Author: Serkadis

Each year, Sea Shepherd sends ships to Antarctica to try to stop the Japanese fleet killing whales under the guise of scientific research. The clash took place near Commonwealth Bay in Antarctica.

Paul Watson, who founded the organisation and is captain of the ship Steve Irwin, said: ‘The Japanese whalers have now escalated this conflict very violently. If they think that our remaining two ships will retreat from the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary in the face of their extremism, they will be mistaken.’

The Ady Gil was a new acquisition for Sea Shepherd in November last year. Previously named Earthrace, the US$1.5m catamaran holds the world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe.

The Japanese fisheries agency said this was the fourth time this season that the activists had obstructed the whaler’s operations.
Obviously, there are a whole bunch of questions as how a boat as fast as the Ady Gil could be surprised — and not get the hell out of the way. But furthermore,the Japanese should be held accountable for ramming a much smaller vessel — and putting human lives in great danger in the process. This appears to have been a full-on collision — not some accidental sideswipe. They should be prepared for a great deal of international outrage with this one.
According to reports at abc.net.au, that was when Japanese whaling ship, Shonan Maru 2, just deliberately rammed into it. Spokesman Chris Aultman, who is a helicopter pilot for the group, says that no crew members were hurt in the incident but the boat is destroyed.

Lacky Maclean, who is the first mate of the Sea Shepherd’s ship, the Steve Irwin, said that the bow of Ady Gil was just cut off in the attack. A spokesman for Japan’s Fisheries Agency, which oversees Japan’s whaling program, says that it’s investigating the incident.

Related posts:

1. Sea Shepherd, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Each year, Sea Shepherd sends ships to Antarctica to try…
2. Ady Gil Sea Shepherd, Ady Gil Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Each year, Sea Shepherd sends ships to Antarctica to try…
3. Radiance Of The Seas Radiance of the Seas begins the season with 12 short…

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Finally, government officials are starting to wise up to the pending commercial real estate meltdown. Federal Reserve Governor Liz Duke says that CRE is a “key trouble spot” that must be addressed:

Bloomberg: “Losses from commercial real estate will be quite high by historic standards,” said Eugene Ludwig, former Comptroller of the Currency who is now chairman of Promontory Financial Group, a Washington-based consulting firm to financial institutions. “Hundreds of banks will fail or will be resolved over the course of the cycle.”

Federal Reserve Governor Elizabeth Duke said in a Jan. 4 speech that credit conditions in commercial real estate “are particularly strained.” Fed Governor Daniel Tarullo cited commercial real estate as one of the “key trouble spots” in congressional testimony in October after the Fed stepped up a review of banks’ exposure to such loans.

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See Also:

• Credit Suisse Sued For Whopping $24 Billion Over "Predatory" Loan-To-Own CRE Scheme
• Marketplace’s Paddy Hirsch Has An Awesome Explanation Of The CRE Bubble
• "Oh CRE! Oh CRE!" A Commercial Real Estate Christmas Carol

It was only yesterday that we reported T-Mobile’s completion of their nationwide 7.2 Mbps HSPA network upgrade, and now, perhaps feeling a bit left out, AT&T has announced that it has completed a milestone on its way to 7.2 Mbps HSPA. AT&T finished an update to the software run by its 3.6 Mbps cellular towers that will allow them to push out more of those sweet, sweet Mbp’s “soon.” The next, and perhaps most important steps, are backhaul upgrades to the AT&T network so when your 7.2 Mbps capable cell phone asks for screaming fast data you get it. Said upgrades have already been completed in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami, and AT&T is beginning to flip the switch “on” in these areas.  The rest of us are going to have to wait, as the backhaul upgrades are set to continue through 2011.

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Continue reading You Rock Guitar now on track for February at $180, rockin’ still in question

You Rock Guitar now on track for February at $180, rockin’ still in question originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BlackBerry users tend to fancy themselves true road warriors — you know, the kinds of road warriors that live and die most days by a four-shot latte and a copy of Office. It’s exactly for these types of folks that RIM seems to have designed the new BlackBerry Presenter, a slick little module measuring 86 x 60 x 23mm that connects to your compatible handset wirelessly and lets you beam up a PowerPoint preso via VGA or S-Video connection. As you mesmerize your crowd with the 24 supported animations and 55 transition styles, you can read your notes right from the comfort of your BlackBerry’s display, controlling the whole show without a single laptop in sight. The Presenter hits this month online for $199 and follows up in stores in February, and if you’re interested, you can start things off by upgrading from your Pearl 8200 or Curve 8300 — those puppies won’t be supported.

RIM’s BlackBerry Presenter makes mobile PowerPoint all too sexy originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Delorme’s Earthmate PN-60w gets Spot compatibility, can beam your tweets into space originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd won’t seek re-election this fall. On Wednesday, the five-term Democrat announced that he is retiring after waning popularity at the polls and a failed bid for The Oval Office in 2008.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Each year, Sea Shepherd sends ships to Antarctica to try to stop the Japanese fleet killing whales under the guise of scientific research. The clash took place near Commonwealth Bay in Antarctica.

Paul Watson, who founded the organisation and is captain of the ship Steve Irwin, said: ‘The Japanese whalers have now escalated this conflict very violently. If they think that our remaining two ships will retreat from the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary in the face of their extremism, they will be mistaken.’

The Ady Gil was a new acquisition for Sea Shepherd in November last year. Previously named Earthrace, the US$1.5m catamaran holds the world record for the fastest circumnavigation of the globe.

The Japanese fisheries agency said this was the fourth time this season that the activists had obstructed the whaler’s operations.
Obviously, there are a whole bunch of questions as how a boat as fast as the Ady Gil could be surprised — and not get the hell out of the way. But furthermore, the Japanese should be held accountable for ramming a much smaller vessel — and putting human lives in great danger in the process. This appears to have been a full-on collision — not some accidental sideswipe. They should be prepared for a great deal of international outrage with this one.
According to reports at abc.net.au, that was when Japanese whaling ship, Shonan Maru 2, just deliberately rammed into it. Spokesman Chris Aultman, who is a helicopter pilot for the group, says that no crew members were hurt in the incident but the boat is destroyed.

Lacky Maclean, who is the first mate of the Sea Shepherd’s ship, the Steve Irwin, said that the bow of Ady Gil was just cut off in the attack. A spokesman for Japan’s Fisheries Agency, which oversees Japan’s whaling program, says that it’s investigating the incident.

Related posts:

1. Ady Gil Sea Shepherd, Ady Gil Sea Shepherd Conservation Society Each year, Sea Shepherd sends ships to Antarctica to try…
2. Ady Gil Boat, Ady Gil Boat 2010 Each year, Sea Shepherd sends ships to Antarctica to try…
3. Radiance Of The Seas Radiance of the Seas begins the season with 12 short…

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Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that a fifth U.S. Army unit has fielded the CH-47F Chinook helicopter.

The 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, based at Fort Campbell, Ky., completed all required training and officially assumed operation of 12 CH-47F Chinooks on Dec. 8.

“I am proud of B Company for completing the CH-47F New Equipment Fielding and Training Program. Together, the Pachyderms and Boeing worked extremely hard to accomplish all the required tasks to make this happen in preparation for our next deployment,” said Lt. Col. Brad Ninness, Commander, 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade.

“The technological advantages and improvements in the CH-47F increase our capabilities and allow us to better support the soldier on the ground.”

The Army certified the CH-47F as combat-ready in 2007. The first four units equipped with the new Chinook have deployed in support of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, and the aircraft continues to perform as an asset for the Army.

“The CH-47F is proving its exceptional capability every day in combat operations,” said Leanne Caret, vice president, Boeing H-47 Programs.

“This advanced aircraft significantly increases the unit’s capability in harsh environments and high-altitude operations to meet a growing range of mission demands.”

The CH-47F, built at Boeing’s Rotorcraft Systems facility in Ridley Township, features a newly designed, modernized airframe, a Rockwell Collins Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) cockpit and a BAE Digital Advanced Flight Control System (DAFCS).

The CAAS greatly improves aircrew situational awareness, while DAFCS provides dramatically improved flight-control capabilities through the entire flight envelope, significantly improved performance, and safety in the harshest of environments.

CAAS also incorporates an advanced digital map display and a data transfer system that allows storing of preflight and mission data. Improved survivability features include the Common Missile Warning and Improved Countermeasure Dispenser systems.

Powered by two 4,733-horsepower Honeywell engines, the new CH-47F can reach speeds greater than 175 mph and transport more than 21,000 pounds.

The CH-47F, with its Robertson Aviation Extended Range Fuel System, has a mission radius of more than 400 nautical miles.

About Boeing Integrated Defense Systems

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world’s largest space and defense 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 Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Andrew Lee, 610-591-6670
Boeing Rotorcraft Communications
[email protected]

Tom Marinucci, 610-591-7507
Boeing Rotorcraft Communications
[email protected]

Filed under: Ford, GM, Saab, Volvo

Since the day talks between General Motors and Koenigsegg broke down in late November, Saab has walked the Green Mile about a half-dozen times. Spyker stepped in, Spyker stepped aside, GM “officially” announced Saab was winding down as of the end of 2009, Spyker stepped back in and GM pushed the (renewed) negotiation deadline to January 7 only to later call the date “soft.” With the newest (and likely final) end date looming on the horizon, The General now has some Swedish guests for still more talks on the hard luck brand.

Reuters is reporting that representatives from Sweden’s finance and industry ministries are meeting next week with the General to discuss Saab. State secretary Joran Hagglund reportedly told Reuters that the Swedish government wants to “make sure they (GM) have all the information they need.” Hagglund added that GM has not completely closed the door on Saab, intimating that there could yet be some hope for clemency or perhaps a deal. We’re not exactly sure what information the Swedish government has that the General may need, but since there are 3,000 Swedish jobs hanging in the balance, we’re guessing this last-minute trip is probably a good idea – if only to make sure no stone is unturned.

While the Swedish government is in the Motor City it also plans to stop by Dearborn and grab some talk time with Ford Motor Company. Ford is in the final stages of selling the Swedish automaker Volvo to Geely, and the country’s officials evidently want to take a look underhood at the proceedings.

Photos by Chris Paukert/Copyright (C)2009 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Reuters]

Report: Swedish govt to meet with GM, Ford to discuss Saab and Volvo next week originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2005 Rally America Rookie of the Year and a three-time medalist at X Games (among other things…) Ken Block announced today he joined Ford in pursuing "future global motorsports opportunities." Simply put, Block will be racing a Ford Focus in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and a Ford Fiesta in Rally America and X Games.

I am stoked to be rallying in a Ford. They are an impressive force in the sport, Block said. From the days of the 1970s Escorts to the Group B R… (read more)

Ever worry that cars are becoming more and more complicated and driving is becoming more and more electronically assisted? Well things are going to get pushed further, as Continental AG announced it is working on an accelerator pedal which will reduce fuel consumption and cut CO2 emissions, says autonews.com.

The new pedal comes as an alternative to other systems meant to reduce fuel consumptions like blinking lights or weird sounds telling you to shift into the next gear.
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Clever, but not so sure about the hearts motif. This slimline little gidgit from Doxie scans your images straight into whatever Cloud you hang out on, as well as desktop apps, is PC/Mac Friendly and costs $129.

Available from February, and showcased on Thursday at CES, the Doxie does Google Docs, Evernote, Scribd, Backpack, Acrobat.com and Flickr. There’s also a Doxie Cloud PDF hosting service, which works with email, chat and Twitter.

[Ubergizmo]

It’s official: Russell Brand has confirmed tabloid rumors that he is set to marry pop star Katy Perry.

The comedian — a recovering drug and sex addict — proposed to the “I Kissed A Girl” singer during a holiday excursion to India.

“It’s true. Much love,” reads a text Russell, 34, reportedly sent to a gossip columnist with London’s The Sun on Wednesday.

He and Katy, 25, are now celebrating their engagement with a trip to Thailand.

The couple have been dating since meeting at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York last September.

BoomTown will be Southwesting to Las Vegas today for the annual Consumer Electronics Show, being held there over the next several days.

CES has certainly lost some of its immediacy over the last several years, as big players like Google (GOOG) and Apple (AAPL) suck up all the oxygen outside of its noisy, analog crowd-filled pushfest. This year’s spoilers are the Nexus One launch yesterday and the upcoming iSlate arrival in a few weeks.

But CES is still the place to be to see a lot of different kinds of tech treats–from big-screen televisions to mobile devices to tricked-out stereo systems to whatever those odd booths in the back are peddling–in one spot to try to discern the tea leaves for innovation.

And, of course, also to go to a lot of parties with passels of geeks! Yes, it is that kind of fun. Ladies, hide your gadgets!

But, this year, Walt Mossberg–with whom I do an annual video walk across the massive Convention Center floor, where he is treated like the tech equivalent of Brangelina (see last year’s video below)–and I are trying to up the ante a bit by throwing a substantive interview event with top tech execs, which All Things Digital will be live-streaming on Friday.

We are at capacity at our venue at the Venetian Hotel, but you can see Walt, MediaMemo’s Peter Kafka and I grilling digital leaders, starting at 3:30 pm PT and ending at 5:30 pm (and it will also be available later for watching anytime).

Onstage: Jon Rubinstein, Chairman and CEO of Palm (PALM), talking to me; Reed Hastings, CEO, president and chairman of Netflix (NFLX), to be queried by Peter; and Google VP of Engineering and Android guru Andy Rubin, who will be interviewed by Walt.

ATD will also have extensive coverage of all the doings at CES over the next several days, so there will lots to peruse from keynotes to product launches to the annual blogger snub by Microsoft (MSFT) CEO Steve Ballmer, who seems to prefer to do pre-speech interviews with more traditional newspapers and television outfits.

But we’re not bitter and will cover whatever he gabs on about onstage tomorrow–apparently, a slate PC (how original!) with Hewlett-Packard (HPQ)–at the opening keynote at CES.

Remember: What happens in Vegas, stays right here.

Until then, here is my annual video interview of Walt, as well as Mossberg Solution columnist Katherine Boehret, on the CES floor last year:

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By Don Clark, Reporter, The Wall Street Journal

Jonney Shih has helped turn Asustek into one of Asia’s PC innovators, if not exactly matching Apple’s (AAPL) reputation as a trailblazer. But he made a case Tuesday that the Taiwan-based company is about style as well as substance.

At a press conference in Las Vegas before the Consumer Electronics Show, Shih pulled the wraps off some portables that were clearly designed to elicit oohs and ahs. His pitch had some similarities to last year’s press conference by Dell (DELL), which tried to burnish its reputation for style with a sleek device called Adamo.

The most striking offering by Asus, as the company prefers to be called, was a polished aluminum showpiece that looked like a piece of Bang & Olufsen stereo gear. Actually, that’s a pretty close approximation; the laptop is the result of a collaboration with David Lewis, a design guru with the Danish audio company who helped dream up some novel features.

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