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Letters 2/19/2009

Recently readers have been chock-full of questions. They want to know if daytime running lights consume too much gas and if an all-metal electric guitar presents a shock hazard. They also are curious as to why some older cars get better gas mileage than some brand-spanking new ones. Your editorial ("How legislators discourage manufacturing," Dec. 11) is a continuation of the discussions on the loss of manufacturing in the U.S. Unfortunately many believe the U.S. will be all right if we morph into a service-based economy. Nothing could be farther from the truth. A comprehensive plan to rejuvenate manufacturing in the U.S. is needed and, in fact, is long overdue. Unfortunately I can't think of what entity would or could lead such an undertaking. Our legislators and politicians would be the last on my list to be involved. Just look at what has been done with the bailout of the financial institutions. They've essentially thrown money at firms with the best connections and lobbyists with no accountability attached. I've been reading letters in your magazine regarding alternative energy sources, and it brings to mind my failed attempts to estimate what has to be a monumental waste of fuel. Some years ago, we were all encouraged to drive with our headlights on for safety, probably an offshoot of the headlights-on policy in highway work zones. Now many cars are made that immediately turn on the headlights and you have to intentionally turn them off — if you can. It seems that if all cars are operated with headlights on, no one will pay attention to them unless they are the über-bright halogens that blind oncoming drivers. How much fuel economy is sacrificed to burn these lights, and how many gallons of fuel a day are wasted by generating the power for this?
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Products & Services
Traffic Safety Equipment
Traffic safety equipment provides visible and physical barriers or high visibility guidance systems to help control traffic flow.
Pilot Lights and Indicator Lights
Pilot lights and indicator lights are indicating lights for machines or instruments. Most indicators favor the use of LEDs or incandescent lamps.
Stack Lights and Machine Lights
Stack lights and machine lights are used for alarm and machine status indication. They can be supplied with audible alarms and be used as flashers or steady light configurations.
Halogen Lamps
Halogen lamps are high pressure incandescent lamps containing halogen gases such as iodine or bromine, which allow the filaments to be operated at higher temperatures and higher efficacies.
Magnifiers
Magnifiers are inspection instruments that are used to magnify a product or part detail via a lens system.
Product Announcements
NADCA - The North American Die Casting Association - The Automotive Metalcasting Report
The new Automotive Metalcasting Report prepared SupplierBusiness is a definitive market review that includes a detailed survey of metalcasters' views of the industry, and detailing the likely changes... (read more)
3 Dimensional Services - A Light Tale About Taillights
Prototypes for taillight assembly helped complete the Monterey, with style and safety as top priorities, though timing too, was critical to Tier One supplier. (read more)
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