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Williams Sonoma

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Williams Sonoma is an American retailer of cookware, appliances, and home furnishings . It is owned by Williams-Sonoma, Inc. and was founded by Charles E. (Chuck) Williams in 1956.

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91-605: In 1947, Chuck Williams settled in Sonoma, California , and opened his first shop as a hardware store. In 1953, Williams took his first trip to France, where he quickly fell in love with French kitchenware such as copper cookware, and is quoted as saying, "I knew this was something that wasn't found in America, but thought people would want." Shortly after returning home, he formulated a plan to import French cooking and serving equipment into America and eventually converted his store into

182-420: A council–manager form of government, wherein a council sets policy and hires staff to implement it. The city council has five members, elected to four-year terms. The city council selects one of its members to serve as mayor. In addition to the official mayor, Sonoma has a tradition of naming an honorary mayor each year, titled " Alcalde /Alcaldesa". The Alcalde or Alcaldesa presides over ceremonial events for

273-416: A superplasticizer for making high-resistance concrete . Sulfonated melamine formaldehyde (SMF) is a polymer used as a cement admixture to reduce the water content in concrete while increasing the fluidity and the workability of the mix during handling and pouring. It results in concrete with a lower porosity and a higher mechanical strength, exhibiting an improved resistance to aggressive environments and

364-497: A cookware shop in 1956. Thus, Williams Sonoma was founded, selling professional and restaurant-quality kitchenware for home use, leading to founder Chuck Williams being recognized as one of the titans of the American food revolution. After customer requests, Williams relocated the store to San Francisco in 1958. The store quickly became a destination with culinary figures such as Julia Child and James Beard becoming customers of

455-430: A female householder with no husband present, 174 (3.5%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 230 (4.6%) unmarried partnerships , and 48 (1.0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . 1,920 households (38.7%) were made up of individuals, and 1,054 (21.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10. There were 2,693 families (54.3% of all households);

546-411: A fertilizer. Melamine and its salts are used as fire-retardant additives in paints, plastics, and paper. A melamine fiber, Basofil , has low thermal conductivity, excellent flame resistance and is self-extinguishing; this makes it useful for flame-resistant protective clothing, either alone or as a blend with other fibres. Melamine is sometimes illegally added to food products in order to increase

637-586: A herd of 170 Mexican government-owned horses being moved by Californio soldiers from San Rafael and Sonoma to Alta California's Commandante General José Castro in Santa Clara. The insurgents next determined to seize the weapons and materiel stored in the Sonoma Barracks and to deny Sonoma to the Californios as a rallying point north of San Francisco Bay. Meeting no resistance, they approached

728-405: A household in the city was $ 50,505, and the median income for a family was $ 65,600. Males had a median income of $ 51,831 versus $ 40,276 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 32,387. 3.7% of the population and 2.0% of families were below the poverty line . 3.3% of those under 18 and 4.7% of those were 65 and older. The City of Sonoma was incorporated on September 3, 1883. It uses

819-575: A limit of 0.35 mg/kg, and the US FDA's limit was put at 0.063 mg/kg (previously 0.63 mg/kg). The World Health Organization 's food safety director estimated that the amount of melamine a person could stand per day without incurring a bigger health risk, the TDI, was 0.2 mg per kilogram of body mass. Toxicity of melamine can be mediated by intestinal microbiota . In culture, Raoultella terrigena , which rarely colonizes mammalian intestines,

910-550: A local radio station, KSVY , and a public-access television station, SVTV 27 . California State Route 12 is the main route in Sonoma, passing through the populated areas of the Sonoma Valley and connecting it to Santa Rosa to the north and Napa to the east. State routes 121 and 116 run to the south of town, passing through the unincorporated area of Schellville and connecting Sonoma Valley to Napa, Petaluma to

1001-399: A longer lifetime. Melamine was once envisioned as fertilizer for crops during the 1950s and 1960s because of its high nitrogen content (2/3). However, melamine is much more expensive to produce than other common nitrogen fertilizers, such as urea . The mineralization (degradation to ammonia) for melamine is slow, making this product both economically and scientifically impractical for use as

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1092-566: A manager at Henan Xinxiang Huaxing Chemical in Henan Province , stated, "Our chemical products are mostly used for additives, not for animal feed. Melamine is mainly used in the chemical industry, but it can also be used in making cakes." Shandong Mingshui Great Chemical Group, the company reported by the New York Times as producing melamine from coal , produces and sells both urea and melamine but does not list melamine resin as

1183-554: A political party. The two primary news sources for Sonoma are the Sonoma Index-Tribune and the Sonoma Valley Sun . The Sonoma Index-Tribune publishes twice weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays and has a circulation of 9,000. The Sonoma Valley Sun publishes every other Thursday and is free. The Sun is recognized as the alternative weekly for the Sonoma Valley. It has a circulation of 5,000. Sonoma has

1274-407: A population of 10,648. The population density was 3,883.3 inhabitants per square mile (1,499.4/km ). The racial makeup of Sonoma was 9,242 (86.8%) White , 52 (0.5%) African American , 56 (0.5%) Native American , 300 (2.8%) Asian , 23 (0.2%) Pacific Islander , 711 (6.7%) from other races , and 264 (2.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1,634 persons (15.3%). Within

1365-722: A product. Another recall incident in 2007 involved melamine which had been purposely added as a binder to fish and livestock feed manufactured in the United States. This was traced to suppliers in Ohio and Colorado. In September 2008, several companies, including Nestlé , were implicated in a scandal involving milk and infant formula which had been adulterated with melamine, leading to kidney stones and other kidney failure , especially among young children. By December 2008, nearly 300,000 people had become ill, with more than 50,000 infant hospitalizations and six infant deaths. In

1456-449: A rapid aggregation of metabolites such as cyanuric acid diamide ( ammeline ) and cyanuric acid. A 2013 study demonstrated that melamine can be metabolized to cyanuric acid by gut bacteria. In particular, Klebsiella terrigena was determined to be a factor in melamine toxicity. In culture, K. terrigena was shown to convert melamine to cyanuric acid directly. Cyanuric acid was detected in the kidneys of rats administered melamine alone, and

1547-720: A rest center at the Mission Inn through World War II . Parts of Wes Craven 's Scream (1996) were filmed in the city, with shots of the Sonoma Community Center masked as Westboro High School. The center of town, known as the Plaza, is home to a particularly vibrant Farmers Market on Tuesdays during season. The city is situated in the Sonoma Valley , with the Mayacamas Mountains to

1638-428: A rural Chinese area recovered, 12 per cent still showed kidney abnormalities six months later. "The potential for long-term complications after exposure to melamine remains a serious concern," the report said. "Our results suggest a need for further follow-up of affected children to evaluate the possible long-term impact on health, including renal function." Another 2010 follow-up study from Lanzhou University attributed

1729-571: A segment, "The 5-Minute Cooking School", which presented cooking techniques, styles, and recipes. The special weekly series was televised from Williams Sonoma's East Coast flagship store at The Shops at Columbus Circle in New York City 's Time Warner Center . This was followed by the debut of upscale Williams Sonoma Home in 2005. Williams Sonoma opened a store at the site of its original location in Sonoma, California, in 2014. Williams Sonoma founder Chuck Williams celebrated his 99th birthday on

1820-491: A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine , it was reported that melamine exposure increased the incidence of urinary tract stones by seven times in children. Melamine may have been added to fool government protein content tests after water was added to fraudulently dilute the milk. Because of melamine's high nitrogen content (66% by mass versus approximately 10–12% for typical protein), it can cause

1911-529: Is 29.43 inches (748 mm). The wettest month on record was 20.29 inches (515 mm) in January 1995. The greatest 24-hour rainfall was 6.75 inches (171 mm) on January 4, 1982. There are an average of 68.6 days with measurable precipitation. Snow has rarely fallen, but 1 inch (2.5 cm) fell in January 1907; more recently, snow flurries were observed on February 5, 1976, and in the winter of 2001. The 2010 United States Census reported that Sonoma had

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2002-566: Is introduced onto a fluidized bed with catalyst for reaction. Hot ammonia gas is also present to fluidize the bed and inhibit deammonization. The effluent then is cooled. Ammonia and carbon dioxide in the off-gas are separated from the melamine-containing slurry. The slurry is further concentrated and crystallized to yield melamine. Major manufacturers and licensors such as Orascom Construction Industries , BASF , and Eurotecnica have developed some proprietary methods. The off-gas contains large amounts of ammonia. Therefore, melamine production

2093-772: Is named after the city. Melamine Melamine / ˈ m ɛ l ə m iː n / is an organic compound with the formula C 3 H 6 N 6 . This white solid is a trimer of cyanamide , with a 1,3,5-triazine skeleton. Like cyanamide, it contains 66% nitrogen by mass, and its derivatives have fire-retardant properties due to its release of nitrogen gas when burned or charred. Melamine can be combined with formaldehyde and other agents to produce melamine resins . Such resins are characteristically durable thermosetting plastic used in high pressure decorative laminates such as Formica , melamine dinnerware including cooking utensils, plates, plastic products, laminate flooring, and dry erase boards . Melamine foam

2184-493: Is not microwave -safe, to identify melamine it is "slightly heavier and noticeably thicker than its plastic counterparts." Melamine foam is used as insulation, soundproofing material and in polymeric cleaning products, such as Magic Eraser . Melamine is one of the major components in Pigment Yellow 150 , a colorant in inks and plastics. Melamine also is used in the fabrication of melamine polysulfonate, used as

2275-419: Is often integrated into urea production, which uses ammonia as feedstock. Crystallization and washing of melamine generates a considerable amount of waste water, which may be concentrated into a solid (1.5–5% of the weight) for easier disposal. The solid may contain approximately 70% melamine, 23% oxytriazines ( ammeline , ammelide , and cyanuric acid ), 0.7% polycondensates ( melem , melam , and melon ). In

2366-411: Is on a par with common table salt, with an LD 50 of more than 3 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) scientists explained that when melamine and cyanuric acid are absorbed into the bloodstream, they concentrate and interact in the urine-filled renal tubules , then crystallize and form large numbers of round, yellow crystals, which in turn block and damage

2457-411: Is part of the core structure for a number of drugs including almitrine , altretamine , cyromazine , ethylhexyl triazone , iscotrizinol , meladrazine , melarsomine , melarsoprol , tretamine , trinitrotriazine , and others. Between the late 1990s and early 2000s, both consumption and production of melamine grew considerably in mainland China . By early 2006, melamine production in mainland China

2548-666: Is reported to be in "serious surplus". Between 2002 and 2007, while the global melamine price remained stable, a steep increase in the price of urea (feedstock for melamine) has reduced the profitability of melamine manufacturing. Currently, China is the world's largest exporter of melamine, while its domestic consumption still grows by 10% per year. However, reduced profit has already caused other joint melamine ventures to be postponed there. Surplus melamine has been an adulterant for feedstock and milk in mainland China for several years now because it can make diluted or poor quality material appear to be higher in protein content by elevating

2639-590: Is used as insulation, soundproofing material and in polymeric cleaning products, such as Magic Eraser . Melamine-formaldehyde resin tableware was evaluated by the Taiwan Consumers' Foundation to have 20,000 parts per billion of free melamine that could migrate out of the plastic into acidic foods if held at 160 °F for two hours, such as if food was kept heated in contact with it in an oven. Melamine gained infamy because Chinese food producers added it to baby formula in order to increase

2730-686: The California Republic ceased to exist on July 9 when Lieutenant Joseph Warren Revere of the U.S. Navy raised the United States flag in front of the Sonoma Barracks . Following the American Conquest of California and the advent of the California Gold Rush , local businesses prospered with the business brought by the soldiers as well as miners traveling to and from the gold fields. The prosperity and optimism about Sonoma's future promoted land speculation which

2821-687: The Californian missions , who disapproved of government intervention into religious matters. In 1833 the Mexican Congress passed the Mexican secularization act of 1833 , ending mission stewardship and control of huge tracts of associated lands in California, one goal being to diminish the church's highly influential standing in California's economy and political system. Governor José Figueroa appointed Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo , then

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2912-507: The Californios ) made the situation more complex. Some property was sold more than once. A valid land sale depended on proof of the seller's chain of title . Over thirty years of lawsuits were required before land owners in Sonoma were able to obtain clear titles. When the U.S. military occupation of California ended in 1850, when California was admitted as a state, Sonoma was named the county seat for Sonoma County . About that time

3003-471: The Cuisinart food processor to the American market through its stores and catalog. Williams decided to sell his share of the company in 1978 to W. Howard Lester , an Oklahoma entrepreneur, and businessman James McMahan. Williams maintained an ownership interest and guided the selection of merchandise and the production of the catalog. Lester took an active role as president and chief executive, while McMahan

3094-817: The North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area . Sonoma is one of the principal cities of California's Wine Country and the center of the Sonoma Valley AVA . Sonoma's population was 10,739 as of the 2020 census , while the Sonoma urban area had a population of 32,679. Sonoma is a popular tourist destination, owing to its Californian wineries , noted events like the Sonoma International Film Festival , and its historic center. In 1823, Spaniard José Altimira established Mission San Francisco Solano , under

3185-670: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new methods for the analysis of melamine and cyanuric acid in infant formulations in the Laboratory Information Bulletin No 4421. Similar recommendations have been issued by other authorities, like the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, both based on liquid chromatography – mass spectrometry ( LC/MS ) detection after hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography ( HILIC ) separation. The existing methods for melamine determination using

3276-495: The false appearance of a higher level of protein was an "open secret" in many parts of mainland China, reporting that this melamine scrap was being produced by at least one plant processing coal into melamine. Four days later, the New York Times reported that, despite the widely reported ban on melamine use in vegetable proteins in mainland China, at least some chemical manufacturers continued to report selling it for use in animal feed and in products for human consumption. Li Xiuping,

3367-428: The uric acid stone accumulation after ingestion of melamine to a rapid aggradation of metabolites such as cyanuric acid diamide ( ammeline ) and cyanuric acid and reported that urine alkalinization and stone liberalization were the most effective treatments. Until the 2007 pet food recalls , melamine had not routinely been monitored in food, except in the context of plastic safety or insecticide residue. Following

3458-494: The 1980s suggested that melamine cyanurate , commonly used as a fire retardant, could be more toxic than either melamine or cyanuric acid alone. For rats and mice, the reported LD 50 for melamine cyanurate was 4.1 g/kg (given inside the stomach) and 3.5 g/kg (via inhalation), compared to 6.0 and 4.3 g/kg for melamine and 7.7 and 3.4 g/kg for cyanuric acid respectively. A toxicology study in animals conducted after recalls of contaminated pet food concluded that

3549-526: The American Conquest of California . When the first Spaniards arrived, the area was near the northeast corner of the Coast Miwok territory, with Southern Pomo to the northwest, Wappo to the northeast, Suisunes and Patwin peoples to the east. Mission San Francisco Solano is the direct predecessor to the founding of Sonoma. The mission, the only to be constructed not by the Spanish but by

3640-558: The American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians suggested that crystals formed in the kidneys when melamine combined with cyanuric acid, "don't dissolve easily. They go away slowly, if at all, so there is the potential for chronic toxicity." Melamine is a metabolite of cyromazine , a pesticide . It has been reported that cyromazine can also be converted to melamine in plants. Fast diagnosis and treatment of acute obstructive urolithiasis may prevent

3731-496: The Bears and the Californios but no major confrontations. After hearing reports that General José Castro was preparing to attack Sonoma, Frémont left Sutter's Fort with his forces for Sonoma. There he called a meeting with "the Bears" and united his forces with the revolters to form a single military unit. Frémont then took the majority of the men back to Sutter's Fort and left fifty men to defend Sonoma. The Bear Flag Revolt ended and

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3822-654: The Commandant of the Presidio of San Francisco , as administrator ( comisionado ) to oversee the closing of Mission San Francisco Solano and its conversion into a civilian town. Governor Figueroa had received instructions from the Mexican Congress to establish a strong presence in the region north of the San Francisco Bay to protect the area from encroachments of foreigners. An immediate concern

3913-623: The Eurotecnica process, however, there is no solid waste and the contaminants are decomposed to ammonia and carbon dioxide and sent as off gas to the upstream urea plant; accordingly, the waste water can be recycled to the melamine plant itself or used as clean cooling water make-up. Melamine reacts with acid and related compounds to form melamine cyanurate and related crystal structures, which have been implicated as contaminants or biomarkers in Chinese protein adulterations . Melamine

4004-545: The Mexican authorities (Spanish Viceroyalty at that time), was built as part of a larger plan Governor Luis Antonio Argüello had devised to fortify Spanish presence north of San Francisco Bay and thus deter Russian encroachment into the region. Franciscan padre José Altimira worked with Governor Argüello to plan the mission, against the desires of José Francisco de Paula Señan , then the President-General of

4095-495: The Sonoma Valley, the racial makeup was 46.3% White, 49.1% Hispanic, and 2.7% Native American. The average household income was $ 96,722. The Census reported that 10,411 people (97.8% of the population) lived in households, 11 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 226 (2.1%) were institutionalized. There were 4,955 households, out of which 1,135 (22.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,094 (42.3%) were married couples living together, 425 (8.6%) had

4186-636: The Spanish Laws of the Indies , the streets, lots, central plaza and broad main avenue of the new Pueblo de Sonoma . Although Sonoma had been founded as a pueblo in 1835, it remained under military control, lacking the political structures of municipal self-government of other Alta California pueblos. In 1843, Lieutenant Colonel Vallejo wrote to the Governor recommending that a civil government be organized for Sonoma. A town council ( ayuntamiento )

4277-470: The analysis showed that the calculus was composed of melamine and uric acid , and the molecular ratio of uric acid to melamine was around 2:1. In a 2009 study of 683 children diagnosed in Beijing in 2008 with nephrolithiasis and 6,498 children without nephrolithiasis aged < 3 years, investigators found that in children exposed to melamine levels < 0.2 mg/kg per day, the risk for nephrolithiasis

4368-488: The apparent protein content. Ingestion of melamine may lead to reproductive damage , or bladder or kidney stones , and bladder cancer . It is also an irritant when inhaled or in contact with the skin or eyes. The United Nations' food standards body, the Codex Alimentarius Commission , has set the maximum amount of melamine allowed in powdered infant formula to 1 mg/kg and the amount of

4459-483: The apparent protein content. Standard tests, such as the Kjeldahl and Dumas tests, estimate protein levels by measuring the nitrogen content, so they can be misled by the addition of nitrogen-rich, but non-proteinaceous compounds such as melamine. There are instruments available today that can differentiate melamine nitrogen from protein nitrogen. Melamine derivatives of arsenical drugs are potentially important in

4550-644: The average family size was 2.82. The population was spread out, with 1,920 people (18.0%) under the age of 18, 559 people (5.2%) aged 18 to 24, 2,252 people (21.1%) aged 25 to 44, 3,250 people (30.5%) aged 45 to 64, and 2,667 people (25.0%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.8 males. There were 5,544 housing units at an average density of 2,021.9 units per square mile (780.7 units/km ), of which 2,928 (59.1%) were owner-occupied, and 2,027 (40.9%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate

4641-489: The chemical allowed in other foods and animal feed to 2.5 mg/kg. While not legally binding, the levels allow countries to ban importation of products with excessive levels of melamine. The German word Melamin was coined by combining the words melam (a derivative of ammonium thiocyanate) and amine . Melamine is, therefore, unrelated etymologically to the root melas ( μέλας , meaning 'black' in Greek), from which

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4732-548: The city was 93.80% White , 0.36% African American , 0.34% Native American , 1.70% Asian , 0.05% Pacific Islander , 1.61% from other races , and 2.14% from two or more races. 6.85% of the population were Hispanics (of any race). There were 4,373 households, of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.0% were non-families. 39.2% of households consisted of individuals, and 21.5% had someone living alone who

4823-911: The city. In the California State Legislature , Sonoma is in the 3rd Senate District , represented by Democrat Bill Dodd , and in the 10th Assembly District , represented by Democrat Stephanie Nguyen . In the United States House of Representatives , Sonoma is in California's 4th congressional district , represented by Democrat Mike Thompson . According to the California Secretary of State , as of February 10, 2019, Sonoma has 7,162 registered voters. Of those, 3,694 (51.6%) are registered Democrats , 1,309 (18.3%) are registered Republicans , and 1,783 (24.9%) have declined to state

4914-404: The combination of melamine and cyanuric acid in diet does lead to acute kidney injury in cats. A 2008 study produced similar experimental results in rats and characterized the melamine and cyanuric acid in contaminated pet food from the 2007 outbreak. A 2010 study from Lanzhou University attributed kidney failure in humans to uric acid stone accumulation after ingestion of melamine resulting in

5005-452: The concentration after Klebsiella colonization was increased. Ingestion of melamine may lead to reproductive damage , or bladder or kidney stones , which can lead to bladder cancer . A study in 1953 reported that dogs fed 3% melamine for a year had the following changes in their urine: (1) reduced specific gravity , (2) increased output , (3) melamine crystalluria , and (4) protein and occult blood . A survey commissioned by

5096-736: The deaths of children in China from powdered milk in 2008, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission in Belgium set up a website about methods to detect melamine. In May 2009, the JRC published the results of a study that benchmarked the ability of labs around the world to accurately measure melamine in food. The study concluded that the majority of labs can effectively detect melamine in food. In October 2008,

5187-435: The development of acute kidney failure. Urine alkalinization and stone liberalization have been reported to be the most effective treatments in humans. The United Nations' food standards body, Codex Alimentarius Commission , has set the maximum amount of melamine allowed in powdered infant formula to 1 mg/kg and the amount of the chemical allowed in other foods and animal feed to 2.5 mg/kg. While not legally binding,

5278-485: The direction of Governor Luis Antonio Argüello . Following the Mexican secularization of the missions , Californio statesman Mariano G. Vallejo founded Sonoma on the former mission's lands in 1835. Sonoma served as the base of General Vallejo's operations until the Bear Flag Revolt in 1846, when American filibusters overthrew the local Mexican government and declared the California Republic , ushering in

5369-480: The discovery of severe kidney damage to children and pets poisoned by melamine-adulterated food. In 2007, a pet food recall was initiated by Menu Foods and other pet food manufacturers who had found their products had been contaminated and caused serious illnesses or deaths in some of the animals that had eaten them. In March 2007, the US Food and Drug Administration reported finding white granular melamine in

5460-542: The east and the Sonoma Mountains to the west, with the prominent landform Sears Point to the southwest. Sonoma has an area of 2.7 sq mi (7.0 km ). The principal watercourse in the town is Sonoma Creek , which flows in a southerly direction to discharge ultimately to the Napa Sonoma Marsh ; Arroyo Seco Creek is a tributary to Schell Creek with a confluence in the eastern portion of

5551-564: The film The Muse , all the kitchen supplies used to manufacture the wives' cookies were purchased at Williams Sonoma. In the musical Dear Edwina , one song references "Williams" and "Sonoma" as being people that sing along with the Fairy Forkmother to teach a chef how to set a table. Sonoma, California Sonoma ( / s ə ˈ n oʊ m ə / ) is a city in Sonoma County, California , United States, located in

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5642-420: The first step, urea decomposes into cyanic acid and ammonia: Cyanic acid polymerizes to cyanuric acid , which condenses with the liberated ammonia forming melamine. The released water reacts with cyanic acid, which helps to drive the reaction: The above reaction can be carried out by either of two methods: catalyzed gas-phase production or high pressure liquid-phase production. In one method, molten urea

5733-588: The flagship location. In 1972, along with—and at the suggestion of—regular customer Jackie Mallorca, Williams began publishing a mail order catalog to expand his business beyond the San Francisco Bay Area . At the suggestion of customer and friend Edward Marcus, of Dallas-based Neiman Marcus , Williams decided to expand the company and formed the corporation, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. in 1972. The second Williams Sonoma store opened on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills in 1973. The same year, Williams Sonoma introduced

5824-528: The flow of miners had slowed and the U.S. Army was leaving Sonoma. Business in Sonoma moved into a recession in 1851. Surrounding towns such as Petaluma and Santa Rosa were developing and gaining population faster than Sonoma. An 1854 special election moved the county seat and its entailed economic activity to Santa Rosa. The Sonoma City Hall , located in the center of the Sonoma Plaza, was dedicated on September 9, 1908. The United States Navy operated

5915-466: The headquarters for the remaining twenty-four rebels, who within a few days created their Bear Flag . After the flag was raised Californios called the insurgents Los Osos (The Bears) because of their flag and in derision of their often scruffy appearance. The rebels embraced the expression, and their uprising became known as the Bear Flag Revolt. There were some small unit skirmishes between

6006-536: The home of General Vallejo, who invited the filibusters ' leaders into his home to negotiate terms. However, when the agreement was presented to those outside they refused to endorse it. Rather than releasing the Mexican officers under parole, they insisted they be held as hostages. William Ide gave an impassioned speech urging the rebels to stay in Sonoma and start a new republic. Afterwards, Vallejo and his three associates were taken as prisoners and placed on horseback and taken to Frémont. The Sonoma Barracks became

6097-547: The legal limit of melamine. York Chow, the health secretary of Hong Kong, said he thought animal feeds might be the source of the contamination and announced that the Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety would henceforward be testing all mainland Chinese pork, farmed fish, animal feed, chicken meat, eggs, and offal products for melamine. As of July 2010, Chinese authorities were still reporting some seizures of melamine-contaminated dairy product in some provinces, though it

6188-480: The levels allow countries to ban importation of products with excessive levels of melamine. Melamine was first synthesized by the German chemist Justus von Liebig in 1834. In early production, first calcium cyanamide was converted into dicyandiamide , which was heated above its melting temperature to produce melamine. Today most industrial manufacturers use urea in the following reaction to produce melamine: In

6279-420: The normal high is 88.6 °F (31.4 °C) and the normal low is 51.2 °F (10.7 °C). There are an average of 58.1 days with highs of 90 °F (32 °C) or higher and 12.1 days with highs of 100 °F (38 °C). The highest temperature on record was 116 °F (47 °C) on July 13, 1972, and the lowest temperature was 13 °F (−11 °C) on December 22, 1990. Normal annual precipitation

6370-422: The north rises to 1,200 feet (370 m) and provides an important scenic backdrop. Sonoma has a typical lowland near-coastal Californian warm-summer mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification Csb ) with hot, dry summers (although nights are comfortably cool) and cool, wet winters. In January, the normal high is 57.2 °F (14.0 °C) and the typical low is 37.2 °F (2.9 °C). In July,

6461-405: The pet food, in samples of white granular wheat gluten imported from a single source in China, Xuzhou Anying Biologic Technology as well as in crystalline form in the kidneys and in urine of affected animals. Further vegetable protein imported from China was later implicated. In April 2007, The New York Times reported that the addition of "melamine scrap" into fish and livestock feed to give

6552-603: The protein content of food to appear higher than the true value. Officials estimate that about 20% of the dairy companies tested in China sell products tainted with melamine. On January 22, 2009, three of those involved in the scandal (including one conditional sentence) were sentenced to death in a Chinese court. In October 2008, "Select Fresh Brown Eggs" exported to Hong Kong from the Hanwei Group in Dalian in northeastern China were found to be contaminated with nearly twice

6643-481: The renal cells that line the tubes, causing the kidneys to malfunction and lead to kidney stones, kidney failure, and death. Signs of melamine toxicity can include irritability, blood in the urine, little to no urine, symptoms of kidney infection, or high blood pressure. The European Union set a standard for acceptable human consumption ( tolerable daily intake or TDI) of melamine at 0.2 mg per kilogram of body mass (previously 0.5 mg/kg), Canada declared

6734-468: The soldiers. Until the building was habitable, the troops were housed in the buildings of the old Mission. In 1834, George C. Yount , the first Euro-American permanent settler in the Napa Valley , was employed as a carpenter by General Vallejo. The Governor granted Lieutenant Vallejo the initial lands (approximately 44,000 acres (178 km )) of Rancho Petaluma immediately west of Sonoma. Vallejo

6825-1190: The store's opening on October 2, 2014. Williams Sonoma's stores and gift registries have been referenced on television shows including Sex and the City (Season 1, Episode 3: " Bay of Married Pigs "), American Dad! (Season 2, Episode 16: " When a Stan Loves a Woman "), Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist (Season 6, Episode 7: "Used Car"), Frasier , Mike Tyson Mysteries , Friends (Season 5, Episode 4: " The One Where Phoebe Hates PBS "), The Office (American TV series) (Season 8, Episode 9: " Mrs. California "), The Simpsons (Season 31, Episode 8: "Thanksgiving of Horror"), and Family Guy (Season 19, Episode 13: "PeTerminator"). Williams Sonoma products have been featured numerous times on The Oprah Winfrey Show ' s Oprah's Favorite Things specials including Williams Sonoma Home bedding (2004), Williams Sonoma's croissants (2002, 2005, and 2010), Williams Sonoma's melamine mixing bowls, measuring cups, and measuring spoons (2007), Perfect Ending Cupcakes and Breville's Ikon Panini Press (sold by Williams Sonoma) (2007), and Williams Sonoma's Waring Popcorn Maker (2014). In

6916-593: The total nitrogen content detected by some simple protein tests. Actions taken in 2008 by the Government of China have reduced the practice of adulteration, with the goal of eliminating it. As a result of the Chinese milk scandal , court trials began in December 2008 for six people involved in adding melamine in food products, ending in January 2009 with two of the convicts being sentenced to death and executed. Melamine has been involved in several food recalls after

7007-417: The town. The active Rodgers Fault lies to the west of Sonoma Creek ; however, the risk of major damage is mitigated by the fact that most of the soils beneath the city consist of a slight alluvial terrace underlain by strongly cemented sedimentary and volcanic rock. To the immediate south, west and east are deeper rich, alluvial soils that support valuable agricultural cultivation. The mountain block to

7098-416: The treatment of African trypanosomiasis . Melamine use as non-protein nitrogen (NPN) for cattle was described in a 1958 patent. In 1978, however, a study concluded that melamine "may not be an acceptable non-protein N source for ruminants" because its hydrolysis in cattle is slower and less complete than other nitrogen sources such as cottonseed meal and urea. The short-term lethal dose of melamine

7189-469: The way. As the number of immigrants arriving in California had swelled, the Mexican government barred them from buying or renting land and threatened them with expulsion because they had entered without official permission. Mexican officials were concerned about the coming war with the United States coupled with the growing influx of American immigrants into California. A group of rebellious Americans had departed from Frémont's camp on June 10 and captured

7280-641: The west, and Marin County to the south. Sonoma County Transit provides bus service from Sonoma to other points in the county. VINE Transit also operates a route between Napa and Sonoma. The nearest airport with regularly scheduled commercial passenger service is Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport , about 30 miles (50 km) northwest of Sonoma. San Francisco International Airport and Oakland International Airport are both about 60 miles (100 km) south of Sonoma. Apple 's desktop operating system, macOS Sonoma , announced on June 5, 2023, during WWDC ,

7371-410: The words melanin , a pigment, and melatonin , a hormone, are formed. In one large-scale application, melamine is combined with formaldehyde and other agents to produce melamine resins . Such resins are characteristically durable thermosetting plastic used in high-pressure decorative laminates such as Wilsonart , melamine dinnerware, laminate flooring, and dry erase boards . Melamine cookware

7462-495: Was 1.7 times higher than in those without melamine exposure, suggesting that the risk of melamine-induced nephrolithiasis in young children starts at a lower intake level than the levels recommended by the World Health Organization . In a study published in 2010, researchers from Beijing University studying ultrasound images of infants who fell ill in the 2008 contamination found that while most children in

7553-507: Was 2.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 7.0%. 6,294 people (59.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 4,117 people (38.7%) lived in rental housing units. At the previous census of 2000, there were 9,128 people, 4,373 households, and 2,361 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,442 people per square mile (1,329 people/km ). There were 4,671 housing units at an average density of 1,762 units per square mile (680 units/km ). The racial makeup of

7644-414: Was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.77. The age distribution was as follows: 18.6% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 24.2% who had achieved age 65. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.0 males. The median income for

7735-404: Was also named Director of Colonization which meant that he could initiate land grants for other colonists (subject to the approval of the governor) and the diputación (Alta California's legislature ). Vallejo had also been instructed by Governor Figueroa to establish a pueblo at the site of the old Mission. In 1835, with the assistance of William A. Richardson , he laid out, in accordance with

7826-583: Was established in 1844 and Jacobo Leese was named first alcalde , and Cayetano Juárez second alcalde . Before dawn on Sunday, June 14, 1846, thirty-three Americans, already in rebellion against the Alta California government, arrived in Sonoma. Some of the group had traveled from the camp of U.S. Army Brevet Captain John C. Frémont who had entered California illegally in late 1845 with his exploration and mapping expedition. Others had joined along

7917-435: Was particularly problematic because of the cloudy records regarding land ownership. Vallejo had granted land by virtue of his office as Director of Colonization before the pueblo was organized. Among the traditional duties of Alta California's alcaldes was the selling of town lots. Political factions backed different Sonoma alcaldes (John H. Nash, supported by American immigrants, and Lilburn Boggs supported by Vallejo and

8008-460: Was shown to convert melamine to cyanuric acid directly. Rats colonized by R . terrigena showed greater melamine-induced kidney damage compared to those not colonized. Melamine is reported to have an oral median lethal dose (LD 50 ) of 3248  mg /kg based on rat data. It is also an irritant when inhaled or in contact with the skin or eyes. The reported dermal LD 50 is greater than 1000 mg/kg for rabbits. A study by Soviet researchers in

8099-468: Was the company director. At the time, Williams Sonoma had revenues of $ 4 million. The company partnered with Time-Life Books in 1992 to release its first series of Williams Sonoma Kitchen Library cookbooks. In 1999, Williams Sonoma launched an e-commerce website and bridal registry . In 2004, Williams Sonoma entered into an agreement with the CBS News weekday program The Early Show to broadcast

8190-626: Was the further eastward movement of the Russian America Company from their settlements at Fort Ross and Bodega Bay on the California coast. Figueroa's next step in implementing his instructions was to name Lieutenant Vallejo as Military Commander of the Northern Frontier and to order the soldiers, arms and materiel at the Presidio of San Francisco moved to the site of the recently secularized Mission San Francisco Solano . The Sonoma Barracks were built to house

8281-724: Was unclear whether these new contaminations constituted wholly new adulterations or were the result of illegal reuse of material from the 2008 adulterations. On characterization and treatment of urinary stones in affected infants, The New England Journal of Medicine printed an editorial in March 2009, along with reports on cases from Beijing, Hong Kong and Taipei. Urinary calculi specimens were collected from 15 cases treated in Beijing and were analyzed as unknown objects for their components at Beijing Institute of Microchemistry using infrared spectroscopy , nuclear magnetic resonance , and high performance liquid chromatography . The result of

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