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05/23/2008

Surge Licensing Goes Green Again With Gotta Pea! After Making Green History With

Frozen Green Pea Surge Licensing is going green again! The firm that made history putting

the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on the entertainment map is serving up a healthy dose of

fun with irreverent Pea characters with attitude fresh from the pod and ready to take root

in pop culture. Mark Freedman, President of Surge Licensing, the firm that first led the

"Turtles" to global success, is worldwide licensor of the Gotta Pea!TM, and will be

introducing the characters at the International Licensing Show at Javits Center in New York

City, June 10-12. Freedman said, "Throughout history, the greatest Heroes have mostly been a

combination of animal and mineral. It was only a matter of time before vegetables would be

added to the proverbial soup." Freedman added, "Gotta Peas have sort of a split personality,

one part vegetable (legume to be exact) and three parts Chloroplastic-Anthropomorphic

Critter... a mouthful of character DNA but true never-the-less!" "The lovable Peas are sure

to delight kids of all ages and use mildly irreverent bathroom humor at times, but the fun

is in the puns... after all doesn't everyone Gotta Pea?" Gotta Pea characters range from the

overly optimistic and ever grinning "Chip-Pea" to the slightly off-the-vine but

misunderstood "Pea-Brain." A double headed "Split-Pea," a "Hip-Pea," a "Grump-Pea," a "Slop

-Pea," a "Zip-Pea," a "Chick-Pea," a "Sweet-Pea," not to mention our resident rapper, "Oh-

Pea-Pea," all rounding out this veritable farm stand of fun. But lurking in the shadows as

fate would have it...and it always does, are an evil empire of misguided legumes known as

the "CreePeas," who like to wreak havoc... because... well, they just can! As the story

goes, slightly frozen Peas from outer space looking for a nice place to defrost picked up a

distant signal from a strange blue planet calling for "Peace on Earth," and headed this way

thinking any planet with this obvious plea-for-peas was worth visiting. When they learned

neither peace nor peas were all that popular here, they spotted Freedman on their G-Pea-S

and knew they found the right licensing executive to promote them. "Gotta Pea!" creator Doug

Koozer, sprouting a wry smile, said, "We're working hard to appease the demands of the peas

to entertain omnivores of all ages with their innocence, determination, humor and obvious

health benefits. I lived and pea-ed all my life and know it's now time to stir the pot and

meet my destiny. Peas are simply my life!" Reflecting on building entertainment and

licensing successes, Freedman said, "After my work promoting turtles, cows, cats, sharks and

dinosaurs, I needed a break and ordered a pea soup to clear my head. Suddenly, I felt the

Surge-urge and decided to walk down the path less traveled, a path that would lead me to a

different genus: a genus with the appropriate Latin name, Pisum!... check it out, it's

true!" "Technically not a vegetable, but who really cares, the pea is often overlooked in

world political, ecological and monetary matters, but I think they have a bright future in

licensing and entertainment," said Freedman. Surge Licensing, based in Hicksville, NY, is

the worldwide licensor of "Gotta Pea?" the world's healthiest and greenest property.

Tractor steering cylinder with internal adjustable steering stops

Front Steering Cylinder The present invention relates to a tractor such as an agricultural

tractor having a steering cylinder for turning the front tires with adjustable steering

stops built into the cylinder for controlling the length of stroke of the steering cylinder.

2. Description of Related Art It is known to equip an agricultural tractor with a hydraulic

front steering cylinder that is a double acting cylinder having a piston rod extending in

both directions from the cylinder. The rod is coupled to left and right steering knuckles of

the tractor by tie rods to turn the front wheels. The extent to which the front wheels can

be turned is often controlled by steering stops formed on the steering knuckle and the axle

housing. The steering stops may include a boss on the axle and a threaded fastener on the

steering knuckle. The fastener head contacts the boss to limit rotation of the knuckle to

prevent further turning. The threaded fastener can be turned in or out to adjust the extent

of steering travel for different wheel and tire combinations. With the increasing popularity

of front suspension axles for agricultural tractors, there is greater competition for space

between the tractor chassis and the steering knuckles, making it more difficult to package

steering stops at the steering knuckle. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an

object of the present invention to provide a steering stop that does not interfere with

suspension components to thereby provide greater flexibility to the suspension designer for

locating the suspension components. According to the present invention, the steering stops

are provided internal to the steering cylinder and thus do not occupy additional packaging

space beyond the cylinder itself. The steering cylinder of the present invention has a

piston rod extending through and beyond both ends of the cylinder. A piston carried by the

rod between the rod and the cylinder transfers the hydraulic force into linear motion of the

rod. The rod extends through end caps at each end of the cylinder. The end caps are each

threadably mounted to the cylinder and serve as the steering stops. When the piston travels

to the point where the piston contacts the stops, travel of the piston is stopped. The stops

can be rotated relative to the cylinder to thread the stops in or out, thereby changing the

stroke of the steering cylinder. Once the stops are set to the desired location, they are

locked in place by a retainer that is bolted to the cylinder. The retainers can be

selectively removed from the cylinder and then used as a wrench to rotate the stops to

adjust the cylinder stroke. Adjustment ineeded when different wheel and tire combinations

are mounted on the tractor or when the tread width is changed. A travel limiter is mounted

to the cylinder to prevent complete withdrawal of the stops and the resulting loss of

hydraulic oil. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of an agricultural tractor

having the steering cylinder of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of

the front wheel drive differential case and steering cylinder. FIG. 3 is an enlarged

sectional view of the steering cylinder and differential case as seen from substantially the

line 3--3 of FIG. 2 FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the steering cylinder and front

differential case as seen from substantially the line 4--4 of FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is an exploded

enlarged perspective view of the steering stop and retainer.

Crop Watch Fieldwork back on track

Finally, after what has been a very frustrating six weeks, most fieldwork is now back on

track. How much the delays will affect yield potential is hard to tell, but in general

winter cereal Plant Sprayer are looking surprisingly well. All the wheat should now have

received a T1 spray, although a large quantity went on closer to growth stage 33 than 32.

The intention now is that the T2 spray will be applied either 3-4 weeks after the T1, or at

full flag leaf emergence, whichever comes first. Decent triazole rates have been used at T1

and most T2 sprays are now on farm as a result of the concerns over supply of products. With

the very rapid growth over the last fortnight the intention is to include a second growth

regulator with the T2 spray to try and ensure this lush growth does not result in flat

crops. Final fertiliser applications for yield have now been made, albeit later than ideal

for many due to the pressure of work. As the colour of these crops improve the hope is that

the yield has not been compromised. Winter barley crops have shot through the growth stages

and where possible Terpal (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid + mepiquat chloride)/ Cerone (2-

chloroethylphosphonic acid) has been applied +/- T2 fungicide, depending on the length of

time since receiving the T1 spray. For many, the T1 spray had only been applied 7-10 days

prior to the PGR needing to go on, and so the T2 will be applied at full ear emergence.

Where T2s have been applied these have all included Bravo (chlorothalonil) to improve

ramularia control. As with the rest of the country winter oilseed rape is all over the

place. The better crops have received the mid-flower spray, but a number, that are so

variable in growth and of limited yield potential, will not get anything. Spring barley is

all over the place, from just emerging to close to GS30. The better crops have/ are about to

receive their herbicides plus first fungicides. The majority are nowhere near. Decision-

making on next year’s cropping has already started, with the problems of high fertiliser

prices focusing the mind. Given the massive increase in the costs of production relative to

the forward grain prices, there are likely to be some hard decisions to be made. Certainly

oats, beans and spring crops have been discussed in more detail than for many years!

ONGC launches plant to extract helium

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on Sunday launched India's first pilot plant to

extract helium from natural gas at Kuthalam in Nagapattinam district. The pilot project was

launched with the technical assistance from Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and the

Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation

(ONGC) on Sunday launched India's first pilot plant to extract helium from natural gas at

Kuthalam in Nagapattinam district. The pilot project was launched with the technical

assistance from Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics and the Department of Science and

Technology, Government of India. "A gas of strategic importance, helium is used in many

applications including space technology, cryogenics and atomic reactors. Global supply of

helium is fast depleting and scientists worldwide are in panic mode as the imbalance between

supply and demand is growing at an alarming rate. The entire requirement of helium (around

1.8 lakh cubic metres a year) in India is currently met through imports at a cost of nearly

$2 per cubic metre. The supply-demand imbalance for helium in global market could grow into

a big Plant Extract in future and in such a situation, India will be in a disadvantageous

position. This pilot plant at Kuthalam could play a significant role in ensuring the energy

security of the nation," said RS Sharma, chairman and managing director, ONGC. The ONGC has

set up this pilot plant with an initial investment of Rs 6.5 crore. Once the pilot plant

proves successful, ONGC would invest more for commercial production of helium.

Pesticide Sprayer Drift Reduction Starts Now

The number of drift complaints in 2007 regarding ground applications of ag pesticides rose

significantly last year. The number received by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land

Pesticide Sprayer increased by 36% compared to 2006 and was nearly double that of 2004. The

first step in preventing problems with drift is to develop an effective drift management

strategy prior to the spray season, says Bob Hartzler, an Iowa State University Extension

weed management specialist. Important considerations include: * Equipping sprayers with

appropriate spray nozzles, * Effective use of drift retardants, * Sprayer set up -

boom height, operating pressure and driving speed, * Identification of drift sensitive

locations (organic production, vineyards or other high value crops, concerned neighbors),

and * Proper education of personnel operating the sprayers. "While advances in spraying

technology have improved the ability of farmers and other sprayer operators to keep

pesticides on target, successful management of drift ultimately relies on good judgment by

the sprayer operator," says Hartzler. Now is time to inspect sprayer nozzles "Now once the

weather warms enough so temperatures get above freezing and before you start spring

fieldwork is a good time to check your sprayer nozzles," says Mark Hanna, ISU Extension ag

engineer. "Even if you haven't had any sprayer nozzle problems in the past, you should check

the nozzles each spring before you go to the field." People often put new nozzles on their

sprayer but then are never quite sure when they need to be replaced, notes Hanna. If it's

been awhile since you checked the output of each nozzle on your sprayer, you probably need

to do it. If your sprayer has covered several thousand acres or you've used it for several

years, check the nozzles. Or, if you can't remember when you last checked, it probably means

its time to check them now. Hanna says several specific things should be looked at: *

Total flow going through the sprayer * Flow rate from each nozzle * Spray pattern

coming from each nozzle "Too often, farmers look at their spray monitors and see a flow rate

that is satisfactory, so they never check any further," says Hanna. "What you may find is

the rate varies from nozzle to nozzle, meaning the total rate is fine but the distribution

is uneven. Nozzles become worn and are off from the manufacturer's specifications on flow

rates." Checking each nozzle for rate and spray pattern takes some time, but it can save

money on pesticide costs and it can ensure a better job of spraying. "With input costs up

for 2008 crop production, every little bit of planning and preparation that you can do to

reduce costs is worthwhile," says Hanna. "Start by cleaning out your sprayer and filling it

with water. Wearing rubber gloves is a good idea," he notes. "Park the sprayer on a level

surface and run the spray water through it. Moving along the spray boom, put a container

under each nozzle, and check to see the amount of spray coming out of each nozzle in a

certain period of time."

Connie Aclin: Dried beans, peas are nutritional way to save money

With the high prices of food today, more people are realizing dried beans and peas not only

are economical but also are delicious, versatile and very nutritious. In fact, they provide

more protein for your money than most kinds of beans. Considered both a vegetable and a

protein, beans/peas have the distinction of being the only food listed in two places on the

USDA MyPyramid. Dried beans and peas are among nature's most nutritiously complete foods.

High in vitamins and nutrients — like protein, potassium, complex carbohydrates and fiber,

and they are low in calories, sodium and fat. One cup of cooked dried beans or peas provides

about one-fourth of an adult's daily protein requirement. However, served alone the protein

in peas and beans is incomplete, which means it lacks some of the essential amino acids

necessary for growth and repair of the body tissue. But the protein becomes complete when

beans/peas are combined with cereal, rice, pasta or served with milk or cheese. Red beans

and rice, a Louisiana favorite, is a good example of a dish that provides complete protein.

Beans and peas, classified as legumes, are high in potassium, necessary for normal

functioning of nerves and muscles. One cup of cooked beans or peas provides more potassium

than one banana. They also supply more calcium and iron per cup than three ounces of cooked

meat. Legumes are second only to wheat bran as the best plant source of dietary fiber and

contain about 9 grams of fiber per cooked cup. Both soluble and insoluble fiber are present,

making this an excellent source to help supply your daily goal of 20 to 35 grams of fiber.

The dry bean family is large and colorful — some catalogs record more than 180 varieties.

The kinds of beans sold in different parts of the country reflect regional supply and

preference. The more common dried beans marketed in our area are: Pea (navy) beans are

small, white, oval beans. Different kinds vary somewhat in size. They are used for baked

beans, soups and casseroles. Great Northern beans are larger than navy beans, but have the

same white color. They are somewhat flat in shape and are used in soups, salads, casserole

dishes and home baked beans. Lima (butter beans) are broad and flat. Baby limas are smaller

than standard limas but similar in shape. These are used in many delicious and inexpensive

dishes. This bean is both eaten green and used dried. Kidney beans come in two types: the

"dark red" and the more common "light red." Some kidney beans are white. They are used for

baked beans, in chili con carne and other Mexican dishes, and add zest to salads. Pinto

(Indian beans) are the same species as the kidney and red bean. They are the beige, colored

and speckled bean from the Western United States and the "frijoles" of Mexico. Popular types

of dry peas in our area are: Black-eyed peas are actually beans that are small, oval shaped,

creamy white with a black spot on one side. They are used primarily as a main dish

vegetable. Hoppin' John is a popular dish made with black-eyed peas. Green split peas have

had their skins removed. These are special grown whole peas that are dried and their skins

are removed by a special machine. A second machine then breaks the peas in half. Ham and

split peas go well together, and they combine best in old-fashioned split pea soup. Crowder

peas and field peas also are available in the dried form. When buying dried beans and peas

one pound or 2 cups will give you about 5 to 6 cups of cooked beans. A 15?-oz. can (drained)

will give you 1?2/3 cups of cooked beans.

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