Author: Serkadis

Filed under: Convertible, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Peugeot

The commerical campaign for the Peugeot RCZ wants you to know that there is no escape from the hardtop: not only does the car choose you, once it does, it owns you. We don’t know if it only chooses rakish chaps wandering the nicer parts of town at night, but we do know that the spot is as European as the car itself. Follow the jump to check it out.

Source: Peugeot UK]

Continue reading Video: Peugeot RCZ argues that stalking can be all in good fun?

Video: Peugeot RCZ argues that stalking can be all in good fun? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 May 2010 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WHOA!

Richard Russell, the famous writer of the Dow Theory Letters, has a chilling line in today’s note:

Do your friends a favor. Tell them to “batten down the hatches” because there’s a HARD RAIN coming. Tell them to get out of debt and sell anything they can sell (and don’t need) in order to get liquid. Tell them that Richard Russell says that by the end of this year they won’t recognize the country. They’ll retort, “How the dickens does Russell know — who told him?” Tell them the stock market told him.

That’s pretty intense!

Update: By popular demand, here’s more on what he sees in the market. The gist is that the markets recent gyrations are telling him that the economy is in trouble:

And I ask myself, “Am I seeing things? The April 26 high for the Dow
was 11205.03. The Dow is selling as write at 10557 down 648 points
from its April high. If business is even better than expected, then
why is the Dow down over 600 points? And why, if there were 674 new
highs on the NYSE on April 26, were there only 20 new highs on Friday,
May 14? And if my PTI was 6133 on April 26, why is it down 17 points
since its April high?

The fact is that I’ve been seeing deterioration in the stock market
ever since early-April, and this in the face of improving business
news. The D-J Industrial Average is composed of 30 internationally
known top-quality blue-chip stocks. These are 30 of “America’s biggest
companies.” If Barron’s is so bullish on the future of America’s
biggest companies, then why isn’t the Dow advancing to new highs?

Clearly something is wrong. But what could it be? Much as I love
Barron’s, I trust the stock market more. If I read the stock market
correctly, it’s telling me that there is a surprise ahead. And that
surprise will be a reversal to the downside for the economy, plus a
collection of other troubles ahead.

About Dow Theory — First, we saw the recent April highs in the
Averages. Then we saw a plunge in both Averages to their May 7 lows —
Industrials to 10380.43, Transports to 4298.12, next a short rally. If
ahead, the two Averages turn down and violate their May 7 lows, that
would be the clincher. Such action would signal the certain resumption
of the primary bear market.

Just as for years I asked, cajoled, insisted, threatened, demanded,
that my subscribers buy gold, I am now insisting, demanding, begging
my subscribers to get OUT of stocks (including C and BYD, but not
including golds) and get into cash or gold (bullion if possible). If
the two Averages violate their May 7 lows, I see a major crash as the
outcome. Pul – leeze, get out of stocks now, and I don’t give a damn
whether you have paper losses or paper profits!

Don’t miss: 13 housing markets that will never recover >

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Home improvement chain Home Depot went through its own renovation from 6.6% sales decrease in 2009 to a hefty 41% sales increase in the first quarter of 2010. Being the country’s leader in home-improvement retails, this uptrend in HD sales is most likely indicative of an over-all rebound in the country’s housing industry.

In the sideline, Home Depot’s smaller competitor, Lowe’s has also felt a smoother transaction with their customers. It did not slid down for 2010 Q1 unlike the past years.

Even though economists have set a better mark for Home Depot this 2010, they haven’t expected for the first quarter’s book to close in a remarkable rate. Confidence lost in the stretch of recession made analysts bet a safe figure even if they are aware that season change normally brings in more clients.

Credit must be given to Home Depot’s move in March where summer ornamental including patio fixtures were sold in lower price. It turn out though, that Americans are starting to feel more comfortable with purchasing which then made HD exceeds the benchmark set in the earlier part of the year.

With this healthy start of $725 million net income and $36.48 stance in the New York Stock Exchange, Home Depot is a trend to follow for the next three quarters.

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Nintendo has been pretty quiet about the 3DS’s official specs, but an alleged target board for the handheld’s prototype seems to point to a wider screen, among other modifications.

Spotify, one of the hottest startups on the online music scene, is diversifying its offering and launching in one more country. No, it’s not the US as many have been anticipating, the Netherlands joins the short list of countries where the music-streaming service is available. At the same time, the service is lau… (read more)

There are two sides to every story and opposing sides at that. Pope Benedict XVI, head of the Roman Catholic Church, is under scrutiny for allegedly acting indifferent to the woes of victims claiming they were sexually abused by priests. A bishop of Kentucky, they believed, did not report the immoral acts. And there were other incidents left buried in the dark.

Victims argued that the pontiff on having appointed bishops is liable to the mischief committed. MSN quoted Barbara Dorris, who works with Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), saying, “It’s an ancient, rigid, crystal clear hierarchy…the Pope selects, transfers, and supervises bishops…”

Vatican pointed out that the Pope’s mandate over bishops is solely religious which means he cannot impose or control the priesthood. Bishops are appointed but they act independently from the pontiff. There were abuses, yes, and justice can be rendered through the court, the pontiff explained. There is a proper venue to accuse, if proven, those who are guilty.

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Stressors in the workplace are job insecurity, huge workloads, or long hours of work, and the gravity of them put together weighs so much on the well-being of employees. There are signs that a person is experiencing stress. When under stress, the tendency is to channel it through increased smoking, drinking, and eating. It is difficult to concentrate and make decisions. There is social withdrawal and aggressiveness.

“Stress is a risk factor to heart disease, gastro-intestinal problems…stress depresses you immune system,” notes Robert Cooper, an Organizational Psychology professor.

In a survey of 2,000 people, half of them said there was low morale at work, only one among 10 sought professional help and treatment, and 1 out 5 became depressed because of pressure, notes the Guardian. In addition, only 38% said their employer supported them. In a separate report, depression, it quoted, has risen five-folds because of unemployment, extended work hours, and job insecurity.

It is a prerogative that employers address this and change the environment by providing increased support staff, flexible working atmosphere, and regulated workloads, suggested Emma Mamo, a policy and campaign officer for Mind. Work-life balance should be observed.

An important aspect on the over-all health of employees is self-esteem – how they are valued in the workplace. Long hours of work is a health risk as well as having a “bad manager.” Cooper explains it to be a disadvantage when people go to work because they are afraid of losing the job.

What better ways to cope with stress than to have social support and a qualified person who can help pinpoint the source of stress.

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Some good news on the housing front this morning.

Housing starts were up up 5.8% in April, above the 5% rate in March. New building permits, however, plunged 11%.

Here’s a quick analysis from MarketWatch:

U.S. housing starts increased for the second straight month in April to an 18-month high, the government estimated, but building permits fell sharply, casting doubts on the momentum of the housing recovery.

Housing starts rose an estimated 5.8% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 672,000 from an upwardly revised 635,000 in March, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. It’s the highest since October 2008, when the financial crisis worsened.

Starts of single-family homes rose 10.2% in April to a 593,000 annual rate, the highest since August 2008.

Read the full report on the government’s website.

Again, stocks are still higher, so none of the morning’s big reports are having a huge effect.

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Apple CEO Steve Jobs owns about $2.5 billion worth of Apple stock. But he would own about $13 billion worth of Apple stock if it weren’t for a huge mistake he made back in 2003, MarketWatch’s Brett Arends reports.

In 2003, Apple (AAPL) stock had declined from a peak $36 per share during the tech boom to about $7.

This put options granted to employees near the peak deeply underwater.

So, to keep these employees motivated, Apple’s board gave Steve Jobs and every other Apple employee the opportunity to exchange the underwater options for new, fewer options at a much lower strike price.

Steve took the leap and canceled all his options for a much smaller number of them at a lower price.

With Apple stock now trading above $250 – well above the strike price of all those options Steve gave up – Steve, with one pen stroke, lost himself about $10.3 billion in future gains.

Brett calls it, “the dumbest trade ever.”

Don’t miss: How Steve Jobs Got Sick, Got Better, And Decided To Save Some Lives

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See Also:

• How Steve Jobs Got Sick, Got Better, And Decided To Save Some Lives
• New Email From Steve Jobs: ‘Life Is Fragile’
• My Amazing Email Exchange With Steve Jobs

Eco factor: Sustainable structure combining cutting-edge technology and architectural form

Designed to fit into the 2010 National Design Triennial theme, ‘Why Design Now?’, the Masdar Headquarters has put together almost everything from architectural form to passive energy-efficiency strategies to cutting-edge energy generation technologies. The new construction outside Abu Dhabi, an effort by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture is presently being featured in the show that will be on from 14th May until 9th January 2011.

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The most profitable comedy series in the U.S., “Two and a Half Men,” will continue with its main star, actor Charlie Sheen. The artist himself has sent a statement confirming all the media news ensuring that its presence in the series will continue, because he has signed for two more seasons. “I’m looking forward to returning to my CBS home on Monday nights,” he said in the memo that includes the BBC.

With these statements ending a saga that took months on pages of newspapers. Charlie had threatened to leave “Two and a Half Men” requiring up to one million dollars per episode. Following this request, actor, producers and managers of the chain began negotiations now appear to have reached agreement, although the details of his meetings were not disclosed.

Still, on the other side of the pond, the media assume that Sheen has achieved its purpose and has become the highest paid TV actor of the moment.

It seems that the actor is doing well as an actor, while his personal life crumbles. Sheen must face trial in July after the lawsuit filed by his wife, Brooke Mieller Sheen, who accused him of domestic violence after a fight at Christmas 2009.

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Analysts were looking for .1% sequential growth, so the headline at least is definitely more deflationary than expected.

Ex-core, the PPI was +0.2%, which is a tad hot.

You can read this either way.

The market is still higher with about an hour to go before the opening bell.

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Hotmail, a free Web mail service, will have a makeover come July or August this year. Microsoft Corp. will introduce new applications that will enhance its messaging system, a major improvement in 12 years.

Microsoft executive Chris Jones, who is also the person-in-charge, admits the web service was not performing that well in comparison with Yahoo Inc. and Google Inc., but the tables may turn.

The changes will require less time in managing incoming messages. Attachments in e-mails containing photos will be displayed as thumbnails. Photo uploads is up to 10 gigabytes that can be stored in Skydrive, Microsoft’s free storage device, and there is a search engine Bing, both connected to the web mail service.

Hotmail holds the record for the world’s most used service, while Yahoomail leads in the US. This breakthrough for Microsoft can level up its performance against Yahoo and Google. We will know when the application becomes available to users.

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There is no way the violence will end in central Bangkok other than through negotiation.This is the proposal of 64 senators in response to the clamor of the mob. But the suggestion may not be as fruitful since even the senators are not united, according to political scientist Somjai Phagaphasvivat, from Bangkok Thammat University.

Nattawut Saikua, acting spokesperson of the protesters, opted for the series of talks believing it may neutralize the violence and avoid more deaths. Around 5,000 poor activists, who are also supporters of Thaksin Shinawatra, surround the shopping district. They have been clamoring for elections and change in government. Women and children took shelter in a temple just near the protest site.

Reuters reports there was an attempt to hold an election, however, it was lifted when the “red shirts” rallied even more. Given the current situation, order and reconciliation are very much afloat.

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The release is out.

Earnings of $.88 were ahead of $.85 expectations.

On the other hand, guidance for the coming quarter is a range of $0.93 tp $0.98. Analysts were already looking for $0.98, so this part isn’t so hot.

Why don’t they see lights-out growth?

Says CFO Tom Schoewe: “This includes the continuing challenging sales environment in the United States.”

Said CEO Mike Duke: “Our customers, particularly in the United States, are still concerned about their personal finances and unemployment, as well as higher fuel prices…Our commitment to reducing prices and managing expenses positions us well across the retail landscape.” 

Shares are up modestly pre-market.

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Game People, in collaboration with the Family Gamer Awards, have announced the winners of their Spring 2010 selection. But it won’t be all about the awards. In addition, the partnership will also donate £100 to charities of

Avis used car sales is a good place to look for cheap and reliable used cars if you are hunting car rental companies that offer great used car sales. Avis is a famous car rental company that you can easily find it at most of the tourist place around the world. This has included the famous places like UK, United States, Canada, Aberdeen, Australia, and among others. Under Avis used car program, all the vehicle you wish to rent are available for sale with reasonable price. Check out how!

Avis used car sales

Car rental companies buy new cars every one or two years to replace previous models that have been rented out. The company has to sell of the previous models that will be replaced with new models. Therefore, this has created an opportunity where you can stand a chance to get cheap and reliable used cars from famous car rental company like Avis.

Buying a car requires a lot of consideration before decision was made. You will need some car buying strategies and some tips on buying a car especially buying a used car from car rental companies. Here are some pros and cons of buying these cars.

Pros of used rental car sales

Those cars are typically in good condition and well maintained by reputable car rental company.

You can get cheaper price for newer cars if compared to second hand cars dealer.

Avis used car sales program consists thousand of cars from sedan car to MPV to four wheel drives.

Cons of used rental car sales

People who rent a car usually are traveler or tourist. It is often they will not take good care of the car as it is not their own car.

The mileage of the car is usually higher than other car.

Where to find Avis used car for sales

So, where to find Avis used car for sales? Avis website is always the best place to look for the car you want, the price you wish, and the condition you expected. The website is http://www.avisnj.com/sales.htm.

Some of the used cars is cheaper than market price and it’s only few year old. However, there are some disadvantages of buying used car from car rental companies. Most of the cars has been travel very far and have very high mileage on the ODO meter. Thus, you will have to go for reputable company if you are planning to buy a used car from car rental company. It is often a reputable company will maintain their cars follow the car maintenance schedule.

Avis that offer all the cars a minimum of 30 day bumper to bumper warranty and a 12 months, 12,000 miles full engine warranty backed by Avis. Besides, Avis has a list of workshop that will remove dirt and polished the car to look brand new before the car was send to new owner. This definitely attracts a lot of car buyer. In other words, one of the great used car sales programs to look for cheap used cars is Avis used car sales.

Source: Cars, Fast Cars, Cool Cars, Sports Cars

Microsoft unveiled yesterday the new version of it’s Hotmail email service, which the company has strived to provide users with the tasks of sharing photos, videos and other items, such as Office documents or allow them to update their social networks through the mailbox.

In this way, debuts the ability to upload photos, presentations or other files using Microsoft’s SkyDrive service, allowing to send links to to download up to 10GB instead of the physical files or access to photos and videos third parties such as Flickr, Hulu or YouTube without leaving the service. This will solve many problems related to the size that often make it difficult to share.

The new Hotmail is being optimized for mobile devices, so manufacturers like Nokia and RIM are already creating special applications for Microsoft’s service. The software maker will also add the option to allow users to send emails using an encrypted HTTPS connection.

Two features that are not part of the summer update, but are on the horizon, are the ability to have multiple email aliases on one account, and an option to update an email with a new name.

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“For the last, my dear friends, we have come to the final chapter, but I’m afraid our hero has fallen victim to a terrible curse…” this was the opening line of Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) in the trailer of Shrek Forever After or Shrek: The final episode. More exciting events will be shown in the movie and for sure, you will have fun watching this with your family!

After all his extreme adventures, Shrek (Mike Myers) became very bored with his life as a family man. It is unusual for him as an ogre on how he deals with people, because instead of scaring them away, he signs autographs for them. With this, he became depressed and said “sometimes I wish to have just one day to feel like an ogre again”. With this, Shrek fell into the trick by the devilish Rumpelstiltskin (Walter Dohrn) as he let him sign a contract. Because he thought that the smooth-talking deal maker can be trusted, Shrek agreed to the deal. Relaxation was also his motive in signing this deal because he was tired of his unexciting life. How ever after signing the contract, Shrek knew that he was tricked thus he must face the consequences of the act that he have done.

What made the movie interesting? Shrek finds himself in a twisted, alternate version of Far Far Away! The small, evil, tricking Rumpelstiltskin became the king of Far Far away and ogres were hunted for near extinction. All of Shrek’s friends even his wife forgets who he is in their lives.

This hilarious and comedy movie is a must see and for the fans of Shrek out there, Shrek’s final movie will be coming out in every big screen near you on May 21, 2010.

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For a moment, at least, the world seems calm.

The violence in Bangkok has settled down, and for now Europe does not look as though it is on the verge of collapse.

So let’s take a look at InTrade.com to get the odds on what’s going to happen next in the worlds of politics, pop culture, and businesses.

Note the way Intrade works: Each contract is based off some kind of a question that can resolve in one of two ways. (E.G. “Will Barack Obama win re-reelection”). If the outcome is affirmative, the contract ends at 100. Otherwise, the contract ends at 0. In the meantime, traders trade the contracts back and forth, and the current price, represents the odds, more or less.

Sen. Arlen Specter has only a 20% chance of winning his primary race today.

Source: Intrade.com

Rand Paul, on the other hand, appears to be lock to win his race.

Source: Intrade.com

The next Supreme Court Justice (probably Kagan) is likely to be sworn in by Jul 31

Source: Intrade.com

It doesn’t look like Lloyd Blankfein is going to resign anytime soon.

Source: Intrade.com

But it seems very likely Goldman will pay a fine to the SEC before the end of the year

Source: Intrade.com

Crystal Bowersox is the slight favorite to win American Idol

Florida Governor Charlie Crist is unlikely to be the next Senator from Florida

Source: Intrade.com

The GOP still isn’t quite the favorite to win the US House of Representatives come November

Source: Intrade.com

Odds of any current Eurozone nation to leave the union has fallen to 17%.

Source: Intrade.com

There’s only a 5% chance that Twitter announces an IPO by the end of June.

Source: Intrade.com

There’s just a 5% chance the US experiences any credit rating event by the end of the year.

Source: Intrade.com

There’s a 10% chance New York defaults by the end of the year.

Source: Intrade.com

Odds of a California default are 20%.

Source: Intrade.com

Odds are still against the so-called “Volcker Rule” from becoming law by the end of the year.

Source: Intrade.com

California slightly favored to legalize marijuana by the end of the year

Source: Intrade.com

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The Radar: 10 brewing stories you need to start paying attention to >

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