More Than A Number

According to the Titanium Information Group, more than 2.2 million pounds of titanium devices are implanted in patients worldwide every year. While there are many other industries that rely on titanium for their products, commercially pure titanium is especially important to the medical industry because it is one of the few materials that can be implanted in the human body.

Medical grade titanium alloys are strong, lightweight, and bio-compatible. In addition, titanium is also immune to corrosion, and has the ability to join with bone and tissue. Thus, titanium proves to be an excellent choice for implantation and has been used in various applications, including bone fixation materials, such as nuts and plates, as well as joint replacement for parts such as hips, knees, and shoulders. Titanium has also been used to create artificial facial parts, artificial limbs, and pacemaker cases. Years of metals engineering has yet to produce another element that is comparable to titanium as a metallic implant in living tissue.

Like many industries, the real estate business has grown and changed over the years, particularly with the rise of the Internet and the widespread availability of information that can be accessed by people from their own home.  These days, almost anyone can browse through pictures and even video footage of possible homes.  This means that first impressions are more important than ever, and staging is becoming a serious part of the business.

Some people believe that staging is simply interior decorating, but that isn’t correct.  Rather than redesigning, the purpose is to create the appearance of a model home through depersonalizing and decluttering, making it a blank slate that buyers can imagine filling with their belongings and themselves.  It’s possible that, in the future, home staging will become a standard much like the home inspection has.  For now, it is simply an excellent way to get an edge in a tough market for sellers.

About.com paintball expert David Muhlestein has named his top five most influential paintball guns of all time in terms of their impact on the sport. He writes, “After much thought I narrowed my list to just the select few guns that I think really changed the face of paintball. My top two both have been out for over a decade and have shaped the sport in their own ways: the Tippmann Model 98 and the pneuVentures/Smart Parts Shocker. My other most influential guns are the Smart Parts Ion, the AGD Automag and the Nel-Spot 007. Others have influenced the industry, but I believe these have all had the most profound effect.” The full list can be viewed here.

The Tippmann Model 98 Custom can be purchased at Speedy Toys, along with paintball gun parts and accessories. What do you think of Muhlestein’s list? What would you change? What guns would you add?

In 1943, the Type B-15 flight jacket replaced the popular A-2 that was worn by U.S. Army Air Forces since 1931. The B-15 bomber jackets replaced the A-2 leather bomber jackets because they were designed to be warmer and more adaptable to various equipment changes. However, even after the cancelation of the A-2, airmen were still able to order replacements up until 1944. The B-15 eventually caught on and was used and issued throughout the 1950s and ’60s.

Today, replicas of the B-15 include cloth and leather variations that are as practical to wear as they are attractive. American Mystique offers several different B-15 bomber jackets, including the satin-nylon B-15 bomber jacket. This olive green jacket features a dark brown synthetic fur collar and comes with polyester fiberfill insulation. It has two snap-close side entry pockets on the front, leather oxygen mask tabs on the chest, and knit cuffs and waistband. In addition, an Army Air Force Wing and Star patch is embroidered on the left sleeve.

We counted down the five best costume ideas for men; now here’s our top five for women this year.

5. Lydia the Tattooed Lady. Remember that flower tattoo you wanted to get on your lower back when you were 18? You might have been talked out of it after all, but this full-body costume recreates the fantasy of being the ultimate biker babe.

4. I Dream of Jeannie. With just a blink, transform yourself into the ultimate wish-granting goddess. This costume doesn’t leave much to imagination, but sexy Halloween costumes are what make October 31 so much fun!

3. Nun. Whether you’re pious or naughty, a nun costume is an All Hallows’ Eve favorite. No matter how you dress up the costume, you’ll leave everyone with one burning question: just what do nuns wear underneath their robes?

2. Betty Boop. She’s an old-fashioned gal, a flapper with a heart of gold who can’t help it if everyone tries to take her “boop-oop-a-doop” away! And neither will you in this adult-sized, sequined costume.

1. Super Girl. Because who needs superpowers when you’ve got rock hard abs, lustrous blonde hair, and killer legs?

For people 65 or older, the federal Medicare program is available to cover many healthcare services and supplies. It is also available for people under 65 with specific disabilities, and for anyone with permanent kidney failure. However, due to the fact that Medicare does not cover all healthcare costs, a wide range of Medicare supplement insurance plans have been created to fill in the gaps. Medicare supplements offer numerous benefits to individuals, including the opportunity to choose a plan that meets your specific needs. The following are just a few of the benefits that come with Medicare supplemental insurance:

• Plans allow you to select your own doctor, specialist, and hospital.
• Plans help limit out-of-pocket expenses year-round.
• You receive coverage no matter where you travel in the U.S.
• If you are 65 years or older and are enrolled in Medicare Part B, by law you can’t be turned down for coverage.
• Many companies offer the same plans; therefore, plans are competitively priced. The best way to choose the right plan is to gather Medicare supplement insurance quotes from a wide range of insurance companies. MWG InsuranceMall.com, for example, has made it easy to do just that online.

Many people who purchase mushrooms from their local grocery store, either fresh or in cans, never have the opportunity to truly appreciate the amazing variety of edible mushrooms there are in the world and the multitude of flavors that they offer cuisine.  Some of the harder-to-find varieties can now be purchased through online vendors like Oregon Mushrooms, opening a whole new world to cooks and food lovers.

Lobster mushrooms are a popular choice among those looking for something a little different to try.  Although the name comes from the lobster-red coloring of the shell, many feel that the flavor and aroma of these mushrooms does have a hint of seafood to it.  They can occasionally be found in large grocery store chains and are widely enjoyed.

The matsutake mushroom has only known to grow in a handful of places around the world, including Japan, China, and Korea.  An ingredient in Japanese cuisine for almost a millennium, the matsutake is treasured enough to be considered a special gift.  It can be quite expensive to purchase due to the limited growing region and the difficulty in harvesting.  However, this is a delicacy that is worth trying at least once.

Once certified, a new permanent make-up technician can expect to spend at least $800 to $5,000 to begin practicing independently. Although the costs may be recouped quickly, the initial overhead is still high, even if you want to begin working in a market that has a lot of people who are interested in permanent lipliner, eye makeup, or eyebrow makeup. Therefore, it’s important that you purchase quality products that have high color retention and the right topical anesthetics. Premier Pigments’ safe, color-efficient, predictable formulations are all conveniently sold online, as are ancillary materials such as customized consent forms and anesthetics. The Premier Pigments line is one of the most venerated in the business, which is why Premier is the micropigmentation industry sales leader. To find out more about our products, please download the Color Catalog.

The FQA (short for Fastener Quality Act) was created to help standardize the regulation of fasteners like nuts and bolts.  As the safety of cars, airplanes, bridges, and much more depend on just how reliable these little bits of metal actually are, this was a very important step for the industry, particularly after a government investigation found that the quality of millions of fasteners just wasn’t up to par.

Initially, the deadline set for the implementation of the FQA was May of 1997.  However, a month before that deadline, it was determined that there just wasn’t a way for it to be met.  A Federal notice extended that deadline to July of 1998, providing an additional fourteen months for a sufficient number of laboratories to receive accreditation for maintaining the standards of fasteners from imperial bolts to metric dowel pins.  

The extension was not the only addition to the act that was established by the Federal notice.  In addition, there was a new provision that provided manufacturers of fastener the ability to use statistical process control and quality assurance systems.  Any hex head cap screw or other fastener that was manufactured prior to the deadline and still in their inventory they would be allowed to sell as noncompliant.  Lastly, manufacturers who operated QAS/SPC fastener production lines would be able to provide notice of provisional FQA compliance.

If you need Zinsco circuit breakers or other hard-to-find electrical parts, we recommend RELECTRIC.com.

In anticipation of a billion-dollar stimulus plan announced by President-elect Barack Obama, the dollar surged to a three-week high against the euro in forex trading in early January. The greenback also advanced against the Japanese yen, the Swiss franc, and the Danish krone. Andrew Wilkinson, a senior market analyst with Interactive Brokers Group, Inc., told Bloomberg, “America was the first one that got into this mess and will be the first country that drags itself out.”

Matt Esteve, a forex trader at Tempus Consulting Inc. agreed with Wilkinson, saying, “The U.S. economy is best set for recovery in 2009. I am very bullish on the dollar throughout 2009.”