TUESDAY, MARCH 31, 2009
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CONTENTS |
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EVERYTHING IS UP IN THE AIR THESE DAYS
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 Talking about business these days sometimes
feels like conversation at a wake. Whispered hushes
and downward glances, commiserations, pats on the
back and mournful sighs. While other sectors roil
and rock with uncertainty, the might of the American
innovative spirit continues to rise through the
murk. It’s also a time to stay very keen about what
you do and how the customer is served. Test labs are
fortunate to be on the leading edge of product
innovation, it’s just what we do…and from some
observations the economic conditions have not
suspended the development of new products.
To
wit, we have been blessed to get involved in a few
projects that have kept us looking upward. This
edition of T&E gives a summary of these projects.
We’ll give you updates on further fascinating
projects as time goes along.
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NASA CONSTELLATION PROJECT RETURNS MAN TO
THE MOON
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A Visit to NASA Glenn Research and Plum
Brook Facilities
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(From the WL blog)
 The
allure of space travel: The Apollo program, heroes
in space helmets, artificial food products--all
captured my boyhood imagination. All the aging nerds
about my age know what the LEM from the Command
Module and marveled at the Earth-shaking thrust of
the Saturn V launch vehicle. Audacious!
So
it is against the backdrop of these fine memories we
have recently teamed with Aerospace Engineering
Associates to support the Constellation
Return to the Moon project. Joe and Larry,
career NASA engineers late of the Glenn Research
Center hosted us on a brisk March day to see the
facilities that lie not far from Cleveland
(nickname: The Forest City).
Read
More
>>
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GREEN BRICKS & MORTAR
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Building Green in Virginia
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Although it may sound like
a K Street brotherhood, the push in our hometown of
McLean, Virginia is all about demonstrating
sustainable living. We support the CharityWorks Greenhouse, a showcase of
sustainable design, construction and living. Located
behind a fabulous wine store in the heart of the
humble hamlet in Fairfax, the Greenhouse is a
year-long project designed to show how stewardship
of Earth, Air, Sky & Water connect to suburban
living.
The “zero
landfill” low carbon footprint residence will be
completed later this year and auctioned to provide
funds for CharityWorks’ 2009 Cause. To document the
progress of the project, the McLean PR Group is
producing a film that will showcase the step-by-step
conversion of a 1950s rambler to a modern livable,
sustainable showcase. You can view the introductory
episode that gives a sense of the concentration on
these new techniques here:
The
Sponsors of the Project CO2FreeLiving are
West Group Management LLC, GreenSpur Inc, Cuningham
and Quill Architects, Holland and Knight,
HotelEnergy Group, J’s Drywall, Kohler Plumbing,
Linton Engineering, Montgomery Kitchen and Bath,
Schnabel Engineering, Tammal Demolition, Earth
Conservation Corps, EMO Energy Solutions, TW Perry,
Vika Engineering, T and J Lawn Service, Inc.,
CharityWorks.
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FCC PROPOSES TO SQUISH SOME OF THE SPREADING
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 The
Federal Communications Commission is floating a
Public Notice to seek comments on allowing 100 kHz
resolution (rather than the present 500 kHz) for FCC
Part 15.247 devices. The notice is here:
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-674A1.doc.
Our friend Mitchell Lazarus of Fletcher, Heald &
Hildreth, PLC keeps us informed on these matters.
His blog can be found at
http://www.commlawblog.com, which tracks the
development of communications law at the FCC.
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ESPRESSO ENGINEERING
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Video for Engineers Served HOT |
Washington
Laboratories, in cooperation with Interference
Technology, announces a new on-line Engineering
Video series, Espresso Engineering. This new series
provides education and explanation of fundamental
and fine engineering topics, aimed at the test
laboratory and compliance market. Presented in
short, focused segments, Espresso Engineering
examines current events and engineering topics in
our community in about the time it takes for a cup
of coffee [more or less].
New videos
include:
I Don't Know Beans About: Women (1:34)
A time-honored question
gets asked…and answered.
Espresso Shots: MD-Asia Environmental Partnership
(2:00)
Espresso announces the launch of the Maryland-Asia
Environmental Partnership.
Discussing the Decibel (10:45)
Mike Violette,
Steve Koster and John Repella of Washington Labs
delve into the decibel. The dB is the currency of
EMC and Radio Frequency engineering. Understanding
how the dB is dealt with and used is a critical part
of understanding, and speaking, EMC.
Visit
EspressoEngineering.tv.
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