Cam Mechanism

The transformation of one of the simple motions, such as rotation, into any other motions is often conveniently accomplished by means of a cam mechanism. A cam mechanism usually consists of two moving elements, the cam and the follower, mounted on a fixed frame. Cam devices are versatile, and almost any arbitrarily-specified motion can be obtained. In some instances, they offer the simplest and most compact way to transform motions.

A cam may be defined as a machine element having a curved outline or a curved groove, which, by its oscillation or rotation motion, gives a predetermined specified motion to another element called the follower. The cam has a very important function in the operation of many classes of machines, especially those of the automatic type, such as printing presses, shoe machinery, textile machinery, gear-cutting machines, and screw machines. In any class of machinery in which automatic control and accurate timing are paramount, the cam is an indispensable part of mechanism.

A cam is a specially shaped component that serves to guide the motion of a component called a follower. The cam has a rotary or linear motion. The most important advantage of cam principle is that it is quite conveniently possible to introduce pauses of any desired length into the motion. This advantage is widely used in machinery of all kinds, such as packaging machines and many others. Using cams it is possible to perform simple sliding movements or oscillatory. It can also precisely controlled movements of elaborate shape.

For e.g, Guiding a milling cutter along a curved outline of any desired shape. A cam mechanism basically consist three parts: the frame or base (a), on which the cam (b) is mounted, and the follower (c) whose motion is controlled by the cam, which is given a linear or a rotary ( motion. A follower is a component which is specially shaped component of cam used to guide its motion.

A suitable example of a cam mechanism is the valve gear of an internal-combustion engine. The rotating cam has an approximately pear-shaped profile comprising two circular curves joined by two straight lines which are tangential to those curves. The follower consists of a roller tappet which is moved up and down by the cam and imparts this motion to the rod that controls the opening and closing of the valve. The center of the roller traces a curve of similar shape to the cam profile.

The stroke, the speed and the acceleration of the roller tappet have been plotted against the angle of rotation the acceleration undergoes a sudden change in value, which imparts a jerk to the tappet. This occurs every time the radius of curvature of the cam profile changes abruptly e.g., transition from circular curve to tangent and vice versa. Conversely, it is possible to start from a certain acceleration curve that comprises no abrupt changes and design a cam so shaped as to gentle acceleration, free of jerks.

Laptop Deal Of Black Friday Concrete Slab Piles and Foundation

How to Do Underpinning in Foundations

Underpinning is a method used to increase the foundation depth. This may be done in case a developer wants to add more stories to a building. Also, the foundation could be damaged by tree roots and this method used for correction.The adjacent construction may have foundations lower than the existing thus requiring to be lowered. If basements are constructed very near an existing building, the foundation may need to be changed. The reason is for stability of the existing house. Cracks may appear in a building up to the base thus needing a foundation remedy.

The underpinning in foundations may be undertaken and but supervised by an engineer. This works should follow instructions keenly for safety. Before any commencement, of work the area of operation should be hoarded. The works take from excavation to finishes approximately a month to complete. The area to work on is measured and mapped out. The work should commence from the corners working inwards. This is done on load bearing walls only. Foundations without any load bearing walls are exempted. The defects on these walls can be corrected using most simple methods.

The underpinning in foundations starts with excavations. This should be done under a strip footing. A length of one meter, a width of half a meter and depth of half a meter pit is dug. This is done in stages of two meters. This is distance between the pits. After the excavations, mass concrete is added to the cavity. Mixes are one part cement, three parts sand and six parts aggregates. Concrete is made to a good consistence and is poured into the cavity. Use form work on the edges. Use a rod bar ensuring that the cavity under the existing foundation is filled up.

After the underpinning concrete is placed in the cavity, its allowed to set for two days. The operation is repeated for the next bay. This continues until the required foundation is complete. Ensure that the concrete is cured thoroughly before loading it. The next thing is to break off the projecting foundation. Cut the concrete flush with the mass concrete surface. after this is completed for all the bays, soil is then back filled and compacted thoroughly. Watering with a hose is done for consolidation of the soil. This is done upon completion of the work.

Microwave Discount Store CIVIL ENGINEERING COURSE

Importance of Leadership, Customer Satisfaction and Benchmarking in Total Quality Management (TQM)

Implementation of TQM:

* The management's contribution is essential in any successful TQM implementation, especially of CEO.
* Next step is to form a quality circle, providing a vision, mission and quality statement. Middle managers are needed to be actively involved in the implementation.
* If there is any union present in the organization, representatives from it should be involved in the process.

Role of senior management:

Senior management must practice the philosophy of Management provided by Wandering Around or MBWA. They must let the employees think themselves. They must be informed of the topics of quality improvement by generating good reading habits. They must celebrate success in the organization. They must organize seminars, coaching etc. Customer listening is another parameter. Good and regular communication with feedback is again required with employees and consumers.

Characteristics of Quality Leaders

* The quality leaders take the matters with respect to customers and work on the changing requirements of the customers.
* Quality leaders are such that they have total control over the work of their sub-ordinates.
* Quality leaders believe in improvement more than in maintaining the current position.
* These leaders are more likely to prevent any mishap rather than waiting for them to happen.
* Quality leaders develop the skill of mutual co-operation rather than mutual competition.
* Quality leaders believe in working with the team, helping them from time to time.
* They believe in the concept of quality after learning from problems. They strive to improve the ability of dissemination of information.

Leadership Concepts

* A leader is well acquainted with the fact that all employees need independence along with security.
* Even though rewards and punishments matter to a large extent, self-motivation is highly followed.
* It is a common tendency that people like to hear well about themselves. They should be appreciated for their achievements.
* A leader is also required to make things easily understandable.
* Self-confidence is more trustworthy than the statistical data.
* People don't obey a leader if his words contradict.

The 7 Habits of highly Effective People

* The first of these habits is to be proactive which means to look at alternatives and take decisions rather than wait for things to happen.
* Secondly, one must begin keeping the end in mind. One should be true to himself in taking any step in life.
* Thirdly, one must put first things first which is an inclusion of self-management.
* Fourthly, one must think win-win. This suggests that one should always be optimistic.
* Next, one must think such that he can understand what others say rather than seek to be understood by all.
* Sixth, one should believe in synergy such that he can achieve a goal with a feeling of togetherness rather than an individualistic approach.
* Finally, one must look forward to sharpen the saw. This means that one must enhance the four dimensions of nature namely-physical, spiritual, mental and social or emotional.

Quality Council:

Quality council comprises of CEO, senior managers of functional areas like finance, production etc. A regular meeting should be organized to discuss and plan issues like:

* Developing a vision, mission and quality statement,
* Developing a long term goal strategy
* Education and training plan
* Determining performance plan
* Determining processes that improves the present ones
* Establishing multifunctional project and group based work culture, developing a reward system etc.

Core Values and concept:

Some core values in TQM include customer driven quality which considers:

* It is end user who determines the quality of the product not any manager
* Second is leadership which states that
o Leaders need to set directions
o Continuous improvement and learning process in the organization and employees
o Valuing employees
o A more dynamic market response mechanism
o Emphasizing design quality and preventing waste through developing quality in the products
o Long term orientation rather than seeking short term opportunities
o Management by facts
o Developing partnership
o Understanding corporate and citizen responsibility and focusing on end result.

Shared Values:

Shared values process is composed of eight principles. They are:

* Treating others with truth
* plentiful trust on co-workers and associates
* Creating learning atmosphere with unselfish mentoring (employee to management and vice versa)
* Invites new ideas
* Take personal risks for the sake of organizational benefits
* Appreciate people wherever possible
* Honesty
* Put other's interest before your own

Ethics:

Organization must leave cause of unethical behaviour and should manage ethical management program.
Quality Statement:

It includes vision statement: It is what an organization will seek to achieve in near future, mission statement: mission statement states that what is the organization is all about, who are the consumer, how it work etc. and the important one that is Quality policy statement: it is a type of guide for everyone in the organization to know how to provide service and service to the consumers.
Strategic planning:

Strategic planning is for about three to 10 years. It comprises of

* Goal and objectives: Goals are ultimate aim and objectives are intermediate checkpoints.
* Seven steps of strategic planning including consumer need, positioning, predicting future, gap analysis, alignment, closing the gap and implementation.
* Yearly quality improvement process

Communication:

Interactive form is best when communication is between workforce and immediate supervisor, formal communication includes printed and electronic communication which includes graph, posters etc. Feedback adds to the soundness of effective communication.
Decision making:

Here seven habits are highly efficient:

* Being proactive
* Keep the result in the mind
* Prioritizing
* Think "win/win"
* Try to understand first than to be understood
* To be in race (sharpen the saw) and
* Synergy.

Leadership survey:

This is a tool to evaluate the leader's performance.

Customer Satisfaction

Who are customers?

A person who employs the service or buys the product is often termed as consumer or customer. Two types of customers are identified by the customers: External and Internal.

* Internal customers are those lying within the organization like engineering, order processing etc and
* The external customers are those who are outside the organization and buy products and services of the organization.

Consumer perception of quality:

As the customer's need, expectation and values keep on changing, there is no such picture of customer's quality need. As according to ASQ, survey, important factors for purchase for the customer are:

* Features
* Performance
* Price
* Service
* Reputation and
* Warranty

Feedback:

TQM requires customer feedback to be continuously monitored. It is required to identify costumer dissatisfaction, needs, opportunities for enhancement and comparison with substitute in the market.

Methodology for feedback involves comment card, survey, focus group, toll free numbers, report card, internet, customer visits, employee feedback and using standard indexes like ACSI of "American Customer Satisfaction Index". ASCI allow contrast in between company and industry averages.

Using customer Complaints:

Studies suggest that the customer who did not complain is most prone to switch to another product. Every individual complaint is needed to be entertained. Results also suggest that half of the dissatisfied-customers will buy again if they feel that their complaint had been addressed.

Service Quality:

Research suggests that elements of customer service are:

* Customer care: A firm must revolve around the customers.
* Communication: Communication with customers is essential.
* Organization: Such that same level of quality can be delivered to everyone.
* Front-line people: Only the best employees should be allowed to communicate with the customers.
* Leadership: Involvement of management is essential in any quality management process.

Translating needs into requirements:

Kano model is the most basic conceptualization of customer requirement. There are three lines-red, blue and green to explain its ideology. The red line shows innovation, blue shows spoken and expected requirement and green line shows unspoken and expected requirements.

Kano model is based on an assumption that a customer buys when he needs something, however is it not completely true, an organization must overflow the customer needs. This can be understood by "Voice of the customer" concept.

Customer Retention:

It is more powerful and efficient in company's point of view as with customer satisfaction. It is involved with the activities which basically are related to customer satisfaction in order to increase the loyalty of the customers towards the company.

It moves customer satisfaction to next level by determining what is actually important for the customer.

Quality Management Systems

Quality Management Systems like the ISO are required to facilitate the exchange of goods between customers and sellers across different nations worldwide.

Benefits of ISO Registration

* After the inclusion of ISO in the products, it was observed that most of the attributes of internal quality like scrap were measured to be better.
* The reliability of the production also increases as a matter of fact.
* Even the external qualities that were measured by customers were highly improved after the inclusion of ISO standards.
* The time performance of the system also increased vastly as a result of this.
* The cost of producing poor quality also decreased after including ISO standards.

ISO 9001 Requirements

* Scope: ISO 9001 is essential to meet the customer's requirements such that customer satisfaction is attainable.
* Normative Reference: The fundamentals and vocabulary provide the normative references.
* Terms and Definitions: In addition to the standard terms and definition, the chain starting from supply to organization to customer is required in the terms and conditions.
* Quality Management Systems (QMS): The organizations should look to establish, document, implement, and maintain a QMS for effectiveness.
* Management Responsibility: ISO 9001 guarantees management control, customer focus, quality policy, planning, responsibility, and a review by the management at the general level.
* Resource Management: This includes provision of resources, human resources, infrastructure, and a proper work environment in order to achieve the goals.
* Product Realization: This section of ISO 9001 secures planning of product realization according to the requirements of the QMS, customer related process, design and development, purchasing, production and service provision, control and monitoring and measuring devices.
* Measurement, Analysis and Improvement: In general, the statistical technique and the extent of use should also be reasonable by the concept of ISO 9001. Under the monitoring and control there should be customer satisfaction, an internal audit, monitoring and measurement of processes and also products and services. This also includes control of nonconforming products, analysis of data, and improvement continuously by taking corrective and preventive action.

Implementation

The next important factor to understand in this context is the implementation of the quality management system. This can be done in the following steps:

* Top Management Commitment: It is highly essential that there is total support of the higher level authority of the organization.
* Appoint the Management Representative: After the top management is contented with the procedure, it is important that the correct representative is appointed so as to follow the quality system with care.
* Awareness: It is also required at this point of time that the organization spreads awareness of the quality systems as it effects all who are attached with the organization.
* Appoint an Implementation Team: Once the levels are all made aware of the quality systems, the organization should form an implementation team such that it is kept visible to all the employees in the future.
* Training: All the above mentioned teams should be trained in order to produce the best results.
* Time Schedule: There should be a time schedule such that the activity is followed in the correct time sequence and the results expected of the implementation of the quality systems are achieved as desired.

The other processes to follow are selecting of the element owners, reviewing the present system, writing the document, installing the new system, internal auditing, and management review, pre-assessment and registration.
Documentation

One must appreciate the fact that the quality systems are meant to be recognized by all. This implies that it is very important to have simplicity rather than complexity in understanding. It should follow the following four principles:

* Policy: This defines as to what would be done and why would that be so. This should be done extremely carefully as it is the root of the documentation on which the entire quality system depends.
* Procedure: Next, one must decide the methods that would be required in order to achieve the task. It includes making decisions related to when the tasks are to be done etc.
* Work instructions: This gives the detail of the documentation. Based on the readings of the work instructions, the readers would come to know of the idea behind the quality systems.
* Records: In order to keep an account of the actions on a specific product, it is required to keep the record.
* Document Development: In order to provide a proper document, it is required to gather all the policies, procedures, work instructions and forms that are being used presently. This will form the basis of the new work.

Internal Audits

The purpose of internal audits can be seen as follows:

* It will compare the actual performance of the quality system with the one that had been documented.
* It would take the corrective measures for the same.
* All those items that were non compliant previously, would be followed
* It would provide continuous improvement through the feedback to the manager.
* It would also create a further chance of improvement by generating a cause to think.

This internal audit would be done by the auditor by using the techniques of examining the documents and following the procedure of the audit plan.
Registration

If Quality systems are assessed by a third party called as a registrar, it is referred to as registration.

A registrar is chosen based on the qualifications and experience, certificate recognition like approval from RAB, the registration process according to the organization's needs under the time and cost constraints and the auditor's qualifications.

It is essential to mention at this point that registration is not a compulsion. It is rather a provision such that the nonconformities are solved.

Benchmarking

Finally Benchmarking is done to measure performance as a comparison with those adopted by the best organization in the industry.

Reason for benchmarking:

It is a tool to achieve competition and corporate goals. It is a tool for organizations to reduce its weakness and to enhance its strengths. Benchmarking requires external orientation as it greatly reduces the uncertainty offered by global and external competition.

It is time and cost efficient and provides working model of a better process.

The primary weakness of benchmarking is attaining the best practices is just like catching a moving target. Key threat is continuously improving technology.
Process:

Organization that adopts benchmarking, take the process to adjust with the present culture and needs. Six steps that are crucial are as follows:

* Estimate present performance
* Decide what the organization can benchmark
* Apply a study on others
* Try to understand form the data collected
* Plan
* And utilize the findings

Two famous industrial standards are those of Xerox and AT&T's 12 step process. Let's have a close discussion on the above headings.
Deciding what to benchmark:

Most organization has a strategy to decide that which benchmarking strategy to adopt. This is mainly highlighted in terms of vision and mission statement. These statements determine the "critical success factors". Thus when deciding what to benchmark, it is best to start with analyzing vision statement and critical factors.
Understanding present performance:

To apply benchmarking that requires applying outside policies in organization, it is essential to analyze own policies and performance first. Current performance can be understood by various methods such as cause and effect diagram and flow diagram.

Exceptions should be identified. Units of measure must be determined and proper documentation is required here.
Planning:

After identification of process and documentation, next step is to plan the way to conduct the study. A team known as benchmarking team is needed to be selected. It is the responsibility of the team to decide what kind of benchmarking is to be carried out. The team also prepares time-line for the process to decide the desired result from the study carried out.
Studying others:

Studies related to benchmarking concept seek two types of data. They are details of best practices and results that can be measured from these practices. Information needed form others in benchmarking may be present publicly and may not need to research down. But there remain few things that are tough to investigate form open sources. For these kinds of information, team can conduct site visits; questionnaire and can apply the focus group etc to determine the desired information.
Learning form data:

Benchmarking studies can reveal 3 basic kinds of outcomes like

* The result of external process's supremacy over the internal process
* They may be equal
* Internal process can be better than the founded and explored external process

In this analysis, important thing is parameters of judgement of the process.
Using the findings:

If the study of benchmarking standards reveal the gap between the internal process and the observed process in negative, the next task to bridge the task by appropriate steps.
Pitfall and criticisms:

Most important pitfall is benchmarking is like copying others. Question here is how can an organization become the best if it copies from the best? Innovation is lagging in benchmarking.

Thus benchmarking is not a substitute of innovation but is just a source of successful ideas.

Overall, we can see that if the ultimate motive is customer satisfaction; leadership and benchmarking should be deployed in conformity with Quality Management Systems to manage the system well.

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Kingsbridge Cathedral - Where Stories Collide

Person by person, brick by brick a Cathedral emerges in an epic drama coming to Channel 4, UK this Autumn

On the night of 14 November 1940, the city of Coventry burned as Luftwaffe bombs and incendiary devices rained down. The next morning, Coventry Cathedral lay in smoking ruins. The decision to re-build the Cathedral was taken immediately by the Provost Dick Howard, as a sign of hope for the city and for the future of a ravaged world.

While sifting through the rubble, Jock Forbes, the Cathedral's stonemason, found that two of the charred medieval roof timbers had fallen in the shape of a cross. He set them up in the ruins, much as a distinctive metal cross was set up at Ground Zero after the collapse of the Twin Towers on September 11th 2001. This charred cross was later placed on an altar of the rubble of Coventry Cathedral with the moving words 'Father Forgive' inscribed on the Sanctuary wall.

Cathedrals are places where stories collide. Places where thousands of people who would not normally meet can come together. They may be tourists or worshippers, professionals or rogues, lovers or haters but they all come.

Within the walls of any Cathedral you will find these stories, often ancient, often painful inscribed on the walls and floors. Memories of knights, soldiers, wives and children. Tombs of priests, saints and kings. Lives well lived and lives lost. At St Paul's Cathedral in London alone, you will find memorials to a dazzling array of famous British figures including Sir Winston Churchill, Lord Horatio Nelson, The Duke of Wellington and Florence Nightingale. In recent years, an estimated 2.5 billion people watched the wedding of Prince Charles to the Lady Diana Spencer played out at St Paul's Cathedral.

Cathedrals hold our history in all its beauty and terror, preserved sometimes in the moment as wars raged. The most famous medieval Cathedrals were built between about 1000 and 1600 AD in England, France, Italy, Spain and Germany. So why were they built and what of the people who built them? Best selling author Ken Follett, who wrote the enduringly popular novel 'The Pillars of the Earth' about the building of a cathedral, sums up the paradox of these great buildings;

'The building of the medieval cathedrals is an astonishing European phenomenon. The builders had no power tools, they did not understand the mathematics of structural engineering, and they were poor: the richest of princes did not live as well as, say, a prisoner in a modern jail. Yet they put up the most beautiful buildings that have ever existed, and they built them so well that they are still here, hundreds of years later, for us to study and marvel at.'

From as early as AD 604, Cathedrals were a key part of the everyday practice of Christian life in Europe. Life was celebrated and mourned here, from baptism to communion, to marriage to death. People came to talk to their Priests and whilst Bishops, Lords and Kings came to speak to their people.

The cost of building a Cathedral was vast, both in terms of money and human endeavour. This is why they are principally found in towns and cities where money congregated, such as Canterbury and York, Lincoln, Worcester and Chichester.

Building might take hundreds of years and would employ the skills of a number of master craftsmen, women and labourers. To build a Cathedral you would need a good architect plus quarry men, stone carvers, carpenters, a master mason, a master stone cutter, a stone dresser, a black smith, plumbers, a roofer, mortar makers, a glazier or glass maker, a stained glass craftsman, sculptors and other labourers. Families would hand their work on the project to their sons and daughters until the job was done. Through rain and snow, despite war, famine and plague, from sunrise to sunset they worked with one mission - to build on.

Everyday people were remembered in the building, names carved into walls and onto plaques or tablets of stone. Gargoyles were sometimes made in the image of a bishop or a worker. Stained glass windows, statues, and painting told Bible stories for those who couldn't read.

Person by person, inch by inch, brick by brick a Cathedral emerges. So many stories under one roof, no wonder that one day these stories would be told. Ken Follett, the novelist who took up the challenge was already well established as a writer of thrillers like the best selling Eye of the Needle published in 1978. He describes what gave him the idea to write his Cathedral epic;

'The stones themselves reveal the construction history: stops and starts, damage and reconstruction, extensions in times of prosperity, and stained-glass tributes to the wealthy men who generally paid the bills. Another story is told by the way the church is sited in the town. Lincoln faces across the street to the castle, religious and military power nose to nose. Winchester has a neat grid of streets, laid out by a medieval bishop who fancied himself a town planner. Salisbury moved, in the thirteenth century, from a defensive hilltop site - where the ruins of the old cathedral are still visible - to an open meadow, showing that permanent peace had arrived.'

Naturally his publishers were nervous and in a way, Follett's journey to bring his novel about required as much dedication as the cathedral builders needed. His epic novel 'The Pillars of the Earth' was written over a span of 13 years. Follett remembers his first attempt, when he realised exactly what he had taken on;

'Looking back, I can see that at the age of twenty-seven I was not capable of writing such a novel. I was like an apprentice watercolour painter planning a vast canvas in oils. To do justice to its subject, the book would have to be very long, cover a period of several decades and bring alive the great sweep of medieval Europe. I was writing much less ambitious books, and even so I had not yet mastered the craft.'

The Pillars of the Earth was eventually published in 1989 and has been a hit ever since. The novel has made numerous appearances on best seller lists around the world including 80 in Germany.

The Pillars of the Earth is a majestic novel. Follett throws the reader instantly into the cold, damp, difficult lives of a central character, Tom Builder, as he tries to keep starvation from the door of his family. Although penniless, Tom harbours a life long dream to put his talent for building to work on the most ambitious project available to a man of his time; the building of a Cathedral in Kingsbridge, Follett's fictional town set in a beautiful corner of South West England.

So has this book captured the imagination of people around the world that filming of an ambitious $40 million eight hour television adaptation 'The Pillars of the Earth' is now complete. This compelling series was produced by a vast array of veteran executive producing talent including, three-time Oscar® nominee Ridley Scott (Robin Hood, Gladiator, American Gangster), Tony Scott (The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, Top Gun, Spy Game) and David W. Zucker (The Good Wife) along with long term German production partner Tandem Productions. Well loved British actor Ian McShane, no strange to sinister roles, plays the villain of the piece. The story has a wealth of intriguing, heroic and duplicitous characters for the cast of well loved actors including Donald Sutherland, Matthew Macfadyen and Sarah Parish to get their teeth into.

The mini series will premier in the United States in July and is slated to appear in the UK on Channel 4 this Autumn. Tim Highsted, Programme Acquisition Director of Channel 4 says, "We are delighted to premiere The Pillars of the Earth on Channel 4. Epic in scale and ambitious in its storytelling, this miniseries is sure to spellbind viewers and is the perfect addition to our acquired programmes."

So for those of you who like to step outside of our hurried world for a while, why not visit one of Europe's many historic local Churches, Abbeys or Cathedrals? Take some well-earned time out to explore the stories they keep and to remember the grit, determination and courage of those who built them.

And when the days draw in and you are ready for a good story on TV to whisk you away to another time, another place - The Pillars of the Earth maybe just the thing to while away hours.

Amazing Cathedral Facts

Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, England took around 365 years to build. St. Thomas Becket was murdered in the north-east transept on Tuesday 29 December 1170 by knights of King Henry II.

Cologne Cathedral, Cologne, Germany took 600 years to build. The cathedral suffered seventy hits by aerial bombs during World War II but did not collapse.

Notre Dame, Paris, France was built in 182 years. On 24 April 1558 Mary, Queen of Scots was married to the Dauphin François (later François II of France) in an elaborate ceremony at the Cathedral.

St Peter's Basilica, Rome, Italy was built between 1506 and 1626. The Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world, holding 60,000 people.

Work on the Washington National Cathedral, Washington, USA was started in 1907, finished in 1990. Popular TV series 'The West Wing' starring Martin Sheen filmed the second season finale 'Two Cathedrals' here.

LCD 32 Inch 1080p HDTV

Red Headed Viking Giants Found Buried in Nevada

Red Headed Giant Mummies

When you read these articles you do not have to believe or disbelieve them. Go to the Net and find out for yourself.

There is so much information and artifacts proving that the Vikings were here in 1000 AD that you wonder why it is being hidden from us. Go find out. All I can do is point you in the right direction.

Legends of the Piute Indians of Northwest Nevada were recorded in 1883 in the "Life Among the Piutes", by Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins. Legends of Red Haired Giants and Runic Mysteries inscribed on rocks.

The Museum of the American Indians, pooh poohed the evidence. Part of the evidence: a skeleton nine feet tall found in a cave near Pyramid Lake. One eight and one half feet in the Humboldt lake bed. One seven feet, seven inches on the Friedman Ranch. One Nine and one half or possible ten feet in a lake near Troy.

They may not be Giants but they are definitely Vikings. Vikings mated alpha males with alpha females to produce the Giant sized warriors. They traveled and explored in small groups of about thirty warriors. They used their narrow dragon ships to travel the rivers inland. Thirty men were enough to portage their ship across land. That is why we only find one skeleton at the time of these exploring Vikings.

By the way the hair of the mummies found in the Ried collection is a Reddish-Brown color. There is an obvious lack of interest in determining facts about the Red-Haired Giants.

In the Lowic Museum of Anthropology, in Berkly California the giant mummies talked about in this article were sent and have disappeared. Only three mummies all under six feet are on exhibition. What happened to the Red Headed Giants? What is going on?

Electronics Gadget

Are Women Becoming Masculine?

In the initial planning for my novels, which are set in the near future, I researched trends in technology and Western culture, with the objective to make the settings realistic. I tested this research against a lifetime of observation, and solicited feedback from reviewers and writers. What I discovered led me to create stories which are dominated by strong females.

It became clear, at least to me, that the two genders were moving toward each other in world view, attitude and actions. Women were becoming more like men and men more like women (but that's a subject for another time). I don't claim this is a conclusion based upon rigorous scientific procedures, but however informal, it makes sense to me.

When men think about women, we always focus first on appearance, so let's start there. Is she pretty? Not too heavy, but with plenty of curves? Soft, pure face of an angel? Those are the questions we asked thirty years ago, and we still ask them today, but the women have changed.

Today's females are bigger and more athletic than previous generations. Go to any workout facility and what do you see? Plenty of women. And not just doing aerobics, either. Pumping iron, pushups, building their strength against all manner of exercise machines. They're dropping baby fat and showing off lean, hard muscles. Not that they are becoming bodybuilders (although some do), but they are not the women of your mother's generation either.

Drive around town and you'll certainly come across a jogger. What's the gender most of the time? And she's probably setting a fast pace, too.

Muscles are no longer solely a masculine domain. Check out the ladies playing basketball or tennis, let alone the boxers. Not a wimp in the bunch. Title IX has opened the door for women to excel at sports, and they are succeeding. You want to see Serena Williams or Mary Pierce getting ready to serve a cannonball at you? I don't. That doesn't mean today's women aren't as beautiful or sexy as previous generations. I think they look better, actually, with their lean, athletic figures.

Okay, they look different, but what about their attitudes? The way they lead their lives?

Back in the fifties, college was primarily a man's domain. Now the majority of underclasspeople (did I get that right?) are women. Women mature more rapidly than men and do better in their studies. They graduate at a higher rate and move into the professions. Some would say they've swarmed into the professions, shouldering men out the door as they pushed in. A guy risks getting trampled if he holds a door open.

Women start most of the small businesses in North America. Bet you didn't know that. A few decades ago, if you called your doctor, your lawyer or your accountant, a masculine voice came over the line. Not any longer. It's more likely the voice will be pitched higher and smoother.

My profession has gone the same way. Most readers and writers seem to be women, at least from what I can see. Pick up a novel at random and the author's name usually begins with Karin or Nancy or ... you get the picture. There are still a lot of us guys turning out thrillers and science fiction, but that's changing, too.

Remember how, a couple of generations ago, women would spend much of their time searching for a man to marry? When all they wanted was a home, a child and a good husband to take care of them? Well, today's gals are in no rush to get married. They have options. They think the way guys think. Date, have fun, get some action but don't rush into marriage. Get the career started, then, maybe, think about family. And keep working. It's a significant break with the past.

Why have women done so well? Attitude and opportunity. Fifty years ago women were locked out of many of the opportunities men enjoyed, but that's changed now. With a few exceptions, such as really dangerous or heavy physical work, women can do anything a man can do. And women have just as much determination, courage and brains as men. Combine that with sexuality and they can get where they want to go, maybe with more options than men. Actually, as I think about it, we men are outgunned.

You know, as I look this stuff over, it seems to be generally positive. Yeah, the women are becoming more like men, but that's better for them and for the guys, too. But there's a negative side.

When a woman starts a business, she has to work like crazy to make it successful. If she's a single Mom, what happens to her children? Daycare is usually okay, but it's not the same as having a full-time mother. If she's married, the man will pick up some of the slack, right? He'll try, but remember, he's got his career, too. And there aren't many stay-at-home Dads. We discovered that society doesn't respect a guy who relies upon his wife to be the bread winner.

There are more women in prison than ever before. Just like men, some aggressive, the rules-don't-apply-to-me women take what they want. White collar crime, violence, sexual predators, the whole nine yards. And what's going on with these female teachers who seduce their high school, even grammar school, students? This rarely happened way back when. Damn!

Too many women are waiting too long to get married. They're going out to the bars, drinking, flirting, having sex with any guy that appeals to them. Wait, this was supposed to be a negative. Sorry about that.

Anyway, I think you get the idea. Women are becoming more masculine in Western society, and it seems to be working out, but there have been bumps in the road. And a few potholes. Quite a few.

And so, as I outlined my novels, I decided that the female characters would not be crammed into the stereotypes found in many stories. Take Dianne Morgan, the most dominant character to emerge from my novels. She's the real mover and shaker, the person driving the action across both books. Dianne is the CEO of a giant software company, a single mother and a self-made billionaire. Sexy, sometimes tender and very determined. On the other hand, she's violent, erratic, and trusts no one. Fits the description of a masculine villain, doesn't she (except for the single mother part)?

Dianne is an example -- maybe a bit extreme -- of today's alpha woman. With three male partners, she grows a business from startup to giant corporation. She uses all the weapons nature provided to become CEO of the world's largest software maker. Ray Brown is her key acquisition, a brilliant software engineer who has developed an intelligent operating system that understands the spoken language. Just like the computer in Star Trek. She knows all other software will be made obsolete, so she recruits Ray, then seduces him. He's married, but business is business. Ray becomes an alcoholic, loses his family, winds up in rehab, but what the hell, Dianne has the software. She actually cares for him, but first things first.

I've enjoyed thinking about women becoming more like men, and I'd like to hear what you think.

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Tips to Pass CBEST Test: Score High In Math!

You should know by now that the California Basic Educational Skill Test or the CBEST test requires you to pass three subjects: Math, Reading, and Writing.

By saying that, you must've remembered your battles with Math in high school. Lucky for math-lovers, this part of the test would surely be a bonus for you.

BUT, is your dream succeeding at the CBEST Test threatened by your old enemy-high school algebra?

Score high in the CBEST Math by posting these 3 SIMPLE STEPS for your CBEST test prep review.

Step 1: CBEST Test Math Basics

Unlike reading others subjects, studying math requires a kick-off in studying the concepts. You Need to practice on CBEST sample tests over and over until you master every principle.

Here are some do's and don'ts on how to master Math basics for your CBEST test:

1. Don't jump on the next principle or formula until you're confident that you've understood it.
2. Don't disregard the most basic terminologies and principles.
3. Use this knowledge during your CBEST test.

Armed with your basic knowledge, you can effectively eliminate wrong answers on some questions. You'll narrow down your choices and increase your chances of getting the correct answer.

Step 2: Focus On What You Don't Know

Math is just one subject. But, still, you might not know where to start. Nailing your CBEST score in Math is easy with good CBEST test preparation.

1.  Assess yourself and answer CBEST practice tests.
2.  Examine every test item to know your strengths and weaknesses.
3.  Write down all keywords regarding the topics you found most difficult
4.  Check your old books so you can have a full length review on the listed topics.
5.  From the topics you singled out, you can then work your way on to other less difficult topics in math.
6. Finally, answer more CBEST practice test

Step 3: Memorize To Be Accurate

Math is all about accuracy. One mistake in your formula can give a whole different answer. And this could definitely cost you points. Memorize the formulas, the measurements, ratios and percentages, conversion of units and basic geometric theories and principles. Even when problems are presented differently, you'll still know what formula to use. Your accuracy in solving the problem would definitely save you time and gives you that must needed confidence!

How do I pass the CBEST test? Simple, DON'T REPEAT the mistakes of others. Plan, review, practice and get the BEST CBEST study guides. Pass the California Basic Educational Skills test in a single shot and ENJOY the job you've always dreamed of!

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