Author: Serkadis

The new transmitter of the series EE061, in the form of a slim probe, allows for the precise measurement of the relative humidity in air from 0…100 %RH.
The main challenge in the development was to deal with the heat generated by the current output. The latest microprocessor technology in combination with excellent temperature compensation and a special design of the electronics have solved this problem.
The EE061 unifies outstanding measurement accuracy with a compact design and a 4 – 20 mA current output.

The electronic board integrated in the probe is protected from external influences by a potting compound of very high quality and therefore usable from -40 to 60 °C. In combination with the for years now proven quality of the E+E coating of the humidity sensor, is the transmitter insensitive to dust, dirt and condensation. The EE061 allows for stable long term measurements in demanding applications like outside, in stables, storage rooms, or greenhouses.

All important information for the user is engraved on the 160 mm long sensor probe by means of a laser and will be still legible after several years of use. The supply voltage for the EE061 is 9 – 28 Vdc. Indifferent of how the probe is connected the protection against reverse polarity prevents installation errors. The fixed connection cable is 0.5 meter or 3 meter long.

It is possible to have an optional 4-wire passive (sink) temperature output. The available accessories like a mounting flange and a radiation shield for outdoor applications completes the flexibility of these series.

(DOE, January 28, 2010) Washington D.C. — U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced today that the Department of Energy has closed its $1.4 billion loan agreement with Nissan North America, Inc. to retool their Smyrna, Tennessee factory to build advanced electric automobiles and an advanced battery manufacturing facility. The two projects are expected to create up to 1,300 American jobs and conserve up to 65.4 million gallons of gasoline per year – an amount equal to six times the oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez in 1989.   “This is an investment in our clean energy future. It will bring the United States closer to reducing our dependence on foreign oil and help lower carbon pollution,” said Secretary Chu. “We are committed to making strides to revitalize the American auto industry and supporting the development of clean energy vehicles.”  Click here to read more…

(DOE, January 29, 2010) Washington, D.C. – As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to restarting America’s nuclear industry, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu today announced the formation of a Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future to provide recommendations for developing a safe, long-term solution to managing the Nation’s used nuclear fuel and nuclear waste.  The Commission is being co-chaired by former Congressman Lee Hamilton and former National Security Advisor Brent Scowcroft.  In light of the Administration’s decision not to proceed with the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, President Obama has directed Secretary Chu to establish the Commission to conduct a comprehensive review of policies for managing the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle.  The Commission will provide advice and make recommendations on issues including alternatives for the storage, processing, and disposal of civilian and defense spent nuclear fuel and nuclear waste.  Click here to read more…

The attentive infosthetics might well remember the post at the beginning of this month about the online interactive map of biodiversity data from the Natural Science Museum of Barcelona. It seems its designers, the data visualization firm Bestiario, had originally planned even more, as today they launched a smoothly zoomable treemap, titled Biodiversity Tree [bioexplora.cat], showing the same dataset. Navigation occurs through clicking unto, or outside of, the individual rectangles, or using the schematic diagram below.

Zoomable treemaps are not a particularly new idea, as one can observe the amazon.com Treemap or the (now defunct) Browse Goods interface, but no implementation has accomplished similarly smooth zooming animations.

Could it these biodiversity data interfaces are still missing some intuitive way for lay people to even get interested in this topic?

(GEFA, January 28, 2010) Atlanta – Innovative energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in Georgia are receiving $10 million in competitive grant funds through the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Competitive Grant Program administered by the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA). The program, which was launched in July 2009, is funding 16 projects as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).  “Energy efficiency and renewable energy are both key components of Georgia’s State Energy Strategy,” said GEFA Executive Director Phil Foil. “The projects we’re funding today will help encourage energy savings and the adoption of renewable energy throughout the state.”  Click here to read more…

A former publications and copy center director for Chicago State University was indicted Tuesday on fraud and official-misconduct charges for allegedly bilking the university out of $65,104.

A Cook County Grand Jury returned the eight-count indictment against Michael Vernon Warren, who will be arraigned on March 2, according to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office, which began investigating Warren in September 2007.

Warren, 60, and his wife owned a business, called the A&W Group, which was paid $251,000 by the university in early 2007 to supply two copying machines and paper for a federally funded “textbooks/teaching and learning materials program,” Madigan spokesman Scott Mulford said.

Warren did not disclose his ownership in the firm when his firm entered into the contracts.

A&W then inflated the cost of the machines by $52,376 and paper by $12,728, Mulford said.

When Chicago State discovered what had happened, Warren was fired and the school repaid the federal government, the school told the Chicago Sun-Times in 2008.

If convicted, Warren could be sentenced to up to five years in prison. A lawyer that the Attorney General’s office said was representing Warren had no immediate comment this afternoon.

Attempts to reach Warren were unsuccessful.

Read the original article from FOX Chicago News.

From the WSJ:

Germany is considering a plan with its European Union partners to offer Greece and other troubled euro-zone members loan guarantees in an effort to calm fears of a government default and prevent a widening of the credit woes, people familiar with the matter said.

The plan would be undertaken within the EU framework but led by Germany, one of the people said. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble… told officials in Berlin on Monday that he had concluded there “was no alternative” to a rescue plan, according to a person familiar with his comments.

Keep reading at the WSJ >

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CHICAGO — The CTA says commuters should allow for extra time, for two reasons: CTA cutbacks mean fewer buses are on the streets. And the buses that are on the streets will have to deal with the snow.

CTA doomsday – meet Chicago snow day.

“The snow is going to make it a little bit more difficult,” said CTA President Richard Rodriguez.

“The rail side is typically not impacted as much by the snow.  But the buses are because of the streets.”

Rodriguez says, allow a minimum of 30 to 45 minutes extra commuting time.

“The goal is to try to get people to and from work as efficiently as they had been previously.  Individuals may not be sitting anymore on a bus, but the goal is to try to get them on a bus.”

Yesterday, commuters told stories of being bypassed by buses too full to take on even one more passenger.

By Steve Miller

Read the original article from WBBM News Radio.

Before its world debut at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show tomorrow, Nissan today released some brand spankin’ new images of the 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition for us to enjoy.

Check out the updates high-res gallery after the jump.

Check out our review of the 2009 Nissan 370Z here.

Refresher: The 2010 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition is based on the 332-hp 3.7L V6 370Z Coupe Touring and features the SynchroRev Match system, a front chin spoiler, a rear spoiler, Nissan Sport Brakes, 19-inch Ray forged aluminum-alloy wheels and a viscous limited-slip differential. The special-edition model gets a premium “40th Quartz” exterior color and red leather interior. Other modifications include smoke wheel finish, red brake calipers and 40th Anniversary badging on the rear hatch and front strut tower brace. Production will be limited to 1,000 units. Prices start at $38,860.

2010 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition:

– By: Kap Shah

We’re still confused by some news publications’ war against those who send them traffic. We’ve already covered some newspapers choosing technical means of blocking aggregators, which is effective cutting off your nose to spite your face, but what about just claiming that it’s illegal? That seems to be the plan of a major Icelandic newspaper, who has put up a new policy that bans ” repeated and systematic” linking to the website (Boing Boing’s coverage implies it bans all deep linking, but that does not appear to be the case). This definitely seems targeted at aggregators, but I’m really not sure how that makes much of a difference anyway. First off, blocking links seems like a silly way to go about running a media publication, but second, just declaring that it’s not allowed doesn’t make much sense. If you really don’t know how to capitalize on incoming traffic, then just use technical means. Insisting “it’s not allowed” when your webserver says “yes, it’s allowed!” doesn’t make much sense.

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It appears that this time China’s posturing is for real.

Following up on our earlier post that Chinese military officials want to “punish” America by selling Treasuries, Asia Times Online is reporting that an explicit directive by the Chinese government has notified reserve managers to sell all risky US assets, including asset backed and corporates, and just hold on to explicitly guaranteed Treasuries and Agency debt.

Continue reading at Zero Hedge »

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See Also:

• Chinese Leaders Threaten To Sell US Debt As Punishment For Taiwanese Arms Sale

Just a couple hours ago, Audi officially took the wraps off of the 2011 Audi A1. We now have a video of Audi’s design chief Stefan Sielaff giving us a tour of the new compact Audi.

Hit the jump to see the video.

Click here to see our original post on the Audi A1.

Refresher: The 2011 Audi A1 will go on sale in Europe later this year with prices starting around 16,000 euros ($22,062 USD). Power will come from a lineup of 4-cylinder engines, which consists of two TDI diesels and two TFSI gasoline units with output ranging from 84-hp to 122-hp. Mated to a 7-speed S tronic transmission, fuel-economy will range from 44 mpg and 62 mpg.

2011 Audi A1:

2011 Audi A1:

– By: Omar Rana

Nissan just announced that its new small crossover SUV, the Nissan Juke, will join the automaker’s lineup in fall 2010. The new 2011 Nissan Juke will make its world debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show next month and will make its North American debut at the 2010 New York Auto Show shortly after.

“The new Juke is highlighted by a highly distinctive design, which includes a robust stance, high waistline, complex curves, coupe-like profile and aggressive wheels and tires,” Nissan said in a statement. “The bold interior design features a wide center console that takes its inspiration from a motorcycle fuel tank.”

2011 Nissan Juke Teaser:

– By: Omar Rana

When concern over ACTA secrecy started picking up a few months ago, one of the industry lobbyist talking points that floated out was “don’t worry about ACTA, because it’s not a ‘treaty’ but an ‘executive agreement’ and thus, it can’t impact US law.” An IP lawyer in our comments keeps making this point over and over again, and arguing that anyone who argues otherwise doesn’t understand the Constitution. Of course, that’s silly. In response to that guy in particular, I’d been doing more research to understand the real differences between a “treaty” and an “executive agreement” and realized that pretty much everyone (including people at the State Departement) admit that the only substantive differences is that you don’t need 2/3 Senate approval for an executive agreement. Otherwise, in every way, it’s just like a treaty. Basically, it’s a way to end-run around a treaty that wouldn’t get approval. I’d been meaning to write up something about this, but it looks like Andrew Moshirnia of the Citizen Media Law Project has beaten me to it and done an excellent job ripping apart the “but it’s just an executive agreement” argument:

When lobbyists and the USTR insist that ACTA won’t change laws very much, I feel like I’m taking crazy pills. Of course it changes the law, why else would it need to be negotiated in secret and why else would it attract so much industry attention and support….

Executive agreements essentially give the President a means to unilaterally control the foreign relations of the United States. Presidents have historically used accords with foreign nations to conclude international pacts without giving the Senate a meaningful opportunity to interfere. See The Destroyers for Bases Deal, Yalta, The Vietnam Peace Agreement of 1973.  The constitutionality of this tool is somewhat dubious: the Constitution does not mention executive agreements, nor do the framers discuss the concept in either the constitutional convention or the Federalist Papers. The judiciary has defended the use of congressional-executive agreements*, provided that these do not conflict with the Constitution. See Reid v. Covert, 354 U.S. 1 (1957).   But hopefully the Court would be more likely to strike down unilateral Executive Agreements. But see U.S. v. Pink 315 U. S.  203, 229 (1942). However, the prospect of an executive agreement is rarely an issue because the mere presence of an existing agreement places an incredible amount of pressure on Congress to go along with the deal.

There have been some congressional efforts to restrain the use of executive agreements and to reestablish the primacy of Congress’ Treaty Power. In 1954, the Bricker and George Amendments, which would have restricted the president’s power to craft executive agreements, failed to clear the Senate, the latter by only a single vote.

While the President has the power to utilize executive agreements, he is not to keep them secret. Eighteen years after the Bricker and George amendments barely failed, and only a few years after the discovery of covert executive agreements with Laos and South Korea, Congress passed the Case Act of 1972. The Act requires the Executive to disclose within 60 days the text of “any international agreement” in which the United States is involved. But this does little to redress the problem of unilateral executive agreements because presidents routinely ignore the statute.

Moshirnia then wonders if the massive unpopularity surrounding ACTA and the process will put renewed attention on this questionable practice of executive agreements:

So to sum up: I am terrified that ACTA is going to be as monstrous as I believe it to be and that the United States will join the agreement by executive fiat. But maybe some good will come out of this–maybe the deep unpopularity of ACTA (trust me, people want their Internet) will force Congress to finally reassert its long neglected Treaty Power and curtail the use of executive agreements. While the Congress has deferred to the President in matters of war, there is no need to maintain such deference if ACTA empowers national ISPs to sever domestic Internet connections. None of this worrying would be necessary if the administration would simply (1) make the ACTA negotiations public, and (2) agree to submit ACTA to the Senate for formal ratification as a treaty. The longer this remains secret, the more users will worry. 

Let your Senators and Representative know that this pointless secrecy is unacceptable. Perhaps your demand will inspire them (either through pride or fear) to reclaim their treaty power and back out of a deal to which they never agreed. 

And… the next time your friendly industry lobbyist insists that ACTA is “not a treaty” so you have nothing to worry about, go ahead and explain why that’s incorrect.

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In May 2009, Hennessey Performance unveiled its performance package for the Cadillac CTS-V sedan. Kicking of the lineup is the V600 package, which give the CTS-V 610-hp, allowing for a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.7 seconds with a top speed of 195 mph. Next up is V650 package, which provides an extra 40 horses.

However, the most exciting of all the packages is the V700 package, which allows for 700-hp. 0 to 60 mph comes in 3.1 seconds. Hennessey recently decided to take the V700 CTS-V to the drag strip where it ran 11.14 at 129.95 mph.

Click through for the video of the V700 CTS-V making its run.

2009 Hennessey Performance Cadillac CTS-V:

2009 Hennessey Performance Cadillac CTS-V:

– By: Kap Shah

Just a little heads up to all PlayStation 3 owners. SCEA has confirmed that the demo of Quantic Dream’s highly anticipated dramatic adventure game, Heavy Rain, is all set to hit the PlayStation Store this Thursday, February

Filed under: Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Videos, Volvo

The 2011 Volvo S60 is ready for its close-up at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, but before the shindig in Switzerland kicks off, Volvo has released a slew of videos showing off the automaker’s newest midsizer.

Aside from some quiet B-roll and a cheesy rock soundtrack, Volvo has demonstrations of its new Pedestrian Detection and Full Auto Brake system, which can identify a pedestrian that’s 31 inches or taller through the use of a front-mounted radar unit and mirror cameras. If it detects an imminent collision, the system applies the brakes and brings the S60 to a halt. The animations after the jump get into the nitty gritty, along with a shakedown of the system in Paris from the camera’s point-of-view and a crash test of the S60. More details coming from Geneva in less than a month.

Continue reading Videos: 2011 Volvo S60 gets driven, animated and crashed

Videos: 2011 Volvo S60 gets driven, animated and crashed originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Commentary: Covered bonds may finally find a footing – By Prabha Natarajan – Covered bonds could be the ticket to the return of U.S. residential mortgage securitizations for U.S. investors. – MarketWatch

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Mortgage giants GSEs in limbo: In housing, a dangerous policy vacuum grows. – THERE IS NO END in sight to the federal bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. President Obama’s fiscal 2011 budget proposal said as much in a few phrases that promised nothing more definitive than continued "monitoring" of the two mortgage giants, which have been operating since mid-2008 in the legal and organizational limbo known as government "conservatorship." – Washington Post

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Geithner Claims Mortgage Modifications a Success Despite House Probe – Millions more Americans are facing financial security as a result of stabilizing home prices, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said Sunday, even though only about 66,000 people have benefited from permanent mortgage loan modifications aimed to prevent foreclosure,a figure that has resulted in a House panel investigation. -  FOXNews.com

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LUMBER FUTURES SURGE BEFORE HOUSING’S LAST GASP – Lumber futures have surged nearly 60% since the beginning of October despite mixed signals in recent housing data … Lumber distributors have been forced to restock supplies as builders anticipate another strong Spring housing season largely due to the home buyers tax credit which ends April 30th. … – The Pragmatic Capitalist

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Mortgage Bankers Association Sells Headquarters at Big Loss – By JAMES R. HAGERTY – … On Friday, CoStar Group Inc., a provider of commercial real estate data, announced that it had agreed to buy the MBA’s 10-story headquarters building in Washington, D.C., for $41.3 million. The price is far below the $79 million the trade group says it paid for the glass-walled building in 2007, … – Wall street Journal Real Estate