The Real Housewives of Orange County’s Gretchen Rossi has made good on her threat to launch a music career. Yikes…..
Gretchen premiered her debut single, “Nothing Without You,” on Cali’s “Valentine In The Morning” on Tuesday. The socialite will donate proceeds from the sale of the single to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and his Jeff Beitzel Foundation.
(Sidebar: I had no idea this song was done it memory of Gretchen’s fiance. My apologies for the harsh critique I made of it earlier…..)
Subaru of America has officially announced that it has achieved an absolute sales record of 216,652 units for 2009, representing a 15% year-to-year increase over the 2008 figures.
In a bit more interesting announcement made at NAIAS, the company has presented new versions for its sales leader, the Forester compact crossover SUV.
The Forester will now feature a 10 way electric driver seat as standard for the 2.5X Premium version and bluetooth wireless capability for… (read more)
The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced that it will provide systems design, development and testing services for the U.S. Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS).
IBCS is part of the Army’s modernization effort; it will integrate current and future air and missile defense systems into a common battle command system.
“The integration of sensors, weapons and battle management software through IBCS will provide the warfighter with a unified, open-architecture environment and the capability to counter continually evolving air and missile threats,” said Dave Pope, Boeing director of Command and Control Enterprise Solutions.
“Boeing’s experience as a system-of-systems integrator will help ensure IBCS increases warfighter effectiveness against these threats.”
Boeing is a member of the IBCS team led by Northrop Grumman Corp. [NYSE: NOC].
Boeing is responsible for leading the IBCS test activity, including developing the contractor test plan, testing software and hardware, and verifying and validating system requirements.
Boeing also will lead the design, development and testing of the IBCS “plug-and-fight” interface, which will serve as a bridge between the existing legacy systems and the new battle command system.
IBCS is expected to be fielded by 2014.
About Boeing Defense, Space & Security
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft.
Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.
MEDIA CONTACT:Christina E. Kelly, 714-896-1486
Boeing Communications [email protected]
…During the 2008-09 academic year, Campus Compact and the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund granted WMU American Humanics students $15,000 to re-grant to local nonprofits and $3,000 for administrative costs. Students studied community needs, set priorities, issued requests for proposals, analyzed 23 proposals, completed site visits and held a Students4Giving Grant Celebration. The WMU group has received another $15,000 to distribute to local nonprofits in spring 2010.
Most modern Macs, except for the MacBook Air and some MacBook models (such as my late 2008 unibody, alas), offer both FireWire and USB connections, so when shopping for an external hard drive you have plenty of options for something that will work with your Mac, notes Macworld’s James Galbraith. And these days, he adds, USB hard drives are more common and less expensive than FireWire or even FireWire/USB combo drives.
True, but even though USB 2.0 has a maximum theoretical bandwidth of 480 Mbps, vs. a nominal 400 Mbps for FireWire 400, via real-world experience I can attest that USB 2.0 lags well behind FireWire 400 — to say nothing of the FireWire 800 used on all Macs still sold today with FireWire support. And adding insult to injury, USB 2.0 doesn’t support incredibly useful Target Disk Mode. I’ve also found that while booting a Mac from a USB 2.0 drive is possible, it’s not nearly as satisfactory and low-hassle (or speedy) as booting from FireWire drives.
My gut-level impressions are borne out by Macworld’s lab testing, which found, for instance, that with a Western Digital My Book Studio 2TB Western Digital My Book Studio drive connected to a MacBook Pro, copying a 1GB file took 23 percent less time over FireWire 400 than over USB 2.0, while duplicating that file using FireWire 400 on the WD drive took 10 percent less time than when run over USB 2.0, and that FireWire 800 proved 35-58 percent faster than USB 2.0 in various tests on the MacBook Pro with the My Book Studio. Similar comparative results were noted using a compact Verbatim portable drive with the MacBook Pro.
However, the report also notes that the imminent release of USB 3.0 products in early 2010 promises speeds greater than FireWire 800 or even eSATA, but suggests that it may be some time before Apple begins supporting USB 3.0 with compatible ports (which will be backwards-compatible for USB 1.1 and 2.0 devices on Mac systems).
In the meantime, even a USB 2.0 only external hard drive is the best choice for a backup medium for most of us, especially using Time Machine in OS X 10.5 and 10.6 But my recommendation is to spend a few more dollars if necessary and get an external drive with multiple I/O interface support. Quad interface drives are becoming quite popular, able to handle USB 2.0 (and hopefully soon USB 3.0) plus FireWire 400, FireWire 800, and eSATA interfaces.
What’s your favorite backup medium and I/O interface?
Ford’s 5.0L V8 – Click above for high-res image gallery
While Ford might not be pulling out all the stops here in Detroit to promote its updated Mustang like it did for the 2010 model year, the 2011 model’s improvements are just as significant, if not more. The new 305 horsepower, 30 mile per gallon V6 debuted at Los Angeles back in December, and the long-awaited 5.0L V8 made its official debut here at the NAIAS. Fortunately, there’s plenty more to the legendary 5.0 badge than an increase in displacement, and a cutaway motor on the show floor gave us a closer look at all the details.
For starters, the new V8 uses a different bore and stroke to give it an even five liters of displacement, last employed in the Mustang GT in 1995. A larger, single-blade throttle body that replaces the dual unit now works in conjunction with a composite intake manifold runner to provide for better breathing, as do the all-new aluminum cylinder heads that include an extra exhaust valve for a total of four valves per cylinder.
Additional upgraded components include a forged steel crankshaft, stronger forged powder metal connecting rods, high compression pistons, and a fantastic set of tubular stainless steel exhaust headers on each side. Perhaps most importantly, the 5.0-liter V8 receives Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT), a technology that allows for optimal power or fuel economy depending on throttle input. You can read our in-depth article for even more details on the Mustang’s new 5.0-liter V8, or you can see our live photos of the car and the cutaway engine in the galleries below.
San Diego’s Covario, a venture-backed startup in Web-based search engine optimization (SEO) and interactive marketing analytics for big companies, says it has acquired Netconcepts, a Madison, WI-based specialist in SEO for retailers and e-commerce websites. Financial terms were not disclosed. In a joint statement issued by the two companies, Covario CEO Russ Mann says by combining Covario’s Organic Search Insight software with NetConcepts’ GravityStream technology, “advertisers will be able to identify the SEO actions that drive better rankings, and also deploy those strategies quickly, and in a highly scalable way to achieve their ROI [return on investment] goals.” Covario investors include Dubilier & Co. FTV Capital and Voyager Capital.
Just as the infamous ‘three-strikes’ law gets delayed further in France, the UK is working on its own controversial version. Dubbed the Digital Economy Bill, the law outlines government policies mostly relating to the Internet and has gotten a lot of flack for some of its provisions regarding copyright. The bill is still under review and a … (read more)
Dogs are lovely creatures, but they aren’t all that useful. Sure, they provide companionship, but any animal can do that. That’s why I love turning your dog into a cellphone charger using solar panels. [Recombu via Make]
The unconventional beauty and artistry of works by photographer William Eggleston will be showcased in a major exhibition opening at the Art Institute of Chicago this winter.
William Eggleston: Democratic Camera, Photographs and Video, 1961-2008–on view from Feb. 27 through May 23, 2010, in the Modern Wing’s Abbott Galleries (G182, G184) and Carolyn S. and Matthew Bucksbaum Gallery (G188)–is the most comprehensive retrospective to date of the Memphis-based contemporary photographer.
The exhibition brings together more than 150 extraordinary images of familiar, everyday subjects with lesser-known, early black-and-white prints and provocative video recordings, all produced over a five-decade period.
Born in 1939 in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised on his family’s cotton plantation in Mississippi, William Eggleston held a casual interest in photography until 1959, when he came across photo books by Henri Cartier-Bresson and Walker Evans.
Among his earliest pictures, made during stints at universities in Tennessee and Mississippi, were black-and-white scenes found in his native South, as well as portraits of friends and family members.
By the 1960s and early 1970s he had begun experimenting with color film, and he eventually produced rich, vivid prints through the dye transfer process-prints that are created through the alignment of three separate matrices (cyan, magenta, and yellow) generated from three separate negatives (red, green, and blue filters).
The resulting prints are known for the vividness and permanence of their colors. Hence, Eggleston is often credited for single-handedly ushering in the era of color art photography.
Eager to show his work to a broader audience, Eggleston traveled to New York with a suitcase of slides and prints to meet with Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) curator John Szarkowski.
This visit eventually yielded a controversial but revolutionary exhibition in 1976–MoMA’s first solo show to feature color photographs–and a classic accompanying book, William Eggleston’s Guide.
At this point in his career, Eggleston had already distinguished himself by treating color as a means of discovery and expression, and as a way to highlight aspects of life hidden in plain sight.
William Eggleston: Democratic Camera, Photographs and Video, 1961-2008 demonstrates Eggleston’s “democratic” approach to his photographic subjects in both color and black-and-white.
Everything that happens in front of the camera is worthy of becoming a picture for the artist–no matter how seemingly circumstantial or trivial. Eggleston finds his motifs in everyday life, resulting in telling portrayals of American culture.
His iconic images such as Elvis’s Graceland, a supermarket clerk corralling grocery carts in the afternoon sunlight, and a freezer stuffed with food proves that the photographer points his “democratic camera” at everything.
Eggleston’s quiet, thoughtful pictures have profoundly impacted subsequent generations of photographers, filmmakers, and scholars.
The exhibition also includes Eggleston’s cult video work, Stranded in Canton. In the 1960s, Eggleston used film to document Fred McDowell, a well-known Delta blues musician, but ultimately abandoned the film project.
Eggleston later acquired a video camera and began using video to shoot in bars and in people’s homes; sometimes he shot monologues friends delivered for his video camera, most often at night. The result, Stranded in Canton , recently restored and re-edited, is a portrait of a woozy subculture that adds dimension and texture to the world of Eggleston’s color photographs.
Internationally acclaimed, Eggleston has spent the past four decades photographing around the world, responding intuitively to fleeting configurations of cultural signs and specific expressions of local color.
By not censoring, rarely editing, and always photographing even the seemingly banal, Eggleston convinces us completely of the idea of the democratic camera.
William Eggleston: Democratic Camera, Photographs and Video, 1961-2008 is accompanied by a lavishly illustrated exhibition catalogue published by the Whitney Museum of American Art and distributed by Yale University Press.
Numbering 320 pages and including 240 color and black-and-white illustrations, the book is filled with new scholarship about the artist and proves to be the standard reference to Eggleston’s photographs for years to come. The catalogue is available at the Art Institute’s Museum Shop for $65.
William Eggleston: Democratic Camera, Photographs and Video, 1961-2008 is organized by the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, in association with Haus der Kunst in Munich.
The exhibition is co-curated by Elisabeth Sussman, curator and Sondra Gilman Curator of Photography at the Whitney Museum of American Art, and Thomas Weski, former deputy director of Haus der Kunst in Munich, Germany, now professor of the study of curatorial cultures at the Academy of Visual Arts, Leipzig.
The Chicago presentation of William Eggleston: Democratic Camera, Photographs and Video, 1961-2008 is curated by Katherine Bussard, associate curator of photography, the Art Institute of Chicago.
Generous support for William Eggleston: Democratic Camera, Photographs and Video, 1961-2008 is provided by The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, Inc., Norman and Melissa Selby, The John and Annamaria Phillips Foundation, Marcia Dunn & Jonathan Sobel, Diane and Tom Tuft, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Additional support is provided by the Stephen C. and Katherine D. Sherrill Foundation, Lauren and Louis DePalo, the William Talbott Hillman Foundation, and The Gage Fund.
The Chicago presentation is generously funded in part by Jay and Gretchen Jordan. Additional support is provided by Joyce Chelberg.
Bring on the chuckles: Sarah Palin will make her debut as a FOX News Channel commentator on Tuesday night’s edition of The O’Reilly Factor.
The former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate will “sit down with Bill to take on America’s top issues,” the FOX News Channel said this afternoon.
On Monday, the conservative network announced a multi-year deal with Palin that will see the former politican as the host of a recurring series. The New York Times Best-Selling author majored in journalism with an emphasis on broadcasting at the University of Idaho and worked as a sportscaster at an Anchorage, Alaska station in the late ’80s.
The 2010 North American International Auto Show press preview days have been full of announcements and unveilings. One of the more interesting ones however, has been the Toyota FT-CH dedicated hybrid concept.
Designed in Europe and engineered with cutting edge electric drive technology, the FT-CH is a concept that addresses Toyota’s mission to develop a ‘Prius family’ of vehicles that will grow to include plug-in hybrids, battery electrics, and a few years down the road, hydrogen fuel cells.
Toyota has long been on the forefront of automobile electrification, bringing to market the RAV4 EV in the late 90’s, and the Prius today being a symbol of the hybrid movement in general. That being said, there are no present plans to produce the FT-CH, but they do plan to launch eight all-new hybrid models over the next few years and to sell one million hybrid units per year globally in the early part of this decade. Read below for Toyota’s press release and images of the car at the 2010 North American International Auto Show.
Make the jump for the press release and the high-res gallery.
DETROIT, January 11, 2010—Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A, Inc., today unveiled the FT-CH dedicated hybrid concept at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The FT-CH is a concept that would address Toyota’s stated strategy to offer a wider variety of conventional hybrid choices to its customers, as it begins to introduce plug-in hybrids (PHVs) and battery electrics (BEVs) in model year 2012, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCHVs) in 2015 in global markets.
“Within the next 10 to 20 years, we will not only reach peak oil we will enter a period where demand for all liquid fuels will exceed supply,” said Jim Lentz, TMS president. “A century after the invention of the automobile, we must re-invent it with powertrains that significantly reduce or eliminate the use of conventional petroleum fuels. One of many alternatives is through what is commonly called the electrification of the automobile. By far, the single most successful example of this has been the gas-electric hybrid.”
The CH stands for compact hybrid as in compact class and it’s a concept that can best be defined by comparing it with the mid-size class Prius. The FT-CH captures the spirit and functionality of a car that thrives in the inner-city environment; sized right to be nimble, responsive and maneuverable.
“It’s a package Toyota dealers and customers have been asking for,” added Lentz.
The FT-CH was styled at Toyota’s European Design and Development (ED²) center in Nice, France. Compared to Prius, it is 22 inches shorter in overall length, yet loses less than an inch in overall width. In spite of its compact external dimensions, FT-CH was designed for maximum passenger comfort and interior roominess, with an imaginative sense of style.
ED² designers looked to capture the vivid, high-energy appeal of what has come to be called the 8-bit generation. Popularized in the early 80’s, 8-bit microprocessor technology dominated the budding home video game industry. Today, 8-bit is considered a specific retro-style that is embraced by such things as 8-bit genre music and 8-bit inspired art.
The direct reference to the 8-bit generation is meant to be fun and innovative, colorful and stylish, with strong appeal to young buyers. Lighter in weight and even more fuel efficient than Prius, the concept specifically targets a lower price point than Prius, thus appealing to a younger, less-affluent buyer demographic.
Pointing to how Prius has become a universal icon for hybrid technology, Lentz confirmed that TMS is developing a Prius family “marketing strategy” for North America that will take full advantage of the Prius brand equity.
“The strategy is still taking shape and obviously it will require additional models to qualify as a family,” said Lentz. “Among others, the FT-CH is a concept that we are considering.”
In the early 2010s, Toyota plans to sell a million hybrids per year globally, a majority of those in North America. To accomplish this, Toyota will launch eight all new hybrid models over the next few years. These will not include next generation versions of current hybrids; instead, they will be all new dedicated hybrid vehicles, or all new hybrid versions of existing gas engine models.
The heart of hybrid technology is its battery. Since the early 90’s, during the early stages of first-generation Prius development, Toyota has been committed to in-house R&D of advanced nickel-metal hydride batteries. Through three generations
of Prius and a total of seven full-hybrid models, it has systematically reduced size, weight and cost while improving energy density, quality and reliability.
Toyota’s joint venture partnership with Panasonic has been a key element of its success in the advancement of hybrid technology. Later this year, Panasonic EV Energy (PEVE) will have three separate, fully operational production facilities with a combined capacity of more than one million units per year.
Moving the promise of electrification one step further, Toyota recently kicked off its global demonstration program involving approximately 600 Prius plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Beginning early this year, 150 PHVs will begin to arrive in the U.S. where they will be placed in regional clusters with select partners for market/consumer analysis and technical demonstration.
The Prius PHV introduces Toyota’s first generation lithium-ion drive battery. When fully charged, the vehicle is targeted to achieve a maximum electric-only range of about 13 miles and capable of achieving highway speeds of more than 60 mph in electric-only mode. For longer distances, the Prius PHV reverts to “hybrid mode” and operates like a regular Prius. This ability to utilize all-electric power for short trips or hybrid power for longer drives alleviates the issue of limited cruising range encountered with pure-electric vehicles.
All program vehicles will be equipped with data retrieval/communication devices which will monitor activities such as: how often the vehicle is charged and when, whether the batteries are depleted or being topped-off during charging, trip duration and all-electric driving range, combined mpg and so on.
As it becomes available, data from the program vehicles will be posted to a dedicated Web site. This in use, readily available data will help consumers understand how the vehicles are being used and how they’re performing.
Toyota believes this demonstration program is a necessary next step in societal preparation in that it allows Toyota the unique opportunity to inform, educate and prepare customers for the electrification of the automobile in general and the introduction of plug-in hybrid technology.
Toyota is moving quickly with the development of PHV technology well beyond this demonstration program. Advanced battery R&D programs with nickel-metal, lithium-ion and “beyond lithium” are underway for a wide variety of applications in conventional hybrids, PHVs, BEVs and FCHVs.
In the early 1990s, Toyota began R&D on building a practical and affordable hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. FCHV technical advancements have moved at a rapid pace. Engineers have made great strides in cost reduction targets in both materials and manufacturing and Toyota is committed to bringing hydrogen fuel cells to global markets in 2015.
Toyota’s latest model, the Toyota FCHV-advanced began its own national demonstration program late last year. Over the course of the three year program, more than 100 vehicles will be placed in an effort to demonstrate the technology’s performance, reliability and practicality in everyday use.
Recently field tested in southern California by two national laboratories at the request of the U.S. Department of Energy, the FCHV-advanced confirmed an estimated single-tank fuel range of 431 miles. In combined city and highway driving from Santa Monica to San Diego the FCHV-adv logged an estimated 68 miles per kilogram of hydrogen, the rough equivalent of 68 miles per gallon. That range is equivalent to a Highlander hybrid at more than double the MPG with zero emissions other than water vapor.
In 1997, Toyota introduced the RAV4 EV battery electric vehicle in California. 1,484 of these 100 mile range large-battery electric vehicles were either sold or leased over the course of the program. Nearly half are still on the road.
Shortly thereafter, Toyota started a modest demonstration program with a small- battery electric urban commuter vehicle, called the e-com. This concept addressed the idea of the “on-demand” city station car similar to the Zip-car business model that is becoming popular in large urban areas. Although shorter in range, the e-com program addressed a specific mobility niche at a much more affordable price than the RAV4 EV.
The RAV4 EV and e-com programs were short lived due to lack of commitment from the market; the consumer and the consumer’s environmental mind set were not ready to commit to battery electric vehicles at that time. Recent increased awareness of environmental issues and the benefits of advanced technology vehicles have reinvigorated an interest in the electric vehicle market. As a result, Toyota will bring a small, urban commuter lithium-ion BEV to market in model year 2012.
Battery technology has progressed significantly in the time since the RAV4 EV and e-com programs. But major challenges still remain. The cost of lithium-ion batteries needs to be reduced significantly, or a more affordable alternative developed.
Like hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, battery electrics will require the creation of infrastructure for recharging on the go. This issue of range is also a challenge to overcome. Even at 100 miles, BEVs as a primary mode of transportation do not yet offer what most consumers see as true mobility.
Toyota believes these are hurdles that will be cleared. For the last decade its focus has been to concentrate on a comprehensive advanced technology strategy including BEVs, PHVs, and FCHVs. Common to all three is the move to electrification, the full commitment to advanced battery technology and how lessons learned from conventional hybrid R&D have given Toyota a leg-up on all three.
Few cars are as iconic as the Jeep Wrangler, a vehicle that can trace its heritage directly back to General Patton storming the Third Army up to Messina. Maybe a Porsche 911, maybe. Mini? Not really. Harley-Davidson is probably the closest, but they only have two wheels and aren’t cars. The reason we’re harping on this heritage angle is that after a twenty-year absence, Jeep’s bringing back the Islander. Having grown up in Southern California and spent many a summer bumming around the beach, the Islander brings back many happy memories.
Obviously, the Jeep Wrangler Islander is beach themed. Also, water is wet. That said, you get a tropical “Tiki Bob” decal planted next to the coordinates 21° North and 157° West. That’s Honolulu for you non-gazatteer types. Similar to most old YJ-based Islanders, this version is painted ocean-blue – Surf Blue Pearl Coat if you want to get specific. You can also get the Islander in white, silver or black, but why? You also get some interior touches, like seats with Surf Blue inserts and another Tiki Bob, this time embroidered into the back seat. All that beach themed fun can be yours for just $1,120 over sticker.
Jeep also showed us the Wrangler Mountain. Long story made real short, the Mountain is the Islander with different stickers, a painted grille and no heritage/nostalgic childhood memories. There’s also an odd, flat-black hunk of plastic covering most of the hood that we’re scratching our heads over. And… any questions? The cost of entry is $1,820. Oh, and the degrees on the Mountain’s decal are 27° South, 88 66° West. We’ll let you figure out where in the world that is. Have fun!
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), in partnership with FLU*Ease, Inc., is now offering flu shots to travelers in most of the airline terminals as a public safety measure against the flu, especially the H1N1 strain.
FLU*Ease stations, complete with privacy screens, are set up beyond passenger security screening in Terminals 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT).
Stations will be open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays; and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays, with registered nurses administering shots to interested travelers for a $30 fee.
The program will continue throughout the flu season.
“This initiative is a convenient resource for travelers and part of LAX’s contribution to helping contain the spread of flu and protect the public’s safety during this flu season,” said Debbie Bowers, Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) deputy executive director for commercial development.
“Travelers have the convenience of getting a flu shot without having to go to a health center or a doctor’s office.”
FLU*Ease, Inc., a physician-supervised medical organization based in Chicago, Illinois, provides immunization services to companies and organizations nationwide. LAWA awarded FLU*Ease the contract to administer flu shots in the terminals.
Independent of the FLU*Ease program, Reliant Immediate Care also offers H1N1 flu shots and other travel immunizations at Reliant Medical Center at 9601 South Sepulveda Boulevard (blue building next to the LAX Airport Police station).
The H1N1 flu shot costs $24.
Reliant Medical Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and provides transportation to/from airline terminals to their medical center.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), a Los Angeles City department that owns and operates two other Southern California airports: LA/Ontario International (ONT) and Van Nuys (VNY) general aviation.
LAX is the sixth busiest airport in the world, offering more than 565 daily flights to 81 destinations in the U.S. and over 1,000 weekly non-stop flights to 65 international destinations.
“What was once Magic Ball is now MAGIC ORBZ!” says Scott Hyman of Creat Studios, informing us of the Winter Pack DLC coming to PSN later this week. Yes, Magic Ball just got an awesome new pack
Joining Ferrari and Maserati at Chrysler’s stand in Detroit is the new Fiat 500 with an electric powertrain. No details on the Fiat 500 BEV (battery electric-vehicle) were released and Fiat / Chrysler have yet to say whether or not the model will enter production.
The Fiat 500 will be available in North America with a 1.4L Multiair engine in the fourth quarter of 2010. A 1.4L Multiair turbo will arrive in the fourth-quarter of 2011.
Click through for more high-res images from the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.
After the panel discussion on ACTA, a special “Fair Use Film Screening” (again, as a part of World’s Fair Use Day) was held in the same building, in the offices of the law firm Dewey & LeBoeuf, which was quite a lot of fun. It really wasn’t so much a “film screening” as it was a panel discussion with a few short film clips shown. The panel consisted of Mark Hosler of the band Negativland as the moderator (who, of course, went through the fair use battles before many of the younger generation was even born, let alone had to consider this stuff), along with Brett Gaylor, discussing his film RIP: A Remix Manifesto and Kembrew McLeod, discussing his film Copyright Criminals.
One point that stood out from both McLeod and Gaylor was the difficulties and legal hurdles each had to go through to even complete these movies. Since they dealt with so many examples of mashups and samples, all of the legal questions that applied to the mashups and samples themselves in some ways applied to the movies as well. In both cases, they spent an awful lot of time with lawyers — even when it came to artistic editing decisions, in order to do their best to keep the films “legal.” Many in the audience were surprised when both said that, in some ways, the lawyers’ demands actually helped them make better films — but Nina Paley (who I finally met) chimed in from the audience to point out that it makes sense that copyright lawyers would help in making a better film about copyright law — but that was probably one of a very small number of situations where movie makers would benefit from the editing suggestions of a bunch of lawyers.
The other thing that came out in the discussion was that both filmmakers are still a bit unsure about the legality of their films. They both have pretty strong backing from people who insist their films are above the law, but it’s a bit of an open question. Kembrew’s film, in particular, may run into some big questions fairly soon. His film will be airing on PBS next week (check your local listings) and while he was careful to try to license much of the music in the film, it was quite an impossible task. He noted how silly it was that if you want to use a hiphop song that uses 20 samples, you need to get licenses for both the recording and the songwriting (publishing) for the song itself and for each of the 20 songs sampled — and even if you agreed to a $10,000 license per sample for the first 19 rights holders, if the 20th came along and demanded $30,000, you then had to go back and pay all the others $30,000 as well.
So his film contains many unlicensed clips — including one of a George Clinton track, that Bridgeport claims ownership on. You may recall Bridgeport — they’re the company that claims to hold the rights to a ton of George Clinton music (though Clinton claims his signature was forged by Bridgeport) and has sued hundreds of hiphop artists who have sampled Clinton’s works (Clinton tends to like the fact that hiphop artists sample his music). Kembrew tried to clear the right with Bridgeport, and received an amusing (if troubling) call from someone there after many, many attempts to contact them. After picking up the phone and being told that someone from Bridgeport was getting on the line, suddenly a voice on the other end yelled “DENIED!” After trying to respond to that, the guy against just said “DENIED! No reason given!” and hung up.
However, the PBS version is going forward with that clip included — though, PBS is lucky in that it (alone) has a compulsory rate that it can pay for publishing (not recording) rights on music. Yet, the DVD copy of Kembrew’s movie had to remove that scene and insert a different scene instead.
Both Gaylor and Kembrew detailed the insane lengths they had to go through to try to get Errors and Omissions (E&O) insurance, which many places require before showing a film. Kembrew actually was able to secure E&O insurance, though it was quite a hassle. Gaylor tried to, but eventually gave up, as it was just too troubling. He did, however, show a spreadsheet that he had to put together during the process of trying to get it, which went through every clip in the film, detailing where the content had come from, noting the exact length of the content, what it was used for and an explanation of why it was either licensed or fair use. The document was incredible, and Nina asked him to share it with the world so people could understand the level of ridiculousness that filmmakers had to go through. While Gaylor said he would do so, a lawyer in the audience advised him against it, suggesting it might open him up to a lawsuit.
While all of this may have sounded frustrating, the overall tone of the panel was quite optimistic. As in the post we had yesterday about the copyright bubble, the general consensus was that the younger generation today has learned to disregard copyright law. Hosler talked about how he used to have to explain the ins-and-outs of copyright law the high school and college kids when he did presentations on fair use, and now they already get it and already understand how ridiculous the laws are. It’s that generation — the ones who are growing up listening to Girl Talk and who see things like Kutiman as brilliant — who are now understanding quite deeply what an obsolete concept traditional copyright really is in these situations. As they get older, the panel agreed, the laws would eventually catch up to reality. It might not be pretty, and there were plenty in the older generation who would lash out, misunderstand and react badly — but the end result is inevitable.
The beefy Queens, New York gym teacher who sucked-punched Jersey Shore star Snooki Polizzi is joining America’s unemployment masses.
Brad Ferro, 23, a instructer at North Queens Community High School in Flushing, was caught by MTV cameras socking the outspoken MTV reality personality in the face inside a Seaside Heights, NJ bar on Aug. 19. MTV showed clips of the punch in promos for the show, but later pulled the footage from the episode, calling it “extremely disturbing.” Ferro was charged with simple assault and later apologized for the assault, but a Department of Education spokeswoman said Tuesday that Ferro’s firing is just around the corner.
“The department is in the process of taking termination action,” the spokeswoman said.
I’m type1 and have been for four years. I’m kinda new to a lot of what is going on, but just take one day at a time. Every day seems dif. Something I can’t seem to figure out is why am I so high (275 or better) after lunch no matter what I eat. I can have as little as 10 carbs and it’s the same. Does your body absorb insulin dif. at dif, times of the day? I seem to do O.K. the rest of the day. If anyone can give any advice I would app. it. Thanks!!!
Riporto questa notizia del 21 dic 2009, sperando di non fare un doppione:
"Una casa per la musica, a L’Aquila, realizzata interamente con il legno del Trentino e progettata dall’architetto Renzo Piano. È questa, a conclusione delle attività di soccorso e prima assistenza alle popolazioni aquilane, la nuova iniziativa della Provincia autonoma di Trento in collaborazione con altri partner. Lo ha annunciato oggi Lorenzo Dellai, presidente della Provincia autonoma di Trento, che si è infatti resa disponibile alla realizzazione di un Auditorium provvisorio, in sostituzione di quello danneggiato dal terremoto dello scorso aprile, presso il Castello spagnolo, nel capoluogo abruzzese. Era stato il maestro Claudio Abbado (subito dopo il suo concerto a L’Aquila dello scorso giugno) a chiedere a Renzo Piano di dotare la città di un Auditorium affinché potesse tornare a dirigerci della musica nel settembre 2010. L’architetto ha accolto l’invito e offre il progetto alla città: una cassa armonica in legno, come uno strumento musicale. Un gruppo di lavoro della Protezione civile trentina e di collaboratori dello studio Piano, è già all’opera ed è costituito da architetti, ingegneri, botanici e acustici. Massimo Cialente, sindaco de L’Aquila, ha chiesto di collocare il nuovo Auditorium alla porta di accesso, nel cuore antico della città, come segno tangibile della volontà di riportarvi la vita e ha già attivato le necessarie procedure approvative d’urgenza. L’Auditorium ideato da Renzo Piano sarà interamente realizzato con legno del Trentino, avrà circa 250 posti e la forma di un cubo posto su uno spigolo, con una soluzione che punta ad ottimizzare le condizioni acustiche. Si tratta di una costruzione di intenso valore architettonico, che sarà pronta entro settembre 2010 e che verrà chiamata a svolgere le funzioni di Auditorium musicale per tutti gli anni che saranno necessari per la ricostruzione dell’edificio definitivo. Il progetto di Renzo Piano sarà presentato alla Giunta comunale de L’Aquila martedì 22 dicembre per l’approvazione definitiva."
Subaru of America has officially announced that it has achieved an absolute sales record of 216,652 units for 2009, representing a 15% year-to-year increase over the 2008 figures.
The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced that it will provide systems design, development and testing services for the U.S. Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS).
Just as the infamous ‘three-strikes’ law gets delayed further in France, the UK is working on its own controversial version. Dubbed the Digital Economy Bill, the law outlines government policies mostly relating to the Internet and has gotten a lot of flack for some of its provisions regarding copyright. The bill is still under review and a … (
The unconventional beauty and artistry of works by photographer William Eggleston will be showcased in a major exhibition opening at the Art Institute of Chicago this winter.
By the 1960s and early 1970s he had begun experimenting with color film, and he eventually produced rich, vivid prints through the dye transfer process-prints that are created through the alignment of three separate matrices (cyan, magenta, and yellow) generated from three separate negatives (red, green, and blue filters).
By not censoring, rarely editing, and always photographing even the seemingly banal, Eggleston convinces us completely of the idea of the democratic camera.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), in partnership with FLU*Ease, Inc., is now offering flu shots to travelers in most of the airline terminals as a public safety measure against the flu, especially the H1N1 strain.
