Author: Serkadis

In an effort to improve margins through the addition of a greater number of models, Mercedes-Benz is planning a competitor to the BMW 5-Series Gran Trusimo and the upcoming Audi A7 with an estate version of the second-generation CLS. Insides say that plans for a CLS estate have existed since the CLS sedan was launched in 2004.

“We’re seeking to improve our returns by better utilisation of existing platforms,” a source revealed to AutoCar.

The new Mercedes-Benz CLS sedan and estate will be based on a slightly modified E-Class platform and will take design cues from the 2008 ConceptFascination.

Internally known as the X218, the CLS estate will be produced alongside the CLS sedan at the company’s Sindelfingen plant in Germany from early 2012. Engine choices will range from a line of new V6 and V8 units

– By: Omar Rana

Source: AutoCar

Korean website KBench.com has published a video comparing the performance of the HTC HD2 vs the other Windows Mobile heavyweight, the Samsung Omnia 2, and despite the only 200 Mhz difference in the clock speed of the devices, the more modern chipset in the the HTC HD2 clearly shines through, with much smoother, better performance on the HTC HD2 than the Samsung Omnia 2.

The conclusion is certainly that if you are looking for raw performance, the HTC HD2 is the device for you.

Do our readers agree? Let us know below.

Bruce V. Bigelow wrote:

San Diego-based Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM) disclosed in a regulatory filing it has issued 367,547 additional shares of its common stock, valued at $1.5 million, to settle claims stemming from its acquisition of Ann Arbor, MI-based SensiGen’s molecular diagnostic tests. Sequenom and SensiGen said last January the San Diego biotech was buying a variety of diagnostic tests from privately held SensiGen in a stock-and-cash deal valued at $8.7 million. The SensiGen principals who received an aggregate 71,836 shares as part of that deal notified Sequenom in July that they had suffered about $1.3 million in damages, based on Sequenom’s breached representations and warranties. Sequenom said a few months earlier that it had mishandled data from clinical trials for its non-invasive test for Down syndrome, a revelation that has triggered at least two federal investigations.

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John Paulson must be grinning.

After doubling down on Cadbury shares, and having other funds jump on the band wagon, he’s now watching as speculation mounts that a Nestle-Kraft bidding war could erupt over the British candy maker.

Even as Cadbury shares tear past Krafts last offer price for the company already.

Guardian: The prospect of a bidding war erupting for Cadbury appeared to increase today when Nestlé sold its stake in the eye-care group Alcon for $28bn (£17bn), giving it a potential war chest to enter the fray.

There has been widespread speculationthat that Nestlé, the maker of KitKat chocolate bars and Nescafe coffee, could play a role in the contest for Cadbury, though the company has steadfastly refused to comment. Shares in Cadbury today closed 7.5p higher at 805p.

Read more here.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Hedge Funds Chase Paulson Into Cadbury Shares
• John Paulson’s Latest Bet: Doubling Down On Cadbury
• UK Cadbury Factory Workers Protest Against Any US Take-Over

Published Jan. 4, 2010
By Michelle Dupler, Tri-City Herald staff writer

The Tri-Cities has emerged from the first decade of the 21st century with expanded options for education, health care, entertainment and leisure.

High points included the completion of trails and nature preserves, the expansion of local hospitals and clinics, construction of two new high schools, a new four-year university and a new convention center.

The decade also was one of shifting political attitudes when Republicans planted even deeper roots in the region, and a time when communities were shocked by unthinkable crimes.

Here’s a look at some of the major ways the area has changed in the past 10 years.

Education
Standardized tests were a hot topic during the past decade as the federal No Child Left Behind law required schools to bring all students up to uniform standards.

The Washington Assessment of Student Learning tests were Washington’s controversial answer to No Child Left Behind, but parents and educators alike complained the test was too expensive, inefficient and that requirements to pass the WASL before graduation were unfair.

Newly elected Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn announced after taking office in January that he planned to replace the WASL with a series of shorter tests that would save time and money while keeping high standards.

Bilingual classes and English as a Second Language programs have been on the rise as the region’s minority population increased.

Population growth also triggered construction of two new high schools — Southridge in Kennewick and Chiawana in Pasco.

Opportunities for higher education increased as Columbia Basin College expanded facilities and programs until 2009, when state budget cuts forced the closing of some vocational programs.

Washington State University Tri-Cities began offering four-year degrees in 2007, giving students a chance to earn a degree closer to home.

Both schools saw record enrollments through the decade’s last few years.

Read the entire article online at Tri-City Herald.

Slated to go into effect on January 1, 2010, the amended Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), promises borrowers new found freedom in the ability to comparison shop when seeking a home mortgage. The 2010 amendments to RESPA change the way in which lenders must complete disclosures required under the Act, allowing for no more than a ten-percent (10%) difference between many amounts initially quoted on the Good Faith Estimate (GFE), a document showing the costs that a lender will charge the borrower in conjunction with the loan, and those listed on the Settlement Statement (HUD-1), a document that provides an itemized listing of the funds that were paid at closing. These new and more stern requirements have been enacted with the hope that forcing lenders to be more upfront with borrowers about possible costs associated with the origination of a mortgage will allow borrowers to compare the settlement charges of numerous lenders and result in lower overall costs to the consumer.

An important aspect of any piece of legislation, essential to its success or failure, is the manner in which it will be enforced. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of RESPA and Interstate Land Sales is responsible for enforcement of the new RESPA amendments. The HUD Reform Act of 1989 created the Mortgagee Review Board (“MRB”), which functions to provide administrative sanctions to HUD/FHA-approved mortgagees or lenders who knowingly and materially violate legislation such as RESPA. On November 13, 2009 HUD announced a delay in the enforcement of the new RESPA rules for 120 days on FHA loans for all mortgage professionals making a good faith effort to comply with the new requirements. In addition, HUD requested that other enforcement agencies exercise the same restraint with respect to non-FHA loan originators and settlement service providers. The delay in enforcement will offer a small reprieve for the lending industry, however, the four month period will not delay potential civil litigation based on RESPA 2010 violations.

The enforcement mechanisms of RESPA 2010 were more clearly articulated in HUD’s informational pamphlet called the “New RESPA Rule FAQs” (FAQs). The FAQs address many questions posed by the lending industry regarding the new legislation, including enforcement provisions. One such question addressed by the FAQs, and particularly relevant during the infancy of the new requirements, is the result in the event of an inadvertent or technical error on a required document. The FAQs provide a rather relieving answer to this question, stating that as long as a revised copy of any error-ridden documentation, such as a HUD-1, is provided within thirty days of closing, a lender will not be in danger of receiving reprimand for violation of the new RESPA requirements.

The FAQs also allow settlement agents, such as Penner Law Firm, to breathe a sigh of relief in regards to potential RESPA violations. The FAQs dictate that a lender is the responsible party for curing tolerance violations, such as differences of more than ten-percent (10%) between figures listed on the GFE and HUD-1. The FAQs also dictate that a settlement agent is under no obligation to stop a closing when a toleration violation is recognized, because it is the duty of the lender to cure the potential violation within 30 days of the closing. These safety valve provisions in the new legislation, as well as the temporary enforcement reprieve, will hopefully serve to lessen the delay in closing loans after the January 1, 2010 effective date of RESPA 2010.

AARP commends Governor Pat Quinn for selecting Chicago Alderman Manny Flores to serve as the new Chair of the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC).

Flores is a knowledgeable public servant with a strong public policy background, and solid constituent service experience.

AARP is hopeful that his appointment, on the heels of the appointment of ICC Commissioner John Colgan, will help to better balance the needs of Illinois consumers with the desires of utility companies.

Massachusetts officials released a final plan Monday dictating where developers can construct wind and other renewable energy projects in state waters. The announcement opens the door for renewable-energy groups to begin the permitting process. In …

Filed under: Ford, UAW/Unions

Everything’s coming up roses for Ford. That’s what we keep hearing in the news anyway. Ford can now add one more feather to its cap of accomplishments with today’s announcement that it has completed transferring all of its retiree healthcare obligations to the VEBA trust run by the United Auto Workers union. The official press release from Ford after the jump is dense, but the gist is that Ford has made its required payments to the VEBA fund and thrown in an extra $500 million payment that isn’t due until later for good measure. That last part not only gets The Blue Oval ahead of the game, but also demonstrates the degree of confidence that Ford has in both its turnaround plan and what its balance sheet will look like in the coming years.

The net effect of this news is that Ford can practically erase retiree healthcare off its books. Sure, the company takes a big hit now with the billions of dollars it just paid into the UAW-run VEBA account, but over the long term Ford won’t be forced to roll the rising cost of retiree health care into the price of its vehicles. Both General Motors and Chrysler LLC have the same obligation as Ford to pay into VEBA accounts and transfer control of retiree healthcare to the UAW, but neither has completed that process to date.

[Source: Ford | Source Image: Bill Pugliano/Getty]

Continue reading Ford completes transfer of retiree healthcare to VEBA, makes extra $500M payment

Ford completes transfer of retiree healthcare to VEBA, makes extra $500M payment originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Season 14 of The Bachelor premieres tonight on ABC. Of course, The Bachelor wouldn’t be The Bachelor without a healthy dose of drama — after all, it is a reality show. Chris Harrison, host of The Bachelor for the past eight seasons, is opening up about the scandal surrounding the new season of the hit docusoap.

On Monday, Harrison confirmed that a male producer was fired from The Bachelor: On The Wings Of Love after confessing to beginning a romantic relationship with one of the female contestants that was supposed to be competing for the affection of pilot Jake Pavelka.

“It was incredibly unfortunate, horrible decisions were made, this is something we took very serious and we couldn’t just sit by,” Harrison told 104.3 MYfm’s Valentine in the Morning.” “In fairness to Jake and the other women, [we thought] let’s just nip this in the bud, take care of it and that’s what we did.”

The explosive scandal, which includes a confrontation between Chris and the producer, will play out on the show.

“When it unfolds, it’s pretty uncomfortable… I felt bad for everyone.”

Audi says that its upcoming A7 four-door-coupe will have interior quality that is equal to the new 2011 A8 when it goes on sale in the later part of next year. The model will be a direct competitor to the BMW 5-Series Gran Turismo and the Mercedes-Benz CLS.

Achim Badstubner, the brain behind the A7, told AutoCar that the model will sit between then A6 and A8, but will cost less than the A8 sedan. “In Germany there is nearly 20,000 euro (£18k) between the most expensive A6 Avant and the cheapest A8,” he said. “The A7 will fill that gap.”

The A7 shares many of its components with the A6 and A8 and will also carry a similar engine lineup when it hits Audi showrooms, Badstubner said.

We’re already looking forward to an S7 because we’re very greedy.

Audi Sportback Concept:

– By: Kap Shah

Source: AutoCar

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, BMW, Rumormill, Luxury

The BMW obsessives at Bimmerfile supposedly have it on good authority that the 2011 BMW 1 Series will be available with the same seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox fitted to the current Z4 and a handful of Euro-only models.

Although a six-speed manual will still be available, the proliferation of BMW’s DCT throughout its line up — including the 335i, M3 and Z4 — makes adding the Getrag-source dual-clutch ‘box to the 1 series a no-brainer. Specifically, it should be fitted to the updated 135i when it arrives later this year, which means launch control on BMW’s smallest offering is just a few months away.

[Source: Bimmerfile]

Rumormill: 2011 BMW 1 Series to get DCT originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looks like the App Store is about to get even more crowded—if that’s possible. App developer PointAbout has rolled out AppMakr, a self-serve platform that lets anyone create an iPhone app for about $200, in “under an hour.” That means everyone from indie bloggers, to small business owners, to hobbyists can at least create an app. And while AppMakr doesn’t guarantee that Apple will ultimately approve every app it generates, it offers detailed guidelines and best practices for approval.

Publishers need an existing website to supply the apps with content; they plug in the URL, choose targeted keywords, and then AppMakr creates a sample app. They can customize the app by adding content feeds from Twitter, YouTube, and iTunes; they can also choose new icons, header images and color schemes. AppMakr even includes e-commerce: Publishers can decide to make a paid app or embed ads from Google (DoubleClick, AdSense and AdMob) or Medialets; it appears that in-app purchase is not an option at this time.

Rivals include open-source tech developer Appcelerator, which has already partnered with agencies like Razorfish and Tribal DDB to help speed up their app development processes. But as Mediapost notes, Appcelerator shortens the time frame to about two weeks—not an hour. This makes AppMakr competition for both third-party services like Appcelerator, and the agencies themselves.

Still, the quick, self-serve nature of AppMakr does raise the question of app quality. Analytics, for example, are limited to third-party tracking codes, or stats that come from the ad providers like Admob. PointAbout also includes bug fixes for free, but any feature upgrades are counted as completely new app submissions. Meanwhile, for people that want a bit more control (like an app completely free of AppMakr branding), the cost is more like $600: $99 for an Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) Developer Account and then $499 for the “provisioning, building and management” of the apps by PointAbout.

D.C.-based PointAbout previously created apps for clients including Burger King and The Washington Post. The company launched in mid-2008 on a $7,400 budget. Release.

Related

• Mobile Content Bits: Fresh & Easy Twitter; PointAbout’s iPhone App; Users Frustrated

The MENC National Executive Board has announced the search for MENC’s next executive director. 

"John J. Mahlmann, Executive Director of MENC: The National Association for Music Education, who has served in that position with great distinction for 27 years, has announced his retirement effective April 30, 2010," said MENC President-Elect Scott C. Shuler and Past National President Paul Lehman in a statement. "During John’s tenure MENC has increased greatly in size, broadened considerably the scope of its activities, and assumed a vastly expanded role as an effective voice on behalf of education in music and the other arts. We thank John for his exemplary work, which has brought MENC to a position of national leadership in the field of arts education, and we wish him well.

"At the same time MENC announces a search for a replacement as its Executive Director. This is an exceptional leadership opportunity for a talented applicant in association management. Today MENC claims a membership of 75,000, a vast network of affiliated and partnering organizations, a full-time staff of 50, and annual revenues of $7 million."

The application deadline is February 15, with the announcement of Mahlmann’s successor expected in April.

MENC Executive Director Position Description and Application Information

—Elizabeth Lasko, January 4, 2010. © MENC: The National Association for Music Education
 

When it comes to Android-based “appliances”  there are basically two routes a company can take.  First, there are standalone devices like Touch Revolution’s NIMble (Natural Interface Module), which was shown off at last year’s CES.  Designed as a unit that can work in any room, NIMble would bring emails, news, weather and more to your coffee tables and night stands.  The other Android-based “appliance” would be take existing devices like microwaves and washing machines and load Android onto it.  That’s exactly what Touch Revolution is doing this year.

Check out the NIM1000 being demonstrated at CES 2010 later this week. It’s a capacitive touch-sensitive Android module that can be integrated into washer/dryers, microwaves, and, presumably, refrigerators and more. Similar to what the ZII Labs has done with their EGG and TRINITY, the NIM1000 is only designed for other manufacturers like GE and Whirlpool to use. You can see below how Touch Revolution’s module would work. The washer/dryer features slide controls, stain guides, and more while the microwave can pull double duty as a “kitchen control center”.

Unfortunately, we have yet to see the NIMble from last year so who knows if/when we’ll have washing machines with NIM1000’s installed.

Source: Gizmodo

E/The Environmental MagazineRunning on AlgaeE/The Environmental MagazineThe company Solazyme's algal biofuel production is achieved by using industrial wastes, sugar and wood chips to feed the algae. In this process, the algae …EYE ON RESEARCH: T…