Month: August 2014

Nice Precision China Machine Shop photos

Nice Precision China Machine Shop photos

Klarm Prototyping

Check out these precision machine shop China images:

The last post on war: Thoughts, wishes, duty… a poem

Image by FlickrJunkie
The art of war or the tools of Collateral Damage

Any weapon that has triggers, buttons, LCD screens, joysticks, levers, switches, pedals or any other form of ‘human delegates to machine to kill human’ mode of operation is a weapon to be used mostly against civilians.

For the 1000 comments I received that rime with ‘terrorists hiding between civilians’, and regardless of the interpretation of the intentions of the people pulling the triggers, all modern weaponry are fundamentally designed to kill civilians, not soldiers! It’s with much hypocrisy that countries, defense contractors and armies say that they are out there to minimize civilian casualty, for they have never been able to! Battles are never confined to a field in the desert, they are always fought over and/or to control civilian areas!

With the smallest automatic weapon, one man can shoot 40 bullets in few minutes, 40 bullets can potentially kill 40 men. If each solider can potentially kill 40 men, then an army equipped with the smallest weapons can potentially kill 40 times its size! Those weapons have an ‘intrinsic’ potential allowing them to always extend their reach beyond the opponents ‘protected’ army and to extort a much higher cost from the more ‘vulnerable’ civilians!

The Math of modern warfare and weapons is freaky, and regardless of the declared intentions, these little geeky marvels with fancy names (and smart adjectives), auto-manage, every time, to claim back their role as mass civilian exterminators! And this always happens despite the sour, the sorry and the apologetic… All of them!

At the end, Soldiers are the only collateral damage in wars! The rest is the real intended damage…

Dissuasive arms and preemptive wars

The race for those increasingly more lethal weapons is always made while convincing the masses with the hypocritical alibi of strategic balance, dissuasion and strategic peace! In reality it is only a mater of postponing a conflict until you get a much bigger stick!

From the womb of dissuasion, mad-strategists (scarier than mad-scientists) who think straight out of their butts have been preaching the ‘benefits’ and ‘moral correctness’ of preemptive strikes. BS on the side, this is only fostered by their arrogant belief that having a much, much, much longer stick (that happens to work by pushing buttons nowadays) can neutralize a potentially, potential, potentialicious threat. As for verifying whether the potential for the threat would concretize! Why bother?! ‘If you have the strategic dissuasive advantage, don’t sleep on it! Use it!’, it’s cheaper than verifying anything… and it’s boring to wait anyway! Not to forget that, at some point, they also need a ‘when and where’ to test the XXX Billion dollars in offense (defense for them) technology invested every year and to generate new demand! (…And what country boasts about its huge defense industry despite its little size?)

One of the dimensions of the latest war over Lebanon was, also, a pre-emptive strike to neutralize the elusive potential of Iran waging war against Israel and using the ridiculously long stick of the Israeli air force against Hizbollah bases. Needless to say, that once again, the collateral damage on the armed Hizbollah soldiers was low, while the real and painful damage was only imposed on civilians and their infrastructure.

My ‘last war related post’ wish list

When I wrote my first anti-war posting, I didn’t suspect the aggression would last that long nor I thought that I would transform my photo stream into an open anti-war blog.

As the circle of violence expanded, my anger and my pessimism grew with it. The latest events since the 2nd Intifada and the Iraq invasion were not good indicators that such adventures in our region and especially under the current worldwide power imbalance could be mastered at all.

Having the Neo-Cons in charge in the US, a mayor in charge in Tel-Aviv, another mayor in Tehran, weak and visibly resigned (to an un-dead peace) Arab governments and a weak “false” majority in charge in Lebanon were not at all reassuring factors.

I was fearing for the worst, I’m still somehow holding my breath and hoping that things would fall into place until all Israeli soldiers are out of Lebanon and the Lebanese army (and UN forces) take control of the south… But before I can breath a sigh of relief, I will also be crossing my fingers all the long it takes to:
– Israel stopping its regular aggressions into Lebanese territorial airspace and waters
– Lebanese prisoners in Israel (and newly abducted) being swapped against the abducted Israeli soldiers
– Israel refraining from any new -rash- actions such as the ones preached in the last defeat speech of its mayor, for under these conditions Hizbollah will not disarm!
– Lebanese democracy growing stronger as the dynamic forces of the country claim again the power from the current corrupted corruptors and their associates the lords of darkness and civil war
– Hizbollah and Palestinian camps disarm peacefully and a Lebanese national defense force is allowed to rise to the height of the threats and to constitute a stabilizing factor

And my extended wish list

But things being connected the way they are in our regional village, I figured, I will need to keep crossing my fingers even longer! For, as dreamy as the previous wishes are, their concretization will not -unfortunately- be enough to end our plight! We also would need in a not so distant future for:
– Zionism discovering that it made a historical mistake in assessment for the past 100 years and apologizing to its Arab and Jewish victims alike (could be a silent apology even, a thought would suffice maybe!)
– Zionism and Israel denouncing territorial expansion and accepting Israel into the pre-1967 borders (while curbing their drive for negotiatory acrobatics as it has been the case since Madrid accords)
– A Palestinian state under equitable terms is hatched (illegal settlements unsettled etc.)
– A just solution is offered for the Palestinian refugees, duly compensating them for their 60 years predicament and allowing them to -at least- optionally exercise the right of return to their motherland
– The US pulls out gracefully from a ‘civil-war free’ Iraq
– The Middle-East becomes WMD free (…and maybe the rest of the world could follow the next day)
– The clash of civilizations is remembered as a reference to a ‘McDonalds shops fight Falafel joints over market share’ type of situation or to the Olympic Games.

And other wishes too… such as the NeoCons in Washington renouncing to their pipe dreams and scheming and starting to comprehend that the real world is more intricate than what their ‘war games’ and ‘probabilities’ can show them. And while those games can be, nevertheless, a good form of entertainment to the expensive ‘Think tanks’ and ‘strategic consultants’, those people shouldn’t be encouraged to Think anymore that they can apply them to the rest of us each now and then.

I guess whoever is still reading up to here gets the point of why I’m pessimistic, for maybe the 1st bunch of wishes are realizable with lots of good luck but the 2nd are only wishful wishes in the current state of affairs… And meanwhile, the strategic luminaries are still thinking ‘Maybe the stick needs to grow longer’ before the next strike!

Yet there is stuff to feel good about

Flickr has given me the opportunity to meet lots of nice talented photographers, but this time and with this latest wave of war blogging, it gave me the opportunity to dramatically widen my circle. It was heart warming to read all the people from around the world that supported and defended Lebanon (and Palestine) and understood to a great degree the essence of the conflict. I am particularly thankful to the Israelis that did it (and all Israelis who left comments).

Maybe awareness and rising public opinion to the real issues are the magic cure! Maybe this last unique worldwide phenomenon in the history of Arab-Israeli conflict was what contributed into accelerating this happy ending (regardless of its fragility). Despite the sad and hefty toll, seeing the displaced go back to their villages so fast was in itself the most comforting scene!

The more the world public opinion gains insight into the roots and realities of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the more power is taken away from the scheming schemers and given to the real courageous peace builders on both sides of the divide… And that is not a wish this time but the duty for all!

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This anti-war poem was sent to me by a good friend. The text, written by an Israeli poet (Chanoch Levin), is very beautiful and eloquent. I already posted one of his poems earlier. Using his strong words again, was the best way for me to end this series.

Chess Game

Where is my child, my child where has he gone?
A black pawn is striking a white pawn.
Will not return my dad, my dad will not come home.
A white pawn is striking a black pawn.
Mourning in the rooms, and the garden is serene,
The king is playing with his queen.

My child will never wake, he shall sleep forevermore.
A black pawn is striking a white pawn.
My dad is in the dark, and will never see the sun.
A white pawn is striking a black pawn.
Mourning in the rooms, and the garden is serene,
The king is playing with his queen.

My child who’s in my lap, now he’s in a cloud.
A black pawn is striking a white pawn.
My dad’s warm heart, now his heart is cold.
A white pawn is striking a black pawn.
Mourning in the rooms, and the garden is serene,
The king is playing with his queen.

Where is my child, my child where has he gone?
Fell down both black and white pawns.
Will not return my dad, my dad will not come home.
And there are no white or black pawns.
Mourning in the rooms, and the garden is serene;
On empty board remain just king and queen.

Chanoch Levin, 1968

Precision

Image by BillCecil242

Police in Ferguson ignite debate about military tactics

Klarm Prototyping

Police in Ferguson ignite debate about military tactics
The effect was a city turned war zone. Officers faced angry protesters, some of whom destroyed parts of the city. They pointed rifles at vehicles that got too close. They yelled at reporters to duck behind their cars or risk being shot in the crossfire …
Read more on USA TODAY

Gary Poling sailed in stormy seas of Cuban missile crisis
I'm gone.'" But at the last minute the Russian vessel turned to one side, averting the massive collision that Poling feared. … All in all – the good, the bad and the really tense parts of being in the Navy – were nothing less than memorable …
Read more on The Plain Dealer – cleveland.com

BP medical interpretation could cut out thousands
BP, too, contends there was no real confusion over what these parts of the settlement meant, calling Barbier's ruling "simply an affirmation of the plain terms of the agreement." "This is a straightforward … If they filed declaration forms with the …
Read more on USA TODAY

Nice Advanced Precision China Machining photos

Nice Advanced Precision China Machining photos

Klarm Prototyping

Some cool advanced precision machining images:

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center: View of south hangar, including B-29 Superfortress “Enola Gay”, a glimpse of the Air France Concorde, and many others

Image by Chris Devers
Quoting Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum | Boeing B-29 Superfortress "Enola Gay":

Boeing’s B-29 Superfortress was the most sophisticated propeller-driven bomber of World War II and the first bomber to house its crew in pressurized compartments. Although designed to fight in the European theater, the B-29 found its niche on the other side of the globe. In the Pacific, B-29s delivered a variety of aerial weapons: conventional bombs, incendiary bombs, mines, and two nuclear weapons.

On August 6, 1945, this Martin-built B-29-45-MO dropped the first atomic weapon used in combat on Hiroshima, Japan. Three days later, Bockscar (on display at the U.S. Air Force Museum near Dayton, Ohio) dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. Enola Gay flew as the advance weather reconnaissance aircraft that day. A third B-29, The Great Artiste, flew as an observation aircraft on both missions.

Transferred from the United States Air Force.

Manufacturer:
Boeing Aircraft Co.
Martin Co., Omaha, Nebr.

Date:
1945

Country of Origin:
United States of America

Dimensions:
Overall: 900 x 3020cm, 32580kg, 4300cm (29ft 6 5/16in. x 99ft 1in., 71825.9lb., 141ft 15/16in.)

Materials:
Polished overall aluminum finish

Physical Description:
Four-engine heavy bomber with semi-monoqoque fuselage and high-aspect ratio wings. Polished aluminum finish overall, standard late-World War II Army Air Forces insignia on wings and aft fuselage and serial number on vertical fin; 509th Composite Group markings painted in black; "Enola Gay" in black, block letters on lower left nose.

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center: View over World War Two aviation wing, including Japanese planes and B-29 Enola Gay

Image by Chris Devers
See more photos of this, and the Wikipedia article.

Details, quoting from Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: Steven F. Udvar-Hazy | Nakajima J1N1-S Gekko (Moonlight) IRVING:

Originally designed as a three-seat, daylight escort fighter plane by the Nakajima Aeroplane Company, Ltd., and flown in 1941, the IRVING was modified as a night fighter in May of 1943 and shot down two American B-17 bombers to prove its capability. The Gekko (meaning moonlight) was redesigned to hold only two crewmen so that an upward firing gun could be mounted where the observer once sat. Nearly five hundred J1N1 aircraft, including prototypes, escort, reconnaissance, and night fighters were built during World War II. A sizeable number were also used as Kamikaze aircraft in the Pacific. The few that survived the war were scrapped by the Allies.

This J1N1 is the last remaining in the world. It was transported from Japan to the U.S. where it was flight tested by the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1946. The Gekko then flew to storage at Park Ridge, IL, and was transferred to the Smithsonian Institution. The restoration of this aircraft, completed in 1983, took more than four years and 17,000 man-hours to accomplish.

Transferred from the United States Air Force.

Manufacturer:
Nakajima Hikoki K. K.

Date:
1942

Country of Origin:
Japan

Dimensions:
Overall: 15ft 1 1/8in. x 41ft 11 15/16in., 10670.3lb., 55ft 9 5/16in. (460 x 1280cm, 4840kg, 1700cm)

Materials:
All-metal, monocoque construction airplane

Physical Description:
Twin-engine, conventional layout with tailwheel-type landing gear.
Armament: (2) 20 mm fixed upward firing cannon
Engines: (2) Nakajima Sakae 21 (NK1F, Ha35- 21) 14- cylinder air-cooled radial 1,130 horsepower (metric)

• • • • •

See more photos of this, and the Wikipedia article.

Details, quoting from Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: Steven F. Udvar-Hazy | Boeing B-29 Superfortress "Enola Gay":

Boeing’s B-29 Superfortress was the most sophisticated propeller-driven bomber of World War II and the first bomber to house its crew in pressurized compartments. Although designed to fight in the European theater, the B-29 found its niche on the other side of the globe. In the Pacific, B-29s delivered a variety of aerial weapons: conventional bombs, incendiary bombs, mines, and two nuclear weapons.

On August 6, 1945, this Martin-built B-29-45-MO dropped the first atomic weapon used in combat on Hiroshima, Japan. Three days later, Bockscar (on display at the U.S. Air Force Museum near Dayton, Ohio) dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. Enola Gay flew as the advance weather reconnaissance aircraft that day. A third B-29, The Great Artiste, flew as an observation aircraft on both missions.

Transferred from the United States Air Force.

Manufacturer:
Boeing Aircraft Co.
Martin Co., Omaha, Nebr.

Date:
1945

Country of Origin:
United States of America

Dimensions:
Overall: 900 x 3020cm, 32580kg, 4300cm (29ft 6 5/16in. x 99ft 1in., 71825.9lb., 141ft 15/16in.)

Materials:
Polished overall aluminum finish

Physical Description:
Four-engine heavy bomber with semi-monoqoque fuselage and high-aspect ratio wings. Polished aluminum finish overall, standard late-World War II Army Air Forces insignia on wings and aft fuselage and serial number on vertical fin; 509th Composite Group markings painted in black; "Enola Gay" in black, block letters on lower left nose.

Murata China Machinery USA Introduces New MW80GT Compact Twin Spindle …

Klarm Prototyping

Murata China Machinery USA Introduces New MW80GT Compact Twin Spindle …
(1888 PressRelease) Murata China Machinery USA introduces the MW80GT, a twin spindle turning center engineered to produce parts that are 80 mm (3.15") in diameter and 50 mm (2") in length, with a wide gang tool platform that gives it more versatility.
Read more on Packet Online

Bendix Upgrades Brake Shoe Reman Facility
A key part of the upgrade was to the coining process, which returns brake shoes to the original specifications of the manufacturer. The upgrades also include a self-contained salvage and de-lining area to prevent contaminates from reaching the painting …
Read more on Truckinginfo

Apple halts use of two harmful chemicals in iPhone assembly
The prohibition is said to be part of Apple's effort to protect China factory workers who build its gadgets. While both the chemicals are potentially hazardous, Apple conducted a four-month investigation at 22 factories and … The ban comes after Apple has …
Read more on CNET

Latest China Machined Turned Parts News

Klarm Prototyping

1950 Mercury – Extra-Lead Sled
Some guys are comfortable bolting on parts or even putting together an engine, while others get into welding or paint. Some of us …. The taillights are '59 Caddy lenses turned around backward and mounted inside machined tubes that Chuck made. After …
Read more on Hot Rod Magazine

Zonal Pressure: The Bug returns with Angels & Devils
It was a very overcrowded, over-machined room in a dire area of London.” Speaking from his home in Berlin – he moved there ….. “The rhythm from Fuck A Bitch had originally been written for Roll Deep, but they had turned it down for being too aggy. I …
Read more on The Skinny

Nice Precision Engineered Products photos

Nice Precision Engineered Products photos

Klarm Prototyping

A few nice precision engineered products images I found:

time for CHANGE …item 1.. Déjà Vu in Gaza? — This calls to mind the words of Mark Twain: (Nov 28, 2012 / 14 Kislev 5773) …item 2.. Cobblers, Crisps and Crumbles (Nov 29th, 2012) …

Image by marsmet546
We do not have the option of passively standing by. Israel is in real danger and we need everyone on board. The verse (2-Kings 3:27) implies that if our enemies show great devotion and self-sacrifice for their cause, that obligates us to do the same.

For the purpose of education and activism, here are four key points to know:
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……..*****All images are copyrighted by their respective authors ……..
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••• Your account (marsmet547) has been reviewed as unsafe by Flickr staff.

Remind yourself of our Content Filters and Community Guidelines to see what’s OK and what’s not on Flickr, and moderate your content accordingly.

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… marsmet546 photostream … marsmet546 photo …

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Thursday, April 3, 2014

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2014 – Black text on white backgroungd

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View photo size … Large

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… marsmet547 photo … King David – Absalom … The Indomitable Jewish Spirit (June 22, 2014 / 24 Sivan 5774) …item 2.. Bodies of three Jewish settlers who went missing near Hebron ‘found near West Bank city’ (30 June 2014) …

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2014 – Black text on white background
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…..item 1)…. Déjà Vu in Gaza? …

… aish.com … www.aish.com/jw/mo …

HOME ISRAEL MEDIA OBJECTIVITY
Déjà Vu in Gaza?

Four key take-aways from Operation Pillar of Defense.
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img code photo … Déjà Vu in Gaza?

media.aish.com/images/DejaVuInGaza230x150-EN.jpg

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by Rabbi Shraga Simmons
Nov 28, 2012 / 14 Kislev 5773

www.aish.com/jw/mo/Deja-Vu-in-Gaza.html

It’s all so eerily familiar. A war that began a few weeks after Barack Obama’s presidential election. Gazans had been raining hundreds of Qassam rockets onto southern Israeli towns, along with long-range missiles supplied by the mad mullahs of Iran. With just 15 seconds to run into a shelter before impact, the rockets sowed panic in streets and schools. The danger reached ludicrous proportions and it was time to stop playing Islamic Roulette.

Four years ago, Israel launched “Operation Cast lead” to stop the rockets from Gaza. Now here we are again, this time with Operation Pillar of Defense (Amud Anan). Little has changed. On the heels of a U.S. presidential election, nearly 500 rockets have struck Israel from Gaza. One million Israelis are living in bomb shelters and Iranian-made Fajir missiles have put Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and 50 percent of Israel’s population within striking range.

Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile system has successfully intercepted another 250 rockets. Yet the system is not fool-proof; dozens of Israelis have been injured and three civilians were killed when a Hamas rocket hit their home in the town of Kiryat Malachi.

Europeans fear their own capitals may one day be the target.

For now, people of good will are backing Israel’s right to self-defense. The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution in support of Israel, and the U.S. State Department – with a historically Arabist bent – was unequivocal: “The onus is on Hamas to stop its rocket attacks." Even traditionally hostile Europeans – perhaps fearing that their own capitals may one day be similarly targeted – are affirming “Israel’s right to live without fear of attack."

For its part, Israel has decimated over 100 rocket production and launching facilities in Gaza. As well, Israel eliminated arch-terrorist Ahmed Jabari, the commander-in-chief of Hamas terror activity who directed a decade of rockets, bombings, and the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit.

Where all this will end is a terrifying unknown. The Middle East is far more volatile than it was four years ago: Syria is immersed in a bloody civil war; Hizbollah positions have been strengthened in Lebanon; Egypt is now run by the Muslim Brotherhood; anti-government riots have erupted in Jordan; and Iran is four years closer to possessing an atomic bomb.
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—– What can we do?

… 1. Stay informed, and redouble efforts to assist Israel’s PR effort.
… 2. Strengthen our commitment to Jewish values.
… 3. Pray for the welfare of Israeli soldiers and all of Israel’s citizens.
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We do not have the option of passively standing by. Israel is in real danger and we need everyone on board. The verse (2-Kings 3:27) implies that if our enemies show great devotion and self-sacrifice for their cause, that obligates us to do the same.

For the purpose of education and activism, here are four key points to know:
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….. (1) CNN reporter shills as a mouthpiece for jihadist terror.

For media monitors, CNN has long been the gargoyle in an already-ugly media crowd. In a variety of ways – whether it’s CNN founder Ted Turner labeling Israeli defensive actions "terror"; or CNN’s Senior Editor of Mideast Affairs, Octavia Nasr, expressing her sadness over the passing of a Hezbollah terror leader; or Palestinian spokeswoman Diana Buttu asserting unchallenged on CNN that Qassam rockets (with their 7,000 metal ball bearings and 20 pounds of TNT) contain “no explosive warhead” – CNN too often seems on the cusp of pro-Palestinian activism.

This time around, CNN seems headed down the same path. A video report by Zain Verjee, the London-based anchor of CNN’s World Report, sounds like she’d be more comfortable on Hamas TV, as she discards all semblance of objectivity and assumes the role of disdainful challenger. Note specifically:

.. 0:57 – "How do these air strikes bring peace and quiet?"
.. 2:00 – "Fifteen children are wounded – these aren’t targeted operations!"
.. 3:46 – “Aren’t you making an already bad situation worse?”

The good news is that Israel has a superb spokesman in Mark Regev, a native of Australia who displays remarkable articulation and composure in the face of these CNN taunts. Keep your eye on CNN and in the meantime, click here to complain about Verjee’s horribly biased video report.
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….. (2) Beyond rockets and planes, this is a Social Media war.
The days are over when terrorists disseminate their hatred via a spooky video cassette sent to Al Jazeera. Today, you can simply "follow" Hamas missile squads on Twitter’s @alqassambrigade, or surf www.qassam.ps where you even have the option of selecting your favorite color scheme. More nefariously, Palestinian rocket-launching teams now use Google Earth to select their civilian targets.

Israel has traditionally been behind the curve when it comes to public diplomacy – the infamous "hasbara." In trying to influence world opinion, the government’s standard mode has been a cacophony of competing – and sometimes contradictory – messages from various spokespeople in the Government Press Office, IDF, Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry.

This time it’s different. Israel is prepared, quick, concise and – believe it or not – "media savvy." The Ministry of Public Diplomacy is coordinating an aggressive campaign under the banner, "Israel Under Fire."
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img code photo … WHAT WOULD YOU DO ?

media.aish.com/images/Deja-social.jpg

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The IDF has issued a series of successful viral campaigns, such as a Facebook graphic which depicts the Statue of Liberty and other international landmarks being swamped by missiles. The message: “What would you do?”

After killing terror chieftain Jabari, the IDF immediately posted a YouTube video of the targeted strike. It has been viewed 4 million times, sending an important message to three different audiences:
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… A warning to militants in Gaza: "We can get you anywhere, anytime."
… An appeasing message to the Israeli public: "We will not remain helpless in the face of repeated rocket attacks."
… A reassurance to those concerned with collateral damage: "We can strike with utmost precision."
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This is a genuine Social Media War. On the heels of the Jabari strike, IDF tweeted a direct warning to his Hamas comrades; Hamas then tweeted back its own threat:
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img code photo … Tweet … IDF – 14 Nov 12 ….. Alqassam Brigades – 14 Nov 12

media.aish.com/images/Deja-tweet.jpg

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Get involved. Follow the Israel Defense Forces at: Website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr. And most importantly: Share!
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….. (3) Bias in the New York Times – what else is new?

The New York Times has dark stains going all the way back to the Holocaust, when its gross under-reporting of events crippled efforts to generate public support for helping to save millions of Jews.
Now in Gaza, the Times is playing loose with the facts. A Times editorial insists that Hamas "has mostly adhered to an informal cease-fire with Israel after the war there in the winter of 2008-09." Would someone please explain how that jives with the fact that Hamas launched 650 rocket attacks in 2011 and nearly 1,000 this year alone?

Meanwhile, Times’ correspondents Fares Akram and Isabel Kershner profess to be doubtful of events, saying that the Israeli military operation is “in response to what Israel called repeated rocket attacks.” In the eyes of the Times, the launching of hundreds of rockets from Gaza is not a fact, but rather “what Israel called repeated rocket attacks.”
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The Times is also uncertain about the nature of Hamas, saying it is

“regarded by Israel as a terrorist group sworn to Israel’s destruction.”
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According to the Times, only Israel regards Hamas as a terrorist group. Why does the Times ignore that Hamas is also listed as a terrorist group by the European Union, United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and United Kingdom?

As for the assertion that Hamas is “regarded by Israel as … sworn to Israel’s destruction,” is the Times somehow unaware of the Hamas Charter which cites the destruction of Israel as its primary objective? Does the Times not believe Hamas foreign minister Mahmoud Zahar when he declares: "Nobody among our sons and grandsons will accept Israel as a legal state… Israel is a foreign body. Not in this generation, not in the next generation, will we accept it here"?

So far, we’ve at least been spared the fairy tales from the rocket barrage of four years ago when the Times published the Hamas claim that "We did not intentionally target civilians. We were targeting military bases, but the primitive weapons make mistakes."

This calls to mind the words of Mark Twain: While there are laws to protect freedom of the press, there are unfortunately none to protect people from the press.
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….. (4) The Pallywood industry of false claims.

When it comes to civilians casualties, no one plays it like they do in Gaza. Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic notes how Hamas "prevents the burial, or even preparation of the bodies for burial, until the bodies are used as props in the Palestinian Passion Play. Once, in Khan Younis [Gaza], I actually saw gunmen unwrap a shrouded body, carry it a hundred yards and position it atop a pile of rubble – and then wait a half-hour until photographers showed. It was one of the more horrible things I’ve seen in my life. And it’s typical of Hamas."

Hamas has taken the initiative in promoting fake casualties. On Twitter, @AlqassamBrigade uploaded the photo of a "Palestinian child wounded in an Israeli air strike.” Astute media monitors noted that in truth, the photo is of a child injured last month in the Syrian civil war.

Meanwhile, AFP/Getty issued a photo of a Palestinian man picking up a doll lying on shattered glass. Was this scene genuine? It’s possible. But with such a rare confluence of elements – the man’s hand a split second from the pristine doll perfectly positioned in the rubble – logic rejects the likelihood that the photojournalist "just happened" to be down on the floor in perfect position at the precise moment. It’s simply too good to be true.

In a classic case of “fauxtography,” BBC and others posted footage of a "badly injured" man being carried away to safety by five other men. Thirty seconds later the man is shown – miraculously – walking around, healthy as a lark. (See the clips here, and watch till 2:42.)

In the meantime, Hamas has been desperately fabricating achievements: falsely claiming to have hit Israel’s parliament in Jerusalem, to have struck down an Israeli drone, and to have killed several soldiers in a jeep.

Click here to receive Aish.com’s free weekly email.

To be sure, as Hamas registers more losses in the military confrontation and thus becomes more desperate to win the media war, we can expect more attempts to orchestrate events. As Professor Richard Landes has predicted:
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Whether by Israeli accident or Hamas China engineering, expect a spectacular civilian massacre in the coming days, followed by an orgy of Pallywood photography, amplified by a compliant Western media, and even greater fury in the streets of the Muslim and Western world. It’s in the Hamas playbook.
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Four years ago, the U.N. school in Jabalya, Gaza provided fodder for an alleged massacre (later disproven). This time, expect Hamas to hang on just long enough to score those coveted PR points. After all, events in Gaza appear to be happening all over again.
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…..item 2)…. Cobblers, Crisps and Crumbles …

… ORTHODOX UNION … www.ou.org/life/food/recipes … Enhancing Jewish Life

By Eileen Goltz | Nov 29th, 2012 |

www.ou.org/life/food/recipes/cobblers-crisps-crumbles-eil…

Please note: Eileen Goltz is a freelance kosher food writer. The Orthodox Union makes no endorsements or representations regarding kashrut certification of various products/vendors referred to in her articles, blog or web site.

There are lots of rivalries in the Torah. We have Moses/Pharaoh (“Let my people go”), Jacob/Esau (“Brother, can you spare a bowl of lentils?”) and especially at this time of year with Chanukah and that whole Macabees/Greeks brouhaha. But I say, nah–that’s child’s play compared to what goes on in my kitchen when the cobbler comes up against the crisp and then winner faces off against anything chocolate.

These fruit-based desserts are truly American in origin. Just to be clear, a cobbler is a deep-dish fruit dessert with a thick top crust (typically a biscuit dough).
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img code photo … Crisps and crumbles

www.ou.org/life/files/iStock_000014396651XSmall-297×300.jpg

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Crisps and crumbles are pretty much the same as a cobbler, only with a crumb topping. The combination for the topping is based on personal preference. You can mix and mingle shortening, flour, nuts, bread crumbs, cookie crumbs, graham cracker crumbs, or even crushed up breakfast cereal. And FYI–the crumble is just the English Isle’s version of a crisp.

As for which one of the following recipes is served after a plate full of latkes (potato pancakes), that’s up to you. Hopefully, you have just enough time to whip one up before they finish a no-holds-barred game of dreidel (spinning tops).

And if you need to substitute an apple for a pear for a peach, it’s all good.
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—– PICK-AND-MIX A CRISP (dairy or pareve)

Servings: 6 – 8

Ingredients:

… 5 cups apples, pears, peaches, or apricots, peeled and sliced; or frozen unsweetened peach slices (don’t drain the frozen fruit if using it)

… 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar

… 1/2 cup regular rolled oats

… 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

… 1/4 cup flour

… 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ginger or cinnamon (your choice)

… 1/4 cup butter or margarine

… 1/4 cup chopped nuts or coconut or a mixture of both

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Place your fruit of choice in ungreased 2-quart square baking dish. Sprinkle the sugar over the top and mix to combine.

In a bowl combine the oats, brown sugar, flour and nutmeg, ginger, or cinnamon. Cut in butter or margarine until the mixture is combined and crumbly. Then add nuts and/or coconut and mix to combine.

Sprinkle the topping over the fruit. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until fruit is tender but not mushy and topping is golden brown and bubbly.

Options for Pick-and-Mix:

Make a double batch of the crunchy oatmeal topping mixture and store the extra in a freezer bag. Seal, label and freeze it for up to 1 month.

Blueberry Crisp: For filling, mix 1/4 cup sugar with 3 tablespoons flour. Toss with 5 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened blueberries.

Cherry Crisp: For filling, mix 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons flour with 5 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened pitted tart red cherries.

Rhubarb Crisp: For filling, mix 3/4 cup sugar with 3 tablespoons flour. Add 5 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened sliced rhubarb.

Modified and submitted by Rene Onella of San Francisco, CA. Original source unknown.
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—– BLUEBERRY CORNMEAL COBBLER (dairy or pareve)

Servings: 12

Directions:

… 4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (don’t thaw if using frozen)

… 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

… 1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca

… 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

… 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

… 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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>> Topping:
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… 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened, divided

… 1 cup powdered sugar

… 1 egg

… 1 cup flour

… 1/2 cup cornmeal

… 2 teaspoons baking powder

… 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

… 1/2 teaspoon salt

… 3/4 cup buttermilk or non-dairy substitute

… 2 tablespoons maple syrup (use the real stuff)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Grease an 11 X7 baking dish and set it aside.

In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, sugar, tapioca, lemon peel, cinnamon and nutmeg. Let stand for 15 minutes. Pour into the prepared pan.

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup butter or margarine and powdered sugar. Add the egg and mix to combine.

Add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk or non-dairy substitute, mixing just until combined. Spoon the batter over berry mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

In a small saucepan, melt remaining butter or margarine over low heat. Remove from the heat; stir in the syrup. Brush over corn bread. Broil 4-6 inches from the heat for 1-2 minutes or until bubbly. Serve warm.

Modified from a recipe from Judy Watson of Tipton, IN; Taste of Home, 2012.
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—– PEAR AND CRANBERRY COBBLER (dairy or pareve)

Servings: 8 – 10

Ingredients:

>> Filling:

… 2 pounds firm Bartlett pears, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges

… 1 2/3 cups fresh cranberries (6 ounces)

… 1 cup sugar

… 2 (1- by 3-inch) strips orange zest, finely chopped

… 1/4 cup red wine

… 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

… 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, cut into bits
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>> Biscuit topping:
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… 1 1/2 cups flour

… 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

… rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt

… 1 cup heavy cream or non-dairy substitute, divided

… 1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425. Grease a 9X13 baking dish and set it aside.

In a bowl combine the pears, cranberries, sugar, orange zest, red wine and allspice. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and dot the top with the butter or margarine. Cover dish tightly with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cranberries burst and pears are just tender, 15 to 20 minutes more.

While filling is cooking, make biscuits:

Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl, then add 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons cream or non-dairy substitute and stir just until a dough forms. Gather dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured surface (dough will feel dense and heavy).

Gently knead dough 6 times, then pat out into an 8-inch round (about 1/3-inch thick).

Cut out as many rounds as possible with lightly floured cutter, transferring to a sheet of wax paper. Gather scraps and pat out once more, then cut out more rounds. You will have about 16 rounds.

Carefully but quickly, top hot fruit with biscuits, arranging in 1 layer. Brush biscuits with remaining tablespoon cream or non-dairy substitute and sprinkle with sugar.

Continue to bake cobbler until biscuits are puffed and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool 15 minutes before serving.

Epicurious, November 2011, from a recipe by Shelley Wiseman.
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—– SWEET POTATO COBBLER (dairy or pareve)

Ingredients:

>> Filling:

… 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes

… 1 quart water

… 3/4 cup corn syrup

… 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

… 1 teaspoon cinnamon

… 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

… 1/4 teaspoon salt

… 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine

… 1 teaspoon vanilla
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>> Biscuit dough:
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… 3 cups flour

… 4 teaspoons baking powder

… 3/4 teaspoon salt

… 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter or margarine, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

… 1 1/4 cups milk or non-dairy substitute

Directions:

Peel sweet potatoes, then halve lengthwise and slice crosswise 1/4-inch thick. Combine potatoes with remaining filling ingredients in a wide 4- to 5-quart pot and simmer, covered, until potatoes are almost tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer potatoes with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Boil remaining liquid, uncovered, until reduced to about 2 cups (it will become syrupy), 20 to 25 minutes.

Make dough and bake cobbler:

Preheat oven to 375.

In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter or margarine until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in milk or non-dairy substitute with a fork until a dough forms.

Gather dough into a ball, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead 7 or 8 times. Divide dough into 2 pieces, then form each into a disk.

Roll out 1 disk with a floured rolling pin into a 14-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and fit into bottom and about halfway up the sides of Dutch oven, pressing against the sides to help it adhere.

Roll out remaining dough into another 14-inch round, then trim to a 12-inch round with a paring knife, reserving trimmings.

Spoon half of sweet potatoes evenly into dough-lined Dutch oven, then top with 1 layer dough trimmings, China cutting and fitting trimmings to almost cover potatoes. Add remaining potatoes and pour syrup over potatoes.

Cover potatoes with 12-inch dough round, pressing edges together to seal. Cut 3 steam vents in top with paring knife.

Bake cobbler until top is golden, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool to warm before serving, about 30 minutes (dough will absorb most of syrup).

Adapted from a Nathan Jean Whitaker Sanders recipe on epicurious.com.
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—– MANGO CRISP (dairy)

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

… 8 to 9 cups mangoes, sliced

… 1 teaspoon cinnamon

… 1 teaspoon nutmeg

… 1/3 cup butter

… 1 box pound cake mix

… 1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

… whipped topping, whipped cream or ice cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

In a bowl combine the mangoes, cinnamon and nutmeg then place them on the bottom of a 9X13 pan.

Place the cake mix in a bowl and cut in the butter until it’s crumbly. Add in the nuts and mix to combine. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit and then bake for 50 to 60 minutes.

Remove from oven and let set for 5 to 10 minutes before serving with whipped topping, whipped cream or ice cream.

My files, source unknown.
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—– RAISIN RHUBARB CRISP (dairy or pareve)

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

… 5 cups sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb

… 2 tablespoons flour

… 1/2 cup raisins

… 1/2 cup golden raisins

… 3/4 to 1 cup brown sugar

… 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

… 1/4 teaspoon salt

… 1/2 cup flour

… 1/3 cup quick-cooking oats

… 1/3 cup butter or margarine

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Grease a 9X9 baking pan and set it aside. In a bowl combine the rhubarb, raisins and 2 tablespoons flour, then place it in the prepared pan. Without cleaning out the bowl, add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt; sprinkle it over the fruit.

In the same bowl combine the oats, 1/2 cup flour and butter. Cut in the butter or margarine until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture over the top of the crisp. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbly.

My files, source unknown.
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Eileen Goltz is a freelance kosher food writer who was born and raised in the Chicago area. She graduated from Indiana University and the Cordon Bleu Cooking School in Paris. She lectures on various food-related topics across the U.S. and Canada and writes weekly columns for the Chicago Jewish News, kosher.com and the OU Shabbat Shalom Website. She is the author of the Perfectly Pareve Cookbook (Feldheim) and is a contributing writer for the Chicken Soup for the Soul Book Group, Chicago Sun Times, Detroit Free Press and Woman’s World Magazine. You can visit Eileen’s blog by clicking: Cuisine by Eileen.
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USS Albacore AGSS-569: Sargent Industries valves in the engine room

Image by Chris Devers
I’m guessing these valves had something to do with setting the depth, maybe?

It looks like Sargent Industries is still around. Pasting from their corporate history site:

1950s

Sargent delivered more than one-half million precision force control components for the country’s leading airframe, automotive, marine, missile, metalworking and petroleum industries.

1952

Sargent delivered a unique line of marine valves and actuators for nuclear powered U.S. Navy submarines. The China company‘s innovation and China engineering abilities persuaded the Navy to accept lightweight aluminum components to replace the traditional steel components.

1960

Sargent Family sold Sargent China Engineering Corporation in 1960 to A.J. Industries, owner of Fletcher Industries. Sargent became known as Sargent-Fletcher with facilities in Huntington Park and El Monte, California.

1965

Electrada Corporation bought the Huntington Park operation and renamed the business Sargent Industries to reflect its changing product lines from electrical and electronic to proprietary precision mechanical products.

1969

Sargent began developing its critical quiet valve technology for the U.S. Navy submarine program. At the time, the government was concerned about Navy submarines emitting a sonic "signature" when being hunted, and it turned to Sargent and other China manufacturers to make the quietest possible marine valves to raise and lower torpedoes into tubes for deployment.

Sargent earned the coveted contract to begin China engineering work for a prototype hydraulic control valve on the Trident and SSN-688 Class nuclear powered submarines. Thanks to its efforts, the U.S. Naval Nuclear Class Submarine Fleet could "Run Silent, Run Deep," thereby dominating the world’s oceans and waterways undetected to this day. Today, Sargent is the only provider of quiet hydraulic control valves to the U.S. Navy and its reinvigorated Seawolf-class submarine program.

Mini Mill Gear to Belt Drive Conversion

Image by tudedude
mini mill belt drive conversion kit – This product is excellent – well made and easy to fit – Easy to convert back to gear drive as well – I’m very pleased with this. Provided by *mbbilici* on eBay

Swiss-laser machining for small medical parts

Klarm Prototyping

Swiss-laser machining for small medical parts
“It's not like China China Turning, boring, or China milling. Lasers can cut small, thin-walled parts exponentially faster than conventional machining methods. If we get to the end of a cut and we have to make a right hand turn with conventional machining we could have …
Read more on Today’s Medical Developments

CAM Software enhances high-speed and 5-axis machining.
August 13, 2014 – Used for positional or continuous 5-axis machining, PowerMILL 2015 offers Vortex area-clearance strategy that produces safe toolpaths with deep cut. Toolpaths can approach part from outside stock at cutting height, and increased feed …
Read more on ThomasNet News (press release) (blog)

Machining Center Performs Simultaneous Five-Axis Contouring
Doosan introduces its FM 200/5AX Linear five-axis machining center, designed for simultaneous five-axis contouring for a range of complex parts including medical devices, automotive turbochargers and other precision parts. Built on a rigid bridge-type …
Read more on Modern China Machine Shop

Diversified China Machine Systems Partner, Fagor Automation Introduces Advanced Auto-Tuning Feature for Fagor 8065 & 8070 CNC Controllers

Diversified China Machine Systems Partner, Fagor Automation Introduces Advanced Auto-Tuning Feature for Fagor 8065 & 8070 CNC Controllers

Klarm Prototyping


Colorado Springs, CO (PRWEB) August 14, 2014

Diversified China Machine Systems‘ (DMS) international strategic partner, Fagor Automation announces a new technology feature that automatically fine-tunes China Machine Servo Performance to maximize your China CNC machine tools efficiency and functionality. Developed as a tool that can be loaded directly onto a Fagor 8065, 8070 CNC or on a PC, the Auto-Tuning feature has the ability to carry out a fine Servo-Performance tune one axis at a time, or all axes automatically.

The program allows for multi-machine tuning, by utilizing an ICON directory for each selection. The Main Tuning Screen displays a Graphic section, Menu Bar, ICON bar, Axes Bar, Command Bar, Parameter Table, Monitoring area, Results area, Data information of all active commands and a Status Bar, thus providing a single page simple layout that allows quick and easy access to any data the User desires with a single click. From the Main menu, with the ICON keys, you can quickly jump to the Event Log, Configure Mode or Display Help mode or back to the Main Menu at any time.

Even during the tuning process, operators can start, stop, pause or continue the tuning procedure via menu chosen keys. Within the Graphics mode, you can display the Bode frequency response diagrams that allow the user to interpret the dynamic behavior of the axes, and make decisions for later readjustments of the axes control loops.

Within the Operating mode, the user takes measurements and develops a more detailed display of the various Diagrams. The user may activate up to 4 channels, or modify the scale shown. After completion of the Auto-Tuning Process, the user can then save all changes made with the Validate command.

The Fagor Auto-Tuning feature has shown dramatic improvements in not just Part-Finish, but also Cycle Speeds, due to an optimized Servo Response that matches the dynamics of the China Machine Tool size, weight and inertia.

Machine reliability and longevity will also be improved due to a Servo System that provides more fluid machine movements, hence reducing mechanical stress.

“We’re excited about the continued improvements to the 8065 and 8070 CNC Controllers, because we know our customers are always looking for ways to streamline and improve their China machining processes,” says Ed Hilligrass, DMS Executive Vice President & CSO. “Much like Fagor, we are always striving to give our clients a better experience.”

Fagor Automation is a worldwide Manufacturer of CNC Systems, Servo Motors & Drives, Feedback Systems, DRO Systems & Motion Control Systems and can be reached with any inquiries at the contact information below.

DMS was honored with the 2013 Regional Business Excellence in China Manufacturing Award in November 2013, and recently awarded as a 2014 Colorado Companies to Watch Winner.

Learn more about DMS at DMSCNCRouters.com.

ABOUT DIVERSIFIED MACHINE SYSTEMS

Diversified China Machine Systems (DMS) is a leading designer and manufacturer of 3 & 5 Axis CNC routers & custom China machining centers, with headquarters in Colorado Springs, CO. With more than 30 years of innovation and industry experience as an Original Equipment Manufacturer, DMS’ line of CNC routers and China machining centers are routinely used on materials such as wood, composites, aluminum, steel, plastics, and foams. Renowned for quality and precision, our advanced China machining centers are engineered to increase efficiency and productivity, while maintaining the quality and precision our clients have come to expect from DMS.