Christmas Ornaments

Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 May 2015 11:15 Written by Albert Greenhut Monday, 6 January 2014 10:50

I spent part of last Saturday setting up for Christmas. After going through the tough part of getting the tree and carrying it up a cramped flight of stairs it was time to decorate it. My mother buys a new ornament every year, and seemingly has done so forever. Her ornaments date back to the 50’s and spend the majority of their time in a box in her basement covered in tissue paper. Each one has a story, and my favorites are, naturally, about me. Unfortunately each year there are casualties, but not from being dropped, as was the danger in my younger years. We used to live in a house which basement flooded and those were the leanest times, but this year the damage was not something immediate like water, but a more persistent one, tarnish and oxidation of the metallic surfaces.

The New Enemy of the Christmas Tree

Last Updated on Thursday, 17 September 2015 03:36 Written by Albert Greenhut Tuesday, 17 December 2013 05:57

From my childhood I always remember the cartoonish Grinch trying to steal Christmas, the Grinch did not succeed thanks to the local townspeople, but where he failed root rot might succeed.

How is this possible? A new article from the Huffington Post claims that Fir trees in the Northwest, specifically Oregon, are at risk to Phytophthora fungus. This is a water mold that attacks the roots of these trees, and the issue is that it is not contained in the trees, but in the soil; making the problem not an issue for one generation of trees, but an ongoing issue. Oregon is the number 1 producer for Christmas trees, nearly 5 million produced there in 2007, the most recent figure from the NCTA (National Christmas Tree Association), more than twice the amount produced by North Carolina, 3.1 million which ranks that state as the number 2 producer.

One study estimated that Phytophthora could cost Oregon over $300 million. In North Carolina farmers are losing a quarter of their Fir trees per year and are at risk of losing up to 80% before they get to market.

Farmers in North Carolina believe that Hurricane Fran, in 1996, was responsible for transporting the water based mold to their soils, and it was exacerbated by hurricane Ivan in 2004.

The Changing Acidity of the Oceans

Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 May 2015 11:01 Written by Albert Greenhut Friday, 13 December 2013 07:50

The world’s oldest living creature was recently discovered, it was an Ocean Quahog, named Ming. It was found near Iceland and was determined to be 507 years old. It was born just after Columbus first crossed the Atlantic and lived to have seen many great changes in its life. From 1751 to 1994 the oceans are estimated to have gotten 30% more acidic, and over the past 25 years 12% more acidic. This changing acidity of the oceans was recently the focus of an article in the Economist which brought to light some of the changes that we are likely to see. As of now, I already know that shipping on the sea is difficult and the increase in acidity will only bring about more challenges.

The ever-present moisture and chlorides provide a tough atmosphere from which to protect against rust, corrosion, and degradation. We at Engineered Materials, Inc. have responded to the challenge by recommending our 8 Mil Intercept Shrink Film. This Shrink Film creates a safe reactive barrier on the outside as well as a micro-environment inside of the package.  This INTERCEPT created micro-environment is then free from atmospheric pollutants that cause corrosion and degradation.

Time Capsule

Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 May 2015 10:43 Written by Albert Greenhut Monday, 9 December 2013 09:02

Engineered Materials, Inc. was recently contacted by the City Council of Grand Junction Colorado to consult on how to store electronics, artifacts and data inside of their time capsule. They put their data mainly on flash drives, and had the foresight to know that they would probably need current computers to pull the data off in the future. They also had the foresight to consider what would happen in their items in the capsule, specifically the circuitry in the computer and the flash drives, over time.

The Wild Animal Sanctuary

Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 May 2015 10:44 Written by Albert Greenhut Monday, 2 December 2013 09:52

At Engineered Materials, Inc. we are serious about the environment. Our core products, Static Intercept and Corrosion Intercept are renowned because they are not only effective but also are nonvolatile and recyclable. Additionally the personnel we attract are serious about embracing the environment: we employ skiers, hikers, campers, divers, climbers, and sailors. The idea that we find productive and conscious ways to go about our business and lives without effecting the environment permeates our collective mindset. We look for ways to further the interests of those with similar interests as well. Through our business we have begun using green alternatives in business, and we like to inspire our staff to do the same in their lives and through their interests.

Daylight Savings Time

Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 May 2015 10:26 Written by Albert Greenhut Thursday, 7 November 2013 02:57

The history of Daylight Saving Time is relatively long and complicated. It was first conceived by either Benjamin Franklin in 1784 or George Vernon Hudson in 1895, depending on whom you ask. Then it was implemented during the First World War, then removed, and then implemented during the Second World War. For the twenty years after the Second World War, Daylight Saving in the United States was not uniformly enacted, until the Uniform Time Act of 1966 was implemented, thus standardizing the when the time changes, even though local municipalities can and still exempt themselves from it.

Do You Know Where This Picture is From?

Last Updated on Monday, 14 September 2015 10:47 Written by Keith Donaldson Monday, 21 October 2013 08:35

It could be from any dining room, café, or restaurant from the first 70 of the last 100 years. But there is something special about this one; it is from the dining room of the Hindenburg from April 1936.

This was taken about a month before this blimp burst into flames after a transatlantic flight. When it was coming into a tower dock it exploded. Many witnesses claimed they saw a blue discharge and fluttering fabric of the balloon material. According to that testimony, what happened was a combination of torn material and a natural phenomenon. First, the blimp’s outer layer tore, which explains the fluttering fabric, the part of it which tore fluttered as the pressurized and flammable gas leaked out. Whereas we regret the loss of life that occurred on that tragic day, it is important, as with any tragedy, to learn from the accident to help prevent a similar occurrence in the future.

The blue discharge is a bit more complicated. It is believed to be St. Elmo’s Fire. The Hindenburg was half a day late on its ocean crossing. It was storming at the landing area in New Jersey so the blimp took its time over New York City. Citizens flooded the streets to see the big blimp, famous pictures of this passage still exist. But, once the storm subsided the blimp continued onto its destination.