Author: Serkadis

A McLaren Automotive lançou em seu site um simulador para os fãs do super esportivo que gostam de fantasiar o carro de seus sonhos. Enquanto o novo monstro não e comercializado, os clientes também podem matar a vontade de montar o seu futuro carro.

Mas a idéia do configurador não é somente para brincar. Assim que as concessionárias começarem a vender a nova 12C, o configurador será ligado à 35 vendedores oficiais espalhados em 19 países. Enquanto isso, o céu é o limite (tanto quanto o preço do carro), podendo ser possível modificar a pintura do carro, incluindo a cor clássica do modelo, laranja, e vários opcionais na carroceria, rodas, freios e muito mais.

O detalhismo chega a tal nível que até mesmo o interior do carro pode ser totalmente personalizável, com mudanças no estofamento, painel do carro, sistemas de navegação e mais um monte de coisa. Se quiser testar e montar a sua McLaren (mesmo que imaginária), acesse o site oficial.

Via | Inside Line

“…French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday praised President Obama’s health care overhaul, called his push for stricter financial regulations “great news” and, standing alongside Mr. Obama at the White House, said he hopes their administrations can team up “to go even further in regulating world capitalism.” (source)

Just recently, I was being regaled with amazing stories from some Polish 20-somethings and the realities of product regulations (only three rolls of TP for you) and name registries (you can pick from these 200 names for your baby) in their life times. Could one President truly put us on a path toward Socialism? Could it be done in four years? Eight? Could a new President enact a return to Capitalism and the Constitution and the small government the Founders envisioned…or is repeal unrealistic? Realistically, what long term damage could this man inflict?

For years, we’ve questioned the wisdom of straight-up “driving-while-yakking” legislation for a variety of reasons. It always seemed to strike at a symptom, and not the real problem, which is just outright bad driving. While some have falsely interpreted this to mean that we support free reign in letting people drive and talk on a phone, what we argued is more nuanced. The problem is when driving and talking makes things more dangerous. But the same could be true of driving and doing anything else — and unless we’re going to outlaw driving distractions one at a time, it’s sort of missing the point. Instead, the focus should be on better driving education on the dangers of being distracted. But, at the same time, there should be a realization that it’s not always a terrible thing for a driver to talk on a mobile phone.

In fact, Slashdot points us to a recent study that found a small number (a very small number) of people do not seem to drive worse while talking on their phones (and, in some cases, they even seem to drive better). These so-called “supertaskers” are apparently amazingly good at multitasking. Of course, this probably doesn’t apply to you and you (yes, you) probably do drive worse while talking on a mobile phone — which is why you shouldn’t do it. But shouldn’t we focus on stopping bad driving in general, rather than a blanket ban on driving while yakking?

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Google’s highly anticipated homepage redesign has just gone live for a bunch of more people. As expected for such a big change, Google has been testing the new homepage and search results page for several months, making tweaks and adjustments based on the user feedback it got from early testers. Now, it seems that Google is satisfied e… (read more)

What does Governor “Drill, Baby, Drill” think about the President’s offshore drilling plans?

She’s not impressed.

In a post titled “Stall, Baby, Stall” over at The National Review, Sarah Palin lays out why she thinks the announcement is a joke.

First, she doesn’t like the fact that there are going to be “studies”

Today the president said he’ll “consider potential areas for development in the mid and south Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, while studying and protecting sensitive areas in the Arctic.” As the former governor of one of America’s largest energy-producing states, a state oil and gas commissioner, and chair of the nation’s Interstate Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, I’ve seen plenty of such studies. What we need is action — action that results in the job growth and revenue that a robust drilling policy could provide.  And let’s not forget that while Interior Department bureaucrats continue to hold up actual offshore drilling from taking place, Russia is moving full steam ahead on Arctic drilling, and China, Russia, and Venezuela are buying leases off the coast of Cuba.

And she thinks here state got screwed

As an Alaskan, I’m especially disheartened by the new ban on drilling in parts of the 49th state and the cancellation of lease sales in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. These areas contain rich oil and gas reserves whose development is key to our country’s energy security. As I told Secretary Salazar last April, “Arctic exploration and development is a slow, demanding process. Delays or major restrictions in accessing these resources for environmentally responsible development are not in the national interest or the interests of the State of Alaska.”

And it’s all just politics

I’ve got to call it like I see it: The administration’s sudden interest in offshore drilling is little more than political posturing designed to gain support for job-killing energy legislation soon to come down the pike.  I’m confident that GOP senators will not take the bait.

Want to know more: Here’s out little fact sheet from yesterday >

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More confirmation that the economy is hot comes to us courtesy of the oil market which has been busting out as of late (with scant attention paid to it)

And for good measure we’ll also throw in:

And finally:

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Joshua Weinberg points us to a question from Rick Prelinger, questioning why the US Postal Service restricts photography of the New Deal/WPA murals that it owns. As the USPS website notes, it owns over 1,000 murals that were all commissioned by the Treasury Department between the years of 1934 and 1943. You would think, therefore, they should be in the public domain. Not quite. While you can take photos, the USPS says that photos may only be low resolution, meaning “a maximum of 72 dpi and no larger than a four-by-five-inch output to end use.” It has some other rules about not causing a disruption in Post Office facilities, which makes perfect sense, but it’s difficult to see how the other rule makes sense. I can also understand if the goal was preservation (no flash, etc.), but not restrictions on how the images can be used. The US gov’t does not own the copyright on these works, and thus it seems like they should be in the public domain. Given the USPS’s own recent troubles over someone else claiming copyright on an image used in a USPS stamp, you would think they would be sensitive to these sorts of things.

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(This guest post originally appeared at the author’s blog)

The ECRI has been adamant that the decline in the growth rate of their Weekly Leading Indicator will not result in a double dip (see here for more).  They say the year over year growth is simply coming off of record highs as opposed to signaling a significant slow-down.  But the slow-down in growth rate in recent weeks could have different implications for equity investors.  Recent research from Morgan Stanley found that the decline in leading indicators is one more notch in the case against higher stock prices (see here for the full report).

Based on the study, which goes back over 30 years, the equity markets are down 80% of the time 6 months after a peak in the WLI growth rate.  Taking a longer perspective, however, the ECRI is likely correct in their optimistic outlook.  12 months following a peak the equity markets have been generally higher.  According to this the bull market might well be intact, but near-term risks remain:

Read more market commentary at The Pragmatic Capitalist >

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Jetter AG complete their portfolio of compact drive controllers by the new JetMove 108 which has especially been developed for the voltage range from 12 to 48 VDC. At a rated current of 8 A the maximum power is 384 W. Thanks to its small dimensions of 136 mm x 96 mm x 26 mm (H x D x W) the housing is very compact. JetMove 108 allows you to run most common motor types, such as servo motors, direct drives, 2- and 3-phase stepper motors, asynchronous or DC motors. The JetMove 108 has got the same characteristic feature as all other JetMove motion controllers. All of them have transparently been integrated into the JetControl controllers and they are programmed and commissioned by means of the programming software JetSym. JetMove 108 also supports technological and special functions, such as dynamically switchable tables, position and speed synchronization, print mark correction, winding mode and flying saw. This small multitalent is apt for applications in all sectors of mechanical engineering.

Pillar’s unique “Split Box” station opens horizontally allowing easy “drop through” thread-up, quick installation and simple maintenance… maximizing productivity.

Easy Installation
Standard mounting brackets and lifting eyes make installation quick and easy. The high voltage transformer is mounted directly to the station with all high voltage connections factory wired and tested.

Quick Start-Up
The easy-thread, “drop through” design enables operators to thread the web through the station in seconds.

Durable
Stainless steel electrodes for reduced contamination and easy cleaning.
In order to protect the treater rolls, a zero speed switch automatically shuts down the power supply when the web achieves low line speeds.
Roll bearings are outside of ozone environment to prolong bearing life.
Easy view windows allow clear unobstructed view of corona discharge.
Electrodes are provided with optimal support to enhance rigidity and eliminate sagging.
Versatile
With Pillar’s stainless steel segmented electrode design and removable electrode styles, users can alter the treat width or lane treat according to application.

Safe
Safety interlocks prevent operation of power supply if access covers are removed or if station is in the thread-up position.
Electrode area is completely covered by lightweight aluminum panels.
Built-in exhaust flanges allow for easy connection to ozone exhaust blowers or ozone destruct systems to protect the plant environment from ozone emissions.

Additional Features Include
Easy roll removal through top of station
Air gap adjustment: two external adjustment screws at both ends of the electrodes
Easy electrode pitch and gap adjust
Carbon ground brushes are used to provide electrical ground around roll bearings
Dual zero speed switches prevent power supply from running if either roll should stop or rotate below the preset level
Mounted high voltage transformer

Cargotec have completed a 3 year trial on a continuos PM improvement, consequently giving major long term benifits and cost savings to the customer.
Cargotec installed the NEW “Filtakleen” unit onto two Hiab Cranes in 2007.
The normal service for the Hydraulic oil and Hydraulic In-Line filter would be annually for this machine and the cranes hold on average @ 200 Litres of oil in the holdind tank.
The “Filtakleen” units, which are manufactured in the UK by Interlube Systems Limited, have todate increased the oil life considerably.
The same oil and same in-line pressure filter is still in service and has not been replaced. The recent Oil analysis taken shows that the oil is cleaner than when the system was first commisioned.
The cost savings are increasing year by year.

The filters are very easy to install and the cost of the units are very reasonable especially considering the Huge savings that can be made both for Hydraulic and Engine Oils.
The filters will filter to 1 Micron and will remove any water content from oils.

Dytran manufactures custom cable bundles for a variety of applications and environments. Whether you are conducting a large scale modal test, remote field NVH test, or are working in an environmental test cell, Dytran designs and manufactures custom cable bundles to fit even the most extreme requirements.

The benefits of cable bundles are numerous. Cable bundles are useful when you have a confusing cable mess, because they tie all your cables together in a single, professional sheathed cable bundle. As a result you will no longer have cables hanging all over the place! These factors improve the organization of your test space, which in turn improves the overall time required to setup and breakdown for your field tests. Since all of the cables are bundled together, the setup and breakdown process is much more efficient.

Another direct benefit of utilizing cable bundles instead of individual cable assemblies is that they reduce the number of errors and mistakes by ensuring the use of the proper cable. Often times when many separate cable assemblies are used, it becomes confusing as to which cable goes where. A packaged cable bundle makes it much easier to wire up multiple sensors over long distances.

Cable bundles also greatly reduce the possibility of cable damage because they are designed with a professional sheathing which protects the cables. Without this extra layer of protective material, cables that are packaged together are more likely to experience damage in a harsh environment. Dytran can use rugged sheathing that is tough and resistant to chemicals and heat. Ultimately the professional sheathing assists in reducing the overall cost of the test.

Dytran has the capability to design and manufacture custom cable bundles to fit the most extreme environments. Bundles vary in the type of connectors, configuration, number of cables to be bundled, the length, cable material and any special protective covering or coatings that may be required. Because of Dytran’s experienced design team and in-house CNC machine shop, we have the ability to make custom cables to fit your specific requirements.

A few of the custom cable bundles Dytran has recently designed and manufactured include:

• Multi-pin LEMO to 4-pin triaxial with polyamide sheathing
• Multiple triaxial cable, 4-pin to (3) BNC
• Multiple 10-32 to BNC with 4-conductor section in the middle
• Up to 20 sections of BNC to BNC with expanded sheathing

economical – fl exible – reliable

Special features:
– Modern servo technology with AMK, Siemens or Rockwell with motion control, in conformity with CE regulations
– Robust and strong steel construction, power coated
– Experienced reliable side sealing
– Continuous operation, no stop and go
– Long service life of the welding tools
– Moveable operation panel with touchscreen
– Fast and easy change-over, user friendly
– Reproducable product parameters / product data memory
– For packaging of different products e.g. wood, mouldings, graphic products, exercise books, paper stacks, candles, colour rollers, game boxes, chocolate boxes, multi-media products …
– output up to 7.200 cycles/h resp. 50 m/min

Euipment:
– Infeed belt / finger chain conveyor
– Film forwarding unit
– Suction belt / outfeed belt controllable
– Film end control
– Film forming tool adjustable on all sides or fix
– Longitudinal seam with trim seal and waste film
– Transverse welding profile element, rewind or overlap welding at top or bottom permanently heated
– Safety protection according to the CE-regulations,
– Gap control for empty bags hinged

This week Sierra Instruments launched a completely redesigned website that features a new Sierra logo. The new landing page video also introduces “Think Ahead”, their new global campaign that focuses on clean energy solutions and provides a PDF download of their new 40-page Sierra Clean Energy Guide. The guide details how Sierra has partnered with customers from all over the world to develop sustainable solutions to some of today’s most pressing environmental problems.

From high performance flow measurement tools that help create biofuel from solid wastes to unlocking the carbon history in Antarctic ice to determine how much CO2 the ocean can digest, the Sierra Clean Energy Guide details a broad range of problem/solution scenarios.

“The environmental and economic challenges we face right now are huge,” says Matthew J. Olin, President of Sierra, “and we’re doing everything we can to support the visionaries that are passionately pursuing a more sustainable future. Our new feature-rich website represents a big leap forward in our ability to meet customer needs. Our new Sierra Clean Energy Guide introduces some of our most innovative partners and the unique solutions we have developed by “Thinking Ahead”…together.

The new website was developed to make it easier for customers to identify and select the right flow control and monitoring instrument they need for their applications and get product information and quotes faster. Access to sales and technical support has been enhanced to rapidly put customers in touch with one of 150 branches in more than 50 countries. New quick links make it easier for visitors to download Sierra’s technical literature, white papers, or view educational videos.
Download a free copy of the new Sierra Clean Energy Guide from Sierra’s website at www.sierrainstruments.com/cleanenergy .

In the November 2009 edition of Laser Focus World, an article mentioned that the out-of-band suppression of tunable laser based on supercontinuum sources is only possible in the order of 10-4. Consequently, these sources can’t be used for excitation.

Photon etc’s tunable laser source has a measured out-of-band rejection in the order of 10-6 and would be potentially better if our measurement system were not limited by the noise floor of our optical spectrum analyzer.

Our Tunable Laser Sources can successfully be used for photoluminescence excitation continuously tunable between 400 nm and 1000 nm.

Designed for direct mounting to the truck power take-off, also suitable for conventional mounting with an intermediate shaft.

Made for demanding duty with timber cranes, general duty cranes, sludge pump trucks, refuse collection trucks and applications with snow plows and salt spreaders.

Our business idea is to develop, produce and market components and systems for operating hydraulic equipment in mobile applications, primarily for trucks.
The concept includes flexibility and customer adaptation of products – the strength of a small company.

A few more from my friend in Texas.