In his 2009 bestseller, Change by Design, IDEO president and CEO Tim Brown, with IDEO fellow Barry Katz, evangelized design thinking to the business world. In an updated edition, to be published in March, they make the case that the practice can scale up to tackle even society’s most intractable “wicked problems.”

Based on products, in 2016, non-bitumen synthetic roofing underlayment accounted for largest roofing underlayment market share. This can be attributed to unique characteristics of non-bitumen synthetic underlayments including resistance against wear & tear, light weight, anti-leaking, prevention of fungal growth, anti-skid finish and convenience of fixing. Synthetic underlayments reduce the leakage risk through its self-healing traits. Their wrinkle-free and moisture-repellence characteristics shall further compliment growth of non-bitumen synthetic underlayments market. Rubberized asphalt and asphalt-saturated felt shall lose some market share to synthetic underlayment over next few years on account of regulations discouraging products emitting threatening VOC amount.

Mike: I think it’s a dollars and cents issue. As energy costs continue to increase, people are looking at how they can get more out of those dollars.

Metal roof is a roofing system made from metal pieces or tiles. Metal roof can be a sensible way to protect home, especially if people live in an area that experiences a lot of storms, rapid temperature changes, beaming sun that melts asphalt, large hail, or heavy snowfall. Metal roofs can be made from a variety of metals and alloys.

Abstract: In an Input-Series-Output-Parallel (ISOP)-type power converter circuit, a DC-to-DC converter has a positive input coupled to a DC power source and a negative input connected to a negative output. A plurality of capacitors are coupled in series between a positive output of the converter and a circuit ground, the negative output of the converter coupled to a common node of first and second capacitors. A half-bridge inverter network is coupled between the positive output and a circuit ground, each inverter having an input respectively coupled to the first capacitor and the second capacitor. A plurality of resonant tanks are coupled to an output of a respective one of first and second half-bridge inverters. A transformer is coupled to outputs of the plurality of resonant tanks. A rectifier circuit is coupled to a secondary winding of the transformer to provide a DC output voltage.

The feature image is an artist’s concept and/or artistic impression for illustration and editorial display purposes only unless otherwise stated in the image caption. The image(s) do not represent any condition at present, or in the future, and are not intended to represent specific patents unless otherwise stated in the photo description and/or photo credit(s).

Inventor(s): Stephen Pennington (Dallas, TX) Assignee(s): King Penn Industries, Inc. (Dallas, TX) Law Firm: Winstead PC (Local + 2 other metros) Application No., Date, Speed: 29570771 on 07/12/2016 (938 days app to issue)

Abstract: The assembly of a chip ([b]101[/b]) attached to a substrate ([b]103[/b]) with wires ([b]201[/b]) spanning from the chip to the substrate is loaded in a heated cavity ([b]402[/b]) of a mold; the wire surfaces are coated with an adsorbed layer of molecules of a heterocyclic compound ([b]302[/b]); a pressure chamber ([b]404[/b]) of the mold is loaded with a solid pellet ([b]410[/b]) of a packaging material including a polymerizable resin, the chamber being connected to the cavity; the vapor of resin molecules is allowed to spread from the chamber to the assembly inside the cavity during the time interval needed to heat the solid pellet for rendering it semi-liquid and to pressurize it through runners ([b]403[/b]) before filling the mold cavity, whereby the resin molecules arriving in the cavity are cross-linked by the adsorbed heterocyclic compound molecules into an electrically insulating at least one monolayer of polymeric structures on the wire surfaces.

THE GREENEST ROOF: Installing a roof that can support a garden is one way of going super green. Grohman is a fan. “If you have ever been on a big garden roof, there is nothing more beautiful, with bees buzzing.” But, he said, it is expensive and not exactly easy. “A perfectly designed garden roof in a perfect world wouldn’t need maintenance but as a practical matter, they do.” Like irrigation or trimming. Sedum, a kind of succulent, is the usual medium, and it can handle extreme elements, like drought and cold winters. But his money for maximum sustainability would be on a well-insulated “cool” roof, ie one that reflects heat from the roof and cuts down cooling costs in hot weather.

After Two years of great sex I found myself wanting more in a relationship. My wife would not work or go to school to better herself. She would not cook or clean. There was nothing to that marriage but good sex. I yearned for an open marriage my whole life and now that I had it, I realized it was not enough. The last straw on the camel’s back was when we had company over on Tuesday night. We partied and left a sink full of dishes. I went out of town to South Carolina the next morning and was gone for the rest of the week. When I returned Friday night at the end of the week, the dishes were still in the sink from Tuesday night’s guests. I looked down into the sink and saw that same pot of potatoes with the food still in the pot and I ended our marriage right there. She was sitting on the couch masturbating to a porno video. I turned around and told her keep everything I own, I’m leaving you. She just looked up at me and kept rubbing her clit. I took all of my clothes, video tapes and  VCR and threw them into the trunk of my car and drove away. I filed for divorce and was released from the marriage by a Marion County judge not too long afterwards. That day of my divorce I sat on a bench in front of the court house. She never once asked me why I left her. If she would have, I would have said just one word, “Potatoes,” but she never asked. She looked at me and asked if I wanted to come back to her apartment for a ball licking. I declined her generous tongue offer and never to this day have ever seen that women ever again. My second marriage was two years of madness to a bi-polar woman who I had to Baker Act for her own good after she broke a beer bottle over my head, cheating on me despite being in an open-marriage, and stole a lifetime of jewelry and gave it to crack dealers. It was a huge life mistake made out of the shadow of loneliness after being in prison for two years. I have since forgiven myself for that marriage.

IT DOESN’T HURT TO ASK: Unless you are replacing a metal roof, you have an opportunity to be greener just by asking a question of your roofer, Grohman says. “Always ask if your old shingles can be recycled. In some cases they can, and in some cases they can’t, but you are always helping if you ask because you are creating awareness and helping push the practice.” Also, if you’re getting a new roof, make sure it can support energy systems of the future. “I always push for people to make their roof solar-ready.” That’s not just about weight bearing, but about leaving space available. “Like making sure your nice, South-facing roof doesn’t have the toilet stack on it.” (Or some other equipment for ventilation.)

MRA launched the Top Survivor Home competition to highlight how U.S. and Canada homeowners are taking steps to fortify their homes against destructive climate challenges, including massive hurricanes, freak hailstorms and wildfires, by using stronger building materials such as metal roofs. As the winner, Kristi will receive a $1,500 grand prize, but she considers her fortunes to be far greater.