It was a rough night in Shanghai.
As Calculated Risk points out — and helpfully produces this excellent long-term chart comparing the Shanghai Composite vs. the S&P 500 — stocks were down over 2%, pushing shares well below the 3,000 level. Stocks there are at a new six-month low.
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With several hours to go before the opening bell, the mood is similar to yesterday, which saw selling (a very, very rare occurrence for a Monday).
The euro is getting hammered. According to ForexLive, a major US bank is doing monster selling.
Futures are looking a bit soft as well. Here’s the action following yesterday’s close.
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Homebrew coder blabla is back to release a new version of Pokemon Battle, a homebrew RPG game adaptation of the popular anime series for the Nintendo DS. The latest update of the homebrew has added some new
Article Tags: Carbon Trading
The Australian government has shelved plans for an emissions trading scheme (ETS), the centrepiece of its environmental strategy.
It has made repeated attempts to get the measure through parliament, but has been blocked in the Senate, where the government does not enjoy a majority.
The government will now not start the scheme until 2013 at the very earliest.
PM Kevin Rudd blamed the opposition for withdrawing its support for the measure and slow global progress on emissions.
Previously, Mr Rudd has called climate change the “greatest moral challenge of our generation”, and pledged to curb pollution by bringing in a comprehensive emissions trading scheme.
But his attempts to enact the measure into law have repeatedly failed because his party does not command a majority in the upper house, Senate, and the opposition Liberal Party is now led by a climate change sceptic who won the leadership of his party by vowing to block the reform.
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Source: news.bbc.co.uk
Article Tags: Bob Ellis, Public Polls
Good news! What is perhaps the biggest hoax ever perpetrated on humanity is now sliding toward the ash heap of history: the hypothesis of anthropogenic global warming.
The hypothesis never got much support beyond “fudged” computer models and a lot of conjecture and hysteria, but Al Gore and his fellow apostles of environmental doom wanted everyone to believe that all scientists believed it, and you should, too. Even the so-called “consensus” claim was a hoax; tens of thousands of scientists never bought it. Socialists like Al Gore simply wanted to appeal to people’s “herd instinct” and motivate them to move in the direction they perceived the herd was going.
People were already realizing in greater numbers that anthropogenic global warming claims were nothing but hot air, but when it was revealed that the Climate Research Unit in England, one of about four sources for all the “information” supporting the hypothesis of AGW, was playing fast and loose with the data, ClimateGate accelerated the demise of this already-thin theory.
Source: dakotavoice.com
Article Tags: Geological Society of America (GSA), Statement
Position Statement
Decades of scientific research have shown that climate can change from both natural and anthropogenic causes. The Geological Society of America (GSA) concurs with assessments by the National Academies of Science (2005), the National Research Council (2006), and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007) that global climate has warmed and that human activities (mainly greenhouse‐gas emissions) account for most of the warming since the middle 1900s. If current trends continue, the projected increase in global temperature by the end of the twentyfirst century will result in large impacts on humans and other species. Addressing the challenges posed by climate change will require a combination of adaptation to the changes that are likely to occur and global reductions of CO2 emissions from anthropogenic sources.
Purpose
This position statement (1) summarizes the strengthened basis for the conclusion that humans are a major factor responsible for recent global warming; (2) describes the large effects on humans and ecosystems if greenhouse‐gas concentrations and global climate reach projected levels; and (3) provides information for policy decisions guiding mitigation and adaptation strategies designed to address the future impacts of anthropogenic warming.
Source: geosociety.org
Amidst suspicions that Hydrophobia is nothing more but vaporware, Dark Energy Digital set out to clear the air and reassure awaiting fans that yes, it will definitely be coming, and yes, it will be coming to both
In the past, we’ve seen the movie industry attack “fansub” efforts for trying to translate movies into other languages. But, in the video game industry, we did see glimmers of hope when a publisher allowed fansubbers to complete their version of the translation and compete side-by-side with the commercial translated version in the marketplace. So, it’s sad to see Japanese game maker Minori slap TLWiki, a translation site, with a DMCA takedown for their work on a one of their games. Apparently, this was after an edit war on the wiki itself, where the game maker supposedly deleted the entire contents of a page, replacing it with:
minori holds copyright over all the files made available on this webpage. We, minori, have removed the contents of this page because the owner of this page has not received our permission for distribution of these materials. Please understand [the above statements]. Still, if there are objections, etc., please contact Minori, Inc. in Japanese at [email protected].
Of course, since wikis have an easy rollback feature to prevent errant deletions like this, this change was easily reverted, and after a few more rounds of edits & reverts, the site was slapped with an official DMCA takedown notice. Once again, quashing fansub efforts is a fantastic way to annoy and disenfranchise your most loyal fans, who donate hours of their free labor as a hobby. We’ve seen ways to engage these communities advantageously (like hiring them to do the official translation), so surely Minori should take note.
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The movie below shows how the northern European airspace returned to normal use after being closed due to volcanic ash from Iceland last week. Due to the varying ash densities across Europe, the first (test?) flights can already be seen in some areas from the 18th April. By the 20th April, all airports were opened again.
The movie was created by ITO World, based on the data retrieved from Flight Radar 24.
See also OpenStreetMap Edits Animation.
Remember those Rorschach teasers for Dead Space 2 that came out late last year? Apparently, that’s not the last of it as Viscral sent yet another batch of these tests/ teasers to media.
In recent years, concern for environmental issues has taken front stage, spawning diversification in waste treatment facilities and methods. Tsubaki has meticulously gather detailed results on actual chains utilized in the various equipment in waste treatment facilities and developed a line of distinctly designed and specialized conveyor chains ideal for the wide range of harsh treatment applications. From ash to molten slag, you’ll find a Tsubaki chain that exceeds all expectations.
One particularly harsh application is the molten slag conveyor. Previous AT Series Heavy Duty Conveyor Chains would suffer quick wear between bushes and rollers in these extreme conditions, but wear on Tsubaki’s YP Series Conveyor Chain is 1/10th that thanks to superior materials and wear resistant step bushes. The YP Series is also highly resistant to the acidic/alkaline water the slag is cooled in, showing no noticeable rust or pitting after 1.5 months in our immersion tests.
And by using a Tsubaki chain in your operation, you’re making a commitment to a cleaner environment: Less rusting, less pitting, and less fatigue on the chain all add up to less replacement and less material consumption. Tsubaki is committed to a cleaner, better environment, as well as to the industries that support it. Trust Tsubaki Waste Treatment Chains to do the job, and do it right.
EtherNet/IP communication and PROFIBUS redundancy
In 2009, R. STAHL’s IS1 system was the first remote I/O solution worldwide to be equipped with a Fast Industrial Ethernet interface. Now also capable of EtherNet/IP communication, the solution, which was limited to the Modbus TCP protocol up to now, has become more flexible. EtherNet/IP paves the way into the world of Rockwell- and Allen Bradley-compatible systems and interfaces, which are supported by most PLCs and control systems. Fulfilling strict real-time requirements, the protocol has a key advantage over Modbus TCP. Users can configure and parameterise the system by means of a high-performance DTM which also provides a wide range of diagnostic functions and enables condition monitoring.
R. STAHL now also provides more installation flexibility for the proven IS1 PROFIBUS versions. Due to great demand, the company had already developed proprietary solutions with line and system redundancy. Additionally, IS1 is now also available with a system redundancy compliant with the “PROFIBUS Slave Redundancy” specification. In automation systems which support this standardised solution, IS1 runs as a redundant slave. Today, these systems mainly include controllers from Siemens and ABB. In order to provide a driver-independent, standardised redundancy solution for users employing other control systems, R. STAHL has designed a universally applicable implementation. Virtually all other systems can be operated with IS1 in a fully redundant layout with a so-called “Flying Master” redundancy. Successful tests have already been carried out with the Delta V control system from Emerson Process Management and with Centum VP from Yokogawa. The IS1 remote system for hazardous areas, which has been claiming market leadership in zone 1 installations for a long time, asserts its technological leadership position with its new extended functions. The Ethernet platform will also ensure support for the upcoming high-performance process automation protocols PROFINET and FOUNDATION™ fieldbus HSE. Furthermore, R. STAHL will also pursue up-to-date developments for standard PROFIBUS DP installations.
ISONIC 2010 uniquely combines phased array, conventional UT, and TOFD modalities providing 100% raw data recording and imaging. Along with superior portability, lightweight, and battery operation this makes it suitable for all kinds of every-day ultrasonic inspections
Phased array modality is performed by powerful 32:32 phased array electronics with independently adjustable emitting and receiving aperture, each may consist of 1 through 32 elements. Groups of phased array probe elements composing emitting and receiving aperture may be fully or partially matching or totally separated allowing flexible managing of incidence angles, focal distances, types of radiated and received waves including directly reflected and diffracted mode converted signals
Each channel is equipped with it’s own A/D converter. Parallel firing, A/D conversion, and “on-the-fly” digital phasing are provided for every possible composition and size of the emitting and receiving aperture. Thus implementation of each focal law is completed within single pulsing / receiving cycle providing maximal possible inspection speed
ISONIC 2010 is additionally equipped with independent channel for conventional UT and TOFD inspection and recording capable for both single and dual modes of pulsing/receiving
High ultrasonic performance is achieved through firing phased array, TOFD, and conventional probes with bipolar square wave initial pulse with wide-range-tunable duration and amplitude. Maximal amplitude of bipolar square wave initial pulse is 300 V pp for phased array and 400 V pp for conventional channel. High stability of the amplitude and shape of the initial pulse, boosting of all it’s leading and falling edges, and electronic damping are provided by the special circuit significantly improving signal to noise ratio and resolution. Thus analogue gain for each modality is controllable over 0…100 dB range
640X480 pixels 6.5″ bright touch screen provides optimal resolution / power consumption rate for the outdoor operation
Fairview, PA – April 6, 2010 – Spectrum Advanced Specialty Products announces the addition of MIL-PRF-49470 approval for Switch Mode Power Supply capacitors to its extensive military QPL offerings. Spectrum’s SMP capacitors have a better performance than tantalum or aluminum electrolytic capacitors, featuring low ESR and ESL. These capacitors, available in industry-standard or custom case sizes, are all made in Spectrum’s established MIL-STD-70 ceramic facility located in State College, PA.
Spectrum’s Switch Mode Power Supply capacitors are excellent for input/output filtering for military and high reliability power supplies and high capacitance discharge units. Functioning at high frequencies or high power, these capacitors have a capacitance of up to 180 microfarads, with tolerances of 10% or 20%. The capacitor is designed to withstand temperatures ranging from -55 degrees Celsius to +125 degrees Celsius, making it an ideal choice for a broad range of environments. To help safeguard the device from thermal and mechanical stresses, the capacitor is offered in through-hole or surface mount leaded configurations of N, J or L. Additionally, BP, BX, BR or BQ ceramics are available, all able to withstand voltages ranging from 50 to 500 VDC.
The MIL-PRF-49470 qualified Switch Mode Power Supply product adds to the already wide range of Spectrum QPL listings. With the largest number of MIL-PRF-15733, MIL-PRF-28861 and legacy 87106, DSCC 84084 and MIL-C-11015 products, Spectrum is considered a primary supplier for many aircraft, ship and weapons programs maintained by NATO defense branches. Spectrum is also an ideal choice for competitively priced drop-in replacement and repair products.
As a trusted military partner, Spectrum ensures the quality and reliability of each QPL product through its unique in-house testing capabilities. With both EMC and environmental testing, Spectrum offers the most comprehensive EMI evaluation and design resource available. Testing capabilities include environmental stress screening (ESS), analytical circuit design, surge testing and mechanical shock resistance testing. All testing results are integrated into the design process, resulting in an optimum product that will withstand even the harshest environments.
ACTIVFILTER II TM is developed from Lewcott’s unique method of impregnating a wide variety of substrates with activated carbon, long recognized as an effective odor adsorbing material.
Acting like a molecular magnet, activated carbon is a form of charcoal in which millions of pores are created to form an internal structure of interconnected capillary passages not much larger than the molecules that it adsorbs. The activated carbon attracts and holds these impurities on its internal surfaces even when the impurity is present in trace amounts.
Lewcott can supply ACTIVFILTERTM media for gas, air, or liquid filtration.
ACTIVFILTERTM media can be produced from a variety of different substrates including natural and synthetic, non-wovens, polyurethane foam, Reemay*, felt, and paper products.
Material can be manufactured with varied amounts of activated carbon, in combination with other active odor agents.
In its capacity as a radio expert, ADEUNIS RF brings real added value to the installation, the setting-up and also the updating and real-time management of digital information of these electronic displays.
Here are some examples : Local information relayed by multi-line electronic visual display units on poles or integrated into totem display units.
Thanks to the implementation of a dozen display panels distributed all over the area, this region of Isère has been able to publish news with push technology, so allowing a lot of people to access information updated in real-time.
The solution implemented by ADEUNIS RF allows them to control and publish personalised information following the installation of display units in different districts. The content is controlled remotely by the local council and updated individually by a simple PC located at the council buildings.
This solution is based on the ARF 53 modem data from ADEUNIS RF, including unique addressing and a repeater function. So, each display unit can be both a displayer and a repeater at the same time, which allows the local council to wipe out any problems linked to the use of a GSM/GPRS networks, as well as any subscription costs incurred.
These examples of the usage of the Adeunis RF wireless solutions in the display and information sector are not the only ones. Many other types of usage exist in the field. Regardless of whether you use our Bluetooth, RF or Wi-Fi solutions, the wireless technology offers a huge scope of possibilities and opportunities.
Do you have a question? Or an idea? Or a plan? Do not hesitate to contact our team who will advise you with pleasure and accompany you through every step of the process.
Product launch:
The new super compact HeatPAC will be launched in April 2010, extending INHECO’s current range of thermal products for labautomation platforms. Heating up to a high 135° C, the device has the footprint of a SBS Microplate, combined with a very low height of only 30 mm (deck to contact surface).
This makes it ideal for workstations with limited space between the pipetting head and the heating block, eliminating the need for cut-outs or enabling the use of deepwell disposables. Temperature control is achieved either through the INHECO Single TEC Control (STC), or through the INHECO Multi TEC Control (MTC) for up to six heating devices – or any other INHECO product.
INHECO offers adapter plates to optimize the heat transfer and temperature uniformity for a range of commonly used microplates, deepwell plates, tubes and reservoirs. These adapters will fit onto the new heating unit just as well as on the INHECO CPAC heating/cooling product range, including customized adapters, offering an economical solution through standardization.
Demo units are available on request.
For any further information, please contact us at [email protected] or call us at +49 89 899 593 101.
Provides Variety of Power Solutions for Medical Device Applications
The expanded family of compact Pittman® slotless brushless DC motors has been engineered to outperform traditional motors in medical device applications requiring high efficiency and power with minimal heat, EMI, vibration, and noise. They are sized ideally to serve as high-performance power solutions in medical instruments, dental drills, and other handheld or small medical devices.
This family of small motors introduces a wide variety of power solutions for device applications with tight design envelopes. Motor diameters range from 0.375 in. / 9.53mm to 1.1 in. / 28mm and, depending on model, the motors can develop speeds up to 70,000 RPM under varying loads. Achievable continuous torque ratings approach 15 oz-in for the larger diameter series.
All models incorporate patented “Parallex” winding geometry promoting high efficiency by delivering more power using less energy. They additionally feature high-energy neodymium magnets for enhanced performance, robust construction with stainless steel housings for durability and corrosion-resistance, and precision and shielded ABEC bearings and balanced rotors contributing to smooth and quiet operation. Autoclavable versions are also available and capable of realizing extremely high cycle count.
Other standard features include 2- or 4-pole rotor, 3-phase stator, and Hall sensors. The motors can be customized with planetary gearboxes, optical encoders, and controllers, among other options, to tailor motor to application.
AMETEK Technical & Industrial Products, Inc. is a unit of AMETEK, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices with annual sales of more than $2.1 billion.
Gibbs and Associates, developer of GibbsCAM® software for programming CNC machine tools and a Cimatron (Nasdaq: CIMT) company, announced today that its latest release, GibbsCAM 2010, in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions, has been certified for Autodesk Inventor 2011 Digital Prototyping software under the Autodesk Inventor Certified Application Program. Certification is granted only after a product has been thoroughly tested by Autodesk to ensure it meets Autodesk’s guidelines and testing criteria, including proof that the product is based on the Autodesk Inventor API (application programming interface). Certification demonstrates that the product is of high quality and up to date, and that it provides the highest level of interoperability with Autodesk Inventor software.
Autodesk Inventor is the only Autodesk Manufacturing Industry Group product with a certification program. Digital Prototyping with Autodesk Inventor software gives manufacturers the ability to digitally design, visualize and simulate how a product will work under real world conditions before it is built, which helps reduce cost and speed time to market in highly competitive industries.
“Autodesk Inventor users can rest assured that they will continue to have the high interoperability they have enjoyed between GibbsCAM and Autodesk Inventor for several years,” said Bill Gibbs, founder and president of Gibbs and Associates, “but now with both versions of GibbsCAM, 32-bit and 64-bit, which have been shipping since January. Our joint customers will be very pleased with the number and depth of features included in GibbsCAM 2010, as they begin to take advantage of the multiple usability and functional enhancements and new machining features that we included.”
GibbsCAM 2010, which has also gained the “Compatible with Windows 7” status from Microsoft, for both the 32-bit and 64-bit editions, includes additions to the 5-axis module, such as adaptive cuts, impeller roughing and tool retraction options; additions to Advanced 3D (Solids) Machining, including a new plunge roughing function for very fast material removal with inserted tools, and integration of the ultra high performance toolpath of VoluMill, for fast and efficient material removal with traditional end mills, plus machining strategy and tool entry-exit additions; additions to Multi-Task Machining’s Sync Manager and the Wire EDM modules; and many ease-of-use and interface enhancements across the product suite.
“We are very pleased to have Gibbs and Associates renew Inventor certification for GibbsCAM,” said Amy Bunszel, senior director of Digital Engineering, Autodesk Manufacturing Industry Group. “GibbsCAM has supported Autodesk Inventor with direct reading of Inventor models for ten years, and the Gibbs dedication to interoperability and ease of use strongly supports our goals. We are proud to have companies like Gibbs and Associates as partners in delivering extensible, flexible and easy-to-use applications to our shared manufacturing customers.”
GibbsCAM reads native Autodesk Inventor models and assemblies directly for process planning and toolpath generation. The Inventor-to-GibbsCAM add-in also allows transferring Autodesk Inventor models and assemblies directly from Autodesk Inventor to GibbsCAM. Updates to part geometry and process parameters are readily accommodated by GibbsCAM’s full associativity across geometry, processes and toolpaths. GibbsCAM’s industry leading ease-of-use allows users to quickly take advantage of its powerful capabilities – from minimizing the time it takes to learn use of the software, to making manufacturing engineering tasks and production machining extremely intuitive and efficient.
Metal service center JACQUET Southeast is now offering large-format water jet cutting services to the southeastern U.S. at its new metal processing and distribution center in Charlotte, N.C.
JACQUET Southeast is capable of processing materials up to 21’x13′ on its Jet Edge Mid Rail Gantry water jet cutting machine. The company also offers plasma cutting services and carries 19 different grades of stainless steel and nickel alloy plates in a wide variety of sizes and thicknesses.
A subsidiary of JACQUET Mid-Atlantic of Pottstown, Pa., and JACQUET Metals of Lyon Saint Priest, France, JACQUET Southeast serves the Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and Alabama. It is one of five JACQUET metal service centers in the U.S. JACQUET also has service centers in Pottstown, Houston, Racine, Wis., and Irvine, Calif.
JACQUET Southeast specializes in supplying and processing stainless steel and nickel alloys for a wide variety of industries, including power generation, chemical processing, wastewater treatment, aviation and aerospace, textiles and nuclear applications. With its water jet and plasma cutting capabilities, the company can offer standard shape cutting of rings or discs as well as intricate parts from customer drawings.
More Information
For more information about JACQUET Southeast visit www.myjacquet.com or call (704) 699-5116.
For more information about Jet Edge, visit www.jetedge.com, or call 1-800-JET-EDGE (538-3343).