Author: Serkadis

 

hattip to a friend.  From Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i5FlC1MpkE

 

 

The Video Store at the European PSN is new, so it better get those big guns to fire up those archives. Fortunately, this week’s update is very much up to the standard. Whether it’s a zombie apocalypse

Those who’ve been following the Uncharted: Eye of Indra Motion Comic, good news, you’re gonna have something to start your weekend with. Naughty Dog has released episodes 3 and 4, both are now available for download at

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, GM

Back in July, we first told you about a serious driveline issue that was cropping up in Chevrolet’s new-for-2010 Camaro. In specific, output shafts were failing on V8 manual transmission SS models, a malady that was generally tied to hard launches or use of the car’s launch control system. The problem eventually resulted in General Motors conducting some warranty repairs and briefly issuing a factory hold of the SS while it fixed the problem, and as far as we knew, that was that.

That was the last we heard of the issue until AB reader Billie informed us that talks regarding output shaft failure were once again heating up over at the owner discussion forums of Camaro5.com – so much so that GM’s own John Fitzpatrick, the marketing manager of Chevrolet’s performance cars, chimed in with a statement on behalf of the automaker, the text of which you can read after the break.

Basically, Fitzpatrick says that after a review of the issue, GM is confident that failure rates “under normal driving conditions are very low… even in the most extreme driving condition, the probability of failure does not significantly change.” In any case, Fitzpatrick assures that GM will continue to stand behind their five-year/100,000 mile warranty coverage.

For the most part, it seems like Fitzpatrick’s comments have assuaged the concerned parties on Camaro5 (there are definitely still a few disgruntled folks), but if nothing else, it’s nice to see another example of an automaker wading into the internet fray to directly address customer issues.

Photos Copyright (C)2009 Alex Núñez / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source, Camaro5.com]

Continue reading GM responds to more Camaro transmission failure talk on enthusiast forum

GM responds to more Camaro transmission failure talk on enthusiast forum originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now at WMPoweruser.com we are pretty dedicated to Windows Mobile news, but some of our editors are a bit more wide ranging in their tastes and experience.

MobileOSNews.com is a spin-off created by Wen, who is currently sitting on a pile of Verizon phones, including the Moto Droid, Droid Iris and others, which he is getting ready to review in detail  on his website soon.

If your would like to keep an eye on more than Windows Mobile news, add MobileOSNews.com to your daily trawl through the internet here.

Here’s more evidence of carnage in the liquid natural gas market

The Houston Chronicle links to analysis from Waterborne Research:

By the end of March Waterborne predicts 120 bcf of new production will be online, about a 15 percent increase in just a few months. That’s enough to fill 40 LNG tankers per month

“US import patterns prior to 2007 were dictated largely by global excess which tended to cause a spike in US import numbers during the summer months as global demand was at its lowest. We expect to see this pattern re-emerge although on a greater scale. Because of the impending length in the global LNG market the potential for significant spikes in US imports is high. We expect to see the first sign of this in the form of a trickle early in 2010 and anticipate we will see larger volumes move to the US this spring and continue throughout the summer.”

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Coal Consumers Switching To Use Natural Gas (UNG)
• Natural Gas Threatened By A Flood Of 2010 Imports (UNG, CHK)

Have you ever inflated a condom like a balloon until it burst to check its strength? Or how about checking for holes by submerging condoms in saline and zapping them with electricity? ShopSmart hired an outside lab to do all of those things to 500 condoms of 22 different models!

ShopSmart reports that all of the condoms tested passed minimum requirements for holes or reliability, but a few stellar products beat the rest. Their top picks for strongest condoms with no holes or tears are listed below in ascending price per condom.

• Lifestyles Ultra Sensitive (71 cents each)
• Lifestyles Warming Pleasure (75 cents each)
• Trojan Ultra Thin (84 cents each)
• Trojan Magnum (86 cents each)
• Durex Performax (96 cents each)
• Trojan Her Pleasure Ecstasy ($1.10 each)
• Trojan Ultra Ribbed Ecstasy ($1.10 each)

The condom testing was part of a “Sex and the Supermarket” series. Visit ShopSmartMag.org for condom shopping tips and for details about warming agents, female condoms, latex condom alternatives and even the Today sponge that was once featured on Seinfeld when Elaine declared men as “spongeworthy.” It’s on the market again.

Even if you don’t choose one of the seven strongest condoms, ShopSmart warns you to stay away from Night Light Glow-in-the-Dark. It was the weakest condom they tested. It exploded more quickly when filled with air. It held only 25 liters of air before exploding, yet the strongest condoms tested held 45 liters. ShopSmart also noted that many of the Night Light Glow-in-the-Dark condoms had holes.

ShopSmart magazine is part of Consumer Reports. Check out their Tip Sheet blog for more help on purchases that matter to you.

(Image via Trojan)

Post from: Blisstree

The Seven Strongest Condoms

In the first of a series of white papers on Terms of Service (TOS) issues, EFF today released The Clicks That Bind: Ways Users “Agree” to Online Terms of Service. The paper aims to answer a fundamental question: when do these ubiquitous TOS agreements actually become binding contracts? We discuss how courts have reacted to efforts by service providers to enforce TOS, and suggest best practices for service providers to follow in presenting terms to a user and for seeking his or her agreement to them.

The white paper examines both clickwrap agreements&#8212whereby service providers require the user to click an “I Agree” button next to the terms&#8212and browsewrap agreements&#8212whereby service providers try to characterize one’s continued use of the website as constituting “agreement” to a posted set of terms. While neither method automatically creates enforceable contracts, some presentations may still be upheld even if the user never actually reads and understands the terms. The key is whether the service provider allows the user reasonable notice and opportunity to review the terms before using the website or service.

Of course, just because a TOS creates an enforceable agreement, does not mean that every provision of the TOS will be enforced by a court. In our next white paper, we’ll examine which particular provisions are most unfair to consumers, including provisions that have aroused the skepticism of courts and regulators.

Microsoft recently got some attention for cutting off hundreds of thousands of Xbox Live players for using modded Xboxes — even if there was no evidence they were used for cheating. This is already leading to talk of a class action lawsuit against Microsoft. Even so, Microsoft is now going even further, issuing temporary bans for all of Xbox Live for anyone using a certain “exploit” in Modern Warfare 2 that lets a player set off a grenade after they die in the game. It makes sense for Infinity Ward to create a fix for their own programming mistake, but it seems rather ridiculous for Microsoft to kick people out of the game for doing what the game actually allows. Why blame players for merely doing what is allowed by the game itself?

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While White Knight Chronicles copies in Japan are probably gathering dust by now, the US release just got dated. Yes, the game that was released nearly a year ago in Japan is only getting a US release

Individual investors were not the problem

Paul Krugman’s column is off the mark of how to avoid a future financial crisis, and is a disservice to all investors [“Employment crisis demands action,” Opinion, syndicated column, Dec. 1].

Krugman would have us believe that investments made to save for college, a home, a business, retirement or to try to live off retirement savings is a socially useless activity. That only a long-term buy-and-hold strategy should be encouraged by the government, and any investment strategy short of that should be taxed and discouraged.

Yet the last decade has taught investors that long-term buy-and-hold does not work, that waiting for more than a decade to maybe get a return on an investment is a fool’s game, and that shorter-term investment horizons are needed in order to reach one’s investment goals.

To punish investors who choose not to suffer a long-term buy-and-hold strategy would be to discourage many socially useful activities.

The financial crisis wasn’t caused by investor transactions. It was caused by the creation of a mortgage security bubble that had little underlying value through the failure of federal regulators, by bond underwriters making less-than-honest appraisals of value, and investment banks using excessive leverage. It wasn’t caused by the average investor buying and selling a stock or mutual fund.

I’m baffled that Krugman would focus on punishing individual investors as opposed to fixing the real causes of the financial crisis. His approach is misguided.

— David Street, Ferndale

You can’t keep pushing failed ideas

Paul Krugman’s worrisome argument appears wrong, and is following in the tracks of the Obama administration’s failed policies.

Krugman described two options to help bolster the job outlook, one of which is to start another New Deal work program to create more low-paying, low-skill jobs, exactly the opposite of the family-wage and high-skill jobs we need.

He cited a price tag of $40 billion a year for the next three years, and claims this could create 1 million jobs. This equates to $1.2 trillion. Great idea — let’s spend 8 percent of our GDP to create jobs for .3 percent of our population.

It seems the liberal thought process is to keep pushing failed ideas until they finally work.

Government intervention is not the key to job creation. Supply-side economics is the best way to create lasting jobs. Tax breaks make it easier for existing businesses to grow (aka hire more employees) and easier for entrepreneurs to start the big companies of tomorrow (aka create more employers).

It’s time to stop vilifying the free market and let American ingenuity lead us back to greatness.

— Donald Bricker, Lake Tapps

President announces plan for Afghanistan

Now that President Obama has decided it is in our vital national interest to have 100,000 U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan [“Obama war plan draws hard look,” News, Dec. 3], chasing what the president’s own national-security team has said is fewer than 100 al-Qaida members, it’s time to come to grips with the cost of this war.

To continue as we have done with the Iraq war, and leave to our children and grandchildren the hundreds of billions of dollars in expense for our continuing military operations, is simply immoral. So, too, is relying upon a volunteer military force consisting of 1 to 2 percent of our nation’s people, and forcing them to redeploy over and over and over again to fight our country’s battles.

If this war is really vital to our collective security, then imposing a war tax and reinstituting the draft are the only equitable solutions to allocating its burden among our citizens.

My guess is that the decision makers will see this war quite differently once they start sending their own children and those of their financial backers to Afghanistan.

— Terence Colyer, Shoreline

White House party crashers

The highly paid Secret Service people who allowed Michaele and Tareq Salahi into the White House should be fired and replaced with minimum-wage airport security people [“Celebrity-seeking moron,” Opinion, editorial, Dec. 3].

The White House party crashers would not have able to get past airport security. They insist on ticket, picture identification, coat and shoes before you get in.

Does President Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not deserve same security?

— Monica Anderson, Shoreline

Gambling to help balance waning budget

Editor, The Times:

Gov. Chris Gregoire wants to add a new Keno game to help balance the budget [“Gregoire takes look at 4-minute Keno,” page one, Nov. 27]. The Washington Indian Gaming Association does not like this idea. I believe it is time for all people created equal to take effect.

I don’t think we need another way to gamble in Washington, we need to let the tribes become equal to the rest of us. The tribes are getting the benefits of being U.S. citizens, plus the benefits of being Native Americans. They have many exemptions that the rest of the U.S. citizens do not.

I think we should tax everyone equally and fairly to balance this budget. In policing other government agencies, double dipping has been caught and punished. The Times is constantly reporting bonuses, severance packages and mismanagement of our tax dollars.

It is time to bring the tribes of the United States into the 21st century with fair taxation for everyone, regardless of events that happened centuries ago, before our time.

— Lynette Mattarocci, Tacoma

We need a road to recovery

News of a $2.6 billion state budget deficit calls for smart action, rather than quick action [“Preserving programs of community value,” Opinion, editorial, Nov. 25]. The Legislature and governor need to take a balanced approach that puts both families and our state’s economy on the track to recovery as soon as possible.

Last year, the Legislature balanced the budget on the backs of the working poor, cutting basic services to the bone, not just trimming fat. If Washington wants to pull out of the recession any time soon, another all-cuts budget is not an option.

In a recession, the needs of working families grow, while the state has fewer resources to meet them. It’s time to identify resources to help struggling families and our economy weather this storm.

— Rebecca Kavoussi, Seattle

Obama administration should come down harder

In regards to the article “Illegal workers quietly let go” [NWMonday, Nov. 23], this is absolutely absurd.

It’s about time our nation step up and pull in the reins on companies that hire and continue to employ illegal immigrants. It’s bad enough legitimate citizens are struggling to keep their jobs and provide for their families, but to have to fight for a job against a person who has no legal right to be here is outrageous.

These companies should be getting slapped with heavy fines, put on probation and continuously checked on. It’s unfortunate that it has escaladed to where companies need to be baby-sat, but President Obama should get more serious about holding these companies and individuals responsible. If not, this will be just another waste of taxpayer dollars and government time.

Also, if these companies are pulling up Social Security numbers that do not match the name or other documentation new hires are providing, at what point does somebody alert the law or look in to what could potentially be identity theft?

— Amanda Gourlie, Bothell

Just let the immigrants be?

I was completely appalled upon hearing of the immigration audit from the article titled “Illegal workers quietly let go.” In my opinion, we need to just let the illegal immigrants be. They have the jobs that no Americans want, which pay wages far too small to survive on, especially in our materialistic society.

People come to America for new opportunities in hopes of better lives, and we cannot even offer that to them. It is pathetic and, quite frankly, I am embarrassed for our country.

The people who support the audit, which quietly lets go illegal employees rather than making a big scene about it, are upset because it does not make them leave America. It allows them to go somewhere else and “take more of our jobs.”

It is an outrage that Yamato Engine Specialists in Bellingham was fined and put on probation for hiring illegal immigrants. They are not bothering us, and they are taking jobs we do not want, even in this horrible economy. I think it is a time to be welcoming and thankful for having them come here to work rather than kick them out.

— Clare Schwieger, Tacoma

Youth immigrants deserve DREAM Act

How difficult is it for us to pass a law that makes sense for everyone?

The government utilizes precious limited resources deporting undocumented youth who were brought into the country by their parents, having no say in the matter. The DREAM Act provides a path to citizenship for these youth, providing options, hope and opportunities after high-school graduation — not to mention the ability to contribute to society by being upright, law-abiding and contributing citizens.

Originally introduced in 2001, the bill still has not passed. One hopes that in a time of financial strife, the U.S. would take measures to cut unnecessary resource utilization. Instead, families are torn apart, aspirations stamped out, and the American dream is foiled.

These youth grew up in the U.S., losing their ties to their countries of birth. When deported, they must suddenly live in a foreign country leaving behind the only home, culture, people and language they’ve known.

Let’s pass the DREAM Act and tell government we don’t want our valuable resources used on investigating and deporting law-abiding youth who contribute to the country. We’d rather they address real issues of danger to our citizens.

— Sarah Houston, Bellevue

John Mauldin, President, Millennium Wave Advisors, LLC

• Friday’s jobs report was a nice surprise, but we need to see several more before we’re out of the woods…
• We’re heading for a double dip recession because of tax increases in 2011
• No way will the government do the smart thing and postpone those tax increases
• 2010 will be a mediocre year for the economy

Produced By: Kamelia Angelova & William Wei

More Video: TBI Calendar Click HERE >

 

John and I talked this morning on TechTicker, too…

 

Upset you missed out on this year’s mega stock market rally? Don’t be.

John Mauldin of Millennium Wave Investments says long-term investors should ignore the temptation to get a piece of the action. In his view, there’s only one metric to pay attention to: Valuations. And, for now, stocks are too rich for his blood — “nosebleed” is the term he used.

That doesn’t mean you should park your money in a CD or under a mattress. “There’s lot of other things you can do while you’re waiting” for valuations to come down, he says.

Among Mauldin’s recommendations are fixed income and dividend yielding utility stocks. And for the more speculative at heart, he thinks buying real estate for rental income is a smart move now that housing prices have come down so dramatically.

But only time will tell if his call about stocks is the right one.

And a second on John’s optimism (after the double dip):

You can sign up for John Mauldin’s free weekly e-letter here >

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• John Mauldin’s Presentation: "Thoughts On The Continuing Economic Crisis"

The ultimate sacrifice; remembering the words of Teddy Roosevelt

Editor, The Times:

May I prevail upon each citizen to observe a moment of silence or say a prayer for the four police officers who were pointlessly slain in Parkland by the man who chose to destroy four innocent lives for reasons known only to his psychotic thinking [“Grief, gratitude for slain officers,” News, Dec. 1].

To Sgt. Mark Renninger, Officer Ronald Owens, Officer Tina Griswold, Officer Gregory Richards, we say thank you. Thank you for your service and sacrifice. We are so very sorry for the unjust fate you suffered at the hands of this madman, and so sorry for the painful loss to your families. Those of us in public service promise to rededicate our efforts to hold dear those ideals, which you made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve.

We remember the words of President Theodore Roosevelt, when he said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood.”

Each day, we put on the uniform and willingly go in harm’s way. We could have chosen another career, but we chose this path because that is what we are meant to do. We try not to think it can happen to us, but in the back of our minds, we know. We don’t ask for thanks from those we serve, just a little understanding and empathy.

— Bill Fariello, chief of police, DeBeque, Colo., Police Department

Support from law enforcement came from near and far

I was so disheartened to hear of the four officers slain from the Lakewood Police Department.

I am, however, very proud of all of the law-enforcement departments that jumped in to help and support Lakewood from Seattle to Sumner, and even officers who were off duty [“Quietly, public shares grief,” News, Dec. 2].

This only goes to show the support and dedication that every police agency has for their community and families. There was such an amazing response to the Nov. 29 events from different departments, and so quickly, that we should all give thanks to all the men and women in uniform.

— Marv Bird, Auburn

State mental-health system needs evaluation

One of the issues the tragic death of four police officers should bring to the forefront is the state of our mental-health services [“Clemmons’ diagnosis: stress,” News, Dec. 1].

At one time Washington had an excellent mental-health system. People could be referred for admission to mental-health facilities without fear that the clearly disturbed, such as Maurice Clemmons, would be released until they could be safely returned to home and community.

It was an alliance of conservatives, who wanted to save money, and the all-or-nothing civil libertarians who were successful in eliminating these services.

I hope the blame game lets up, and some consideration is given to how our institutions can be reconfigured to provide appropriate retention and treatment for the mentally ill. As it is now, all we have are correctional institutions and a land mine of laws that must be considered before people can be detained or treated. This approach is neither safe nor humane.

— Marilyn Bentz, Kirkland

Bearing the weight of the right to bear arms

The kind of recent violence that was perpetrated at Fort Hood, Texas, and the Seattle-Tacoma area can never be completely eliminated in our society [“‘I didn’t want him to hurt any more people,’” News, Nicole Brodeur staff column, Dec. 3].

One can criticize former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas for granting early release to Maurice Clemmons. Or one can find fault with our state’s penal system, which allowed Clemmons to be released on bail recently, though facing charges of assaulting a police officer and raping a child. Clemmons later killed four Tacoma-area police officers before he was shot and killed by a Seattle policeman.

Much the same can be said for Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a psychiatrist who killed 13 people in Fort Hood [“Fort Hood shooting suspect had shown troubling signs,” News, Nov. 8]. He had been in contact with a radical Islamic cleric prior to the shootings. To what extent did military officials fail to take note of contacts like these on the part of dangerous personnel like Hasan?

Unfortunately, our society has no way of protecting itself from weapons-bearing characters like Clemmons and Hasan. Short of a military dictatorship like Nazi Germany, we can never totally rid our streets of crime and violence. That is the price we pay for a free society like ours, which allows its citizens the right to bear arms.

— Joseph Delmore, Seattle

A million-dollar question for the NRA

I haven’t yet read or heard of anyone asking the $64,000 question: Where and how did Maurice Clemmons, the alleged shooter, get the weapons he used?

If, as the NRA says, the key to gun safety is enforcing the laws already on the books, what went wrong?

— Frederick Jessett, Sammamish

The bus-stop shooter and concealed-weapons permits

The article in The Times of the woman who allegedly provoked a bus rider with obscene gestures, and then shot him in the chest as he approached her [“Bus-stop shooter won’t be charged,” NWWednesday, Dec. 2] shows that civilians who carry concealed weapons can be a danger to all of us.

A bullet can travel through and exit a human with deadly force, wounding or killing bystanders. The shooter can miss, or the intended target may gain control of the gun and use it against the shooter and others.

Dangerous incidents and injuries are becoming common as more and more people get concealed-weapons permits, which require only minimal training and skill. Police officers go through extensive training and regular practice in handgun use and, just as importantly, in handling difficult situations without discharging a weapon.

A handgun carried by a civilian is just as dangerous as a handgun in the hands of a uniformed officer. The same level of training and skill should be required for a concealed-weapons permit.

— Dan Clawson, Renton