text:
MaoTl
Ibusou
Instant Messiah
Nishino And Rose
Rose led the way as Nishino followed. The destination was a coffee shop right before the stop nearest to the school that many people use in order to ride the train. It's an establishment on the first floor of a multi-tenant building, a normal looking place used to drink tea, one that could be found anywhere.
Cafe, Komorebi. 1
They sat at a table for two in the very back. After taking a seat, Rose stared at Nishino as if to not let a single one of his actions go unnoticed.
「And, what business do you have?」
Nishino asked in a very business like tone.
To this she nervously answers back.
「I, I knew that you were the agent with the code name 【Normal】since I transferred. No, saying it like this would cause a misunderstanding. To begin with, the reason I changed schools, it was in order to come into contact with you」
Nishino indifferently responds.
There was not a single bit of warmth in his gaze.
A completely cold gaze.
To Nishino, others attempting to entice him is a daily occurance. Seeing the manner in which Rose flattered him, aah, it's that kind of thing, such was the conclusion he reached. He now understood why they have been constantly bumping into each other these past few months.
Otherwise, there'd be no reason a girl as beautiful as her would be drawn to him.
With this he refocuses himself.
He helped her because they were students from the same school, but if she thought this would change anything, then she is wrong. School is school, and work is work. Drawing a fine line between those two was a result of the wisdom Nishino has acquired. If he didn't, then he would've gone through many painful experiences.
During their gym class, he had felt some of Rose's intent when she purposefully approached him while standing out. That is why, as a warning, Nishino is now facing her with an exceedingly stubborn attitude.
「That is, um……」
「That is?」
On a side note, 【Normal】 is the name Nishino uses for work whenever he needs it. There was no way he'd write down his family name while doing illegal jobs. Therefore, he made use of such an mediocre nickname.
The reason for that, to not stand out in a bad way.
However, even though he didn't stand out in the beginning, by now his name has an influence that if anyone from his business heard it, then not one, but they'd take many steps back. That was the result of a few years.
This business is one where the turnover rate is fierce, and it continues moving forward disregarding a person's fame or intent. The person at the top yesterday could be at the bottom today. However, there is a name that never wavers among them,【Normal】.
「I first want to give my thanks. Thank you for yesterday, you really saved me」
Rose deeply lowered her head as she spoke.
Steam rises from the freshly poured cup of coffee.
Across that white mist was a little girl of the same grade lowering her head.
His company was the one called the school idol, the beautiful girl with the eternal loli body.
It's must be because of that.
「……It wasn't much, don't mind it」
Nishino answered as monotonously as he could.
It was a complete business like tone. If he were to be humble here, then from the average man's experience, nothing good would come from it in the future. He clearly understood what his company would say next, and his expression clouds.
It wasn't as if he didn't have any expectations.
But even then, his face is one that you could find anywhere, an average one.
There's no chance of it coming true. In the end it's an illusion within a dream.
「That is, um, I, it's not only my thanks I want to say, but to you, Normal, there is a request I'd like to ask for. Can you at least listen to what I have to say? It's shameless, and I realize that but」
「Sorry, but I won't hear any more」
Nishino swiftly severed the conversation
「…… Is it useless」
「It's useless」
「I, I see…….」
Nishino bring the cup in his hand to his mouth.
One mouthful, two mouthfuls, the coffee moistens his throat. It was at that moment, his expression warped at the unpleasant taste. An average man's average movement. What is this, this bitter but sour drink with a strange scent. With an expression that looked like he'd sue. He immediately returns the cup to the saucer.
「Is that all you wanted to say? In that case, I'll excuse myself」
「Ah, wai……」
The one who he's talking to is bad and the coffee is disgusting as well.
Deciding there's no reason to stay any longer, he begins to get up from his seat.
Kii, the sound of the chair being moved, Rose panics.
「Umm!」
「Do you still need something?」
「No, um, rather than something……」
She was being incoherent.
The beautiful girl's words showed her worries.
Her worried appearance is also lovely.
That's why it was easy for Nishino to imagine what she was thinking.
No matter how much power he has, the average looking man is still a boy in his teens. If he is shown a worried face from a cute girl, then he'd easily accept. In reality that wasn't too far off the mark.
In truth, Nishino was like that in the past. However, as a result of countless failures in similar situations, he no longer expects anything. Even if his company was the school madonna, there is no need for him to lower his head.
「Th, that is…..」
The average looking man stands. Rose sees this and immediately changes the course of the conversation. Her face hardens, and she fixes her posture. And so, she continues her words as earnestly as she can.
「I'll give proper compensation. That's why, may you please consider it?」
A proper request free from any sexual favors.
Nishino gives some thought to this.
It wasn't as if he had money troubles. In a bank using another name he had money that almost reaches 10 digits. An amount that would allow him to do whatever he wants for the rest of his life. He manages it by splitting it in different banks. His plan was to start his neet life after he graduates high school.
Eating and drinking, a happy lonely life.
That's why there's no need to take on a troublesome request.
That's right, there should be no reason for it.
However, he recalled the house that Rose led him to the other day, these were the thoughts he's recently been having. There's no need for a shady looking house with his earnings. How about living in a somewhat better place.
In that case the situation changes.
Let's try earning a bit more money, that was an ordinarily thought among ordinary people.
After staying quiet for several minutes, he slowly nods.
「…..Fine. It'll depend on the money」
「Really? Thank you!」
His expression was like that of a salaryman working overtime right before making a big purchase.
「The pay?」
「I can only give this much」
Rose raises 5 fingers in response to his question. That was about 80 percent of the pay she received.
Nishino showed a troubled expression. Whether he was satisfied with the pay or not, showing a troubled expression was for his and her sake, this was something he learned from experience in the past few years.
「…… It seems fine」
「Thank you. You're really helping me」
A smile returns to Rose's face.
It seems she was truly troubled from the bottom of her heart.
「Then let's change location. I'll explain the details in my house」
After a short breather of about 10 minutes, they leave the coffee shop.
◇ ◆ ◇
The two moved from the coffee shop to Rose's house. They take a seat on the same sofa that was used last night. A width that could fit 3 people and a low table in front of it.
Steam rises from the black tea that Rose put on the table. It was accompanied by cookies as snacks. From the shape of the chocolate it was clearly from a famous confectionery in Europe. A high item that would cost several hundred yen for one piece.
「The drug cartel boss」
「That's right, we have to settle it on that day. He plans on taking a flight back to his country tomorrow, and if he manages to get away, then this will become something very troublesome. To fly to the spot and take him down, it would take some serious determination wouldn't it?」
「The time? 」
「Around midnight, we aim for when the target is returning to the hotel alone」
Although he was responding to Rose, Nishino's conscience wasn't directed to their conversation, but to the rooms interior design. It was made as if it was a high class royal suite. It can't be compared to the single person bedroom he lives in.
Due to the circumstances of his work, he occasionally sees rooms with similar layouts. Nevertheless, he had not thought of living in a place of this grade. At the very least, he had not seriously considered it.
It was something from another world, that was all that he could think of it as.
There are no elegant average men. They are all exceedingly ordinary.
However, being in the home of a student that goes to his same school, in that case I can too, is what his greed was causing him to think. And so, he came here in order to fulfil that wish.
Even thought his wallet is full his heart is normal. That is what Nishino is experiencing right now.
「But after yesterday, I'd think there security would increase」
「I don't have enough firepower. That's why I wanted your cooperation」
「Any concrete plan?」
「Sorry. Even though it's like this I don't have anything」
There conversation uneventfully continued.
Nishino felt that Rose's atmosphere was different from how it is in school. Her tone is hard and her voice is a bit lower. This may be her true self, such pointless thoughts crossed the average boy's mind.
「In that case, I'll handle the finer details」
「Eh, is that fine? To rely on you for all of that is……」
「You don't have a plan do you?」
「Well, th, that is true but」
In other words, everything would be left to him.
Rose naturally became flustered at that.
However, Nishino indifferently continued.
「It'd be easier like that. And we don't have the time either」
「If you're fine with it then, I can only be grateful for it」
「In that case」
「…….Eeh」
Nishino take over and quickly finishes making the arrangements. Rose wasn't fully satisfied with the arrangements, however, since she already failed once before, she could only obediently nod her head.
Eventually, the average looking boy changes the topic.
To him, it was something more important than the request.
「By the way, are you the only one that lives here?」
「Eeh, that's right」
「Fuun……」
「What? Did you think I lived with my parents?」
「No, that'd be too much」
「With the target being who it is, I needed a location with strict security this time around. Thanks to that I managed to get this extravagant place. Though last time I came I was in a cheaper place I believe」
「How much was it?」
「This place is being rented, so it slight lower than 2 million a month. If we go up a grade then it'd be 5 million for a room, that layer seems to be popular so getting in is difficult, is what the real estate agent said」
「There are much more rich people than I thought」
「Your the one saying this? You should be earning more than enough」
「Even then」
「And this is advertised for foreigners, so there are almost no japanese living here」
「By the way, are there any opening?」
「Eh? Can it be you plan on moving here?」
Rose's shoulders jump.
「…….Just for reference」
「Even I don't have information on vacant rooms. Although it's called an apartment complex, there's an entrance and exit attached to every room, so in reality it's more like a house. You'd understand if you contact the company」
「There are also times they investigate the rooms, so if you are plan on living here, be careful」
Nishino was at a loss for words to Rose's response.
It was a blind spot.
「…… That's true」
「Ara, so even Normal can make that expression」
For he who left his parent to live alone, in truth his parents are currently divorced. He earns everything from his living expenses to his tuition himself. Naturally, there's no one else he can rely on. To have a guarantor would be a dream within a dream.
In the apartment he's currently living in, he didn't go through the proper procedure of using a realtor in order to rent it. As a child in his teens, there was no way for him to choose a location as he liked. Otherwise he'd have to go through the proper procedures.
「I thought of getting dinner, is there anything you'd like?」
「It doesn't matter. Do as you like」
「Eeh, I understand. In that case it's been a while but I'll get sushi」
Rose reached for the phone in a better mood.
After having dinner in Rose's home, the two leave. They move to the vehicle that Rose had prepared beforehand. Arriving at a high class hotel in Tokyo, they move a narrow alley at the back of the hotel that had a good view of it.
There were no one else in sight because it was night. Thin wire poles surrounded the building making it a rather gloomy sight. It might not even be a suitable place for those who scheme evil things.
「Is it really fine like this?」
Rose asked with a suspicious expression.
As usual, Rose changed into her rider like clothes for business along with a coat over it. There are small arms and weapons by her bosom. It was an appearance similar to the one last night. The tight suit clearly displayed her regrettable physique.
As for Nishino, he was wearing his usual school uniform but with a single coat similar to the design of the one Rose had. Speaking of what he had, in his pants pocket he had his wallet and smartphone, but he was not carrying a gun nor a blade.
The coat he's wearing was something he asked for when they entered the car. As expected, it'd be bad to have his uniform exposed. Truthfully, it shouldn't be fine that he's wearing his uniform under it, but the average looking boy has confidence in himself.
「You can wait here」
「Eh? Wait, what do you mean by that?」
He turns to her and answers in his indifferent tone.
「I memorized the targets face. I'll handle the rest」
「I, um, th, then I'll……」
「Wait here. If you follow me without caution then you'll only be a burden」
「A burden, wai, ah……」
Nishino began walking as soon as he said that. With his pockets in his hands, he becomes more distant as he walks away while whistling. Some time later, his figure disappeared around a corner, and the sound of his footsteps ceased.
Rose could only only watch on in a daze
It was after a good 10 minutes passed that Nishino returned.
He didn't appear to be injured, and there were no sign of tears or blood on his clothing. The buttons on his coat were still neatly ordered. His appearance when he returned was no different from the time he walked away.
But, if there was one thing that differed, it would be the freshly severed head he held in his left hand.
Gripping the hair, it nonchalantly hung down. It was as if the head was frozen as not a single drop of blood flowed down. And Nishino who was holding this had not even a drop blood on him.
The head appeared to belong to a caucasian in the latter half of his forties. It had a fat chin with hair growing on it that connected to it's mustache. But it had a very rough and frightening appearance. It was to the degree that if a small child saw it then they'd cry.
However, the expression on his face, it was one dyed in dread from seeing the end of their life. It violently cramped up from the chin to the eyes. It's mouth was open far enough that the uvula was able to be seen, it was most likely killed as it was screaming.
「You, that is……」
「I brought it as confirmation」
With a mutter, Nishino throws the severed head.
It drew a parabola as it landed by Rose's feet
「Wa, wait, just what are you throwing!?」
There was no chance of catching it as it landed on the ground with a thud. A dry sound as if there was water stuck to the bottom of her throat came out. The wide open eyes were shining within the darkness of the night, and they were looking at Rose as if glaring at her.
「……Eeh, it certainly is」
「Then it's fine」
Nishino makes a small nod at her confirmation.
「How did you do this? To begin with what is Normal's……」
「In that case, I'll excuse myself」
「Ah, wait a minute」
With his business done, he hurriedly began walking.
He faces forward as he passes Rose.
「Wait, ca, can't you just wait a minute!」
「Give the money to a man called Marquis at Site Glass in Roppongi」
With their backs facing each other, he kept facing forward as he spoke to her. This was one of the thing the average looking boy wanted to do before dying. In his heart, there was some sense of accomplishment. It might have been good that I took this job, he thought.
Being narcissistic was a hobby of his.
「Waait……」
On the other hand was Rose was troubled by his grandiose play. As expected, she didn't have the determination to chase after him before dealing with the severed head. She has a duty to report the completion of this job afterwards and she can't keep them waiting.
If someone happened to see it, then everything would be ruined.
「…… What should I do」
She lets out a large sigh as she looks at the head that was rolling around.
Her mutters did not reach anyones ears.
In a vicinity in tokyo by the office district, there is a multi tenant building at the end.
Cafe, Komorebi.
The tea was bad. The coffee was bad. They had no outstanding products. The location wasn't good. To top if off, the interior was dull and the manger was uncool. Due to those factors, customers stayed away even if they're craving sweets, and the store is once again empty as usual. The ones in the vicinity wonder why it hasn't gone under yet, and several other shop owners whispered behind their backs..
In the seat furthest in there were two women facing each other.
「I see, you happened to get the assistance of Normal by coincidence」
「That's right, it's exactly as written in the report I sent last night」
「Really, what were all my troubles for」
I can't keep this up, such were the thoughts of the beautiful blond woman in the bright red dress, Francesca. It seems that her work dragged late into the night as there were dark circles under her eyes. And in front of her was the appearance of a beautiful blonde girl in a white one piece, sitting there was Rose.
「I don't care about your troubles. Rather than that I want to hurry and finish the payment. It's my duty to pay him so I want to do it as soon as possible. Since I finally got some trust, and it'll be important from now on」
「How about letting me handle it?」
「No. If you want the connection that much, then why don't you just spread those prided legs of yours」
「That boy is still a child. He doesn't understand the charm of an adult. He's the cheap type of man that would complain if along with alcohol he was given a high class cheese that was moldy or smelled strongly」
「That's after you were given the cold shoulder, my condolences. However, no matter how much it is praised, wouldn't it be hard to accept a smelly cheese? The general populace prefer a moderately delicious cheese with a normal smell」
「…… it's not like I smell?」
「I don't want to hear about how you lower half smells. It makes me sick」
She tried to joke, but before she knew it, it blew up in her face. It was something that happened often to the blonde haired woman. Her pointless banter and the other party turning it on her. It is something that is pointed out every month by her superiors in her home country.
「Well that's fine. Nevertheless this times case has ended」
Francesca speaks as if taking over.
While holding the untouched coffee on the table, the two woman continue speaking in a plain fashion. It's already been 10 minutes since the manager delivered it. Without the steam or it's original shape intact, it was left untouched and is now cold.
「And what's the next job?」
「Aah, about that, there's nothing for now」
「Although you finished it yesterday, there's still many things I have to do. It's just a part of the whole. And you just came to Japan, I don't have the time to have you moving all over the place」
「Won't it be fine as long as I handle that」
「Do you think it's easy being a blue collar worker?」
「How about you, isn't your neck burnt red from driving in a convertible?」
「Ara, really?」
「……Not even understanding sarcasm, not having an education is frightening」
Rose lets out a sigh to Francesca who didn't even answer.
She couldn't handle staying any longer and leaves her seat.
「Then I'll leave for today」
「Eeh, please give him my regards」
「I won't promise that」
The beautiful girl stood before the beautiful woman.
The manager sees her off with a somber expression. The reason being the coffee was left untouched. He understood that the reason they came the past few months was due to the location, but it still pulled at his heart.
Karan Koron.
Rose leaves the store without stopping at the register.
「Securing Normal is also part of the job. What should I do?」
Francesca's words reached nobodies ears.
After leaving the coffee shop, Rose was walking on the street.
It was time for lunch so she decides to eat. Taking two trains and goes to a neighborhood that is filled with restaurants. The station in shibuya was fuller than usual as a result of the holiday. She passes the Hachiko statue and goes to cross the busy intersection.
She still hadn't decided on a destination. She was simply walking with an adventurous heart while looking for a suitable store. It must've been from the leeway born in her heart after finishing her job. Her steps were much lighter than they were a few days ago.
But before crossing the white line, she saw someone she recognized passing by.
「Wa, wait, it's Nishino-kun isn't it!?」
She quickens her pace as she follows after him.
Since there wasn't much distance separating them, she soon catches up..
He stops and turns to her, and carelessly grumbles.
Even though they coincidentally met in the crowds of Shibuya, there was no sign of him being shaken. There were no changes in his behavior even with it being Rose. It was no different from meeting in school, but only a complaint for calling out to him.
Perhaps if they met before that event, then he might've been more tense. When meeting the schools top beauty, even if only a little, you heart should become restless. However, that is now all in the past as he now knows that she was in the same business.
「What a coincidence. Do you plan on going out?」
「It's nothing big. I'm just here to get lunch」
「Really? Then it's the same as me」
「Is that so」
「Can it be you're alone?」
「If it's fine, then, um, do you want to go together?」
「Even if you asked me why, I'm a bit troubled on how to answer……」
To her it was just the natural flow of the conversation. However, it was reasonable for Nishino to be holding some suspicion towards her.
「Ah, I'm not planning on pushing something troublesome on you, it's nothing like that ok?」
「I'm also alone so, why don't we use this chance to get something tasty to eat? I'm in your debt so let me treat you for today? Of course, there is no deeper meaning in this」
The crossing signal begins flickering as it changes.
While looking at this from the corner of his eye, Nishino nods.
「Fine. Let's go」
「Thank goodness. Accepting my invitation」
A smile rises on the face of the girl.
The two were caught by a restaurant worker as they were walking. It seems that there is a new italian restaurant that just opened the other day. Right now you can get all you can drink as a service.
It looks like it's a store directed to young people like them so there shouldn't be anything in the restaurant that is particularly expensive. Going by the map they were given, it was just one street away from where they currently where.
While looking at the business card they were given, Rose spoke in an astonished tone.
「As expected this place isn't good」
「I don't mind?」
「Ara, you like these cheap looking places?」
「…… It isn't that」
Rather than liking it, he remembers the countless times he went to major food chains to get food during holidays. However, he couldn't say such things to a person in his business as it'd make him look weak.
「If you say so, then let's go check it out」
They head to the new restaurant with Rose leading the way.
They arrive at their destination after only two minutes.
Kara Koron, they opened the door and along with the sound, the nice fragrance of the interior blows on them. As a result of the restaurants efforts about 90 percent of the seats were already taken. And there were only two seats open at the counter.
No matter where you looked the interior had the feeling of an italian restaurant.
The wooden furniture, and the walls that are colored both brown and white. In the inside of the kitchen that was adjacent to the counter was a brick stove, and on the place where the pizza goes in and out was a margherita.
A waitress quickly approaches and lead them to empty seats.
It was then that the two discover an unexpected acquaintance.
To the side of the seats they were guided to was.
An expected sound was raised by the person who was already seated. It was Nishino's classmate Shimizu Chikako.
And the ones sitting with her were two girls that she got along with in class and the male student with the reputation as the number one ikeman in school.
「Rose-chan? And, u, umm…… Nishino-kun?」
She couldn't remember Nishino's name right away, but that's something that applies to the whole class.
Since he's the type of male student that doesn't particularly stick out.
「Ara, what a coincidence……」
Being a bit surprised, Rose opened her mouth.
「Are you two eating together? Ah, can it be a date?」
Not seeing anyone else with them, Shimizu opens her mouth with her usual energy.
The blonde girl answers to this with a light tone.
「It isn't something that romantic. I'm saying this in order to withhold his honour, something happened recently and I'm now in his debt, so I invited him as a way to show my thanks. And I'll say this just in case, it wasn't as if this was prearranged, we just happened to meet?」
「Ara, is that so. How disappointing」
Shimizu spoke with a grin. There isn't much of a difference in her personality from her time at school. It feels like she is saying what is expected from her.
The one to her side, Takeuchikun, then takes the topic into his own hands.
「In his debt, that's interesting」
He spoke in a light tone as he looked at both Rose and Nishino.
The other two girls had their attention completely devoted to the ikeman's words.
「It's not something that big」
「Is that so? No matter how much of a coincidence it is, for a girl as cute as you to invite him to a meal on a holiday, isn't that something, it seems like I missed the mark」
「That's true. But it's not something to worry about」
「Nee, how about we sit together? Since we're fellow neighbors」
Proposed Shimizu.
Takeuchikun immediately nods in agreement.
「I also agree」
Unexpectedly meeting with friends from school during a holiday in Shibuya is a happy thing. The class representative's tension rises at this thought. Without waiting for Rose's consent, she pull the tables together to make it a 4 seater.
However, this was actually done out of consideration.
There was a single hypotheses Shimizu could think of the moment she saw the two together. Nishino must've invited Rose to eat. Thus she reluctantly agrees due to owing him a favor, that must've been how this situation came to be, was what she though.
Her proposal could be see as an act of kindness.
Although it should be something very rude to Nishino.
「How about it, Nishino-kun?」
「I don't mind」
Nishino answers Rose. The school tone, or business tone, not having enough time to decide what ended up coming out of his mouth was a questionable remark. And it also felt like he was in a bad mood.
If you think about it, he hasn't talked with others in school recently. The most he did was when his teacher scolded him. His throat moved in a way that was natural to him. At a glance it'd look like he was bad in communication.
「Then I'll take you up on that offer」
Rose answers after gathering the views of the two parties.
In order to get this over with, Nishino goes to sit next to Takeuchikun.
But after taking a step forward, the ikeman opens his mouth.
「Here you go, Rose-chan」
He urges her on as he pulls out the seat next to him.
On his face was a refreshing smile
「Ara, how thoughtful. Thank you」
Rose replies to this invitation by taking a seat.
As a result, Nishino moves to the other side. Over there was a female classmate that he had never exchanged even a single word with. It was the girl with the reputation of being cute in his class.
Seeing this flow of events, the tension of the girls present hardened. They haven't gathered here today as a result of trying to capture Takeuchikun, but as the continuation of the culture festival preparations from yesterday, so it was still connected to the ikeman conquest plan.
「As expected of Takeuchikun, kinder than anyone else!」
Shimizu immediately inserted a jab.
「No no, it's special because Rose-chan is cute」
It was a direct hit, but the ikeman cleanly avoids it.
On the other hand, the side that hit was now in disarray.
「I, is that so!? Uwa, can it be he just burned us?」
Shimizu panicked.
The other two female students agreed with her.
「Did he also of burn me?」「It's fine. But next time I'll have you pull my seat out got it? In the classroom」「Wait a minute! Pulling out a seat in class, that's too much!?」「That's exactly why, that's what makes it so wonderful」
Panicked. Very panicked.
In the moment, they girls worked together in order to wash this away. Up until Rose came, the three girls were violent towards each other in order to get the the ikeman. I'll become Takeuchikun's girlfriend, no, I'm the one who's going to be his girlfriend, and so on.
But there was now a mutual enemy in front of them, so in an instant they banded together using subtle signals. This blonde haired lolita is dangerous, an alarm bell rang between them. As for Nishino who happened to be here, he wasn't happy with this uncomfortable atmosphere.
It was in the middle of that tumult that a waitress appears from the side.
「Excuse me, have you decided on your order?」
「One daily special…… 」
Nishino indifferently placed his order.
Rose didn't particularly mind what was happening..
「Ara, I still haven't decided」
「Rose-chan, I recommend this」
Takeuchikun immediately goes to assist her. This is the ikeman and average man, the value they had from the face they were born with, and the difference in their human relationship skills from the way they were raised, an absolute gap made from the differences between them.
「Is that so? Then I'll have that」
They each place their orders and the lunch finally begins.
「Hee, amazing. Other than japanese, you can also speak french?」
Takeuchikun says in admiration.
「Since it's similar to english I managed to memorize it quite easily. Rather, I had much more difficulty learning japanese. Especially these kanji, it was quite troublesome having to memorize them」
Rose answered in plain maner.
「Eh? Rather, can you speak 3 languages?」
「Eeh well, if it's that then」
「Uwaa, amazing. That's insane!」
Takeuchikun was praising Rose.
The conversation moved to topics from overseas because they were in an italian restaurant, and the flow of the conversation naturally went to Rose. Using this Takeuchikun continued to speak with her for over 30 minutes.
On the other side of the blonde haired lolita was the average man, Nishino, who was eating his food. Although this daily special would be cheap to Rose, it was more than enough for Nishino's taste from his poor life style.
But when he finished eating most of it, he decided it was about time as he was getting bored. With the amount of people here there'd be a lot of lost time until he would be able to get his dessert, such was his narrow minded way of thinking.
It was his first time eating with classmates and it was impossible for him to enter the conversation. Thus he devoted himself to his food in order to avoid getting bored. It would've been better to not accept the invitation if it'd end like this.
「Speaking of english, isn't Takeuchikun good with it? I'm pretty sure you were the top two in the school on the last test. Didn't you get a 98 on it」
Shimizu interjectects.
Rose was first place in that test, that was purposefully avoided.
「Ah, I heard of that! That also impressed me」「Right! Even though it wasn't first, being second is pretty much the same as first! 」「True true, and the number one person got a full score, so it's just like a one question difference!」「Isn't that like, already a perfect score!」
The other two cooperated with this and attempt to change the conversation.
「I, I, I want to hear Takeuchikun's english!」
Shimizu raised her voice as if this was a critical moment.
Shimizu feels as if this situation is the result of her actions. Naturally, the gaze of the other two also concerned her. Right now they have her back, but they will surely speak bad about her afterwards. And there was the possibility that this will continue following her for the next few years.
That is why this was critical.
「Well, if it's between a school test and a native like her, then isn't it like the difference between the moon and a turtle? I did think of leaving Japan at some point, but it's still pretty difficult. 」
「You were thinking of those things? If it's Takeuchikun then it'll be super easy!」「That's right, you also kind of give of a mixed feeling!」「Aah, I get ya!」「I want to go abroad with Takeuchikun」「Ah, me too me too!」
The two girls spoke in a sugary tone. They managed to steer the conversation from it's dangerous path, and Shimizu was making a guts pose from the bottom of her heart. The three made eye contact and gave a smile that said good work. If they were somewhere else then they would've high fived each other.
However, although they were able to finally mount their counterattack, it would be crushed the next day.
It was then that Rose nochantly asked the average man in front of her a question.
「Nishino-kun, do you have any experience abroad?」
It was implicitly asking if he had done any work abroad.
If her information is right then she should be correct.
In response to this, Nishino wanted to yell, you bastard, but he instead smiled, Shimizu and the other three direct their gazes to Rose. I don't want to know about this average guy, so were the thoughts of Takeuchikun and the others.
「……Well, a little」
「How about recently?」
「Recently would be last month when I went to Naples, and also New York」
「…… Fuun?」
Last month, Rose makes a meaningful smile as she remembers of the local newspapers of two cities. There was also the information from Francesca. Since she had an interest in Nishino's activities. That's why she asked him.
「Eh? Really?」
Shimizu took interest in his casual statement.
Since he's plain.
「Nishino-kun, do you have experience abroad?」
It seems that the fact that the average man had experience abroad was devastating to her. She herself vacationed with her family to Guam for 3 days and 4 nights. The other two didn't even have a passport.
And it wasn't Guam or Hawaii, but New York. To female high schoolers there was no spot that was more popular than that one. Just being able to go there would increase you rank in the school caste.
It's because of that, that the stares naturally went to him.
「……Well, as much as anyone else」
What came back was a subdued voice that sounded like it would disappear.
A member of the opposite sex, and also a cute classmate, to be noticed by such a person was the first time in the average man's life. His voice naturally stiffened, and the words he replied with where curt.
He tried to look cool but ended up being awkward
「Rather, why'd you go? A trip? Sightseeing? 」
The dull average man in the middle of the school caste. For him to have an abundance of experience abroad, Shimizu was somewhat surprised and also a bit jealous. Her tone was strong as she questioned him.
「Well, something like that」
Although it was really for work reasons.
Nishino deceived them with a suitable lie.
「Hee, amazing. My experience was going to Guam once when I was little」
「I didn't even do it once!」
「M, me too!」
Men, trips, style. Those were the three pillars of a girls conversation, grabbing ahold of one of those pillars, the three immediately became lively. It would be bad to let Rose stand out anymore than she did, they open their mouths and speak loudly in order to control the conversation.
And then, in the middle of the three, Takeuchikun asks Nishino.
「Hee, so Nishino has experience abroad? Was it a tour?」
Takeuchikun is now attacking Nishino.
It was a straight hit from the left.
However, this was easy to avoid, and instead went for the counter.
「No, it wasn't something as formal as that」
「Hee, is that so? Having parents that are good with going overseas, it's quite enviable. My parents don't really like going out of the country. Even if it's a family trip, at most it'll be a tour within the country」
How unfortunate, Takeuchi spoke in such a way as a bitter smile floated on his face.
That face was as if it came out of a picture, and the three girls were writhing.
「Aah, I get ya! My parents are also like that」「Yeah yeah, they need to have global views! global!」「Going on a domestic trip is just troublesome for me, so the chances to go on trips with my family are small」「Uwaa, isn't that like, pitiful?」
The conversation had completely moved away from Rose.
The two girls were excited.
With a push on the back, Shimizu took the rest upon her own hands.
「Nee, Takeuchikun. If you'd like, how about we plant to go abroad as a graduation trip? Rather than going on a school trip, we can plan it ourselves. Gathering friends, and going somewhere on the other side of the ocean. Is it no good?」
At this time, as long as Rose isn't involved than anything goes.
「Ah, that'd be nice! Super nice!」「Then I have to get a passport! It's kind of exciting!」「Where do you get a passport?」「Eh? Isn't it from the embassy?」「Hee, so you get it from the embassy?」
The two girls keep pushing at this critical moment.
However, there effort went unnoticed by the person in question.
「I see, that sounds good. How about it? Rose-chan too」
Takeuchikun looks at Rose with a smile.
She quickly agrees with a nod.
「Eeh, I'll think about it once you come up with the plans」
「Then it's decided. I'll consult with my dad」
Takeuchikun was satisfied with the way the conversation was going. But, that smile of his stiffened at the next words of the blonde haired lolita. The ever changing conversation, has once again fallen onto the average man.
「Nishino-kun, are you going?」
「…… Why?」
Not only Takeuchikun, but the three girls and even the person in question were doubtful. They were frantically trying to hide their expressions that said, why did you say that. To begin with, today is the very first day that they ever spoke with him.
Even though they're classmates, they are not required to talk with each other if they don't want to. And if the genders are different than the possibilities of that happening go even higher.
「Do you dislike it?」
「No, it's not that I don't like it……」
「Then let's go? Could it be that you're busy」
「…… Okay. Thanksfor inviting me」
Nishino lowered his head.
Even thought it was against their expectations, they manage to adapt to the situation. They thought it'd be a bore to bully someone who was being humble, it is one of the qualities of the japanese.
「It seems like it'll be fun. I'll be more serious in planning it」
Takeuchikun was excited at Rose's consent.
He has already forgotten of Nishino's existence.
「Right! I'll also have fun!」「Aan, I have to buy a bag!」「Ah, that's right! Clothes too, it has to match the climate over there!」「Then I want to go to a resort, like the mediterranean」「Ah! I totally understand. I really wanna go to the mediterranean」
The two girls were the same once again.
The topic of the trip then continued for nearly half an hour.
Eventually they split up after exiting the restaurant. Along with Nishino and Rose, the girls meekly part with Takeuchikun. After remembering their original goal, they split up while being dissatisfied. See you at school, they say as they wave to each other.
However, those three planned to meet in the neighboring cafe later in order come up with a plan to overtake Rose.
This current situation is extremely dangerous, such was the judgement of the three.
Means sunlight filtering through trees
3 May 2019 Reply
thanks for the new chapter 😉 I like the novel very much. I just bought the first volume from bookwalker to support the author. If you continue to translate the novel write a post about it and I will buy the second volume as well.
Shimat
Thank you for keep translating this awesome light novel, it have so much potential.
Deathkiddoom
Thanks for the chapter dude.
Rich13moon
Please keep it going.(fast IF POSSIBLE)
And thanks for this wonderful gift of happiness!!! nishino rocks~
Gin Hindew 110
This, the subtlety of the conversation, the way the author explains everyone's motives and the way they move the conversation, this is an excellent social analysis, so good, and its even better because the author doesn't take favorites and express everyone's desires, flaws and good points
E-X-C-E-LL-E-N-T
Ibusou v1c2 Part 3
Nishino v4c2


text:
9. The prefix that means 100 times is
Asked 8/31/2012 2:02:33 AM
Updated 2/19/2015 11:14:33 PM
Flagged by yumdrea [2/19/2015 11:14:33 PM]
User: 9. The prefix that means 100 times is
Weegy: A prefix is an affix which is placed before a stem
user1583|Points 1061|
The prefix that means 100 times is hecto.
Confirmed by yumdrea [2/19/2015 11:14:36 PM]
Mohs' scale helps scientists to identify the _______ of a mineral. A. crystal shape B. hardness C. cleavage D. color
Weegy: A. cleavage (More)
Mohs' scale helps scientists to identify the hardness of a mineral.
Mohs' scale helps scientists to identify the _______ of a mineral. A. color B. crystal shape C. hardness D. cleavage
Updated 10/9/2015 12:38:38 PM
Added 10/9/2015 12:38:38 PM
What is unique about the biosphere? A. It exists entirely within the other spheres. B. It's the coldest of all the spheres. C. It's the only sphere that contains water. D. It's the only sphere that doesn't support life.
Weegy: A. It's the coldest of all the spheres. The coldest sphere is the biosphere compared to all layers of earth beneath. (More)
What is unique about the biosphere is: A. It exists entirely within the other spheres.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Running Processes in the Background in Oracle Apex Can anybody explain how I can run a process in the background of my apex app while continuing to use the app.
For example I want to run a long update from the frontend but it takes while, so instead of waiting for it to finish, I want to continue working while it runs in the background and when it is completed then I am notified.
Please note at all this is happening in the application, when I say continue to work, I mean continue to work in the application (frontend) and not the apex development section.
Thank you for your time!

A: You would want to use a job to run the long running update or whatever code you need to run. A good example of how to set this up can be seen in this article.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


What a commentary on our world today — prideful boasting, considering ourselves like kings, gathering people around us, being undisciplined, and valuing outward appearances. Also, what a comment on the things in my own life that led me into deep troubles.
Pride, cunning, manipulation, rebellion – these things look beautiful to the worldly, because they are ways by which they feel a false sense of personal power. They can find themselves drink on the wine of wickedness when living in these ways, and it is a dangerous trap.
Can't we each remember a time when we've set our eyes on something that isn't ours and claimed it as our own as if we had the right to have it just because we wanted it? Haven't we each found those moments where we slipped out of "godliness with contentment" to suffer loss instead of gain in the end?
In my old life, if I had money in my pocket, or credit available, and I saw something I wanted, I got it. I would tell myself that I had worked hard and deserved it. I might even foolishly tell myself that I would find a way to pay for it, that I should trust doors to open. And all of that was self centered, not God centered. It was acting as if I were the King, master, and Lord of my own life – sounds horribly similar to the pride that got someone cast down our of heaven.
But I'm learning a new way. It involves someone different sitting upon the throne of my life. It involves me submitting myself to His will and dying to self. It involves me being a generous giver, a mindful steward, a careful planner, a hard worker — but most importantly, a man in touch and drawing close to God.
When we got ready to build our house, I didn't know whether we should build something small and minimalist just big enough for ourselves – or if we should build something big enough to provide ministry, Christian housing, housing for friends/family in need, etc from a dedicated portion of our home. I had read Habakkuk and didn't want the beams and stones crying out to testify against me. I had read that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than ac rich man enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. I truly wanted to do the will of God. So instead of charging ahead on my own because "we can afford it", I went into the woods on our farmland and I prayed about it. When I came out from praying, there was, a double rainbow over the place where the house was to be built, and it was made clear to me.
Yes, I surrendered it all to Him that day in prayer. If He had said no, that's where we would go. Since He said yes, we are stepping into His will expecting His success. My point is that we can either be like Solomon who felt like a child unprepared to lead that has to rely on God's wisdom and instruction – or we can be like Adonijah who thought that his manipulation would get him what he wanted.
God's will is going to be done. Doesn't it make sense to check ourselves, to examine our true motives and desires against the Word of God – to test all of our thoughts, feelings, and opinions against the truth of the Word of God if we believe? Even David and Solomon fell short in many ways, but they repented, they sought God's will, they didn't just listen, but they obeyed.
Over and over in the Bible, I see people asking and pleading for help from the Lord. I see people asking, "If you are willing, you can".
But today, I hear many talking about God as if He "has to". It's almost an attitude of, "Okay, God, I did X, so you have to do Y – because you did it back in the day for that other guy in the Bible." Yes, the narcissism of this world religion everyone what they "deserve" has crept into the religious gatherings to the point that people are told to pray the same lie over and over until God makes it true and that it is their own lack of faith in the life that is making it not true. Seriously? The Father of lies and author of confusion is selling this, and people are buying it up on the best seller last hoping for their best life now.
Can't we see the issue with this false teaching? Can't we see that this is the way the false prophets of the false idol Baal were beside the prophet Elijah of the one true God?
But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.' And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?'— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord , if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.
And these same ones who make false promises aren't even offering people treasures of any value in their empty promises – they are offering worldliness to the masses of worldly, carnal people. They are selling vomit to the dogs and slop to the pigs – but I wonder if they are lying about who it is they serve? Can't we tell by what it is that they truly seek?
If you have fallen victim to trying to use God as your genie and as your spare tire when you want something – hoping to convince Him into submitting to your will – I encourage you to instead pray as He instructed us. He instructed us to pray that the Father's will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Don't just keep praying the same way, insisting on your will be done – instead of speaking so loudly and demanding, listen for His still quiet voice.


Upon arrival, the private guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day will be free for you to explore the city.
Today you'll enjoy the essence of Nanjing!
First, visit Sun Yat Sen Mausoleum to discover the history of this honorable man, the founder of the Republic of China. Then, visit the Confucius Temple to explore the education system in ancient China and witness the reverence given the great philosopher Confucius.
Next you will pay a visit to the Qinhuai River to enjoy the beautiful scenery.


text:
It all began with the War of the Currents…
Today, people greatly appreciate having electrical energy available at the flip of a switch, seemingly at any time and for any occasion. But where does electricity actually come from? The answer most people would give you is: "from the wall socket, of course". So does this automatically settle the question of security of supply? More on this later.
If we compare the history of electric current with the 75 years of the history of Camille Bauer Metrawatt AG, it is easy to see how they were interlinked at certain times in the course of their development. Why is that?
It all began with the War of the Currents – an economic dispute about a technical standard
It was around 1890 when the so-called War of the Currents started in the USA. At that time, the question was whether the direct current favoured by Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) or the alternating current promoted by Nicola Tesla (1856-1943) and financially supported by George Westinghouse (1846-1914), was the more suitable technology for supplying the United States of America with electrical energy over large areas and constructing power grids. Because of Westinghouse's market dominance at that time compared to Edison General Electric (called General Electric from 1890 on), it soon became clear that the alternating voltage invented by Nicola Tesla was rapidly gaining the upper hand. This was not least because its approximately 25% lower transmission losses weighed unquestionably in its favour. Soon afterward, came the breakthrough for alternating voltage as the means of transmitting electrical energy using. Initially, the main target application was electric lighting, which to be spurred on by the invention of the incandescent lamp by Edison. The reasons for this were logical. Westinghouse was initially a lighting manufacturing company and wanted to secure as great a market share as possible.
As developments continued, it is no surprise that already by 1891, in Germany for example, the first long-distance transmission of electrical energy was put into operation, over a distance of more than 170 km from Lauffen am Neckar to Frankfurt am Main. It was a technological breakthrough using three-phase current technology. However, this has by no means been the end of the story for direct current. Not least because of digitalization, electromobility, decentralized energy supplies, etc., DC voltage has experienced a full-blown renaissance and now is treated almost as a brand-new topic.
The Camille Bauer story.
The foundation of the Camille Bauer company dates back to 1900, immediately after the War of the Currents just described, at a time when electricity was rapidly gaining in importance. At the turn of the century, the Camille Bauer company, named after its founder Camille Bauer-Judlin, began importing measuring instruments for the trendy new phenomenon called "electricity" into Switzerland for sale to the local market. Some years later, in 1906, Dr. Siegfried Guggenheimer (1875 – 1938), formerly a research scientist for Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen (1845 – 1923) and who in 1901, became the first winner of the Nobel Prize for physics, founded what was a start-up company in Nuremberg, Germany, trading under his own name. The company was engaged in the production and sale of electrical measuring instruments. However, due to pressure from the Nazis because Dr. Guggenheimer was of Jewish descent, he had to rename the company in 1933, creating Metrawatt AG.
Four technological segments.
In 1919, a man by the name of Paul Gossen entered the picture. He was so dissatisfied with his employment with Dr. Guggenheimer that he founded his own company in Erlangen, near Nuremberg, and for decades the two rivals were continuously in fierce competition with one another. In 1944, towards the end of the Second World War, Camille Bauer could see that its importing business had virtually come to a standstill. All the factories of its suppliers, which were mainly in Germany (for example Hartmann & Braun, Voigt & Haeffner, Lahmeyer, etc.), had been converted to supplying materials for the war. At this point, a decision had to be made quickly. Camille Bauer's original trading company located in Basel (CH), undertook a courageous transformation. In order to survive, it turned itself into a manufacturing company. In a first step, the recently formed manufacturing company Matter, Patocchi & Co. AG in Wohlen (CH) was taken over, in order to be get the business up and running quickly with the necessary operating resources at their disposal. Thus the Swiss manufacturing base in Wohlen in the canton of Aargau was born.
The story does not end there. In 1979, Camille Bauer was taken over by Röchling a family-owned company in Mannheim, Germany. At that time, Röchling wanted to quit the iron and steel business and enter the field of I&C technology. Later, in 1993, Gossen in Erlangen and Metrawatt in Nuremberg were reunited in a single company, after Röchling became owner of the Gossen holding company as a result of the acquisition of the Bergmann Group from Siemens in 1989, and Metrawatt was acquired from ABB in 1992. At the same time, Camille Bauer's German sales operation in Frankfurt-Dreieich also became a part of the company. Today the companies operate globally and successfully under the umbrella brand of GMC-I (Gossen Metrawatt Camille-Bauer-Instruments).
A new era.
The physics of electric current have not changed over the course of time. However, business conditions have changed drastically, especially over the last 5-10 years. Catch phrases such as electricity free market, collective self-consumption, renewable energy sources, PV, wind power, climate targets, reduction of CO2 emissions, e-mobility, battery storage, Tesla, smart meters, digitalization, cyber security, network quality, etc. are all areas of interest for both people and companies. And last but not least, with today's protest demonstrations, climate change has become a political issue. We will have to see what results from this. At the very least, the catch phrases mentioned above are perfect for developing scenarios for electricity supply security. And it really is the case that the traditional electricity infrastructure, which is often as old as Camille Bauer Metrawatt itself, was not designed for the new types of energy behaviour, either those on the consumer side or the decentralised feed-in side. As a result, it is ever more important to have increasing numbers of intelligent systems which need to work from basic data obtained from precise measurements in order to avoid outages, blackouts and resulting damage.
The overall diversity of these new clusters of topics has prompted Camille Bauer Metrawatt AG to once more face the challenges with courage and above all to do so in an innovative and productive way. In this spirit, Camille Bauer Metrawatt AG develops, produces and distributes its product range globally in 4 technological segments.
(1) Measurement & Display,
(2) Power Quality,
(3) Control & Monitoring,
(4) Software, Systems and Solutions.
Through its expert staff, modern tools and external partners Camille Bauer Metrawatt is able, for example, to analyse power quality and detect power quality problems. In addition, the Camille Bauer Metrawatt Academy, recently founded in 2019, puts its focus on knowledge transfer by experienced lecturers, with the latest and most important topics as its main priority. Furthermore, we keep in very close contact with customers, authorities, associations, specialist committees, educational institutions, practice-oriented experts and the scientific community in order to continually provide the requisite solutions to the market and interested parties.
#Camille_Bauer_Metrawatt #PAuto @irishpwrprocess
Leave a Comment »	| Acquisitions, Automation, Control, HMI, Instrumentation, IoT, Measurement, Power, Process Automation, Process Control, Technology, Test+Measurement	| Tagged: Climate Change, Company, Electrical, Electronics, Germany, T&M	| Permalink
Why monitor dust?
Josh Thomas of Ashtead Technology discusses the reasons for monitoring dust in the workplace.
Almost any place of employment can present a potential threat to health and safety from airborne particulates and aerosols. It is important to note, however, that dust hazards are not necessarily visible to the human eye and that the finest particles can represent the greatest threat because of their ability to travel deepest into the lungs. Effective monitoring is therefore key to the implementation of an effective risk management strategy.
There are two major reasons for monitoring dust in the workplace; to enable air quality management, and for regulatory compliance. The immediate effects of dust can be irritation to eyes, headaches, fatigue, coughing and sneezing. As such, poor indoor air quality can lower employee performance and cause increased absenteeism through sickness. In addition, particulates are known to create long-term deleterious effects, contributing to serious illnesses. In combination with outdoor exposure (to pollution form vehicles for example), the Government has estimated that 29,000 premature deaths occur in the UK every year as a result of particle pollution. This means that, particularly in urban areas, natural ventilation may not necessarily improve indoor air quality.
Employers are responsible for ensuring that staff and visitors are not exposed to poor air quality in the workplace, so it is necessary to conduct monitoring. Accurate and effective monitoring data can be used to check exposure levels and to help identify safe working practices.
Monitoring also helps to demonstrate compliance with relevant regulations. COSHH is the law that requires employers to control substances that are hazardous to health. According to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), employers can prevent or reduce workers' exposure to hazardous substances by finding out what the health hazards are; by deciding how to prevent harm to health; by providing effective control measures; by providing information and training; by providing monitoring and health surveillance, and by planning for emergencies.
In order to evaluate workplace safety, monitoring data is compared with Workplace Exposure levels (WELs) which prescribe the maximum exposure level to a hazardous substance over a set period of time. Failure to comply with COSHH and WELs can result in financial penalties, prosecutions and civil claims.
Indoor air quality is affected by both internal and external factors. Air pollution may arise from external sources such as neighbouring factories, building and development activities, or from vehicles – especially those with diesel engines. Internally, air quality is affected by working practices and business processes. For example, dust may arise from raw materials such as powders, or it may be produced by processes that generate particulates; including dust, mist, aerosols and smoke. In all cases, internal and external, it is important to identify both the source and the seriousness of the problem, so that appropriate and effective mitigation measures can be implemented. These might include, for example, ventilation, process dust prevention, the management of shift patterns, personal protection equipment (PPE) and alarm systems.
Regulatory requirements to monitor
Under the British Workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, employers have a legal duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees. Furthermore, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (GB) require employers to assess and control risks to protect their employees. A key element of this is the requirement to comply with the COSHH Regulations. The HSE says that exposure measurement is required:
For COSHH assessment, to help select the right controls
Where there is a serious risk to health from inhalation
To check that exposure limits are not exceeded
To check the performance of exposure controls
To help select the right respiratory protection equipment
To check exposure following a change in a process
To show any need for health surveillance; or
When an inspector issues an 'Improvement Notice' requiring monitoring
The COSSH Regulations include dust, mist, vapour, fumes and chemicals, but they do not cover Lead or Asbestos. Specific requirements exist for certain industries such as construction. Generally, WELs relate to particulate diameter because the health effects of particulates are heavily influenced by their size.
Inhalable dust is that which enters the nose or mouth during breathing and is available for deposition in the respiratory tract. It includes particles with a width between 2.5 and 10 microns (PM2.5 – PM10), and the WEL for this fraction is 10 mg/m3 as an 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA).
Respirable dust is the fraction that penetrates deep into the gas exchange region of the lungs. It includes particles with a width between 1 and 2.5 microns (PM1– PM2.5), and the WEL for this fraction is 4 mg/m3 as an 8-hour TWA. Lower specific WELs exist for particulates that present a greater threat to health. For example, Silica dusts have a WEL of just 0.1 mg/m3 respirable dust as an 8-hour TWA.
The costs of non-compliance
In addition to the enormous numbers of premature deaths that result from exposure to outdoor air pollution, there are also numerous well-documented instances demonstrating the harm caused by exposure to indoor pollution from dust, smoke, aerosols and vapour. For example, a 46-year-old cook developed breathing problems after working with flour in a school kitchen with poor ventilation. Her breathing problems became so severe that she could hardly walk and had to sleep sitting up. She became severely asthmatic and had to retire early on health grounds. With the support of her Union she made a compensation claim on the basis that decent working conditions were not provided, and the council admitted that it had not taken sufficient action despite repeated complaints. Consequently, the courts awarded the cook £200,000 (€230k) in damages.
In another example, between 1995 and 2004, a solderer was exposed to rosin based solder fumes and suffered health deterioration and breathing problems including asthma. An investigation conducted by the HSE found that the company did not have adequate control measures in place and failed to install fume extraction equipment. Furthermore, the company did not employ rosin-free solder until December 2003, despite an assessment having identified the need in 1999. The company was subsequently fined £100,000 (€116k) with £30,000 (€35k) costs, a punishment which attracted both local and national media attention.
Monitoring dust
A wide variety of methods exist for the measurement of dust, and the choice of equipment is dictated by the application. For example, it is obviously important to employ a technology that is able to measure the particulates that will be present. In addition, it will be necessary to determine whether monitoring should be continuous, at a single point, or whether portable instruments are necessary to check multiple locations. Monitoring might be conducted in a work space, or personal sampling might be undertaken in order to assess the exposure of an individual over an entire shift.
Personal Sampling Pumps represent the preferred method for workplace exposure monitoring where it is necessary to demonstrate regulatory compliance or where legal dispute is a possibility. An HSE document (MDHS 14/4) provides workplace exposure monitoring guidance for collecting respirable, thoracic and inhalable aerosol fractions. The samples collected by this process are analysed in a laboratory, which means that chemical analysis is also possible. However, the sampling method incurs a delay and incurs extra cost.
In response to the wide variety of applications and monitoring requirements, Ashtead Technology stocks a comprehensive range of monitors for both sale and rental, providing customers with complete financial and technical flexibility. As a TSI Gold Partner, Ashtead Technology provides a comprehensive range of maintenance and calibration services; helping customers to ensure that their monitoring equipment remains in optimal condition. Ashtead's fleet of rental equipment includes large numbers of the latest TSI instruments, supported by the highest levels of service and technical assistance. Employing advanced light-scattering laser photometers, the TSI products are supplied with a calibration certificate and provide real-time, direct-reading aerosol monitoring and analysis of different particulate fractions in workplace, cleanroom, HVAC, fugitive emissions and environmental monitoring applications.
The TSI range of dust monitors is continually being developed to bring new levels of functionality to the market. For example, the new lightweight AM520 Personal Dust Monitor is able to measure and log PM10, Respirable (PM4), PM5 (China Respirable), PM2.5, PM1 or 0.8μm Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM), providing real-time audible and visual alarms, and running from a rechargeable battery for up to 20 hours. For outdoor applications, the MCERTS approved Environmental DustTrak is web-enabled, providing a quick and easy dust monitoring solution for applications such as building and development projects.
@ashteadtech #PAuto @TSIIncorporated
Leave a Comment »	| Applications, Environment, Safety, Technology	| Tagged: Ashtead Technology, Technology	| Permalink
Robotics: A new revenue source for the taxman?
Robot tax? A tax on robotics is as absurd an idea as a tax on pencils. As Britain's political parties discuss a potential tax on automation and robotics, Nigel Smith, managing director of Toshiba Machine partner, TM Robotics, explains why slowing down the machine economy would lead to a productivity disaster.
The world's first robot tax was introduced in South Korea last year. The tax was created amid fears that a rise in automation and robotics was threatening human workers and could lead to mass unemployment in the country. But, this so-called robot tax was not actually a tax at all. Instead, the country limited tax incentives for investments in automation, lessening the existing tax breaks for automation.
Calling it a tax was simply rhetoric delivered by its opponents. Essentially, it was just a revision of existing tax laws. Regardless of its name, South Korea's announcement sparked several debates as to whether a robot tax would be advantageous in other countries.
At the time, Bill Gates famously called for a technology levy, suggesting that a tax could balance the Government's income as jobs are lost to automation. The levy was suggested to slow down the pace of change and provide money for Government to increase job opportunities in other sectors.
Taxing robots?
Fewer workers, fewer tax contributions
While most manufacturers and those operating in the robotics sector would disagree with the idea of a tax on robots, the debate does raise questions of how we tax employment in Britain — and how technology could affect this. The obvious fear at Government level is that if we replace people with robots, we reduce national insurance contributions, lessening a Government's ability to support its people.
As an alternative, perhaps the answer to this problem is switching to a system where, rather than paying tax per employee through national insurance contributions, NIC was formulated based on a company's overall operating costs. Using this method, NIC could take account of the impact of all forms of advanced technology, not just robots.
That being said, we are not tax experts at TM Robotics. However, we are experts in industrial robots. We sell industrial robots to manufacturers across the globe and advise them on how robots can increase productivity, efficiency and in turn, create new jobs.
Creating, not destroying jobs
Much of the debate about the potential robot tax has focused on the threat that robots and automation pose to humans. However, we should remember that robots don't always replace a human job, often they work alongside people to reduce the risk of injury — particularly in the supply chain.
Consider this as an example. TM Robotics recently introduced a robot box opening cell to its range of industrial equipment. This type of automation would typically to be used by companies like DHL and UPS who are delivering product directly into manufacturing plants and retail warehouses to allow them to reduce the risk of injuries from knives. In this instance, a robot tax would undermine a company's ability to deliver a safe environment for its workers.
The bottom line is that robots create jobs, they don't take them away. This is supported by the British Government's recent Made Smarter review on digitalisation in industry. The review concludes that over the next ten years, automation could boost British manufacturing by £455 billion (€525 billion), with a net gain of 175,000 jobs.
Robots are tools and they will create work, especially new kinds of work — taxing them would be a tax on net job creation. Instead of implementing a tax on robots, we should actually be providing tax breaks for companies investing in robotics.
@TMRobotics #PAuto #Robotics @StoneJunctionPR
1 Comment	| Robotics, Technology	| Permalink
Bob Lally – Piezoelectric sensing technology pioneer.
Molly Bakewell Chamberlin, president, Embassy Global LLC pays touching tribute to an important instrument pioneer and innovator. She acknowledges the help of Jim Lally, retired Chairman of PCB Group in preparing this eulogy.
Bob Lally (1924-2018)
During my earliest days in the sensors industry, at PCB Piezotronics (PCB), I can still remember the excitement which accompanied publication of my first technical article. It was a primer on piezoelectric sensing technology, which ran some 15 years ago in the print edition of Sensors. About a month later, I recall receiving a package at PCB, containing both a copy of my article and a congratulatory letter. The article was covered in a sea of post-it notes, filled with new insights and explanatory diagrams. I recall marveling at the sheer kindness of anyone taking such time and interest in the work. I'd sent an immediate thank you, then received yet another encouraging response. From that time onward, nearly each time I'd publish an article, another friendly envelope would arrive. I'd look forward to them, and the opportunities for learning and growth they'd offered.
As I'd soon come to know, those envelopes were sent by none other than PCB Founder, Bob Lally, who passed away last month at the age of 93. For me, Bob was my PCB pen pal, who along with his brother, Jim, helped me to develop a real appreciation for piezoelectric sensing technology. They made it fun. I also had the privilege of learning quite a bit about this kind, brilliantly complex and insightful person who was so helpful to me. To the sensors industry, Bob's technical contributions were legendary. What is less known about Bob, however, were his equally remarkable histories, first as a decorated veteran of WW II; and later, as an innovator in STEM.
After graduating from high school in 1942, Bob entered military service, as part of the United States Army which helped liberate mainland Europe during World War II. His service was recognised with two Bronze Stars for bravery. When the hostilities ended, Bob returned home, and was able to benefit from a special U.S. government program which funded the university education of military veterans and their families. This benefit allowed Bob to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he earned both Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. He graduated with high honors, as University co-salutatorian, in 1950. Bob also later continued this commitment to lifelong learning via studies at both Purdue and the State University of New York at Buffalo (NY USA).
Bob's first engineering job upon graduation was as a guidance and control engineer at Bell Aircraft Corp. (Bell) in Buffalo, (NY USA). This a position in which he would serve for four years. He worked in test flight control systems R&D for experimental aircraft, glide bombs and guided missiles. He also supervised the inertial guidance group. It was from his work at Bell that Bob first learned about the application of piezoelectric sensing technology for the dynamic measurement of physical parameters, such as vibration, pressure, and force. That technology was first developed by Bob's colleague, Walter P. Kistler, the Swiss-born physicist who had successfully integrated piezoelectric technology into Bell's rocket guidance and positioning systems.
Original PCB Piezotronics facility in the family home of Jim Lally, ca 1967. Bob Lally, centre background, is operating a DuMont oscilloscope in the Test department.
Jim Lally, left foreground, leads the Sales department.
In 1955, Bob and some of his Bell colleagues decided to form what was the original Kistler Instrument Company. That company sought to further commercialize piezoelectric sensing technologies for an expanded array of applications and markets, beyond the aerospace umbrella. In addition to his role as co-founder, Bob remained at the original Kistler Instrument Company for 11 years, serving as VP of Marketing, while continuing his roles in engineering, production, testing, and sales. Upon learning that the company was being sold to a firm out of Washington State, Bob decided to form PCB Piezotronics. Established in 1967, PCB specialized in the development and application of integrated electronics within piezoelectric sensors for the dynamic measurement of vibration, pressure, force and acceleration. The original PCB facility had rather humble beginnings, with all sales, marketing, R&D and operations running from the basement of Jim Lally's family home.
IR-100 Award plaque, presented to Bob Lally, 1983.
It was also in this timeframe that Bob became world-renowned for his capability to successfully integrate piezoelectric sensing technology into mechanical devices, setting a new industry standard for test and measurement. He was awarded multiple U.S. patents for these innovations, including the modally-tuned piezoelectric impact hammer, pendulum hammer calibrator, and gravimetric calibrator, all for the modal impact testing of machines and structures. The modally tuned impulse excitation hammer was further recognized with a prestigious IR-100 award, as one of the top 100 industry technical achievements of 1983.
Bob was also renowned for his successful commercialization of a two-wire accelerometer with built-in electronics. That concept was marketed by PCB as integrated circuit piezoelectric, or ICP. Bob's 1967 paper for the International Society of Automation (ISA), "Application of Integrated Circuits to Piezoelectric Transducers", was among the first formally published technical explanations of this concept. As Bob had detailed, the application of this technology made the sensors lower cost, easier to use and more compatible with industrial environments. Subsequent widespread industry adoption of these accelerometers created new markets for PCB, such as industrial machinery health monitoring, and formed a major cornerstone for the company's success. In 2016, PCB was acquired by MTS Systems Corporation and employs more than 1000 worldwide, with piezoelectric sensing technologies still among its core offerings.
Beyond Bob's many R&D accomplishments, he is known for his invaluable contributions to the establishment of industry standards and best practices, as a member of the technical standards committees of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM), and Industrial Electronics Society (IES), among others. Bob also served on the ISA Recommended Practices Committee for Piezoelectric Pressure Transducers and Microphones, as well as the ASA Standards Committee for Piezoelectric Accelerometer Calibration. Many of the standards that Bob helped to develop, as part of these committees, remain relevant today.
Upon retirement, Bob remained committed to the education and training of the next generation of sensors industry professionals. He often gave tutorials and donated instrumentation for student use. Bob later continued that work as an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati. In the mid-2000s, he began to develop an innovative series of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) educational models. Each was designed to provide a greater understanding of various sensing technologies, their principles of operation, and "real life" illustrations of practical applications.
STEM sensing model, with adjustable pendulums, by Bob Lally.
Among Bob's final works was a unique STEM model consisting of three adjustable connected pendulums. That model was used to illustrate the concept of energy flex transference and the influence of physical structural modifications on structural behavior. Bob continued his mentoring and STEM work nearly right up until his passing. He did so with unwavering dedication and enthusiasm, despite being left permanently disabled from his combat injuries.
In addition to co-founding two of the most successful sensor manufacturers in history and his many R&D accomplishments, Bob's generosity of spirit shall remain an important part of his legacy. I, like many, remain truly grateful for the selfless and meaningful contributions of Bob Lally to my early professional development, particularly in my technical article work. It is an honour to tell his story.
• He is survived by his son, Patrick (Kathi) Lally of Orchard Park, New York; his grandson, Joshua Lally; his surviving siblings, Jim, MaryAnn (Wilson), and Patricia; and his many nieces, nephews, friends and colleagues.
• Special thanks to Jim, Kathi and Patrick Lally for their support and contributions to this article.
• All pictures used hear are by kind courtesy of the Lally family.
Leave a Comment »	| Applications, Associations, Automation, Awards, Technology	| Tagged: Electrical, Electronics, ISA, Research, Sensors, USA	| Permalink
VR means low design costs.
Jonathan Wilkins, marketing director at EU Automation discusses how virtual reality (VR) can be used to improve the design engineering process.
In 1899, Wilbur and Orville Wright, the inventors of the aeroplane, put their first model to flight. They faced several problems, including insufficient lift and deviation from the intended direction. Following a trial flight in 1901, Wilbur said to Orville that man would not fly in a thousand years. Since this occasion, good design has dispelled Wilbur's theory.
The history of VR
With the invention of computer-aided design (CAD) in 1961, on-screen models could be explored in 3D, unlike with manual drafting. This made it easier for design engineers to visualise concepts before passing their design on for manufacturing.
From there, the technology continued to develop, until we reached cave automatic virtual environment (CAVE). This consisted of cube-like spaces with images projected onto the walls, floor and ceiling. Automotive and aerospace engineers could use CAVE to experience being inside the vehicle, without having to generate a physical prototype.
The latest advancements have introduced VR headsets, also known as head-mounted displays (HMDs) and haptic gloves. They enable users to visualise, touch and feel a virtual version of their design at a lower cost than CAVE technology would allow.
Benefitting design engineers
VR was first used in design engineering by the automotive and aerospace sectors to quickly generate product prototypes for a small cost.
Using the latest technologies, these prototypes can be visualised in real space and from different angles. Engineers can walk and interact with them, and can even make changes to the design from inside the model. This makes it possible to gain a deeper understanding of how the product works and improve the design before it is passed on for manufacturing.
Design engineers can also use VR to identify issues with a product and rectify them before a physical prototype is made. This saves time and money, but also avoids any potential problems that might arise for the end-customer, if the product is manufactured without a design error being rectified.
To study specific parts of a product and understand how it operates in greater detail, engineers often deconstruct prototypes. With physical models, this can be challenging and often leads to several prototypes being made. However, with VR they can be easily pulled apart, manipulated and returned to the original design.
The ergonomics of a product can also be analysed using VR. Decisions can then be made in the early stages of product development to ensure the final product is of the best possible standard.
Furthermore, engineers can use VR to determine whether it will be feasible and affordable to manufacture a product and to plan the manufacturing protocol. This streamlines the product development process and reduces the wasting of materials and time often made with failed manufacturing attempts.
Had VR been available in 1899, the Wright brothers would not have faced so many problems designing the world's first aeroplane and the outcome would have been achieved much more quickly. Just imagine the designs that VR could help make a reality in the future.
Leave a Comment »	| Research, Technology, Virtual Reality	| Tagged: EU Automation	| Permalink
Disinfection robot with robust wireless access.
STERISAFE-Pro is a disinfection robot from the Danish company INFUSER. It disinfects surfaces in any given room – for example patient rooms, operating theatres or hotel rooms – removing up to 99,9999% of pathogens. The robot fills the designated room with an Ozone-based biocide agent which kills unwanted bacteria, viruses and fungi, while purifying the air from small particulate matter in the air. STERISAFE-Pro is controlled from outside the room using wireless technology from HMS Industrial Networks.
The unit produces Ozone (O3) by using the oxygen (O2) already present in the room. All that is needed is electricity and water. By diffusing Ozone and a fine mist of water, it is possible to expose all surfaces in a room. The Ozone oxidizes the membrane or shell of bacteria, viruses and fungi, leading to total deactivation of these micro-organisms.
The Ozone-saturated atmosphere in the room is sustained for a defined period of time, during which the pathogenic micro-organisms are killed on surfaces and in the air. Ozone naturally turns back to Oxygen after having reacted with pathogens and other pollutants, leaving no chemical residue.
Robust wireless access needed
Although ozone is a naturally occurring gas, it is harmful at high concentration levels and the STERISAFE-Pro requires that the operator is outside the sealed room while the robot runs its cycle. The operator uses a tablet which is connected wirelessly to the PLC inside the robot. INFUSER has created an app which the operator uses to control the robot. The app interfaces with the built-in webserver in the PLC.
OK, so that sounds easy enough, but accessing a PLC which is inside a hermetically sealed, stainless steel machine which performs surface disinfection, demanded a wireless solution with high performance.
Thomas Clapper
"When we first started developing STERISAFE-Pro, we used a regular commercial access point, but we soon realized that we needed something more robust and advanced," says Thomas Clapper, production responsible at INFUSER.
"We needed an access point that was omni-radiant and also 100% sealed. This is when we came across the Anybus Wireless Bolt from HMS Industrial Networks."
The Anybus Wireless Bolt™ is a wireless access point for on-machine mounting. It can communicate via WLAN or Bluetooth up to 100 meters and is built for harsh industrial conditions both when it comes to the physical housing and the wireless communication.
It was a perfect fit for STERISAFE.
"We use WLAN to communicate between the PLC inside the robot and the tablet and really benefit from the robust communication that the Wireless Bolt offers. We also needed to design unique connections for each robot/tablet-pair, so that it is possible to run several machines in the same area without radio interference. This is also something that the Anybus Wireless Bolt allowed us to do."
Wireless Bolt
Tough demands
But the project has not been without challenges. One issue that INFUSER ran into was that Ozone sets tough demands on durability. Although the Wireless Bolt is IP67-classed (meaning that it is waterproof down to 1 meter's depth), INFUSER still found that the rubber washer on the Bolt was not Ozone proof.
But since the Anybus Wireless Bolt is mounted in a standard M50 hole, it was easy to find a replacement – a washer that HMS now can offer as an alternative to their offering too.
"Implementing the Wireless Bolt was very smooth indeed," says Thomas Clapper. "We had communication set up in a matter of minutes and have really not had any issues when it comes to the wireless communication. The Wireless Bolt is simply a very reliable and sturdy wireless solution."
@HMSAnybus #PAuto #Robotics #Wireless
Leave a Comment »	| Technology, Wireless	| Tagged: HMS Anybus, Robotics, Wireless	| Permalink
Sink or swim? Drowning under too much info!
Rachel Cooper, category marketing manager – field services with Schneider Electric on managing the Big Data Flood.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is constantly in the news. That's understandable since forecasts anticipate that there will soon be tens of billions of connected devices, helping the IoT sector to generate more than £7.5 trillion worth of economic activity worldwide. In fact, according to McKinsey Global, the IoT economic impact on factories, retail settings, work sites, offices and homes could total as much as £3.55 trillion by 2025.
Oil refinery control room screen
One area where the IoT is driving development is in smart buildings. Today's more complex buildings are generating vast quantities of data, but building management systems (BMS) are not leveraging that data as much as they could, and are not always capturing the right data to make useful decisions. With 42 per cent of the world's energy consumed by buildings, facility managers face escalating demand for environmentally friendly, high-performance buildings that are efficient and sustainable. The data collected can help them to achieve this.
However, many facility managers lack the time and resources to investigate the convenient methods that can help them to turn the flood of IoT and other sensor data they're exposed to, into actionable insights
Forced to do more with less
Reduced budgets force building owners to manage sophisticated building systems with fewer resources. This issue is further aggravated by older systems becoming inefficient over time. Even when there is sufficient budget, it is increasingly difficult and time-consuming to hire, develop, and retain staff with the skills and knowledge to take advantage of BMS capabilities.
Facility managers also face challenges maintaining existing equipment performance. Components can break or fall out of calibration, and general wear and tear often leads to a marked decline in a building's operational efficiency. Changes in building use and occupancy can contribute to indoor air-quality problems, uncomfortable environments, and higher overall energy costs. These changes begin immediately after construction is complete.
Owners often undertake recommissioning projects to fine-tune their buildings. Such work is intended to bring the facility back to its best possible operation level. However, recommissioning is often done as a reactive measure, and traditional maintenance may not identify all areas of energy waste. Operational inefficiencies that are not obvious, or that do not result in occupant discomfort, may go undetected.
Upskilling the current workforce
Many tools have come onto the market over the past decade to help employees get a better understanding of their facilities and assist them in their day-to-day operations and long-term planning. This can include anything from dashboards and automated analytics platforms to machine-learning optimisation engines. However, much like the sophisticated BMS platforms available today, for each tool you deploy, more investment is needed in time for training. In fact, research shows that lacking training is evident with roughly only 20 per cent of facility managers using 80 per cent of capabilities available to them within their BMS. The remaining 80 per cent use a very limited amount (20 per cent) of the potential functionality in their system.
With personnel turnover and competing facility-management responsibilities, many facilities are left without staff who have the time to learn the full capabilities of these tools. Of course, outsourcing different functions is one way to overcome these issues. However, vendors must be managed closely to ensure efficacy, and to ensure that outsourcing costs do not accrue significantly as third parties spend more time on-site.
In tech we trust
Technology has become an important part of building management, as BMS play an ever bigger role in how facility managers perform their jobs and operate buildings. Newer technologies like data visualisation dashboards let facility managers view building performance metrics in a single window, helping them to spot trends and gather insights. By visualising data in terms of graphs, charts, and conversion to different equivalents – for example, kWh to pound cost or kWh to carbon footprint, an experienced building operator can manually identify areas of concern for closer inspection.
Yet, while dashboards can be helpful in determining building behaviour, the data is often complex and challenging to interpret. In fact, even if building staff have the time and skills to review and understand the data, dashboard information alone tells only part of the building performance story. Facility managers can identify where inefficiencies exist but usually not why. This requires additional troubleshooting and investigation. Therefore, dashboards are most effective for simple monitoring in environments where there are plenty of trained staff to perform troubleshooting and identify the root causes of issues.
Analytics is the answer
To gain more from a BMS deployment, many facility managers are turning to data analytics software to interpret large volumes of BMS data. Best-in-class software automatically trends energy and equipment use, identifies faults, provides root-cause analysis, and prioritises opportunities for improvement based on cost, comfort and maintenance impact. This software complements BMS dashboards because it takes the additional step of interpreting the data – showing not just where but why inefficiencies occur. Engineers can then convert this intelligence into "actionable information" for troubleshooting and preventative maintenance, as well as for solving more complicated operational challenges.
Using this software, facility managers can proactively optimise and commission building operations more effectively than with a BMS alone. It enables them to understand why a building is or isn't operating efficiently so that they can introduce permanent solutions rather than temporary fixes. For instance, with data analytics, facility managers can proactively identify operational problems such as equipment that needs to be repaired or replaced. Moreover, it can do this before critical failure and before it has an impact on the building occupants. Repairs can be scheduled before an emergency arises, eliminating costly short-notice or out-of-hours replacement and avoiding failure and downtime. With this proactive approach, equipment becomes more reliable, the cost of replacement and repair can be much lower, and occupants are assured of optimal comfort. In fact, by following best practice, they can even reduce HVAC energy costs by up to 30%.
Smart, connected technology has taken us beyond the human ability to manage what can amount to hundreds of thousands of data points in large buildings. Efficient operations require a proactive response. Analytics solutions effectively manage the new state of information overload created by a digital world and filter out what's not valuable to you. For example, they can provide insight on how to fix problems when they are first observed, before total failure. This predictive maintenance approach means capital assets can be preserved and significant energy savings can be made. The advent of IoT means that we must shift our approach to facility management in order to deliver against the financial, wellbeing and sustainability targets of today's facilities. By investing in a sophisticated BMS, users can uncover which data to ignore and which to act upon. After all, data for data's sake is useless. Being able to use a building's performance data to augment operational efficiency, increase occupant comfort, and improve overall energy consumption so that the financial well-being of buildings can be sustained, is of paramount importance.
@SchneiderElec #PAuto #IoT
Leave a Comment »	| Applications, Big Data, Communications, Information Technology, Technology	| Tagged: Schneider	| Permalink
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text:
package test

import (
	"bytes"
	"fmt"
	"io/ioutil"
	"os"
	"path/filepath"
	"strings"
	"testing"

	"github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/docker-credential-gcr/config"
	cliconfig "github.com/docker/cli/cli/config"
	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/config/configfile"
)

func TestConfig(t *testing.T) {
	err := initTestEnvironment()
	if err != nil {
		t.Fatalf("Could not initialize test environment: %v", err)
	}
	// Sanity test to verify that the environment is set up correctly.
	assertTestEnv(t)

	// Configure the helper to only use the private credential store.
	helper := helperCmd([]string{"config", "--token-source=store"})
	if err := helper.Run(); err != nil {
		t.Fatalf("Failed to configure the helper: %v", err)
	}

	// Verify the contents of the config.
	configPath, err := testConfigPath()
	if err != nil {
		t.Fatalf("Unable construct test config path: %v", err)
	}
	configBuf, err := ioutil.ReadFile(configPath)
	if err != nil {
		t.Fatalf("Unable to verify config: %v", err)
	} else if configStr := string(configBuf); strings.TrimSpace(configStr) != `{"TokenSources":["store"]}` {
		t.Fatalf("Expected config: %s, was: %s", `{"TokenSources":["store"]}`, configStr)
	}

	// Unset everything.
	helper = helperCmd([]string{"config", "--unset-all"})
	if err := helper.Run(); err != nil {
		t.Fatalf("Failed to un-configure the helper: %v", err)
	}
	if _, err = os.Stat(configPath); err == nil {
		t.Fatal("Config file still present.")
	}
}

// getDockerConfig returns the docker config.
func getDockerConfig() (*configfile.ConfigFile, error) {
	dockerConfig, err := cliconfig.Load(cliconfig.Dir())
	if err != nil {
		return nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to load docker config: %v", err)
	}
	return dockerConfig, nil
}

// deleteDockerConfig deletes the docker config.
func deleteDockerConfig() error {
	filename := filepath.Join(cliconfig.Dir(), cliconfig.ConfigFileName)

	_, err := os.Stat(filename)
	if err != nil {
		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
			return nil
		}
		return err
	}

	return os.Remove(filename)
}

func TestConfigureDocker(t *testing.T) {
	if err := deleteDockerConfig(); err != nil {
		if err != nil {
			t.Fatalf("Failed to delete the pre-existing docker config: %v", err)
		}
	}
	dockerConfig, err := getDockerConfig()
	if err != nil {
		t.Fatalf("Failed to get the docker config: %#v", err)
	}

	if len(dockerConfig.CredentialHelpers) > 0 {
		t.Fatal("Failed to clean the docker config.")
	}

	// Configure docker.
	helper := helperCmd([]string{"configure-docker", "--overwrite"})
	var out bytes.Buffer
	helper.Stdout = &out
	helper.Stderr = os.Stderr
	if err = helper.Run(); err != nil {
		t.Fatalf("Failed to execute `configure-docker --overwrite`: %v Stdout: %s", err, string(out.Bytes()))
	}

	dockerConfig, err = getDockerConfig()
	if err != nil {
		t.Fatalf("Failed to get the docker config: %v", err)
	}

	if len(dockerConfig.CredentialHelpers) == 0 {
		t.Fatal("CredentialHelpers was empty.")
	}

	for _, registryHostname := range config.DefaultGCRRegistries {
		if helperSuffix, ok := dockerConfig.CredentialHelpers[registryHostname]; ok {
			if helperSuffix != "gcr" {
				t.Errorf("Wanted value for %s in dockerConfig.CredentialHelpers to be %s, got %s", registryHostname, "gcr", helperSuffix)
			}
		} else {
			t.Errorf("Expected %s to be present in dockerConfig.CredentialHelpers: %v", helperSuffix, dockerConfig.CredentialHelpers)
		}
	}
}

func TestConfigureDocker_NonDefault(t *testing.T) {
	if err := deleteDockerConfig(); err != nil {
		if err != nil {
			t.Fatalf("Failed to delete the pre-existing docker config: %v", err)
		}
	}
	dockerConfig, err := getDockerConfig()
	if err != nil {
		t.Fatalf("Failed to get the docker config: %#v", err)
	}

	if len(dockerConfig.CredentialHelpers) > 0 {
		t.Fatal("Failed to clean the docker config.")
	}

	// Configure docker.
	helper := helperCmd([]string{"configure-docker", "--overwrite", "--registries=foo.gcr.io, bar.gcr.io, baz.gcr.io"})
	var out bytes.Buffer
	helper.Stdout = &out
	helper.Stderr = os.Stderr
	if err = helper.Run(); err != nil {
		t.Fatalf("Failed to execute `configure-docker --overwrite`: %v Stdout: %s", err, string(out.Bytes()))
	}

	dockerConfig, err = getDockerConfig()
	if err != nil {
		t.Fatalf("Failed to get the docker config: %v", err)
	}

	if len(dockerConfig.CredentialHelpers) == 0 {
		t.Fatal("CredentialHelpers was empty.")
	}

	for _, registryHostname := range []string{"foo.gcr.io", "bar.gcr.io", "baz.gcr.io"} {
		if helperSuffix, ok := dockerConfig.CredentialHelpers[registryHostname]; ok {
			if helperSuffix != "gcr" {
				t.Errorf("Wanted value for %s in dockerConfig.CredentialHelpers to be %s, got %s", registryHostname, "gcr", helperSuffix)
			}
		} else {
			t.Errorf("Expected %s to be present in dockerConfig.CredentialHelpers: %v", helperSuffix, dockerConfig.CredentialHelpers)
		}
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub