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Cuban-American hip-hop star Pitbull is voicing his displeasure over an Arizona immigration law many Americans fear incites racial profiling by pulling the plug on a planned concert in the state’s capital.

The “Bojangles” hitmaker has joined a host of celebrities, including fellow Latin rappers Cypress Hill — who are protesting the new bill — which allows police to detain people they believe may be in the country illegally and calls for state residents to carry identification papers with them at all times.

In a message to his 33,000-plus Twitter fans and followers on Friday, Pitbull — whose real name is Armando Perez — explained his decision to sever ties with Arizona: “I am cancelling my concert in Phoenix on May 31… How is the country we enjoy and love bcuz (because) of its human rights, freedom, opportunity and that has been built by immigrants, now start 2 (sic) deny them?? …It is contradicting 2 everything the Usa stands 4 (sic),” he wrote.

Even President Obama is opposed to the Arizona law, which he believes threatens “to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and our communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe….”

Talk about taking your work home with you. In this example, bride Satoko Inoue, who works for the company that created the i-Fairy robot, married her client Tomohiro Shibata yesterday—with the i-Fairy acting as registrar to the couple. More »










Robotics – Tokyo – Japan – Satoko Inoue – Robot

YouTube is celebrating its fifth birthday with a dedicated channel and a lot of stats. The biggest one: YouTube is now streaming two billion videos every day, a number that is growing rapidly. YouTube’s actual birthday is debatable, but the site won’t let that get in the way of the celebrations. YouTube is arguably one of the biggest sites on… (read more)

So much for that sub-$100 price we were all expecting. If some early prices from Swedish retailers are anything to go by, we’re all going to be scrimping on the luxury eggnog this Christmas. More »










Project Natal – Games – Microsoft – Video game – Business

For motorcycle enthusiasts, it could really be heaven’s gift if motorcycles come from packages delivered by the storks…

This is the kind of fantasy for those wishing hard for a baby. And indeed, once you have your dream motorcycle, we doubt if anything would prevent you from considering it as your baby.

But the point of this is that, you have to go over the tough decision of buying your dream motorcycle.

So how do you go about this business and get the greatest deal and bargain of your lifetime? Well, here are several insights of the choice you can consider in the process of buying your motorcycle…

• Considering buying a used motorcycle – if you are a new rider, it is quite preferable for you to start out with a used motorcycle. This used motorcycle will do nicely up until you get trained and have plenty of practice to spread over.

This could take at least a year. Since new riders are likely to take a few spills early in their motorcycle riding, a new bike in which to practice on might run you into thousands of dollars in repairs.

This incident will definitely not be something that will instill confidence in a rider that’s just starting out honing their skills.

Where can you get to buy your used motorcycle?
Four options can be had:

1. From an auction – you can keep yourself posted for this event and inspect the motorcycles to be auctioned before the bidding starts

2. From a Classified Ad – Not only in local newspapers, you can also check out motorcycle want ads in the internet. You can also check out the classifieds on the various motorcycle forums. Have a local and trusted mechanic check out the motorcycle for sale before deciding to buy it.

3. From a friend – or acquaintance – Tell your buddies, family friends or motorcycle club co-members that you’re on the lookout for a motorcycle that’s for sale. They may know of someone else who has a bike for sale. What’s more your motorcycle club members particularly can be relied upon in choosing the one in good condition.

4. From a dealer of used motorcycles – Consider visiting your local dealer. Trade-ins that are in good condition might be up for sale in a price that would fit your budget. You can also mention your interest to buy to several motorcycle sales people that you know. They might just find you the one you’re dreaming of.

• At last! You earned the right to acquire a brand new motorcycle! Where can be the best deals? Here’s several options:

1. From the Internet – you can use the Internet to do research on the new motorcycle you specifically want to have. There are manufacturers’ Web sites and dealer Web sites where you can read road test reviews, participate in forum discussions about motorcycles you’re interested in.

You can also chat in chat rooms, check out the price ranges and dealers who will sell a motorcycle to you on the Web. Be extra careful, in dealing through the Web. You should meet your motorcycle dealer in a face-to-face decision before deciding to buy altogether.

2. From a dealer – If you’re pretty dead set in buying certain models that are in high demand, dealers can be unwilling to budge on its price. Some are even inclined to charge over the MSRP for the bike. Harley-Davidson dealers can either sell away over MSRP with short or no waiting period or sell close to MSRP with a long waiting period or sell close to MSRP with a long waiting period.

If you decide to buy from a dealer, know what you want first. Make sure it fits your needs and look around and compare before having that talk with a dealer.

• Finally, you are closing the deal on the dream bike you have chosen to buy! What do you do, now?

1. You’ll find that although you’re much too eager to get over and done with the dealing as soon as possible it’s still a good measure to play hardball with the salesperson.

Emphasize that once you have bought your motorcycle you have started a relationship. It’s worthwhile to hint of giving them your other business such as apparel, repairs, and accessories. You’ll get on admirably over the bargains.

2. Always do your homework, not only before buying your motorcycle but during the actual buying process.

Remember that you are up against a pro in negotiations and lack of preparation will cost you big. Get them to throw in some extras after hinting that this is but the start of your business relationship. Take advantage of the dealer’s desire for future business opportunities and sales with you.

Buying a motorcycle is composed of many different ways with lots of choices at hand. You can always choose what would best work for you Use what works for you.

Try to work your way to the best deal or bargain you will fondly remember every time you look at your motorcycle and will give you great pride once you’re riding in it!

Source | Good luck

Toshiba has announced that it is in talks with several automakers regarding the development of batteries for use in electric cars. Toshiba will join Sanyo and Panasonic electronics companies in efforts to partner with automakers for battery development and production.

A Reuters report says that electronics giant, Toshiba, is in the midst of seeking to establish partnerships with major automakers for the production of advanced batteries for use in electric vehicles as they are expected to grow in popularity in the near future.

While at the Global Technology Summit, Toshiba’s head of smart grid, solar power and lithium-ion batteries, Ryuichi Nakata, told Reuters that the electronics giant is “in a development phase with multiple automakers.” Nakata added, “Our strategy is to compete in an open market rather than doing business one-on-one.”

By contrast, Panasonic and Toyota recently announced a partnership for the development of lithium-ion batteries for use in hybrid and pure electric vehicles. Likewise, Sanyo, the world’s largest lithium-ion battery producer, recently teamed up with Suzuki to supply batteries. While some automakers and technology companies are opting for semi-exclusive partnerships, Toshiba is looking to deal in higher volumes by offering itself as a supplier to several automakers.

Leftlane previously detailed Toshiba’s advanced rechargeable SCiB (Super Charge ion Battery), a unique approach to lithium batteries which is expected to offer greater longevity and faster recharge times. Toshiba is currently building a new plant in Japan which aims to deliver 500,000 SCiB batteries per month starting in February 2011. Toshiba anticipates $2.2 billion in annual sales from its SCiB batteries starting in 2015, according to Reuters.

Toshiba currently has a contract with Honda to supply batteries for special electric motorcycles.

References
1. ‘Toshiba develops battery with…’ view

Source: Leftlane

Filed under: Health, Healthy Eating, Holistic Recipe

It’s fiddlehead season in Ontario again and it only lasts a few short weeks. If you’re lucky enough to find these curly little ferns that have yet to unfurl, which is how they got their name, you are in for a treat: They taste like a mix of asparagus or green beans with a touch of artichoke.
In Ontario, they grow along muddy riverbanks (which wild “foodies” love to pick), but they recently ended up in my kitchen when I found them at my local grocery store.

Fiddleheads are a wonderful source of vitamin A, C, potassium, and folate (the B-vitamin superstar for heart health and reduces the risk of birth defects). They are a wonderful addition to any meal as a tasty, vitamin and mineral-rich side dish or the main ingredient in a pesto. I was lucky enough to eat homemade fiddlehead ravioli at a friend’s house on the weekend. Her boyfriend is a seasonal foodie fanatic and my tastebuds were made to feel very joyous!

Recipe after the jump.

Continue reading Healthy Fiddlehead Recipe with Lemon

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Duncan Green considers the implications of spending Oxfam’s money on restoring the well-being of people affected by disasters.

A mosque that Oxfam rebuilt at Pasi Mesjid village, Aceh Province, Sumatra, Indonesia. Photo: Jim Holmes/Oxfam

Should Oxfam’s emergency relief money be used to build mosques? That was the fascinating question that cropped up in a recent internal discussion on faith and development. And it’s not a purely academic one. In Aceh after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, Oxfam said no to one request.  But two years later, after the big Java earthquake of 2006, we said yes.

What happened? The request came in to a small grant scheme for infrastructure, aimed at helping communities recover their normal routines as quickly as possible. While most requests were for furniture and building materials, one community asked for money to buy materials to rebuild its flattened mosque (the community had to contribute labour in return). According to El Tayeb Musa, the Oxfam staffer overseeing the fund for us in Java at the time, we supported it partly because the mosque was also used for community meetings.

The money was duly handed over and the mosque rebuilt, and the community in question was one of the success stories in a badly hit area, rapidly recovering both in terms of rebuilding its infrastructure, but also social cohesion and healing after the psychological trauma of the earthquake. The mosque was at the centre of the rebuilding effort.

El Tayeb stressed the non-religious aspects of the mosque-as-community-centre, but my response to him was “shouldn’t we have funded the mosque even if it was only used for prayer?” If you take the concept of well-being seriously, religious identity is a vital element of the “good life” for many poor people, and going to pray at the mosque is a central part of many Muslims’ daily routine. Restoring the mosque restores a sense of control and order in a world of chaos. On those grounds alone, surely it merits support? This reminds me of the discussion in Vietnam over whether cash transfers can legitimately be used to buy coffins – if poor people define their needs differently from the standard NGO list (schools, food, water, shelter, health clinics etc), how do we react?

This raises some questions:

• What if this was not an emergency and the mosque had not been destroyed, but local people really wanted a nicer one?

• Any non-partisan NGO would presumably fund a religious centre whatever the faith involved, but what do you do in a multi-faith community – especially conflictive ones, for example in other parts of Indonesia in the late 90s, when both Christian and Muslim churches came under attack? Would you run the risk of being accused of favouring one faith over another, and how would you minimise that risk?

• What should be a funder’s bottom line, where it is legitimate to reject the expressed wishes of a community? I once visited a community in the Philippines where a number of peasant farmers displaced by a tourism project had spent their compensation on karaoke machines – presumably this would not be a fundable proposition?

• To what extent should that bottom line be determined by the values of the people who contribute an NGOs’ cash in the first place – that is, does it have to balance a double duty to listen to the expressed wishes both to its supporters back home and the recipients of its cash?

Blurred lines and bottom lines – I would love to hear other experiences and views on this.

Find out more: Oxfam’s emergency response

When we said webOS was brilliant but that the hardware was dragging it down, we didn’t mean for a PreCentral forum-dweller to run it on a Dell laptop. More »










WebOS – Hardware – Hewlett-Packard – Engadget – HpSlate

The Edwin Smith papyrus is one of the oldest medical texts in the world and is an Ancient Egyptian treatise on surgery, particularly after head injuries. In contains perhaps the first ever recognition that a part of the brain can be linked to a specific function as it describes how someone can be left ‘speechless’ after a penetrating wound to their temple.

The Egyptian tourist board has put the full translation of the document online. It seems to be taken directly from the 1920s translation of James Breasted so the language is a little arcane but case twenty is the one we’re most interested in:

Case Twenty: Instructions concerning a wound in his temple, penetrating to the bone, (and) perforating his temporal bone.

Examination: If thou examinest a man having a wound in his temple, penetrating to the bone, (and) perforating his temporal bone, while his two eyes are blood shot, he discharges blood from both his nostrils, and a little drops; if thou puttest thy fingers on the mouth of that wound (and) he shudder exceedingly; if thou ask of him concerning his malady and he speak not to thee; while copious tears fall from both his eyes, so that he thrusts his hand often to his face that he may wipe both his eyes with the back of his hand as a child does, and knows not that he does so…

Diagnosis: Thou shouldst say concerning him: “One having a wound in his temple, penetrating to the bone, (and) perforating his temporal bone; while he discharges blood from both his nostrils, he suffers with stiffness in his neck, (and) he is speechless. An ailment not to be treated.”

Treatment: Now when thou findest that man speechless, his [relief] shall be sitting; soften his head with grease, (and) pour [milk] into both his ears.

I’m not sure if I’d be too pleased to wake up after a serious brain injury to find someone pouring milk in my ears, but then again, I’m not an Ancient Egyptian.

However, the case seems to be a clear case of a type of speech impairment, aphasia, caused by damage to the temporal lobe.

If you’re interested in some background on the discovery and significance of the papyrus, one of the most important in the history of medicine, there’s an excellent article from a previous incarnation of Neurophilosophy that you shouldn’t miss.

Link to Wikipedia on the Edwin Smith papyrus.
Link to complete translation.
Link to Neurophilosophy on the papyrus.

Filed under: Morning Scoop

Each morning, we dish out a few links we love.

Think zits are just for teenagers? As many of us grown-ups have discovered, that’s far from the case.

Is it possible to go 70 years without eating? One Indian mystic claims to have lived on air and meditation only since 1940 — do you believe him?

Want a healthy dessert item? You should give this yummy-looking one from Oh She Glows a try.

Looking for a great way to de-stress? Bond with your pet and get a workout at the same time with these dog-friendly workout tips from Fit Bottomed Girls.

Could you run 56 miles in a Rhino suit? Check out this crazy fitness challenge that recently took place in South Africa.

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IBL2401 is a remarkably compact intelligent minidrive based on the Technosoft MotionChip™ DSP Control Technology. IBL2401 measures only 60 x 44 x 16 mm and weighs just 60 grams. This minimal size compact unit embeds motion controller, drive and PLC functionality, and it controls brushless, step, DC or linear motors up to 25 W (24 V, 1 A). The drive can be mounted right beside the motor, all cables and maintenance thus being significantly reduced.

With IBL2401, motion programming can be done from a CANopen master via a PC / PLC using the appropriate motion library, or directly at drive level, using the built-in motion controller and the EasyMotion Studio platform. Its embedded motion controller uses the same high-level motion language for all motor versions, making their technology differences transparent to the user.

Using the powerful TML programming, you can really simplify complex applications by distributing the intelligence between master and drives. Thus, instead of trying to command each step of an axis movement from the master, you can program the drive in TML to execute complex tasks, and to inform the master when these tasks have been completed.

Motion modes as contouring, profiling, gearing, electronic camming, PVT are easily executed in stand-alone or multi-axis operations. IBL2401 is equipped with several sensors: incremental encoders, digital and linear Halls. Communication can be done over CANopen, CAN, RS-232 networks, or Ethernet through an external adapter.

All these features – intelligence, miniature size, easy implementation, compact and cost-effective design – make the Technosoft IBL2401 the perfect motion control solution for all high-precision applications, ranging from medical to factory automation.

Lasermak Cutting machine, CO2 Flying Optic Laser cutting machine.
Plasma Cutting Machine,
CNC Punch Press,
CNC Synchronized Hydraulic Press Brakes,
Heavy Duty Press Brakes

NC Press Brakes,
Hydraulic Variable Rake Guilotine Shears,
ironworkers,

New equipment dedicated to laboratories, research centers, universities and to cure small parts in composite . Manufacturing 100% French , in our workshop near Lyon, according to Europeans legislation DESP 97/23/CE for pressure vessels.
This standard autoclave very economical, will be fully mounted on a platform with all equipments pre wired and with all safety devices. Easy to install.

FEATURES :
Int Diameter : 1000 mm
Working Length: 1500 mm
Pressure max: 10 bar
Temperature max: 220°C
Thermocouples: 4 à 6
Vacuum zone: 2 à 4
20°C à 220°C: 3°C/min
220°C à 60°C: 3°C/min
Supply power: 125 Amp, 410V

Included:
· Control system
· Vacuum pump 17m3/h
· Water tank
· 2 water pumps
· Air Blast Cooler
· Internal trolley
· External trolley
· Silencer

Fully tested in our workshop, a pre commissioning
report will be sent before shipment .

A free-standing, self-draining emergency shower and eye/facewash system for outdoor/indoor use. This self-draining emergency shower and eye/facewash prevents hot stagnant water inside the shower. The product is extra suitable in warm climates.

The eye/facewash is activated through a push-plate and the body shower is activated through a pull handle or a pull rod for crawling person. The safety station is delivered with galvanized pipes, green/white striped tape, spray heads made of ABS-plastic and shower head in powder coated stainless steel.

KENNEWICK, Washington – May 14, 2010 – Bruker Elemental announces the winner of our S1 Sorter giveaway contest.

David Londeen of Metal Finishing Co. in Wichita, Kansas USA was the winner of the recent S1 Sorter giveaway contest. Congratulations David!

The S1 Sorter is a handheld XRF analyzer; ideal for Positive Material Identification (PMI) applications involving stainless steel, carbon steel, low allow steel, etc.

COLUMBIA MARKING TOOLS AND I-MARK™
ADD NEW MANUFACTURING REPRESENTATIVE
Sheffield Companies in Keller,Texas to represent Columbia Marking Tools throughout the Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, & Louisiana

Columbia Marking Tools and its new division, I-Mark™, have added Sheffield Companies to their growing list of distributors and manufacturer’s representatives in an effort to ensure more thorough sales and service coverage to their customer base in Texas and surrounding states.

Sheffield Companies offers the personal service of a well versed representative in the laser marking industry, Brad Sheffield. Brad has over 11 years experience in all aspects of the laser and steel marking industry. Brad’s unique operational experienced combined with his degree in Science Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University makes him a valuable addition to the CMT/I-Mark sales force. He also has owned and operated his own company for 5 years.

Sheffield Companies represents companies who produce equipment and supplies for marking and labeling of various industrial products (plastics, glass, wood & metals.) Companies that manufacture and custom precision fabricated components out of plastics, metals & ceramics.

Columbia Marking Tools and I-Mark™ are a leading designer and manufacturer of metal and plastic marking equipment including stamps, roll marking dies, roll marking and impact marking machines, fully programmable laser, dot peen and scribe marking and UID/2D Square Ù Dot® machines, marking machine software, numbering heads and special marking machines. Columbia Marking Tools, Inc and I-Mark™ are also a Certified Cognex Integrator.

• Numerous applications in Particulate Matter Emission Control of boilers, kilns, and furnaces and Product Recovery in the Chemical, Food and Pharmaceutical industries.

• Can achieve efficiency over 99 %, depending on particulates sizes and distributions. High efficiency for particulates < 10 µm! • Can replace baghouse filters, lower maintenance cost (no replacement parts), higher operating temperature, fire resistance, low pressure drop, aseptic product recovery avoiding cross-contamination, few compressed air consumption. • Can replace ESP, lower power, lower investment costs, indifferent to particle resistivity.

Self-Cleaning HYDRA Nitrate Analyzer System For Water Quality Monitoring Saves Time & Money
Ideal For Wastewater and Large Clean Water Reservoir or Distribution Systems

Featuring a precision nitrate ISE electrode sensor with an integral self-cleaning sprayer, the new HYDRA Nitrate Analyzer System from Electro-Chemical Devices, Inc. (ECD), offers superior measurement, monitoring and control with virtually no maintenance.

The highly intelligent HYDRA Nitrate Analyzer System measures the concentration of dissolved nitrate as nitrogen (NO3–N) in water. The sensor uses two electrodes to determine the NO3–N concentration: a nitrate ion electrode and a chloride ion electrode. An optional electrode is also available for pH measurement.

The system’s HYDRA Analyzer is configured to periodically actuate a cleaning cycle using the integral spray cleaner in the nitrate sensor, minimizing the formation of biofilms or other coatings on the electrodes and keeping maintenance to a minimum. The cleaning cycles feature a user configurable period and duration. During the cleaning cycle the 4-20 mA output is held at either a preset value or the last value.

While useful in all types of water treatment applications, the HYDRA Nitrate Analyzer System is especially well suited for municipal wastewater treatment plants. Nitrogen primarily enters a municipal wastewater system as ammonia/ammonium compounds. Nitrification oxidizes the toxic ammonium ion into a much less toxic nitrate ion using an aerobic activated sludge process.

De-nitrification reduces the nitrate ion (NO3-) to nitrogen gas (N2) through an anoxic reaction in the same treatment basin or in a separate anaerobic digester. The NO3–N measurement helps optimize the methanol being fed to the digester, whichminimizes cost and provides trend measurement of the total nitrogen (TN) in the effluent.

The nitrate ion electrode provides the primary measurement. A second electrode measures the Chloride ions in the sample. The HYDRA Analyzer subtracts the appropriate amount of signal from the nitrate measurement for accurate monitoring. The sensor also detects temperature, and the analyzer provides a temperature-compensation calculation for superior measurement accuracy.

The rugged nitrate sensor offers 1.25-inch NPT rear facing threads for attaching an extension/immersion tube for easy installation from catwalks or handrails. Internal signal conditioning allows the sensor to be mounted up to 200 meters from the analyzer. The sensor is extremely low-maintenance, featuring a movable electrode guard to facilitate easy electrode replacement when necessary.

ECD’s HYDRA Nitrate Analyzer System measures nitrate and chloride in concentrations from 0.1 to 1000 ppm, pH from 0 to 14 and temperature from 0 to 50°C (32 to 122°F). Accuracy is ±3 percent of reading with a response time of T90 1 minute.

Featuring a backlit LCD display that provides up to 4 lines of text and graphics, the HYDRA Analyzer includes two 4-20 mA outputs with two SPDT alarm relays. Input power is 110/220 Vac. It is housed in a rugged NEMA 4X enclosure.