Eagle Wheels

Humor Column: The Urban Erma by Leighann Lord: A Funny Feeling | Stage Time ...

My refrigerator is also a repository of favorite photos: my oldest niece as a toddler; my husband as a bow tie clad fourth grader, my parents on the day of their 50th wedding anniversary. I’ve also got a gallery of friends’ wedding photos, surrounded by baby pictures of their kids, and their annual family photo Christmas cards. It’s cluttered but I love it.

When I saw my friend’s wedding picture on the floor, I was surprised how quickly and easily I turned into my mother and grandmother seeing this as “a sign”; truly wondering if my friend and her husband were okay. My mom’s family is from Jamaica; my dad’s family is from Barbados & Trinidad, but I’m second-generation American. With no known family left in the Islands, my occasional visits have been solely as a tourist.

I may not speak with an accent or know how to cook with curry, but clearly other less tangible values have seeped in. Along with an absurdly strong work ethic, Caribbean culture knows the value of intuition. When you get “a funny feeling ‘bout sumptin’” you need to trust it.

Source: Stage Time Magazine

The Pros and Cons of Industrial and Commercial Magnets

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Alnico is a commonly used permanent magnet, also known as a stock magnet. Alnico retains its magnetic properties for a long time, which is why it is considered a permanent magnet.   Strong temperature stability allow alnico magnets to perform in applications using high temperatures.  Alnico can be used in a service temperature up to 425? – 525? C. The fact that Alnico magnets can be used in such high temperature settings make them extremely useful in industrial and manufacturing industries.  Alnico is affordable and easily customized to the size and strength you need. There are numerous benefits to alnico magnets such as the resistance of high temperatures, ability to maintain magnetic qualities, strength and affordability.  For a variety of industrial and consumer applications alnico magnets are a great choice. One of the most popular types of magnets are ceramic ferrite magnets, also known as ferrite or ceramic magnets.  Contributing to the popularity of ferrite magnets is their affordability and ability to maintain their magnetic qualities for long periods of time. Ceramic magnets are ideal of use at work, in your shop or garage or at home because they will keep their magnetic qualities for long periods of time and can also be manufactured from affordable materials, reducing their cost. Containing iron oxide and ceramic, ceramic magnets are made using a chemical compound.  Ceramic ferrite magnets are made by sintering and pressing mixtures of magnetic powders and ceramic. The result is a hard, brittle magnet.  Sintering is a process that takes powder and makes objects out of the powder.  Sintering is finished off by heating materials in a furnace until the particles of powder stick to each other, but don’t melt..   Neodymium, a rare earth magnet, is made from the chemical element neodymium which has an atomic number of 60 and symbol of Nd.  Neodymium easily tarnishes in the air and is a silvery, soft metal present in the ore minerals bastnasite and monazite.  Their performance in extreme conditions and strength make neodymium magnets preferred in some applications. It is the magnetic material of choice when maximum energy is required and can be used in maximum service temperatures of 125? to 150? C. Neodymium are preferred over ferrite or alnico magnets in certain applications because they are much stronger.  The advantages to using neodymium magnets and other products made from neodymium are numerous. The major pros to neodymium are its strength, popularity, affordability and ability to perform in frigid conditions, however there are still some cons to using this rare earth magnet.  With a lower Curie temperature than samarium-cobalt (another rare earth magnet), neodymium cannot resist excessively high temperatures, and could lose its magnetism if placed in an environment with a temperature that is too hot.  Neodymium performs extremely well in very cold temperatures.  Neodymium is less durable and more prone to scratching than other rare earth magnets because it is less resistant to oxidation, which means that it must have treatments applied in order to protect it.  In order to protect neodymium magnets from cracks and corrosion often manufacturers will apply surface treatments in the form of plating or coating in the form of nickel, tin, zinc or gold.  Oxidization and cracking can be minimized by applying a good coating or plating to the neodymium magnet..   Magnetic strips that are flexible are used in many industries for a variety of purposes.  Magnets use the force of magnetism to attract or pull an object towards or way from it.  The force of magnetism means that magnets will attach themselves to other objects. Whether you are in an industrial, commercial, marketing or retail field, you will find a number of uses for magnets.  The most dexterous of all magnet types are flexible magnetic strips.  There are many ways that flexible magnetic strips can be used in advertising, for example they can be used for point of sale displays, vehicle signs, signage and labels. Fridge magnets, printed magnets and planning boards all use flexible magnets.  The refrigerator is the center of activity in your home which is why fridge magnets in particular are such a great advertising tool.  Keep your products and services top of mind by using fridge magnets..   Due to their high levels of magnetism block magnets are quite durable.  Depending on the need the composition of your block magnet will differ, which is why you must consider the conditions and purpose for the magnet before you make a decision. A rare earth magnet like neodymium or samarium-cobalt is stronger than alnico and ceramic magnets, which means they will work well in industrial or heavy duty applications.  In addition to the strength of the magnet you need to consider the temperature and keep in mind that some magnets lose or maintain magnetism at different temperatures. Depending on the need of magnet choose one that is difficult or easy to demagnetize.

Source: The Pros and Cons of Industrial and Commercial Magnets

Custom Magnets Can Work Branding Magic For Both Personal And ...

Ref magnets have always been very popular because they are not only pretty, but very useful. The advent of digital printing technology, which has made the production of high quality custom magnets save the date possible, has made them even more popular. This is because the high degree of customization makes them ideal for both personal and corporate use. Thanks to innovative technological advances in digital printing software and hardware, it has become extremely easy to print high-resolution, full-color pictures, logos, and graphics at an affordable price. Many people spend a lot of money and effort producing paper invitations or save the date announcements for their events. In space of a single week, people can expect to receive invitations for several events from weddings to baby showers, birthdays, anniversaries, fund raising dinners, product launches, community projects, and a slew of other celebrations. Unlike paper invitations, custom magnet items are much more durable because they are typically made of sturdier material that is waterproof, tear-proof, and generally child proof. In addition since they are very useful, the possibility of getting thrown out is minimal. The chances of getting lost or misplaced are also pretty low since they pretty much stay on the surface they are stuck on, usually the fridge. All things considered, the fridge is the perfect place to store a save the date reminder. This is because the fridge is one of the frequently used household appliances, which translates to higher visibility for the reminder. Since every member of the household will use the fridge several times a day, forgetting about the event is unlikely. The daily reminder will also serve to ensure that event-related preparations such as buying a gift, choosing an outfit, and arranging for transportation will be accomplished in a timely manner. Custom magnets save the date items are also a great marketing tool for any business. They are ideal for creating awareness for a new brand, product, or service. They make great event giveaways or memorabilia to mark a milestone or a big anniversary. They are small, easy to store, carry and to give out. Better than business cards, these custom magnets will do a much better job than the yellow pages in providing contact information in a highly accessible and visible location.   The truth is that all events would benefit from creative branding. This is true for both personal and corporate since both have the same aim of keeping the event or product on the recipient’s consciousness. Useful, attractive, visible and affordable, custom magnets save the date items will work their event awareness magic on everybody that receives them.

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