Your computer can be adversely affected by the problems that its power supply encounters from the wall outlet or power source. One problem the power supply might encounter is a blackout, which is a loss of power that can occur because of a blown fuse or damaged power line. A power surge is a significant increase in power that can last for a fraction of a second. It can be caused by turning off your appliances. Another problem that the power supply can encounter is a power sag. This is a drop in power that can last anywhere between a fraction of a second to several hours. This can be happen if heavy equipment is being used.

There is a device that can protect your computer from these problems. It is called an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). The use of this power supply will ensure that there is no direct connection between the wall outlet and the power supply of the computer. Instead, both the wall outlet and the power supply of the computer are connected to the power supply. The power supply has the ability to eliminate noisy power sources and power surges. With this configuration, if there is a blackout or power sag, the non-interruptible power supply can provide the power supply of the computer with power from its own internal batteries. An UPS can usually provide power for about five to twenty minutes. But this is usually enough time to fix the problems with the power from the utility company. If you want a power supply to provide power for a longer time, you can expect to pay more money for it. In case the problems with the utility company cannot be fixed before the power supply runs out of power, the employees will still have enough time to save their work and safely power down their machines.

There are two types of non-interruptible power supply. One type is the standby UPS. A computer that is using a standby power supply will use the power from the wall outlet as long as there are no problems with the power from the utility company. But if the standby power supply detects a problem with the power, it will power the computer with its own internal batteries instead of the power from the utility company. However, there is a problem. The internal batteries deliver DC power but the power supply of the computer prefers to use 120-volt AC power instead. Fortunately, the standby uninterruptible power supply has an internal power inverter that will convert the DC power into AC power before using it to power the computer. The transition from using the power from the utility company to using the power from the internal batteries will occur in less than five milliseconds.

The other type of power supply is the continuous UPS. A computer that is connected to a continuous power supply is constantly supplied with power from the internal batteries of the continuous UPS. While this is occurring, the internal batteries are also being recharged by the wall outlet. Like the standby UPS, the continuous power supply has a power inverter. The power inverter will continuously convert the DC power of the internal batteries into 120-volt AC power that the power supply of the computer can use. If the power from the utility company is incapable of recharging the internal batteries, then the computer will use whatever power is left from the internal batteries.

Michael Russell

Author: Michael Russell
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
PCB stencil online quote

One of the characteristic features of the near perspective on taxation that must be implemented in our country is “constitutional” orientation. According this idea, a “constitution” is conceived as the set of rules, or social institutions, within which individuals operate and interact with one another.

In constitutional choice, the individual must base his selection upon some prediction about the working properties of alternative sets of rules over a whole sequence of “plays,” a sequence that may well be indeterminate. The horizon is necessarily more extensive than in any post constitutional choice. This extension in the time horizon ensures that, in almost all real-world approximations, the individual chooser is more uncertain about his own private prospects or positions. The utility-maximizing calculus becomes quite different from that which would be required in the simpler selection of one strategy within some predetermined set of rules.

We are interested in the idea of a constitution in its “political” or social sense, as a set of rules that establish the setting within which the whole range of individual interaction takes place.

Why do we need such a constitution? Where is the logic of the constitution to be found?
Of course, we can find to the extent that government could be predicted to act “perfectly”–whatever that may mean–in all periods, there would be no conceptual or logical basis for imposing constitutional limits; such limits could only prevent government from taking actions that are, by definition, “desirable.” In this sense, the constitutional perspective is irreconcilably at odds with the benevolent despot model, which in its various guises underlies the analysis of public policy generally and of conventional tax theory in particular. The logic of constitutional restrictions is embodied in the implicit prediction that any power assigned to government may be, over some ranges and on some occasions, exercised in ways that are at variance with the desired usage of such power, as defined by citizens behind the veil of ignorance. As emphasized throughout modern public-choice theory, persons who act in agency roles, as “governors,” are not basically different from their fellow citizens. We need not, of course, rule out the possibility of “moral” behavior on the part of those persons who make governmental decisions. Our approach does rule out the presumption of such behavior as the basis for normative analysis. Those who might argue that governments should be analyzed on such a presumption of agent benevolence are denying the legitimacy of any constraints on government, including electoral ones. In this setting, there is no logical basis for a constitution.

The Means of Constitutional Constraint
Once the need to constrain the power of government is accepted, the question automatically arises as to the sorts of constraints–or constitutional rules–that are available. By what means might the citizen hope to limit the exercise of public power so as to ensure that outcomes fall within tolerable bounds?
To a very substantial extent, modern economists have implicitly accepted the prevailing twentyfirst-century presumption (or faith?) that nominally democratic electoral processes are sufficient in themselves to guarantee that government activity remains within acceptable limits. Constitutional analysis in economics has consequently focused on the choice between alternative electoral procedures as the major element in the citizen’s constitutional calculus. For this reason, it is worth emphasizing at the outset that nonelectoral rules are conceivable, that they do in fact play a significant part in most recognizably democratic constitutions currently operative, and that it is not obvious on prima facie grounds that they are less significant in controlling government than are purely electoral constraints.

For example, most constitutions involve constraints on the domain of public activity: rules are set that specify those things which governments may and may not do. One aspect of such rules is the application of restrictions on the possible misappropriation of public funds by legitimate public officials. Apparently, the possibility that politicians (even elected ones) might simply pocket tax revenues is sufficiently significant to merit the extensive accounting procedures and explicit rules of conduct that are provided for in most allegedly democratic constitutions. Further, restrictions are typically placed on the legitimate activities of government, in terms both of the nature of the services that government provides and of the type of laws that governments may enact. In some cases, constraints are also placed on the structure of government by assigning specific functions to specific units, as is the case with the decentralization of political power evidenced in a federal political structure.

In general, we see such nonelectoral constitutional rules existing side by side with electoral ones, and there seems no particular reason for elevating the latter to a position of primacy.

Tax Ideal and Majoritarian Reality
One condition necessary to ensure a citizen that the government would never impose injury or damage on him, while ensuring all citizens in the same fashion, is the requirement that all governmental decisions be made by a rule of unanimity. We as citizen must to recognize the importance of the unanimity rule as an idealized benchmark, since it would be necessary to ensure that all governmental actions represented genuine “improvements” (or at least no damage) for all persons, as measured by the preferences of the individuals themselves. Only through general agreement could the preferences of citizens be revealed; there is no other way of “adding up” the individual evaluations; there is no other means of ensuring that collective action will always be “efficient” in the welfare economists’ usage of this term.

It is important to note that, in this idealization of political order, “government” possesses no genuinely coercive power. In this setting, each and every public activity is considered separately, together with a specific cost-sharing arrangement. And the activity proceeds only when unanimous consent is reached. No individual can be coerced in such a setting, either by some entity called the “government” or by some coalition of other individuals in the electorate. Each activity publicly approved necessarily represents the outcome of a complete multilateral trade from which net benefits are received by all parties.

The costs of achieving unanimous approval for public activity are so enormous that the rational citizen can be expected, when making his constitutional choice over the set of voting rules, to trade off some of the narrow in-period “efficiency” of the unanimity rule in return for workability in political processes. Whether a simple majoritarian process would be the natural outcome of this trade-off seems highly doubtful. But this is the decision rule widely observed in practice, and much modern public choice takes majority rule as given. What has not perhaps been sufficiently emphasized in the public-choice literature is that the move from unanimity to majority rule involves a drastic weakening of the power of purely electoral constraints. Indeed, it may be suggested that commonly observed majoritarian rule can best be modeled as if it embodies no effective constraint on the exercise of government powers at all. Some citizens may coerce others, as when the decisive majority operates to overrule the desires of the minority. Quite apart from this, those individuals who make up the institution of “government” possess the power to coerce the citizenry at large.
Given this constitutional setting, how are we to understand tax matters? What is involved in the power to tax? And by what means can that power be constrained? More generally, to pose our central question again, what sort of tax institutions would we expect the rational taxpayer-citizen to select in determining the constitution to which he is to be subject?

The Tax Power
As we must know, for the ordinary citizen, the tax power is the most familiar manifestation of the government’s power to coerce. This power to tax involves the power to impose, on individuals and private institutions more generally, charges that can be met only by a transfer to government of economic resources, or financial claims to such resources–charges that carry with them effective powers of enforcement under the very definition of the taxing power. To be sure, governments may use tax revenues for financing public goods or transfers that citizens-taxpayers desire. But we must distinguish sharply here between a rationalization for the government’s possession of the power to tax and an understanding of that power in and of itself. The power to tax, per se, does not carry with it any obligation to use the tax revenue raised in any particular way. The power to tax does not logically imply the nature of spending. Seen in this way, tax power is simply the power to “take.”

If the government wishes to obtain a particular piece of property, it is of no account whether it does so simply by direct appropriation or by purchase together with a tax imposed on the original owner amounting to the full purchase price. Both government and the owner are in an identical position after government action, irrespective of the precise details of the means of appropriation. If any distinction between taking and taxing is to be sustained, therefore, the tax alternative must involve certain additional requirements not present with direct appropriation.
For example, if the power to tax is constrained by some generality-uniformity requirements that all individuals in similar circumstances should pay an identical tax, then it may be that, whereas the direct appropriation alternative might survive electoral scrutiny, the tax alternative would not do so. In this case, the generality requirement ensures that electoral processes will operate within tolerable limits: fiscal constraints complement electoral constraints. In all cases, however, the role of fiscal rules is to limit and appropriately direct the coercive power of government, as embodied most conspicuously in its power to tax.

Historically, governments have possessed genuine powers to tax, although representatives of the citizenry seem to have recognized the sweeping import of such powers. Controls over the sovereign have been exercised through constraints on the taxing authority.

All constitutional rules may be interpreted as limiting the potential power. Similarly, the power to tax is not the only dimension to the government’s coercive power, although it is a major one. As we have emphasized, our focus here is on the power to tax and on constraints on that power. That focuses rules out explicit consideration on nonfiscal constitutional rules, such as those that might be imposed through definition of franchise, voting rules, legislative and judicial powers, and so on. We cannot, however, rule out the possibility of significant interdependencies between fiscal constraints and other constraints.

The Enforceability of Constitutional Contract
The whole discussion depends critically on the assumption that constitutional choice is relevant, that the behavior of governments as well as the behavior of individuals and nongovernmental entities can be constrained by rules laid down at a constitutional level of deliberation. Without some such assumption, normative argument must necessarily be directed at those who hold political power currently and who are, personally, wholly unconstrained as to the uses to which such power might be put. In such a nonconstitutional model of the political process, there are no formal or legal protections against fiscal exploitation or other arbitrary action on the part of the state. Reformers must “preach” to the powerful, and the hope for moderation rests only with the moral-ethical precepts that the powerful might have come to acknowledge, and to live by, as taught to them by the “preachers” of all ages. In such a model, “limited government” is a contradiction in terms; by its monopoly on coercion, government is by nature unlimited.

The preoccupation of the standard analysis with the distribution of tax burdens “in-period” effectively denies the possibility of agreement among taxpayers. Each identifies his own economic position fully; and the tax reform “game” is strictly zero-sum. In this setting, the only possibility is to call down external norms that specify what a “fair” tax system would be–what tax burden each taxpayer “should” face. And such norms must be external, because the (internal) judgments about the desired distribution of tax burdens (even if tempered by moral or altruistic concerns) held by different individuals are necessarily mutually exclusive.

As we move to the constitutional setting, however, the scope for agreement seems naturally to expand. The presence of extensive ignorance about his future position separates each individual from the identifiable special interest he holds for himself in any in-period setting. In this constitutional setting it becomes possible to apply the generalized contract criterion for ultimate “tax reform.” Particular fiscal institutions can be designated as “good” or desirable because individuals agree that they are desirable. The normative judgments to be applied emerge out of the constitutional consensus itself, rather than from the moral perceptions of one who deems himself close to God.

To be sure, the veil of ignorance may not be complete, and interpretations and predictions about the workings of alternative rules may differ. Agreement may emerge only after much discussion, compromise, and complex trading in alternative constitutional provisions. It could not be expected that everyone or indeed anyone would find any agreed-on constitution “perfect”–but for desirability in our sense; it is enough that the constitution be agreed.
The ultimate test of desirability can of course only be agreement itself. Purely presumptive reasoning alone cannot be expected to define a set of tax rules that would be mutually advantageous–only a set of tax rules that might be predicted to be so. In this sense, the normative conclusions that issue from our discussion are strictly provisional. All that we can be seen as doing is offering a set of tax rules that might form an agenda for the fiscal constitutional convention. This may seem to be a rather modest object! But it is, we believe, both ethically superior to and practically more relevant than the orthodox tax advocacy alternative.

Natural Government
Politics or governmental process is viewed as an institutional setting within which persons and groups interact to pursue their own ends, whatever these might be, and whatever might be the roles or positions persons may take, either as decision makers or as those forced to adjust behavior to the decisions of others. In such a conception, there are no “solutions” to political-governmental problems in any sense akin to those encountered in problems of “science,” as ordinarily understood. And governmental-political institutions are inappropriately modeled if they are interpreted as devices or mechanisms for finding the independently “best” or “optimum” answers or solutions to problems that arise.

Even with the inclusive economic approach to politics, however, the model we describe and use is highly unconventional in its basic assumptions. In the first place, we reject the benevolent, potentially efficient despotism that is the implicit political model dominant in the conventional normative policy framework, in fiscal theory and elsewhere. One may, of course, argue that these variants of the normative approach do not need to incorporate a model of how political processes operate since they are all designed for the purpose of proffering advice to governments, in any shape or form, advice grounded on ethical norms. Nonetheless, there is contained in all of these variants the implicit belief, or faith, that the politicians-bureaucrats, the audience for whom the normative advice is designed, not only have the power to determine governmental-political outcomes, but also are likely to find the ethically based arguments compelling.

In our conception, “government” in the sense of “governing” does indeed exist; and it is viewed as monolithic. We depart from the traditional approach simply by dropping the presumption of benevolence.
And who would want to proffer advice to a no benevolent entity? Our shift of emphasis toward problems of constraining government follows almost directly from the shift of image from benevolence to indifference or even possible malevolence.

Specifically, we assume that the political process, as it operates post constitutionally, is not effectively constrained by electoral competition as such, and that the electoral process can appropriately constrain the natural proclivities of governments only when it is accompanied by additional constraints and rules imposed at the constitutional level. The major idea of this short analyze is to delineate the subset of these other, no electoral constraints relating to the taxing powers that might be selected by the citizen-taxpayer.

At the constitutional stage of decision, the potential taxpayer will prefer that governments be required to announce tax rates before the appropriate behavioral adjustments take place. This generalization of the legal precept against ex post facto legislation becomes especially significant under capital taxation, although it is by no means absent from income-tax considerations.

By Eduart GJOKUTAJ

Author: Eduart Gjokutaj
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Programmable Multi-cooker

As I write this in early 2007, the controversy over global warming has heated up (pun intended), and people are taking another look at solar power versus generator. For those living outside the power grid, the second look may save not only the green in the rain forest, but also the green in the bank.Many who live “off the grid” in isolated locations have traditionally relied on generators for electrical power. Others have installed generators for back-up, emergency electrical power. Neither thought there was a choice, but now there is a choice: solar power versus generator.

In this article, we look at the choice. Which is more economical; more convenient; more environmentally friendly? Should you make the change?

Solar Power versus Generator – Cost

The cost of solar power versus generator is much less over the long term.

The initial cost of a solar power system will be greater than that of a generator system. This is often the reason people install a generator rather than choose solar power. One must look beyond the initial cost, however, to get the full comparison of solar power versus generator.

* Solar power, once installed, has little maintenance or further expense. There is no fuel to purchase, since the sun’s energy fuels the system.

* Generators are not so. After installation, a generator will require regular servicing by a professional every 6 months. Generators require fuel – a cost that is constantly increasing. Moving generator parts must be replaced from time to time due to wear and tear.

Solar Power versus Generator – Convenience

Convenience is another factor to consider when looking at solar power versus generator power. Solar power is much more convenient than generator power.

* Solar power may be less convenient to purchase and install, since it is not as widely available as generators. This is due to the currently small market for solar power. As the market increases, however, this will be less of a problem. Solar power systems have no moving parts to wear out or need lubrication. Once installed, solar power requires little attention. The user can almost forget it.

* Generators are widely available, so convenient to purchase and install. Convenience decreases after installation, though. A generator must be monitored frequently to be sure sufficient fuel is available. It must be refilled often when used as a regular source of power. Fuel must be ordered and delivery taken – or fuel must be hauled by the owner. The system must be serviced twice a year. This servicing will include filter changes, an oil change, a tune up, and complete inspection of the entire unit. Worn parts must be replaced.

Solar Power versus Generator – Efficiency

The solar power versus generator battle includes the matter of efficiency, too. Which is more cost-effective? The facts seem to point to solar power.

* Solar power is received in through the panels, free of cost, and stored in batteries. It is ready for use when needed, but in times of reduced usage, the power remains in storage.

* Generators run constantly, regardless of the amount of power being used at a given time. As they run, they consume costly fuel. When power usage is reduced in bright daylight, generators must continue to run.

Solar Power versus Generator – Dependability

Some argue that, in comparing solar power versus generator, we must compare the dependability factor. In this area, they claim, generators win.

* Solar power is very dependable in locations that have bright sunlight 300+ days of the year. In areas with less sunlight, or during periods of cloudiness and storm, solar power is less dependable. The system will continue to provide power from charged batteries, but will eventually go dead. Having said that, it must be noted that Germany, which has far fewer sunny days than most of North America, is said to have much higher usage of solar power. The problem of dependability seems not that big.

* Generator systems do not depend on sunlight. They do, however, depend on fuel. If storms or some other disaster hinders one from replenishing the fuel supply, generators also become useless.

Solar Power versus Generator – Eco-friendliness

Finally, eco-friendliness must be considered in any discussion of solar power versus generator. That is, which is kinder to the environment: solar power or generator? The obvious answer again is solar power.

* Solar power has no emissions when working. There is no pollution involved in fuel production – no greenhouse gases. It is totally clean. Solar power uses a renewable energy source.

* A big drawback to generator use is still the matter of emissions and the environment. Generators are usually run on diesel fuel, and diesel fuel is produced from a fossil fuel. There are emissions in the production of the fuel, and also in its use. Diesel generators are a major source of air pollution and high sulfur levels in North America. Exposure to diesel generator exhaust can lead to health hazards.

Solar Power versus Generator – the Solution

For most people, the resolution of the solar power versus generator debate is to install a hybrid system. Using solar power as the main energy source will save money. The fuel is free. Solar power is convenient, efficient, and eco-friendly. What it lacks in dependability can be made up by having a small back-up generator for prolonged cloudy periods.

My Choice

When I compare solar power versus generator, I definitely have to choose solar power. It is clean, free, quiet, and peaceful.

2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about solar power at http://www.solar-energy-connection.com. Anna has also posted articles on that site about solar power for homes. If you want basic information about solar power for the home, you wont want to miss her article on the subject.

Author: Anna Hart
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Electric Pressure Cooker

Portable solar energy power stations may sound, to some, like a dream. They can think of many places where portable solar would be useful, such as the RV they love to take camping, or the boat they use for long fishing trips. They cannot imagine, though, that portable solar energy power stations actually do exist.Portable solar energy power stations have many practical uses, which we will discuss later, but what is portable solar power?

Description of Portable Solar Power

Portable solar power is energy generated from sunlight, the generator being of a size and form that can be moved readily from place to place.

Most portable solar power units use photovoltaic panels (PV panels) in one way or another. Some are amazingly small, and can be carried in a pocket, while others must be moved on a flat-bed trailer or truck.

Examples of Portable Solar Power

You may already be using portable solar power without realizing it. The following are examples of different sizes and styles of portable solar power.

1. Pocket calculators have been using portable solar power for years. Expose the calculator to sunlight, and it stores solar power for use. You can then carry this solar power into a field or up a mountain track.

2. Garden lights, or lights around a swimming pool now use portable solar power. If you want to rearrange your lights, or you decide to carry one as a flashlight, the portable solar power goes with you.

3. A multipurpose portable solar power unit is the fold-out solar panel that can be carried in a case the size of your day planner. Wherever you take it, you can open the panel to charge your cell phone battery, GPS, or other similar “gadget” you carry.

4. “Powerfilm” products are paper-thin PV panels – further examples of portable solar power. These products can be easily carried to charge almost all Lithium, NiCad or NiMH batteries. You can recharge batteries for boom boxes at the beach or while camping. You can recharge your digital camera or camcorder while on a hike. As long as you have sunlight, you have portable solar power.

5. Flexible PV panels, rugged and durable, give portable solar power for hikers and campers. This portable solar power can be rolled up like a sleeping bag, and then set up anywhere. You can drop it, step on it, dampen it while crossing a stream – and it will still give you power.

6. Larger portable solar energy power stations can consist of one or more photovoltaic panels (PV panels), simple wiring for the input jack, and a battery – sometimes referred to as a power pack. A commercially-produced portable solar power unit like this may also include a small fluorescent light, and a connection to your vehicle’s cigarette lighter plug.

Examples of Innovative Portable Solar Power

Portable solar energy can, as we said, be carried with you. It can provide electrical energy when you travel to a remote third world village on business. It can provide military units with necessary electrical energy while they are on the move. It can power a small heater in a winter camping tent, or provide a reading light for campers. It is valuable and convenient.

As our demand for that value and convenience increases, portable solar power is becoming more innovative. Portable solar power is being added to clothing and backpacks. It is being added to handbags. You need never worry about cell phones, laptops or other electronics going dead again. Portable solar power is yours to use, anywhere, free.

Did you know about these products? Some are experimental, but others area on the market.

1. If you want “lady-like” portable solar power, you might choose the “Power Purse” as a lovely accessory. This purse is more than an accessory, though. It can power up small electronics. Designed by Joe Hynek in a handbag competition, this little black bag is covered with laminated portable solar power panels. It has a short plastic handle, and can easily be carried anywhere. Imagine the possibilities.

2. But a purse is not always appropriate. If you’re stuck in the middle of nowhere, in a field, you might be happy to have the “Juice Bag” backpack on your shoulders. A Juice Bag is a worldwide patented portable solar power backpack. Flexible ballistic nylon solar panels make it lighter than solar bags with stiff glass solar panels. Take off your Juice Bag when you need to recharge items such as cameras, cell phones, or GPS units. It generates electricity in both direct and indirect sunlight.

3. Portable solar power is also available in a cozy jacket with multiple pockets. Hikers, military personnel, and travelers can fill the pockets with cell phone, GPS, laptop, camera, and other electronic devices. Then slip the 3 ounce portable solar power panel into a special holder on the back of the jacket, and you can generate energy for your electronics.

Portable solar energy power stations make use of these ideas and more. They may be large enough to generate sufficient electrical power for a small village, or small enough to be carried by a child. Whichever it is, portable solar power is definitely “on the go” in many places and in many ways.

 Anna Hart invites you to read more of her articles about portable solar power at http://www.solar-energy-connection.com. Anna has also posted articles on that site about portable solar power for homes. If you want basic information about portable solar power on cars, you wont want to miss her article on the subject.

Author: Anna Hart
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Make PCB Assembly

The power coming into a computer is the most critical component, and it may be one of the most overlooked. It is just taken for granted that it will always be there and working properly. A top of the line processor and ultra powerful video card do nothing if a system does not receive the ample, stable power it demands. Having quality components providing and regulating the power supplied to a computer is critical, and this brief overview looks at a few areas worth consideration.

Power Supplies

Computer power supplies take the high (110V or 220V) DC voltages from an electrical outlet and convert it to the various lower AC voltages required for a system to operate. The typical voltages required inside a computer are 3.3V, 5V, and 12V, where the 3.3V and 5V lines are generally used to power circuitry, and the 12V line provides power to run items such as hard drives, optical drives, and cooling fans.

Power supplies are sold in terms of their total power output, in terms of wattage. Choosing the correct power supply means not only finding one that will provide enough power for all of the components connected to the system, but also one that is the correct size physically, has enough connections for typical drives and fans, and if necessary, that also has special connections for things such as Serial ATA drives and modern video cards.

Choosing a power supply with enough power shouldn’t be much of a problem, as having more power than you need is never a bad thing. Just because a power supply is rated for 400W, or perhaps 600W, does not imply that it is drawing that at any given time. It just indicates the total power available to the various lines inside the computer. For those interested in getting a good idea of their minimum power requirements, this Power Wattage Calculator is a convenient reference. In addition to checking out the total wattage of a power supply, looking for strong amperage ratings on the 3.3V, 5V, and 12V lines is also recommended, as power supplies with identical total power ratings may distribute the power to the various lines in different quantities.

Power supplies come in a few different physical sizes, but the most common are designed to fit the standard ATX and micro ATX (mATX) form factor cases. A typical ATX power supply, such as this Echo-Star 680W unit, measures 3.25″ x 6″ x 5.5″ and features two cooling fans to not only cool the power supply, but to also help draw hot air out of the computer. A typical mATX power supply, such as this A-Power 320W unit, measures 2.5″ x 5″ x 4″ and due to the smaller size features just one cooling fan. mATX cases are generally much smaller than ATX cases, and therefore have smaller power supplies, with generally lower power ratings, and fewer connectors.

The connectors on a power supply also deserve consideration. Most power supplies come with what looks to be an electric octopus of wires hanging off the back surface, and you need to make sure that somewhere in that tangled bundle are all of the connectors you need. The power supply should at least have as many connections as the number of drives, cooling fans, and other items found in the case. Up until recently power supplies had a fixed number of connections, and if you needed more, you needed to use splitters to distribute the power to all the components. Modular power supplies, such as the Ultra X-Connect 500W unit, are now available that eliminate that “electric octopus” all together, and allow the end user to connect just the cables they need. The flexibility of a modular power supply design not only lets you customize the connections to your needs, it also makes for a simple and tidy installation, since there are no extra wires dangling inside the case.

The selection of a high quality power supply may cost more money up front, but down the road it could wind up saving money. Many manufacturers now offer power supplies that consume less energy thanks to high quality internal components, advanced designs, and active power factor correction. These units are now able to provide the same power to the components in a computer, but due to increased efficiency, draw less power from the electrical outlet.

Surge Protectors

Surge protectors are intended to protect your electronics from a brief increase in voltage caused by such things as lightning, rolling blackouts, and heavy drawing electrical equipment. A surge protector reacts to divert the extra electricity to ground, and thus protects your expensive computer equipment from damage. A surge is any increase lasting three nanoseconds or longer, so a surge protector needs to react quickly. Most surge protectors also include a fuse (or breaker), and if the surge is too great to be handled without interruption, the fuse will blow. Although the fuse may be destroyed, it’s a small loss compared to what it may have saved.

Surge protectors come in all shapes and styles. Some basic models can even be found at your local dollar store, but offer no more than a few outlets connected to a breaker. No serious protection is obtained, but many people just want more outlets, not protection.

More serious surge protectors will probably cost a bit more than a dollar, but will offer some peace of mind that your equipment is actually being protected. In addition to protecting from electrical surges, some devices include extra features such as conditioning to filter out line noise and ports to protect other lines such as cable television, telephone, and networking.

The Fellowes Smart Surge Power Strip protects up to 10 devices from surges, as well as offering line conditioning and ports to protect your phone line. A highly appealing feature of such a surge protector is that 4 of the ports are designed to accept bulky AC adaptors. For those with surge protectors that weren’t designed to be this user friendly, there is still hope in the form of Power Strip Saver Cables. Basically just 7 inch long extension cords, these items can come in very handy when trying to connect multiple AC adaptors to a more traditional surge protector.

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

Many people familiar with Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) know that they can keep a computer up and running during a total power failure, but don’t know what else they do. Most UPSes will also provide protection from voltage surges and sags (when the voltage drops below normal), as well as protection from the possibility of a shift in the electricity’s frequency.

UPSes come in two varieties, standby and continuous, although standby versions are far more common and less expensive. A standby UPS allows the devices connected to it to run from the normal electrical connection until a loss of power is detected, at which point it quickly (in a matter of milliseconds) switches to the battery backup of the UPS. A continuous UPS always has the devices connected to it running off of battery power, while the batteries are recharged by the normal electrical connection.

UPSes are sold in terms of their capacity, in terms of VA (voltage multiplied by amperage). This implies that devices connected to the UPS can draw a maximum of so much amperage at a specific voltage. A run time after a power failure is also generally specified for a UPS based on a full load being placed on the device.

Selecting a UPS needs to be based on the intended use… A smaller unit, such as the Fenton 600VA, would be adequate for powering a typical desktop computer, monitor, and smaller peripherals such as a printer and lighting for what they rate as 15-23 minutes at full load. If multiple systems need to be powered, or perhaps there are plans for future expansion that will add to the power demands, a larger unit such as the Tripp Lite 1500VA may be more appropriate. The first two units are intended to be set in close proximity to the devices to be powered, perhaps on the floor behind a desk, but if you are seeking to add a UPS to a server, there are also rackmount solutions such as the Opti-UPS 1100VA.

No matter the application, sizing a UPS may seem overwhelming. One manufacturer, APC, has created a handy UPS Selector Application which will take some of the guess work out of choosing the right UPS for any particular application.

Final Words

A computer system is only as strong as its weakest feature, and many times that distinction falls on the power supply and related components. By choosing a quality power supply, surge protector, and perhaps a UPS, one can make sure that they have adequately strong and stable power to keep their system running now, as well as down the road when upgrades may increase the demand on their system.

Jason Kohrs
Computer Geeks tech tips and computer advice

Author: Jason Kohrs
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
PCB Prototype & Manufacturing

Recently a newspaper flashed a headline, “Mush most hated man in Pak”. This may surprise the western countries as he had been fighting the “war on terror” since many years and doing everything that is right for Pakistan and the world. Only in 2005, General Pervez Musharraf was rated amongst the top 10 worst dictator of the world by Parade Magazine. He also won the recent presidential election by unprecedented margin. Why his own people hate him so much? After all he did everything for the country and risked his life for Pakistan.The reality is that in all through history, the people who were most powerful were also the most hated ones. The list includes all dictators of modern times like Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin or Mao. Even though, all these powerful people apparently sacrificed their life for their country, yet their own countrymen hated them more than anyone else. Mussolini were so much hated by their people that not only he and his mistress were shot dead by their own people but also their dead bodies were hung upside down on meat hooks.

You don’t have to be a dictator to face this bitter truth of life. The end result of power is always the same, yet the use of power is inescapable. Even within a family, the parents often use power to control the child to put him on the right path. In the officer too, bosses have to exercise their power to control their subordinate and get the work done. Cops kill criminals in encounters to save the society and the country. There are many situations, in the professional and personal life of even the most ordinary person of the world when he seems to have no option but to use power to get results.

Most of the people use power for achieving the goal of an organization or the self. Power is used by the public authorities to bring orders in the society and uphold the rule of law. It seems necessary for that person who does not listen to the law and follow no law. Yet in every society the cops and every other organs of State that ever exercise power are most hated by the people.

We justifies the use of power to ourselves believing that people would soon realize that the exercise of power was not for any personal gain but for the interest of the person or the organization.. Yet, they are condemned by the same people I whose interest the power is exercised. Little do people realize that power can bring only hatred one is bound to lose love of peoples in his desire to exercise power? People are therefore, shocked to learn later in their life that they are hated most by the person in whose interest he exercised the power. What do you do when your child hates you for the acts that you did in the interest of child itself?

On the other hand, the world seems to love the people who had no power. Buddha relinquished his Kingdom and become a monk with no power and wealth. He is loved even today. Christ too had no power; still he symbolizes love throughout the world. Gandhi too never had any office in his life nor had any wealth, yet he was loved by his people more than any other person. In a family, mother is more loved than father. It seems that power and love can not exist together.

Why Use Power?

Let us first understand why one has to use power in the first place. We use power to bring order in the society. In other words, the power is used to ensure that everyone follow the law of the land and behave in a civilized manner. Therefore, apparently there seems to be no bad intentions behind the use of power. While we all justify use of power when it come to others, none of us want any other person to exercise power over us as we seems always have some reason to justify all our actions. The mystery of our thought is hidden in the following couplet of Gita that states (Gita, III 27)

“All Actions of man are entirely done by the nature of the man. Man deluded by his ego thinks, “I am the doer”.

The only difficulty is that all people are born with different nature. The nature of the people can be compared with the Nature Earth that givers birth to all types of plants in the world. The true nature of the person is like a natural inhabitation which automatically grows all types of plants i.e. not only the desirable plants but also undesirable plants which man calls weeds. Therefore, a powerful man, like a good gardener, considers it his duty to forcefully remove the weeds out so that the plants can survive. There can be no justification why weeds have no right to survive when they too are the offspring of the same Mother Earth, yet man finds enough justification to weed out such plants.

If there is any truth in Gita, then it is natural for the people to follow their own nature. A child does precisely what his nature dictates him to do. He loves eating, playing, watching movies and cartoon films and does not want to read books. Yet parents know that studies are must for his future and so they try to convince him to study. If that fails they feel justified in the use power to reform the child.

The same is true in the world of grownup men. Every person wish to do what he likes i.e. what his nature desires. Yet society only considers some of his desires as right and other as wrong. So the people in power use their power to punish such person for any act that are not considered right by the society. What else they can do to a person who does not confirm to the laws of the society? How do you deal with people in your office who does not work, or work against the interest of the organization? Only punishment can improve them. How do you deal with citizens who break the law and commit criminal acts against the fellow citizen? Only force can set them right. What do you do with a government that does not given justice to its people? You can only change it by force.

Power seems to be the only method to force people d what they don’t want to do. That is way all dictators and autocrats adopt as it appeals to the commonsense and it also produces quick results. They use power to set everything right is very tempting like a fast food that provides instant gratification. Yet power like fast food has the aftereffects that are difficult to withstand even by the most powerful and healthy people.

The Mystery of Understanding

Everything in this world works as per the nature. Water flows from higher altitude to lower altitudes, current from higher voltage to low and the heat flows from the higher temperature to low. How doe the knowledge flow? After all the goal of every use of power is to make the other person understand the point of view of the man in power. If only the person can understand the same, without use of power, the need of power itself vanishes.

Imagine, if your child also love to do what you wish him to do. You surely would never use power? If the citizens voluntarily start following the laws and rules, the police departments would be closed as no state would like to use power. Only if your colleagues and subordinates can understand what you think is right, no power would be needed to make them understand. The real difficulty is that other people don’t want to understand your point of view. What is the real meaning of understanding?

According to Thomas Edison, the concept of understanding comes from the two simple words “under” and “stand”. When one acknowledges that she/he stands below someone or something else, she/he makes him/herself receptive to obtain and retain information from it, thereby allowing for understanding to occur (Wikepedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Understanding )

Thus the simplest method to make other people understand your concept is to “stand on a higher level” than the recipient. Thereafter, just like the water automatically flows to lower height, the knowledge or the thought of yours too would flow automatically from your mind to the mind of the recipient.

However, when we observe, how powerful people try to make the other less powerful people understand, they do just the opposite. The people in power often want the people to understand the concepts, which are jut opposite than what they believe or do. For example, the President or Prime Minister of a democratic country wants the citizens to follow equality, fraternity and justice while he himself believes and acts just in the opposite way. He lives in the biggest house and “legally” protected from all his actions in the law. The foundation of his polity itself is based on “divide and rule”, the very opposite to what he teaches his country man to do i.e. to love other and foster fraternity.

Same hold good for all religions. While all religions teach equality before God and loving the poor and weak, yet the religious leaders does just the opposite. Jesus said (Mathew 19:23) to his discipline,

I tell you the truth. It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you that, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than to a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

Yet the truth is that the churches, temples and monoesters have huge amount of money and the priests live luxurious lives counter to the very philosophy of their religions. The priests too enjoy tremendous power and prestige in the society and often above the law. In the family also, people find it much more convenient to tell their children to do a particular thing while themselves doing just the opposite. However, all powerful people wants others to understand just the opposite forgetting that understanding is a natural process and like water it can only flow from high to low.

Inspiration vs Perspiration

The purpose of all power to to change the flow of nature. For example, by using a pump, you can make the water flow from lower level to higher level, and by the help of Air-conditioners and refrigerators, you can make the heat flow from lower temperature to higher temperature. This is what a powerful person try to achieve by power. He instead of making the person understand, attempt to control his by the use of brute force. This is a tiresome method as it requires constant application of force. This is the path of “perspiration” as lot to effort is needed to achieve the desired result.

The other method to make the person do what you want is by inspiration i.e. to change the nature of the person itself. If one can change the nature of the person, he would do the desired things automatically. If a child can be made to understand the benefits of studying, the job of the parents is over as the child would take care of himself. Same is true for states. If the king follows the law and walk the talk, the subjects would automatically follow suit. As per an old Indian saying, “Yatha Raja Tatha Praja ” (As is the king, so is the subject.). Gita too said (Gita III-21)

Whatever the best man does, is also done by other men; what example he sets, the world follows.

Therefore, the parents who try to win the soul of the child by putting them on the higher level of action are never required to use force for making the child understand. The understanding flows automatically. Same is true with the king or the leader of a country or the boss of the office. If only you do what you wish other people to follow, you can get the same thing done without application of power.

There may still be times when the use of power could be necessary. Yet the use of power has to be the last option rather then the first option. Only when all other option fails, one needs to apply force to get the things done. You would be surprised to learn that most often; you have to use no power at all to make the people understand. Even when the power has to be used temporarily, it should be applied with love just like you wish others to treat you in similar circumstances. The need to inspire others should never be ignored. As only by inspiration, one can affect the soul of the person and change his nature. Once the nature of the person is changed, the “right” actions would automatically flow from him. The process of changing the nature of a person is slow but the best way to achieve the desired results. The method of inspiration causes no pain, no tiredness and no hatred as everything flows automatically from the nature of the person.

Mr. Awdhesh K Singh is a government of India officer. He is an Engineer by education and philosopher by passion. He has published several papers in International Journals and Conferences on the subject of E-governance and the application of Artificial Intelligence tools like Fuzzy Logic (FL) and Expert Systems (ES) for E-governance. He also has keen interest in the study and application of Indian Philosophies for solving the real-life problems of the modern world.

Many of his articles are published on the website of Aatmic Science Forum http://www.aatmicscience.com and Science of Soul http://www.scienceofsoul.com

Author: Awdhesh K Singh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Wordpress plugin Guest Blogger

More than two millennia ago Chinese Philosopher, Lao Tzu, observed that people who perceived themselves to be powerless caused great turmoil in the world because of resentfulness and resistance. Bullies, for example, whether in a work team or on the national stage do not perceive themselves to be powerful, and the lives of people around them suffer as they seek to dominate through force and aggression.

Can we explore this notion of perceptions of power a little further? When many people think about power, the types of power they usually envisage are physical power, monetary power or some other form of coercive power that renders others more compliant or yielding. And so, feelings of powerlessness can often emerge as we lament about our levels of dependence and reliance on others.

In this brief article you will encounter a different perspective on power – a perspective that has the potential to place you at “cause” in respect to exercising personal power, rather than being at “effect” and viewing yourself as a vassal of those who have more authority or physical bearing.

The first secret to personal power is to acknowledge that power is a perceptual phenomenon.

The extent to which you may influence, persuade or control others is wholly dependent on the way others perceive YOUR power, not the other way around. Power is all about perceptions and the most persuasive and enduring types of perceived power have little, if anything, to do with money, physical strength or authority.

The second secret is to know the categories of power and how they work. Below is a brief summary together with examples of when they are used most effectively:

Reward Power: You have the perceived power to give or dispense reward or favour. The power to influence and persuade on the basis of your capacity to deliver sought after benefits. People will follow you and behave in certain ways in anticipation of receiving those benefits.

Examples: Salary increments, promotion, membership of in-groups, desirable projects, special favours, sought-after work roles, inside knowledge, valuable information and tips, preferential treatment.

Coercive power: You have the perceived power to punish or remove rewards. The power to influence and persuade based on your capacity to penalise or take away desired benefits. People will act or do as you request to avoid undesirable outcomes.

Examples: Demotion, performance management, ostracising from in-group, limiting opportunities, threats of termination, threats of dire consequences, removal from information loop.

Expert Power: Expert power is based on perceptions of competence. Regretably, research has revealed that men are perceived to have greater competency, instrumentality and leadership ability than women. The research also shows that, in general, women may have to demonstrate they are superior in competence to men to be perceived as competent by both men and women.

Competence can relate to any field and can be seen to represent an amalgam of knowledge, skill, experience, ability, aptitude, learning and attitude.

Examples: People believe, follow and take seriously those who they perceive to have expertise or expert knowledge in a particular field. In terms of leadership, people tend to be more compliant and less questioning. Doctors, academics, lawyers, etc., are perceived to have expert power relative to their patients, students and clients. Leaders with strong leadership experience and a positive track record with their staff are seen as having expert ‘Leader’ power.

Legitimate Power: A person possess legitimate power to the extent that others believe/perceive the s/he has the right to influence or control others. Particular roles, such as policewomen, judge, manager, imply legitimate power in varying degrees. Parents have legitimate power over children and sometimes priests or ministers are seen to embody legitimate power over congregations. On other occasions, people feel an obligation to defer to perceived authority or to show respect to particular individuals whom they believe command it.

Legitimate power has similar gender issues to that of expert power. For example, modest, but not too modest, female leaders evoke more favourable reactions than overtly confident or self-promoting female leaders, whereas the opposite applies to male leaders.

Examples: Lawful directions and decisions by managers, acceptance of direction by a traffic policeman, deference to authority and status.

Referent Power: Referent power is connected to an individual’s or group’s likeableness or social attractiveness. Referent power is often view as a more ‘indirect’ form of influence. It also refers, as does other forms of power, on an individual or group’s need or desire to maintain relationships.

Referent power can be seen to draw on what are termed ’soft skills’ because it centres on the maintenance of relationships, often through the power of personality and social skill. Women are generally perceived to have higher levels of referent power than men, however it has been shown to be appropriate for both genders.

People want to be like, or near, an individual with high referent power and are consequently influenced by him or her. The advantage of high referent power is significant in terms of influence. Referent power creates more ‘internalisation’ of influence because it is fuelled by internal feelings of identification with the referent individual

Examples: Referent power as an influencing strategy can involve such elements as fair and consultative leadership, higher levels of people ecology (EI), thoughtfulness, consideration of others, collaboration, external focus as opposed to self-focus, the use of non-declarative language, understanding and manipulating for mutual ends human and typological differences, engineering attractive leadership identities, the structure of messages to educe better reception.

Guess which combination of power categories create the highest levels of perception of power? Thankfully, research shows that a combination of referent and expert power creates the strongest perceptions of power

Referent and expert power are do-able, placing you as the cause of others’ perceptions of your power. In my book, The Charisma Effect’, I reveal how you can build up referent and expert power, both of which are the result of learning and trail and error!

Desmond Guilfoyle in an award winning commentator on influence, persuasion and charisma. He has written three books on those subjects and his book ‘The Charisma Effect’ has been published in seven languages around the globe.

Author: Desmond Guilfoyle
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

The reliability and cost of any electrical system depends greatly on the quality of the power supplied to and consumed by the system. Poor power quality may result in improper function, overheating, accelerated wear and tear, falsely tripped circuit breakers and, in some cases, hazardous conditions. With the introduction of new electronic technologies over the last several decades, the world has placed new and more complex demands for clean and reliable power.Measuring Power Quality typically involves calculating indicators of power demand, power consumption and power cleanliness. By measuring demand and consumption, consumers can identify cost centers in their electrical infrastructures as well as engineer the electrical infrastructure required to meet those demands. By measuring cleanliness, consumers are able to avoid improper function, overheating and a plethora of other consequences of unclean power.

What is power demand and how do we measure it?

Power demand is the amount of average electrical energy that is consumed over some period of time by a device, machine building, etc… Power Quality Analyzers, electronic instruments used to measure indicators of power quality, can average the electrical energy and display it in units of “kilowatts”. It is important that electrical systems are supplied with enough power to meet peak periods of demand.

How does power consumption differ from power demand?

Power consumption, similar to demand, is the “sum” of electrical usage over time. Power demand reflects an instantaneous view of electrical usage, whereas, power consumption sums the electrical usage over the same period of time. Power Quality Analyzers measure consumption in units of watthours (Wh) or kilowatthours (kWh). Most calculations of the cost of power are based on consumption and measured by $ per kWh.

Once we know power consumption, we can calculate a useful metric called “Power Factor”. Power Factor is a ratio of the actual power used by an electrical system to the apparent power delivered by the utility. In almost all cases, the actual power used will be less than the apparent power delivered because of heat dissipation, frictional loss, work performed and other release of energy by the electrical system.

We can use Power Factor to help us put a price tag on the amount of work the electrical system is performing, as well as help us install capacitors and other devices that store real energy to avoid being charged for excess apparent power. With a Power Quality Analyzer, you can calculate the “Reactive Compensation”, the amount of capacitive value required to correct a low Power Factor.

Power cleanliness and the need to understand harmonics

Power cleanliness refers to the identifying and freeing power of “harmonics”. The concept of harmonics is a bit more difficult to understand than demand and consumption. Harmonics are a result of non-linear loads that cause irregular spikes and dips in voltage and current on an electrical system.

The power provided by utility companies is delivered in the form of a constant voltage AC (Alternating Current) and takes the shape of a sine wave. Ohms law says the amount of current used by an electrical device depends on the load (inductance) of that device. If the load varies over time, so will the current. Harmonics appear when varying loads (non-linear) create short pulses of current that deform the supplied, sinusoidal current waveform, creating an arbitrary waveform.

You can think of an arbitrary wave as being made up of several fundamental waveforms. The easiest illustration of an arbitrary wave is to picture two people on opposite sides of a pool who each create a wave towards each other with a pool float. When the waves intersect in the middle, the result is a wave that is twice as tall. The resulting wave is made up of two fundamental waves.

This illustration can be used to explain that happens when harmonics occur due to non-linear loads. The current wave becomes deformed from a perfect sine wave and peaks and valleys create un-clean power. Harmonics can cause devices to overheat, electrical wire ratings to be reduced, motors to prematurely wear and circuit breakers to falsely trip.

Power Quality Analyzers have the ability to identify and analyze the fundamental harmonics that make up an arbitrary current wave. Measurements such as THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) can tell you the contribution of harmonic currents to the fundamental current required. Measured as a percentage, 10% would be a reason for concern. Another measurement called “Crest Factor” will indicate the level of peaking caused by harmonics. The Crest Factor is a ratio of the Peak Value / RMS Value, which in a perfect sine wave would be 1.414.

Choosing a Power Quality Analyzer

There are a number of different Power Quality Analyzer manufacturers such as Fluke, AEMC, Hioki and Extech. Some analyzers are designed to measure single phase systems while others are for three phase systems. Many PQAs integrate with PCs, have enhanced data logging capabilities and can produce professional reports typically requested for power quality applications. Power Quality Analyzers range in price from $1500 to $6500 with the more expensive products offering greater analysis functionality.

Whatever your application or budget, it is important that power quality is a factor in the design and maintenance of your electrical system. Power quality is a force to be reckoned with whether you are trying to reduce costs, avoid downtime, and increase the service life of your system.

Author: Bob Preville
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

If anyone  has ever been to a military funeral in which “The Last Post”
was played; this brings out a new meaning of it.Here is something everyone should know.We have all heard The Last Post.’ It’s the song that gives us the lump in our throats and usually tears in our eyes.But, do you know the story behind the song? If not, I think you will be interested to find out about its humble beginnings.

It all began in 1862 during the American Civil War, when Union
Army Captain Robert Ellicombe was with his men near Harrison’s Landing in
Virginia . The Confederate Army was on the other side of the narrow strip of land.During the night, Captain Ellicombe heard the moans of a soldier who lay severely wounded on the field. Not knowing if it was a Union or
Confederate soldier, the Captain decided to risk his life and bring the
stricken man back for medical attention. Crawling on his stomach through
the gunfire, the Captain reached the stricken soldier and began pulling him
toward his encampment.

When the Captain finally reached his own lines, he discovered it was
actually a Confederate soldier, but the soldier was dead.

The Captain lit a lantern and suddenly caught his breath and went numb
with shock. In the dim light, he saw the face of the soldier. It was his own
son. The boy had been studying music in the South when the war broke out.
Without telling his father, the boy enlisted in the Confederate Army.
The following morning, heartbroken, the father asked permission of his
superiors to give his son a full military burial, despite his enemy status.
His request was only partially granted.

The Captain had asked if he could have a group of Army band members play a funeral dirge for his son at the funeral.The request was turned down since the soldier was a Confederate.But, out of respect for the father, they did say they could give him only one musician.

The Captain chose a bugler. He asked the bugler to play a series of
musical notes he had found on a piece of paper in the pocket of the dead youth’s uniform.This wish was granted.The haunting melody, we now know as ‘The Last Post’ used at military funerals was born.

The words are:

Day is done.
Gone the sun.
From the lakes
From the hills.
From the sky.
All is well.
Safely rest.
God is nigh.

Fading light.
Dims the sight.
And a star.
Gems the sky.
Gleaming bright.
From afar.
Drawing nigh.
Falls the night.

Thanks and praise.
For our days.
Neath the sun
Neath the stars.
Neath the sky
As we go.
This we know.
God is nigh

I too have felt the chills while listening to ‘The Last Post’ but I have never seen all the words to the song until now.