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Here’s one of the problems with carbon credits — It is very easy for developing countries to game the system. They can essentially say that they were planning to do something environmentally damaging, then switch to a ‘greener option’ and collect carbon credit income. Yet if the greener option was their original intent then the credits haven’t actually created any additional carbon savings.

The latest evidence comes from China where the U.N. on December 4th refused to approve ten wind farms near Harbin due to the fact that the  projects would have happened with or without the sale of carbon credits.

Projects like these get paid for doing absolutely nothing extra. To be fair though, it’s not clear whether the real problem here is China, or rather the way carbon credits are calculated. They didn’t write the rules after all.

Business Week:The 10 Chinese wind farms were rejected, in part, because U.N. officials fear Beijing is actually reducing its financial support for wind power as a gambit to help the country’s clean-energy projects qualify for carbon payments from abroad.

The Chinese government may be doing this by cutting the rates the wind farms will be paid for electricity, according to the U.N. officials.

The Harbin wind farm’s developers initially estimated the project would earn an annual profit of 8.76%. That would have made the wind farm ineligible for carbon funds, since the cutoff to benefit from credit sales is 8%.The Chinese government apparently responded to the situation by reducing what it had been expected to pay for Harbin’s electricity, pulling the project’s profit margin below 8%.

On Dec. 4, the U.N. announced that it would stop what appears to be China’s attempt to game the system. Lex de Jonge, chairman of the U.N. committee overseeing carbon credits, said in a statement that his panel “must safeguard the environmental integrity of the [carbon market].” He added: “This means registering only projects that would produce emission reductions that are additional to those that would take place without the project.”

Read the entire article here.

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See Also:

• Obama Will Promise To Radically Cut Carbon Emissions
• How China Thinks China Can Reduce Carbon Emissions
• Let’s Plant Fake Trees To Capture Carbon

While the Le Web conference in Paris was focused on startups, there were a lot of big names talking and making announcements as well. Google was represented at the highest level with VP of Search and User Experience Marissa Mayer discussing some of the new products from Google, as well as some future plans in an interview with TechCrunch’s Mike Arrington.

The interview starts off with a look at Google’s most recent products which all seem to be pointing to its plans beyond the text search. It recently launched Google Goggles, its experimental approach to visual search which allows users to take a picture of an object and get more information on it automatically from Google using a variety of technologies with the focus being on OCR (optical character recognition) and image recognition. Mayer said that visual search was still very much in the early days and that the technologies had to get significantly better before it became a viable alternative for the mainstream.

She added that voice recognition technologies were much further along. Google Voice search also got updated recently and the tool is becoming a viable option, especially on mobile devices. This is even more important now that mobile search is seeing a huge growth in usage spurred by the increasingly powerful mobile de… (read more)

PRINCIPLES:

Device to be used with portable facing and boring machines TU 400, TU 600, TU 1100 and TA 240.

APPLICATION:

Allowing to perform all angles from 0° to 180°.
With standard casing tools in automatic mode, no numerical control needed.

This device can be adapted to all portable pneumatic facing and boring machines SERCO for the realization of RING JOINT, LENTICULAR JOINT etc.
It is supplied in a small container including several cutting tools.

This device can be used with each kind of facing and boring unit SERCO – TU 400, TU 600, TU 1100, TA 240, by means of a specific adaptation.

TECHNICAL FEATURES:

AC 38 used with SERCO machine TU 400 & TA 240/120 TU 600 & TA 240/170 TU 1100& TA 240/220
Ø Min. machining Ø 100 mm 150 mm 200 mm
Ø Max. machining Ø 320 mm 580 mm 1000 mm

Adaptation on SERCO machines TU and TA fitted out with the boring heads:

– Modification of the facing tools-holder to be used with the machines.
– Modification of the boring heads to adapt the AC 38 device.

CONTACT AND INFORMATION

PROTEM SAS
ZI LES BOSSES
F-26800 ETOILE SUR RHONE
FRANCE

TEL +33 4 75574141
email : [email protected]

PCB Automotive Sensors Division introduces Series 5400 Wheel Force Transducers (WFT), for road load data acquisition applications. PCB® Series 5400 Wheel Force Transducers are designed as rugged one-piece sensors that mount between the vehicle hub and the wheel rim, delivering highly accurate road load data measurement and superior performance in a durable water-resistant package. Possessing superior temperature compensation properties and integral overload stops, these sensors provide a high level of confidence in data acquired during aggressive road events, including heavy braking tests.

Available in a wide variety of sizes for vehicles including passenger cars; light-, medium- and heavy-duty trucks; commercial vehicles including tractor trailers, buses, agriculture, and earth-moving equipment; and military vehicles. Passenger car and light truck units use a custom hub adaptor to accommodate a wide range of vehicle sizes while maintaining vehicle geometry. Heavy truck units mount directly to the vehicle hub. All units can be fitted with either slip ring or telemetry signal transmission, and come equipped with on-board signal conditioning and calibration circuitry for each channel of data measurement, making their setup and use with the Transducer Interface Unit (TIU) quick and easy.

These sensors are also ideal for calibrating and adjusting biaxial wheel test machines; drive-file development of full vehicle and module test systems up to 6 Degrees of Freedom (DOF); and product development of stability control, brake systems, suspension, and tires. To best meet your needs, Series 5400 units are available in light-weight aluminum, high-strength stainless steel, and titanium. All units accept modified rims, mounting a wide range of tire sizes, wheel diameters, and offsets. Special one-piece, forged high-strength aluminum rims are available for heavy truck applications. A universal hub adapter is available that allows for front steer, dual drive, trailer, and tag axles as well as various super single rims for extra wide tires.

PCB Piezotronics, Inc., has aggressively lowered the price of their high-quality low profile and rod end style load cell sensors and at the same time improved their stock program designed to provide customers immediate delivery, thus creating the best overall value for customers.

Market- and performance-proven, PCB® Series 1200 Low Profile, Series 1400 Fatigue-Rated Low Profile, and Series 1300 Rod End Load Cells are rugged sensors utilized in the automotive, aerospace, industrial, and commercial product industries. PCB® Series 1400 Fatigue-Rated Low Profile Load Cells are manufactured using premium heat-treated, fatigue-resistant steels and are ideal for system or component durability testing, performance evaluations, or structural testing. PCB® Series 1200 and 1300 general purpose load cells are suitable for a wide range of tension and compression measurement applications including component testing, quality control and material testing. Whether the application requires the enhanced durability of the Series 1400 or the versatility of the Series 1200 and 1300, a load cell from PCB® is the best option.

PCB® stocking program allows these popular products to be stocked and ready to ship to ensure customers receive fast delivery on every order. Quality products, lower prices and faster lead times, coupled with the PCB® Total Customer Satisfaction Guarantee, equals the best value in the industry.

LAP has further enhanced the accuracy of its CALIX sensors in strip gage measuring applications. The systems now reach the same or even superior levels of precision as radiometric systems, which so far have been the most commonly used systems in rolling mills. Thanks to their compactness, the new systems can be easily integrated into existing process lines, without having to take any conversion measures on site. Their operation does not require any radiation protection measures to be taken.

LAP has developed a new generation of laser-based thickness gages, representing a cost-effective alternative to radiometric systems. Comprehensive measurements have shown that the new CALIX sensors operate with a measuring accuracy of +/- 4 µm and a repetition accuracy of +/- 0.4 µm (2 Ã) over the complete measurement range of 0.02 – 30 mm.

CALIX systems work entirely independently of the strip properties. Therefore it is not necessary to input any chemistry and density data for the strip or store such information in a database, as required by radiometric methods. This feature prevents any hidden, material-inherent error propagation due to material inhomogeneities in the strip material. “Thickness noise” known from radiometric systems or the source noise occurring with isotopic systems are things of the past.

The high level of measuring accuracy and the compact design make CALIX systems a highly attractive alternative to radiometric systems when building completely new or upgrading existing rolling mills. Due to the moderate expense of the optics and evaluation electronics and the low calibration and maintenance effort, CALIX is a highly cost-effective solution.

As the measuring frame is extremely compact – the system requires a maximum clearance of 400 mm in the rolling direction – existing radiometric systems can be replaced without rebuilding the mill equipment. Existing devices for retracting the frame can be continued to be used.

There is up to 200 mm clearance between the legs of the C-frame, avoiding any risk of collision when measuring wavy material or during strip threading. From now on LAP will deliver the CALIX systems with leg lengths of 1,000 mm. A measuring frame can accommodate several pairs of sensors for different measuring tracks. As an alternative option, it is also possible to use a measuring frame equipped with only one pair of sensors and traverse it across the width of the strip.

It’s not easy for export-oriented machine and plant manufacturers, because the maze of rules and regulations in the USA poses considerable problems to many. One of the reasons: more and more federal states are adopting the new National Electrical Code (NEC) Edition 2008. A reference is made there, in Article 670 (Industrial Machinery), to NFPA 79 Edition 2007. According to this, for example, the use of AWM leads (Appliance Wiring Material) is only possible to a limited extent. In the meantime, 29 of the 50 US federal states require this new NFPA 79 standard to be followed. In the other states, local inspectors still decide what is allowed and what not. Conclusion: anyone wishing to be certain and not looking to encounter any operating prohibitions is best advised to comply with the new NFPA 79-conform and listed leads.

The Stuttgart-based Lapp Group has already aligned itself to the latest US standards and at this year’s SPS/IPC/DRIVES (24th to 26th November 2009) in Hall 6, Stand 350, it will be showcasing its extended, comprehensive product range of new UL-listed leads.

Much sought-after, in particular, are the new ÖLFLEX® CHAIN 879 and its screened version ÖLFLEX® CHAIN 879 CY. “Because of the high demand, we have already had to boost availability for our customers”, said Product Manager Volker Huber. This UL MTW listed, highly-flexible cable for power chains is approved for all wiring between constantly moving machinery and machine parts located in power chains as well as industrial machines. The lead is enormously oil-resistant (OIL RES I & OIL RES II). This is why it is especially suited for use in wet areas with metalworking cutting machine tools. Its highly-flexible structure enables small bending radii and protects the conductors from breakage due to vibrations. It is also flame-retardant and designed for up to eight million alternate bending cycles. The screened CY version also has a tin plated copper wire screening braid.

The NFPA 79-conform cable range also includes ÖLFLEX® connecting and control cables as well as UNITRONIC® data cables in the TRAY II, CONTROL TM, CONTROL M, VFD, Auto-X, Auto-I versions and the UNITRONIC® 300 data cable.

The ultraminiature SRF300 and SRF303 relays are designed to provide a practical surface-mount solution with improved RF signal repeatability over the frequency range. These relays are engineered for use in RF attenuator, RF switch matrices, ATE and other applications that require dependable high frequency signal fidelity and performance.

Features/Benefits
– High repeatability
– Broader bandwidth
– Metal enclosure for EMI shielding
– High isolation between control and signal paths
– High resistance to ESD

Teledyne Relays is the world’s innovative leader in manufacturing ultraminiature hermetically sealed switching products, with more than 40 years heritage in military programs. Our comprehensive product line meets wide-ranging requirements for the defense and aerospace markets, also offering high-performance solutions for industrial, professional, commercial and medical switching applications.

SMAC Inc., Carlsbad, California. SMAC aims to replace 5 percent of pneumatic devices that are used in today’s industrial applications within the next 5 years. SMAC electric direct drives utilize moving coil technology, are versatile, long life, robust, and provide high reliability in comparison to conventional pneumatic devices.

The linear movement is generated by a voice coil and high strength neodymium magnets. The coil is mounted on a linear guide which is the only contacting part; increasing the life of an electric actuator to more than 10 times that of a pneumatic actuator. SMAC moving coil actuators have no mechanical backlash which significantly increases position accuracy and speed. Some units can reach acceleration up to 50G.

The position repeatability of +/-2 encoder counts is controlled by a linear encoder with a resolution of 20, 5, 1, 0.5, 0.1 or 0.05 microns. SMAC electric actuators combine high precision and accurate control of force, speed and position. They are utilized for high precision applications such as laser cutting, part feeding and component pick and place. Precise force control eliminates any damage when soft-landing on a surface.

Complete direct drive systems with actuator, controller and cable are priced from 1000 US dollars. This price favorably compares when taking into account the unit’s long life, low maintenance costs, and exceptional reliability. The low power consumption of SMAC actuators means that the energy they use is typically less than 5 percent of a comparable pneumatic device.

Given the choice of a big platter of cookies and treats, our hand naturally gravitates toward the ones with nuts and caramel in evidence. We can’t help it! We love the combination of tender, slightly crunchy toasted nuts with gooey, sticky caramel. Which one of these tempting recipes do you think we should make this weekend?

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This month in the whole grain baking series we are going to experiment with whole grain forms of corn. Corn is a good source of vitamin A, manganese and potassium and it contains protein. In fact a new study shows that corn has the highest level of antioxidants of any grain or vegetable – almost twice the antioxidant activity of apples.

• Whole Cornmeal/Stone Ground Cornmeal (fine, medium or coarse)(Note that most of the cornmeal (read Quaker brand’s) found in regular supermarkets in the hot cereal aisle is de-germinated, in the sense, it is not whole grain. You can find whole cornmeal in the organic aisle or health food stores. The label should mention either whole or stone ground.)
• Popcorn
• Whole Grain Corn Grits (whole kernels chopped into bits. For whole-grain corn grits, search for those labeled “speckled heart grits”, one of the few types processed from whole kernel corn. Cooks in about 50 minutes).
• Hominy (a type of dried corn that has been cooked with an alkali to separate the inedible hull from the kernel. Cooks in about 90 minutes after overnight soaking. Available forms: whole kernel, grits).

Like any other whole grain flour whole cornmeal too should be stored in an airtight container in the freezer, to keep the oils in the germ from going rancid. This would give a shelf life from 4 to 6 months. Store dried whole kernels and popcorn in sealed plastic or glass containers. This should keep good for a year.

Since cornmeal is gluten free, it has to be accompanied by some wheat flour. I was able to find Bob’s Red Mill brand medium grind whole corn meal in the organic aisle of the grocery store. What I noticed was the corn meal being medium grind the cake I baked was gritty. It did not cook completely. So I processed the remaining in the food processor a couple (this is an understatement, I had to do it a lot) of times to get a finer texture. So I would suggest getting the finer one or have the patience to grind it.

• King Arthur’s Whole Grain Baking
• Food Network
• Whole Grains Council

• King Arthur’s Flours
• War Eagle Mill
• King Arthur’s Whole Grain Baking (This book is worth buying or at least borrow it from your local library. The collection of recipes is amazing).

1 Bake anything egg less using one or more of the whole grain forms of corn (whole corn meal, popcorn, hominy).

2 Post it in your blog between Dec 10th 2009 and Jan 10th 2009. The dish can be anything sweet, salty or spicy. The recipes must be either vegetarian and eggless or vegan. If the recipe is from books/blogs/websites, please link back /mention the original source.

3 Multiple entries are more than welcome. Recipes posted prior to the announcement of this event are also welcome provided it qualifies the above criteria and is linked back to this event. Reposting is not necessary. As always there is prize for this event too and old entries will also be considered.

4 Email me your name, blog URL, name of the recipe, recipe URL, photo in 150w x 120h size to wholegrains(at)egglesscooking.com with Corn as the subject.

5 Non-bloggers you can submit your entries in Eggless Cooking Forums under Share Egg Free Recipes. You have to register first and it’s free! Send me an email after updating there and I’ll include it in the round up.

When we get hungry while out shopping for gifts, we usually end up with an overpriced scone from Starbucks or something from the nearest drug store. Always unprepared! But we’re trying to be proactive, which is why we’ve made a list of quick snacks that we can stash in a purse. As for that smoothie, above? One word: thermos.

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London, Acre Resources

An exciting and innovative enterprise that refurbishes and lets low-carbon offices is seeking an Occupancy and Marketing Director.

My client refurbishes existing offices to a high sustainability standard, allowing them to operate with very low carbon emissions. These buildings are then let to organisations looking to minimise their environmental footprint. The Occupancy and Marketing Director will provide leadership across all letting, occupancy and marketing related activities.

Your primary responsibilities will be two-fold, sourcing and attracting occupants, whilst providing on-going support to ensure they make the most of their energy efficient surroundings. In addition you will have responsibility for the brand and other communication assets of the organisation.

The successful candidate will have first class communication skills with an existing network of relevant industry contacts. In addition you will need to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of all aspects of office redevelopment, letting and occupancy.
 

Slashdot points us to the news that a lawsuit against Netflix and Blockbuster for patent infringement has been dismissed by a California court. At issue was a patent, 7,389,243, that is for a method for alerting users to the status of their rental queue. Read through the claims and look at the drawings and try to figure out how such a patent was possibly approved. It’s patents like this one that make people question what patent examiners actually do. So it’s nice to see the patent holder sent packing, though you have to wonder if GameFly, who had previously settled a lawsuit over the same patent is now regretting that decision.

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Despite a very grim outlook for Greece and its potential for imminent default, Eurogroup chairman Jean-Claude Juncker says everything is fine and not to worry:

Reuters: Jean-Claude Juncker, chairman of the Eurogroup of euro-zone finance ministers, said on Thursday Greece would not go bankrupt so there would be no need for help from the European Union.

On the sidelines of a meeting of the conservative European People’s Party (EPP) in Bonn, he also said Greece’s budget was very strained and the government there would take measures to consolidate it.

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See Also:

• RBS: Relax, Greece Will Be Fine, And The World Is Recovering Nicely
• Dubai World To Sell Overseas Assets, Retain Private Equity Arm
• The 10 Countries Most Likely To Default

Forget the search wars, forget real-time, forget Twitter, there is only one real battle for the web right now and it’s between Facebook and Google. What’s more interesting is that Facebook seems to be winning. This battle, to be the web’s identity provider, pits Facebook Connect against Google Friend Connect and, while Google can still boast the wider adoption, it’s the former that wining the major customers. Now, one year after being launched, Facebook is revealing some impressive stats attesting to the program’s success.

“Over the past year, Facebook Connect has brought an end to lengthy registration processes on many websites, provided a new way to interact with your News Feed on sites like Yahoo!, MSN and iGoogle, and empowered you to take your Facebook identity and friends to technologies such as Nintendo DSi, Xbox and iPhone apps,” Ethan Beard director of the Facebook Developer Network writes.

“From social widgets like the Comments Box, Share button and Live Stream Box to deeper integrations including log in, Facebook Connect is helping developers drive more traffic to their site, ease the registration process, and provide a more engaging experience for users,” he added over at Facebook’s Developers site.

So, what has Facebook Connect accomplished in a … (read more)

It will be an important next few days for gold, it would appear. This chart is looking extremely ugly, and without some support, it could get much worse.

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See Also:

• Gold Is On A Four-Day Losing Streak (GLD)
• Peter Thiel: Gold Is The "Anti-Investment" (GLD)
• As Gold Slides, One-By-One, The Haters Come Out Of The Woodwork

Global imbalances may not have been at the root of the financial crisis -- as some had warned -- but they're still dangerous.

Problem is, there's no great replacement for the dollar.

"You can't take the U.S. debt off the table quite yet," says AEI resident scholar Desmond Lachman, but adds that "I don't buy the notion that this whole crisis was because we had global imbalances."

Lachman's remarks came at an AEI event on the the subject, "Global Imbalances: The Next Crisis?" also featuring University of Virginia economist Frank Warnock.

Yesterday, we brought you Warnock's assessment; today, we bring you Lachman's.

SEE WHY GLOBAL IMBALANCES ARE BAD, BUT WHY WE CAN'T DITCH THE DOLLAR EITHER>>>

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See Also:

• The Global Rebalancing Nightmare Has Yet To Begin

We know that in the long-term, investor Jim Rogers thinks the dollar will be worth as much as toilet paper. But in the short term, he’s joined the ranks of those who think the beleagured greenback is in for a pop.

Reuters: Over the past couple of months I have been accumulating U.S. dollars … because there are too many bears,” Rogers told the Reuters Investment 2010 Outlook Summit in New York.

 

But he said the global financial crisis is merely in a temporary reprieve. Longer term, huge U.S. government debt issuance and a debilitated dollar will drag the world into a deeper crisis, he said.

 

There is a strong possibility that within the next three years or so that longer maturity U.S. government bond yields could reach double digits, as in the early 1980s, he added.

Read the whole thing >

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See Also:

• Jim Rogers: Commodities Will Go Up No Matter How The Economy Performs
• PIMCO: Strong Dollar Supporters Will Create The Next Crisis
• Dollar Worriers: Are They Legitimate, Or Just Cranks Who Hate Obama?