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Letter 3/05/09

Leland Teschler's editorial on the upside of negative thinking (Jan. 8) clicked with many of our readers. They sent in other examples and comments decrying the practice of killing the messengers of much-needed critical thinking. They also made some pretty good guesses for the previous "Name that Gadget." An interesting editorial ("The Upside of Negative Thinking," Jan. 8). But your final conclusion, that we may need a few more negative thinkers in top management, is not the solution identified by Elmer Johnson (a GM executive who warned about a failure to encourage open and honest discussion within the company). As you relate, rather than "negative thinking," he seemed to suggest that an environment which encouraged open and honest discussion rather than one in which fear thwarted negative news delivery is what is really needed in top management. This is far different than negative thinking. As a person who
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Optical Comparators
Optical comparators are instruments that project a magnified image or profile of a part onto a screen for comparison to a standard overlay profile or scale. 
Vacuum Switches
Vacuum switches are a type of pressure switch that functions in the vacuum end of the pressure spectra. They measure vacuum pressure (negative pressure). 
Eddy Current Proximity Sensors
Eddy current proximity sensors and switches detect the proximity or presence of a target by sensing the magnetic fields generated by a reference coil.
Pressure Switches
Pressure switches are actuated by a change in the pressure of a liquid or gas.  They activate electromechanical or solid-state switches upon reaching a specific pressure level.
Fresnel Lenses
Fresnel lenses resemble a planoconvex or planoconcave lens that is cut into narrow rings and flattened. If the steps are narrow, the surface of each step is generally made conical and not spherical.
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