Author: Serkadis

Dacia has officially confirmed its first entry to the right hand drive market. The Romanian manufacturer’s new SUV, the Duster, will arrive in 2012.

Even as the date of the launch and the pricing information have yet to be revealed, Dacia has set up a UK website, where interested parties can register for updates. The Duster is actually the cheapest SUV on the market. Its top notch version sells in Europe for 16,630 Euros, a price that is comparable to the entry levels of most competitors. The available options for the Duster include one petrol engine (1.6 16V 110hp) and two diesel engines (dCi 85 and dCi 110). These engines generate from 85 to 110hp, which aren’t all that impressive. However, when you consider the car’s reduced weight (1,160kg in 4×2 specification and 1,250kg for the 4×4 version), the overall result isn’t bad at all and could just be enough to pull through. Photo gallery after the jump!

Source: Car news, Car reviews, Spy shots

Here is the list of car insurance companies. You should choose the right car insurance companies according to your budget and what you really need. All the automobile insurance companies names listed here from A to Z and these companies are from around the world mainly from UK, U.S, and some other Asian countries. It is useful for people who are searching the right car insurance for their own car.

Car insurance companies

A

AA Car Insurance
AAA Car Insurnace Company
Access General
Admiral
AIG Agency Auto
AIG Casualty
AIG North America
Allstate Insurance
Alfa Mutual Inruance
American Collectors Insurance
American Family Insurance
American Hardware Mutual Insurance Company
Asda
Atto & Associates
Auto Owners Insurance Company
Auto Coverage USA
Auto Insurance
Auto Insurance Net
AVIVA
AXA

B

Barclays Motor Insurance
Balboa Insurance
BELAIRdirect
Be Wiser Car Insurance
BCAA
Bristol West
Budget Direct Car Insurance – Comprehensive Car Insurance by Budget Direct Australia.

C

Car & Auto Insurance Quotes
Capital One Auto Finance
Carnegie General
Charter Insurance Companies – automobile insurance in Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Georgia and California.
Chubb Insurnace
Churchill Car Insurance
Classic Auto Insurance Agency
Cooperative Car Insurance
COUNTRY Financial

D

Debenhams Car Insurance
Diamond Car Insurance – Diamond offers cheaper car insurance for women because usually women’s claims cost less.
Direct Line Car Insurance

E

Elephand.co.uk
Encompass
Endsleigh Car Insurance – One of the famous car insurance in UK.
Esurance
Esure
Explorer

F

Farmers Insurance – Writer of both private passenger automobile and homeowners insurance.
Foremost Insurance Company

G

GEICO Car Insurance
GMAC
Grange Car Insurance
Great West Casualty Company – Provides insurance products for truckers including auto liability, physical damage, general liability, cargo, garagekeepers, umbrella, property, inland marine, and workers compensation.
Green Flag
Greenbee

H

Hartford Insurance
HSBC Car Insurance

I

Infinity
InsureandGo

J

J.C. Taylor Antique Auto Insurance – specialist in providing insurance services to owners of antiques and modified specialty vehicles.

K

Kanetix
Kwik-Fit

L

Liberty Mutual Group
Liberty Mutual™ Car Insurance
Lloyds TSB
LV Car Insurance

M

Mars & Spencer Car Insurance
Money Expert
MetLife Auto
Metropolitan
MiWay Car Insurance and General Insurance – Car Insurance Quotes through MiWay’s state.
More Th>n Motor Insurance

N

National Indemnity Company – A member of the Berkshire Hathaway Inc. group of insurance companies. One of the car insurance companies that has the products include commercial trucks and truckers, public auto, special types, garage and dealer, prize indemnification, general liability, inland marine cargo, and reinsurance…
Nationwide Motor Insurance
National Auto Care
NetWest
NetQuote
National Warranty Insurance Group

O

Old Republic International Corporation

P

Permanent General Auto Insurance Co. – offers non-standard and standard automobile insurance to customers in Tennessee, Ohio, Georgia, Louisiana, Indiana, Mississippi, California, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.
Post Office
Primmum – car insurance for Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland.
PRIMO Car Insurance
Progressive
Provisional Marmalade

S

Safeco
Saga
Santander
Sentry
SF Fire and Casualty
Sheilas’Wheels
State Farm
SwiftCover

T

TESCO Car insurance
The Money Stop – Compare car insurance quotes from the leading insurance suppliers in the UK.
Travelers
Tri-State Consumers Insurance Company – Offers auto insurance to New York consumers and is headquartered in Jericho, New York.

U

United Automobile Insurance Company
Unitrin Direct Auto Insurance – Provider of auto insurance services for good drivers. Consumers can quote and purchase online through secure web site or by calling toll-free.
Universal Warranty
Universal Underwriters Group – Offers a range of automotive insurance products that cover much of the automotive aftermarket. Located in Overland Park, Kansas.
USAA Casualty Insurance

V

Valuadata Group – Developer of valuation solutions and insurance estimation software systems for automobile collision damage.
Virgin money – UK car insurance from Virgin.

W

Warranty Direct
Wausau Insurance Companies
Western General
Western United
Women on Wheels Insurance

Y

YES Car Insurance

Z

Zurich Connect Car Insurance

If you have other company name that is not listed here. Please contact us to complete the list of car insurance companies.

Source: Cars, Fast Cars, Cool Cars, Sports Cars

As a response to the high dealer demand in the U.S., MINI had confirmed that the John Cooper Works World Championship 50 Edition will immediately be available throughout the country. 50 of the hand-built vehicles will be delivered to U.S. dealers, scheduled to begin in late spring or in early summer.

Based on a MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop, the World Championship 50 Edition is painted a special color called Connaught Green, classically combined with the roof and bonnet stripes in Pepper White. For that reason, the color scheme is said to hark back to the famous color of British race cars of the 1950s and 60s era.

The 50 Edition is then equipped with the John Cooper Works Aero Kit, gloss black versions of the 17″ Challenge spoke wheels, custom numbered side scuttles, a unique Championship Red Lounge Leather interior and carbon fiber accents throughout.

In the interior, the 50 Edition also features special floormats with red stitching that matches the red stitching found on the shifter and parking brake boots. John Cooper Works’ signature adorns a special plaque that is affixed to the instrument panel trim.

MSRP for the MINI John Cooper Works World Champion 50 Edition will be $39,600; Destination and Handling costs are $700, for a total cost of $40,300.

Source: Lincah.Com – New Car and Used Car Pictures

It’s beeen a while since we last heard from from homebrew coder Alekmaul, but now he’s back to release a new version of AmeDS, a Amstrad CPC 6128 emulator for the Nintendo DS.
 
 
Download:

Published Spring 2010
Global Advantage

At the Columbia Basin College Foundation, the first order of business is to raise money for scholarships. “Last year, we provided approximately $250,000 in scholarships to 263 students,” says CBC Foundation director of philanthropy Nancy Adams. Occasionally, though, the foundation and its charitable partners find a way to combine fundraising with meaningful educational opportunities. When this happens, everybody wins.

One such opportunity came about last fall, when the CBC Foundation hosted its first “Brown Bag Series” on financial literacy, called “Life Happens.” Among the presenters: Shawn Flinders, Tri-Cities sales manager/RE loan officer at Global Credit Union.

“We had the strong feeling that providing students and the community with a chance to learn practical information about all aspects of personal finance would be of value,” says Adams. “Several weeks into our planning, Sen. Patty Murray came to our campus and did a presentation on, believe it or not, financial literacy. When we saw what she was discussing, we knew we were on the right track.”

The six-week series covered everything from insurance to wills and trusts, tenant law, credit cards and home ownership. Approximately 400 participants attended over the six weeks.

Finding the right presenters was key to the series’ success. The foundation needed speakers who could provide accurate, real-world information and engage a diverse audience. “Because we’re a community college, we serve students ranging from ages 16 to 90 –– at all stages of life,” Adams explains. With such a range of backgrounds, participants ran the gamut from young people who had little to no experience with budgeting or credit to full-fledged adults who were well established or recovering from past mistakes.

Adams and her team began the way many great collaborations do. “We called our friends,” she says. Starting with financial institutions the team knew – and those it hoped to partner with in the future – made the selection process easier. “Fortunately for us, we knew organizations in the financial community like Global. We were asking for a donation to our scholarship fund in addition to finding workshop leaders. (Global is) so profoundly dedicated to educating people that this was a natural priority for them.”

In his workshop, Flinders covered the nuts and bolts of buying a home. “To be honest,” says Adams, “I wasn’t sure that a lot of our students were ready to learn about home buying, but Shawn’s workshop was well-attended, and the students were very attentive. Clearly, this is still the dream of Americans, to own their own homes. Shawn did a great job of explaining to the students that the process of home buying starts right now; and that all the steps that lead up to talking to a Realtor® begin when you get your first checking account and use credit cards. Your financial history is important.”

As a full-time fundraiser, Adams works hard developing partnerships that enable the college to serve its community on many levels. In return, she’s grateful for her own success. “Kudos to a community that’s always so supportive of education,” she says.

Here’s a new version of Pate’s DOS emulator for the Nintendo DS, DSx86. The latest update of the homebrew has added some new features, more fixes and various other improvements. Full changelog after the jump.
 
 
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Wheelsandmore has revealed their custom modifications on the Bentley Continental Supersports. With serial power about 630 hp the Bentley Continental Supersports already is the most powerful and fastest sportscoupe ever built by Bentley. But Wheelsandmore thought of much more and developed an ecu upgrade, combined with a handmade, stainless steel exhaust system. With special sportcatalysts, the ecu upgrade and within a remote controlled valve flap system, they increased the power up to 702 bhp and 650 lb-ft of torque.

As the Bentley Supersports is not only coming with the biggest engine, but also with one of the biggest carbon-ceramic brakes, measuring 16.54 inches, Wheelsandmore got to use all their experience and know how to construct special wheels for perfect handling and outstanding visual appearance. The 3-piece lightweight wheel set is outfitted with “C-Sport” model sizing 10,5×21″ with Dunlop Sport Maxx tyres front and rear, wearing an enormous 4,5″ outisde lip in the rear. A special tyre approval allows a giant highspeed at 209 mph. In this case the wheels are painted completely matte black with a red racestripe, but wheelsandmore is able to offer unlimited colour and surface combinations.

Finally the suspension can be switched up and down by using an electronic lowering module from Wheelsandmore called “LowMaXX”, which lifts up the car automatically around 0.79 inches at a speed of 44 mph to recover comfort and safety. More informations at www.wheelsandmore.de

Source: Lincah.Com – New Car and Used Car Pictures

A new distribution agreement between Australian tanker manufacturer, Tieman
Industries and Italian dry bulk tanker builder, O.ME.P.S is sure to raise the eyebrows of dry bulk pressure tanker operators in this country.
O.ME.P.S. engineering facility in Italy uses the latest technology with production flexibility to tailor a tanker built to a particular country’s needs, legislation and operating conditions. Even in places where the roads are very arduous with many of them dirt, O.ME.P.S. Aluminium tankers have an impeccable reputation for standing up to the test, such as is experienced in countries like Russia.

An LTA customer manufactures sawing blades for various applications which are ground using oil. The oil mist produced during the process is sucked off and fed to an air cleaning system through pipes. As the previous air cleaning was insufficient a new system was purchased. The customer decided for a product by Messrs. LTA who delivered the perfectly adapted filter AC 20001 from the modular large-module series introduced in 2008.
The AC 20001 is an electrostatic filter which is particularly well suited for this field of application. On the one hand, the electrostatic precipitation principle – which is unmatched also for filtering oil – helps to reliably keep within the required limit values. On the other hand, the low pressure loss of the filter grants an energy-saving operation. The oil precipitated in the filter is pumped back in the oil treatment system via a recirculating pump and retrieved.
A corresponding filter with energy-saving EFF1 blower was externally installed to the pipe system adapted by a partner firm. The blower is controlled by a frequency converter as needed. In excess of this, operation over the weekend – when circulation and suction are clearly reduced – becomes possible by means of various switch-points. This is another strong point of this energy-optimized system.

The scope of delivery of LTA for this project comprised the cleanable large AC 20001 type filter (effective suction output approx. 25,000m³) including attachment accessory and external operating panel, one delivery pump for evacuating the precipitated medium and the setting and commissioning of the complete system in January 2010.

The advantage of this system is the high separation degree of the electrostatic filter as well as the use of regenerative filter elements. Thanks to the use of regenerative filter elements, the filters may be cleaned as often as required which eliminates the high disposal and purchase costs for replacement filters.

LTA Lufttechnik is a renowned partner for complete solutions in air technology. The company projects, builds and delivers air filter and fire protection systems for trade and industry. For over 30 years, LTA has been researching, developing and manufacturing aerosol separation products. The electrostatic separation method is eco-friendly and has continuously been further developed and improved.

Robatech’s market appearance has been characterized by a green logo for more than 30 years, and the Concept hotmelters of the latest GREENLINE generation are also „green“ because their working mode is particularly energy saving. Up to 17,4% *) energy can be saved in combination with a heated hose NW 6 mm and the fully insulated SX Diamond applicator heads which Robatech originally presented as a world’s first at the Interpack 2008 exhibition.

This energy saving is the result of an exact analysis which Robatech carried out in-house for each component: We determined where the overall system emits the most heat, and then insulated these areas specifically. „From the applicator head over the hose right to the hotmelter we carefully investigated all appliance components for their energy consumption and heat losses. In this way we found out where to attack in order to achieve perceivable energy savings. The first step was to design our fully-insulated applicator head SX Diamond which consumes up to 60% less energy than the preceding models. Within the framework of our GREENLINE concept we also exchanged the hoses: Energy can also be saved by using a hose of diameter 6 mm instead of the previous 8 mm. The latest measures we implemented with a view to „greener“ and more ecological Robatech adhesive applicator systems are the special insulation with which we provide the melting tank of our well-proven Concept hotmelters and the cover over the adhesive distributor. All these optimizations enable us to save 17,4% *) energy compared with the hotmelt applicator systems offered so far. This puts us in the lead also when it comes to ecologically working hotmelt applicator systems. A further plus of the insulation of the applicator head and the insulated cover over the adhesive distributor is the improved protection of the operating personnel: The danger of personal injury (burns) during operation of the appliances is reduced to the minimum“, explains Hanspeter Huber, Product Manager Packaging Industry at Robatech.

Robatech sets a clear example with its GREENLINE concept: Optimizations as well as new and further developments in the sense of more ecology, environment friendliness and sustainability are initiated and realized step by step.

Since December 2009 the Concept hotmelt series with tank volumes of 5 and 8 litres (the best-selling models of Robatech’s Concept range) come exclusively in the GREENLINE execution with special insulation – and this at the same price as the preceding models. At a later point in time the Concept hotmelters with bigger tank volumes will also become available with the special GREENLINE insulation, at no extra charge. Moreover, Robatech has further „green projects“ in the pipeline.

*) The following two hotmelt systems were measured and compared:

a) Concept B 5/2, one heated hose NW 8 mm / 1.8 m, one jetting head AX100
b) Concept B 5/2 „GREENLINE“, one heated hose NW 6 mm / 1.8 m, one jetting head SX Diamond

Lüber core sand mixers and mixing plants are suitable for the preparation of many different core sand types such as
Cold Box Betaset SO2 (Epoxy Gas Resin) CO2 hardening processes Hot Box, warm Box Inorganic binder systems.

Plant for 3 core sand manufacturing processes Day silo for one sand type Fluid bed coating unit / cooler Travelling electrical weighing system 100 kg.

3 core sand mixers UCM 100 on drawers
2 distribution vehicles with 3 transport containers each
7 liquid components for the warm box, cold box and EGH processes . Electrical control unit Siemens S7-300

The v|tome|x L 300 is the ideal system for 3D analyses as well as for high precision 3D metrology applications.

Due to his new unipolar 300 kV / 500 W microfocus X-ray tube the system can be used for scans of strongly absorbing samples as well as for high magnification applications (minimum focus-object-distance > 5 mm depending on the sample size).

For the first time a 300 kV microfocus X-ray tube achieves a detail detectability of up to 1 µm. All major components of the system, like the X-ray tube and the temperature stabilized detector are proprietary technology of GE.

The v|tome|x L 300 comes standard with a granite based manipulation and an air conditioned X-ray safety cabinet allowing samples of up to 50 kg and up to 600 mm length / 500 mm diameter to be scanned.

For a number of years, agriculture has been experiencing a strong and regular concentration of operations.The effects of this have been an increase in the size of farms and an increase in distances which need to be travelled to reach farmed areas. Being always on the lookout for ways of increasing productivity, it is crucial for the farmer to limit and even reduce this time taken on the road, which has no added value despite the increase in connection times. This new situation is encouraging manufacturers to produce increasingly powerful, fast and safe tractors.

These changes have very recently been made official as agricultural convoys have been allowed to drive faster. Although the law is changing to authorize these speeds, it also demands that safety levels be increased through significant reinforcement of the braking capabilities of agricultural trailer couplings.

In order to respond to this major development, with proportional, hydraulic or electro-hydraulic control, adaptable to all configurations of tractors available on the market:

A dynamic brake valve incorporating braking assistance to the machine’s steering system : VB0B0
A parking and emergency brake valve: VB0E0
Single or double circuit, priority and safety loading valves for charging the battery: VB100 or VB200
Trailer braking valves

Filter driers are important components to set up refrigeration systems, because moisture has to be extracted, acid should be bind and particles has to be filtered out. The solid cores are easy replaceable via a precision –flange with a guided mounting spring. ESK –Filter driers can be used alternative as a fine strainer element after removal of solid cores.

Application
The ESK filter system with changeable filter elements are used in the liquid
line and suction line of refrigeration and air-conditioning systems.
The marked flow direction must be followed. The pressure drop is easy
measurable with the including Schrader fitting.

Cost-efficient, compact lifting system for screens up to 50″ and weights up to 70kg.
System with high lifting speed. Control box with integratet overheating protection for the screens. Simple installation. Very low noise level allows applications in noise sensitive areas.

The system can be supplied with any stroke up to 1100mm even for single piece deliveries.
Anti-pinch-system can be connected.

Learning from nature – built for nature: with the FinGripper from Festo fruit, bulbs or pressure-sensitive food can be handled quickly and reliably. This is thanks to the so-called “Fin Ray effect” which is based on the design of the tail fins of fish.

If tulip bulbs and soft chocolate eggs are gripped with conventional metal grippers or vacuum functions, the result is a high level of loss and damage. This goes against the grain of the two central objectives of automation technology: speed and quality.

FCI, a leading supplier of connectors and interconnect systems, expanded its D-sub High Density series to address a growing number of applications where higher density packaging is required.
With this addition, FCI now offers one of the largest D-sub portfolios available in the market.

FCI’s High Density range previously consisted of right-angle female versions only. The additional range adds right-angle male, straight male and female, solder bucket male and female, and crimp male and female versions. This new connector range is ideal for applications requiring more signal density.
Higher density connectors with same shell sizes provide 56% to 67% real estate savings on a printed circuit board compared with standard density connectors.

The High Density D-sub series is available in contact layouts from 15 to 78 ways in all terminations. These connectors are operable for indoor applications with a temperature range from – 55°C to +105°C.

Additionally, design-ins are simplified with distribution stock availability; 24-hour sample shipment; online drawings and specifications; short lead-times and reasonable minimum order quantities.

FCI’s full line of D-sub connectors is available on the web, including not only solutions for signal, but also for (mixed) power connectors.

The new High Density range is part of FCI’s IO-Connections portfolio, which provides customers access to a wide range of industry-standard and application-specific I/O interconnect solutions.

In January the first Polish longwall system in Russia reached much higher output than planned. The longwall system manufactured by FAMUR Group and delivered to Baikaimska mine last year has already reach the output of 1 million tons!

The longwall system operates in one of the Kuzbassrazriezugol Coal Company’s Russian mines. It is the first Polish complete longwall system in Russia for mining coal seams with a thickness exceeding five meters. In January the equipment produced 193,000 tons, which was 30 t over the estimated output.

The geo-mining conditions in the Siberian mine are difficult. The seam incline of up to 25º require specific adjustments of the equipment. All elements of the FAMUR Group longwall system are prepared for this character of operation. They are also adjusted to the aggressive environment. The hydraulic control system is filled with fluid resistant to the low temperatures of even minus 50ºC. The powered roof supports are equipped with special sealing and anticorrosive rewelded layers.

Each element of the longwall system was designed complying with all necessary safety parameters. The longwall system successfully passed the compatibility trial in 2008 in FAZOS factory and it was favorably received by the Russian client.

Successful commissioning of the system was carried out by team of 10 professionals and miners, who trained the staff in Baikaimska mine. The longwall system is very modern, it requires only 15 people of staff because each element of the system can be operated from the central PC.
”The FAMUR Group delivers complete longwall systems which include not only the machines and equipment, but also the control and monitoring systems. The longwall system delivered to our Russian client reflects this approach”, said Ryszard Bednarz, FAMUR S.A.’s Vice-President for Research & Development.

The delivery of complete longwall system to the Baikaimska mine is a double success – FAMUR Group equipped the longwall in high performance, modern and effective machines and also tackled a challenge of transferring from an open pit to the underground mine. In Baikaimska mine coal will be transported from the face to the surface through an incline by BSC and belt conveyor, from the road heading to the coal washing plant. The complete longwall system operates in seams lying up to 350m deep, and the mine resourse of 50 mln tons shows a good prospects for the FAMUR Group longwall system.

Green sand control in foundry has always been one of the main goals to be achieved in order to obtain good quality productions and to minimize scraps.

So far, sand control methods were mainly based on the control of return sand moisture and on the consequent water addition to muller to obtain the desired moisture of prepared sand. There are also control systems which determine the compactability of mulled sand and then determine the quantity of water to be added.

All these systems give a partial answer to the demand of quality sand, in particular of constant quality sand. In fact, they do not allow the automatic control of important parameters such as strength, active bentonite, total bentonite, permeability and automatic addition of additives and new sand.

For many years, we’ve pointed out the futility of the entertainment industry’s constant focus on “shutting down” any source of unauthorized material. Every time they do so, the content sharing continues to grow — it just moves further underground and makes it that much more difficult for the industry to actually use it to their own advantage. It appears this happens not just online, but offline as well. We’ve noted recently that China has been paying lip service to external pressures to “crack down” on infringement, often by using copyright and patent laws to go after foreign companies as well. But it appears to also be playing itself out in other ways.

The NY Times is covering how Chinese officials have been going around to DVD and CD shops that have lots of unauthorized bootlegs, and telling them that for the World Expo (which begins May 1), they need to stop selling that content so directly. It appears most of the shops all responded in nearly identical ways: cutting their stores in half by putting up a wall in the middle, then placing legitimate discs upfront, and putting all the bootlegs on the other side of the wall, with a “secret” doorway. The effort was so consistent that some accuse Chinese officials of suggesting this to store owners. Some stores readily admit that after the Expo ends, they’ll tear down the wall and return to a single storefront.

Either way, it’s quite similar to what we’ve seen online. You can “crackdown” all you want, and it never actually slows down the trade in unauthorized content. It just moves it further underground… or, perhaps, behind a (not so) secret wall.

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