the end.”


text: That is the question.  The (current) incurred loss methodology strongly encourages pooling loans.  Most financial institutions only conduct an individual evaluation on impaired credits, although technically you can individually evaluate an unimpaired credit and determine the incurred loss just for that credit (Look up the FDIC’s slide deck on the allowance if you are wondering about this). There is a problem with pooling credits for loss characteristics, however.  One of the things we find quite often when we perform an ALLL model validation is that there is little support behind the creation of the pools.  Many Banks use the Call Report pools as the pools for the historical look back.  And while this is not a bad thing, there is a need to support why this is the right pool structure for your Bank.  We often note that there are too few loans in a pool or one loan that dominates the historical loss rates for that particular pool Moving to an expected loss methodology changes the way a financial institution looks at its reserving process by capturing the underwriting characteristics into the loss calculation.  With expected loss, you (can) begin with the underwriting and the interest rate you have calculated for the loan.  That contains the probability of default and the loss given default (or at least it should).  For loans with like characteristics in pools big enough to demonstrate loss behavior (think credit cards and auto loans, for example), the expected loss can be tied in to the expected duration of the loan.  Pools work very well for these types of loans. For commercial loans, however, most community financial institutions do not have a sufficient number of like loans to determine the expected loss.  But if you consider the use of underwriting data, or even a dual factor grading approach, you can, at origination, determine the expected loss and then use that to identify the loss given default of the loan which can then be plugged into your reserve model. If it all sounds theoretical at this stage it probably is.  Especially for community banks.  This is why you need to sit down and really analyze the loans in your loan portfolio to see how you can best approach expected loss.  And don’t forget to document your process, especially your assumptions.  I like to say, “we lend for the good times and document for the bad times”. As a follow up note, we are more than happy to discuss this with you.  If you are interested please call or email me. Thanks!!


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Microsoft Surface Presentation

These days Microsoft finally presented their new surface device, which runs on brand new Windows 8. It combines the two worlds of Windows Desktops and tablet and touch oriented user interfaces in one device. The surface device primarily is controlled by the new Metro design, which i personally like quite a lot, but we will see how this new device and of course also the new Windows 8 will hit the market in the next years.