Distributors for Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, are recalling more than 420,000 vehicles due to labels that detail the load-carrying capacity of tires being either missing or less accurate than required. The recalls were executed by Gulf States Toyota Inc. of Houston, and Southeast Toyota Distributors of Deerfield Beach, Fla., and posted on the NHTSA’s website.
Owners of the affected vehicles will be notified by mail. Sierra, Prius, Camry, and Corolla models from 2005-2011 have been affected.
“The true vehicle load-carrying capacity is important to know,” said Brian Lyons, a spokesman for Toyota’s U.S. unit, based in Torrance, California.
A National Traffic Safety Administration spokesperson had no immediate comment to make.
Today showed a HUGE reversal from yesterday’s miserable action, not just in US stocks, but in every key market around the world. US equities have now erased their losses for the week. Crazy.
But first, the scoreboard:
Dow: +286 (+2.8%)
NASDAQ: +82 (3.7%!)
S&P 500: +35 (3.3%)
And now for some key stories of the day:
Things really seemed to hinge on the noise out of China that it had no intention to diversify away from eurozone bond holdings — contradicting a report from FT yesterday. We argued that the FT story never made any sense, so we’re inclined to believe China’s statements. If anything, it’s in the interest of Chinese leaders to prop up the euro, and save its own manufacturers’ already razor-thin margins.
Ironically, the only economic news today was bad: GDP came in weaker than expected, and initial weekly jobless claims also confirmed the stalling out trned.
It took more than a month, but Barack Obama finally gave a press conference on the Deepwater Horizon oil catastrophe. It did not go particularly well, as he was, in essence, forced to side with BP’s handling of the crisis — an awkward position, to say the least.
Also on the BP front, the company spiked on news that the oil leak has stopped, BUT this is not the end of the story at all. Next stage is the cement pouring, and we have no guarantee yet it will work. But, at least we’re making some progress. Also, based on some estimates, the total leak now stands at 666,666.666 barrels, a very ominous number indeed.
In addition to the surge in equities, just about every other “risk on” measure was positive, including a surge in the Aussie dollar, a surge in industrial commodities, and a slight slip in gold (though not huge).
A Minnesota baby born earlier this week owes his safe entry into our world to a Chevy Cobalt. Eight pound newborn Joseph Phillips was born literally behind the wheel as his mother gave birth in the driver’s seat.
“We knew the Cobalt was designed to deliver its occupants safely, but never did we expect a delivery quite like this,” said Margaret Brooks, Chevrolet product marketing director, Small Cars and Crossovers. “From everyone at Chevrolet, we’d like to congratulate Amanda and Joseph on the newest addition to their family. Unfortunately, there is no section in the Cobalt driver’s manual on ‘How to Change a Diaper,’ but we’re sure they’ll do just fine.”
To celebrate the birth, GM will provide the family with; a year’s supply of diapers, two child safety seats, a stroller, and a number of other supplies such as bottles, formula, etc.
2011 Audi Q7 – Click above for high-res image gallery
If there’s to be a singular automotive theme guiding us into this second decade of the 21st century, it’s downsizing. If not in dimensions, then in displacement. Automakers, forced to adhere to higher government-mandated fuel economy standards and lower CO2 emissions, are beginning to collectively reduce engine size while attempting to maintain the thrust consumers demand.
The newest posterchild for this movement comes in an unlikely wrapper: the 2011 Audi Q7. Packing the same supercharged 3.0-liter V6 found in the S4 sports sedan, Audi bids adieu (or is that Auf Wiedersehen?) to the 3.6-liter V6 and 4.2-liter V8 for the 2011 model year and brings with it the 2011 A8’s eight-speed automatic transmission. We tackled the congested highways and byways in and around Ingolstadt to see if the revised Q7 has the goods to placate both bureaucrats and buyers, while taking a deeper look into Audi’s new powertrain strategy. Click through to the jump to see if we can make sense of it all.
50 Cent is really going to surprise everyone with his new look! The rapper and actor, is really serious with his role and trying to bring in perfection to his roles. He has lost nearly 55 pounds of weight for the looks of his forthcoming movie ‘Things Fall Apart’ by Mario Van Peebles. Interestingly the movie has been written by 50 Cent and he would be playing a college football player battling cancer. How he achieved that feat?
For that off course he had to do a lot of hard work and sacrifice his favorite dishes. He remained completely on liquid diet and had workouts for three hours at stretch on treadmill. This toil helped him achieve the goal of 160 pounds from 214 pounds.
It is not unusually for such actors to lose weight or gain for the roles they wish to fit the character, but the real lean and thin looks of 50 Cent surprised everybody. Prior to Curtis James Jackeson III (50 Cent’s original name), Matt Damon did it for Courage Under Fire, Christian Bale got himself frailed for The Machinist, Will Smith shrunk himself for Seven Pounds and to name a few. What is surprising is that there is not a single word for the movie yet, but 50 Cent has prepared for himself for the role.
Perhaps this role will give 50 Cent a recognition as ‘serious actor’ and he may be noticed by big panels like Academy Awards, Golden Globe and others. His previous films, Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2005) and Righteous Kill (2008) alongside Al Pacino and Robert De Niro could not gather much acclaim for him. But the present role and his try to fit the character may soon make him one of the most sought after actors in the Tinsel Town.
We recently wrote about the disturbing case of William Melchert-Dinkel, a guy who would troll various online suicide forums, claiming to be a nurse, who would then encourage people to go through with their suicide plans, sometimes making suicide pacts with them. As we pointed out at the time, there’s really no way to defend what this guy did. He’s clearly a sick individual. But, we were concerned about him being charged with “assisted suicide” in Minnesota, where the law seems especially broad, and questionable on First Amendment grounds, because it outlawed just “advising” people on suicide.
In the latest on that case, Melchert-Dinkel has been ordered to stay off the internet completely while the case is ongoing. Like the lawsuit itself, an order like this, seems to raise a lot of questions. I could understand ordering him to stay away from any discussions about suicide, but a blanket internet ban, again, seems like it goes too far. Does it include a VoIP phone? With so much on the internet these days, can you really effectively bar someone from using the internet? We’ve seen courts that have regularly overturned such bans, claiming that they’re unreasonably excessive.
While there’s no way to defend what this guy did, so far this whole case seems to go in dangerous directions, both from the standpoint of free speech questions, as well as overly aggressive internet bans, due to one particular activity done on the internet.
Kenneth Starr, an American lawyer is notable for his tenure as an Independent Counsel while Bill Clinton was United States President.
Recently, Starr, 65 of Manhattan was charged with running $30 Million Ponzi Scheme for wire fraud. He is also charged for investment fraud and money laundering. Starr was awaiting an initial appearance in federal court in Manhattan.
Starr is a financial adviser to celebrities including Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes. His arrest on Thursday stated that some of the money committed from fraud on his clients were used to purchase a lavish Manhattan apartment.
Also arrested was Andrew Stein, former New York City Council President, who was charged with making false statements a federal officer and making false statements in a filing with the IRS, or Internal Revenue Service.
Lawyers for Starr and Stein didn’t respond to telephone messages seeking comment immediately.
The X51A Waverider, a U.S. Air Force experimental “scramjet” aircraft, achieved a top speed of nearly five times the speed of sound in its record-breaking first test flight Thursday.The X51A Waverider which can be compared as the size of a cruise missile.Boeing X-51A was dropped from the mothership and the booster quickly accelerated the Waverider to Mach 4.5. The X-51A ignited and the scramjet powered the aircraft for about 200 seconds as it reached a 70,000-foot altitude and an approximate speed of Mach 5.
The Boeing X-51A made aviation history with the longest-ever scramjet-powered hypersonic flight. Air Force officials said the X-51A scramjet propulsion record can be compared to the leap from propellers to jet engines after World War II. Aviation engineers say scramjet propulsion will eventually replace current technologies. The reporst states that the waverider actually surfs on the sonic shockwaves. Compared to a nomal jet engine which force air into its combustion. The X-51A with a scramjet engine short for (Supersonic Combustion Ramjet) has a powerful combustion chamber.
According to sources, it is Rosie Huntington-Whitely who will be the next star in the new Transformers movie.
Rosie Huntington-Whitely is currently one of the hottest model but apparently she is about to show us what she got when it comes to acting. She is the Face of Monson lingerie and also an Victoria’s Secret Angel but right now she has just signed for Michael Bay, the director of Transformers who will make another cool movie that will blow once again everyones mind. But this time you won’t see Megan Fox anymore, its Whitely’s turn to shine.
Anyways its her first time to act but that won’t be a problem having Jason Statham around, her acting boyfriend that will surely give her some tips. Definetely she is not the first hottie to make the shift to hollywood. There were also Agyness Deyn who was seen on the short film Elle Macherson, Lily Cole recently appeared on The Imaginarium of Dr Parnassus, Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford made it all into Hollywood.
Vienna topped the list of best city in world according to the Mercer’s 2010 Quality of Living Survey while Baghdad has been rated the worst city to live right now with violence prevailing in all quarters there. While popular US cities failed even to crack among the top 25 cities in this survey. This survey is made to rank the world’s most livable cities and this year the world’s top three cities are from Central Europe, Vienna making the top ranking twice in a row. The survey is carried by London based Mercer, an international consulting company which ranked Zurich and Geneva second and third respectively.
Among the cities of the US, Honolulu made the highest ranking at No.31 followed by San Francisco at No.32. Among the Asian cities, Singapore has been slated the top position at 28 with Tokyo at No.40. Surprisingly, Dubai which has been ranked 75 (which most people consider quite livable city because of its infrastructure) has been rated as the best city in the Middle East. And the best of Africa is the Port Louis in Mauritius, which ranks at No.82.
Baghdad has been ranked 221 and remains at the bottom of the list, even behind the low string and risk zone cities of Africa. However the rating is not free from criticism. Joel Kotkin in Forbes Magazine writes that the effort by the Economist Intelligence Unit falls short to capture elements that actually make a city great. He points out that Mercer considers Cultural diversity, economic growth and social dynamism as parameters to rank the cities but no homogeneity, safety and sanitation!
X-51A Waverider missile of US Air Force has sustained an amazing record of Mach 6. The nextgen-scramjet-technology-powered X-51A Waverider was launched over the southern California coast. A remarkable speed of sound has been marked by X-51A Waverider missile.
The US Air Force affirmed that its X-51A Waverider cruise missile – a next-generation vehicle powered by scramjet technology – has reached a speed of Mach 6 during the test. As stated by the Air Force, the X-51A Waverider was carried by a B-52 aircraft having an altitude of 50,000 feet.
The X-51A Waverider have sustained a Mach 6 speed for approximately 200 seconds. The 200 seconds at Mach 6 have marked the record to beat the previous scramjet record of 12 seconds. As stated by the Associated Press, Charlie Brink, an X-51A program manager at the Air Force Research Laboratory, titled the flight historic.
“We are ecstatic to have accomplished many of the X-51A Waverider test points during its first hypersonic mission,” Brink stated. “We equate this leap in engine technology as equivalent to the post-World War II jump from propeller-driven aircraft to jet engines.”
A Mach 6 speed of sound, that’s how the scramjet-powere X-51A Waverider is defined!
A law suit was filed in U.S. District Court in California last week by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem accusing GM of fraudulent use of Albert Einstein’s likeness. GM had used Einstein’s image in its ad campaign for the GMC Terrain. This is yet another marketing faux-pas for GM, which came under fire for a commercial in which Ed Whitacre was accused of exaggerating the truth with regard to the repayment of GM’s federal loans.
GM recently hired a new ad guru, and changed ad agencies twice so far in recent months for the Chevrolet brand. According to a spokeswoman for the company, the right to use the image for the as was acquired from a ‘reputable’ firm which guarantees the rights that it sells to clients. The firm is as of yet unnamed.
GreenLight Productions LLC, the university’s licensing agent, supervises the licensing rights to Einstein’s likeness, as well as those of many car brands, including Saab. Hebrew University asked a federal judge to stop GM from using Einstein’s likeness in a way that suggests the late physicist and the university in any way endorse the company’s vehicles.
Tuner Novitec Rosso has updated its modification packages for the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti and is now offering new accessories, wheels and an ECU upgrade for the Ferrari 2+2 seater.
When it comes to styling, Novitec Rosso now offers smoked-out taillights, reflectors and side markers, 3-piece NF3 alloy wheels that measure 20-inches on the front and 21 inches at the rear, sports steering wheel, special leather upholstery and custom sports seats.
With a revised ECU and a stainless steel exhaust system, power has been upgraded to 565-hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. That allows the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds with a top speed of more than 202 mph.
Hit the jump for the press release and the high-res image gallery.
Novitec Rosso Ferrari 612 Scaglietti:
Press Release:
NOVITEC ROSSO Refines the Ferrari 2+2-Seater
2+2-seaters have a long and illustrious tradition at Ferrari. The 612 Scaglietti seamlessly continued this tremendous success story since its debut in the fall of 2003. To make this extraordinary automobile even more exclusive and to add an even higher level of customization NOVITEC ROSSO now offers new accessories such as a custom-tailored tire/wheel combination with diameters of 20 and 21 inches, a power increase to 565 hp / 416 kW, a stainless-steel sport exhaust system, new taillight design and upgrades for the interior.
Wheels make a car and for a Ferrari the best is just good enough. The NOVITEC ROSSO suspension specialists have developed custom versions of the three-piece NF3 alloy wheels for the Italian sports car.
The new wheels feature a striking design with five double spokes and polished outer flanges. Contrary to the 19-inch production wheels, the 612 Scaglietti in NOVITEC ROSSO trim sports a combination of size 9Jx20 wheels in front and size 12.5Jx21 rims on the rear axle.
This measure benefits not only the driving dynamics of the car but also and foremost the coupe’s appearance. The staggered wheels further emphasize the wedge-shaped design of the two-door car.
In the P Zero tire technology partner Pirelli offers the perfect ultra-high-performance tires for this tire/wheel combination that makes optimal use of the available space in the wheel wells Tires in size 275/30 ZR 20 on the front axle provide enormous grip during fast cornering and hard braking. Tires in size 355/25 R 21 on the rear axle allow even higher cornering speeds and provide maximum traction.
The exclusive look can be further upgraded with black NOVITEC ROSSO lamps. The complete package comprises the four round taillights, the reflectors and the side markers.
Further cornerstones of the NOVITEC ROSSO program for the 612 Scaglietti are a power increase and an even sportier exhaust note. The inner workings of the V12 engine with a displacement of 5,748 cm³ remain untouched. The power increase to 565 hp / 416 kW at 7,290 rpm is the product of a newly calibrated engine management system and the NOVITEC ROSSO stainless-steel high-performance exhaust system.
The tuning gives the V12 engine an even crisper response and lets it rev up even faster. Simultaneously peak torque grows to 609 Nm at 5,300 rpm. A top speed of more than 325 km/h and a sprint time for 0 – 100 km/h of just 3.9 seconds make the 2+2-seater an even more dominant sports car.
The NOVITEC ROSSO sport exhaust system is an integral part of the power increase and produces a truly delightful exhaust note. The NOVITEC ROSSO exhaust is easily distinguished by its four 90-mm tailpipes cut at an angle.
NOVITEC ROSSO upgrades the four-seat interior according to customers’ personal preferences. The ergonomically shaped sport steering wheel comes in any color imaginable. But that’s not all: Customers can also freely choose the steering wheel’s material as well as the thickness of the rim. The rim is flattened at the bottom for easier entering and exiting of the vehicle.
Every NOVITEC ROSSO interior is characterized by its masterful precision finish and its striking colors. But NOVITEC ROSSO realizes not only Ferrari owners’ personal material and color selections, it also custom-tailors the seat to each customer’s body measurements. Special requests such as for seats with even more lateral support or a lowered seat position for especially tall drivers round out the interior customization program.
The Lancet has just published a large prospective study demonstrating the protective effect of HIV treatment on the risk of viral transmission:
3381 couples were eligible for analysis … Only one of 103 genetically-linked HIV-1 transmissions was from an infected participant who had started ART, corresponding to transmission rates of 0·37 (95% CI 0·09—2·04) per 100 person-years in those who had initiated treatment and 2·24 (1·84—2·72) per 100 person-years in those who had not—a 92% reduction (adjusted incidence rate ratio 0·08, 95% CI 0·00—0·57, p=0·004).
A similar observation was made in an earlier study presented at CROI 2009, not yet published. (Both that study and the Lancet paper were covered in AIDS Clinical Care when originally presented; see here and here). Would the rate actually be zero if limited only to those with undetectable viral loads on treatment? Perhaps.
Nonetheless, here’s the bottom line: HIV treatment dramatically, hugely, ginormously reduces the risk of HIV transmission.
(My daughter several years ago predicted that ginormous would become a word. She was right.)
Yes, we can quibble with some of the details — the 2009 study did not include viral load measurements, this one in the Lancet was actually part of a study of HSV treatment hence the results are observational, protection is not 100% – but is there any doubt that HIV treatment is currently our most effective way of preventing the spread of HIV?
Some will say that the definitive study on this issue is HPTN 052, which randomizes the HIV-infected member of a couple to go on treatment or to wait until the CD4 cell count drops below 250. Primary endpoint is rate of infection to the seronegative partners.
But that study is likely to exclude those most likely to transmit HIV, since it’s limited to people with HIV who have no symptoms, a relatively high CD4 cell count, and hence on average a lower viral burden.
Seems a no-brainer to me. Treatment is prevention.
If Albert Einstein were alive today, he’d be very old and quite wealthy. In fact, the world famous scientist still banks about $10 million per year solely from corporations purchasing one-time rights to his likeness. Einstein has been dead since 1955, but an institution is still collecting money on his behalf, and there is a rather substantial price to pay to use his likeness. Just ask General Motors.
The Detroit News reports that The General is being sued by The Hebrew University of Jerusalem for $75,000 over a fall, 2009 print ad that contained Einstein’s likeness without the school’s blessing. The ad, which appeared in the September issue of People Magazine, features Einstein’s head Photoshopped onto the body of a young, muscular guy with the tagline “Ideas are sexy, too.”
But while the Hebrew University feels it has an open-and-shut case, GM claims that it purchased the rights to Einstein’s image from a reputable firm. GM spokesperson Ryndee Carney told the DetNews that the company guarantees that clients have rights to use the images selected.
We’re not sure how Carlos Ghosn feels about this but Daimler has just announced that it has signed a joint venture contract with BYD Company Limited to produce electric-vehicles in China.
“BYD and Daimler will invest RMB 600 million to use as registered capital for the Joint venture,” Daimler said in a statement. “The new generation of electric vehicles developed by the joint venture will capitalize on Daimler’s know-how in electric vehicle architecture and safety as well as BYD’s excellence in battery technology and e-drive systems. The vehicle will be marketed under a new brand jointly created and owned by Daimler and BYD.
“Our new joint venture is well positioned to make the most of the vast potential of electric mobility in China.,” said Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG. “We are fortunate to have excellent joint venture partners in China and the establishment of this research and technology center with BYD adds another dimension to our growing presence in this important market.”
Daimler recently launched the Smart ForTow electric-drive and this year will introduce two Mercedes-Benz electric-cars including the B-Class F-CELL with fuel-cell technology and the electric A-Class E-CELL.
“BP is a liar, has been a liar for many years,” says the oil rig bloodhound. “Until the checks in the bank and it’s cleared, i wouldn’t take their word that they’ll pay for anything. They will play semantic games, say ‘we’ll pay for all damage’ or ‘all legitimate damage,’ but they always qualify so later they can say ‘we don’t consider that legitimate damage’ or ‘we don’t consider that damage.’”
There was evidence of semantic games in the hearing when BP spokesperson Darryl Willis at first took responsibility for all oil spill damages, and then refused — under repeated questions — to take confirm or deny liability for damage from chemical dispersants.
Another problem for BP will be attacks from other defendants.
Although BP and Transocean are somewhat cordial, a Halliburton spokesperson launched into BP at today’s hearing. Halliburton needs to attack the oil company, Buzbee explains,because Halliburton must indemnify [is contractually obligated to pay] any damages to Transocean. Halliburton couldn’t sue Transocean without suing itself, so they will aim all guns at BP.
“I’m looking to get the largest verdict in the history of the United States,” Buzbee said.
Buzbee anticipates this case making its way to the Supreme Court. With scores of evidence against the Deepwater companies already, the attorney thinks he can increase the 1-to-1 ratio for punitive damages established in Exxon Valdez.
Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States where the U.S. men and women who have died while in military service are being honored. It is scheduled and observed annually on the last Monday of May, and this year it will fall on May 31, 2010.
On a message from LtCol Oliver North, he stated that Memorial Day is a time to remember America’s freedom that was secured by Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Guardsmen and Marines who bravely risked their lives in the service of the country. Throughout the history, he said, many of these heroes have made a sacrifice – the ultimate sacrifice. This day is the time to honor their memory.
On May 36, 1986, President Ronald Reagan said on a speech at Arlington Cemetery that Memorial Day is the day that we put aside in order to remember the fallen heroes and to remember the ’splendor’ of the country and those of the country’s children who rest in that cemetery and others.
Countless people observe this holiday by visiting cemeteries and memorials of those who passed away while fighting for the country. A tradition of flying the flag of the United States is held at half-staff from dawn until noon local time.
This is definetely something cool you should know. An experimental aircraft named the X51a Waverider is set to break the record for hypersonic flight. At an astonishing speed of more than three times at Mach 6. Its unbelievable six times faster than sound travels.
Speed of sound, thats what the x51a waverider is. It was released Wednesday morning from a B-52 Stratofortress off southern California coast. According to the Air Force, on their website, they wrote about speed of sound and that it accelerated the monster to Mach 6, and according to sources it flew autonomously for 200 seconds after it finally gave in and slowly lost acceleration. This whole test had stopped when the x51a started to loose acceleration.
The last record for a hypersonic scramjet was 12 seconds and what the Air Force had to say was this:
“We are ecstatic to have accomplished many of the X-51A test points during its first hypersonic mission,” said Charlie Brink, an X-51A program manager with the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
“We equate this leap in engine technology as equivalent to the post-World War II jump from propeller-driven aircraft to jet engines,” Brink said.
Its amazing how technology advances and everything becomes better. But at this point i think its better if we keep our feet on the ground. What do you think of the new x 51a waverider that goes beyond the speed of sound?
The Mazda3 has replaced the Honda Civic has the best-selling passenger car in Canada. The model was the best-selling passenger-car in April and is also the top-selling car of the year so far. As for the light-truck side, the Ford F-Series holds on to its top spot.
While Chrysler Canada put out a huge push to increase sales of the Dodge Ram, the F-Series still remains on top by a wide margin. However, Ram pickup sales were up 87.8 percent in April and are up almost 90 percent for 2010.
Ford’s F-Series was up 24.7 percent while GM’s GMC Sierra and Chevrolet Sivlerado were up almost 25 percent and 23 percent, respectively.
All around, commercial-use vehicles were up 25.1 percent so far this year.
The X51A Waverider, a U.S. Air Force experimental “scramjet” aircraft, achieved a top speed of nearly five times the speed of sound in its record-breaking first test flight Thursday.The X51A Waverider which can be compared as the size of a cruise missile.Boeing X-51A was dropped from the mothership and the booster quickly accelerated the Waverider to Mach 4.5. The X-51A ignited and the scramjet powered the aircraft for about 200 seconds as it reached a 70,000-foot altitude and an approximate speed of Mach 5.
According to sources, it is Rosie Huntington-Whitely who will be the next star in the new Transformers movie.
The Lancet has 
This is definetely something cool you should know. An experimental aircraft named the X51a Waverider is set to break the record for hypersonic flight. At an astonishing speed of more than three times at Mach 6. Its unbelievable six times faster than sound travels.
