Huang Shan Today

Archive for February, 2010

The principle behind cheap web hosting is the concept of renting space as opposed to owning space. Very much like renting an apartment as opposed to buying a house. Renting is cheaper but is a continuous cost. However, comparing this with the capital outlay of buying a house, renting may prove cheaper, especially at the start when income is low. The subscriber can choose to have the apartment all to himself as in a Dedicated Server. He may, instead, rent a room for himself in an apartment with a few flat mates, as in semi-dedicated servers. The final option is renting in a bed and closet space in a dorm or motel full of people, like a Cheap VPS. Each subsequent loss of space in the room rent analogy corresponds to tradeoffs with hardware allocation in the real sense. However, they also correspond to lower subscriber costs. Tradeoffs to lower costs are usually with allocated communications bandwidth. This determines the number of clients simultaneously connected and the speed of which they can communicate. However, in some areas, like storage space, some options actually improve with respect to cost.

Also, owning a house usually means you do all your maintenance yourself such as repairing leaky faucets, unclogging drains and the like. In a rented apartment or room, these are done by the landlord. Similarly, in renting server space, basic hardware and software maintenance is left to the provider, especially for local UK Hostings. These are just simple analogies, of course. The technical descriptions of the options are no doubt quite daunting. However, it is hope that the reader has grasped the basic concepts of affordable and cheap web hosting.

I have relatives that live and work at other countries, and during the Holidays, they send us a variety of gifts, like designer bags, shoes, perfumes, bath and body products, and watches.  We always thought back then that they might be spending a fortune on our gifts, and most of the time we feel guilty about it.

It was only recently that they told us how they manage to buy these great gifts for us.  The designer bags and shoes, like Gucci and Christian Louboutin, and sports shoes like Adidas shoes were bought on sales and at bazaars, and the luxury watches like Rolex and Breitling, were only replicas of the real item.  The Breitling replica watch I got last year, was so like the original, that none of my friends could tell it was only a replica.  It had the markings and carvings like the original Breitling watch.   Our relatives said that buying expensive items is not very practical and smart thing to do, since you can buy the same items at a cheaper price.

Cloth is basically composed of a fibrous substance like wool or cotton. The individual strands of wool or cotton is short and physical weak. This is readily apparent with the weak force needed to pull a wad of medical cotton out of the pack. Cloth gets its strength from the spinning of the fibers into a thread. The individual strands pull on each other and lends resistance to a pulling force. Further strength is given by weaving it into the actual cloth.

Advances in technology allow for synthetics, like Nylon, to be woven into cloth. This allows superior strength, light weight, sweat management and even luster to cloth. These features are readily apparent with sports wear like NFL jerseys. However, some traditional sports wear, like polo shirts from Lacoste, are still woven with cotton as majority with some additives. Other advanced textiles, like Lycra, provide a stretching component to the cloth, specially in swim wear and stretch pants produced by manufacturers like Ed Hardy.

When I was planning to travel to a class reunion last November, I almost panicked at the sheer volume of errands I had to do.  I had to get the necessary legal documentation, have my vaccinations done, and of course to do my wardrobe planning.  It was for a class reunion and I was not going to get caught with a less than complete wardrobe.  Legal and medical stuff I had to do personally but shopping I did by Internet, allowing me to check what was good, and fitting, and best of all, affordable for me.  After all, I had to pay the plane fare and accommodations.

The reunion involved doing several things at different events so after checking my wardrobe; I knew I needed to buy new boots and bags for a winter trek, an additional denim outfit, and a nifty new bag.  After perusing the internet, I chose True Religion jeans.  It had the style I wanted; flattering the slightly expanded figure I had from high school.  For my winter-related accessories, I chose from UGG boots, and the warmth of the wonderfully fur-lined boots is one reason.  I am not used to cold weather and I wanted to be comfortable.  As for that extra bag, I chose a well-done replica of Louis Vuitton that would be perfect for the rest of my travelling wardrobe.  It was a fruitful internet shopping time, and I would encourage anyone pressed for time to do as I did.

Stretching is a major part of any sports activity whether professional or not. Stretching loosens up the muscle making them more limber. It also delivers valuable oxygen to the muscles. Here are 10 stretches every athlete should know.

1. Roll your neck: Start by lowering your chin to your chest. Slowly rotate your head toward your right shoulder, then your back, then your left shoulder and then back to your chest. The motion should be fluent, and you should feel a slight stretching of your neck muscles.

2. Shrug your shoulders: Lift your shoulders up and forward, then up and backwards. Do this back and forth for 30 seconds. Next, swing your right arm in a huge circle 8 times. Repeat on the left arm. Do two sets.

3. Warm your hip muscles: With your feet shoulder width apart, and your feet pointing forward, place your hands on your hips. First, push your hips toward the front. Then roll them to the right, then the back, then the left and then out in front of you again. Do this for 1 minute, alternating directions every few rotations.

4. Stretch your calves: Stand with feet side by side toes pointing forward. Step out with your right leg and bend at the knee while keeping the other leg straight. If you don’t feel a good stretch in your calves you’ll need to step out farther or slide the straight leg backwards until you do. Hold for 10 seconds, and switch sides. So 3 sets.

5. Stretch your hamstrings: While standing, cross your right foot in front of your left foot. Slowly lower the top half of your body down until your forehead touches your knees. (Or as close as you can get) keep both knees straight and hold for 10 seconds. Now cross your left foot over your right foot and repeat. Do 3 sets.

6. Here’s another one for the Hams: Lie on the ground or the floor with your back flat. While looking upward grab the back of your right leg with both of your hands. With you leg bent, pull your leg up until your thigh is in a 90 degree angle with the floor. Then, slowly straighten your lower leg at the knee until you feel a pull.

7. Stretch your quads: Stand with your feet together. Bend your right leg and try to touch your heal to your buttocks. Grab a hold of your foot with your hand and pull it into your buttocks until your knee is pointing at the ground and hold. You can use a chair or a wall for support if you need to. Do the same with your left leg.

8. Piriformis Stretch: Lay on your back then cross your legs as if you were in the sitting position. Grab the underside leg with both hands and pull your knee toward your chest until you feel a stretching in your buttocks and hip.

9. Stretch your upper arm and shoulder: While standing or sitting, place your right hand on your left shoulder. With your left hand pull your right elbow across your chest toward your left shoulder and hold for 15 seconds. Repeat on other side. Do 3 sets.

10. Stretch three at once: With knees slightly flexed, stand or sit with your arms over your head. Hold your left elbow with your right hand. Lean to the right while gently pulling your elbow behind your head. Hold for 15 seconds. Repeat on other side. Do 3 sets.

Trudi Buck writes about how to enroll in an MRI technician school.

The reason I had been so cavalier about getting stuck was that I had taken one big precaution. I had added a Superwinch S9000 to the F250.With a rated line pull of 9,000 pounds, I figured it could handle anything Suman’s woods could throw at it. And because I installed the winch on a Superwinch portable winch platform, the unit slipped Into the front receiver nearly as easily as if I were sliding in a Class Ill drawbar.
But I must admit: This black mud was evil-looking stuff. Fortunately, the truck was positioned directly in front of some nearby trees, so I was assured an easy single-line pull, the simplest and most common winch setup.
Once the winch was properly rigged, I handed the remote control to Suman and hopped into the cab. The instant I felt the front tires lurch forward, I applied some throttle and the truck popped free.
Then I walked back to the gaping hole behind the truck. I could see Suman shaking his head; the imprint of the P250’s leaf springs were clearly visible in the mud. So was something else—a large, sunken tree trunk. No wonder the truck had been unable to free itself; the mud-clogged rear tires couldn’t climb over the slippery trunk. Even if the front tires had been able to gain purchase, the tree trunk effectively blocked any forward motion.
Take that as positive proof that the unexpected can sink you when you drive offroad. But if you prepare for trouble by bringing along a healthy dose of common sense and the proper equipment, you’ll make the going a lot smoother.

The key to safe winch operation is selecting a stout anchor point. Choose wisely, as winching can generate extreme mechanical forces; if the anchor breaks free—well, to put it in the vernacular all hell will break loose. Trees, large boulders, and other vehicles make good anchors. if you choose a tree, make sure that it’s alive (dead ones topple easily) and that the roots are deep (under towing stress, shallow roots may cause the tree to uproot).Trust me here; I learned both the hard way.
The two most common setups are the single-line pull and the double-line pull.
To rig for a single-line pull, remove the nylon tree strap protector from the winch accessory package. Position it flat and low against the anchor. Next, run the clevis through both loops of the protector and secure with the pin. Put the clutch in freespool, then pull out the wire rope from the drum. Insert the hook at the end of the wire rope into the clevis. (Never wrap the rope around an anchor and then hook it back onto itself. Doing so creates kinks that can cause the rope to break under a load. Wrapping the wire rope around a tree will also damage the tree.) Lay a blanket or tarp over the wire rope about halfway between the winch and the anchor. This helps direct the rope to the ground if it breaks under load.
Slowly take up the slack, then conduct a final inspection of the rigging before powering up to full load. Have your partner climb into the truck so he can steer the vehicle and apply throttle when needed. With a long remote cord, you can also operate the winch from the cab if necessary.
The double-line pull uses a snatch block (also known as a pulley block) to run the wire rope out to an anchor and then double it back to the vehicle, where the hook is attached to the frame—not the bumper, winch, or any part of the suspension. This rig gives you a two-to-one mechanical advantage over single-line pulling and is useful when the vehicle is really mired. Keep in mind that the anchor will bear the brunt of this double load, so pick a stout one.Also, doubling the power cuts the winch speed in half.

Choosing a winch may seem confusing, but it’s really fairly simple. Electric winches are classified by duty ratings, which are based on line pull, gearing system, and motor. Let’s look at each, In order.

In engineer-speak, rated line pull (RLP) is the weight the winch can pull perpendicular to the ground with a single layer of wire rope on the drum. (Translation: RIP determines the total weight the winch can handle.) The RU’ of most winches runs between 5,000 to 12,000 pounds. That’s a broad range. How do you know which RLP is best br your vehicle?

In general, winch manufacturers recommend that you choose a winch with an RLP that is at least 1.25 to 1.5 times greater than the total weight of your vehicle.That’s because the rated line pull of the winch must be high enough to pull the weight of the vehicle while overcoming the very considerable resistance of mud or a steep slope. To ensure the winch has enough gumption, always round up to a higher rating. You’ve heard the phrase “less is more?” Well, that doesn’t apply to winch capacity. In this case, “when in doubt, oversize.”

The key to choosing the proper RLP is knowing exactly how much your vehicle weighs when fully loaded. That means curb weight plus the weight of your hunting and fishing gear a full fuel tank, and the weight of your buddies—none of whom are on lowcarb diets. Fully loaded, the truck could easily weigh 2,000 pounds more than curb weight. If you buy on curb weight only, you won’t have enough winch.

The best way to get an accurate weight reading is to load the vehicle, round up your buddies, then take it to a sand and gravel pit, grain elevator, building and supply company, county waste disposal site, or moving company. These facilities have large drive-on scales, and for a nominal ftc you’ll get an accurate read on your truck’s total weight.

Now let’s consider cable length and diametet In general, cable diameter increases with the REP. Typically, you’ll find ‘/4-inch cable on lighter RIP winches and 3,s-inch cable on heavier-duty models.

Cable length is a little more complicated. Actual line rating will vary depending on how many layers are wound on the drum of the winch. You can expect a 10 percent drop in rating for each layer of wire rope that remains on the drum.

In other words, a 9,000-pound winch reaches full rating with one layer of line on the drum, but drops to 5,400 pounds with four layers on the drum. Say you have a 9,000-pound winch with 95 feet of cable. Manufacturers say that the average amount of line pulled out is 40 to 50 feet.That means that the real line rating is closer to 6,200 to

7,300 pounds, which can still handle the hypothetical example above. (Don’t work yourseff into a lather about this. Manufacturer catalogs explain line rating in easy-to-fathom charts.)

Most manufacturers recommend a minimum of 75 feet of cable. If you do most of your hunting, fishing, and camping in the East, Midwest, and South, where trees are easy to find, 75 feet of cable is usually all you need. But if you four-wheel in high-desert sage flats or the prairie grassland, where trees are few and far between, go with at least 150 feet of cable.

Winch motors are either series wound or permanent magnet. Series-wound motors are more suited to longer duration use; permanent-magnet motors require a lower amperage draw. For high-traction applications with full-size trucks, I’m partial to series-wound motors.

The multiple gears found in a planetary-gear winch mean greater pulling speed; the cylindrical worm and round gear of a worm-gear winch, on the other hand, offer significantly greater gear reduction. In this case, you get brute strength but oh-so-slow operation. In general, outdoorsmen will find the faster-working planetary gears best for their applications.

In addition to selecting the winch, you also need to know about accessories, most of which come with the winch. Generally, the accessory kit includes recovery straps, tree protector strap, clevis (which allows you to connect the wire rope to the tree protector strap), optional remote control system, snatch blocks (also known as pulley blocks), tow hooks, and heavy gloves.

Good question. For starters, hunters and fishermen who routinely venture into rough country should never assume that the vehicle, no matter how well equipped—won’t get stuck. At some point, trouble will find even the most careful drivers. That said, a wise approach for the intrepid outdoorsman is to plan for trouble by installing an electric winch. Reduced to essentials, an electric winch is a motorized drum that unspools and spools a length of heavy- duty wire rope. Once the rope has been attached properly to a secure anchor, the winch can draw a 4×4 out of deep mud or off a steep talus slope.
A generation ago these helping hands were bulky accessories that were permanently mounted in massive replacement bumpers. Nowadays you can opt for a detachable quick-mount platform that slides a compact winch into a receiver (front or rear). When the winch isn’t needed, the mount and winch slide out for storage in the garage or tool shed.

While fishing for steelhead on Michigan’s Pere Marquette River one spring, I crossed paths with Dan Suman, a steel- header out of Mears, Michigan. When we took a break for coffee, the talk fell naturally to another of Suman’s abiding passions— deer hunting.A few minutes later, he said, “Look, I’ve got a nice piece of woods; why don’t you hunt it with me this fall?”
“You bet.Thanks.”
“Well, as long as you’re here, stop by tomorrow. My sons have just finished building some new stands. That way you can look the spot over. One caution. Though I’ve bushwhacked a 4×4 trail on reasonably solid ground, the rest of the place is a total bog. You need to be real careful driving in.”
“No problem,” I said. “My F250 is all set up for heavy-duty four- wheeling. No way it can get stuck.”
The next day I drove over Suman’s narrow trail as far as I could before pulling off onto a clearing so I could walk the rest of the way in. As I prepared to turn off the trail, Dan repeated his warning. To ease his mind, I climbed out of the cab and surveyed the clearing on foot. The leaf-covered ground supported my weight easily. “This will do just fine,” I said.
I backed the truck in. It promptly sank to the frame in thick, dark ooze that looked like used engine oil.
“What’s this?” I said as I climbed down.
Suman looked on with a bemused grin. He knew I was in deep trouble; the top of each tire was barely visible. I climbed back behind the wheel. I had pulled the truck out of some of Missouri’s worst mud, so I wasn’t overly concerned about this little Michigan mudhole.
But try as I might, the mud wouldn’t yield its prize. Even in low- range 4WD, the truck was stuck fast.
“What are you going to do now?” Suman asked.