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  • Amy’s Bread by Amy Scherber and Toy Kim Dupree Book Review 2010

    2010-04-07-AmyBread.jpgWhenever we’re in New York, Amy’s Bread is one of the first stops on our list. The rows of burnished artisan loaves and pastry cases of treats draw us like a kid to a candy store, and it’s always agony deciding which one to get. With this cookbook, now we can make (or at least attempt!) some of these same loaves back at home!

    Read Full Post


  • blog post:How much do ‘U-Value’ good thermal insulation? Part VII – “Ooo, shut that door”

    Larry Grayson’s famous high camp catchphrase would be well heeded by those wanting to ensure good thermal insulation. You can make it difficult for heat to leave a room, thus maintain a warm room temperature, by constructing walls and floors of sandwiched layers of various materials, restricting heat transfer to conduction and (in cavities) radiation methods only. Open a door however and cold air will rush in. Open a door just a crack and even a trickle of cold air can result in a substantial decrease in U-value. (more…)

  • Skeptics Climate threat to Greenpeace website – Telegraaf.nl

    Article Tags: GreenViolence

    You’ll be happy to know that there is a strong backlash in Holland against the greenpeace threats, as highlighted on CR.

    Skeptics Climate threat to Greenpeace website – Telegraaf.nl

    All in Dutch, but the essence of it is that two political parties have spoken out against such threatening behaviour.

    The comments are unanimous in condemning greenpeace and suggest people stop subscribing to them and the post office lottery which subsidised them – Hans

    Google Translation…..

    THE HAGUE – PVV and VVD because Greenpeace denounce acts of intimidation and threats from the website of the ‘violent’ environmental club. PVV and VVD Because Greenpeace denounce acts or Intimidation and threats from the website of the ‘violent’ environmental club.

    Climate Skeptics got the lot to choose consistently the Easter weekend in an English commentary on the Global Action Club. Anyone who still doubts the destructive impact of humans on the climate was dismissed as “subsidized” by the oil industry. Anyone who still doubt whether the destructive impact of humans on the climate was Dismissed as “subsidized” by the oil industry.

    Source: translate.google.com

    Read in full with comments »   


  • Unlocked HTC Desire delayed again confirms retailer

    Bad news if you’re waiting for an unlocked, SIM-free HTC Desire in the UK.  Despite the handset arriving on T-Mobile earlier this month, the unlocked version is apparently further delayed.  According to retailer Clove, deliveries to retailers of the unlocked Desire have been postponed (again) until next week.

    HTC apparently expect to begin releasing stock on April 13th – just under a week from now – but there’s no guarantee when a) that stock will arrive with retailers and b) when retailers themselves will begin shipping out the Android 2.1 smartphone.  Clove point out that this isn’t a problem limited to themselves, and that it will affect all online retailers of the unlocked Desire; if a store is telling you they can get the Desire earlier, it’s time to ask some questions.

    As for whether the handset is worth it, check out our full HTC Desire review over at SlashGear for all the details.

    HTC Desire hands-on:

  • Foursquare Is No Fad, Argues Founder Dennis Crowley; Xconomy’s Podcast and Q&A

    foursquare logo
    Wade Roush wrote:

    I may not be the CEO of Xconomy (that title belongs to our founder Bob Buderi), but at least I’m the Mayor.

    I won that distinction last week by checking into Foursquare from our office on Rogers Street in Cambridge, MA more times than anyone else. If you haven’t heard of Foursquare, you’re in a vanishing minority: the location-based social game is this year’s Twitter, in the estimation of Pete Cashmore, founder and CEO of the social media blog Mashable.

    Foursquare players win points, badges, and mayorships by going to destinations such as coffee shops, bars, or museums, and opening the Foursquare app on their mobile phones to let Foursquare know where they are. So far the startup has versions for iPhones, Android phones, and BlackBerry devices. On the social side, players get to see where their Foursquare friends have checked in lately, who else has checked in at their current location, and what those visitors recommend seeing or doing.On the game side, many users make a point of visiting new places or visiting old haunts more often in order to unlock badges, win points, and beat their friends.

    Xconomy Podcast: Foursquare and the
    Rise of Location-based Social Networking

    The Ad Club, April 5, 2010
    Microsoft New England R&D Center
    CLICK TO PLAY

    Launched 13 months ago, Foursquare now has almost 1 million users, according to CEO and co-founder Dennis Crowley. Twitter didn’t reach that point until it was close to two years old. But as Crowley was the first to admit during a recent appearance in Cambridge, the New York-based startup’s fast growth is in large part thanks to Twitter itself: the microblogging service has trained many people to share quick status updates with their friends and followers whatever the time, and wherever they may be.

    Dennis Crowley

    Foursquare is also a product of the spread of the iPhone and other smartphones with location-finding abilities, which spare users from having to specify their locations manually. That’s how Dodgeball, Crowley’s first company and Foursquare’s direct predecessor, used to work.Users manually reported their locations to a central server via text message, then received replies that said which friends were nearby. Mainly used in big cities like New York and San Francisco as a tool for meeting up with drinking buddies, Dodgeball was acquired in 2005 by Google. The search giant never really invested in growing the service, and shut it down in early 2009.

    Foursquare is not just Dodgeball reincarnated. The badges and points and mayorships are all new, and to hear Crowley tell it, they’re a fundamental part of the service’s appeal, both to players and to potential business partners. And while Foursquare is far from the only social network built around the promise of rewards for local check-ins—competitors include Brightkite, Booyah, Gowalla, Loopt, and Whrrl—it’s fair to say it’s the current darling of the social media elite, not to mention Silicon Valley venture firms, who are competing to invest more cash for equity stakes in the the startup.

    In fact, Crowley was on his way home from a series of Bay Area venture meetings last weekend when he stopped in Boston to take in the Red Sox season opener against the Yankees. On Monday, he checked in at the Microsoft New England Research & Development Center in Cambridge for a talk sponsored by the Ad Club, the trade association for Boston’s advertising and marketing industry. I was the moderator at that event, and I got to ask Crowley about Foursquare’s origins, its business model, and the allure of location-based social networking. You can hear the whole conversation, which I recorded on my iPad, by clicking on the audio player above. (You can also download the original 55-megabyte MP3 file to your computer by right-clicking here.)

    In preparation for the Ad Club event, Crowley and I also spoke by phone on Sunday, and I thought I’d pull my notes from that conversation together into the following writeup. It’s a short alternative to the recorded interview, which is an hour long.

    Xconomy: How is Foursquare different now than what you envisioned it might be 13 months ago?

    Dennis Crowley: The big difference from last year to this year is that it’s evolved into a game. When we started it, it was just a reaction to Google shutting off Dodgeball, which was the way me and my friends hooked up and coordinated meetings. The thing we learned after Dodgeball was that …Next Page »

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  • Customized Equipment for Laser Welding, Cutting, Wire stripping, Soldering

    Customers can choose from a menu of options to include the features they need for their laser workstation. By choosing one of our Standard Systems customers can reduce cost and ensure faster delivery.

    ILT systems are highly regarded for their reliability. ILT’s laser workstations are built with proven components and tested thoroughly before shipping which contributes to ILT’s outstanding up-time record. ILT has satisfied customers worldwide.

    Whether you need a workstation that is configured-to-order or engineered-to-order, your ILT station can include fully integrated features such as:

    Vision-assisted automation
    Parts handling
    Motion control
    Programmable Shield Gas
    Hermetic Leak Testing
    Nd:YAG, CO2 or Fiber lasers
    System / Process Statistics
    Basic / Advanced Data Management
    Remote Data Interface
    21CFR Part 11 solution

  • Composite Laminated Shims

    We are a manufacturer and specialist of Custom Laminated Shims based in our own purpose built factory complex, just outside Paris, France with a North American subsidiary in Santa Monica, California and a German subsidiary in Cologne. LAMECO is an ISO 9001 and AS / EN / JISQ 9100 certified; family owned and operated premier quality manufacturing company which has been in business for over nearly 40 years. We have patented and developed five laminated materials and products among those:

    – Intercomposite®: composite Laminated Shims
    Intercomposite® is a synthetic material (glycol polyethylene terephthalate film) offering weight saving benefits (specific weight of 1.395); easily peelable by finger alone without tools; yet possessing higher compressive strength and equivalent thermal resistance to those of Aluminum (specific weight of 2.8).

    – X.Fiber®: high-resistance composite Laminated Shims
    LAMECO manufactures X.Fiber® to a unique proprietary method based on glass fibre technology. X.Fiber® is very light; up to six times lighter than Steels or Brass with higher thermal resistance and equivalent compressive strength! X.Fiber® can be peeled without tools and once peeled the sheets are reusable. This is LAMECO’s premium product– a world beater much sought after by the aviation industry.

    => X.Fiber® and Intercomposite® Shims provide forward-thinking manufacturers with a powerful competitive edge.

  • NEW REMOTE DISPLAY UNITS EXPAND CAPABILITIES OF IMAGE SENSOR AND BARCODE READER

    iVU TG and iVu BCR from Banner Engineering can be set up without a PC

    Banner Engineering has introduced remote display versions to extend the capabilities of its iVu TG Image Sensor and iVu BCR Bar Code Reader. Designed for applications where the sensor must be placed in a difficult-to-reach location, the new units allow setup and inspection monitoring to be done at a remote control position.

    For example, the sensor could be located inside a machine or on an elevated conveyor, with the control unit placed adjacent to a central human-machine interface for easy operator access. One display unit can control and monitor multiple sensors, thus reducing overall cost.

    Applications for the new sensors are found in a wide range of industries, including automotive, packaging, material handling, pharmaceutical, plastics, electronics (PCB and assembly), appliances and metalworking.

    The iVu TG image sensor monitors parts for type, size, orientation, shape and location. It includes a match sensor to determine whether a pattern on the item being inspected matches a reference, an area sensor to detect presence or absence of a particular feature, and an area sensor that adjusts for motion.

    The iVu BCR reads all common linear and DataMatrix (ECC200) codes and includes the ability to read multiple codes of different types in the same image.

    With intuitive user interface and LCD touch-screen display, the sensors are easy to configure with no need for image processing expertise or an external PC. A USB 2.0 compliant host allows easy updating and diagnostics. They have IP67 rated housings for use in harsh industrial environments. Appropriate cables and mounting brackets are available for all applications.

    Single-unit models of both products with identical functionality are available for use where remote display is not needed.

    Banner Engineering is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of vision sensors, photoelectric and ultrasonic sensors, fiber optic assemblies, indicator lights, machine guarding systems, precision measurement and inspection systems and wireless network products. The company provides local application support worldwide.

  • Direct and Permanent Marking of components on high-speed production lines.

    Reggiana Macchine Utensili is an Italian manufacturer leader in Permanent Marking Systems.

    The whole range of products includes controlled-percussion dot marking, laser marking and scratch marking, it is for sure one of the most comprehensive into the market.

    The Marking Machine mod. FIONDA is able to mark up to 15 char/sec and it has been conceived to be perfectly integrated in fully automated production lines.

    The powerful software can perfectly manage texts in line, arched, mirrored, serial numbers, production batches, date, clock, calendar, working shifts, logos and drawings, marking in continuous line, dot-matrix font, 2D Matrix and OCR codes.
    All systems can directly communicate thorough RS232, RS485, TCP/IP, from/to PLC and PC, it can receive from bar code readers, .txt files for automated cycle loop-repetition and via a wireless remote system.

    Reggiana Macchine Utensili is an experienced supplier to several market sectors:
    – Automotive, car industry, Industrial vehicles (manufactures of cars, motorcycles, buses, trains, trucks, planes, boats, etc.)
    – Automation and Robotic, (production and assembly lines, special machines, etc.)
    – Petrochemical, (Flanges, Pipes, Tubes, Valves, etc. )
    – Fluid and Power Transmission, (fluid controllers and distributors, gears, hydraulic components, etc)
    – Heavy Industry, (metal structures, billets, etc.)
    – Forging and Casting, (forged parts and components)
    – Medical and Biomedical, (surgical instruments, prosthesis, cosmetics, packaging, etc)
    – And many others.

    Reggiana Macchine Utensili: a solution for the traceability of your products.

  • The New HygroFlex8 – The All-in-One Industrial Transmitter from Rotronic

    Bassersdorf (Switzerland), 22 March 2010 – The new HF8 humidity and temperature transmitters from Rotronic are ideal for fixed-installation applications requiring high precision measurements. Based on the new advanced AirChip3000 technology, the HygroFlex8 communicates with all HygroClip2 probe types which utilize Rotronic’s time tested sensors and are used in thousands of applications worldwide.

    Precision that is tough to beat
    Together with the digital HygroClip2 probes, the HygroFlex8 is one of the most versatile and precise humidity and temperature measuring instruments available on the market.
    With a measurement accuracy of 0.8% RH and 0.1ÚC, the instruments can measure humidity ranges from 0 to 100%RH and overall temperature ranges of -100 to 200ÚC depending on the type of probe being used. The latest AirChip3000 technology guarantees an automatic sensor test, drift compensation and every probe is temperature compensated with over 30,000 data points to maintain the highest possible accuracy over the entire measuring range.

    The ultimate transmitter in flexibility and configurability
    The HF8 has two probe inputs and the optional HW4 software allows users to configure the connected HygroClip2 or 3rd party analog probes exactly to their needs. Each HF8 has 4 analog outputs and 4 alarm relays programmable to any probe input and any probe parameter, including all psychrometric calculations such as dew point or wet-bulb. Audible and visual alarms can be activated as well. The data logging function on the HygroFlex8 allows recording of up to 20,000 data points with date and time stamp. Users can configure the logging intervals and download, store and graph the data with the HW4 software.

    Completely Networkable
    The optional digital outputs additionally enable connection to a network via Ethernet and Power over Ethernet (POE). All this complies with FDA CFR 21 part 11 and GAMP regulatory requirements when used with the HW4 software.

    The HygroFlex8 is a true “All-in-One” device suitable for use in nearly all industrial applications – in the pharmaceutical and food industries, automotive industry, BAS/HVAC and many others.

    You can find further detailed information about the new HygroFlex8 and all about humidity and temperature measurement at ROTRONIC at www.rotronic-humidity.com, by E-Mail [email protected] or by telephone at +41 44 838 11 44.

  • Capsule Filters

    CP capsules are designed and manufactured by Critical Process for small flow and encapsulated disposable cartridge requirements. CP capsules are offered in a wide range of pleated and depth medias and offered in four grades; general, food / beverage, electronic and pharmaceutical. Each Capsule has been designed to hold the maximum amount of filter media that can be completely and effectively utilized in a capsule. CP capsules lower the cost of filtration and reduce the need for high cost metallic housings. They are well suited for liquids and gas applications with the same attention to quality, traceability, validation and testing.

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  • SFC Smart Fuel Cell and Evergreen Energy Technologies Inc.:

    Partnership to further clean fuel cell power for oil and gas industry in Canada

    Brunnthal/Munich, Germany, and Calgary, AB, Canada, March 31, 2010 – SFC Smart Fuel Cell AG, technology and market leader for mobile and off-grid power solutions based on fuel cells, and Evergreen Energy Technologies Inc., a start-up company in Calgary, Canada, announce their further partnership to market clean fuel cell energy for the oil and gas industry in Canada.

    With the innovation and strength of the two companies a reliable and environmentally friendly fuel cell stand-alone power solution for remote monitoring and service of oil and gas well sites has been created. The “Power Pod System”, developed by Evergreen Energy Technologies, is a completely new and eco-friendly approach which is used to replace pneumatic devices at well sites. For reliable autonomous operation, the system is powered by a hybrid combination of SFC’s EFOY Pro fuel cell and solar. This innovative solution powered by the EFOY Pro fuel cell just received a funding award of $50.000 under the “Alberta Innovation Voucher Pilot Program” by the Government of Alberta, that funds projects with environmentally friendly and energy efficient technologies in Western Canada.

    So far, equipment used to monitor and service well sites and pipelines uses thermoelectric generators, diesel generators, the pneumatic power of venting propane or natural gas coming from the well, or solar power. Drawbacks to each of these systems are cost of fuels, cost and logistics of refuelling, effects of harsh weather conditions, and high greenhouse gas emissions. Powered by the EFOY Pro fuel cell the “Power Pod” generates reliable power for an electronically controlled solenoid injection pump, as well as other equipment. The system easily retrofits on existing well sites and provides automatic site electrical power, in extreme weather conditions with significant economic, environmental, and safety benefits. The cost and environmental advantages are enormous compared to regular pneumatic devices at well-sites, with typical 2.5 year breakeven, and 60% IRR (after tax) and increasing safety due to reduced combustible and toxic gas emissions at the production site. In this application, GHG emissions reductions of over 99% are achieved which corresponds to 170 tonnes CO2 per year per pump.

  • Zaber Technologies Releases XYZ Series Three-Axis Stages – XYZ Stages

    Zaber is proud to release its XYZ Series Three Axis Stages

    Series Overview:
    • 13 x 13 x 13 mm to 450 x 450 x 450 mm travel
    • Built-in controllers
    • Several units daisy-chain to a single serial port
    • Available in various speed / resolution options
    • Combine various Zaber stages to help you build a wide range of multi-axis systems from XY to XYZ Theta to Gantry

    Description:

    Zaber’s XYZ series products are made up of 3 linear stages. They come packaged with all the accessories you will need to operate the linear slides in an XYZ configuration. The XYZ stages are powered by a standard power supply and connect to the RS-232 port of any computer.

    About Zaber:

    Zaber Technologies Inc. was founded in 1997 when precision motion control was typically accomplished with DC motors and encoders. In 2000 Zaber introduced the first daisy-chainable miniature linear actuator based on stepper motor technology with integrated RS232 communications and control electronics in one small package. Since then, Zaber has added over 120 products to its family of precision motion control and laboratory automation devices including linear actuators, linear slides, motorized x-y-z stages, rotation stages, motorized mirror mounts, and micro-stepping motor controllers. More information on Zaber is available at www.zaber.com.

  • New Double Brake Design for Commercial Elevators

    As an added measure of safety, many countries are now requiring that passenger elevators have double redundant braking systems. Last fall, Japan made it mandatory that all new elevators have a double brake and double detection system. In order to meet the requirements in Japan, Europe and other countries, Ogura has developed the double MNB brake for commercial elevators.
    The double brake is basically just that. It is two identical brakes mounted on one adaptor flange. Since the brakes are holding only, when the brakes are required to come on, both brakes operate at the same time, but in case of a problem with one of the brakes, the other one is designed to still have the capability to handle the torque load required. Both brakes are equipped with limit switches, to know when the brake is either engaged or disengaged. Besides the brake models shown Ogura also makes other series of hoist and elevator brakes.
    Ogura has been producing clutches and brakes since 1938. Over that time, we have developed over 5,000 different models of clutches and brakes. Although Ogura primarily produces electromagnetic clutches and brakes, we also produce magnet particle, mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic and a variety of specialty products. Ogura is the world’s largest manufacturer of electromagnetic clutches and brakes. Current manufacturing capacity is over 30 million units per year. To provide localized support, we have fourteen manufacturing plants spread throughout the world in Asia, The Americas, and Europe. All manufacturing facilities are ISO recognized and conform to the ISO 9001;2008, ISO 140001, and ISO/TS 16949.
    If you would like us to build a special product for you or to modify one of our existing standard models, please contact us at 732-271-7361, and we will assist you in finding a product that will meet your needs. Or if you prefer, please visit our website at www.ogura-clutch.com for immediate information. Ogura Industrial Corp. Somerset, NJ.

  • 25W, Low Profile Encapsulated DC/DC Converter – Railway & Extreme Environments.

    The FLP 09R is a recent addition to Absopulse Electronics’ dc/dc converter series designed for low power railway requirements. With a height of just 20mm, this compact 25W unit is suitable for applications with stringent space restrictions. It is fully encapsulated with a thermally conductive MIL-grade silicon rubber compound with a UL94V-0 flammability rating. The FLP 09R operates at full specification over a -40°C to 70°C cold plate temperature range.

    The nominal input voltages are 24V, 36V, 48V, 72V, 96V or 110V dc with wide input ranges; the unit delivers single outputs of 3.3V, 5V, 12V, 24V or 48Vdc. Other input and output voltages are available on request.

    The FLP 09R meets EN 50155 for electronic equipment used on railway rolling stock as well as EN 55022 Class B and EN50121-3-2 conducted and radiated EMI standards. It is designed to meet IEC 61373 Categories 1 A & B and Category 2 shock and vibration standards. The unit has 3kVdc input to output isolation, inrush current limiting and reverse polarity protection at the input. Over-voltage, over-current, short circuit and thermal protection are standard.

  • LXE-Kärv and LXE-Förj new generation Vehicle Mount Computer

    LXE, the rugged mobile computer business of EMS Technologies, Inc., released two updates to its Trux line of rugged Vehicle Mount computers. The Kärv and Förj incorporate sharper LED backlit displays, Intel® Atom and Core 2 Duo processing speeds and mobile radio connectivity into rugged and versatile Vehicle Mount computers.
    The LXE-Kärv is named after a small, maneuverable Viking ship used for battle and merchant missions. The LXE-Förj computer’s name alludes to the strong, precise materials that emerge from a blacksmith’s forge. The units are designed for enterprises that need full Microsoft® Windows® computing power in a mobile environment.
    The LXE-Kärv and LXE-Förj computers are suited for a wide range of Wi-Fi applications; in ports (mounted on cranes and RTGs), warehouses (mounted on forklift trucks and picking trolleys), airports and cold stores. They also handle WWAN applications; for public transport and safety (on-board ambulances and busses), outdoor logistics (in forestry and agriculture) and specialised vehicles (such as bulldozers and piste bashers).
    According to Bill Roeder, LXE vice president of Business Development and Marketing, “Our computers have always withstood the toughest environments with their rugged design. The LXE-Kärv and LXE-Förj computers provide the internal computing power and connectivity that allow our customers to truly leverage that ruggedness to its fullest, by running high-performance applications virtually anywhere their business takes them.” The LXE-Kärv Vehicle Mount computer comes with Atom 1.6 GHz or Core 2 Duo 1.5 GHz processors and up to 2GB of RAM, a 10.4″ touch screen LED display, 802.11 a/b/g + Bluetooth radio and WWAN connectivity. The unit’s compact magnesium enclosure is engineered to handle extreme temperatures, shock, vibration, dust and moisture.
    The LXE-Förj computer, is the Kärv‘s larger counterpart that comes with a 12.1” touch screen and has an outdoor screen option.

    About LXE Inc.

    LXE, a division of EMS Technologies (NASDAQ: ELMG), is a leading manufacturer of rugged Vehicle Mount, Handheld and Hands-Free mobile computers. LXE helps companies extend corporate networks to mobile workers in demanding conditions by providing easy-to-use, tough and reliable wireless computers. LXE products are used by organisations worldwide to drive down costs and improve customer satisfaction. Visit www.lxe.com or www.ems-t.com for more information.

  • New gearbox with spur gear ø30

    NEW GEARBOX MX30

    ø30mm – 0.3…0.45 Nm

    Technical data
    Output shaft material Stainless steel Cover material – Plastic
    Radial play at 5mm from bearing – 0.1mm Axial play – 0.2mm
    Average backlash at no-load – 1.2° Max. radial force at 5mm from bearing – 50N
    Max. axial force – 30N Ratio: From 80 to 1000.. Check out our Website!

  • Digg to Kill Off the DiggBar, Unban Domains

    Digg is going through some big changes and, for once, they’re not related to the upcoming overhaul of the site, dubbed Digg v4. Cofounder and CEO Jay Adelson stepped down from his position on Monday without citing any real reasons. However, a growing disparity between him and Digg Founder and new CEO Kevin Rose may have been at least part of the reason… (read more)

  • Infamous Check Scanning Patents, That Senators Tried To Bury, Wins First Lawsuit

    A couple years ago, there was a really sleazy move by some Senators to try to exempt banks from lawsuits brought by a company called DataTreasury, who held a patent on a method for scanning checks. The only purpose for this legal change was so that banks could avoid having to deal with patent infringement threats and lawsuits for doing something as basic as automatically scanning their checks. What we couldn’t understand is why the Senators would single out two specific patents to be ignored, rather than trying to actually fix the patent system. Well, actually, it wasn’t hard to figure out: the Senators were trying to do the banks (the same ones they were about to bail out) a big favor — and doing real patent reform is difficult. Anyway, that story got some publicity and it forced the Senators to back down, so that specific “exemption” never made it through to being law.

    That said, it doesn’t mean that the patents in question was a particularly good patent. In fact, there’s a good argument that the patent is exceptionally broad, way beyond a reasonable level, and was the natural progression of where things were headed. Others have pointed out that, depending on what the Supreme Court rules in the Bilski case, this patent might soon get tossed under the new rules anyway. In the meantime, though, it hasn’t stopped DataTreasury from collecting $350 million from banks it has threatened, and, as Joe Mullin points out, the company has also won its first patent lawsuit, against US Bank, who will now have to pay somewhere between $27 million and $90 million (depending on how “willful” the infringement is considered). The decision came out of an East Texas jury, so perhaps it’s not surprising.

    Mullin’s article highlights how questionable a patent this is:


    Steve Bartlett, CEO of the bank lobbying group Financial Services Roundtable, says DataTreasury’s suit against U.S. Bancorp is a prime example of why business method patents need to be reined in. The patents don’t amount to an invention, Bartlett says, just a description of a common business practice–processing checks–that has changed over time, as have answering the phone and opening mail. To Bartlett, that such a patent can be used to extract large sums from banks shows how far the patent system has spun out of control.

    “This particular case involves check processing, which every bank in the nation has been doing for 200 years,” says Bartlett. “And yet [DataTreasury] somehow got a patent on it.”

    Furthermore, as the lawyers pointed out at the trial, there appears to be tremendous prior art on the patents in question — and the only way the company was able to secure the patents after they were initially rejected was to add a bit of encryption to it. Under the KSR test, it seems like that alone should invalidate the patents. Taking two known things — check scanning and encryption — and combining them shouldn’t be patentable. But that’s not how the patent system works, unfortunately. US Bank is planning to appeal, and the Supreme Court could help out quite a bit with a smart Bilski ruling (though that may be too much to hope for).

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  • Discoveries at Tanis, and a need for sponsorship

    Tanis/ San el-Hagar website
    From Charlotte Lejeune
    [email protected]

    I have some news from the new lake of Mut, in Tanis (San el-hagar, Egypt).

    I belong to the Tanis French mission (MFFT). After many years looking for the lake at the Mut temple, it finally appeared. And even if I was not there to participate in the discovery, I am very happy it finally occurred.

    There is the link to our web site: .

    We had our meeting a week ago, and our chief, Phillipe Brissaud, explained field issues we are facing dealing with the discovery of engraved and painted limestone blocks in the lake of Mut’s Temple. However, amongst all of these issues, there lies an even bigger problem, a lack of financial resources, a.k.a. sponsorship.

    This is the object of my mail today. Our website has been updated concerning the sponsorship of these blocks to help us excavate, study, and better protect them from the Delta climate.

    So far, only 20 of these blocks have been photographed; but we are expecting hundreds more as the excavation continues. You can find much about these blocks in our online report.

    We encourage you to forward this notice to all who might be interested.