Abstract: An architectural building block including a front terminal wall, a rear terminal wall disposed substantially parallel to the front terminal wall, a pair of side walls adjoining the front terminal wall and the rear terminal wall, a top wall and a bottom wall. The side walls lean toward one another. The pair of side walls converge from the rear terminal wall to the front terminal wall. The bottom wall is disposed substantially parallel to the top wall, wherein each of the top wall and bottom wall adjoins the front terminal wall, the rear terminal wall and the pair of side walls.

Abstract: A removable golf bag cover having an ornamentally-pleasing shape (e.g., that of a dog or other animal) to surround a conventional golf bag without affecting the normal use of the bag during play. The golf bag cover includes legs extending from an elongated body of the cover which surround corresponding outstretched folding legs of the golf bag. A hollow head of the golf bag cover is pivotally coupled to the elongated body of the cover by a piece of flexible material that is adapted to stretch. The hollow head is rotatable from a closed position seated on top of the golf bag, at which to surround an protect the golf clubs carried within the bag, and an open position off the bag, at which to enable a golfer to gain access to his clubs. At least one golf club carried in the bag is received inwardly of and holds the hollow head in a generally erect condition relative to the elongated body of the cover.

Abstract: A removable golf bag cover having an ornamentally-pleasing shape (e.g., that of a dog or other animal) to surround a conventional golf bag without affecting the normal use of the bag during play or hindering the golfer's access to his golf clubs carried in the bag. The golf bag cover includes legs extending from an elongated body of the cover which surround corresponding outstretched folding legs of the golf bag. A hollow head of the golf bag cover is pivotally coupled to the elongated body of the cover by a piece of flexible material that is adapted to stretch. The hollow head is rotatable from a closed position seated on top of the golf bag, at which to surround an protect the golf clubs carried within the bag, and an open position off the bag, at which to enable a golfer to gain access to his clubs. At least one golf club carried in the bag is received inwardly of and holds the hollow head in a generally erect condition relative to the elongated body of the cover.

Abstract: An arcuate structure containing at least sixty six-sided building blocks, and said six-sided building blocks are independently able to provide means for connecting one of said six-sided building blocks to at least one of said six-sided building blocks. The outside face of the six-sided block has a substantially rhomboidal shape, and is substantially parallel to the inside face of the six-sided block. The right edges and the left edges have equal lengths and form equal angles with the inside face and outside face. The left and right sides of the six-sided block are congruent with each other, are in the shape of a parallelogram, and contain two recesses and two projections within their borders.

Abstract: An arcuate building structure containing at least three five-sided building blocks, at least three six-sided building blocks, and said five-sided and six-sided building blocks are independently able to provide means for connecting one of said five-sided building blocks to at least one of said six-sided building blocks. The top side of the six-sided block has a substantially triangular shape, and is substantially parallel to the bottom side of the six-sided block. The front side of the six-sided block has a substantially trapezoidal shape with a top edge, a bottom edge, a right edge, and a left edge. The right edge and the left edge have equal lengths and form equal angles with the bottom edge. The back side of the six-sided block has a substantially triangular shape with at least two sides equal in length to each other. The left and right sides of the six-sided block are congruent with each other, are in the shape of a parallelogram, and contain a recess and projection within their borders.

Abstract: An arcuate building structure containing at least three five-sided building blocks, at least three six-sided building blocks, and said five-sided and six-sided building blocks are independently able to provide means for connecting one of said five-sided building blocks to at least one of said six-sided building blocks. The top side of the six-sided block has a substantially triangular shape, and is substantially parallel to the bottom side of the six-sided block. The front side of the six-sided block has a substantially trapezoidal shape with a top edge, a bottom edge, a right edge, and a left edge. The right edge and the left edge have equal lengths and form equal angles with the bottom edge. The back side of the six-sided block has a substantially triangular shape with at least two sides equal in length to each other.

Abstract: A process for preparing a ceramic body in which a ceramic mixture is formed into a green body and thereafter fired. The ceramic mixture is prepared by mixing at least about 40 weight percent of ceramic material and less than about 60 weight percent of gluten with water. At least about 90 weight percent of the particles of ceramic material are smaller than about 20 microns, and at least about 50 weight percent of the particles of ceramic material are from about 0.5 to about 2 microns. The mixture has a pH of from about 2 to about 8.

Abstract: A building structure which contains a hexagonal building unit and a pentagonal building unit joined together by a plug. There are six triangularly-shaped building blocks in the hexagonal unit, and the base angles of these building blocks is from about 60.6 to about 60.8 degrees. There are five triangularly-shaped building blocks in the pentagonal unit, and the base angles of these building blocks is from about 54.5 to about 54.7 degrees.

Abstract: A process for preparing a porous ceramic body in which a green body containing at least 60 weight percent of ceramic material, at least about 25 weight percent of water, and from 5 to 40 weight percent of gluten is formed. The green body is dried until it contains less than about 0.5 weight percent, and it is then heated to a temperature of from 1,100 to 3,200 degrees Fahrenheit until substantially all of the gluten has been removed.

Abstract: An arcuate building structure containing at least three five-sided building blocks, at least three six-sided building blocks, and means for connecting one of said five-sided building blocks to at least one of said six-sided building blocks. The top side of the six-sided block has a substantially triangular shape, and is substantially parallel to the bottom side of the six-sided block. The front side of the six-sided block has a substantially trapezoidal shape with a top edge, a bottom edge, a right edge, and a left edge. The right edge and the left edge have equal lengths and form equal angles with the bottom edge. The back side of the six-sided block has a substantially triangular shape with at least two sides equal in length to each other. The left and right sides of the six-sided block are congruent with each other, are in the shape of a parallelogram, and contain a recess within their borders.

Abstract: A process for preparing a porous ceramic material, is disclosed. The process uses an organic sponge material, and a ceramic slurry. The ceramic slurry contains liquid, gluten, and ceramic material.In the first step of the process, the ceramic slurry is applied to the sponge in order to substantially saturate it with slurry. Thereafter, the saturated sponge is dehydrated until it contains less than about 5.0 weight percent of liquid. The dehydrated sponge is then fired at a temperature of from about 1,100 to about 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit.

Abstract: A process for preparing a hollow, porous ceramic material is provided. In the first step of the process, a substrate which will burn out (vaporize) at a temperature of 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit (and which, preferably, is carbonaceous) is provided. This substrate is coated with a mixture of gluten, ceramic material, and water. The coated substrate is then dried to a moisture content of less than about 0.5 weight percent and, thereafter, heated to a temperature of from about 1,100 to about 3,200 degrees Fahrenheit to cause the substrate to burn out and the coating to sinter.

Abstract: A building block with a substantially triangular cross-sectional shape is disclosed. This block, which contains at least 90 weight percent of ceramic material, has three walls which are joined to each other. Each of the walls defines a four-sided shape whose top and bottom side have substantially the same length but whose left side has a length which is greater than its right side.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to insure a means of purchasing a floating rate zero coupon note that is designed to fund a certain future liability of uncertain value and thereby defease fully its future cost. The method is a one-year renewable term insurance program that fully funds the purchase of a certain floating rate zero coupon note upon the occurrence of some catastrophic event, such as the death of the insured. The system projects the expected death benefit payment and then calculates the annual insurance premium based on the expected death benefit payment, type of policy, and personal and risk characteristics of the insured.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to fund a certain future liability of uncertain value and thereby defease fully its future cost. The method is an insurance investment plan which can be implemented using a floating rate zero coupon note obligation the interest rate on which varies automatically with the rate of inflation or the cost of some specified service or commodity which gives rise to the future liability, and the interest payments on which are automatically reinvested. The system projects the expected future cost of the liability based on a projected escalation rate associated with a certain specified index and based also on when the liability is expected to come due. It then calculates the present value sale price on the floating rate zero coupon note by discounting the expected cost at maturity at a rate that represents the insurer's projected reinvestment yield net of an insurance risk premium.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for restructuring one or more debt obligations issued in the form of interest-bearing bonds into a serial issue of zero coupon bonds. The data processing system evaluates the cash flows and present value of an existing bond, then creates a serial issue of zero coupon bonds which provides pretax cash flows equivalent to those of the existing bond and determines a table of call yields for the serial issue of zero coupon bonds to replace the table of call prices for the old bond. The system evaluates the after-tax cash flows, and determines the after-tax present value to the issuer of the existing bond and the serial issue of zero coupon bonds. The system periodically determines the potential savings from calling the zero coupon bond issue, or selected bonds from the series, and refinancing the debt at the prevailing interest rates.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for funding a future liability by means of an insurance investment program. The system estimates the expected cost of the liability when the liability is expected to occur and computes the present value of each unit of insurance needed to yield that expected cost at maturity. The system also aids the insurance fund manager in making decisions regarding investment of fund assets in order to meet present and future obligations of the fund.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for restructuring one or more debt obligations issued in the form of interest-bearing bonds into a serial issue of zero coupon bonds. The data processing system evaluates the cash flows and present value of an existing bond, then creates a serial issue of zero coupon bonds which provides pretax cash flows equivalent to those of the existing bond and determines a table of call yields for the serial issue of zero coupon bonds to replace the table of call prices for the old bond. The system evaluates the after-tax cash flows, and determines the after-tax present value to the issuer of the existing bond and the serial issue of zero coupon bonds. The system periodically determines the potential savings from calling the zero coupon bond issue, or selected bonds from the series, and refinancing the debt at the prevailing interest rates.