An Union Pacific train collided with a semi truck and trailer at the crossing of 18th Street and Business Highway 75. The accident happened at about 11:40 a.m. this (Friday) morning. The semi truck and trailer is operated by Decker Trucking of Fort Dodge, Iowa, when apparently, the truck was wanting to merge onto traffic on Highway 75, and the back portion of the semi-trailer was still on the rail tracks when the train hit the trailer. The
semi-trailer was an insulated trailer, but was empty at the time of the collision. The driver of the truck was able to escape without injuries.
Extensive damage happened to the semi-trailer, and to the rail crossing guards.Semi Trailer

The Railroad will keep the portion of 18th St. S.W. between Lincoln Ave. and Hawkeye closed until they replace the warning devices that was hit with the train vs semi accident this afternoon, 8/16/2019. They are going to try and have it reopened by Tuesday Aug 20th .

A semitruck trailer came unhitched, drifted into oncoming traffic and crashed head-on into a car on U.S. Highway 95 south of Coeur d’Alene on Wednesday morning.Two men in the car were taken Kootenai Health in critical condition, said Chris Schenck, Idaho State Police spokesman.They remained in critical condition Thursday morning, the hospital reported.

The truck, owned by Montana company Mergenthaler Transfer & Storage, was traveling south on the highway about 3 miles south of Coeur d’Alene at about 8:15 a.m. The trailer drifted into the northbound lane, striking a gray Nissan sedan, Schenck said.Accessories

The Nissan wedged under the semitruck trailer, and rescue crews had to hoist the end of the trailer to free the victims.

The driver of the Nissan, Nicholas S. Spooner, 25, and the passenger, Timothy P. Spooner, 59, were both wearing seat belts, according to a news release from Idaho State Police.Schenck said in his 29 years of working he can’t recall hearing about a trailer becoming unhitched from a semi. However, accidents like the one Wednesday have caused fatalities in the U.S. Last year, a man in Oklahoma died from a similar crash.

No citation has been issued and that detectives are investigating the cause of the crash, Schenck said.Mergenthaler Transfer & Storage spokesman Art Villa said Wednesday the company was still gathering information and had no further comment.

The road reopened at about 12:30 p.m., according to the news release.The Spooners were listed in critical condition Thursday morning at Kootenai Health.

Quality marble tiles do not have to come with a high price tag -- if you know what to avoid when selecting them. If you know how to spot inferiorities in marble tiles, you have a better chance of selecting quality tiles at inexpensive prices to save on your tile renovation project. Just remember to buy about 10 percent more than your project calls for to make up for tile-cutting mistakes during installation. It also helps to keep a few tiles on hand for replacement as needed.Quality Tile And Marble
The veins, cracks and fissures in marble give it a naturally artistic appearance, but can also affect its strength. Examine the surface of marble for large fissures or cracks, and then turn the tile over to check the other side in the same place. Quality tiles do not have fissures or fractures that go all the way through the tile, but instead have a vein of color without a crack running through it. Manufacturers also apply fiberglass or epoxy mesh reinforcements on the backside of lower quality and weaker tiles to ensure that the tile does not break. You cannot install marble tiles with this type of backing over thinset, as it affects the ability of the marble tiles to adhere. Use an epoxy-based thinset instead of one containing cement.
The thickness of tile -- its calibration -- offers one indication of its quality. Obviously, the thicker the marble tile the better, as marble tiles naturally contain flaws. These flaws are nice to look at, but, depending upon its application, they can also cause the tile to break if it is too thin. Besides calibration, check tile dimensions to make certain all the tiles are square. During the cutting process, cutting tools can get off track and misalign, causing slightly trapezoidal tile shapes -- not good for creating tight and equal grout lines. Select tiles that are of the same dimensions, height, length and depth, when you want a level floor or countertop.
Marble tiles with chips and cracks can indicate a weakness in the tile. While some chipping and cracking is normal, when chips and cracks appear on more than 5 percent of the tiles, the marble is too soft and can chip and crack when you cut them for installation. Carefully look at the marble tile for smoothness on all surfaces: the edges, front and back of the tile. Check for pockmarks or indications of crumbling in lower quality tiles.
Sometimes manufacturers add fill to areas that chip or crack on tiles. If you notice dull areas when holding the tile under a light at a slight angle, especially when most of the surface has a mirrorlike appearance, this typically indicates a lower quality marble. High quality marble tiles contain no holes or breaks that require the addition of fill. Avoid using acidic chemicals when cleaning marble tiles, as the material that makes up marble, calcium carbonate, disintegrates with the application of acids.

Classic Marble Restoration, Inc., South Florida’s premier marble cleaning, polishing, and restoration company, has been awarded their second contract by one of the most well-known hotels in Miami, the Versace Mansion.Interior Stone Products

The Versace Mansion was once home to the late fashion designer, Gianni Versace, and still maintains the designer’s over-the-top splendor with richly decorated walls, floors, ceilings, and windows.

Classic Marble Restoration, Inc. has been contracted to Polish, Restore, and Seal many of the interior and exterior natural stone and marble surfaces throughout this property. In addition, they are the only marble polishing company to have worked on stone restoration on this property.

“We are thrilled to be working on the Versace Mansion again,” said Devin Vance, Owner at Classic Marble Restoration, Inc. “We look forward to being able to provide exceptional service to this historic piece of property for the second time now.”

Classic Marble Restoration, Inc. provides state-of-the-art natural stone restoration services including marble cleaning, floor polishing, marble and natural stone restoration, stone sealing and repair, and more. The company has years of experience working with a variety of natural stone such as marble, granite, terrazzo, travertine, and many more.Classic Marble Restoration, Inc., CMR for short, was established in 1999 by a father-and-son team. Services include marble and natural stone cleaning, polishing and restoration services in Residential Homes, Commercial Properties, and Superyachts. Classic Marble Restoration’s primary service areas include every city in southeast Florida – from Palm Beach down to Miami. Through honest efforts and hard work, Classic Marble Restoration, Inc is A+ rated by Better Business Bureau.

If you have been through the process of getting a hearing aid, you probably must have scratched your head when looking at the bill. Hearing aid prices can range from $1,500 to $3,500 per unit but, according the President’s Council for Science & Technology, the average price is $2,300 per unit. Double that if you need one for each ear!

To the average American household, this is equivalent of up to 2 months of income! Here is a detailed explanation of why hearing aids are so expensive and if there are any low-cost hearing aids out there!
While the price itself seems exorbitant, what is even worse is its continuous pace of growth: in the last decade, the price of an average Behind-the-Ear (BTE) hearing aid has more than doubled. Even today, price points are not receding. Typically, we don’t see low cost hearing aids.Hearing Aid Accessories Online

Most hearing aids today are made up of digital signal processors. What is surprising is that digital technology was expected to reduce the production cost of a hearing aid. After all, digital technology has also made consumer electronics far less costly: think of how the cost of an average DVD player has plunged over the last decade.

The components of a hearing aid are indeed commoditized: they cost at most $50 to $150 per device but can go as low as a few dollars. If on top of this, most major manufacturers have shifted their production to low-cost China (e.g. Phonak), why do consumers still see rising price levels?

For a while, increasing amounts of R&D spend shifted towards developing sophisticated signal processing software that tackled anything from complex speech recognition situations to effective noise cancellation. However, that has become standard too.More importantly, manufacturers have spent substantial R&D resources making the devices smaller, more powerful and packed with myriads of new features: Bluetooth, wireless integration, remote controls, 20+ channels. However, the improvements in alleviating hearing loss are becoming increasingly marginal: for most people, there is no notable perceived benefit beyond 4-5 channels.

Many argue that devices nowadays are over-engineered for the average user with mild or moderate hearing loss – however, it gives manufacturers an excuse to charge higher prices by introducing “newer and better” models. Think about it this way: if you need to get from A to B, a Rolls Royce would definitely make the ride more enjoyable than a Honda. But the Honda will get you from A to B just as well, in a safe and comfortable manner. It seems that when it comes to hearing aids you don’t have the choice to opt for the Honda: you are forced to buy the Rolls Royce.

By far the most important factor for the current hearing aid price levels has to do with the underlying industry structure; the relationship between manufacturers, audiologists and end-patients. Have you ever pondered at how on earth a few components costing at most $100, assembled in China, suddenly turn into a $2,500 hearing aid? While many recent events suggest that low cost hearing aids might be right around the corner (Audicus is one example) this pricing bubble is material for many posts to come.

As has been our custom over the last couple of years, we thought it was about time that we started detailing the best hearing aids available for 2018. This article, like the ones that have preceded it, will be a living document that is constantly updated. Already this year we have seen some exciting announcements about new hearing aid technology from Starkey. Elsewhere on the blog, I have discussed hearing aid innovations in 2018 that I think will change everything. Here though, I think my job is to keep you abreast of the very latest and best hearing aids available from the big hearing aid brands.Open Fit Digital Hearing Aid

This article will change as time goes by and more stuff is introduced this year. Initially, I will detail the latest platforms available from each manufacturer. Then, as announcements are made about new introductions they will be added to the top of the article. So, here we go, let's take a look at the top rated hearing aids for 2018.
Phonak introduced Marvel to the world at EUHA 2018 and it is a pretty amazing hearing aid range. The Marvel isn't just a Made For iPhone, it is a Made For Any Phone hearing aid. It is a true Bluetooth hearing aid in all that the concept is. Initially, the new Marvel range will be available in the Audeo type which is Phonak's Receiver In Canal style of hearing aids. However, they will expand the range as time passes. Their initial offering is a Lithium-Ion powered rechargeable hearing aid version and a traditional size 312 Zinc-Air version. My advice would be to go for the rechargeable version because I think these things are going to be power hungry.

While Phonak had introduced the concept of Made For Any Phone with the Audeo B-Direct, that device was a compromise. It connected to phones but only allowed you to hear the call in one ear. It also didn't stream audio from your phone. The Marvel hearing device is a hugely multi-functional and feature-rich hearing aid which streams audio to both ears. There is actually a huge amount to talk about with the Marvel platform, almost so much that you wonder where to start. The Marvel contains probably every single one of the current headline features in the hearing aid world, and they have even thrown in some new ones, here’s the quick list:
Stereo Bluetooth streaming: Stereo streaming from any Bluetooth enabled device, that means iPhone, iPad, laptops, computers, Macs, Android phones, Windows phones, hell any Bluetooth-enabled phone.
Real Hands-free calling in stereo: Like the Audeo B-direct, the Marvel offers true hands-free calling from Bluetooth-enabled phones and VOIP services like Skype, except, to both hearing aids.
TV Streaming: Marvel can stream directly from Bluetooth-enabled TVs, and can also stream from the Phonak TV Connector accessory.
Rechargeability: They say both Marvel rechargeables will deliver a full day of hearing aid use from a single charge.
Remote adjustments: Marvel hearing aids can be adjusted remotely by your hearing expert.
New App Eco-System: Brand new apps to make life easier and engage the consumer in the process.
RogerDirect: This is really fascinating, for the first time, users will be able to stream from Roger devices directly to their hearing aids.
Full Phonak Feature Set: Unlike the Audeo B-direct, the Marvel devices will not be hobbled, they will offer full and up to date inter-ear features.

Hearing loss can have a big impact on your life, from your work to your relationships and emotional well-being. Hearing aids can make a big difference, especially if you pick the right ones and get help adjusting to them.Mini BTE Digital Hearing Aids

How Hearing Aids Help

A hearing aid is a battery-powered electronic device designed to improve your hearing. Small enough to wear in or behind your ear, they make some sounds louder. They may help you hear better when it's quiet and when it's noisy. Here’s how they work:

A microphone picks up sound around you.
An amplifier makes the sound louder.
A receiver sends these amplified sounds into your ear.
Not everyone with hearing loss can benefit from hearing aids. But only 1 in 5 people who could have improvement wear them. Most of the time, they’re for people who have damage to their inner ear or the nerve that links the ear with the brain. The damage can come from:

On Thursday, Pampers introduced the Lumi, an internet-powered diaper system that can record and transmit data about a baby's activities to a smartphone. The product can tell you how long the baby has slept, and when their diaper needs changing, including if it's become wet or very wet.baby poop diaper

The diapers themselves are disposable. However, each one can be fitted with a Lumi activity sensor. The baby's data is then transmitted to an app, which is available for iOS and Android.

Through the app, you can also track when a diaper was last changed, how long the baby has been awake, and when they've been fed. The same app will offer personalized content and babycare tips from Pampers' experts.

Unfortunately, the system does have limitations. It reportedly only tracks when a baby has peed not pooped. You also have to replace the activity sensors every three months, and buy the specific Lumi diapers from Pampers to keep the system working.

However, the Lumi isn't just a smart diaper. The bundle comes with a baby monitor that can record 1080p footage viewable on the app. The camera also has night-vision and the capability to monitor the surrounding temperature and humidity.

"By combining a video monitor with an activity sensor, Lumi helps parents blend real-time data with their intuition seamlessly and offers insights tailored to their unique baby," Pampers says on its website.

Pampers this week announced a line of smart diapers that it says will track a child’s urine — but not bowel movements — as well as sleep. Last year, rival Huggies debuted a similar concept in Korea, allowing parents to receive text alerts when a child has pooped.best quality baby diapers

The Lumi by Pampers line, which Pampers says has a waitlist ahead of its US launch this fall, includes an activity sensor that secures to a “landing” on the front of a baby’s diaper. It comes with a baby monitor and a 10-day supply of diapers. The sensor works with a corresponding app to log the kid’s pee and identify patterns. Additional packs of Lumi by Pamper diapers will be sold separately. Pricing has not been finalized.

The concept is part of the so-called Internet-of-Things movement, which allows consumers to track everything from who’s ringing their doorbell to what’s in their refrigerator and how well they’re brushing your teeth. The baby industry has recently been flooded with connected products, including connected onesies that double as sleep trackers and a robotic crib that’s supposed to help rock a baby to sleep.

Many pediatricians tell parents to keep track of how often they’re going to the bathroom, especially in those first few months after birth.

But parents don’t, strictly speaking, need an app to tell them when their baby has peed thanks to obvious ways to check — the baby’s cries, of course, and one can simply feel to see how wet the diaper is. And some diapers also offer lower-tech solutions: Pampers’ existing “Swaddler” line of diapers, for instance, feature a blue line that appears on the diaper when it’s wet.

Parents using the Lumi diapers will in theory not have to worry about checking any of that because they’ll get smartphone alerts. The app will display one of three diaper statuses: dry, wet, very wet.

“Parents didn’t ask for a poo or pee alarm; they wanted something more like the smart watches of today,” a Pampers spokesperson told CNN Business. “The activity sensor tracks baby’s sleep and since it’s there on the diaper, it can also track … if a diaper is wet.”

Like other connected products, smart diapers could have issues with security and privacy. Baby monitors can be susceptible to hackers, and any app that holds personal information could potentially expose that information either to hackers or to the app’s maker or its partners.

A Pampers spokesperson said the account information will include a baby’s name, gender, date of birth and a 24-hour archive of video from the monitor, plus a profile photo if the parents choose to use one.

“I do want to re-iterate that we take privacy and security very seriously,” the spokesperson said.” Only Lumi by Pampers account holders with their valid credentials will be able to access their baby’s data on the Lumi app.

Carlo Gavazzi offers a range of motor controllers for soft starting/stopping and reversing of three phase squirrel cage motors. Applications include conveyor systems, pumps, compressors, industrial dryers, mixers, automatic doors, palletizers, and fans.motor soft start controller
Our soft start controllers feature internal bypass relays which eliminate the need for large external heatsinks. This minimizes the space requirements in your panel and also greatly reduces the heat generated. In addition some of our soft starters employ an adaptive learning algorithm allowing them to optimise themselves to the particular motor being used.

We also offer soft starters with built-in over temperature monitoring, thermal monitoring of motor via PTC sensor, and built-in overload protection (class 10 or class 20)

With the increasing use of geo-thermal energy and the rising cost of energy in HVAC systems in general, our range also includes single and three phase soft starters for scroll compressors in order to minimize the starting current and prevent light flickering.