An alliance of 14 industry groups representing mostly oil, gas and car companies says in a new letter to the feds that its members “want biofuels to succeed in the U.S.,” but they want more data and more time to comment before the Environmental Protection Agency decides whether to allow higher levels of ethanol in […]
Scratch that February 16 US release for Heavy Rain off your calendars. Sony’s just announced a new official US release date.
Design Hara’s green HTPC is a sleek, stylish computer which is totally green. Not in any other terms, apart from the fact that is made of recyclable green materials. The chassis or the side panels are made of recyclable materials. The internal sections of the PC are connected by a bolts and nuts structure, making it easier to separate so recyclable e-waste can be removed. The unit is compatible with Mini-ITX small motherboards and uses only a third of the energy consumed by desktop computers. Thus, this also helps to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions.
I love it when a plan comes together, especially when that plan involves dropping a tank out of an airplane and still shooting bad guys with that tank. Hannibal, oh how I’ve missed you.
The movie’s coming out on June 11th, but this should to get me through until then. I don’t want to get my hopes up too much, but great casting, over the top explosions, and B.A. Baracus? Yes yes yes. [Vimeo via Major Spoilers]
Pueden votar por hasta 3 proyectos en cada categoría.
Sería bueno que se dejara una crítica constructiva del porqué del voto.
28 exclusivos apartamentos nuevos, distribuídos en tres bloques:
Dos dormitorios, dos baños uno en suite-, vestidor.
Cocina integrada.
Lavadero.
Importante living, con estufa a leña.
Amplia terraza privada, con parrillero propio. Panorámicas vistas a la bahía de Portezuelo
Total: 105 m2
Espacios comunes:
Cochera por apartamento
Baulera y depósito de bicicletas
Piscina y solarium
Salón de usos múltiples con sala de juegos para grandes y chicos
Barbacoa con parrillero
Jacuzzi con hidromasaje
Juegos al aire libre para niños
Wi-fi
Servicio de Recepción y sistema de seguridad; con servicio de mucama y lavandería opcional.
Localización
Balena Bianca se encuentra a Punta Ballena, a tan sólo 18 km de Punta del Este y 115 km de Montevideo.
Cerca de Punta Ballena se encuentra la Laguna del Sauce y, a orillas de ésta, el Aeropuerto Internacional del mismo nombre.
Integrada al desarrollo urbano y turístico de Punta del Este, Punta Ballena dispone de un pequeño puerto natural, donde se desarrollan deportes náuticos, y las playas Portezuelo y Solanas, muy visitadas por su orientación al poniente, sus aguas calmas y sus grandes extensiones de arena fina.
Del lado este hay grutas, rocas y playas de arena gruesa, con vista a Punta del Este y la Isla Gorriti.
We were struck that five of the six of the stories headlining this morning’s Clean Technology Bulletin, put out by Barclays Capital’s Vishal Shah, were about China. For us this is yet another, all-be-it informal, indication of the country’s emergence as a renewable energy leader.
Also, the bulletin’s five Chinese-focused stories are on solar generation.
The bulletin leads with ReneSola pulling the plug on its Dynamic Green Energy acquisition; It follows with a story on Chinese solar panel maker Yingli Green Energy’s stated goal to cut solar photovoltaic power cost to less than 1 yuan/kWh by 2010; Third on the list is a story on a Chinese-lead effort to produce cheaper silicon-based panels. There is then a story on China’s solar company CNPV Solar Power, entering into a long-term sales agreement with Galip Solar of Germany. The fifth story on the bulletin is on Chinese solar PV maker Solarfun Power plan to increase production from 550 megawatts to 700 megawatts by April 2010. The final story on the bulletin is not Chinese. It focuses on New Mexico utility PNM.
How important of a player is China in the green energy sector? Well, for starters the country plans to spend $220 billion in clean energy over the next two years and the country’s renewable energy market is estimated by some to be worth as much as $1 trillion a year.
The Chinese appetite for green energy helped ensure that in 2009, a majority of cleantech investments went to Asia, which for the first time got more investments than the Americas. Bloomberg News reports that investments in sun, wind and biofuels in the Asia-Pacific region attracted $37.3 billion in new investments in 2009, up 25 percent from 2008, compared to $32 billion in North and South America.
Capitalizing on the growing popularity of auctions as a preferred method of real estate sales, OwnACondo.com has purchased the domain RealEstateAuctions.com.
The purchase was made Jan. 6, 2010 and will enable OwnACondo.com to immeasurably expand the real estate auction services that it offers as part of its newly established Auction Division, according to Brian Kuzdas, the company founder and owner.
“There is simply not a better name to have for real estate auctions,” Mr. Kuzdas explains.
“I equate it with having Doctors.com or Lawyers.com if you’re in that field. It’s absolutely huge for us and for our customers–locally, regionally and soon nationally.”
The domain name of RealEstateAuctions.com is currently “parked” with no content, a situation that will quickly change, says Mr. Kuzdas.
“We expect to have an entire, full-service website in place within the next 60 days, with plans to conduct our first real estate auction under this new name in late March or early April, 2010,” he says.
“RealEstateAuctions.com will be a subsidiary of OwnACondo.com and will auction all types of real estate, except condominiums.”
Real estate auctions are growing in popularity as buyers and sellers alike seek an accelerated way to conduct business.
Almost $60 billion in real estate sold nationally in 2008, with an even greater amount expected for 2009 once year-end totals are in.
Auctions are expected to account for 30-35 percent of all real estate sales in coming years, according to statistics from the National Auctioneers Association.
“Buyers love auctions because of the potential for great deals, and sellers love auctions because it’s a fast way to sell their property quickly to qualified buyers. By no means are auctions just for distressed real estate anymore,” explains Mr. Kuzdas.
RealEstateAuctions.com was purchased after six weeks of negotiations, with the aid of a broker who helped locate the owner of the domain.
“The name had been parked and unused for more than 15 years,” Mr. Kuzdas says, “and now we’re the proud owners of the best domain in the industry!”
RealEstateAuctions.com will house its offices side by side with OwnACondo.com as both entities expand nationally.
We all know that no one can beat Davis for the sophistication and expertise with which they make their weather stations. Apart from their Vantage Pro2, which is a whopping $600, they also have now to offer their slightly lesser versioned Vantage Vue Wireless Weather Station for just about $395. This solar [powered wireless instrument does all the required jobs like collecting the wind speed, directing data, temperature, humidity and rainfall amounts. The only thing the lesser version of the machine is that it lacks the sophistication of having moisture sensors that could have been really helpful for the farmers. Al last someone has thought about some serious do-it-yourself sort of a thing for knowing the weather conditions themselves.
[Dvice]
Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Chevrolet, GM, Misc. Auto Shows, India, Canada
The question of whether or not General Motors will bring its diminutive Chevrolet Spark to the United States still doesn’t have a definitive answer. Thanks to a GM of India press release, however, we now know that the little urban runabout will be coming to North America, although that geography obviously also includes Mexico and Canada.
In the past, GM spokespeople have suggested that it might be possible for the Spark (A.K.A. “Beat,” or that unbearably irritating robot from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) to be imported Stateside and that the automaker had kept U.S. regulations in mind when designing the car. Regardless, with gas as cheap as it currently is and a new Aveo just around the corner, we’re certainly not holding our breath for a U.S. launch any time soon, and we feel that seeing the Beat in Mexican and/or Canadian showrooms is more likely.
That said, feel free to hit the jump to read GM of India’s press release on the introduction of the Beat, which made its production-ready debut earlier in the week in New Delhi.
[Source: General Motors]
Continue reading GM confirms Chevrolet Spark for North America after all
GM confirms Chevrolet Spark for North America after all originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]
Filed under: SUV, Mercedes-Benz, Diesel
Some of us are big fans of diesel engines. Huge fans even. We love the slow-revving grunt. We love the incredibly long time it takes them to run through a tank of fuel. We love lazily cruising at 70 mph while turning over less than 2,000 rpm. There’s even more to love, but we have to admit, none of us currently own a vehicle powered by a modern diesel engine that requires AdBlue, a urea-based solution that breaks down nitrogen oxide in exhaust gases that’s required for some diesel-powered vehicle to meet strict emissions standards. If we did, we might be a little irked like Tom Mutchler over at Consumer Reports.
Mutchler recently took the publication’s diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz GL320 BluTec to a dealer because a warning light indicated that the SUV was low on AdBlue. The total bill for a refill? $316.99! The GL gulped 7.5 gallons of this costly solution, which accounted for $241.50 of the total bill. For those who don’t do math, that’s $32.20/gallon. Labor and tax accounted for the remainder, which is also shocking considering the only labor involved was twisting a cap and pouring.
It took CR about 16,566 miles to run low on AdBlue, which means they’ll be spending $1,457.80 on the stuff over 100,000 miles. Sure, that may not be a lot of money for someone who just purchased a $67,000 SUV, but Mutchler makes a good point reminding us that BMW covers that cost for its diesel-powered vehicles up to 50,000 miles.
[Source: Consumer Reports]
Consumer Reports pays $32.20/gallon to fill up on AdBlue originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jan 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]
T-Mobile is making a real splash in the new year with its Android devices. First, there was Google’s announcement that consumers can buy its new Nexus One with a 2-year plan from T-Mobile. Now, the carrier has announced that it will bring the Vega, the first in-home Android-run tablet, specializing in home scheduling and other basic functions, to the U.K market later this year.
We covered the first appearance of the Vega back in November, and T-Mobile even hinted that it was looking to sell an Android tablet as far back as August.
Developed by Seattle-based Innovative Converged Devices (ICD), a mobile computing engineering firm, the Vega includes features that make it a solid in-home device, suited for the average family kitchen, including a 15-inch touchscreen, NVIDIA Tegra 250 mobile web processor, full HD 1080p video playback, 3G, Wi-Fi and a T-Mobile SIM card.
Much like a cell phone, the Vega gives users the ability to surf the internet, send texts and keep track of each other’s lives through a universal calendar. The device can also be accessed from anywhere, including via the web on a mobile handset, work computer, or home PC.
The calendar is probably the most impressive part of the Vega. Family members can each upload their personal schedules and the device will work to integrate them and send SMS text messages as reminders — a useful feature when you keep forgetting to pick up your kid from soccer practice.
The Vega will only be sold in the U.K. to start, and will be coupled with T-Mobile’s family package. The company has not yet disclosed any pricing information, but notes that its goal will be to target the mass market.
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]
Nokia chief executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo says that the developed world is warming up to smartphones that share a lot of features. But the world’s biggest cell phone maker has sold more than 750 million basic phones in the emerging markets around the world in the last five years. And while smartphone users have a lot in common, he says that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work in the rest of the world. That’s the theme of his speech at the Consumer Electronics Show.
It’s no secret that Nokia has had a tough time getting traction in the U.S. with smartphones against competition from Apple’s iPhone. But Nokia has fielded lots of local teams to research markets around the world and has found that it has to help make local solutions viable to increase phone usage. One of the company’s cheapest phones, the Nokia 1616, costs around $32. That amounts to a month’s of wages in many countries. Yet it sells in huge numbers, thanks to customized services that make it far more useful in emerging markets.
Kallasvuo noted how far the industry has come since Nokia introduced a $6,000, $1 per minute cell phone in 1987. He notes there are interesting divergences around the world. In Ghana, there is a hack that allows a phone to have two SIM cards, or unique identifications. There are many places in Africa where entrepreneurs operate businesses that make money from charging stations, as many people have no access to home electricity.
In India, Nokia has set up a system, Progress Project, to allow business to send transactional data back and forth via text message. So whole businesses are running on cell phones. These are being used by farmers in rural areas to auction off onions in western India. There, the phone serves as the banking system, currency provider, and marketplace. Last year, the company introduced Nokia Money to bring together payments on a global scale. It’s not tied to a single bank, carrier, or country. It’s important, Kallasvuo says, because 75 percent of the world’s people still haven’t sent an email.
Through its Ovi Store for mobile apps, Kallasvuo hopes that developers will create many more apps that can be useful in different regions in the world, from Sesame Street educational phone apps to local business directories. Improving lives can happen through hardware, software, and services.
“I firmly believe we have only scratched the surface of our ability to do business and do good in the world,” Kallasvuo said.
The company is putting money behind this interest in the emerging world. It is creating the Nokia Growth Economy Venture Challenge, giving the winner of someone with the best ideas for the emerging markets a $1 million investment from Nokia. The winner will be announced in June and the site is CallingAllInnovators.com.
Buy This Item: [Click here to buy this item]
SlideFinder é assim por dizer um motor de busca para apresentações powerpoint, sendo uma das suas vantagens a possibilidade de filtrar os resultados por língua.
Podem-se encontrar vários trabalhos académicos de várias universidades espalhadas por todo o mundo, mas também apresentações empresariais.
O mais engraçado é a possibilidade de fazer o embed da apresentação no seu site ou blog em apenas alguns seguintes. Veja o exemplo abaixo de uma apresentação que tem o nome “Portugal – More than You Imagine“:
PortugalMoreThanYouImagine.ppt
WebTuga – SlideFinder – motor de busca de Apresentações PowerPoint
Play.me, a new service launched by Italian company Dada Entertainment, launched this week, offering both free and paid plans to music consumers in the U.S. and Italy, with more countries on the way. The launch comes as U.S. consumers continue to wait for the arrival of Spotify, which also sports a freemium model. But music labels’ enthusiasm for free streaming services appears to be on the wane, and as such, whether the freemium model will remain intact for the music business remains unclear.
Play.me’s free version doesn’t even have ads yet, although Chairman Massimiliano Pellegrini said it will soon have both audio and visual advertising. He also acknowledged that what it offers for free may change, but for now Play.me provides 10 hours of streaming music each week plus one downloadable MP3. The company has already launched an Android mobile app that features offline caching, with iPhone and BlackBerry apps due “within weeks,” he said.
To be sure, Play.me has the feel of an unfinished service, and Pellegrini readily admits that the company is still experimenting in search of a sustainable model. Only two of the four majors, Sony and EMI, have provided songs to Play.me, which for now severely handicaps its chances of convincing people to pay $9.99 a month for all they can stream (plus five MP3s). In an interview, Pellegrini told me Dada is negotiating with Warner Music Group, and hopes to build on an existing partnership with Universal; independents are represented through deals with key distributors IODA, Beggars Group and the Orchard.
Play.me’s entry further crowds a music subscription market that includes Spotify, incumbents Rhapsody (owned by RealNetworks) and Best Buy-owned Napster, new entrant MOG, and forthcoming Rdio. As I’ve written before, the key differentiators will be cost, library, user interface, free components and mobile app quality; Play.me offers a generous free service, a fairly limited library that doesn’t yet justify its price point, and a user interface with room for improvement. (I haven’t tested the mobile app.) So for now, it’s another place to get free music that will struggle to convert free users to paid customers. Sound familiar?
Hot on the heels of France considering laws to tax successful internet companies to try to prop up unsuccessful entertainment industry companies, comes a report that France is also considering a special “right to forget” law, which would allow anyone to ask that any information about them be deleted after a certain period of time. At first, I though that they meant content created by the person asking for it to be deleted (like emails), but it sounds like they mean any content about a person. So, say, if you did something embarrassing in college, and your friends put pictures of it online, once the time limit for the “right to forget” law kicked in, you could demand every version of that picture be taken offline. Yeah. Like that will work. Trying to suppress information online doesn’t work, no matter what law you put in place. I’m reminded of the convicted German murderer, who is demanding that information on his conviction be removed from Wikipedia under a similar type of law. All that did was call a lot more attention to the story.
Permalink | Comments | Email This Story
Upon waking, I tested at 101.
2 hrs after a meal, I tested at 120.
Random between meal test 99,130,111 ( in no specific order)
This morning upon waking 109.
1 hour after meal 130
I was reading the pamphlet that came with my TrueResult strips and the numbers can be -/+ 20% ( I knew this)AND, that it can be as much as 70 mg/dl higher after recently eating than lab tests! I did not know this! I’m wondering if I should have a bg fasting test done at a lab?
I also notice a huge difference in some readings that are taken 1 right after the other in a matter of seconds. Which number should I use? I also have 3 meters and while they all seem to be within range of each other, sometimes they give such different readings I have no idea which number to use.
I forgot to mention, in case it matters, my blood pressure is perfect and my cholesterol is in normal range. I am 50lbs overweight and never hungry. Can’t seem to lose weight even with exercise.
For some reason it seams that a lot of places around the world are experiencing their coldest winters to date. Even in Florida it’s extra chilly. So the best thing to do is stay inside, cuddle up with a book, and drink a lot of great soup! Making homemade soup is really easy and rewarding because you can freeze the leftovers.
With the leftover turkey my Mom had after the holidays she made this incredible Mexican style soup. The warmth and the spices are sure to keep you cozy during this extra cold winter.
Ingredients:
Add the following:
leftover chicken/turkey or just make meatless
1 chopped onion,
1 chopped green pepper
1 small can corn niblets
1 large can stewed tomatoes
1/2 red kidney beans (add whole can if you like)
4 cloves chopped garlic
4 tbs chopped cilantro
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp oregeno
Black pepper to taste
If you want spicy add chopped jalapeno and or dash of cayenne pepper.
Simmer for couple of hours and eat the next day with bread, tortillas. The longer you let it simmer the better it will taste. You can also add rice if you want a heartier meal.
Enjoy!
Image & Recipe Source: My Mom!
Post from: Blisstree
Bootleg Annie will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano and is trained by Kathy Walsh. The 7th today at Santa Anita is a 1 mile turf Allowance event for fillies and mares four year olds and up. She returns to the turf course and distance she excelled at with two wins last year at this same course and distance. Bejarano has been the rider in her 5 past races and Bootleg Annie produced 4 wins and a third place finish. The jock has 10 wins in 51 mounts at the current meet.
Play #1 Bootleg Annie to win race 7 at Santa Anita 7-2 on the Morning Line.
Post Time at 7:07PM Eastern Time televised by TVG
Courtesy of Tonys Picks
FoMoCo announced today that it will introduce nine new or upgraded engines and new transmissions in North America in 2010 as a part of a 5-year plan to overhaul its global powertrain offerings. The move is a part of a plan that began in 2008 and will continue through 2013 and includes 60 new or significantly upgraded engines, transmissions and transaxles globally over the 5 year period.
During 2010, Ford will launch new engines and transmission in its Fiesta, Mustang, Super Duty and F-150. The 2011 Ford Fiesta will highlight the new 119-hp 1.6L 4-cylinder engine and the PowerShift dual-clutch transmission that helps the compact car deliver an estimated 40 mpg on the highway. The 2011 Mustang lineup will feature a Ti-VCT 305-hp 3.7L V6 for the base model, while the 2011 Mustang GT will get Ford’s new 412-hp 5.0L V8. Both version of the Mustang will get a manual or automatic 6-speed transmission.
Ford said that one of the most advanced and fuel-efficient North American powertrains will debut on the 2012 Ford Focus. The engine will be a new 2.0L Ti-VCT four-cylinder and will debut next week in the 2012 Focus at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show.
Follow the jump to see the complete list of engines and transmissions scheduled for 2010.
Scheduled for 2010 are:
| Engines | Transmissions |
| 1.6-liter Fiesta I-4 | 6-speed automatic FWD |
| 2.0-liter Focus DI I-4 | 6-speed PowerShift Fiesta |
| 2.0-liter Ecoboost I-4 | 6-speed PowerShift Focus |
| 3.5-liter F-150 EcoBoost V-6 | 6-speed manual Mustang |
| 3.7-liter Mustang V-6 | 6-speed automatic Mustang |
| 5.0-liter Mustang V-8 | 6-speed automatic TorqShift Super Duty |
| 5.4-liter Shelby GT 500 V-8 | |
| 6.2-liter Super Duty (gas) | |
| 6.7-liter Super Duty Power Stroke |
Press Release:
FORD LAUNCHES UNPRECEDENTED NINE NEW ENGINES, SIX NEW TRANSMISSIONS IN NORTH AMERICA IN 2010
DETROIT, Jan. 8, 2010 – Ford Motor Company will introduce nine new or upgraded engines and six new transmissions in North America in 2010 as part of a five-year effort to overhaul its entire global powertrain portfolio.
The push began in 2008 and continues through 2013 and includes 60 new or significantly upgraded engines, transmissions and transaxles globally over the five year period.
One of the advanced and fuel-efficient North American powertrains is the 2012 Ford Focus’ all-new normally aspirated 2.0-liter direct fuel injection engine, the first of its kind in a Ford vehicle in North America.
“Ford is delivering on our commitment to lower emissions, improve fuel economy and deliver the highest quality powertrains in the industry,” said Barb Samardzich, Ford vice president, Powertrain Engineering. “We are making this happen with one of the most ambitious powertrain upgrades ever undertaken by Ford. By the end of 2010, nearly all of Ford’s North American engines will have been upgraded or replaced since 2008.”
North American launches
In 2010, Ford will launch new engines and transmissions in Fiesta, Mustang, Super Duty and F-150. These new powertrains are expected to propel each vehicle to best-in-segment in fuel economy.
Fiesta’s Ti-VCT 1.6-liter engine and PowerShift dual clutch transmission will deliver an estimated 40 mpg on the highway, topping both Honda Fit and Toyota Yaris.
Mustang’s new Ti-VCT 305-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 delivers the class-leading performance and fuel economy Mustang buyers expect. The 2011 Mustang V-6 with six-speed automatic will deliver at least 30 mpg on the highway. No other V-6 powered sports coupe in the world delivers this level of performance and fuel economy, regardless of price.
Mustang GT gets a new 5.0-liter V-8 that cranks out a 412 total horsepower and 390 ft.-lb. of torque yet delivers at least 25 mpg on the highway – better than any competitor.
Both versions of the Mustang get all new fuel-saving manual and automatic six-speed transmissions.
Spring also marks the arrival of an all-new Ford-designed-and-built Super Duty diesel truck engine. The 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V-8 turbocharged diesel powerhouse is expected to lead the class in fuel economy towing, hauling, horsepower and torque.
With its advanced emissions systems, the new 6.7-liter diesel engine also will run cleaner than the outgoing model. The 2011 Super Duty also gets a new 6.2-liter gasoline engine.
Even as they concentrate on improving powertrain performance, Ford engineers continue to reduce engine and transmission weight. For example, the new Super Duty diesel and transmission together are185 pounds lighter than the outgoing powertrain.
With its novel features such as a “live drive” Power Take Off (PTO) and rugged TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission, Super Duty will remain the most capable workhorse in the segment.
Ford: Driving powertrain innovations into the market
Other new Ford powertrains coming in 2010 include an EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6 for the F-150. The EcoBoost 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged engine delivers the thrust and performance feel of a V-8, with the fuel efficiency of a V-6. Current EcoBoost-equipped models are delivering up to a 20 percent improvement in fuel economy and a 15 percent reduction in CO2 emissions versus larger-displacement engines.
By 2013, Ford plans to offer EcoBoost engines on 90 percent of its product lineup with annual volume of vehicles with EcoBoost at 1.3 million globally.
Toward the end of the year, a new 2.0-liter Ti-VCT four-cylinder for the next-generation Focus will mark the first introduction of a normally aspirated direct injection engine to the powertrain lineup. The all new engine will launch on the 2012 Focus in North America.
Ford: America’s fuel economy leader
No automaker has posted a larger fleet-wide gain in fuel economy in the past five years. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Ford’s combined car and truck fuel economy has improved nearly 20 percent since 2004 – almost double the next closest competitor.
Additionally, Ford’s tailpipe CO2 emissions are declining. Ford’s 2009 fleet-wide average is down approximately 9 percent from 2008.
“We are focused on sustainable technology solutions that can be used not for hundreds or thousands of cars, but for millions of cars, because that’s how Ford will truly make a difference,” said Samardzich.
– By: Kap Shah
