Author: Serkadis

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Ford

The Ford Fiesta has proven to be a very successful small car wherever it’s sold in the world. Ford has sold 12 million Fiestas over the vehicle’s lifetime and the new-for-2009 model has moved half a million units already this year in Europe and Asia. It’s a smash hit in spite of the fact that the Fiesta is not for sale in the U.S., a.k.a. the world’s biggest car market. That all changes in the spring of 2010 as the Fiesta finally makes its way stateside.

Ford appears to be focusing its efforts in the U.S. small car market at exactly the right time, as consideration for B-Segment vehicles is at an all-time high and the trend appears to be upwardly mobile. And while Ford would love for us to believe that it was clairvoyant when deciding to bring the Fiesta to the U.S., it just isn’t true. In fact, the Fiesta wasn’t originally designed for the U.S. market, but the shock of $4 per gallon gas and a new-found interest in eco-friendly transportation led the Blue Oval to rethink its strategy. Ford didn’t start readying the Fiesta for the U.S. market until many bits and bolts of hardware were already settled, so Team Blue had to go back to the drawing board to make its small car ready for Americans. The result is a U.S.-spec Fiesta that has only 60% of its parts in common with the Euro Fiesta. Will Americans be missing out? Follow the jump for everything you need to know about the Fiesta.

Continue reading LA Preview: 2011 Ford Fiesta for America revealed, hits 40 mpg

LA Preview: 2011 Ford Fiesta for America revealed, hits 40 mpg originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Two separate initiatives by cable companies are coming together in conflict. We’ve seen how many cable companies are trying to set up video portals that will let subscribers to cable TV get access to the same content online, as a weak attempt to reduce churn of consumers dumping cable altogether and concentrating on online options. But, at the same time, they’re also looking to implement broadband caps with high overage fees. Those two concepts are shown together with Rogers offering both a video portal and low metered caps with high overage fees. So your incentive is to not use the video portal (which apparently is limited in the first place). How is that going to reduce the churn? It seems like a far better option is to just go with another provider that actually focuses on adding value rather than limiting it. Too bad there’s so little competition up in Canada. Ahhh… that explains things, now, doesn’t it?

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Drum washing plants are particularly suitable for the continuous and at random treatment of small and medium-sized pieces, such as screws, bolts and small metal pieces in general. The material is moved forward by the slow rotation (at variable speed) of a cylinder, which contains a spiral at preset pitch. During the advancement motion, parts undergo cycles of treatment. Spiral continuous and slow rotation allows the movement of the pieces and the consequent removal of grease or swarf and drying them perfectly. The loading operations can be either manual or automated through automatic loading devices.
Ceever realization of standard machines is put side by side with the production of special cochlea realized in base to the specific demands of the client, both as regards the cycles of treatment (phosphating, de-phosphating, phosphate-degreasing, etc.) and mechanical sizing and/or special applications for automation.

For those of you who missed the leaked trailer of Rockstar’s upcoming wild west epic shooter Red Dead Redemption (PS3, Xbox 360) that we posted last w…

Richard Bernstein is one of the few folks willing to stick their necks out and be pessimistic on gold. He said it’s left the fundamental arena, and entered the speculative one, citing the fact that people are paying huge premiums for gold coins.

In terms of what he likes, he says get ready for a small-cap rally starting in December.

Join the conversation about this story »

See Also:

• Rosenberg: Gold Going To $2600 Thanks To China
• Gold Soars To Within An Inch Of $1200
• John Paulson Hoarding More Gold Than Several Countries Combined

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Sedan, Infiniti, Luxury

Take a look over Infiniti’s current line-up and two vehicles stand out: The M and the QX. Both vehicles have been soldiering on while the brand’s volume models (G and FX) have undergone major redesigns, leaving Infiniti’s flagship sedan and hulking SUV toiling away unchanged since 2003 and 2004, respectively.

Tonight, that changes.

We’ll probably see a mildly tweaked G in So. Cal. while covering the LA Auto Show (an updated QX full-size SUV won’t appear until later), but the star of the party is the 2011 Infiniti M. Due to go on sale next spring, the M will be available with two powerplants — Infiniti’s ubiquitous 3.7-liter V6 and a new 5.6-liter V8 — each available with rear- or all-wheel drive and both packing enough electronic gizmos to make even the most hardened NASA engineer’s head spin.

UPDATE: A hybrid version of the M will debut sometime in the middle of 2010. A live image gallery of the M56 has been added below, along with more high-res pics of both the Sport and Touring models. Also, scope out the sexiest door handles you’ll see this week here.

Continue reading 2011 Infiniti M wraps tons of tech in an attractive wrapper, hybrid coming in mid-2010

2011 Infiniti M wraps tons of tech in an attractive wrapper, hybrid coming in mid-2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Facebook is about to begin a major overhaul of its privacy structure, the company said in an announcement posted on the service Tuesday night.

The firm said it will be eliminating the familiar regional networks that often govern which users can and can't see content posted on the site.  Instead, the new model will be simpler, allowing users to grant permission to browse personal photos and entries based on three tiers — friends, friends of your friends, or everyone.

Facebook, which initially grew out of groups defined by college boundaries, has long outgrown that model, the firm said.

"Some of these regional networks now have millions of members and we've concluded that this is no longer the best way for you to control your privacy," said Facebook's founder Mark Zuckerberg in a post published Tuesday evening. "Almost 50 percent of all Facebook users are members of regional networks, so this is an important issue for us. If we can build a better system, then more than 100 million people will have even more control of their information."

Zuckerberg said the firm will also be adding more precise tools for controlling privacy settings. Rather than depending exclusively on generic settings, users will be able to set privacy restrictions on individuals photos and posts.

The firm will remind users to check their privacy settings to make sure there are no unintended consequences from the change. The biggest concern would be the removal of restrictions on some content that might make it available to users who until this point could not see it — such as photos of college friends suddenly becoming visible to work colleagues.

"We've worked hard to build controls that we think will be better for you, but we also understand that everyone's needs are different. We'll suggest settings for you based on your current level of privacy, but the best way for you to find the right settings is to read through all your options and customize them for yourself," Zuckerberg wrote.

 Become a Red Tape Chronicles Facebook fan or follow me at http://twitter.com/RedTapeChron.

Papaya can cause an allergic reaction in people with a latex allergy. People who are allergic to latex may be allergic to some fruits like papaya as well as avocados, tomatoes, melons, bananas, figs, grapes, and several other fruits.

Raw papaya causes a stronger allergic reaction than cooked papaya. Handling raw papaya may cause a skin reaction.

Since unripe papaya is often used as a meat tenderizer, sensitive people may have an allergic reaction after eating undercooked meat that has been tenderized in this way.

One interesting note: the ethylene gas used in processing conventional papaya makes it more allergenic, so organic papaya may cause less of a reaction than conventional papaya.

It’s great what we teach our kids these days. Some students at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois, put together their student paper, but the administration apparently freaked out because there were articles about drinking, smoking and teen pregnancy (you know, stuff that’s actually relevant to students). So they blocked the publication of the paper and gave the students two hours to write new stories or receive failing grades (found via Poynter). Nice of them, right? The administration claims they just delayed the paper “to provide more time for editing and layout,” though that’s quite a different story than what the students are saying. We keep seeing stories like this, and at some point you have to wonder why more student publications don’t just set up shop online, totally outside of the school district, and just publish what they want?

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Filed under: LA Auto Show, Sedan, Chevrolet, GM

The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze is finally coming Stateside and during a private event held earlier this evening ahead of the LA Auto Show, General Motors – 20 minutes after announcing the departure of Fritz Henderson as CEO – unveiled the U.S.-spec version of its Cobalt replacement and Toyota Corolla competitor.

Sharing much of the 2011 Chevrolet Volt‘s architecture, the Cruze has the potential to be a massive leap forward for Chevy in the mid-size/compact segment. Larger than the Cobalt in almost every dimension and packing a choice of either a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder putting out 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque or a naturally aspirated 1.8-liter four-pot, fuel economy and efficiency take center stage. However, “driving enjoyment” was mentioned more than once during the presentation, so to aid both its fuel consumption (an estimated 40 mpg with the turbo’d four) and enhance the experience, buyers will be able to choose between a manual or automatic six-speed gearbox.

Although we’ve seen the Cruze in person before (it’s been on sale in Europe and other markets for over six months), its sharp lines, taut headlamps and enlarged grille play Dr. Jekyll to it’s rather staid, Mr. Hyde rump. Inside, the two-tone brown and black leather interior is a tremendous improvement over the model it replaces, with an artfully sculpted dash and center stack surrounded by soft touch materials, brushed fauxluminum and a smattering of chrome. Back seat passengers should be equally pleased with the appointments and a 60/40 split bench ups the ante for usability.

The Cruze’s arrival late next year couldn’t be better timed, as Ford is readying the next generation Focus and Honda is toiling away on a reworked Civic. We’re expecting to get some seat time in the coming months, and for the first time in recent memory, we’re looking forward to sampling a new mid-size product from the General. Full details in the press release below the fold and check out the gallery of live images below.

Continue reading LA 2009: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, mass-market potential has four doors

LA 2009: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, mass-market potential has four doors originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A couple of years ago, we noted that US Immigration was making life difficult for touring musicians by changing the way they enforced the visas commonly used by musicians. Specifically, the usual visa required proof of popularity — but had no systems in place to account for popularity via the internet. This resulted in various well known musicians (including, by the way, our friend Lily Allen) being barred from making expected appearances in the US. It appears this sort of thing is happening again. The law still hasn’t changed, but US Immigration has again increased the strictness in how it interprets the existing laws for foreign musicians, leading some top acts to be barred from entering the country — or just increasing the bureaucracy they need to go through. For many foreign acts, touring the US is quite important in attracting more attention.

The article discusses how this is harming some acts that have built a lot of buzz or won awards… but then have had trouble capitalizing on that with a US tour. It’s kind of amusing that just as we hear from politicians talking about the importance of helping musicians with more and more draconian copyright laws, they’re making it that much more difficult for them to tour, build their reputation and earn a living. The next time an American politician discusses the need for more draconian copyright laws to help musicians, perhaps a reporter can ask them about this particular issue as well.

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Filed under: China, Plants/Manufacturing, GM, Saab, Earnings/Financials

General Motors’ Saab brand has been given a one month stay of execution as the Detroit, MI-based automaker has announced that it will hold off on a decision regarding the brand’s fate until the end of the year. GM’s apparent non-decision comes just one week after it announced that Swedish specialty car maker Koenigsegg unexpectedly pulled out of the running for Saab.

While GM isn’t commenting on any potential suitors at this time due to non-disclosure agreements with the parties involved, speculation is that Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. and Wyoming-based Merbanco Inc are in the running for the struggling Swedish automaker. BAIC appears to make some sense considering the Chinese automaker’s desire to enter the U.S. market and the fact that it was also involved in a bid to purchase Opel from GM earlier in the fall.

Beijing Auto was also reportedly involved in the original Koenigsegg deal, which fell apart for reasons we may never know. GM said in a brief statement (available after the jump) that if no deals materialized by the end of the year, it expects to begin an orderly wind down of the global Saab business at that time.”

[Sources: The Detroit News; General Motors | Image: Torsten Silz/AFP/Getty Images]

Continue reading REPORT: GM could sell some Saab assets to Chinese; brand has through year’s end to find buyer

REPORT: GM could sell some Saab assets to Chinese; brand has through year’s end to find buyer originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BREAKING: GM CEO Fritz Henderson steps down

Well, that was quick. Fritz Henderson, the recently appointed CEO of General Motors, is stepping down. Company chairman of the board Ed Whitacre (remember the “Satisfaction Guaranteed”…

“Viridian Joule” picked as winner of Chevy Volt Paint Color Contest

2011 Chevrolet Volt in Viridian Joule – Click above for high-res image gallery The votes have been cast, the tallies tallied and the winner determined: Viridian Joule will be the official name of…

By the Numbers – November 2009: Strengthen Your Core Edition

Hyundai up 46%, Nissan up 30% and all GM core brands positive It’s pretty easy to stage a comeback when a prior year’s monthly sales are so dismal, but that still doesn’t dull the sheen off what…

Also of interest:

• Hyundai tops list as most fuel efficient automaker in the U.S.
• Review: Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation on Android 2.0
• Autoblog Podcast #155 – ‘Twas the night before the LA Auto Show…
• Officially Official: Volkswagen Amarok pickup makes the scene
• Scion unveils $�18,320 xB Release Series 7.0, will debut in LA
• REPORT: Ford loses appeal in rollover case, must pay $�55M

Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 12.01.09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Buick, GM, GMC

Fritz Henderson’s unexpected resignation may have taken top billing today, but it wasn’t the only move announced by General Motors today. Michael Richards has been named the new General Manager of Buick GMC effective immediately, with the automaker looking from outside the company to fill the roll. Richards replaces Susan Docherty, who was named Vice President of US Sales in October. Richards joins GM after a short stint at Trilogy Automotive in Austin, Texas, where he led the use of digital and Internet-based solutions. Richards also worked as a consultant for JD Power where he launched tools for improved vehicle launch profitability and customer satisfaction.

The bulk of Richards’ experience comes from cross-town rival Ford where he worked from 1981-2008. Richards was most recently the marketing brand manager for Lincoln Mercury from 2006-2008. Prior to that he worked as the general sales manager for Ford Customer Service from 2002-2006.

Regardless of where Richards received his management chops, Vice Chairman and Marketing and Communications chief Bob Lutz likes what he has with the long-time Ford man. “We are pleased to have Mike as a member of the GM family. His vast sales and marketing experience will be invaluable in his new role, as he leads the team building the Buick and GMC brands.”

[Source: GM]

Continue reading Michael Richards named Buick GMC general manager

Michael Richards named Buick GMC general manager originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We must say, one device we were excited about this year was the Zune HD, and as evidenced in our Zune HD review, Microsoft came through with a superb device with a fantastic service behind it to match. In fact, we’ve said it many time that, in our opinion, for someone that truly loves music, Zune is the best deal around. Coupled with the $15 per month Zune Pass (which isn’t a requirement,) you get a top-notch portable media player with an OLED screen, HD Radio, and web browser with the advantage of being able to listen to pretty much any song you can think of at a moments notice.

The Zune HD retails for $289 for the 32GB model, and $219 for the 16GB model – however, Amazon’s got a great sale on the Zune HD that’ll put the 32GB model into your hands for $269 ($21 off,) while the 16GB model will run you $189 ($30 off.)

Tags:
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Many doctors will tell you that there’s no reason to worry about radiation received during mammograms. My own doctor has said this, saying I need to worry more about the dangers of driving than the radiation in mammograms. But should women at high risk of developing breast cancer worry about having mammograms at an early age?

Researchers at University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands are saying that young, high-risk women should exercise caution when receiving mammograms. Specifically, the researchers warn that a “careful approach” should be taken with high-risk women under 30 years old. Their study findings were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

According to Dr. Jansen-van der Weide and colleagues, young women with familial or genetic predisposition to breast cancer might need to consider alternative screening methods of screening, such as ultrasound and MRI. They say the benefit of early tumor detection in this group could be offset by the potential risk of radiation-induced cancer. Yet, the American Cancer Society recommends that women with a greater than 20% lifetime risk of breast cancer should have imaging, including mammography each year, often beginning at age 30.

Using data from selected previous breast cancer studies on high-risk women, the researchers calculated pooled odds ratios to estimate radiation-induced breast cancer risk.

Results:

• Among all high-risk women in the study, average increased risk of breast cancer due to low-dose radiation exposure was 1.5 times greater than that of high-risk women not exposed to low-dose radiation.
• High-risk women exposed before age 20 or with five or more exposures were 2.5 times more likely to develop breast cancer than high-risk women not exposed to low-dose radiation.

“Our findings suggest that low-dose radiation increases breast cancer risk among these young, high-risk women, and a careful approach is warranted,” Dr. Jansen-van der Weide said. The researchers also note that this is a small study sample, but it’s important for young, high-risk women to weight potential risks of mammography with their doctors.

(Image via WikiMediaCommons)

Post from: Blisstree

Mammography in High-risk Young Patients

 Are you ready to explore the gates of hell? Well, soon you will as EA and Visceral Games has finally confirmed the release date of the Dante’s I…

NEW PRODUCT TESTING OPPORTUNITIES ARE ARISING WHICH I WILL BE POSTING THE FORUM LINK, ALONG WITH PICTURE AND VIDEO FOR ALL TO SEE.

ILL BE DOING A VIDEO TONIGHT  GOING OVER WHAT I HAVE IN MY GYM BAG, BOOKS I RECOMMEND ETC.. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, NEW PRODUCT OPPS ETC.

TRAININGS GOING WELL, AS OF RIGHT NOW I WOKE UP FEELING PRETTY ROUGH. BEEN REALLY PUSHING AS HARD AS I CAN IN THE GYM. RAN OUT OF PROTEIN BUT STILL HAVE MASS GAINER , GOING TO ORDER MORE WISH THERE WAS SOME SWEET BLACK FRIDAY DEALS PERTAINING TO PRODUCTS I WAS USING BUT ITS COOL.

SO HOWS EVERYONE DOING? KEEP THE QUESTIONS COMING ILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM AS SOON AS I CAN. 

LOOK OUT TONIGHT!

Sprint: 50 million customers, 8 million law enforcement GPS requests in 1 year from Christopher Soghoian on Vimeo.

Sprint’s Manager of Electronic Surveillance has revealed, during a panel discussion at a wiretapping and interception industry conference, held in Washington DC in October of 2009, that Sprint served more than 8 million law enforcement requests for GPS data from mobile phones used by subscribers.

With about 48 million subscribers, that’s one request for every 6 people on the network and amounts certainly to mass surveillance of some kind.

Of course no-one is claiming Sprint is the only carrier engaging in this practice, and who can forget the infamous surveillance rooms at AT&T but should make citizens of US wonder if they are really as free as they think they are, and of course brings home that all of us voluntarily carrying a tracking device with us constantly.

Should we be concerned?  Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Slight Paranoia via TechDirt via PPCGeeks

Thanks Sean VanSickle  for the tip.