You have to give Sheikh Mohammad Al-Maktoum credit. After borrowing massively from the rest of the world, and then blowing all that cash on ridiculous investments, he’s not afraid to tell the international investing community the truth about how dumb they were.

The Independent: The ruler of Dubai hit out at international investors yesterday as his government’s impecunious investment vehicle revealed plans to restructure $26bn of its debts. Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum said: “They do not understand anything.”

Basically, everyone was a bunch of suckers.

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See Also:

• Jim Rogers Is Amazed Everyone Didn’t Know There Was A Bubble In Dubai
• Dubai Teaches Us How Capitalism Works
• Marc Faber: Dubai Was Just The Tip of The Sovereign Default Iceberg

Cookbook authors Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François of our beloved Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day are back with a whole new collection! This book focuses on loaves made with whole wheat and whole grains, all using their no-knead and fool-proof (yes, really!) technique. The results are delicious and beautiful. Take a look!

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Jeremiah: The Web Strategy Blog isn’t just about me, but the overall community.  One of the key members of the team is Mitch Canter, my web designer, and the guy who keeps my blog and all the features up and running.  I aim to implement many of the social technologies that I cover. It helps me to learn, stay current, and understand the limitations and benefits of the tools, which I pass on to you and my clients.  The following is a guest post from Mitch of StudioNashVegas, about a few updates (based on your feedback) we’ve made this past week:

Mitch: Hey everyone, it’s your friendly neighborhood WordPress guy Mitch Canter again!  I’ve been doing some work to Jeremiah’s site in the last few days, so if you’ve seen any strange goings-on, that’s what it was.  Just to give you a quick update:

1. I’ve updated Jeremiah’s commenting system to DISQUS.  There were a number of different options I could have chosen from, but I use DISQUS on my own personal site, and have had zero problems with it.  The goal is to make commenting more interactive and more conversation-like (which is what Jeremiah’s blog is all about, anyway).  Now, you can reply to specific comments and see the progression.  This will also separate comments, trackbacks, and social media reactions for easy viewing.
2. The “People on the Move” graphic is getting got an overhaul.  Something that goes a little more with the site, and yet sticks out for quick scanning in long content blocks.
3. The static pages have been updated – Jeremiah’s doing a lot of new stuff, so we have to find a nice home for it on his blog.  The pages Speaking and Media have been added in the navigation at the top of the page.  Check them out – he’s got lots of great stuff to share!
4. Other smaller CSS / design fixes have been implemented to tighten up the design and make it look as nice as it can (the biggest one being the increased font size).

So, at any rate, I hope you like the changes and the new commenting system (leave your comments on it below and revel in the irony!).  As always any feedback is appreciated.  You can send it directly to me at [email protected] – I will hopefully get back to you as soon as I can!

I just got a chance to wade through the latest Federal Reserve Bank data on asset quality. Apologies, as these figures, which usually come out around the twentieth of the month after a quarter end were actually out November 16 and are now a few weeks stale.

I haven’t seen much written on these statistics in recent weeks, however and I personally like to track the bad debt debacle using this quarterly data for reasons I have outlined previously, not the least of which is the fact that these are not “mark-to-market” figures. These numbers represent debt at a large cross section of banks that has gone delinquent, i.e., the borrower has stopped paying, rather than write-offs of debt that is expected to go delinquent or has suffered a significant decline in market value. As the recent rally in credit markets has demonstrated, trading values of debt can display significant swings based on factors far removed from the credit worthiness of individual borrowers. You just have to look at what has happened recently with Dubai World’s debt which recovered, post the world financial crisis, to above par only to crash to 40 cents on the dollar in a couple of days – to understand how volatile debt values can be in the marketplace.

Let’s get right to the punchline. The Q3 bank delinquency data are awful in general. The only positive things that can be said about it are:

1) Delinquency rates, while at historically record levels for various types of bank loans, did not accelerate quarter to quarter across the board as commercial real estate and credit card delinquency increases slowed in basis point terms from the Q1 to Q2 09. However, all delinquent loans as a percentage of all loans at banks regulated by the Federal Reserve reached an all-time record high of 6.87%, eclipsing the prior peak of 6.33% in Q1 of 1991.

Read the whole story at Urban Digs >>

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• CMBS Update: $32.6 Billion In October Delinquencies (504% YoY Increase)
• Gartman: Here’s Why Credit Card Delinquencies Fell To 1.1%
• Third Quarter Mortgage Delinquencies Hit New Record AGAIN

The new SIMDOS dosing pump from KNF Flodos of Switzerland has been designed to be especially user friendly. The combination of a clear display, an intuitive interface and a single turn/press knob ensures that all the functions can be easily programmed and started.

Diaphragm pumps are particularly suited to pumping aggressive liquids which are commonly used in Labs. The SIMDOS is available with several different head materials including a highly resistant PTFE / FFPM one. In worst case should an accident occur the head is located outside of the IP 65 housing so that the electronics are protected.

As with all metering pumps the calibration procedure is of upmost importance. In all the pilot tests this has proven to be extremely quick and simple. Once the pump has been calibrated the accuracy lies by ± 2% and repeatability by ± 1%.

The SIMDOS can pump liquids and gases at a flow rate of 0 to 100 ml/min or can deliver dispense volumes from 0 -1000 ml.

The pump is able to run dry without damage and is self priming up to 3 mWg. It can work against a pressure of 6 bar and pump viscous products up to a standard of 150 centistokes. The integrated software allows the characteristics of the pump to be adjusted thus helping to pump different types of liquids. As the SIMDOS is low maintenance, it makes it a very practical and economical solution.

Last but not least, the pump has a slim design and a small footprint so that it does not use up valuable worktop space.

HYW RANGE, WITH POWERS OF 13, 17 AND 20 KVA, ARE
CHARACTERIZED BY THE SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS
OF THE GROUPS, DESIGNED TO PROVIDE POWER IN
THE HARSHEST WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR MORE TIME, THANKS TO ITS ABILITY TO WORK IN HYBRID ENERGY SYSTEMS (SOLAR – DIESEL).

The HIMOINSA power range for telecommunications linking the familiar qualities of HIMOINSA gensets like:

– Greater resistance to inclement weather.
– Central lifting hook.
– Circuit Breaker protection.
– Low noise level.
– Oil extraction pump.
– ATS control panel with HIMOINSA controllers.

With other specifications for the communications sector such as:
– Lightning protection.
– Low water level alarm.
– Greater autonomy: up to 600 liters (depending on model).
– Free maintenance battery.
– Possibility to connect solar systems and UPS.

The possibility of connection with hybrid systems, for power
generation, would lead on savings in operating costs and
depreciation of the system.
This HIMOINSA range has been designed specifically for the
communications market, creating a unique product.

KDS EZflow 2010 is a durable basic syringe pump designed to enhance quick efficient operation while maintaining simplicity. It meets the CE 0197 directive and is EC directive 93/42 EEC, Annex II, Article 3.

The EZflow 2010 System can be used for infusions from 0.1 – 300 ml/hr with 2.5% accuracy.

The easy to read LED display is visible from many angles and shows the flow rate in ml/hr. The display can be toggled to show the total volume delivered in ml.

A wide range of syringes can be used with the unit including 20/30 ml, 50/60 ml and 100 ml.

A rapid delivery key will allow the user to eliminate the dead volume and also eliminate excess air in the tubing prior to delivery of the fluids.

There are 4 visual and audible alarms for occlusion detection, low battery, near end of dispense and complete.

There are two models available for different power requirements, 115 VAC (EZFlow 2010) or 220 VAC (EZFlow 2011). Both units have a rechargeable battery and can operate on 12VDC.

An optional pole mount adapter for maximum flexibility p/n 78-0551 and a 12VDC power plug adapter p/n 78-0593 are available.

KD Scientific designs, manufactures and sells a range of quality fluidics equipment used by research laboratory markets worldwide.

KD Scientific syringe pumps are an economical solution to delivering precise and smooth flow in research, pilot plants and production applications. They are recognized worldwide for quality, accuracy and reliability. A broad line of syringe pumps are offered: from a simple one syringe infuse only, to a programmable multi-syringe infuse/withdrawal pump. KD Scientific operates as a separate business within Harvard Bioscience at their Holliston, Massachusetts facility.

Flight installation and chain assembly made easy!

4B Braime is pleased to announce the launch of the new revolutionary Bolt ‘N’ Go drop forged chain system.

The new Bolt ‘N’ Go system is a very flexible system of high strength hollow pins, heavy duty washers and nylock nuts, which enable bolts to pass through to connect the links together and attach flights.

There are no circlips to become loose and there is no intricate assembly. There is no welding required on the flights, no need to remove chain from the conveyor for installation, and no issues with strength.
Just bolt the links and the flights together. It’s easy, simple and reliable.

The Bolt ‘N’ Go system’s advantages:

– No more welding of flights
– No need to remove chain from conveyor
– Reliable secured link, pin and flight
– Reduced maintenance cost and down time
– Steel or plastic flights

The new NORMACONNECT® RFP is a retrofittable flame protection housing that gives a clear identification whether the coupling is protected or not, and is a reliable flame protector for maximum safety up to 850°C according to latest IACS requirements and ISO 19921 regulations.

Its low weight and straightforward design allows quick, easy assembly without any tools and the builtin flame resistant mineral fibre mat provides a premium level of flame protection.

The new Retrofit Flame Protector NORMACONNECT® RFP has been extensively tested and is approved by Germanischer Lloyd. Approvals are also underway with several major organizations.

“The addition of this easy-to-assemble product to our NORMACONNECT® range, gives us a clear advantage especially in the shipbuilding industry due to its high flexibility” says Wolfgang Herb, Product Manager or NORMACONNECT® FGR product range.

With NORMACONNECT® RFP, which has been specially designed for use with all NORMACONNECT® FLEX and GRIP pipe couplings, you will always enjoy first-class products made entirely from recyclable materials and produced in plants certified to TS 16949 and DIN EN ISO 14001.

For further product information, please visit our website at www.normagroup.com

QC Industries’ new Automation Series low profile belt conveyors are now available with a nosebar tail. It improves transfers of small parts between two conveyors or other integrated machinery.

The nosebar tail offers a slim 11mm outer belt diameter, that, when placed end to end, reduces the gap between conveyors. With a smaller gap, it is easier for small parts to pass across the gap without becoming trapped.

This new option builds on QC Industries’ Tension Release Tail by directly replacing the tail idler pulley. This maintains the push-button ease-of-use of the Tension Release Tail, which flips up and relieves tension for belt changes or under-belt cleaning.

In most cases a nosebar tail can be added to an existing conveyor without even removing the belt. It is fully compatible with QC Industries’ standard MAE white urethane belt, as well as a host of additional belts with special capabilities such as high friction or accumulation.

The nosebar tail is available for all standard Automation Series conveyor widths, which range from 2” to 24”. It is also compatible with both pushing and pulling applications. It is capable of speeds up to 125 feet per minute.

QC Industries’ Automation Series low profile belt conveyors are used in a wide variety of applications including packaging, automation, assembly, medical product and device manufacturing, material handling, manufacturing, and more.

Privately held QC Industries is a lean manufacturer and leading builder of low profile belt conveyors based in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information on QC Industries products or services, visit them online at www.qcindustries.com. You may also reach them via e-mail at [email protected], via phone at (513) 753-6000, or through the mail at QC Industries Conveyors, 4057 Clough Woods Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45103.

CONTACT:

Chris Thompson
Marketing Coordinator
Work (513) 753-6000
[email protected]

Chris Round
Marketing Manager
Work (513) 753-6000
[email protected]
Photos
Nosebar Tail Cutaway View (Includes clipping path)

Dan Loeb has sent out his latest investor letter, in it revealing 19.8% Q3 returns, and a 27.6% gain YTD. (via MarketFolly and Dealbreaker)

MarketFolly: Given that Loeb and Third Point often focus on event driven and arbitrage plays, it’s interesting to see them currently have close to no risk arbitrage positions. They had previously had in excess of 20% of their capital invested in these strategies. This is mostly due to the fact that the Pfizer/Wyeth and Merck/Schering mergers closed, two arbitrage situations that hedge funds were playing heavily.

Loeb’s investment outlook for the next six to twelve months is ‘favorable’ in both the equity and debt markets. He thinks that interest rates will remain low as the government continues to fight unemployment and get us on the road to recovery. On a corporate level, he expects to see “anemic revenue growth but continued margin expansion, increased corporate restructuring activity (spin-offs, mergers, and the like), and earnings that will frequently surprise to the upside. Thus, for equity investors, it is a stock picker’s market on both the long and short sides.” To see what equity positions Third Point is currently investing in, we recently checked out their portfolio.

Third Point Investor Letter Q3 09

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Billionaire Hedge Funder Dan Loeb: I’m Like George Jefferson
• What The Heck Is CareFusion? (CFN)
• Third Point Bets On Blockbuster (BBI)

We’ve discussed in the past why we think that the cable companies’ “TV Everywhere” strategy is destined to fail. If you don’t recall, it’s the way the cable companies are looking to respond to the rise of competition in the form of Hulu, Netflix, Redbox, Boxee and others — not by offering something more compelling, but by putting up a giant wall around content and forcing you to keep your cable subscription (which fewer and fewer people seem to want) if you want to access TV shows online. Reid Rosefelt has a nice rant explaining why this won’t work, pointing out (quite accurately) that all those competitors are winning because they deliver what people want, and locking things up doesn’t make customers want cable any more:

Why do we enjoy free-with-ads sites like Hulu and Crackle? THEY HAVE FEWER ADS! And we can watch what we want whenever we want to.

What do we like about Netflix? For a fraction of the cost of cable, it gives you DVDs by mail plus the ability watch a lot of movies instantly, either on your computer or with their many compatible set-top boxes.

What do people like about Redbox. One buck! Pick it up and return it to the supermarket!

What do we like about cable?

Ummm, cable is a monopoly. You only get one store. You may only want a pair of socks and a shirt, but you are forced to buy a Yankee cap (even if you are a Mets or a Sox fan), cufflinks, perfume, towels, ladies underwear, two ties, a bedspread, low-slung hip-hop shorts, and a lamp. The kicker is that the price goes up all the time and the Calvin Klein shirt you actually came to buy costs extra. And of course LOTS AND LOTS OF ADS!

It’s not that we don’t like cable any more–we’ve always hated it!

But the key insight in the piece is how this, combined with Comcast’s attempt to buy NBC Universal, show the backwards thinking of industry execs:

There’s one tiny hitch though. Every single TV show and movie from NBC and Universal is available for free to anybody who has ten seconds to look for them. So what exactly is Comcast locking up? This isn’t 1995, you know. Either you just shrug your shoulders about file-sharing or you start offering some alternatives that have benefits that people are willing to pay for like Hulu, Netflix, Redbox, and iTunes. Or maybe you work a little and come up with something new? Bill Maher said recently that the Republicans looked into the future and saw… radio. These entertainment giants are looking into the future and they see… cable.

Bingo. It’s yet another case of execs looking to lock up content and block value, rather than providing additional value to users. It’s people thinking about the way things used to work and trying to recreate it with a digital facelift, rather than looking to actually take advantage of what the new technology enables. That’s only a snippet of Reid’s analysis, so go read the whole thing.

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Geolocation is quickly moving from a hyped up concept to reality as various services are beginning to add location features. Twitter has just rolled out support in its API very recently and now Google is implementing a new method of providing location information inside the search results. The search engine announced that it would begin to add a location indicator in some specific circumstances for sites with top level domain names like .com or .net.

“Country-code top-level domains (or ccTLDs) can provide people with a quick and valuable clue about the location of a website—for example, “.fr” for France or “.co.jp” for Japan. However, for certain top level domains like .com, .info and .org, it’s not as easy to figure out the location. That’s why today we’re adding region information supplied by webmasters to the green address line on some Google search results,” Piyush Prahladka, a software engineer at Google, wrote.

The feature will only show up for a few searches, where it would really make a difference. Google exemplifies with a search for “capital city boxing” which yields several results for several underrated boxing clubs in different regions. With the regular search there’s no way to know which is which as they all have a .com domain name. Normally users would either have to refine their search by adding the region … (read more)

If you believe AuthenTec the best feature of the LG eXpo is not its Snapdragon processor, but the fingerprint reader ensconced below its screen.

The above 3 minute video takes us through its various functions, and it does seem like a useful piece of kit.  In my experience with fingerprint sensors however it is usually not as smooth as easy as they make it out to be, but who knows, they may have gotten it right this time.

Of note is that this video shows the screen rotating while in the browser, confirming yet again the device does come with an accelerometer.

The LG eXpo should be available today in AT&T stores.

In this brief interview, Jim Rogers expresses amazement that everyone didn’t know there was a bust coming in Dubai, and he argues, the bust presents a great opportunity for other Arab players that have remained solvent. (via MidasOracle)

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• JPMorgan: Forget Dubai, Stay Long Stocks, And Keep Hammering The Dollar
• Marc Faber: Dubai Was Just The Tip of The Sovereign Default Iceberg
• Dubai Teaches Us How Capitalism Works

	LA Preview: HH2 will be back to tout onboard hydrogen generation. Can you believe it? Some things never change.		Viridian Joule picked as winner of Chevy Volt Paint Color Contest Millions of Americans will reach for the dictionary on this one.
	LA Preview: CMT-380 plug-in diesel hybrid supercar uses microturbine, li-ion batteries It’s unlike any other hybrid, that’s for sure.	Other news: Hydrogen cars + math. Worth the trouble? An adventurer and his Brammo Enertia Spy Shots: Smart ForTwo+2 in the works?

AutoblogGreen for 12.02.09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease associated that affects the central vision – in the middle of your eye. You can have wet AMD or dry AMD. People with AMD lose the sharpness in the center by affecting the macula, the part of the eye that provides you with fine details. Someone with AMD has a dark whole in the center of the vision, but can see peripherally, along the edges.

AMD affects people as they age and is listed as the leading cause of vision loss in Americans 65 years and older. There is no cure for AMD, but treatment can slow down the vision loss. Sometimes, the progress of AMD is very gradual, maybe not even noticeable at first, so it’s essential that it be detected by an eye care professional. Unfortunately, eye exams are not often on the priority list of many people, particularly if they are experiencing financial difficulties.

EyeCare America, the public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, is committed to the preservation of sight, accomplishing its mission through public service and education. They would like to help seniors who need help and are doing so by offering a program called Do You See What I See?

With the holiday season quickly approaching, EyeCare America is working to make people more aware of AMD, its effects, and the importance of eye exams.

The year-round program promotes annual eye exams for people 65 and older, raises awareness of AMD, provides the latest information about treatment options and low vision services, offers free AMD educational materials, and facilitates access to no cost eye care through EyeCare America’s AMD EyeCare Program. The eye exams will be provided by more than 7,000 volunteer ophthalmologists across the U.S. Those interested in the program can call 1-866-324-EYES (3937) to see if they are eligible.

Who is eligible?

The AMD EyeCare Program is designed for people at increased risk for AMD, who:

* Are age 65 and older
* Have not been diagnosed with AMD
* Are US citizens or legal residents
* Have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or more years
* Do not belong to an HMO or the VA

People can call the toll-free helpline at 1-866-324-EYES (3937) anytime, for themselves and/or family members and friends to see if they qualify for a free eye exam.

Callers who have not seen an ophthalmologist in three or more years may be eligible to receive a comprehensive medical eye exam and, in most cases, up to one year of care at no out-of-pocket cost for any disease diagnosed during the initial exam.

Eyeglasses, medicines, hospital services and fees of other medical professionals are not included.

~~~

Image: PhotoXpress.com

Post from: Blisstree

Free Eye Exams for Eligible U.S. Seniors

The new, intrinsically safe Temposonics IS position sensors by MTS assure a safe working environment where ignitable mixtures of materials occur. Developed for the linear position or level measurement in hazardous areas they meet all the requirements of equipment group category II. Along with the corresponding certified safety barriers they can be used directly in hazardous areas of instrument category 1/2G and 2D and in order to that can even be mounted to zone 0.

The IS sensors come along with the dimensions of the product range’s standard transducers. Thus the advantages of absolute, non-contact position measurement are now also available without any additional housing for an environment with high explosion risk. Voltage and current supply is limited so that no ignitable energy arises and potential spark formation cannot trigger any explosion. The surface temperature of the sensors will not rise above 135°C, which makes them applicable almost everywhere.

The intrinsically safe sensors by MTS offer a direct analogue current or voltage interface and additionally feature a signal output inside the sensor head. At measuring ranges of 50-2500 mm they work with an infinite resolution, a repeatability better ± 0.05 mm and 1 ms cycle time. Customer specific programming of set points is possible. The IS sensors are available as profile version for external mounting to the motion axis, as rod model for in-cylinder installation or together with a float as level sensor.

Along with the surging interest in gold, there’s been a lot of talk about so-called “peak gold,” this idea that the world has, or will soon near, its maximum level of annual gold production, and then enter a permanent downward slope.

The whole idea of any “peak” substance started in oil, but believers in it — many of whom are resource pessimists or Malthusians — see the same phenomenon elsewhere.

See the evidence it’s happening in gold >>

Over at The Oil Drum: Europe, Louis de Sousa has put together an fascinating presentation on peak gold, and the evidence that gold production is on a permanent decline globally.

He writes:

For long, I thought that gold production was different from fossil fuel production, because gold exploration has no energy limit, only cost. Gold concentration can vary largely. The contours are uncertain and the limit (cutoff) is an economic cutoff, whereas crude oil deposits are discrete and the concentration is either almost 100% (forgetting water produced with the oil) or 0%. However, oil supply (to satisfy oil demand) includes much more than crude oil or bitumen: natural gas liquids, refinery gains and other liquids from coal or biomass. Unconventional oil is more limited by the size of the tap (speed of extraction) than by the size of the tank (amount of resources).

Gold is extracted in mines at about 4000 meters deep, while coal reserves for instance are limited to about 1800 meters deep and onshore because of EROI constraints (waiting for a breakthrough on in situ gasification). But looking at the problems in South Africa (which for long was the main producer), it appears now that diminishing grade and high energy needs will set the limit. The world’s main gold mine is gold in the sea and no one is even thinking of that!

As a retired oil and gas explorer (geologist/geophysicist), I am very interested in minerals, but I know very little about gold mining. (I did try to pan for gold in Australia.) I have gathered all that I could find on the web, to present the main facts about the main producing countries.

I found that little reliable historical data exists. The main source of production information since 1933, on a country-by-country basis, seems to be the annual yearbooks of the USGS. Unfortunately, some of the amounts shown are not correct even in more recent editions, because past wrong estimates (especially for the FSU) were not corrected. Data for China is not considered as certain as the data from other countries. However, the USGS provides good maps of the country’s gold mines.

Now, see the evidence >>

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See Also:

• 11 Ways To Cash In On Gold