Electrical Industry's Protection - Destruction for Good

Destruction! Blow Up! Eliminate! These are not pleasant words!

Unfortunately, when it comes to safety we have no other choices. 

In the electrical industry, fuses are destroyed in order to 

protect lives or property.

Whenever there is a big fault in the power lines, possibly caused 

by short-circuiting, fuses are very helpful to stop the flow of 

current.

Unlike circuit breakers, fuses have no mechanical moving parts 

that can fail to operate. A fuse is just an electrical link in 

the circuit that can melt very quickly whenever a certain 

temperature is reached.

Fuses have 4 things to do in a circuit:

1. They must sense faults

2. They must open quickly when a short-circuit occurs

3. They must also sense the normal overloaded conditions, but 

must open if the overload becomes excessive or prolonged.

4. They must not change or alter the characteristic of the current 

during normal operation.

Early types of fuses use lead wires, selected based on their 

diameters, connected to terminals more info. These types have some 

disadvantages. Whenever a fuse blows, the molten metal spatters 

over the equipment and could cause injury to people or cause fires, 

especially when the arc was not confined.

Later, cartridge fuses replaced the old lead wire fuses. These 

consist of non-conducting cylinders which contain soft metal fuse 

strips. The strips are connected to the ends of the cylinders by 

metal caps or ferrules. The entire cartridge fuse is mounted onto a 

matching fuse block.

Even these cartridge fuses have 2 types - those with renewable fuse 

links and those one-time non-renewable types. The only advantage of 

the renewable type - they are more economical because the cartridge 

can be reused. However, more precautions are needed with regards to 

the cleanliness of the contacts, the securing of the cap bolts, and 

the choice of the current rating of the link.

Whenever a fuse blows, it means there is already a big fault in the 

circuit. Electricians must be especially careful during this time 

and take the necessary precautions. The fuses blow up for safety. 

Don't cause another blow up!

Starbucks Goes Green, Offers Custom Drinks

Though the country may still suffer from nearly 10% unemployment, we have begun a recovery and so has Starbucks. Late last month, the company announced that its SoHo, NYC, store on Spring Street is registered for LEED certification as part of the U.S. Green Building Council's Volume Certification pilot program. The design is a blend of a turn-of-the-century dry goods warehouse and the mercantile-inspired Starbucks location at the Pike Place Market in Seattle.

The renovation used locally sourced materials and reused and recycled parts, with countertops, the espresso bar and the chair rail made of repurposed white oak a number of barns in Somerset, Pennsylvania. The community table is also made of repurposed wood from Somerset, Pennsylvania and the flooring is made from reclaimed wood. The bar casework, wood seat roundabouts, and metal stools were manufactured in Long Island, while the community board was built from metal repurposed from old espresso machines. The wallpaper next to the bar area was made of reused burlap coffee sacks from Starbucks roasting plants and the artwork was done by local artist Peter Tunney.

In addition, the store uses LED and CFL lightbulbs, dual-flush toilets and low-flow faucets to cut energy and water consumption. According to the announcment,"Waste generated during construction was diverted from the landfill," and the flooring from the prior store was saved to be used in another store. Finally, all paints used in the store are low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and water-based.

In a few May announcements, Starbucks also announced initiatives to help bring customers into stores during the warm weather. The publicly traded company announced on May 4 that it was launching However-You-Want-It Frappuccino blended drinks in all retail stores in the U.S. and Canada. The program allows customers to choose between different types of cow's milk or soy, as well different syrups and toppings more info. Among some of the new, suggested flavors are the: Extra Coffee Caramel Frappuccino, with caramel syrup, whipped cream and a swirl of caramel sauce (hello sugar: skip lunch if you drink this one!); Mocha Light Frappuccino, a lower calorie option, with 100, 150 and 200 calories in a Tall, Grande, and Venti, respectively, thanks to the use of skim milk, and coffee light syrup base; and Soy Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino, a coffee-free, soy version made with strawberry sauce, crème base, soy milk, and whipped cream (no to coffee but yes to sugar). But, there are sugar-free syrups and skim milk options, and if you want to cut sugar and calories, say no to caramel sauce and whipped cream.

Finally, to get your Frappuccino on the cheap, Starbucks is offering a Happy Hour special of 50% off all Frappuccinos from 3-5 p.m., now through May 16. I customized a Green Tea Frappuccino. Check out how the calorie and cholesterol counts change when you go from whole milk, whipped cream and three pumps of syrup to skim milk, one pump of syrup and no whipped cream.

For pictures and a comparison a frappuccino with whole milk and with skim and no whipped cream, visit our site.

Learning Through Tandem Skydiving

Tandem Skydiving is a safe and easy way to experience one of the most thrilling sports imaginable. There's a certain rush with free-falling through the air. And then to float softly down to the earth under a parachute to complete the dive? It's all an amazing experience. But skydiving, for all its thrills, can be an extremely dangerous sport, too, for those who don't follow certain safety rules.

The best way to learn to be a safe skydiver, is by going on one or more tandem jumps. These jumps are recommended before enthusiasts take their first solo skydiving jumps. Tandem skydiving is a great way for inexperienced divers to get the feel of what jumping out of an airplane feels like. For novice jumpers, the fear of that feeling can be a big hurdle. With tandem skydiving, though, it's a hurdle that's easy to overcome more info. In tandem skydiving, new divers jump out of a plane without just a parachute.

With this kind of skydiving, they're jumping with an entire instructor strapped to their backs. It's a method of skydiving that is highly recommended for new divers by drop zones. The key here is that it's the instructor who does all the work in a tandem skydive. The student, usually a novice diver, simply falls. That's not too hard to do, right?

Because tandem skydiving is so safe, the training for it usually lasts only about an hour. Then it's time to leap out of that airplane. It is the best and safest option for divers taking their first few jumps. It's also a good choice for divers who plan to do just one jump and then leave the sport. This is more common than you might think. Many people are interested in feeling the rush of a dive once, but have no desire to make the sport, which can be a pricey one, part of their normal lives.

Another good training jump is the static line jump. Under this jump, divers experience what it's like to jump with their own parachute. But they don't have to worry about deploying it at the right time. A static line jump starts from a lower altitude, usually around 3,000 to 5,000 feet. For tandem skydiving, divers jump from an altitude of 12,000 to 14,000 feet. When the diver jumps, a safety line attached to their parachute deploys it as the diver leaps from the moving plane and falls toward the earth. There is very limited free-fall in this kind of jump- many say that tandem skydiving provides more of a rush.

Consider the Abundance of ATMs Before You Transfer Money to Colombia With a Prepaid Debit Card

Sending money home to relatives is a task that many people face at some point. No matter what country you are sending to, it is important to find a method that suits both you and your family best. Colombia is one example of a nation you might need to send cash to, since it is the second largest recipient of remittances in South America. If you plan to transfer money to Colombia, you should find out if one of the most popular pathways, the prepaid debit card, can be used.

Like many countries, Colombia has plenty of ATMs available. However, the difference is that there are many issues involving these machines and criminals more info. Card cloning can occur anywhere, but it is a major problem in this country. Let your relative know that if the ATM card slot looks different, do not use it. Additionally, they should only withdraw cash in the day, and look around carefully before doing so. Many banks provide indoor ATMs to be on the safe side, so these should be used when possible.

Many ATMs in Colombia have a limit of money that you can withdraw at one time, so your relatives should know this before planning to take out lots of cash. Some have a limit of 300,000 Colombian pesos each time, which is about $152 USD. However, Bancolombia ATMs allow withdrawals of up to 400,000 pesos, or $203 USD. There is also one ATM located in Cartagena that allow withdrawals of about 500,000 pesos, or $254 USD. It is found in the Plaza de la Aduana. In most cases, if your relative needs more than this limit per day, they can withdraw up to two or three separate times each day, but they may have to pay a fee each time.

Aside from using debit cards in ATMs, your relatives can also use them at shops to purchase items. Not every store is guaranteed to accept cards, but most major hotels, stores, and restaurants in Cartagena and Bogota do accept them. It is wise to also carry some cash in the form of Colombian pesos in case your relative wants to purchase products at a store that does not take cards.

Before you transfer money to Colombia with a prepaid debit card, you need to ensure that it will be usable by your recipient. Fortunately, in this country, it should be quite helpful. However, having alternative options is important in case your relative is not comfortable using a card, or does not live near any ATMs. In such a case, you may have to endure the typically higher fees of using a bank to transfer money to Colombia.