Despite some recent rumors which placed the seven-time AMA Superbike champ in the Reitwagen BMW team for 2010, Matt Mladin yesterday put an end to all speculations that he will return to World Superbike next year.
Some two weeks ago, Mladin fueled speculation of a possible return to racing on a Twitter feed when he said in a December 9 post: a couple of world superbike offers have come my way in the past month. 1 of them very good in regards to machinery. decisions decisions ;-)…. (read more)
ModernGhana.com (Dr Kwame Okopu)
It is very strange how the minds of some Westerners seem to work when it comes to discussing repatriation of looted/stolen cultural objects or objects acquired under dubious circumstances or from a people under foreign domination. For example, we have a fairly senior member of the British cultural establishment, Roy Clare, head of Britain’s Museums, Libraries and Archives Council, writing in an article, “The Rosetta Stone can be shared where it is” as if its removal by French soldiers and the subsequent transport to London were perfectly legitimate. (2) Who gave the French the right to remove objects from Egypt? Even the British Museum, in its publication, entitled The Rosetta Stone, by Richard Parkinson, noted the evil colonialist and imperialist aims of Napoleon’s military expedition to Egypt in 1799: “…it colonized, in the name of the Enlightenment, a country that was supposedly the origin of all wisdom. The French justified this imperial enterprise by claiming that it would rescue the ancient country from a supposed state of modern barbarism, but the Egyptian historian Abd al-Rahman al Jabari (1754-1882) saw the start of the occupation in July 1798 from a very different perspective as the beginning of a period marked by great battles…miseries multiplied without end.” (3)Since the British seized the Rosetta Stone, considered by scholars as having been very crucial to the modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphics, from the French on the defeat of Napoleon’s army in 1801, they cannot claim any right greater than that of the French, except if you concede that the powerful can take whatever they like from any country. The Egyptians never consented to such a seizure or removal. The capitulation agreement, the Treaty of Alexandria (1801), was an agreement between the victorious British and the defeated French. The surrender, resulting in the seizure of Egyptian artefacts under the control of the French, some allowed to be taken to Paris and others, including the Rosetta Stone, taken to Britain, was an affair between two European imperialist powers at the cost of an African country, not recognized by either combatant State as equal partner at the International Law level.
When it comes to the Nissan GT-R, not a month passes by where we don’t hear some wild ass rumor about the supercar. Earlier this month, its was reported that the next-generation GT-R will carry a hybrid system featuring an electric-motor capable of producing 160-hp.
We now have more information on the Nissan GT-R Hybrid courtesy of some “sources” that spoke with Inside Line. Insiders familiar with the project say that the drivetrain for the Nissan GT-R Hybrid will be a version of the hybrid system found in the upcoming Infiniti M35 Hybrid but with some significant power output and an all-wheel-drive system. The model will use a twin-turbocharged V6 just like the R35 based Infiniti Essence concept did.
Targeted output is expected to come in around 440-hp plus the 160-hp from the electric-motor. That will allow for a total of 600-hp, with fuel-economy estimated between 25-30 mpg.
The Nissan GT-R Hybrid will come in as a part of the R36 generation lineup. Expect it debut in 2012 as a 2013 model year with prices starting around $100,000.
2011 Nissan GT-R:
– By: Kap Shah
Source: Inside Line
Asi es, finalmente se ha hecho oficial, Michael Schumacher regresa a la Fórmula 1 y esta vez lo hará con la nueva escudería Mercedes Grand Prix que esta misma mañana han publicado el comunicado oficial en su página web.
Sin duda, el regreso de Schumacher a la máxima categoría hará que suba la audiencia y la emoción en las carreras pero no podemos olvidarnos de que el piloto alemán ya tiene 40 años aunque si su estado físico es bueno, estoy más que seguro que será un claro optador al título mundial.
La parrilla de la próxima temporada esta más que completo con pilotos de primer nivel como Alonso, Hamilton, Button, Massa, Vettel y Schumacher. A continuación os dejo con las primeras palabras de Schumacher tras su fichaje:
La llamada que Ross Brawn me hizo a finales de noviembre y las circunstancias en que Mercedes-Benz se involucró con el propietario fueron importantes. En realidad yo nunca dejé la F-1. A finales de 2006 yo estaba cansado de correr, pero después de tres años de ausencia, he vuelto con mucha energía y me siento con fuerza. Mi participación en carreras de motorbikes también me ha ayudado. Por otra parte, antes de dar el visto bueno me aseguré de tomar la decisión correcta. También quiero dejar claro que la lesión de mi cuello está curada al completo y no me dará ningún problema.
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The Aston Martin DBS and Aston Martin V12 Vantage will have a carbon black edition available from next month. In time for Christmas orders, the Aston Martin carbon fibre finish increases the appeal of the cars and reduces weight. Thanks to new sports seats, for example, the use of carbon and kevlar has saved up to 17 kg.
New Aston Martin rims with five spoke design are available, and obviously the DBS and V12 Vantage now come with Carbon Black exterior finish, used also on the interior features. The audio systems also get an overhaul, with the Vantage now equipped with the 700 Watt Premium Audio System, while the DBS has the Bang & Olufsen Beosound.
According to Aston Martin, a price increase of approximately five percent will be added, although full pricing and available will be available next month.
Bryan Ward-Perkins presents a fascinating snapshot of history in the FT, describing what happened in Britain after Rome was sacked in 410 AD.
Some highlights:
So maybe Hank Paulson, Ben Bernanke, and Tim Geithner were actually right about what would have happened If they hadn’t bailed out AIG!
Bryan Ward-Perkins: As we face an uncertain and worrying New Year, we can at least console ourselves with the fact that we are not living 1,600 years ago, and about to begin the year 410. In this year Rome was sacked, and the empire gave up trying to defend Britain. While this marks the glorious beginnings of “English history”, as Anglo-Saxon barbarians began their inexorable conquest of lowland Britain, it was also the start of a recession that puts all recent crises in the shade.
The economic indicators for fifth-century Britain are scanty, and derive exclusively from archaeology, but they are consistent and extremely bleak. Under the Roman empire, the province had benefited from the use of a sophisticated coinage in three metals – gold, silver and copper – lubricating the economy with a guaranteed and abundant medium of exchange. In the first decade of the fifth century new coins ceased to reach Britain from the imperial mints on the continent, and while some attempts were made to produce local substitutes, these efforts were soon abandoned. For about 300 years, from around AD 420, Britain’s economy functioned without coin.
Core manufacturing declined in a similar way.
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Traveling for the holidays is never fun and getting stuck at an airport during a snowstorm can be hell. Unless you happen to hook up with that globe-trotting hottie a few seats away.
If you’re stuck waiting at an airport over the next week, the folks at AXE grooming have put together a list of the best spots to “make a connection” with fellow travelers this holiday season.
Here’s the top 20 international airports to hook up with a hottie:
How did they figure out which airports were best for hooking up? I have no idea, but if you get stuck at one of these places and do manage to meet the girl of your dreams, let us know!
photo credit: f_mafra
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Eric Goldman has the details on a case involving Fair Isaac and its (failed) attempt to claim a trademark on the infamous credit scores it offers. Obviously, you can’t just trademark numbers, but Fair Isaac tried to make the case that the scale it uses for your credit rating scores, 300-850, is protectable. The jury tossed that out, and the judge summarized:
“the jury returned a verdict finding that the alleged ‘300-850’ mark was not a valid, protectable trademark because the term ‘300-850”’has not acquired secondary meaning.”
Separately, in the meat of the case, the court rejected claims by Fair Isaac that Experian and Trans Union infringed on its trademarks with their Google AdWords advertising, noting that (beyond the fact that 300-850 isn’t trademarkable), there was no confusion on the part of consumers who saw the ads. Fair Isaac had offered up an “expert” witness to claim otherwise, but the court simply said that the expert “lacks credibility.”
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France is heading for a credit rating downgrade from all-important AAA-status warns Fitch Ratinggs.
Just like the U.S. and most major developed nations, the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio has exploded and is expected to hit 90% by 2011. Realize that Japan lost AAA-status in the past by just breaking 80%. Thus France, and the U.S., could be pushing its luck already.
Telegraph: Mr Coulton [of Fitch Ratings] said the surprise “mauvais élève” has been France, which has let its budget deficit balloon to 8.5pc of GDP next year – or higher including an off balance sheet “Grand Loan” of €35bn (£31bn) for investment projects – despite having suffered a mild recession. “It is one thing to run a large deficit when your economy has shrunk sharply, but this is self-inflicted. They are moving close to double digits. It is a concern,” he said.
Luckily the solution is far easier than one would expect. Just jawbone.
France must articulate credible fiscal consolidation programmes over the coming year, given the budgetary challenges they face in stabilising public debt. Failure to do so will greatly intensify pressure on their sovereign ratings,” it said.
The funny thing, is that when every developed nation risks losing AAA-status, then it all becomes far more excusable on a relative basis. Thus the more other nations push their debt limits, more politically palatable it becomes for the U.S. to do so as well.
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Social gaming has really taken off this year, following the spectacular rise of Facebook, but much of that rise can be attributed to the sometimes spammy methods these companies used to attract more users. It’s no doubt that they worked, Zynga, the largest social gaming company, has a user base comparable to that of Facebook, but the social network is moving to close of some of the ways these companies used to spread their messages. Zynga is already looking ahead and has began testing SMS notifications as a way of keeping the users engaged.
The move is important for Zynga and social gaming in general for a couple of reasons. First, it may be one way of dealing with the fact that Facebook is banning apps from being able to send out regular notifications and app messages will be relegated to a special dedicated section. This move would likely significantly affect the conversion of new users, but also how much existing ones invest in the games. While it won’t solve the new users problem, SMS notifications would enable Zynga to notify users in a hard to dismiss way.
Second, it gives the company a bit more independence from Facebook, something it sorely needs. The two companies are largely dependent on each other, but Zynga is in the worst position. It is said that the social gaming company is F… (read more)
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The rally is going to continue into 2010 according to Wall Street’s most influential bank (Please see here for Goldman’s top 10 trades of 2010). Analysts at Goldman Sachs Europe and America have released their full year 2010 estimates and they are very bullish about the upcoming year.
Goldman sees very low rates, stronger than expected earnings, strong commodity demand and investor reallocation driving prices higher. Goldman sees no rate changes through 2011 – one of the most accommodative outlooks of any bank we have covered. Stronger than expected revenue growth and continued margin expansion will result in 15%+ equity returns in the upcoming year. Although they see a continuation in the rally some moderation is expected. As we previously mentioned, their analysts expect many similarities to 2004. David Kostin wrote:
“Continued profit margin resiliency from prior aggressive cost reductions should drive strong returns in early 2010 and push the S&P 500 towards 1,300.”
Their analysts in Europe are even more bullish. They see the DJ STOXX 600 rising 20% to 300 by the end of 2010.
Goldman argues that we are transitioning into the growth phase of the recovery from the hope phase. This period is generally characterized by stabilization in economic growth and lower equity returns than the hope phase. Nonetheless, doubt remains and catalysts for higher stock prices remain.
Perhaps most important, Goldman sees a continued influx of cash to the equity markets. Thus far, investors have been risk averse and either remain in cash or have moved into bonds. Goldman sees a substantial move into equities as investors become less risk averse.
How to play it? Thematically they focus on three key themes:
* You can find Goldman’s 2010 commodity predictions here.
Source: GS
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Former F1 champion Lewis Hamilton insisted that he is delighted with the news that Michael Schumacher will return to Formula One racing for the upcoming 3 seasons. The Brit never got to compete against the 7-time world champion, as he entered F1 in 2007, and will finally get that chance starting 2010; which he waits forward like nothing in the world.
It’s brilliant news. It’s great to have Michael back in Formula 1. I used to watch him race when I was in the junior categories and … (read more)
As we told you in an earlier report today, American manufacturer Ford officially announced it has settled all the terms of a future agreement with Chinese company Zhejiang Geely Holding Group for the sale of the Swedish brand Volvo. The deal itself will be signed in 2010, sometimes in the first quarter and the sale will be finalized in the second quarter of next year.
"Ford Motor confirmed today that all substantive commercial terms relating to the potential sale of Volvo Car… (read more)
John Paulson is making an inflation bet that conveniently makes money even if the U.S. economy recovers more strongly than expected.
Financial Times: “It will be difficult for the government to withdraw the economic stimulus,” Mr Paulson said in a speech. “An increase in the monetary base leads to an increase in the money supply, which leads to inflation.”
Bond prices fall as yields rise, and Mr Paulson told the Financial Times last week that he has been hoping to benefit in the Treasury market by buying options that would become profitable if rates headed higher.
This makes money if inflation picks up, yet also does well if the U.S. rebounds strongly since the Fed would then be even more likely to hike rates. It only does badly in one scenario – deflation. Thus hopefully the U.S. doesn’t become a Japanese crash re-run.
“Nobody understood the extent of deflation and economic weakness in Japan,” said Dino Kos of Portales Partners, a research consultancy, who was then a Fed official. “More money was lost on that trade than on any other single trade. Everyone piled in when rates were at 3 per cent and then at 2.5 per cent and then at 2 per cent.”
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Andy Nguyen is most definitely Australian, not Vietnamese. And yet his father insists they’re going “home” to Vietnam, somewhere Andy has never been. Andy’s Dad is Viet Kieu, a name given to Vietnamese-born immigrants who live in other countries around the world. Returning Viet Kieu have certain expectations placed on them for having been the lucky ones to have been able to leave.
For the first time in decades since he escaped the devastation and horrors of war in Vietnam, Andy’s father is finally coming home. But for Andy, the return is marked by culture shock … not to mention some disappointment. He can’t understand why his father has bought himself a new gold watch and ring which he knows his family can’t afford. He’s shocked to discover his Vietnamese family’s “famous” restaurant is hardly more than a shack. He’s surrounded by a language he only partially understands, and unfamiliar faces that only seem to demand more, more, more than what he and his father have already generously brought. But with the help of an enterprising young cousin, and a hefty dose of honesty from his father, Andy finally comes to understand his family history, and the love and dedication that binds them all together, even if he’s more Australian than not.
Author Starke, an award-winning writer in her native Australia, does an admirable job of enhancing her story with Vietnamese history and contemporary issues. Through Andy’s experiences, she shows the interaction between comparatively wealthy western tourists, and the native Vietnamese with a weekly median income that would not even pay for ice cream in a fancy tourist cafe. She gives glimpses of the life of the bui doi, literally the children of the dust, who live on the streets trying desperately to survive. She expertly weaves in the real-life group restaurant Koto – Know One Teach One – established by an Australian Viet Kieu, which gives street children the opportunity to get off the streets, learn a valuable trade, and hope for a better future.
She also includes a few tasty recipes at book’s end … good nutrition for both the tummy and soul.
Readers: Middle Grade, Young Adult
Published: 2010 (United States)
Michael Schumacher announced he is ready to push for his 8th title in career in Formula One, as the team he joined for the upcoming 3 seasons is championship material. The soon-to-be 41-year old German joined Mercedes Grand Prix until the end of 2012, where he will once again work with former partner Ross Brawn.
Ever since these two have joined efforts in Formula One, Schumacher became a winner in the championship. Starting at Benetton and continuing at Ferrari, this working rela… (read more)
Finally, the Kawasaki WSBK racing team test programme in Spain came to an end, with positive results for Chris Vermeulen, who declared himself impressed with the progress which was made the past few weeks. The last days of testing took place at the racing circuit in Jerez, where track conditions became worse by the minute due to the bad weather.
It rained and then stopped raining on the last day and the track surface was never really one way or the other, he explained.
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Everyone has been waiting for Tiger Woods to make a public announcement about all the crazy allegations that have been flying around. Well, he finally has and I’ve got to hand it to Tiger, he manned up about it:
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