posted
Well, they seem to have it trademarked, as does Amtrak theirs.
Uh lets see now; it's "been a few years' (40+ enough?)since I took Chemistry, but doesn't valence refer to the interraction of chemicals (metals in particular; but then what are fertilizers made of?) amongst one another? http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0861741.html
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
Very observant! When Amtrak first came out with the "sheets" logo I thought it resembled the one from Bank of America, but these two linked above are a lot closer match. MP
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
And that's nothing - GeoffM will probably be familiar with the UK courier and parcel delivery firm called...er.... Amtrak (!).
You see their delivery vehicles emblazoned with a very familiar name and logo in all major UK cities and if you go to http://www.amtrak.co.uk
you will see exactly what I mean, although to be fair very few Brits would make the connection.
By a strange co-incidence I had to do jury duty earlier this year and one of my fellow jurors was the manager of the local Amtrak franchise. He openly admitted that it was no co-incidence - when the firm had been set up in the 1980s the founders had looked for a name/logo and they thought that "Amtrak" was ideal. They found that Amtrak (the railroad) only had trademark/copyright protection within the US and there was nothing to stop the name and logo being used in the UK.
posted
Before getting all warm and fuzzy about the wonders of having ISO certification, it would be worthwhile to read the ISO documents. Having done so in relation to another project, the following is my humbel opinion of the worth of these things.
The ISO 9000 series is pure fluff. The names of the organization and the standard is impressive, however it has virtually no substance. It spends all its words talking about having quality systems etc., etc., ad nauseum, without giving any real requirements of what it takes to have an acceptable "quality system" For that you have to hire an ISO registerd consultant to help you set up the paperwork, and at the end of the day all you have is a procedure for doing paperwork. You can basically define your own standards so long as you create a thorough paper trail. Therefore, if you set yourself up with low standards, and make sure that you have a good paper train on the implementation of the standards, then you are ISO certified. Your product is still junk, but your paperwork is impeccable.
I would much rather see that a product meets ASTM A123 or some such that see the ISO Certification stamp. At least with the ASTM you can find in generally available information exactly what quality product you are getting.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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posted
George, I respectfully disagree. Our small company is ISO9001:2000 qualified and without it we cannot produce products for Network Rail. We get audited every 6 months by Lloyds (LRQA) and have to have impeccable standards. You not only need procedures but the *proof* of working to those procedures. Random people are asked around the company about the standards (more proof) and at least one project will be taken apart bit-by-bit - and our regular auditor is excellent at finding the smallest detail. Believe me, it's painful being audited but get your paperwork straight to begin with and you sail through it.
Despite being an international standard, perhaps not every country have the same standards. The UK is certainly strict. Interesting Asia seem very big on it, you see signs all over the place for it. Are their standards the same?
Geoff M.
Posts: 2426 | From: Apple Valley, CA | Registered: Sep 2000
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quote:Originally posted by George Harris: The ISO 9000 series is pure fluff.
My employer spent a lot of money getting ISO-certified and keeping the certification. Evidently it became an expectation in the aerospace industry. I've heard the "fluff" argument from other folks too (same sentiment; different words). I'll ask the "experts" at my company about ASTM...
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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