Social Security Is Not A Ponzi Scheme

I had this discussion with my father.  Here is an article by Dean Baker showing that if Social Security is a ponzi scheme, then so is the entire US government and most businesses.  Below is a snippet:

"The way in which Social Security is ostensibly similar to a Ponzi scheme is that it depends on new workers in the future to meet obligations that it incurs today. This also happens to be true of any debt issued by either the government or the private sector.

If the size of the working population in the United States collapsed tomorrow, then it would not have the tax revenue to pay off government bonds. Similarly, if the public stopped buying General Electric's products, it would also be unable to pay off its bondholders. Yet no one in their right mind would describe the bonds issued by the federal government or General Electric as Ponzi schemes."

 The image below is from Mother Jones:

The Innocence Project

Many believe an innocent man was executed last night.  It is interesting to check out The Innocence Project and as of today - 273 people on death row were exonerated.  And to think that those freaking idiots at the last republican debate actually applauded when Rick Perry stated he had 234 men executed under his watch. 

KEPServerEX Keeps Doing Cool Stuff

I just saw this announcement in PennEnergy on KEPServerEx that I thought was very cool.  It is very exciting to see all the new markets that MTConnect will be getting into thanks to KEPServerEX from Kepware.

Software's drivers, plugins for both oil/gas, manufacturing

KEPServerEX version 5.6 is released with three new products in its communication platform for relevance to both oil and gas as well as manufacturing.

Its Weatherford 8500 Serial Driver is intuitive to communicate with WellPilot Rod Pump Controllers which gather and monitor critical production information from oil and/or gas wells. Its' connectivity to Weatherford 8500 allows you to monitor information, alarms, and events from remote locations. It enables operators to make process adjustments.

A media level redundancy plugin option is also added to address critical operations in oil and gas operations.

New MTCConnect Driver allows connectivity to machine tools that support MTConnect or any legacy equipment through an MTConnect Agent.
Full software plus drivers and plugins data are free.

Kepware Technologies
400 Congress Street, 4th Floor, Portland ME 04101

MAG's Cryogenic Machining at IMX

imX was a big hit for MTConnect Institute.  While the attendance was not as high as other shows, the quality of individuals was much higher.  We spent an average of 20 to 30 minutes with each person who came by.

This video has Paul Warndorf, VP of Technology and CTO for AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology describing MAG's cryogenic machining at imX.  We had dinner with one of the inventors.

Below is from MAG's homepage describing their cryogenic machining.

"MAG will exhibit a breakthrough in cryogenic machining at the imX show, Las Vegas, September 12-14, 2011, demonstrating a new technology that utilizes a unique through-spindle, through-tool cooling system using liquid nitrogen. The multi-patent pending development cools the cutting edge more efficiently than ever before possible, enabling dramatically higher cutting speeds for increased metal removal, longer tool life or a blend of the two advantages. The liquid-nitrogen ( 321°F) cooling system can also be combined with MQL (minimum quantity lubrication) to reduce tool friction and adhesion, further optimizing the process for certain materials. Ideal applications involve aggressive metal removal in the hardest workpiece materials, such as titanium, nickel-based alloys, and nodular or compacted-graphite iron (CGI)"

imX Big Hit For MTConnect

imX (interactive manufacturing eXperience) in Las Vegas was a very good investment for MTConnect.   While the number of leads was less than other shows, the quality was much higher and we had more time for long, technical and business discussions.  Huge thanks to Larry Schwartz, Chief Strategy Office for Okuma, for helping to get us in as well as emphasizing the importance of MTConnect being there.  Brian Sides, Director of Engineering for Okuma, also was invaluable in helping us so we could be successful in speaking to attendees at the Okuma booth as well as giving me a couple of speaking time slots at Okuma's Theater.   It was a real pleasure working with all the folks at Okuma.  I hope we get invited back.

Thanks to Ed Marcato, President of Distributed Control Factory Corporation and Nat Frampton of Real Time Development Corporation for all their help at imX as well.

Below from right to left is Bob Young, President of NextRev Solutions speaking with Will Sobel, President of Systems Insights discussing the upcoming [MC]2 conference.  Will is the man when it comes to all things MTConnect as he is the software developer that made it all real.  I am seated on the right behind a gentleman who is very interested in how MTConnect works and I am demoing MTConnect on my MacBook Pro.

Huge Thanks To Okuma - [MC]2 Polo Shirt Sponsor

I am thrilled that Okuma is going to be the official [MC]2 MTConnect Connecting Manufacturing Conference Polo Shirt Provider!   These will be first class polo shirts with the [MC]2 logo on the left breast and the Okuma logo on the right sleeve.  Huge thanks to Okuma's Larry Schwartz, former President and currently Chief Strategy Officer as well as Brian Sides, Director of Engineering for Amerca, for their tremendous supporters of MTConnect!

Doug Woods Discusses MTConnect

Doug Woods, president of AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology, wrote a great article for IndustryWeek titled:

MTConnect: The Language of Interoperability and Connectivity

 It is a great article and here is a snippet of Doug discussing the best way think about what MTConnect is and what it is not.  Please read the entire article here:

 

"It can be a bit difficult to grasp the concept of what MTConnect actually is. It might be easier to say what it isn't: It isn't a piece of hardware or a software application. So, what is MTConnect? It is a protocol. A protocol is simply how two different devices speak to each other and what data is available. The easiest way to think about MTConnect is that it is the Bluetooth for manufacturing. MTConnect doesn't tell you what to do with the data it collects; it merely collects it and makes it very easy for applications to read that data.

While MTConnect isn't a hardware device, companies are making black boxes the size of a brick that connect legacy machine tools on one side and to the network on the other side. MTConnect data isn't tied to any one developer or vendor -- the data are completely neutral. The MTConnect Institute makes MTConnect protocol available for free for its members. It costs nothing to become a member. That's because with a common protocol like MTConnect, everyone in manufacturing wins. The ability to plug-n-play in manufacturing means productivity gains because you simply cannot manage what you do not know.

It might all seem a bit nebulous, but perhaps the simplest way to understand MTConnect is to think of it as the universal translator. MTConnect takes the countless number of pieces of manufacturing equipment around the globe and provides a way for all of these systems to speak a common and open language. This language makes it possible to monitor such things as the amount of time a machine is in cycle, the alarms and delays it experiences, and any number of things that can be fitted with a sensor: movement and temperature, for example."