Entries Tagged 'Industrial Tools' ↓

(PhysOrg.com) — Every vehicle has a magnetic field, and researchers have now found that a vehicle’s magnetic field has an inverse relationship with distance at small distances. the relationship provides a way to estimate a vehicle’s position using its magnetic field when the vehicle is less than a few meters away, which could be useful for detecting imminent collisions just before they occur.

S. Taghvaeeyan and R. Rajamani of the University of Minnesota have published their study on using vehicles’ magnetic signatures for position estimation in a recent issue of Applied Physics Letters.

“the main sources of magnetic fields are the magnetized steel belts in the tires, the ignition, the alternator, air conditioning system, speakers, etc.,” Rajamani told PhysOrg.com. “the significant metal in the engine block, transmission, driveline, etc., can also be magnetized.”

To measure a vehicle’s magnetic field, the researchers used anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) sensors on the vehicle that’s doing the measuring, while the other vehicles do not need to be equipped with any kind of device. the AMR sensors, which contain silicon chips with a thick coating of piezoresistive nickel-iron, can detect a change in the ambient magnetic field induced by a passing vehicle. the change in magnetic field causes a change in the resistance of the nickel-iron layer in the AMR sensors. While measuring a vehicle’s magnetism has previously been used to measure traffic flow rates on a road, it’s never been applied to estimating the distance between two vehicles.

In their study, the researchers performed a theoretical analysis and experimental measurements with different vehicle types to determine exactly how the magnetism relates to distance. they found a clear non-linear relationship between the measured magnetic field and distance below about 6 meters.

“in general, the magnetic field for a magnetized body varies with the powers of the inverse of the distance,” Rajamani said. “in the case of cars, we were able to show in this paper that cars have a magnetic field and that the variation could be described by a first order inverse relationship with distance.”

However, the researchers also found that this relationship depends on the type and size of a vehicle, and also changes from one location to another. To estimate a vehicle’s position without knowing these variables, the researchers found they could use two AMR sensors separated by a certain distance along with an adaptive estimation algorithm. as long as an approaching vehicle is close enough to affect both AMR sensors, the two sensors can accurately estimate its position, regardless of the vehicle type, vehicle size, or general location.

The magnetic field technique is not the first attempt at measuring inter-vehicle distances. Currently, some luxury vehicles use radar or laser sensors to measure distances to other vehicles. however, these sensors have two drawbacks: they cannot measure distances of less than 1 meter, and a typical radar distance measuring unit can cost over $1000. in comparison, the AMR sensors can measure distances of less than a meter and cost less than $10.

“the sensors will be useful for detecting an imminent collision,” Rajamani said. “the sensors will provide information on the relative velocity and position of the impending crash on the vehicle. This could be used to pre-tighten seat belts, inflate airbags and deploy other active structural enhancement measures that can protect the occupants in the car during the crash.”

more information: S. Taghvaeeyan and R. Rajamani. “Use of vehicle magnetic signatures for position estimation.” Applied Physics Letters 99, 134101 (2011). DOI:10.1063/1.3639274

Copyright 2011 PhysOrg.com. all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written permission of PhysOrg.com.

AWE Night of Legends: old stars burned out, new starts shining bright. as a sports columnist, I’ve seen a lot of professional sport events in my time. Naturally, when the title "AWE – Night of Legends" flashed across my screen with the subtext "professional wrestling", I was intrigued. Especially considering I wasn’t really aware that other pro-wrestling companies existed other than the WWE and a few other minor leagues. upon further inspection, I learned that some of the wrestlers I grew up watching were part of the show, such as "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Fit Finlay, Kevin Nash, and Ricky Morton (of the Rock And Roll Express). Needless to say, I was extremely interested.However, my passion was soon derailed, as I learned that my former favorites have lost a couple of steps. Finlay could still swing like a champ, but Jim Duggan seemed as though he only attended the event due to having the day off from his day job. it was almost embarrassing.what really shocked me, though, was the amount of passion I saw the younger talent. You could tell they knew the world was watching, as they did not disappoint.One of the young participants, a guy named Jamen Olivencia, was extremely impressive. not only did his pre-match interview really make me hate him (which was likely the intention), but his match really opened my eyes. Like previously mentioned, I haven’t seen much outside the WWE, but Jamen and his opponent, Sonjay Dutt, really went at it like a pair of gladiators. I had no idea that wrestling moved this quickly. Jamen and Sonjay stole the show, period.Other than those two, there was a guy who went against Finlay named Alex Silva that really caught my eye. Finlay doesn’t seem like he’d be a fun guy to wrestle, because he seems like he makes you earn a win, but Silva really earned his spot in the ring. I wasn’t too fond of seeing Sunny out there, but whatever. I was shocked, happily, to see Silva win. Jim Duggan’s opponent also showed a lot of heart, a guy named Mohammed Akbar. he was the perfect opponent for a guy like Duggan, as it was a very big USA vs. the world-type atmosphere. Akbar came across as a seriously evil guy, and seemed a little too comfortable being the bad guy.there was very little otherwise worth mentioning, other than a surprise appearance by DDP and a midget match. Other than the young guys, I was a little disappointed. AWE has a solid roster with their younger wrestlers, so maybe they should stick to having them around.

Yes?

get the paint off without messing up the wood?

MOP AND SHINE!!! youll have to scrub a "little" bit , but then you wipe it off and it removes only the paint, and makes the wood shiny and clean.

If it is latex, water should dissolve it over time.

If the floor has any type of finish on it, it will peel off after it dries.

If you are using a water based or latex paint use a product called "oops" it is carried at Sherwin-Williams. it is basically a concentrated soap and water mixture that should not hurt you wood floor as long as you don't let it sit for a long time. if your using an oil or alkyd paint use mineral spirit, you can also find this at Sherwin- Williams. it should also be OK on your floor if not left for too long.

If you own a small business, having a Facebook page lets you reach individuals among the 500 million or so users worldwide who are most likely to be interested in your company. your interaction on the social network gives customers the sense that they know you and your business, which can increase loyalty and make them more likely to recommend your services.

On Facebook you can easily add features that are harder to implement on your website. You can build a custom page, run contests and promotions, and manage a small e-commerce shop. plus, Facebook is free. Even if you pay for custom applications or a developer’s services, it remains a form of advertising with a small price tag.

The potential reach of a Facebook page is huge, as half of its users–some 250 million people–log in every day. Facebook studies show that people interact with their favorite brands on Facebook more than on any other social network, are more likely to recommend a brand after becoming a fan of it on Facebook, and are more likely to purchase a product after becoming a fan. In addition, anyone outside Facebook can view your Facebook page because search engines index it.

Establishing your Profile and Page Admins

Before creating your Facebook fan page, you must establish a personal Facebook profile. the individual in that profile is the creator of the fan page. as a result, the subsequent Facebook business page doesn’t have a separate login from that of the individual user who created it.

Many people are nervous about mixing their personal information with their business information, but the two are conceptually separate. You’ll interact with the business page as the business, and on your personal profile as yourself. Only administrators and the owner of the page can see other page admins. thus, when I interact on my Facebook page, (Anti) Social Development, I post as that company and not as Kim Woodbridge. People who interact with my company page don’t see my personal profile.

If you aren’t going to be the only person working on your business’s Facebook page, you’ll need to select admins. To do this, fill in the appropriate data in the ‘Edit Page’ section under ‘Manage Admins’. the admins either must be Facebook friends of yours, or must be identified by the email address they use for Facebook.

The admins you designate won’t need your login to access the page, and once they log in as admins, they’ll have access to page-editing features. for example, I’m an admin on a number of business pages and can access all of them by logging into Facebook, so I don’t need anyone else’s login data.

Be careful, however, to add only people you trust as admins. Any admin can remove any other admin, even the owner of the page–a structural flaw that Facebook needs to address. if you add a developer or other person to work on your page temporarily, I recommend removing that person from admin status as soon as the job is done.

Creating a Facebook Page

From your Facebook profile page, click the Pages header in the left-side navigation. Next, click the Create a Page button, and select the type of page–Local Business or Place, for example, or Brand or Product. You’ll see a number of fields to fill out, such as your business category, name, and address.

Next, click the get Started Button, and Facebook will guide you through the rest of the setup process, step by step. if you skip any of those steps, you can fill them out later on a new page in the Facebook welcome section, which only page admins will see.

Information to Include

When Facebook walks you through the initial steps, it will request information about your business–a logo for the page avatar, details for the About section, contact information and hours, and the URL of your website.

If you want Facebook to pull in your blog posts automatically, an application such as Networked Blogs can help. each time you publish a new post to your blog, Networked Blogs will import the post and add it to the Wall of your Facebook business page.

Among the Facebook applications that come with your page by default are Photos, Links, Events, Notes, and Video. You can’t remove the default applications, but you can set them not to appear in the left-side page navigation.

After completing the first steps, you’ll want to customize the public appearance of your Facebook page with designed appropriate for your business.

Next page: should you build your own custom page, or hire a pro?

Building your Custom Page: DIY or Hire a Pro?

When you create a custom Facebook page, it appears as an additional page along the left side of the page navigation. A custom page includes your own text, images, videos, newsletter sign-up, and so forth–all specific to your business and branding. You can designate a custom page to be the default page that people see, in place of your Wall.

A custom page will allow your business to stand out from others. People are 40 to 50 percent more likely to like your page and become a fan if you have a custom tab as opposed to the generic standard Facebook page, according to BrandGlue, which tested a Facebook fan page with the custom tab on and again with it off. A custom page lets you can add branding and increase customer engagement.

Should you create your own custom page or hire a professional? here are some factors to consider:

• Do you have time to create a custom page?

• Do you have a server to host your page on, if you plan to build the page with iframes?

• Do you know HTML? Many third-party applications require at least a basic knowledge of HTML, and you must know it to build a custom page with iframes.

If your answer to any of these questions is no, you should hire a professional. otherwise, go ahead and create your own custom page.

Building a Custom Page with a Third-Party App

Various third-party applications are available for creating a custom Facebook page. they are useful if you don’t know HTML or you don’t have a Web server but you want to dress up your page with images and text in a custom layout.

One such tool is Pagemodo, a simple WYSIWYG editor that lets you create a layout and edit sections by clicking on each part and adding the content. You can also easily change fonts and colors via the online editor. Pagemodo doesn’t require any knowledge of HTML; it has a point-and-type interface, and a version containing all of the tool’s basic features is free.

Third-party applications like Pagemodo are easy to use, and they let you quickly craft a custom page. But they lack the design flexibility of a page created with iframes, and they leave you dependent on them. if a free service suddenly decides to charge a fee or goes out of business, you’ll be out of luck. DIY types will also prefer to build their own page.

To get started with Pagemodo, go to its website, and click start Now! Connect with Facebook. A standard ‘Request for Permission’ pop-up box will appear; click allow. if you have more than one Facebook page, a pop-up box will ask you to select the page that you want to add the tab to. Alternatively, you can click a link to set up a new Facebook page. Click the choose button. the site will then present you with an array of templates to choose from in creating your page. Most of the templates are free, but some are available only with the paid version of Pagemodo.

To create a custom page with Pagemodo, first select a theme and then modify it by selecting the layout and colors you want to use. Selections made on the left will appear on the right. Now you’re ready to edit content. Open the Edit Content tab, and click any element on the right side of the page in order to edit it. for example, click an image area to upload an image there.

Pagemodo’s ‘Like Gate’ feature is available only with paid accounts. it requires vistors to ‘Like’ your page before they can see its content. Businesses frequently use this arrangement in connection with coupons or other special offers, but it’s unnecessary if you don’t plan to offer those to customers.

The Publish step is where you select a name for your custom page tab, and where you can share the page with friends or fans. if you’re using the free service, you’ll have to ‘Like’ Pagemodo’s Facebook page, and a link to Pagemodo will appear at the bottom of your custom Facebook page. the app will display a final preview of the page so you can edit it before publishing. Once you publish the custom page, it will appear live on your Facebook fan page.

Next page: How to work with iframes for more complex pages…

Build your own Custom Page with Iframes

An iframe is code used to pull content from one website into another.

You’ve probably seen them used with Google Maps and Calendars. for instance, you can pull a Google map of your business location into your Web page via iframe code. Facebook uses similar code in its iframe application, allowing you to pull a Web page you’ve created into a custom Facebook page.

To build a custom page with iframes, you must know HTML and have experience with creating Web pages and uploading them to a Web server.

Start by creating an HTML, PHP, or other type of Web page and uploading it to your Web server. if you already have a business website, you’re good to go, though you may need to adjust a page to satisfy Facebook’s size restrictions. Facebook has established a maximum permissible width of 520 pixels, and pages work best at between 480 and 500 pixels wide. the iframe application will later import the page you made into Facebook.

Once you’ve created the page to import into Facebook, you’ll need to create the iframe application. You perform this step at the Facebook Developers site, a subsection of Facebook. if you’ve never used the Developers site before, you may need to create a new account using your existing Facebook login. Click Apps in the top navigation bar, and then click the Create new App button. after you create the app, you’ll be on its basic settings page. it should already have your email address filled in and provide you with an application ID and application secret ID.

To add your own custom icon to the page, click the Edit icon within Facebook. You’ll find the icon in the left-side navigation next to the name of your custom Facebook page.

In the ‘Basic Info’ section, fill out the App display name field. This is the name of your custom page within the Developer’s area, the name of your application in your Edit Page area (as discussed below), and the name of your custom page. You can rename your custom page in the Edit Page area, meaning that you don’t have to display the name that appears in the ‘App display Name’ field on your Facebook page.

Next, click the App on Facebook section and fill out the Canvas URL field. (Starting on October 1, filling out this field will be mandatory.) This consists of the URL to your uploaded page without the name of the page included–for example, yourdomain.com/facebook/. Now go to the section at the bottom called ‘Page Tab’ and create your Page Tab name.

You must also identify the ‘Page Tab URL’–the full URL to the page you created, such as yourdomain.com/facebook/demo.html. (Starting in October, you’ll need a secure Page Tab URL.)

On the left, under ‘Settings, Advanced’, are the ‘Canvas Settings’, which determine page width and height. You should be fine with the default values, so save your changes. on the left side of the page, under ‘Related Links’, click View App Profile. From that page, click Add to my Page. if you administer more than one Facebook page, select the correct one.

Go to your Facebook page and click the Edit Page button at the top right. Select Apps in the links along the left side. Locate the app that you just created, and then click Edit Settings to add the tab to your page. (Select Edit Settings a second time if you want to rename the tab.)

Remember that the Facebook page, via an iframe, is importing content that you’ve uploaded separately to your Web server. if you want to change the content on the Facebok page, you must first edit the file that you created for your website and then reupload it to your Web server.

SSL Requirements

As of October 1, all Facebook applications will be required to have SSL certificates to ensure secure browsing over Facebook. since Fcaebook considers a custom page created with iframes to be an application, the server that your page is hosted on must have a SSL certificate; otherwise, people won’t be able to view your page. ask your Web host for more information about SSL certificates and their cost. Once you have the certificate, fill out Facebook’s Secure Canvas URL and Secure Page Tab URL fields for your application.

Other Third-Party Apps for Facebook Pages

Various other third-party applications can help you build a custom Facebook page. be sure to review the cost and the requirements of each before selecting one. Not all of them are free, and many require at least a little knowledge of HTML.

Wildfire is best known for its applications that allow you to run a contest or sweepstakes on Facebook, but the service also has a custom page tool. it is currently free but Wildfire plans to charge for it in the future. Apparently, free users will be grandfathered in to the paid version.

Involver has a suite of applications for Facebook. Static HTML pages will create a custom page tab. the application requires knowledge of HTML. You can use two of Involver’s applications for free; but using additional ones will trigger a fee.

Iwipa is a free application for Facebook pages; it doesn’t require any knowledge of HTML.

What to Seek in a Professional

There are a number of questions to ask when hiring a professional to create your custom Facebook page. first, ask to see a portfolio of the person’s work. Even designers who don’t have a lot of experience should have created some sample pages.

You’ll also want to know the cost, payment methods, and terms, and how long the project will take. A single Facebook page should run between $200 and $500. other questions to ask: will the designer be hosting the page, or do you need your own server? How will SSL be handled? will the designer create the graphics or will you be responsible for providing them?

Next page: Now you’ve got a page. What’s next?

Managing your Page

You’ll manage your Facebook page in Facebook’s ‘Edit Page’ section, which includes a number of tools and useful resources. From your Facebook page, click the Edit Page button, which defaults to the ‘Manage Permissions’ screen.

The ‘Manage Permissions’ screen contains a number of useful sections.

Your Settings: This section includes posting preferences–which determine whether the page or the personal profile will make wall posts–and email notifications.

Manage Permissions: This section determines page visibility, age and country restrictions, the default landing tab, and whether visitors are allowed to post on the page.

Basic Information: the fields in this section are specific to your business: address, phone number, about, hours, email, and the like.

Profile Picture: You’ll use this section to upload or change the logo displayed on your Facebook page.

Featured: This area is designed for managing pages that the page has liked as favorites, and for displaying information about the page owner.

Resources: This section contains tools for promoting your page, linking your page to Twitter, sending an update to your fans, and advertising.

Manage Admins: the owner of a page is also an admin. In this section, you can designate additional admins. as noted earlier, though, any admin can remove any other admin–including the page owner. so add only trustworthy individuals as page admins.

Apps: This section is the place where you manage any the Facebook applications associated with the page, including both default applications and custom ones.

Mobile: This location handles setting up mobile email, the iPhone app, and text messaging.

Insights: Facebook pages statistics appear in this section, which we’ll discuss in more detail in the next section.

Help: This is Facebook’s help section.

Checking Page Statistics

Facebook provides basic statistics about traffic and visitors to your page in the Insights section of the Edit Page.

The Insights section consists of three subsections: Overview, Users, and Interactions.

Overview: the overview subsection displays ‘New Likes’, ‘Lifetime Likes’, and ‘Monthly Active Users’ under ‘Users’, and ‘Post Views’ and ‘Post Feedback’ under ‘Interactions’. the default time frame is the past month, which can be changed to the past week or to a custom date range. You can export this data to a CSV or Excel file.

Users: This subsection provides more-detailed information about the page visitors, such as gender, age, location, and referers. In the screenshot above, for example, you can see that most of the page’s visitors are male, and between the ages of 25 and 34, and from the United States. Such information can help you determine the customers that your business best serves.

Interactions: This subsection provides statistics on post views, post feedback, number of views per post for the previous month, and activity on the page. if visitors aren’t allowed to post on the page, no data will appear under the page activity section.

If you build a custom page with iframes, you can add tracking code from Google Analytics or other stat-tracking programs.

You should now see the benefits of having a Facebook page for your business and have the information you need to create a custom page with your own branding. make sure that you post interesting and useful content regularly to keep people interested. Maintaining a Facebook page that lacks activity and interaction is worse than having no Facebook page at all.

On my own Facebook page, I post links to my articles, but I also provide other content and links that will interest my visitors. your visitors will appreciate a personal touch, too, such as your asking them questions about their favorite product, their favorite software, or even their plans for an upcoming long weekend. the more you interact, the more engaged visitors will be with your business. And there is nothing better for a business than postive word-of-mouth recommendations.

Kim Woodbridge is a freelance Web developer specializing in WordPress and Facebook. she blogs regularly at (Anti) Social Development. You can check out her Facebook page and follow her on Twitter as @kwbridge.

On Saturday, the 18-year-old Driskel could add starting quarterback at Florida to his growing list of accomplishments.

Driskel is expected to become the first freshman to start at quarterback at UF since Chris Leak in 2003 when the Gators play at no. 1 LSU. Florida coach Will Muschamp has yet to name

Driskel the starter, but acknowledged he was “ahead” of quarterbacks Tyler Murphy and Jacoby Brissett this week in practice.

Success has come quickly to Driskel. according to his high school coaches, it hasn’t come without hard work. Driskel earned a 3.94 grade-point average in high school while putting in time on the field as well.

“He’s the single hardest-working kid I’ve coached in seven years of high school baseball,” said Oviedo Hagerty baseball coach Jered Goodwin.

Goodwin has mentored Driskel, teaching him in three classes while coaching him in both high school and the AAU-league baseball traveling circuit. Goodwin is convinced that Driskel, a power-hitting center fielder who could run the 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds, would have been taken in the first round in last June’s amateur baseball draft if he stuck with baseball.

“he probably turned down $2 million to be a Gator,” Goodwin said. “There’s not a lot of people who could do that. at the end of the day, he came to me and told me he thought it was best for him to go to (Florida) early. I was supportive of him because I knew that’s what he really wanted.”

Driskel enrolled early at Florida as a 17-year-old last January to get a jump on learning the offense. he worked his way up to second on the depth chart and played the second half against Alabama when starting quarterback John Brantley was sidelined with a high ankle sprain.

“we have the ultimate confidence in Driskel,” Florida sophomore receiver Andre Debose said. “I feel like he can get the job done.”

Debose said that Driskel has progressed in his 10 months on UF’s campus.

“his whole attitude has changed since the time he’s been here,” Debose said. “he let us know he doesn’t even consider himself a freshman anymore.”

That maturity doesn’t surprise those that are closest to him.

“He’s a serious kid,” Goodwin said. “He’s serious about his academics, serious about athletics, serious about his relationships and his family. he likes the little things. He’s like a 12-year-old trapped inside a man’s body. He’s got that kind of sense of humor. And he enjoys being around his family and friends.”

Driskel was born in Jacksonville, the son of a Naval senior chief. the Driskel family moved to Japan when Jeff was 7. Driskel’s father, Jerry, was assigned to the U.S. Naval Base in Sasebo, Japan.

In Japan, young Jeff played baseball and made friends on and off the base.

“he was called the white Babe Ruth,” Goodwin said. “he said it felt kind of awkward because he was one of the bigger kids. But he liked everyone there and said everyone was nice to him.”

When Jerry Driskel retired from the Navy in 2003, the family moved to Oviedo, an Orlando suburb. by the time Jeff was 14, he had sprouted to 6-foot-1 and was 180 pounds. Hagerty High in Oviedo was in just its third year as a high school football program. Hagerty football coach Nate Gierke was approaching the school’s first full season with no seniors on the roster.

“in a way, anybody that stood out, regardless of if they were a freshman or a junior, was going to get noticed,” Gierke said. “I had every intention of playing Jeff with the freshman team, but when he came in, when you saw him perform on the field and the physical gifts he had. he was clearly a step above everybody.”

Driskel finished his freshman season throwing for 4,844 yards and 36 touchdowns in eight games as a varsity starter.

“I knew coming in the kind of physical ability that Jeff had.” Gierke said. “But what I didn’t know was what kind of kid he was. Jeff was really, really mature for a 14-year-old. And he really had that ‘it’ factor, that intangible factor. the players respected him and he always was looking to get better, to work hard and to compete.”

While Driskel continued to grow physically, he continued to gain attention from colleges throughout the country. Gierke said he had a feeling Driskel would hit the national scene following a game in his sophomore year. in that game, Driskel threw for 240 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead Hagerty to the state playoffs.

“I told their parents, y’all better get a bigger mailbox because you are going to be getting a ton of letters from all over the country,” Gierke said.

Goodwin recalled during one Florida recruiting visit, Driskel was taking batting practice. he turned on a fastball that cleared the 50-foot fence on the baseball field and landed beyond the infield of the adjacent softball field.

“(Former Florida quarterbacks coach) Scot Loeffler was here,” Goodwin said. “we got the tape measure out and decided to measure it. it was 477 feet.”

Driskel eventually grew to 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds. by his senior year, Driskel was considered one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation. in his final high school game, against perennial state-power Lakeland, Driskel threw for 182 yards and rushed for 270 yards in a 56-35 loss.

“it was the best single-game performance that I have ever seen, and I’ve been fortunate enough to coach some guys who have gone on to college and the NFL,” Gierke said. “we were facing one of the top high school programs in the country and he refused to let our team quit.”

Driskel finished his senior season with 1,819 yards passing and 1,333 rushing. he showed his running ability (if not happy feet in the pocket) during a 31-yard scramble against Alabama in the second half. But Gierke said Driskel is not a run-first quarterback.

“when he scrambles, his eyes are always downfield,” Gierke said. “we had kind of gravitated to a spread offense. I’m a pro-style guy, but we were running the spread by the time Jeff was a senior. But he’s capable of throwing the ball downfield and making big throws.”

On Saturday, Driskel could face the biggest on-field challenge in his young career. not only could Driskel make his first career start on the road, he would be doing it against a top-ranked LSU team that arguably has the best defense in the country.

“Regardless of what happens on Saturday, he’s going to be special,” Goodwin said. “He’s the kind of athlete that Florida can be proud of.”

HOLDEN star Garth Tander believes rivals TeamVodafone should be nervous if it rains at Sunday's Bathurst 1000, claiming Jamie Whincup's co-driver Andrew Thompson is "hopeless" in the wet.

Whincup and Thompson are widely considered the main challengers to stablemates and defending champions Craig Lowndes and mark Skaife.

But Tander, a two-time Bathurst champion, thinks Thompson’s wet weather ability could be the chink in TeamVodafone’s armour their rivals have been searching for.

He says his Holden Racing Team co-driver Nick Percat showed he had the ability to outdrive Thompson in the wet during a Fujistu series development race at Queensland Raceway earlier this year.

"Excited by the fact that it could be raining and last time Nick drove in the rain he went from last and passed Andrew Thompson who started on pole," Tander said.

"Thommo’s useless in the wet, he’s saying that he’s good, but he’s not. He’s hopeless."

Tander also refused to concede the partnership of six-time Bathurst winner Skaife and five-time champ Lowndes are near-unbackable favourites.

"They’d probably be among the favourites going in, but at Phillip Island we started from pit-lane and passed them for the lead within 300km," he said.

"They’re not unbeatable, we’re certainly capable of beating them.

"They’ve had very good form here over the past couple of years, but we’re the only team that has beaten them in the recent past and we reckon we can beat them again."

And after a difficult year in which both Tander and team-mate James Courtney have failed to mount a championship challenge and HRT’s off-track structure has been changed, the 34-year-old said a Bathurst win would salvage plenty of pride for the Holden factory team.

"You can have a terrible year and then win Bathurst and it’s a fantastic year," he said.

FABIAN Coulthard claims it will take just one lap to exercise the lingering demons of his spectacular 288km/h crash that saw him roll six times.

With Bathurst set to roar to life today with the V8 Supercar field hitting Mount Panorama for practice, the Holden driver admitted he still had not gotten over the crash that had people fearing for his life.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit scared or nervous," Coulthard said.

Bruce Meaney wrote:

Keep up the good work, Robert (See Deaf to a brutal market message, September 22). I’m tipping you’ll read the Moody’s’ downgrade of the Bank of America credit rating as another sequence in this slippery mess.

22 Sep 2011 3:22 PM

ken mcalpine wrote:

I think the RBA must cut rates now – not in December (See Deaf to a brutal market message, September 22).

22 Sep 2011 4:16 PM

Graeme King wrote:

Why is it that the “market” is always looking for easy solutions from governments? (See The prelude, September 23) many developed countries now have little left for more stimulation efforts and previous efforts did not lead to the fundamental structural changes required. Speculators in the sharemarket (the vast majority of participants) need to look at their investment, or should that be speculation, strategy not to governments to rescue them with quick fixes which are likely to be skimmed of the market by hedge funds anyway.

Interest rate cuts can hurt as many people as they help, despite the media’s focus on the beneficaries.

23 Sep 2011 11:17 AM

Colin Hillery wrote:

I see that politicians get the blame everywhere for what’s happening, and while it has been well documented that financial market players are unhappy with their performance, I think the fact of the matter is it’s banks that are the problem (See The prelude, September 23).

23 Sep 2011 11:45 AM

Stefan Bay wrote:

I agree completely with your assessment of Karen Maley’s analysis (See The prelude, September 23). sorry Adam Carr, but it’s Karen I listen to.

23 Sep 2011 2:00 PM

Michael Clay wrote:

I disagree that the banks need to be bailed out again – isn’t that the reason we are in this mess to begin with? (See The prelude, September 23)

Banks have been gambling irresponsibly for years because of corporate greed, why should they be rewarded for this behaviour by government covering their losses. I think the other question that needs to be asked is why aren’t there a large number of people in jail for the corrupt behavior that created the financial crisis?

24 Sep 2011 7:48 AM

AUSTRALIA'S economy continues to perform well, but this is more the result of good luck than good management. The mining boom is good for Australia. Mining companies are recording record profits and, not surprisingly, most are lifting their investment rapidly.

Our country is rich. we have a stable financial system and our unemployment rate is lower than in many other developed countries. yet many people today will not be feeling as if they all are sharing in boom times. we face the challenge to ensure that businesses and people not directly involved in the mining sector share in the benefits of the boom.

It is here that good economic management comes into play. Governments should avoid making life harder for those industries already feeling the stress of rapid structural change. It should avoid loading them with additional regulations and taxes. It should avoid competing with businesses for scarce funds in the capital markets. It should avoid being overly prescriptive in labour markets.

Unfortunately, this government does not understand this. It believes in big government. It believes government knows better than business and individuals how best to conduct their affairs. Labor sees business as the enemy, which can’t be trusted to deliver services and out of which every last drop of tax must be squeezed.

This government is increasing government expenditure and funding it by increasing debt and increasing tax. It is increasing red tape and regulation and winding back previous reforms. none of this helps business adjust to the new financial environment. Rather than greasing the wheels of commerce, this government is putting sand in the gears.

One of the unfortunate consequences of this government’s higher taxes and increased regulation has been a stalling in productivity. gross domestic product per hour worked in the June quarter this year was virtually the same as the June quarter in 2009. Productivity has not increased in two years.

It is only through productivity improvements that Australia’s long-term standard of living can be increased. Australians would not be getting richer under Labor if it were not for the mining boom. this is the clearest example that Labor is benefiting from good luck, not good management.

The Coalition will not take for granted Australia’s future prosperity. The Coalition understands what business needs and we will act. Business needs policy certainty and stability. Business needs low taxes. Business needs to cut through the red tape and work in a regulatory and taxation environment that lays the groundwork for growth in productivity.

Most important, business wants to be consulted on relevant changes.

In my post-budget address I outlined a four-point strategy for reducing the size of government and lifting productivity.

Step one is to return to surplus and pay off Labor’s debt. a return to large surpluses will remove the government as a factor in higher interest rates and will ease some of the upward pressure on the exchange rate.

Step two is to reduce the tax burden. In just four years, Labor has implemented 19 new taxes and has increased existing taxes. The Coalition will reduce the tax burden on business.

Step three is to address weaknesses in our competition policy and regulatory frameworks to promote productivity growth. The Coalition will undertake a review of the Competition and Consumer Act focused on giving small business a fair go. we will also revisit the Financial Services Reform Act and ensure that product disclosure statements are simpler and smaller.

We will establish a new son-of-Wallis style comprehensive review of the financial system to explore ways to deliver better outcomes for bank customers.

And in housing we will explore with the states ways to reduce the complexity of the regulations and the overlaps between different jurisdictions. The pay-off will be more affordable housing.

Add to that, in the area of business regulation, Tony Abbott has already committed a Coalition government to reduce the regulatory costs on business by at least $1 billion a year with a scheme similar to Victoria’s program to reduce red tape.

Step four is to explore better approaches to fiscal management. we will publish regular estimates of the structural budget position. this will provide a measure of the budget balance adjusted for the impact of the economic cycle.

A budget that is in structural balance across the cycle ensures the government is living within its means.

Joe Hockey is the federal opposition treasury spokesman.

Michael Biercuk, in Sydney yesterday, made the most sensitive measurement of force ever. Picture: Nikki Short Source: The Australian

EXPERIMENTAL physicist Michael Biercuk would embody the adage that from little things, big things grow – except for one detail.

US-born Dr Biercuk’s work at the University of Sydney’s School of Physics and Centre for Engineered Quantum Systems involves measuring not just small things, but really, really small things.

So small, in fact, that nano-this and pico-that seem positively bloated by comparison.

Dr Biercuk, 32, will today receive a prize from Australia’s National Measurement Institute for a scientist under 35, for making the most sensitive measurement of force ever — down to the level of a couple of hundred yoctonewtons, which is about a million million billion times smaller than the force exerted by a feather lying on a table.

The breakthrough, achieved in collaboration with the US National Institute of Standards and Technology in Colorado, where Dr Biercuk previously worked, is likely to lead to improved measuring techniques in defence and industrial applications. "this ‘yocto’ prefix means there are 23 zeroes and a decimal point in front of the number," Dr Biercuk explained helpfully.

"It’s the smallest prefix that exists in the international measurement classification system . . . we are hoping to force the international community to develop new measurement prefixes, in recognition of the fact that precision measurement technology is developing so rapidly."

While other scientists have previously measured smaller forces, Dr Biercuk’s team’s measurement was by far the most sensitive — beating previous records by 1000 times and allowing the measurement to be made one million times faster.

The technique involves laser beams measuring the displacement of atoms in a vacuum, in a similar way to a police radar gun measuring the velocity of a speeding car.

"We are interested in the potential application for the mining and defence industry," Dr Biercuk said.

"there are potentially geophysical signals that can be picked up by these atom-based sensors.

"With improved sensitivity, you can either perform the measurement from a greater distance, or in a much shorter time. Time is money."

Dr Biercuk, who developed an interest in quantum physics while studying at the University of Pennsylvania, later worked on carbon nanotubes while at Harvard.

He moved to Australia about 18 months ago. he has previously worked as a consultant to the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency, set up in 1958 to protect the US from a repeat of the technological trouncing that occurred with the launch of the Soviet Union’s Sputnik satellite the previous year.

Since then, DARPA has helped to create the internet, night-vision goggles and the circuits that are responsible for powering mobile phones.

• 4th September 2011
• Quarrying

 

Morrison Utility Services has taken delivery of 45 Volvo EC17C compact excavators, swelling its fleet of Volvo minis to over 100 machines.

The new additions represent the sixth time Morrison Utility Services has placed a bulk order for Volvo 1.5 tonne mini excavators from Chippindale Plant Ltd, Volvo’s utility dealer for Yorkshire and north east England and equates to a ten year old association between both companies. the machines have been supplied in the Morrison Utility Services’ red and white livery and feature the Cesar identification and Enigma immobilisation systems, track locks, and manual quick hitches. all the digging buckets have been supplied with heavy duty cutting edges as opposed to teeth to minimise the risk of damage to underground utility services whilst excavating.

Whilst joining a mixed fleet of equipment, the Volvo 1.5 tonne machine has carved a niche for itself in Morrison Utility Services’ armoury due mainly to product reliability and ease of serviceability. Covering the whole of the U.K., good after sales coverage for parts and service is vital so again, with machines working outside Chippindale’s territory, Morrison Utility Services can rely on the nationwide support provided by Volvo Construction Equipment.

The Volvo 1.7 tonne EC17C compact excavator was selected for the additional benefits it brings to Morrison Utility Services – specifically the two speed automatic travel motors, load sensing hydraulics and operating weight for towing. the machine is powered by a 12.3Kw (16.8hp) engine, being one of four ranging between 1.5 and 2.0 tonnes and is a direct replacement for the EC15B XT model. one significant change on the new models is that hydraulic hoses for the digging equipment are now routed through the boom and cylinders are top mounted to minimize on site damage. the hammer lines have been modified to allow the fitting of remote hand held hydraulic equipment.

All forty five machines have been supplied with the Cesar P1 identification system and Enigma skyline P2 immobiliser package to maximise the safe guarding against theft and have additional track locks fitted for good measure.

Morrison Utility Services is one of the U.K.’s leading utility services providers working with clients in the electricity, gas, water and telecommunications sectors. the company’s business is centred on the provision, replacement, repair and maintenance of the utilities network infrastructure and has locations and depots strategically covering the whole of the U.K.

Chippindale Plant Ltd of Leeds is the dealer for Volvo utility equipment including compact excavators, compact loaders and backhoe loaders covering Yorkshire and the north east of England. the company, established in 1949, currently provides a hire and sales service for Volvo utility equipment and complementary products such as site dumpers, rollers and telehandlers.

Volvo Construction Equipment Division markets wheeled loaders, articulated haulers, hydraulic excavators, graders, Volvo utility and road machinery products in the U.K. there are eight strategically placed customer support centres and a network of utility compact equipment dealers to ensure high quality customer support is maintained throughout Great Britain.