Author: Serkadis

Filed under: Car Buying, Europe, Earnings/Financials, Alfa Romeo

Take a look at the Fiat auto group. What division (barring Ferrari and Maserati) would you think holds the highest value for the company? If you thought Alfa Romeo, you’re on the same page as yours truly, but you’d be mistaken. Horribly mistaken, as it turns out: Alfa has lost Fiat hundreds of millions of euros every year. Its sales have declined sharply, and not just since the global economy collapsed: Alfa sold 203,000 units in the year 2000, but only 103,000 last year. That’s a heck of a drop-off.

In response, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has ordered a full re-evaluation of the marque, with two courses of action to potentially result. The first would see Alfa more closely integrating its future products with Chrysler platforms. The second would be to stop investing in the brand altogether, leaving the still-new MiTo and the brand-new Giulietta to carry its aging stablemates (including the 159, Brera, Spider and GT) for the foreseeable future.

Speaking with Automotive News Europe from Fiat’s headquarters in Turin, Marchionne reportedly said the new plan for Alfa will be revealed this coming February or March. Even if he chooses to keep Alfa alive with Auburn Hills synergy, though, Marchionne has nixed the notion of merging the brand with Dodge, noting that there’s a limit to how many times a brand can be reborn.

[Source: Automotive News Europe – subs. req’d | Image: Tiziana Fabi/AFP/Getty]

Ruh-Roh: Marchionne reportedly puts Alfa Romeo under review originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2009Dec2: Rainfall in India between 2009Oct1 and 2009Dec2 (IMD, 2009).

Reference: India Meteorological Department. 2009 http://www.imd.gov.in/section/hydro/dynamic/seasonal-rainfall.htm

Image Description: see case description. Image Location: India Meteorological Department http://www.imd.gov.in/section/hydro/dynamic/seasonal-rainfall.htm Image Permission: This work is copyrighted and unlicensed. However, it is believed that the use of this work to illustrate the subject in question, Where no free equivalent is available or could be created that would adequately give the same information, on Interlinked Challenges, hosted on servers in the United States by Michigan State University, qualifies as fair use under United States copyright law.

In a recent report, David Rosenberg put a price tag of $2600 on gold, citing central bank buying activity as the main driver. In an interview this evening on CNBC, he expanded on this view, urging investors to keep riding the big decade-long wave in precious metals.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Rosenberg: Gold Going To $2600 Thanks To China
• Rosenberg: Gold Will Take A Breather, Before Surging To $3,000
• David Rosenberg: Okay, Fine, The Jobs Numbers Are Getting Better

Famed author Arthur C. Clarke once explained that he never patented the the concept of geostationary communications satellites, which many say he invented, because a lawyer told him the concept was “too far-fetched to be taken seriously.” But what about things going in the other direction. If, in a book or a movie, you describe or display a technology that has already been patented, is it infringement? Most people would dismiss such a concept as flat-out ridiculous. But a company called Global Findability apparently disagrees. It has sued Summit Entertainment, the producers of the sci-fi film, Knowing, an apparently otherwise dreadful flick that includes — as a central plot point — an “encoded message [that] predicts with pinpoint accuracy the dates, death tolls and coordinates of every major disaster of the past 50 years.”

Yes, Global Findability is claiming that its patent on “Integrated information processing system for geospatial media” (Patent 7107286) was infringed by this fictional device. Eriq Gardner, at THREsq, sums it up nicely:

We’re familiar with patent troll lawsuits. We’re also aware that Hollywood is prone to allegations of idea theft. But what we seem to have here is a strange new genre-bending legal claim where one can infringe technology in fiction similar to the way one can defame a person in fiction.

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Filed under: LA Auto Show, Convertible, Hatchback, Volkswagen

Signifying the end of what has been a long run, Volkswagen has introduced “Final Edition” models of the New Beetle coupe and convertible. Each will be limited to a run of just 1,500 units. Under the hood is VW’s familiar 2.5-liter inline-fine (rated at 150 horsepower) sending power to the front wheels through a six-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission – nothing new there. However, the German automaker has fitted a full sport suspension and unique 17-inch alloy wheels to each of the New Beetles to add a touch more driving excitement.

Cosmetically, the Final Edition models feature Aquarius Blue paint. The hardtop version breaks up the color with a black roof and integrated fog lights, while the convertible model has a two-tone Aquarius Blue/Campanella White paint scheme and a white top. Special badging is found on the front quarter panel and on the steering wheel. The hatchback version hits showrooms with a base MSRP of $20,240 and the convertible starts at $27,170. Press release after the jump.

Live photos copyright (C)2009 Michael Harley / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Volkswagen]

Continue reading LA 2009: Volkswagen shows off “Final Edition” New Beetle models

LA 2009: Volkswagen shows off “Final Edition” New Beetle models originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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READ THIS – From The Man Behind The Paulson ABX Trade, Paolo Pellegrini, Comes The First Investor Letter And A 81% Return YTD – Submitted by Tyler Durden – Zero Hedge – has the report pay attn to pages 3 – 4 

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New Tax? – Taxing the Speculators – By PAUL KRUGMAN – Should we use taxes to deter financial speculation? Yes, say top British officials, who oversee the City of London, one of the world’s two great banking centers. Other European governments agree — and they’re right.  Unfortunately, United States officials — especially Timothy Geithner, the Treasury secretary — are dead set against the proposal. Let’s hope they reconsider: a financial transactions tax is an idea whose time has come. – NY Times Opinion

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Are You Prepared for Another Lost Decade? – Author: Martin J. Pring, Joe D. Turner, and Thomas J. Kopas – … In April 2003, Pring Turner Capital Group published an article … This piece laid out our case that the year 2000 was a secular or “long-term” peak for the U.S. stock market. … Our goal with the forecast in this report is to help you prepare for the next ten years. … Our opinion … suggests that investors should anticipate another “Lost Decade”.  As we will explain in more detail later in this report, 2009 could mark only the mid-point in this secular bear market.  … Allowing for a best-case scenario of 4 business contractions, this also suggests that we are barely halfway through the current cycle. … – Riskcenter.com

 

Interactive Map: Food Stamp Usage Across the Country – The number of food stamp recipients has climbed by about 10 million over the past two years, resulting in a program that now feeds 1 in 8 Americans and nearly 1 in 4 children – NY Times

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In-Geithner-We-Trust Bond Market Gets Lowest Yield – By Susanne Walker – Less than a week after deflecting calls for his resignation, Timothy Geithner sold bonds on behalf of U.S. taxpayers at the lowest yields on record in a show of confidence in the Treasury Secretary’s policies. – Bloomberg   – neither ZIRP nor consequences of rolling short term debt if rates rise is mentioned (BC)

Drain test – Fed to Conduct ‘Small Scale’ Triparty Reverse Repos – By Daniel Kruger and Christopher Wellisz – The Federal Reserve said it will test one of the tools for an eventual withdrawal of the central bank’s unprecedented monetary stimulus while stressing that the trials themselves don’t represent any change in policy.  – Bloomberg

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The right reform for the Fed – By Ben Bernanke – … I am concerned, however, that a number of the legislative proposals being circulated would significantly reduce the capacity of the Federal Reserve to perform its core functions.  … Now more than ever, America needs a strong, nonpolitical and independent central bank with the tools to promote financial stability and to help steer our economy to recovery without inflation. … –  Washington Post

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What (If Anything) Can Be Done With The GSEs? – BY PHIL HALL – The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) sponsored a seminar on Nov. 12 in Washington, D.C., entitled “Is it Possible to Reprivatize the U.S. Financial System?” – has quotes from a number of notable people – MortgageOrb

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PPIP Fuels Demand for Private-Label MBS: Smith Breeden – By DIANA GOLOBAY – … Appetite for private-label brought prices for some prime and Alt-A RMBS mortgages as much as $10-20 since the March lows, while some tranches in the ABX index — representing a range of subprime securities — rose more than 25% since March. … But non-agency RMBS is seeing little new production and heavy borrower defaults, indicating “non-agency RMBS securities are going away” for now, Smith Breeden said. … – HousingWire

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Rogers: Obama Will Fire Geithner – By: Julie Crawshaw – Money News at NewsMax

PC Magazine has a little demo of LG eXpo’s pico projector, showing off a trailer of Transformers 2 on a 10 ft screen.

They report it looked pretty good, which is impressive for such a small device. Unfortunately they also reveal the smartphone will only be available to business customers, which is a pity given the entertainment potential of a pico-projector.

This post was submitted by user.

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Hybrid, Sedan, Hyundai, South Korea

Not counting full-size trucks, the meat-and-potatoes of the American car market remains the mid-size family sedan. For the past two decades, the undisputed kings of this particular segment have been the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, especially since the Ford Taurus fell off its pedestal right around 1992. Many have tried to knock the two Japanese heavyweights (now figuratively and literally) off the hill – and almost as many have failed. And while those two titans have remained atop the sales charts, other family sedans have met with considerable success. Perhaps most notably, the Hyundai Sonata, an unassuming car that has found its way into 1.2 million homes.

With beaming grins and news of Hyundai being named the most fuel efficient brand in America, Hyundai’s brass took the wraps off their new-for-2011 Sonota. What strikes you instantly is the Sonata’s curvy, slightly-hefty, almost organic shape. Hyundai calls the design language “Fluidic Sculpture,” and while not quite as in-your-face as Mazda’s signature Nagare styling language, we have a feeling it might prove nearly as polarizing. That’s not to say the new Sonata is bad looking or ugly. But it is highly-stylized in a mid-size market that tends to reward the bland and middle-of-the-road.

But Fluidic Sculpture is what we’ve got – and not just on the Sonata. Hyundai’s North American President and CEO John Krafcik promises that this design language will define the brand moving forward. Not surprisingly, Fluidic Sculpture originated right here in Southern California in Hyundai’s Irvine design center. We really appreciate some of the finely wrought detailing, such as the grille, door handles, headlights and taillights (though those taillights appear to be lifted directly from the BMW 3 Series). We’re just a wee bit uncertain of how the new Sonata will play in Peoria.

As for the non-design aspects of the 2011 Sonata, the big news is under the hood. Gone is the 3.3-liter V6, or for that matter, any V6. Instead Hyundai is offering consumers a choice of three four-cylinder engines. The first is a 2.4-liter Gasoline Direct-Injection (GDI) motor called the Theta II good for 198 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. That much power from a 2.4-liter essentially puts the Sonata at the head of the four-cylinder class. But what about those pesky V6 cars? No problem, as Hyundai will launching a turbocharged version of the GDI Theta II. If direct-injection and turbocharging sounds a little EcoBoosty to you, well, it is. And that’s a very, very good thing.

But what about hybrids? There will be a hybrid version of the Theta II. Hyundai’s calling the technology Blue Drive,and it sounds pretty spiffy. Unlike other hybrids that use nickel hydride (or starting soon, lithium ion) batteries, the Hyundai system will use lithium polymer technology. According to Hyundai, lithium polymer leapfrogs lithium ion battery tech and within five years, the entire industry will switch to LP. Only Hyundai will be putting the tech on sale within the year. Big claims to be sure, but Hyundai’s been defying conventions and expectations for quite a while now. Look for the Alabama-built Sonata to start at less than $20,000 and go on sale this January. Official press release after the jump, Jonny-on-the-spot photos below.

Live photos copyright (C)2009 Jonny Lieberman / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading LA 2009: All-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata to come in regular, turbo and hybrid

LA 2009: All-new 2011 Hyundai Sonata to come in regular, turbo and hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you don’t have a pet stocking, there’s more good reason to start the tradition.

The ASPCA is selling some sweet velvet stockings for dogs or cats. Plus, they’re on sale for only $10.49 right now. I love that you can personalize these stockings with a photo of your pet.

Visit ASPCA’s Large Pet Stocking product page for more details.

If you want to celebrate your pet on your Christmas tree as well, check out the Pawprints ornament from the ASPCA. You can create a print of your pet’s paw without baking or mixing.

Recommended Stocking Stuffers for Pets:

• Pit’r Pat treats (or Yip Yap for dogs)
• ASPCA toy collection at Walmart (leashes and collars also available)
• Hurley Dog Bone or reclaimed cotton Dog Sweater from West Paw Design
• FurBuster De-Shedding Tool for Cats from Bamboo

And, for you, the Dyson DC31 Animal for cleaning pet hair from furniture, stairs or anywhere.

(Image via ASPCA online store)

Post from: Blisstree

Pet Stockings & Treats for Inside

Engadget have published another hands-on video of the Samsung Omnia 2.  The video is not much better than our last one, but does show the previously unrevealed Samsung widget store, which seem to have a lot of goodies.

See more at Engadget here.

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Minivan/Van, Toyota, Luxury

Toyota finally took the wraps off their new 2011 Sienna minivan and we have to say, it looks pretty good in person. Although Toyota sent out some teaser shots this morning, we just got back from the official unveiling at the LA Auto Show and have a whole batch of live shots and quite a few more media pics for you to browse. We were quite shocked by the size of the crowd at this press conference, perhaps showing that even though the minivan market may be shrinking, it still meets a sizable need.

We were also a bit surprised to run into Ford’s J. Mays and Mark Fields, and they reminded us that you have to stay abreast of the competition lest you die. They would neither confirm nor deny the return of the Aerostar. Besides the top-level Limited model on stage, Toyota also showed off a pre-production SE, which sits a little lower on a stiffened suspension and 19-inch alloys. It also sports a body kit, a revised grille and carbon fiber in place of wood inside.

Also make sure you check out the 2011 Sienna’s trick 16-inch LCD monitor for rear seat passengers and the reclining seats with extendable footrests, two features we’ve never seen in this segment before.

Live photos copyright (C)2009 Frank Fillipponio / Weblogs, Inc.

LA 2009: Third-Gen 2011 Toyota Sienna is a rock star originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fat and Sugar Messing with Your Genes?

Try staying away from extra fat and sugar this holiday season to avoid packing on more pounds. According to new research published in The FASEB Journal, a diet that is high in fat and sugar may switch on genes that cause us to store too much fat. (Note: The studies were performed on mice, and more research is needed on the human side.) So, foods high in fat and sugar might hit you twice as hard. It’s already difficult to convert high-fat and high-sugar foods to energy, but it can be more difficult when those foods encourage your body to store even more fat!

Migraines May Raise Your Stroke Risk

Researchers at Johns Hopkins concluded that migraine headaches are linked with a greater than twofold higher risk of the most common kind of stroke, which occurs during a sudden cut-off of blood supply to the brain due to the buildup of plaque or a blood clot. The risk is highest for women who experience migraines with aura — flashing lights, zigzag lines and blurred side vision. “Based on this data, physicians should consider addressing stroke risk factors in patients with a history or signs of light flashes and blurry vision associated with severe headaches,” said senior study investigator and cardiologist Saman Nazarian, M.D.

Can That Lonely Feeling Spread to Friends?

Being lonely may actually help you lose friends. Loneliness can spread among groups of people, say researchers at the University of Chicago, the University of California-San Diego and Harvard. They say that people move to the edge of social networks when they become lonely. When that happens, the lonely person has fewer friends, and may continue to lose friends through the spread of loneliness. Researchers found that next-door neighbors who experienced an increase of one day of loneliness a week helped prompt an increase in loneliness among close friends who were neighbors. As the neighbors spent less time together, the loneliness spread. Their work was published in the December issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

(Image via flickr/Migraine Chick)

Post from: Blisstree

Health Bits: Fat Genes, Auras, Loneliness

Yesterday it was Philly Fed’s Plossner, today it is Richmond Fed’s Jeff Lacker who joins the chorus demanding an end to Bernanke’s insane monetary policy of drowning the market with unprecedented liquidity which is not getting to consumers but merely propping Amazon stock at a bubblelicious 100x P/E.

In a speech before the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, Lacker stated: “The perception of inflation risk could be particularly pertinent to the current recovery, given the massive and unprecedented expansion in bank reserves that has occurred, and the widespread market commentary expressing uncertainty over whether the Federal Reserve is willing and able to promptly reverse that expansion… If we hope to keep inflation in check, we cannot be paralyzed by patches of lingering weakness, which could persist well into the recovery. In assessing when we will need to begin taking monetary stimulus out, I will be looking for the time at which economic growth is strong enough and well-enough established, even if it is not yet especially vigorous. Although it is hard to predict when that will occur, I can confidently predict that monetary policy will remain particularly challenging for some time to come.” Then again, the stock market does not seem to share Mr. Lacker’s concerns.

Read the whole post at Zero Hedge >>

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• How Wild Inflation Made Monopoly Prices Ridiculous
• We’re In The Final Month Before Inflation Hits
• TIPS Spread Forecasting Higher Inflation? Not Necessarily…

We had just been noting how Spanish courts seemed to be actually interpreting copyright law in a reasonable way, and slapping down industry attempts to abuse the laws. Of course, that couldn’t last. It appears that Spain is now proposing new copyright laws that would bring its existing laws down the well-lobbied path of draconian punishment, increased third party liability and other mindless ideas that have more to do with propping up an old business model than encouraging the creation of new quality content. A bunch of professional content creators in Spain are organizing to protest these new rules, but do they stand a chance against the usual onslaught of industry lobbyists?

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Filed under: LA Auto Show, Budget, Hatchback, Mazda

The 2011 Ford Fiesta may have been the big B-segment reveal last night, but Mazda has finally decided to bring its own compact runabout to North America, and it’s based on the same architecture as it Blue Oval sibling. Originally launched in Europe, Japan, and Australia a couple of years ago, the Mazda2 was very well-received by media and consumers alike, a warm reception that probably helped make the case for the Japanese automaker to bring it over to the United States. That time has arrived, and the Mazda2 will be available in North America as a 2011 model.

Although Mazda revealed what the North American spec version will look like, it’s still holding back additional information, including engine specifications, interior details, and pricing. We’ll get more details soon, but in the meantime, check the full release after the jump and our live pics from the floor below.

Live photos copyright (C)2009 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading LA 2009: Mazda unveils North American spec Mazda2 for 2011

LA 2009: Mazda unveils North American spec Mazda2 for 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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