The Opel tuning specialists at Steinmetz have unveiled a new package for the 2010 Opel Astra J. In desperate need of a refined look, the tuners hooked it up with several aerodynamic parts including a new front spoiler, blacked out grille, and rear roof spoiler that flows with the styling lines. Enhancing the exterior look are stainless steel strips in silver and anthracite to cover the door handles and sides. Giving the Opel Astra J a sportier look is the suspension lowering kit to drop the car 30 mm closer to the ground. For the wheels, Steinmetz offers two styles, a ST10 and ST7 which both measure 19×8.5 inches.
The custom Steinmetz wheels come wrapped in 235/35R19 high performance Continental or Michelin tires, and then the tuning firm started on the interior of the Opel Astra J. Inside you will find a Steinmetz developed gear display which shows the drive gear in any color the customer chooses. The tuners then added new floor mats with a stainless steel logo, and sill trims made of polished stainless steel.
Michael Thornton of Alpha Protocol sure likes to get down and dirty. During his spare time, he travels around the world to exotic places and kills off people.
We figured that the pressure on the Spanish gov’t to change copyright laws would be ratcheting up, so it should be no surprise to see a NY Times article suggesting that there’s “growing pressure” on Spain to change its copyright law. As you may recall, Spain actually has quite reasonable copyright laws. It recognizes that non-commercial copyright infringement isn’t the same thing as commercial scale infringement. It recognizes that creating a search engine for files is not the same as actually distributing those files. It also recognizes that people have a right to privacy. These are all reasonable findings… unless you happen to have an increasingly obsolete business model and you don’t want to adapt. So when Spain finds that a file sharing network doesn’t violate copyright laws because it only points to infringing files, but doesn’t do any of the distribution, the industry spins it as Spain being weak on copyright, rather than just accurate in applying liability.
Of course, childish threats from Hollywood to leave the market (yeah, that’ll stop file sharing…) has convinced some to put forth new copyright laws that mirror those elsewhere. This, despite the fact that an economic analysis of the new law suggests it would do more harm than good.
The NY Times piece is pretty one-sided, never expressing any skepticism about the industry-provided numbers. It quotes three people in favor of changing the laws, and only one against it. And the one against it focuses on the privacy and consumer rights issues, but doesn’t mention the basic liability issue. Either way, I’m sure we’ll start seeing more articles like this until Spain feels it has no choice but to capitulate, and one more set of copyright laws will be adjusted in favor of the entertainment industry, and against net progress yet again.
Nattawut Saikua, one of the “red shirt” leaders, told a news conference that they have agreed to take a new round of talks proposed by the Senate because if they allow things to go on like this, they will not know how many more lives will be lost.
According to Reuters, there was a group of 64 senators in the 150-member Senate who proposed that talk and offered to reconcile with the protesters. How ever, analysts stated that while the proposal is positive, it is unlikely to lead to a peace deal.
Kavee Chukitkasem the head of Research, Kasikorn Securities, doubts that the proposed talks will end the political crisis. He stated that it was just a tactic to buy time and the rise in the stock market was just because of short-term speculation about talks. On the other hand, Somjai Phagaphasvivat, a political scientist at Thammasat University in Bangkok stated that the mediator gives hope that there may be a group that coordinates a process for each side to take one step back but if it were that easy, it would have been done long ago and it would not have come to this.
Even though the analysts had a bad impression about the peace talks proposed by both parties, it is a good thing that the war in Bangkok is finally advancing into the resolution of the problem. Communication between both parties is necessary in order to resolve the issue that caused the war. It is advisable for both parties to give an answer to their problem and avoid fighting with the use of violence. Many lives were lost and both parties must think of what they had lost and try to end this war as soon as possible.
Who says only Project Natal can have all the fun? Sony throws us a little something for PlayStation Move, way out from the left field, and it’s turning some major heads their way.
Mazda has named Hiroyuki Matsumoto as the new head of its European research and development center. The 47-year-old engineer replaces Norihiro Tomita, who has headed the unit since May 2007 and will now be at Mazda’s headquarters in Japan for a management post in its vehicle development center.
It was in 1985 that Matsumoto, an engineer graduate of Kyoto University in Japan, entered Mazda’s product development division. Before this new post, Mitsumoto had served as the general manager for chassis development. He will be stationed at Mazda Motor Europe in Oberursel, near Frankfurt, and will play a key role in adapting the automaker’s cars to European tastes and regulations. He also works closely with Mazda’s European design studio that’s also in Oberursel.
The NEW Unistat® 905w is the latest addition to the Unistat® range of high performance circulators from Huber. With 6 kW heating power, cooling powers from 4,5 kW @ 0°C and 0,7 kW @ -80°C and a temperature range of -90 to 250°C the new 905w brings a tailored cryogenic solution to lower volume reactors.
Designed to give the highest possible flow rates, the new Unistat® 905w features an efficient variable-speed pump with soft start. This enables the safest and fastest ramp rates resulting in tighter control of process temperature while protecting your reactor and maximising process efficiencies. The pressure of the thermal fluid is closely controlled and monitored by an adaptive controller that brings a new level of precision to thermal control that can be delivered to a wide variety of applications.
A hydraulically sealed circulation thermostat, the Unistat® 905w allows fluids to be used safely above flash points without the fear of ignition and associated greasy residue that comes from oil vapours. In addition, because the fluids are not exposed to the atmosphere whilst being heated and cooled, they do not degrade dramatically extending their lifetime by years.
Consistent with the entire Unistat® range, the Unistat® 905w features the Unistat® Pilot. An easy to use touch screen controller, with simple to access menus displaying all the key parameters, including, process temperature, jacket temperature, fluid pressure and safety settings. The Unistat® Pilot allows users to view dynamic data in a real-time graphic format.
All units are CFC and H-CFC free and have the option for 100% natural refrigerants. Manufactured from stainless steel each model in the Unistat® range is built to operate trouble-free for many years.
Major job order for DITEC from an European large distributor.
Its strategic location near the border with Hungary makes the city of Oradea one of the main links to Western Europe, and is traditionally one of the most prosperous Rumanian cities.
For the last few years, after joining the European Union, the tertiary industry has seen a massive increase and major national and international companies have invested heavily in the city.
Four years ago, the Mall Tiago chain launched the largest investment plan in the large distribution field: 700 million Euros have been invested to build 10 shopping centres in the main Rumanian cities.
The largest shopping centre built for this project is the Tiago shopping centre in Oradea, which covers an area of 46,000 msq. It features over 150 shops, a multi-screen cinema and international coffee shops and restaurants, which offer the consumers a pleasant shopping experience, as well as a large range of professional services.
The five main pedestrian entrances of this large structure have been fitted with DITEC automatic entrances. Thanks to the reliability of its products, DITEC has been trusted by one of the top European large distribution chain.
To welcome the customers in the shopping centre, ten Onda doors have been selected, with each door configured as a two semicircles shape. Onda are the curved automatic doors designed to meet the most diverse architectural requirements, and combine practicality with smart look.
DITEC Onda doors offer high performance and, thanks to their last generation components, ensure a continuous operation, able to meet the requirements of a commercial structure of this size.
Safe and reliable, easy and quick to install, Onda is supplied complete with high performance accessories such as the new ultrasound safety sensors on the transit opening, and features PAM 35 aluminium frames, a very popular choice in European shopping centres, for their ease of installation and the opportunity to smartly and cleverly set in the entrance, particularly in the crystal wing version.
Furthermore, Onda is perfectly suited for the most diverse installation conditions, ensured by the availability of an array of configurations.
All DITEC products carry the CE marking, and are designed in compliance with the most stringent current safety requirements. Onda is also TÜV certified.
Our most economical ductless solution for the containment of fumes and vapors. Workstations include many features found in our larger fume hoods.
Features:
* AirSafe™ Automatic Safety Controller monitors airflow and filter life.
* Excellent for low volume applications
* Integral base with deep spill lip
* 360° visibility
* Carbon and HEPA filtration available
Options:
* Custom cart available in 34″ height; storage shelf may be added.
* Built-in polypropylene cup sink and drain
* Chemical disposal pump
The inexpensive EDGE generation of controls from SIGMATEK has grown. Thanks to the new processor technology, which combines high performance with extremely low power loss and minimal size, the CCP 521 and 531 impress with their slim packaging in the C-DIAS series design (25 x 104 x 129 mm W x H x D).
Both compact controls are equipped with 1 Gbyte Flash and 64Mbyte DDR RAM. For remnant data, 512 kbytes of memory is provided. The CCP 531 is the cost-optimized variant and has a USB 2.0 host interface for program updates or a keyboard. In addition, a USB device is available as a programming interface, CAN as well as an Ethernet online interface for connection to higher-level systems. Additionally, the CCP 521 also offers a VARAN interface for applications, in which hard real-time communication is required.
The operating system, application software as well as user-specific data are stored on an SD memory card. The compatibility of the application software is guaranteed for the entire product family.There are no components or batteries in use that are subject to mechanical wear. The user is therefore provided with a maintenance-free, energy efficient control, whereby the total Cost-of-Ownership is reduced.
Carborundum offers Good, Better, and Best product tiers of Type 27 and Type 28 depressed center wheels designed specifically for grinding using right angle grinders
Gold MaXX Zirconia Alumina/Aluminum Oxide Abrasive Blend depressed center wheels for grinding grind efficiently on a variety of ferrous metals: from carbon steel to stainless steels and some exotic metals. This product is part of the Carborundum BETTER product tier group.
Kawasaki Precision Machinery UK (KPM) is saving marine companies time and money with a new development for its Staffa motors.
The new symmetrical valve housing integrated into Staffa motors has been re-designed to allow for easier assembly. This is the result of continuing innovation by the engineering team in the UK.
Ian Scott, Engineering Manager at KPM said: “This new design is revolutionalizing the installation of Staffa motors.
“Kawasaki discovered that, in the past, people had assembled the product wrongly, causing companies several day delays in some cases, losing them money whilst everything was reassembled.
“We have realigned the valve housing ports symmetrically which avoids incorrect installation and allows for equal pipe lengths. It also uses standardized manifold blocks.
“We’re certain winch and other marine companies will be delighted with this improvement, which is a more simple and cost effective solution”.
In addition, the new SM3 valve housing enables manifolds to be bolted from the bottom, instead of the usual way of bolting through the top, which allows the designer more space to work with.
Originally released in China, this has already generated great success with its customers who are experiencing greater accuracy and efficiency for their applications.
KPM worked in close association with a valve supplier to create this product at a more cost effective price.
Back in January, General Motors announced that OnStar would release a smartphone app to be used in conjunction with the 2011 Chevrolet Volt. The app allows owners to keep track of charge status, remotely lock and unlock the vehicle, along with providing diagnostic reports and a host of other features.
Last week, reports surfaced that Google and GM were in talks about implementing the search giant’s Android mobile operating system into its vehicles, and while that may still come to fruition, GM’s announcement tonight is far less dramatic.
The app that GM demonstrated on Android-powered headsets earlier this year will now be available with a “navigation” tab that ingrates with OnStar to provide turn-by-turn, voice-guided directions, along with vehicle location (think: finding your Volt in a parking lot) and allowing users to perform voice searches through their Droid, Incredible or other Android smartphone.
While tapping Google’s massive location-aware search is an important inclusion, it’s less than revolutionary, particularly when Audi is already beginning to includeGoogle Earth navigation in the 2011 A8. Furthermore, GM says that the new functionality won’t be available on the Volt app at launch, but will be rolled out in the 2.0 version of the software. So if you’re keeping track, we’re talking about a yet-to-be-released feature for a yet-to-be-released car. Make the jump for the full details.
On Monday, Skype representatives announced that their senior management team now included two additional experimented members. Starting with next month, Neal Goldman will become the new Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer and this position will require him to oversee all legal and regulatory issues affecting Skype. The second staff addition is Doug Bewsher,… (read more)
The World Wide Web or as we all know as the “Internet” has been very useful and fun to use especially now with the escalation of social networking sites like friendster, twitter, facebook and many more. So what do all these sites have in common? Cookies! Yes, Cookies!
You might find the term funny but this is very useful to both the internet users and for the sites (like those stated above). Cookies identify you to the site. They store settings about your preferred customized look and feel for the pages you view, your username and encrypted password or user id, who referred you to the site, profile preferences, and just about any kind of information the administrator want them to store to customize your user experience. Cookies are most commonly used to give you access to login protected pages once you’ve entered your information, identify you in content that you changed on the site like for example forum posts or article comments. Again, cookies will function as their creators have written them to function. This sounds like a simple, obvious statement, but it must not be overlooked because cookies are also vulnerable to exploits and hacks.
So basically cookies serve as your passport to secure sites. So whenever you are logging-in a site like facebook, always remember that there’s a cookie behind that.
A new Assassin’s Creed II retail version has been announced to be coming out later this June. This was confirmed by Ubisoft, and it’s been revealed that this new version will be tagged wtih the “Complete Edition”
ESPN reporter Erin Andrews has been videotaped naked in her hotel room. The video is circulating the net and now it contains a virus.
Somehow the peephole video helped Erin Andrews to get into the spotlight. It gave her even more publicity, specially now that she’s one of the favorites in Dancing With The Stars 2010.
The video was taken by a man named Michael David Barrett. He shot the nude video through several different hotel room peepholes. Erin Andrews filed a case against him and he was sentenced on March 15, 2010 to 30 months in prison.
In court, Andrews said to Barrett, “You violated me and you violated all women. You are a sexual predator, a sexual deviant and they should lock you up.”
The Erin Andrews peephole video was a top internet search on the Google. Many people are searching for it and probably wants to watch it. But curious surfers should think twice before watching it, because it has a virus.
When you download and watch the video, your computer will have a malware. Virus makers are using the Erin Andrews peephole video as a trap to infect Apple Macs and Windows PCs with malware.
American Idol alum Chris Daughtry and his wife Deanna Daughtry have announced that they are expecting twins this November via surrogate mother. “Deanna and I are overjoyed about this double blessing,” Daughtry, the Season 5 fourth-place finisher, said in the statement. “Thank you for your expressions of love and support and for respecting for our privacy during this special time.” “Due to Deanna’s partial hysterectomy in 2006, the couple used IVF and had their embryos transferred to a gestational surrogate,” stated in Daughtry’s site.The twins were conceived through In Vitro Fertilization (due to Deanna’s partial hysterectomy four years ago), and were transferred to a gestational surrogate who will carry them and will give birth to them. The couple was married on November 11, 2000. Daughtry and his wife already have kids prior to the twins. Daughtry, 30 years old, has two children: a stepdaughter, Hannah, born September 7, 1996 from his wife’s previous marriage, and an adopted son, Griffin, born June 30, 1998. Daughtry was born in Roanoke Rapids of North Carolina, and raised in Lasker, North Carolina, until he was 14.They later moved to Virgina, where Daughtry grew up before he relocated to McLeansville of North Carolina. His family of four will soon become a family of six thanks to the miracles of modern medicine and the kindness of a surrogate.
Working with Google Maps, GM added a new tab to the Volt app called “navigation.” The section will allow the owner of the Volt to locate the current location of their vehicle pinpointed on Google Maps. Also from the map screen, owners can use Google to search by voice for local destinations with their Android handset. Once they find the location (related to the Volt’s current location), they can send the destination straight from their Android to their Volt and have OnStar Turn-By-Turn direct them to their venue.
GM said that the new “navigation” functionality won’t be available with the Volt app at launch, but is planned for 2.0.
At launch the Volt app will allow owners to see charge status, access the “Charge Now” feature or schedule future charging time. They can also see the percentage of battery charge and range level, send text or email notifications for charge reminders, display the mpg, remotely start the Volt to pre-condition the interior temperature of the vehicle and see the mpg, EV miles and miles driven from their last trip.
As for GM and Google working together to compete with Ford’s Microsoft SYNC system… Chris Preuss, OnStar president said:
“While OnStar will never lose sight of our core focus on safety and security, this relationship is an example of how we’re evolving our leadership position in connected vehicle technology. What we’re talking about today is only the beginning.”
You can read into that as much as you’d like.
Make the jump for the press release for more details.
OnStar Leverages Google technology to Connect Customers to the Chevrolet Volt
New features coming for Chevrolet Volt Mobile App
Detroit – OnStar is leveraging the power of Google technology to develop a number of new mobile app features that strengthen Chevrolet’s commitment to providing Volt customers with the most connected vehicle experience possible.
The public will get a peek at what OnStar is working on at the Google I/O conference May 19-20 in San Francisco, CA, where OnStar will debut and demonstrate new functionalities they’re developing for the Chevrolet Volt mobile application leveraging the AndroidTM platform.
“While OnStar will never lose sight of our core focus on safety and security, this relationship is an example of how we’re evolving our leadership position in connected vehicle technology,” said Chris Preuss, OnStar president. “What we’re talking about today is only the beginning.”
A new “navigation” tab has been added to the home screen of the existing Chevrolet Volt mobile app on the Android smartphone. When a Volt owner presses this tab, they will be able to see the current location of their Volt pinpointed on Google MapsTM , as well as their location relative to it.
From this map screen, owners can use Google search by voice to vocally search for a destination with their Android handset, and see where that destination is related to the Volt’s current location. They can then elect to send the destination from their Android phone to their Volt and have OnStar Turn-By-Turn directions to their destination waiting for them when they start the vehicle. Additionally, the owner will also have the option to get voice-guided directions to their vehicle from their current location, using Google Maps Navigation.
The new functionalities won’t be available on the Volt mobile app at launch, but are planned for a 2.0 version.
The smartphone mobile application for the Chevrolet Volt made its debut at the 2010 Consumer Electronics Show and is planned to launch in tandem with the Volt this fall. Launch features include:
· Charge status display – plugged in or not and voltage (120V or 240V)
· Flexibility to “Charge Now” or schedule charge timing
· Display percentage of battery charge level, electric and total ranges
· Ability to manually set grid-friendly charge mode for off-peak times when electricity rates are lowest
· Send text or email notifications for charge reminders, interruptions and full charge
· Display miles per gallon, electric only miles, and odometer readings
· Shows miles per gallon, EV miles and miles driven for last trip and lifetime
· Remotely start the vehicle to pre-condition the interior temperature
“These two new features add to the suite of mobile application features for Volt that given Volt owners a personal connection to their car,” said Tony DiSalle, Chevrolet Volt marketing director. “Connecting customers to their cars is one way we’re using technology to provide value and a real useful benefit to the Volt owner.”
Published May 17, 2010 By Sara Schilling, Tri-City Herald staff writer
Pasco Columbia Basin College in Pasco is sharing in a five-year, $2.5 million grant aimed at helping under-represented students earn four-year degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
The college is getting $275,000 to provide support such as academic workshops, counseling and advising and help with internships and scholarships through the Washington MESA Community College Program. (MESA stands for mathematics engineering science achievement).
The program was announced during a news conference this morning. CBC is one of four community colleges in the state participating.
This really moves us forward to make sure theres an easier path for students hoping to transfer to four-year institutions, said Martin Valadez, CBC vice president for diversity and outreach.
The grant is being paid for by the National Science Foundation.
For the full story, read Tuesdays paper and tricityherald.com.
Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.
Mazda has named Hiroyuki Matsumoto as the new head of its European research and development center. The 47-year-old engineer replaces Norihiro Tomita, who has headed the unit since May 2007 and will now be at Mazda’s headquarters in Japan for a management post in its vehicle development center.
On Monday, Skype representatives announced that their senior management team now included two additional experimented members. Starting with next month, Neal Goldman will become the new Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer and this position will require him to oversee all legal and regulatory issues affecting Skype. The second staff addition is Doug Bewsher,… (
