Author: Serkadis

Fine grinding, also known as flat honing, is a new technology using fixed abrasive in lieu of loose abrasive for precision finishing.

Depending upon the application, fine grinding technology utilizes fixed abrasive diamond or CBN suspended in resin, metal, and vitrified bonds to grind a wide range of materials to very tight specifications. Fine grinding technology uses similar planetary machine designs and kinematics to traditional lapping technology, with several significant advantages.

Fine grinding represents the next-generation precision finishing technology, offering several advantages over the traditional lapping process yet still yielding similar flatness, parallelism, surface finish, and size tolerances.
The fine grinding process is much cleaner than lapping, virtually eliminating swarf disposal and work piece cleaning issues. This process is also typically 3-20 times faster than lapping, blurring the lines between traditional lapping and grinding technologies.

Lapmaster’s development of fine grinding equipment and processes are bridging the gap between traditional flat lapping and grinding machines, utilizing the best technologies of both. Significant growth is expected in this technology throughout the metal, ceramics, and composites finishing industries where fine grinding offers increased productivity, reduced manufacturing costs, and a positive impact on the work environment.

Effective component processing using fine grinding technology requires heavy-duty equipment with sophisticated control systems capable of high plate rotation speeds and down-pressure generation. Lapmaster offers several new fine grinding machine models, available in both single sided and dual faced configurations.
This line of equipment has been designed using the latest machine construction and control system technology, capable of executing complex grinding routines while producing precise and repeatable results. Full specifications and advantages of Lapmaster fine grinding equipment are available in individual data sheets.

With any drug, patients and doctors must weight the benefits against the risks. It may be time for postmenopausal women on antidepressants to talk with their doctors about potential risks in light of a recent study.

A new six-year study with 136,293 study participants (aged 50 to 79) has revealed that antidepressants carry a small, but statistically significant increased risk of stroke and death for postmenopausal women.

Despite these study results, the benefits of antidepressants may outweigh the risks for some postmenopausal women. Concerned women should speak with their doctors. Stopping antidepressants without a doctor’s approval could be dangerous.

Researchers found that postmenopausal antidepressant users were 45% more likely to have strokes than women who weren’t taking antidepressants.

Women on antidepressants also had a 32% higher risk of death from all causes compared with women not taking the drugs.

Researchers caution that the association between antidepressant use and increased stroke risk could partially be due to underlying depression, rather than the medication. Numerous studies have confirmed that depression is a risk factor for cardiovascular issues.

While the study found no difference in stroke risk among the two major classes of antidepressants, users of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) had a higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke caused by a bleed in the brain.

Lead author Dr. Jordan Smoller of Massachusetts General Hospital commented:

“While this study did find an association between antidepressants and cardiovascular events, additional research needs to be done to determine exactly what it signifies. Older women taking antidepressants, like everyone else, should also work on modifying their other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as maintaining a healthy weight and controlling cholesterol levels and blood pressure.”

The findings are from the multi-institution Women’s Health Initiative Study, which is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health. Study results were published online in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

(Image via stock.xchng)

Post from: Blisstree

Antidepressants and Stroke Risk for Women

towel designed by yoshimoto nara, as a part of artist towel series 2010 for art production fund’s wow (works on whatever). towels is 100% cotton, 60” x 70” and it costs $95 (~3,200 baht). art work “well” of yoshimoto nara looks pretty great on the towel. who wouldn’t love it?

I missed this last month, but a friend sent over a NY Times article looking at the growing practice of teachers making additional money by selling lesson plans. Marketplaces are emerging, and teachers who have crafted smart and useful lesson plans are able to earn extra cash, while other teachers who are looking for help in crafting smart lesson plans, or understanding what kinds of lesson plans work gain the ability to learn from others, rather than starting from scratch. However, there’s a problem (isn’t there always?). Some school districts are upset that the teachers are selling lesson plans, believing they deserve some of the “cut.” Thanks to our “ownership society,” we’ve built up this belief that every idea must be “owned” and if anyone makes money, others come grabbing as well.

Of course, while the article doesn’t go there, I would bet that a growing number of teachers are seeing value not just in “selling” lesson plans, but posting them publicly for free. In doing that, you can get better feedback and open a nice discussion among other teachers to share what they all have learned, and create a better overall lesson plan that helps everyone out (especially the students). In fact, the more you think about it, the more you realize that expecting teachers to keep coming up with their own lesson plans entirely separate from what thousands of other teachers are doing, seems positively backwards.

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Homebrew coder HtheB has released a new version of Beup Live, a homebrew MSN messenger client for the Nintendo DS. The latest update has fixed some login issues and now supports MSNP8.
 
 
Download:

My pal Matt Hickey from over at Crave has seemingly connected a few dots as it pertains to the battle between AT&T and Verizon, and this whole Fake Steve Jobs “Operation Chokehold” stunt aimed at taking down the AT&T Wireless data network this Friday afternoon. In case you are unfamiliar, Fake Steve proposed that AT&T customers load up bandwidth-intensive apps on Friday at noon, all at the same time, to saturate the AT&T network to a point of failure as a way of expressing they they are fed up with the horrible performance of the network. Thing is, one of my other pals, John Czwartacki, who just happens to be a contributor to the Verizon Policy Blog and a prolific Verizon personality on Twitter, linked to the movement via a tweet. Some are seeing this as a Verizon official condoning, or possibly even encouraging, the whole “Operation Chokehold” act.

Personally? We think that this is more of a finger pointing statement. It’s John saying “Haha – look at AT&T – their users are so fed up that they want to crush the service that they pay for! Tee hee! Verizon customers wouldn’t do that to us!” What do you think? Was John, and thusly Verizon, out of line here? Either way, we can stomach the rivalry that is happening in the television commercials…but let’s keep the battle outside of our Twitter streams, okay guys?

Edit: John Czwartacki just hit me with an email, pointing out that he certainly doesn’t condone this behavior at all, and even said as much in a few tweets that followed. He was simply linking to industry news, as he normally does. He thinks that if customers are fed up with AT&T, they should vote with their wallets. We agree.

Tags:
att,
att wireless,
cz,
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operation chokehold,
policy blog,
verizon,
verizon wireless,
wireless carriers,

• Proportional electrohydraulic
controls from both
control posts.
• Hydraulic cage levelling.
• Synchronous multi-stage telescope
cylinders.
• Internal hose and cable ducts.
• Hydraulic check valves on all
movements.
• Emergency hand pump.
• Emergency stop on both
control stations.
• Engine start-stop on both
control stations.
• Telescope retainer and turret
rotation blocking in trasport position.

Print Apply without ICA

The print apply systems, known as ICA, are made up of two product lines: ICATECH and ICASET4.
These machines are the fundamental axis of Incas S.p.A.’s print apply line. IcaTech is the top of the range, whereas IcaSet4 serves a less complex range, where flexible performance is required but not exaggerated levels of production and where one can take advantage of the knowledge and experience of Incas in the field of print apply and automatic identification.

ICATECH and ICASET4 are able to satisfy the needs of the market and, subject to studying the situation, those of customisation in relation to the different types of label application: on the front, on the top, on the sides, on the corners, on the surface curves, etc.

Print apply

* Increases the speed and improves the quality of the production line and the packaging area
* Codifies and manages the traceability of the products (SSCC etc.)
* It integrates with pre-existing lines and systems
* It provides a complete solution as regards identification
* Every machine is managed by the maintenance service and can be supplied with all the consumable materials necessary

Your partner in the plastics industry for over 50 years for quick connection of energies and quick mould change, Stäubli has acquired exceptional expertise and skills in every field of plastics and composite processing.

Reliable and tested, our Quick Mould Change systems are designed to integrate your manufacturing processes with flexibility and adaptability.
– Compatible with new machines as well as existing ones and other equipment
– ensuring the integrity of the process
– simple to use and longer lasting
…they help you to optimize your production time.

From selecting the products which correspond to your needs to finding complete solutions for rationalizing and automating your production changes: Stäubli offers a wide range of choices.

– Mould loading: Stäubli provides the most suitable solution adapted to your mould and machine features in a partnership relation with you.
– Mould clamping: mechanical manual clamping, automatic clamping (hydraulic, magnetic). The Quick Mould Change solutions offered by Stäubli range from the simplest systems to the latest
technologies.
– Connecting energies: a wide range to connect your mould control and hydraulic circuits. Many diameters and options for every range.
– Handling & Process: tool changers for robots and handling devices, 4 or 6-axis industrial robots. Stäubli process automation solutions meet all your expectations to increase your productivity.

Our plastics processing expertise enables us to develop solutions for other sectors and applications (wax injection, composites, aluminium foundry, magnesium, Zamak, forming, tool change…).
Feel free to call us: we will build the systems adapted to your current and future projects together.

Visit our dedicated web site for Quick Mould Change and Automation in the Plastics industry.

The V2i is a multi-function vacuum generator with straight through design and electrical ISO 15407-1 valve for on/off and blow off control.

The valve directly mounted on the vacuum generator brings a reliable and efficient solution for all robotics applications wherever short cycle time is required.
Non-clogging V2i, that’s the solution for difficult applications.

FiberStar turnkey marking, engraving and cutting systems offer the benefits of a non-contact, abrasion-resistant, permanent laser mark onto almost any type of material.

A wide range of standard and custom platforms are available incorporating fiber laser source technology. Select a standard platform or custom designed workstation which offers the speed, reliability and flexibility required for meeting stringent quality control and process certification standards.

FiberStar marking systems range from a simple enclosure to an advanced, integrated XYZ motion for step-and-repeat laser marking or coordinated rotary motion for seamlessly marking around a circumference, all controlled through the marking software.

As a turnkey solution provider, LaserStar’s Applications Specialists will evaluate your marking or engraving requirements, define the application goals and objectives, specify and verify the correct marking platform, and define a complete system configuration to accomplish the desired results.

Solar & Semiconductor • Bio Sensor Production • Thin Film Polymers
General Marking & Engraving Automotive (Parts and Displays) • ID Cards & Mobile Phones
Medical Devices & Implants • Electronics & Sensors/Instruments • Industrial Components
Manufacture of Processed Parts

Pneumatic rope balancer manufactured to operate in environment classified ATEX, for explosive atmosphere, protected against the trigger coming both from dust and gas.
It can be supplied with a simple hook or equipped with special handling attachments, designed and manufactured time by time on customer’s request.
For homologation reasons the equipment is completely connected to earth, to avoid any electrostatic sparking. In case of use with self bearing forkliftable base is provided with one wire with pliers for the connecting to the earth.
Proper safety devices protect the operator against the load loss caused by accidental or wrong manoeuvres, for air pressure fall down and against the cutting of the feeding or control pipes.
Max capacity 75 kg.
Max work radius up to 3 m.
Max vertical stroke 2 m.

Owens Corning Fibreglas France is a division of Owens Corning Vetrotex that produces Fiber Glass, the production process is continuous; the plant is so designed that the production should never stop.

To avoid downtime for maintenance works and comply with the new safety regulation in its Ardoise plant near Avignon, Owens Corning Fibreglas France decided in the early 2000’s to change the plugs and sockets of its power supply network. Marechal Electric became the obvious choice thanks to the safety features of its technology, Marechal’s decontactor being simultaneously a plug and socket and a load-breaking switch. Among others, the decontactor has a safety shutter that shields the live parts from operator contact. This feature was a key in OCFF’s decision.

Additionally, while Mr. Bouquet, the Ardoise plant’s maintenance manager, was thinking about making his installation compliant with the new regulations, the plant got equipment from its US counterparts with Marechal plugs. This further strengthened his decision in favour of Marechal Electric: “It became possible to set a standard for most of our production equipment, and that was a key point, said Mr. Bouquet. Technical benefits such as ruggedness, automatic IP66/IP67 seal and protection against UVA were also important arguments for these products’ reliability and safety.”

Some parts of the plant are very humid and previous sockets often failed because of corrosion. Corrosion generated overheating of the contacts until destruction of the connection. The decontactor’s solid silver-nickel butt contact was completely corrosion resistant even in such harsh environments; its superior conductivity proved reliable over time.

These features were necessary to connect outdoor equipment too. Marechal offered an interesting modular design, the decontactor comes in coupler socket, wall box mounted socket and inclined socket configurations as standard features while guaranteeing reliability and user safety through its load-break switch capability

Back in October, we wrote about how various newspapers, under the auspices of the “Newspaper Licensing Agency” were threatning NewsNow, a UK news aggregator that is (in my experience) one of the more comprehensive aggregators out there, but which only shows headlines and links to full stories. It’s difficult to see how that would be a copyright violation in anyone’s definition of the term or why that should require any kind of license. The NLA gave NewsNow until last week to “comply” and according to the folks over at the Nieman Lab, NewsNow has decided to bid adieu to those sources rather than pay up:

“Unfortunately, we have not been able to reach an agreement with the NLA. In spite of the NLA’s claims to the contrary, we continue to maintain that what they are demanding of ourselves and our customers is unacceptable and of questionable legitimacy. Irrespective of the lack of a legal basis, the NLA’s licence is not fit for purpose. This is not just about the charges they intend to impose on us, but the charges they would also impose on our customers for receiving and circulating links within their own organisations. In addition, it is a perhaps an under-reported fact that the terms dictated by the NLA scheme would oblige us to hand over customer details to the NLA, which seems to be developing a potential rival service itself. It is hard to imagine that this kind of behaviour would be tolerated in any other sector. The NLA has also offered no reasonable guarantees of limitations on the increase of costs over time. We strongly feel that to accept the NLA’s terms would set a dangerous precedent restricting our customers’ ability to conduct their business freely. We see this as a ‘slippery slope’ towards any free-to-access website demanding licence fees from any organisation for circulating or clicking on links.”

It is interesting that part of the license would have required handing over customer info, and good of NewsNow to resist this. The aggregator says that it will still provide links to those sources in its free (extremely feature limited) online offerings, but will remove them from its subscription offerings. It’s difficult to see how this benefits anyone. It makes life worse for newspapers, NewsNow itself and NewsNow customers.

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Attention rich people (and poor people too) be very afraid – Many See the VAT Option as a Cure for Runaway Deficits – Runaway federal deficits have thrust a politically unsavory savior into the spotlight: a nationwide tax on goods and services. – (I guess this means that the 45% of people that pay no federal taxes will have to start paying) too – BC) – NY Times

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The Overstimulated Economy – Bruce Bartlett – Additional stimulus spending could do more harm than good. – Forbes

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Salary boom for federal workers – For feds, more get 6-figure salaries – Average pay $30,000 over private sector – By Dennis Cauchon – The number of federal workers earning six-figure salaries has exploded during the recession, according to a USA TODAY analysis of federal salary data.  Federal employees making salaries of $100,000 or more jumped from 14% to 19% of civil servants during the recession’s first 18 months — and that’s before overtime pay and bonuses are counted.  Federal workers are enjoying an extraordinary boom time — in pay and hiring — during a recession that has cost 7.3 million jobs in the private sector. – USA TODAY 

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IRS hires “hundreds” for new wealth unit – Kim Dixon – … The IRS high wealth unit, part of a broader effort to combat international tax evasion, is focusing on “the entire web of business entities controlled by a high wealth individual,” IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman told a tax conference this week. … The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved a $387 million boost for the IRS … – Reuters

U.S. Rep Frank says Fed audit may send wrong signal – … But he said a House financial regulatory overhaul bill that passed on a 223-202 vote overreached.  “I think the amendment that was adopted went too far,” Frank said. “I think it could give the perception that monetary policy is not going to be independent and that would have an inflationary effect in and of itself.” – Reuters

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BARCLAY’S: TREASURY’S COME A LONG WAY IN ALTERING THE AUCTION CALENDAR – BY CHRISTINE NIELSEN – Barclay’s strategist Anshul Pradhan … Pradhan concludes that auction sizes in the front end should remain unchanged and those at the intermediate and long end should gradually increase through the 2010 fiscal year as the average maturity increases to 60 months from the current 53 months. … – JLN Interest Rates

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Kucinich To Introduce Legislation To Mirror UK Banker Bonuses – Submitted by Tyler Durden – … It will be useful to see if the vote goes once again along party lines, in which case the banana republic nature of America will truly shine, as republicans and democrats finally confirm they have terminally flip-flopped on all issues pertaining to Wall Street, even as Main Street anger over banker compensation continues rising.  … – Zero Hedge

and

Tullett Prebon Will Help Brokers to Move Out of U.K. –  By Ambereen Choudhury and Gavin Finch – Tullett Prebon Plc, the inter-dealer broker led by Terry Smith, said it will help employees to leave the U.K. following the government’s decision to put a 50 percent tax on bankers’ bonuses. – Bloomberg
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Obama’s capital gains tax cut would create tax shelters – Howard Richman – quite interesting – Trade and Taxes Blog

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It’s Not Too Late For Congress To Fix The Derivatives Market – Mark Sunshine – The financial reform legislation that passed the House last week doesn’t fix the derivatives market but there is still time to make it right. The Senate hasn’t passed its version of the bill and all Senators need to do is include a provision stopping the Federal government from preventing enforcement of state and local criminal gaming and bucket shop laws. With this simple legislative change bookies that run illegal derivatives casinos will face criminal prosecution rather than become millionaires who benefit from government bailouts and guarantees. – The Sunshine Report

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Support Grows for Fan-Fred Plan – Proposals to Reshape Mortgage Firms Call for Retaining  – By NICK TIMIRAOS – … The latest, to be released at a private meeting on Monday, is from a group assembled by the Center for American Progress, a think tank with close ties to the administration. It calls for explicit federal guarantees on certain mortgage-backed securities and robust federal regulation to ensure that mortgages offered to the public are safe. … – Wall Street Journal

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Financial Regulatory Reform Overlooks the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
Posted by Larry Doyle – Only in Washington could the promotion and passage of a piece of legislation known as Financial Regulatory Reform overlook the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). – Sense on Cents

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FDIC alleges BankUnited staff hurt bank – by Brian Bandell – … The letter says the bank officials engaged in “unsafe and unsound” banking practices and breached their fiduciary duties. Its criticism centered around the bank’s payment option adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs), … The FDIC alleged that the bank’s former officials altered its mortgage broker compensation and incentives that took away the incentive to sell any products besides option ARMs. …the FDIC alleged. … The FDIC faulted the underwriting practices at BankUnited FSB, saying that 82.6 percent of the bank’s loans were done with reduced documentation or no documentation. … – South Florida Business Journal

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Fannie Mae Losses May Exceed $200Bn: BarCap – By DIANA GOLOBAY – Eventual losses at mortgage giant Fannie Mae could exceed $200bn, posing a risk of receivership after year-end when limitations on the Treasury Department’s authority to support the agencies return, according to research Friday by Barclays Capital (BarCap) … – HousingWire

Wells Fargo joined the other large banks in announcing plans to pay back our TARP money. Banks are complaining that they can’t attract top talent with their compensation structures capped. This is good news, since Wells called me the other day to offer me a high paying job (they said I could spel good) but I turned them down since their pay was capped. Who needs that?

TARP: Troubled Asset Relief Program – maybe that is one acronym that we can forget. Wells Fargo may avoid the label of being the biggest bank still holding bailout money when it announced that it plans to pay back its $25 billion in government loans. For those keeping track at home, yesterday they followed Citigroup, and Bank of America last week, in making that announcement. Wells will raise $10.4 billion from the markets, another $1.5 billion by selling certain assets next year, with approval from the Federal Reserve, and another $1.35 billion by issuing stock to employee retirement plans and giving stock awards instead of cash to “certain Wells Fargo team members.” Wells, and the other banks, expects this to help 2010 earnings but that it will hurt fourth-quarter financial results, reducing income available to common shareholders.

Count your blessing that you don’t work for some company like Optimal Blue or Del Mar Data Trac. Not that they are bad companies by any stretch of the imagination, but the underwriting and program changes are fast and furious – it is difficult to keep up! Smaller companies continue to outsource this task. And, unless I am missing something, there is little in the way of loosening or good news. As a partial list, recently SunTrust suspended their Agency Plus Permanent product lines, Bank of America updated their Conforming Fixed DU Version 8.0 products and discontinued their Conforming 5-yr balloon, Conforming 7-yr balloon, Expanded Approval Level II, and Expanded Approval Level III product lines, Franklin American tweaked products (their Bulletin 2009-40), Flagstar has discontinued their Fannie Mae HomeStyle Renovation product line. SunTrust updated their Conforming & Key Loan Products product lines, and of course Fannie Mae updated their Conforming Temporary High Balance product lines and began using DU 8.0 products and guidelines. Citi has suspended their Flex with 18% MI product lines. Whew!

more news on Fannie Mae and HAMP, Freddie and HAMP, Flagstar, Yield curve, ARMS, Economy, and joke of the day … <<< CLICK HERE

Earlier this year, we wrote about the sitcom It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which has a bit of a cult-like following among fans of the show. As we wrote, the show was doing a cool thing to connect with fans, by doing a live tour and screening a new episode in theaters around the country. It was a cool idea, and we were surprised other TV shows didn’t do things like that. But, of course, the rest of our favorite “CwF + RtB” business model equation is beyond connecting with fans, you also have to give them a reason to buy. And reader Jeff alerts us to something else that the show recently did. In an episode last month that involved the various characters in the show discussing their new product ideas, at least one of them, the Dick Towel (um… NSFW) was turned into a real product (again, NSFW) and offered for sale for $20. According to Jeff, in an email he recently received from the site, so many people have ordered that they’re a little late in shipping, and it looked like over 4,000 towels had been sold. Connect with fans and giving them a reason to buy appears to work with television shows as well… Of course, others have tried similar things as well, and there’s even an entire company, Omni Consumer Products, that tries to license brands from movies to turn them into real products…

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WMExperts have weighed in with their, well, expert opinion on the HP Glisten and seem to like it.

They found the device very similar in size to other Windows Mobile smartphones with front-facing keyboards, that the device had a good screen and great battery life, and was very stable, but that some of HTC’s enhancements were missed.

They concluded:

I have to admit, I like the Glisten.

The size and slightly contoured edges felt good in the hand. I liked the keyboard but wished the top and side controls were raised just a little to make them easier to manipulate. The Glisten zips along nicely running Windows Mobile 6.5 and while it may not have the flash of other Windows phones, I found it to be a very capable Windows phone.

The AMOLED screen grew on me and it has its advantages over the traditional screen (works well outdoors). I don’t think the AMOLED screen is a deal breaker but does add to the phone.

AT&T is offering the Glisten for $179 after rebates and contractual discounts. Hewlett-Packard will be offering the Glisten without contractual strings for $379.99.  If a front facing QWERTY keyboard styled phone is what you’re looking for, the Glisten should make everyone’s short list.

Read their full review here.

Rockstar’s upcoming wild west epic shooter Red Dead Redemption is looking mighty good. If you still haven’t heard of the game, check out this intorductory trialer.