Author: Serkadis

Filed under: Car Buying, Aston Martin

If you have the money, influence and inherent coolness to purchase one of the 77 Aston Martin One-77 super mega cars, it would be a good idea to put in your order as soon as humanly possible. That’s because while a limited run of 77 vehicles makes for a very exclusive exotic car club, one buyer may have made it even harder to join the sacred One-77 fraternity.

The Times of London reports that one buyer, believed to be of Middle-Eastern descent, has purchased 10 of the 77 super Astons. The buyer is reportedly picking up 13 percent of one of the rarest new rides on the planet, but the models will each be differentiated by color and interior trim.

The folks at Aston Martin aren’t spilling the beans on who the buyer could be, so this One-77-hoarding mad man lucky dog looks to be shucking the spotlight, at least for now. The total price for the 10 One-77s is $17 million, but now that the market for the most exotic of Astons has just shrunk by 10 units, we’re thinking that the secret owner’s collection could make all the 7.3-liter V12-powered One-77s more valuable. Thanks for the tip, David!

[Source: Fox News]

Mystery buyer allegedly puts in $17M order for ten Aston Martin supercars originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 May 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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You asked for it, so here it is: another round of Primal Blueprint Success Stories. Emails like these are basically why I continue to run Mark’s Daily Apple. It’s all about giving people the tools and resources they need to feel empowered to take control of their health, and in many cases completely turn their lives around.

Years ago I set a (lofty?) goal for myself: to personally play a role in helping 10 million people. If you’re one of the 10 million please let me know! If the Primal Blueprint has helped you in any way email me. It could be your story that helps others make the Primal leap. Grok on!

_________________________________________________________________________

Finding the Primal Blueprint has changed my life completely. My weight had always been an issue for me. Growing up my parents took us to fast food often, and I had unlimited access to chips, sodas, and snack food. I became obese at a very young age and was teased and tortured at school for being ‘the fat kid’. The last straw was when I 12 years old and no longer could shop at normal sized clothing stores. I vowed to myself that I would make it my goal to become healthy.

My crusade for achieving the perfect body led me through some very rough territory in the following years. Fad diets, chronic cardio, starving myself, diet pills, you name it, I tried it. Through conventional wisdom dieting and exercise I lost 35 lbs and stayed there for years. Even though most of the weight was gone, I experienced major dental problems, hair loss, migraines and digestive issues. I thought I was eating ‘healthy’ even though most foods I ate were processed ‘healthy’ snacks and frozen foods. As I began law school, even healthy processed foods were replaced with pizza dinners and sugary caffeine drinks to help keep me awake. I felt tired, stressed and hopeless. After finals I was 10 lbs heavier and miserable, I knew something needed to change.

I stumbled upon Marks Daily Apple in February 2010 and began reading everything I could get my hands on. I was ready and determined to make the change. I dove in head first and went 100% primal. My fiancé even jumped on the primal bandwagon as well. The progress came fast and I lost 6 lbs in the first two weeks. I got back into lifting heavy once a week and sprinted once or twice a week on the beach. Here it is 2 months into being primal and I am 7lbs lighter, stronger and finally feel as if I am in touch with my body. Now if I eat something not primal, my body sure lets me know that it does not approve. My hair is thicker and my headaches and digestive issues are a thing of the past. Before a workout would mean becoming a treadmill zombie at the gym, zoning out to the television for an hour. Now I sprint on the beach, carry/throw heavy rocks, climb on the jetty, and just have fun! Thanks Mark for all your doing. I know me and my Fiance are much healthier because of the Primal Blueprint.

Athena – Natural Selection

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270 Days of Primal Lifestyle

It has been quite a journey so far. A chance check of my blood pressure started this trip. My blood pressure registered at 198 over 120. I knew if I went to my doctor she would tell me to lose weight, exercise and change my diet. She would probably put me on drugs that would screw with the rest of my body so I decided to see if I could lose weight, exercise, change my diet and bring my blood pressure down myself.

My research started with Dr. Jay Wortman. He is a Canadian Doctor and is the author of “My Big Fat Diet.” This program put First Nation volunteers on a traditional diet to overcome their health issues. That got me thinking.

I Googled “What did humans eat 10,000 years ago?” and fortunately I ended up at Mark’s Daily Apple.

I’ve since been to see my Doctor and my success has given me some leeway. I’m still not on drugs (medication), but I’ve been getting some systolic readings in the high 130’s and diastolic readings in the high 80’s.

I’m not cured yet… but those numbers are considered high normal… and it has only been 270 days.

Let me share some other numbers with you. I’ve always considered August 4th 2009 as my start point. That is when I started to record this experience. My weight was 234 lbs. Today I’m at 192 lbs. My waist has gone from 46 inches to 39 inches. My chest has shrunk from 49 inches to 44 inches. (Sob) I’m melting… but then it has only been 270 days.

Excluding my love for potato chips and Irish whiskey, I would have told you I ate a nutritious diet. Conventional wisdom sucks!

I have learned a lot following PB. What I am focusing on now is balance. However this isn’t the balance of supporting the different segments of the agricultural industry. Sorry Dr. Kellogg but no shelf space for you!

Balance is about balancing the micronutrients. Why do we cut out grains? Besides a list of reasons, they screw up the balance. The ratio of Omega 3 and Omega 6 is covered in great detail on MDA. Did you know that the western diet has also thrown the sodium to potassium ratio out to lunch? Those with high blood pressure should be aware and learn more about it.

Based on the Omega 3-6 ratio and the relationship with sodium and potassium I’m convinced that it is the different ratios that are important. I still have much to learn on this subject… but then it has only been 270 days.

I really enjoy my exercise routine. Lift heavy, sprint occasionally and walk. I’m really getting into shape and on less than 20 minutes a week. What can’t you like about that?

I started with 1 rep static holds. My bench press went from 185 lbs to 425 lbs. My squat went from 245 lbs to 575 lbs. My dead lift went from 295 lbs to 555 lbs. My high intensity training took about 60 seconds a week. (Adjusting the weights kept me I the gym for about 30 minutes but my actual time under load was under 1 minute.)

In November I changed to the big 5. These are range of motion exercises but I time myself rather than counting reps. My performance improved when I cut it back from five exercises to 3. My best increase was with the leg press. It is important to note that I was only doing the one lower body exercise. I went from 360 lbs for 53 seconds to 630 lbs for 56 seconds. My high intensity training was now taking about 180 seconds a week. I almost broke into a sweat once or twice.

I’m taking my strength and conditioning to a new level of study. It can be broken down into three parts. The first is muscle growth. This is achieved by applying techniques that through sequential stimulation causes inroading. This is micro trauma at the cellular level. If correctly applied and allowing time to adapt it will create the body to grow more muscle tissue.

The second is synaptic facilitation. As Pavel Tsatsouline puts it… “Grease the Groove”. This is about using intense stimulation to strengthen the nerve impulses to the muscles to make them more efficient. The key to these stimuli is repetition with light to moderate weights.

The third is fascia recoil. The fascia wraps our muscle tissue. It can focus energy and momentum to make us stronger. While much research is going into the fascia for curing discomfort in the muscles and joints I see it as a means to greatly increase functional and explosive strength.

The breakdown into these types of training is in its infancy. I see how muscle growth and applying synaptic facilitation to everyday life skills will greatly enhance a person’s life. Fascia recoil helps us with explosive strength. I’ve a lot more to develop on this theory… but then it has only been 270 days.

As I continue this primal trek I need to maintain what got me this far. I will continue to research and apply my newfound knowledge in balancing my nutrients… 80% of the time.

I should walk more… but I’ll continue to do my high intensity resistance training once a week. I’m presently applying the new Max Pyramid protocol. I’m doing one upper body and one lower body exercise a week. This protocol should increase my high intensity training to a maximum of… gosh… it might hit 6 minutes a week. Will I handle the shock?

I personally want to thank Mark for MDA and his book The Primal Blueprint. I also want to thank the members of the forum. You have been excellent sources of information, ideas and support.

Vick

_________________________________________________________________________

Hey Mark,

I just love your book and website! I’ve been Primal since approx. March 5th and preparing for our city’s annual 12k race. Well, today was the race and I finished in 1hr:5mins, which is a record for me and a 8.71 minute mile, which I never was able to do before when I lived on bread, pasta and tons of sugary foods and drinks. I know that my time and my energy level during training and in the race is from adopting the Primal lifestyle. My energy levels have soared, and I no longer experience the energy dips that my coworkers and friends do. THANK YOU for all you do for everyone and a personal thanks for helping me do so well in my race and I have confidence in my performance in other races that I will do this summer.

Sherry

_________________________________________________________________________

I was born in 1966 and will turn 44 in December. I am 5′6″ and at my heaviest, I was 170 lbs. I realized this was unhealthy but did not know of a better way than what conventional wisdom taught. Every time I tried to eat whole grains and smaller portions, I would get hungry and as we know, hunger ALWAYS wins. My problem was sugar and carbs – too much of it. I wore size 34″ waist pants. Today I am 148 lbs which works out to a 13% loss of bodyweight. My latest pant size is 28″. My resting heart rate is 58 bpm. My blood pressure went from 130/80 to 105/70. You have already seen my blood work from January 2010.

My introduction to Primal Living was by way of Art Devany’s Evolutionary Fitness website (before it turned into a subscription site) when I was searching about a certain way to execute a golf shot. While Art’s information struck a chord within me, I did not find sufficient examples illustrating the implementation of Primal principles.

Researching more of this landed me on Marksdailyapple.com. Thanks to the writers and editors of this website, Marksdailyapple.com is the perfect blend of information. Detailed enough to be rich, aptly illustrated with captivating color photos yet not so academic that it is beyond my scope of apprehension. A superlative balance that is hard to achieve.

On October 23, 2009, my wife and I decided to change the way we ate and embrace Primal Principles. We now order organic produce and meats which is delivered to our house once a week. We try to abstain from all wheat and sugar. We really watch our refined carbs while freely dining on veggies and meats with fruits in moderation. Even though I am not a diabetic, I monitor my blood glucose levels to see the effects of certain foods, post-prandial changes and exercise.

If you look on my Facebook account you will find some good pictures of primal\paleo food I cook using a pressure cooker, slow cooker and cast iron pan complete with recipes:

Victor’s Eating and Cooking Channel 1

Victor’s Eating And Cooking Channel 2

I have friends from the UK to Australia who try these recipes! LOL.

I’ll attach some food\recipe pics (click the thumbnails to enlarge) so you have an idea what in the Facebook albums:

Take care,

Victor

_________________________________________________________________________

Mark,

My name is J.J. Valdivia and I am a 24 year old personal trainer down in Miami, Florida. First and foremost, I cannot thank you enough for the impact that your book and website have made on my life. I have been Primal now for almost one year and I am in the best shape of my life! I am 5′11, 165 lbs and carry around 6% body fat. Before discovering the Primal Blueprint I hovered at around 10-12% body fat and weighed in at around 175-180 pounds. All this considering I now exercise less than I ever have my entire life! I used to train six days a week religiously. I would alternate between one day of 1 hour circuit weight training and another day of 1 hour chronic cardio. I would count each and every calorie and needless to say I was miserable. I have always been into “health and fitness” and I was convinced that I was doing everything right, or so I thought. Constant overtraining mixed with a high carb, low fat diet led to binge eating on the weekends and a continuous cycle that led nowhere. I was always starving even though I was eating 5-6 small meals a day! Not only that, but I looked exactly the same and saw no results. That was one year ago…

Today I lift heavy weights three days a week, usually no longer than 35 minutes. I sprint once a week, and I do low level aerobic activity anywhere from 2-5 hours a week. I also eat only 2-3 times a day and I feel fantastic!

I became Primal about a month after I became a personal trainer, last May. (So June of last year) The company that I work for is an amenity management company and we are contracted to manage several corporate and residential fitness facilities throughout the east coast. I was hired to work for Royal Caribbean Cruises. I work in their corporate gym and I train a lot of their employees. The first thing that I do before I start training a new client is tell them to buy The Primal Blueprint. (Well, actually, the first thing I do is explain to them that yes, what I wear on my feet are indeed shoes and that yes, I exercise in them!) I then explain to them that my style of training and my understanding of health is based upon everything that they will read in that book. If they follow what is inside, they will acheive the results they desire. I explain to them that body composition is 80% what you eat, and 20 percent training and genetics. My clients are exercising much less than the other trainer’s clients but are seeing greater results! Needless to say, there are over 20 Royal Caribbean employees that have bought the book and are living according to the Primal Blueprint Laws, each one of them with their own success story. Thank you for everything Mark. I am truly grateful for the the change you have made in my life and in those of my clients. No matter what, I will continue to live the Primal lifestyle and lead others in reprogramming their genes!

J.J.

Get Free Health Tips, Recipes and Workouts Delivered to Your Inbox

Related posts:

1. Mark’s Daily Apple Readers “Go Primal”
2. The Best of Mark’s Daily Apple: June 2008
3. The Best of Mark’s Daily Apple: September 2008

The word of the day is obviously “deflation.”

The dollar is rallying, markets are tanking, and crude oil has fallen below $70.

This is obviously great vindication for the likes of Gluskin-Sheff’s David Rosenberg, who has been a deflationista from the beginning.

In today’s note, he offers 11 points of evidence that that deflation is the primary trend.

Credit is contracting

Wage rates are stagnating

Money supply growth is vanishing

The U.S. dollar is strong

Commodities have peaked

U.S. home prices are rolling over … again

Lumber prices tumbling (down nearly 17% from April 2010 highs)

Wal-Mart is cutting prices on 10,000 items

Home Depot just cut prices on flowers, fertilizers, lawn equipment and outdoor furniture

Taco Bell is offering two dollar combo meals

The April U.S. retail sales report hinted at deflation in groceries, electronics, apparel and sporting goods

Don’t miss:

10 Reasons To Buy Bonds NOW >

Join the conversation about this story »

The rumored and highly likely Google TV project, which is supposedly in the works as a partnership between Google, Intel and CE manufacturers, has just gotten its name thanks to a new report from the Financial Times. The “Smart TV” platform, as it will be called, apparently, is slated for launch within a couple of days at … (read more)

After see-saw action in the morning, the bulls are definitely making a serious move right now.

The Dow is off another 160, or more than 1.5%. The NASDAQ is also oss 1.5%.

Oil is below $70 now, a major level, and the euro is below $1.23.

CNBC correctly observes that today is unusual in that the selloff seems to have happened just as Europe closed, the oppsotie of what’s been happening in recent weeks.

Join the conversation about this story »

Filed under: Car Buying, Ford, Honda, Toyota

Consumer Reports‘ latest survey results are another ding for Toyota. While Honda and Ford have made gains in brand loyalty, Toyota’s brand loyalty among consumers has dipped 13 percent, causing it to fall from the top position it held at the end of 2009. Honda is in first place now, with 68 percent of Honda owners described as “likely to purchase another Honda for their next new car,” followed by Ford with 61 percent loyalty and Toyota with 57 percent.

While Toyota’s fall may be the result of negative perception in the marketplace as a result of the brand’s recall fiasco, it still made $1.2 billion in the first quarter of this year. North American sales were down but didn’t bottom out thanks to higher incentive spending, sales rose elsewhere around the world, and the company is reaping the benefit of cost savings enacted last year. A drop from a close first to a close third after more than eight million cars have been recalled isn’t so bad, and with $20 billion in cash, the company has the money, and apparently the time and mindset, to keep the ship moving.

The other two makes that CR mentions, Chevrolet and Dodge, both lost ground: Chevy dipped five percent in brand loyalty from February to April (from 57 to 52 percent), Dodge dropped four percent in the same period (from 28 to 24 percent).

[Source: Consumer Reports | Image: Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty]

Continue reading CR: Toyota brand loyalty continues to fall, Honda and Ford rise

CR: Toyota brand loyalty continues to fall, Honda and Ford rise originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 May 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nilfisk-Advance introduces new pads eliminating the need for chemicals in floor cleaning and maintenance.

In cooperation with HTC, Nilfisk-Advance is launching a new and innovative floor cleaning solution based on HTC’s Twister™ pads.

Mounted on Nilfisk-Advance equipment, the Twister™ pads with their billions of microscopic
diamonds are able to clean and polish a variety of floors without the use of chemicals.
All that is needed is water.

Nilfisk-Advance is equipping its cleaning machines with Twister pads providing its customers worldwide with an environmentally friendly floor cleaning solution that reduces the cleaning
costs, minimize environmental impact, and yet deliver a superb cleaning result.

With this mechanical cleaning method the Nilfisk-ALTO machines clean and polish floors by means of diamond padded Twister™ pads and water only.
• The diamonds are so effective that no cleaning chemicals are necessary.
• Independent tests show that this environmentally friendly method delivers shiny floors that are easier to clean. All together lowering the costs for the customer and improving the conditions for the personnel.

The Twister™ solution can be applied to a variety of floor surfaces such as vinyl composition tile (VCT), vinyl, linoleum, marble, terrazzo, concrete, ceramic tiles, and epoxy.

Nilfisk-Advance is distributing the Twister™ system globally in accordance with its strategy to provide its customers with flexible, excellent cleaning performance at lower costs in user
friendly and environmentally sound solutions.

For further information, please visit www.nilfisk-alto.com.

System Tools in Welding and Automation Technology Allow IPG to Target Applications in Automotive, Sheet Metal Production and other Material Processing Applications

Oxford, MA, April 20, 2010 — IPG Photonics Corporation (NASDAQ: IPGP), the world leader in highpower fiber lasers and amplifiers, announced today the acquisition of privately-held, Germany-based Cosytronic KG (COSY), a specialist in the joining technology with an emphasis on engineering know-how
in automated welding turnkey solutions. The acquisition allows IPG to extend its product offerings to include a welding tool that integrates seamlessly with IPG’s fiber laser.

COSY’s core capabilities include the development, engineering and application of new, modern joining techniques and innovative welding tools for many material processing end-markets. The acquisition is expected to have no material effect on IPG’s financial results in 2010. Financial terms were not disclosed.

“With the acquisition of Cosytronic, we plan to enhance IPG’s product portfolio of laser welding tools with fiber lasers – a promising complementary market for us,” said Dr. Valentin Gapontsev, IPG Photonics Chairman and CEO. “Combining our state-of-the-art fiber laser technology with COSY’s proven and
innovative laser welding technology opens exciting opportunities to build robust integrated robotic solutions for various automotive, sheet metal production and other material applications. Both companies have complementary expertise, strong market reputations and a passion for technological innovations.
We look forward to integrating our similar entrepreneurial cultures and further strengthening our leadership position in fiber lasers and solutions.”

“We are excited to join IPG Photonics,” commented Mr. Heribert Heinz, founder and Managing Director of Cosytronic KG. “The combined company now has significantly more resources to target larger customers and new applications, and the ability to have stronger technical integration of the tool and the laser. IPG is
a natural strategic fit for COSY and we believe this will benefit both companies’ customers.”

The latest commercial product from COSY is the fiber-based Laser-Seam-Stepper for laser welding applications. Laser welding can be applied in car body plants and in the production of sheet metal components with the following advantages over traditional resistance spot welding process:

– Higher processing speed and shorter production cycle times
– Increased component strength with longer seams that create higher torsion stiffness
– Total cost of ownership comparable to today’s modern resistance welding systems
– Flexible welding head and greater ability to handle the processing materials and
– Continued focus on laser safety requirements without the need for an enclosed cell.

IPG was advised by the accounting firm Schäfer Zimmer Hardt and by the law firm Von Boetticher Hasse Lohmann. Cosytronic was advised by the management consulting company, MPower GmbH in Stuttgart, and their partners, the financial firm Marx & Jansen GmbH and by the law firm Hüttemann, Nickel & Hoepner.

About IPG Photonics Corporation
IPG Photonics Corporation is the world leader in high-power fiber lasers and amplifiers. Founded in 1990, IPG pioneered the development and commercialization of optical fiber-based lasers for use in a wide range of applications such as materials processing, advanced, telecommunications and medical. Fiber
lasers have revolutionized the industry by delivering superior performance, reliability and usability at a lower total cost of ownership compared with conventional lasers, allowing end users to increase productivity and decrease operating costs. IPG has its headquarters in Oxford, MA with additional plants and offices throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.ipgphotonics.com.

About Cosytronic KG
Cosytronic KG was established in Wissen, Westerwald region, Germany in 1988. The vision of production engineering “Made in Wissen” describes a range of expertise from consulting services to engineering and construction of highly-productive turnkey solutions. Traditional processes like arc and resistance welding
techniques are combined with the latest laser technology. All automation designs are flexible and continuously adaptable to new system productions. For more information, please visit
www.cosytronic.com.

CONTACT:
Martin Laguerre
Vice President, Corporate Development
IPG Photonics Corporation
(508) 373-1100

Delta Ohm’s latest novelty, HD37AB1347 IAQ Monitor, is a portable instrument for the analysis
of air quality (Indoor Air Quality, IAQ).
The instrument simultaneously measures various parameters: CO2 Carbon Dioxide,
CO Carbon Monoxide, Temperature, Relative Humidity, it calculates Dew Point,
Wet Bulb Temperature, Absolute Humidity, Mixing Ratio, Enthalpy and Atmospheric
Pressure. This is performed by the P37AB147 SICRAM probe. The P37B147
SICRAM probe does not measure CO Carbon Monoxide. You can also connect Temperature
and Humidity SICRAM combined probes, Hot-Wire Sensor Air Speed SICRAM
probes, Vane Air Speed SICRAM probes, and Temperature SICRAM probes,
to the instrument.
The instrument, using a proper procedure, calculates the percentage of external air
input (% Outside Air) according to CO2 Carbon Dioxide, Temperature and Ventilation
Rate.
The HD37AB1347 is a data logger with a memory capacity of 67600 recordings per
each of the two inputs, divided in 64 blocks.

IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH is pleased to announce the release of a free software update for its USB uEye XS industrial camera. The update adds significant extra functionality to the tiny auto focus camera, including a trigger mode for image capture in different resolutions of up to eight megapixels, digital zoom, backlight compensation, and much more. Even USB uEye XS cameras in the field can take advantage of the new functionality through IDS’s easy on-the-fly software upload approach.

The ultra compact USB camera previously supported live image acquisition only in HD ready 720p format at 1280 x 720 pixels and 15 frames per second, or
30 frames per second for images at lower resolutions. In single frame mode, however, the CMOS sensor from Sony achieves up to eight megapixels which can now also be captured using software triggering. The software update also provides a large choice of additional image formats, which are created by the sensor’s built-in scaling functions.

The USB uEye XS is one of the smallest auto focus cameras with USB port and has been designed for use in a wide range of industrial applications. With 22 x 24 x 24 mm it is less than a cubic inch in size and packed with a full set of smart features, such as face detection and image stabilization. The automatic image controls for exposure, backlight compensation, ISO and white balance are controlled directly by the camera, which ensures high-speed performance.

The new software update with the extra functionality for the USB uEye XS can be downloaded for free from IDS’s web site at www.ids-imaging.com/go/xs

Extending the capability of its innovative MMQ Formtester line, Mahr Federal has introduced a new model, the MMQ 200 Formtester, optimized for measuring cylindricity and other deviations of form and position. Equipped with Mahr’s newest EasyForm Version 3 Software, the MMQ 200 is compact, fast, very easy to learn and operate, and is equally at home in the metrology lab or on the shop floor.

A full range of IP67 Transmitters for Lodar, 2 – 32 functions. These new Transmitters have been added to the Lodar range, giving the user an inexpensive option of a high quality commercial product. Lodar will not be beaten on price and has a 5 year Warranty programme. Lodar gives flexibility, covering the Leisure market with the smallest Mini Series Transmitters and the Light Commercial market with a range of Standard Transmitters. There are also two sizes of Receiver with easy plug and play fittings.

Do you every wonder what exactly is happening behind the scenes at many of the businesses and manufactures you purchase and/or have purchased from in the past. Do they care about the environment? Do they recycle? Do they waste unnecessary wood, plastics, metals, etc.

Below is just a few things STREAMTEK has done to be more environmentally friendly!

– 100% of invoices are electronically sent

– Incentive awards are given to employees that do not bring their car to work

– All monitors & TV’s are Energy Star Rated

– The thermostat at our corporate office can be remotely throttled by Power Stream (Hydro Company) when summer demands reach critical levels.

– All scrap metal that is produced is taken to the local recycling plant in an environmentally friendly truck

STREAMTEK cares about the environment and you should too! So please, next time you print a piece of paper or throw your can of soda in the environment; please remember we ALL need to pitch in.

** To learn more about Earth Day visit Earth Day – Wikipedia.

Gin Griffin
Customers Relations Manager
[email protected]

The official introduction of the Sony NEX-3 and NEX-5 (APS-C) interchangeable-lens cameras rocked the photography world last week with its slick design, thin exterior and light weight. How can it not be droolworthy when the first version packs so much power in practically the same (body) size as a point and shoot camera? The feedback to Sony’s new camera system was overwhelmingly positive, and many found the NEX system to be better in specifications and appearance than competing interchangeable-lens cameras from Samsung, Panasonic and Olympus.

After the smoke clears from the excitement of a new product announcement, it is inevitable that questions start to arise. One of the most important questions is – what type of lens are available for the NEX cameras?

This camera uses E-mount lens, which is an entirely new system – its important to note that Sony will offer a E-mount to A-mount converting adapter, which allows you to use your previous A-mount lenses with this new camera. This is a huge sigh of relief for many of you photographers out there who have expensive lenses and were worried that they would have to reinvest their money in a whole new system. The hit won’t be so big with this adapter. Here is a picture of the adapter (LA-EA1), which includes a detachable tripod attachment:

Now that we got that out of the way, lets take a look at the official first generation NEX lenses and attachments:

Here’s the 16mm Wide-Angle Lens (SEL16F28). Stylishly designed to match the camera, it’s a portable and versatile lens that’s perfect for both movies and photos. It’s light, compact and easy to carry. This lens has smooth, quiet AF operation and you can expect exceptional low-light performance.

Next we have the 18-55mm Zoom Lens (SEL1855). This is great zoom lens for everything from scenic photos to snapshots and formal portraits. The SEL1855 excels in shooting at slower shutter speeds. We’re also impressed with the fact that its one of the first lenses to have built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, which was usually a feature found in a camera, not the lens.

Don’t think Sony would launch a new camera system without a 11x Telephoto Zoom Lens (SEL18200). It’s a wide-range zoom that covers virtually all shooting situations and features performance optimized for movie capture as well. The lens is light, compact and easy to carry and has smooth and quiet operation. There’s also an advanced Active Mode for steadier movie shooting.

The high quality and sleek designed E-mount Ultra Wide Converter (VCL-ECU1) offers excellent depth of field and exaggerated perspective, instantly expanding your photographic horizons. It attaches easily and securely to the front of the lens and is designed for use with the SEL16F28.

The high quality and sleek designed E-mount Fisheye Converter (VCL-ECF1) captures dynamic dramatic images with curvilinear distortion, exaggerated perspective and extreme depth of field. It attaches easily and securely to the front of the lens and is designed for use with the SEL16F28.

Chega ao fim a 8ª edição do Tuning World Bodensee, o maior evento de tuning da Europa e que no final dele uma rainha do tuning é eleita. Esse ano, a vencedora foi Kristin Zippel de Mering, que vence o título de Miss e será a sucessora de Martina Ivezaj, a Miss Tuning do ano anterior.

Kristin Zippel tem 26 anos de idade e se superou, entre mais de 500 participantes, conseguiu receber o título que manterá até o próximo ano, sem falar nos outros prêmios que recebeu, como um Nissan Micra e a participação de um ensaio fotográfico na região dos Grandes Lagos, que fica na América do Norte, e aparecer no calendário Miss Tuning 2011.

A segunda colocada no evento foi Jennifer Ziegener aus Kleinmachnow e a terceira colocada foi Irena Then aus Düsseldorf. Confiram as fotos de todas as participantes a seguir.

Participantes do evento

Via | Mais Tuning

Virtual Toys has already released VT Tennis into the App Store and DSiWare, but come May 26th, it’s the PlayStation Store’s turn to get this one as a minis download.

Continuing Education Non-Credit Classes

• Register now for summer. Classes begin throughout the summer.
• Need help getting started? Contact Continuing Education, 847.925.6300.

Via Prison Planet.com » Prison Planet

Sophie Tedmanson
London Times
May 17, 2010

The Australian founder of the whistleblower website Wikileaks had his passport confiscated by police when he arrived in Melbourne last week.

Julian Assange, who does not have an official home base and travels every six weeks, told the Australian current affairs program Dateline that immigration officials had said his passport was going to be cancelled because it was looking worn.

However he then received a letter from the Australian Communication Minister Steven Conroy’s office stating that the recent disclosure on Wikileaks of a blacklist of websites the Australian government is preparing to ban had been referred to the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

Last year Wikileaks published a confidential list of websites that the Australian government is preparing to ban under a proposed internet filter – which in turn caused the whistleblower site to be placed on that list.

Full article here

Fuel Cells 2000 has put out an 89-page PDF report called “2010 State of the States: Fuel Cells in America” that is worth reading if you’re a hydrogen supporter. The report talks about how each of the 50 U. S. states plus Washington DC are advancing hydrogen and fuel cell development in their individual states.

The Fuel Cells 2000 report gives credit to the top 5 states in 2009 that are advancing hydrogen and fuel cells being California, Connecticut, New York, Ohio and South Carolina.

According to the state-by-state analysis the most development is being conducted on the West Coast and East Coast with the Midwest lagging somewhat. In fact, the only state that has made and is making a zero effort in regard zero emissions hydrogen technology is Kansas. I suppose they plan on using prairie dogs on treadmills at their future clean energy policy?

Anyway, in the recent past I’ve talked about the building of an East Coast Hydrogen Highway and this vision is supported by the states on the east that are currently using hydrogen fuel cell technology and have state incentives to continue to do so. Even small population states such as Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maryland and Delaware are doing their part.

Continuing down the coast, New York, New Jersey, Washington DC, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina (a hotbed of hydrogen development) and Florida are also all doing their part. This means that an East Coast Hydrogen Highway is less of a possibility and more of a probability.

But, besides the East and West Coasts (and shunning Kansas for a second) there are a few other Midwestern states that must be given their due including Ohio, Michigan and Minnesota. Ohio is a hotbed of hydrogen development right now. So far Ohio has created 295 fuel cell jobs with an average pay scale of $61,651.

Now, this many not sound like many jobs, but the U. S. Department of Energy estimates by the year 2035, more than 361,000 to 675,000 U. S. jobs will be created by the hydrogen fuel cell industry.

The perception has been that in the U. S., hydrogen and fuel cells are mainly a West Coast thing with a few states on the East coast thrown into the mix. The reality, however (outside of the tag-a-long Kansas) is that all U. S. states are growing their hydrogen economies. The naysayers say that hydrogen and fuel cells are just a pipe dream and I say hydrogen and fuel cells are a pipeline to a clean energy future that is just around the corner.

A little over a year ago, we discussed the idea that the ebook world needed more “piracy,” noting that the locked down nature of the Kindle actually limited a large part of what might help kick off the real ebook world. History has shown time and time again that so-called “piracy” is often a leading indicator of innovation in areas that people are interested in. But, unauthorized sharing in ebooks was still somewhat limited. Of course, some things have changed over the past year. There was the lawsuit against Scribd (which, last I heard, failed to get class action status) and then sudden totally unsubstantiated articles warning about unauthorized ebook file sharing.

Now, the latest, is the fear that with the success of the iPad in the market that it will become a popular platform for unauthorized sharing of ebooks. Apparently, author Scott Turow has recently taken over the Authors Guild, and has decided that ebook “piracy” is a “big problem” that has to be the focus. Perhaps next time the Authors Guild wants to show itself to be forward-looking and able to change with the times, it shouldn’t put a 60+ year old lawyer in charge. Just a suggestion… Rather than saying that unauthorized file sharing is such a big problem, perhaps Turow should take a look at the music industry more closely. He seems to only be superficially aware of what’s happening in that industry. Instead of recognizing that the industry wasted over a decade fighting what fans wanted, he seems to think that he can magically fight what every other industry has failed to fight. That doesn’t seem like a strategy that has a high likelihood of success.

Perhaps, instead of automatically blaming those involved in file sharing, Turow should take some time to understand why it’s happening, and look at those who have figured out interesting and unique models to provide more value for consumers who want it, rather than just focusing on the impossible task of trying to punish those whose actions the Authors Guild doesn’t like.

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