2010 Tesla Roadster Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery
With the thousands of prizes given away on The Price is Right over the centuries decades, it’s hard to top the things that have come before. But, today, a new record will be set. To mark Earth Day, Drew Carey and company will offer up a Tesla Roadster on today’s show. According to a short note Tesla sent us, “This will be the most expensive prize ever offered on the show. CBS anticipates this to be one of their most exciting episodes ever.” If you miss it on the broadcast, you can watch the show here, probably starting tomorrow. Having not seen the show in years, we were honestly blown away by how excited the people who “come on down” still get as they make their way to the stage. Amazing.
UPDATE: Video added after the jump. We won’t spoil the outcome for you.
It was reported earlier this month that Audi’s global quarterly new-car sales passed that of Mercedes-Benz for the first time ever. Audi outsold Mercedes-Benz 264,100 to 248,500 during the first three months of 2010 and reported that quarterly sales hit a new record of 25.9 percent above the same period last year.
Audi, which has been enjoying two decades of dominance in China, will face some competition from Mercedes-Benz and BMW in the world’s largest auto market.
Both BMW and Mercedes-Benz will roll out a range of new models at the 2010 Beijing Motor Show specifically for the Chinese market as they seek to steal market share from Audi.
Audi’s market share has dropped more than 20 percent in the last six years in China.
BMW will unveil an electric 5-Series at the 2010 Beijing Motor Show. Known as the Echo, the electric 5-Series is a joint project between BMW and Tongji University.
While technical details of the car are being kept under the wraps until its unveiled at the show, we do know that the concept has an all-electric range of 62 miles. The car is being described as being “built in China, by China, and for China” by BMW and sources say that there are currently no plans to put it into production.
“The Chinese government is investing billions of dollars in electric car technology, and that is pushing development at an incredible pace,” the source told AutoCar. “Electric cars make so much sense for China; at present it has to import crude oil and it has a pollution problem, yet it has access to hundreds of years’ worth of coal, and therefore easy electricity.”
The Echo was built at BMW’s Shanyang facility in China.
2010 Toyo Tires World Challenge at Long Beach – Click above for high-res image gallery
The final race of the weekend-long Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach was the 2010 Toyo Tires World Challenge event, held at dusk on this downtown/oceanside street course as the crowds streamed out following Ryan Hunter-Reay’s IndyCar victory. The track had picked up a lot of rubber during the week, with Indy Lights, ALMS, IndyCar and Drifting demos going on along with the SCCA Pro action. The skies were clear but the track was cooling as the cars lined up for round three of the championship.
The race was the third on the WC schedule following a double-header in St. Petersburg. That set of races had seen Peter Cunningham and Todd Buras sweep in GTS and Touring Class respectively, while GT crowned two winners. Randy Pobst had won from pole position on Saturday, besting teammate Andy Pilgrim to the checkers. On Sunday, it was second-place qualifier, Dino Crescentini who took the win, having dropped out of the first race due to electrical problems.
Long Beach is something of a home-track for several of the racers and everyone seemed pumped to do good in front of their family and friends. Last but not least, by Sunday afternoon it was time to run the final race on the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach card. Follow the jump to see how the race went down and be sure to check out our gallery of pics below.
Climate modeller Andrew Weaver launches libel action in Canada for publishing ‘grossly irresponsible falsehoods’
One of the world’s leading climate scientists has launched a libel lawsuit against a Canadian newspaper for publishing articles that he says “poison” the debate on global warming.
In a case with potentially huge consequences for online publishers, lawyers acting for Andrew Weaver, a climate modeller at the University of Victoria, Canada, have demanded the National Post removes the articles not only from its own websites, but also from the numerous blogs and sites where they were reposted.
Weaver says the articles, published at the height of several recent controversies over the reliability of climate science in recent months, contain “grossly irresponsible falsehoods”. He said he filed the suit after the newspaper refused to retract the articles.
Weaver said: “If I sit back and do nothing to clear my name, these libels will stay on the internet forever. They’ll poison the factual record, misleading people who are looking for reliable scientific information about global warming.”
Click source to read “Weavers Last Stand” from David Adam
Thank God that we don’t live in the UK because if we did, we’d have to move after learning this. The Home Office of UK is testing a new type of speed camera that uses satellites to catch cars that are breaking the speed limit.
Known as ‘SpeedSpike,’ the system calculates the average speed between any two points in the network and is believed to cover a network of residential streets to enforce speed limit around schools. The system is expected to allow the law enforcement to focus their priorities elsewhere.
The system has been developed by PIPS Technology Ltd., an American-owned company. The company says that the camera can capture license plate numbers in “all weather conditions, 24 hours a day.”
We’re guessing someone somewhere in the UK will speak out about this.
Attached for your interest is an announcement and abstract of my lecture to be presented next Tuesday at the “Café Scientifique” of Summit County, Colorado.
Dr. Martin Hertzberg
Hockey Sticks and “Climategate”: a Death of Scientific Integrity
Dr. Martin Hertzberg of Copper Mountain, a retired research scientist and consultant in the causes and prevention of accidental fires and explosions, will present the above titled talk at this month’s meeting of the Café Scientifique. The meeting will be held at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, April 27th at the Summit County Senior and Community Center, 151 Peak One Blvd, Frisco, Colorado. Dr. Hertzberg also served as a forecasting and research meteorologist while on active duty with the U. S. Navy. He has been studying the “global warming/climate change” issue for over twenty years and has published papers and articles on the subject.
If you want to buy a used Crown Victoria taxi in New York city, it’ll cost you about $805,000. That’s $5,000 for the car and another $800,000 for the medallion. But when it comes to taxis (and almost everything else) New York is generally the exception to the rule – unless you’re in Stuttgart and you’re hailing the Autobild TV taxi.
The German auto rag apparently commissioned a $132,000 Porsche Panamera Turbo as its high-end taxi of choice, and customers were the ones who got more than they paid for. Hit the jump to watch the taxi-goers as they receive first-hand knowledge of the raw power of the boosted Panamera. Unfortunately the audio is 99 percent German, so all we could do is watch.
Don Bartlett, who manages a variety of music acts, and who has guest posted in the past, alerted us to a recent blog post by a band he works with, called Skybox, explaining their views on file sharing. Like many smart music acts these days, the band is totally cool with people downloading their stuff, but they add one addition to it: if you’re going to share it, then really share it and spread it to others:
So here is our win/win proposal to people who download the record from a filesharing site: If you like the album, pick your favorite song and email it to 10 of your friends. Simple as that. That way you get to enjoy the record AND our music gets promoted. If you’re feeling really ambitious, post a link to our new video on your twitter or facebook. Or use the “share” button on all of the players on our site… they’re easy as hell to use and are a simple way to have your friends check out our music. You get the idea.
It’s nice to see a band not just recognize that file sharing isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but also recognize the increased benefit from the actual sharing, while encouraging more such sharing.
According to recent reports, Audi has finally decided to bring the new 2011 RS5 over to the stateside; however, it will take them more than year. That means we won’t get to drive or review one for more than year. Until the 2011 RS5 makes its way over to the U.S., we’ll have to rely reviews from European publications like AutoCar.
Check out AutoCar’s video review of the Audi RS5 after the jump.
Refresher: Power for the 2011 Audi RS5 comes from a 4.2L naturally aspirated V8 making 450-hp and a maximum torque of 317 lb-ft. Mated to a standard 7-speed S tronic, the 2011 RS5 goes from 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph (electronically governed).
Microsoft’s online services division revenue increased modestly year over year, rising to $566 million. That’s about a $2.2 billion run-rate. And that’s the good news.
Microsoft’s online services division losses exploded to $713 million, up from $411 million a year ago. That’s almost a $3 billion loss run-rate.
Some of the increase in losses resulted from “transition costs” associated with the Yahoo deal, so we’ll assume they are one-time. Most of the rest of the increased losses appear to be normal operating expenses:
OSD revenue increased primarily as a result of increased online advertising revenue, offset in part by decreased Access revenue. Online advertising revenue increased $81 million or 19%, to $502 million, reflecting an increase in search and display advertising revenue, offset in part by decreased advertiser and publisher tools revenue. Access revenue decreased $14 million or 33%, reflecting continued migration of subscribers to broadband or other competitively-priced service providers.
OSD revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2010 included a favorable foreign currency exchange impact of $13 million.
OSD operating loss increased due to increased operating expenses, offset in part by increased revenue. General and administrative expenses increased $154 million due mainly to transition expenses associated with the inception of the Yahoo! Commercial Agreement. Research and development expenses increased $74 million or 33%, primarily due to increased headcount-related expenses and reimbursement to Yahoo for certain of their costs incurred prior to migration to the Microsoft platform. Sales and marketing expenses increased $69 million or 30% due to increased marketing activities. Cost of revenue increased $64 million or 15%, primarily driven by higher online traffic acquisition costs.
It’s hard to describe how awful this business looks in isolation. We’re talking about a business with plenty of scale–more than $2 billion of revenue–that is still losing more than it generates in revenue. This in an industry sector in which even the WORST competitor, AOL, is still making plenty of money.
Here’s a chart of all the money Microsoft has lost for the past four years. This quarter’s loss, which is not yet reflected, will almost set a new quarterly record again.
Senate Democrats released details Wednesday of a five-year budget plan that promises to narrow the deficit dramatically by 2015 but still accumulates almost $3.9 trillion more government debt over the same period.
Trying to survive the political storm around them, Democrats would postpone the toughest decisions until after November’s elections, when a presidential fiscal commission is scheduled to make its report to Congress. But there is no escaping the political bind that grips the party, exhausted from the debate over health care reform and under political pressure to extend Bush-era tax cuts.
Health care ate up most of the available Medicare savings and popular tax offsets that might otherwise be tapped to narrow the deficit. And as a result, it’s harder to dig out of the deficit hole, and little progress will be made in the short term absent a further surge in the economy.
Previewed by patent drawings this past weekend, General Motors today unveiled its new Chevrolet Volt MPV5 Electric Concept, a 5-passneger electric extended-range vehicle that demonstrates the potential of GM’s Voltec propulsion system by using the same powertrain as the Volt.
“The Volt MPV5 concept takes the efficient design of the Chevrolet Volt and adapts it to the family vehicle crossover segment. It’s immediately recognizable as a true member of the Chevrolet family,” said Bob Boniface, Director of GM North America Crossover Exterior Design, whose team worked in conjunction with members of GM’s design studio in Australia on the Volt MPV5 concept.
The Chevrolet Volt MPV5 Electric Concept uses the same system found in the Volt – a 16-kWh T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack powers the electric drive unit while the 1.4L engine generator provides additional mileage, killing what GM calls “range anxiety.” On a full charge, the Volt MPV5 Electric Concept can travel 32 miles on battery power alone. Running with the 1.4L 4-cylinder engine (and a fully charged battery), the concept can travel a total of 300 miles.
No word on whether GM will produce the Volt MPV5 Electric Concept – but we wouldn’t doubt it.
Click through for the press release and the high-res image gallery.
Chevrolet Volt MPV5 Electric Concept:
Press Release:
GM Unveils Chevrolet Volt MPV5 Electric Concept at Auto China 2010
Crossover with Extended Range Capability Builds on Volt’s Foundation
Beijing – Chevrolet has made a major commitment to providing world-class, fuel-efficient vehicles to its customers around the world. In recent months, through GM’s Shanghai GM joint venture, Chevrolet has introduced the fuel-efficient Cruze and New Sail in China. It will introduce the Volt electric vehicle with extended range capability in 2011.
In preparation for the Volt’s arrival, Chevrolet is leveraging Auto China 2010, which starts today in Beijing, to introduce the Volt MPV5 electric concept. The five-passenger multi-purpose crossover concept demonstrates the potential of the Voltec propulsion system by utilizing the same foundation as the Volt, for gas- and tailpipe emissions-free electric driving.
Maximizing Efficiency and Style
The styling of the Volt MPV5 concept borrows design and aerodynamic cues from the Chevrolet Volt. The front fascia is among the most aerodynamic of any crossover thanks to its closed grille and aero-optimized lower air dam, both of which help improve fuel efficiency. A full-underbody belly pan, along with rocker claddings, creased tail lamps and specially designed blades on the rear quarter, also help the Volt MPV5 concept cut through the wind with ease. The intense focus on improved aerodynamics enables greater all-electric range.
The exterior of the Volt MPV5 concept isn’t solely about efficiency. Its Sonic Blue Metallic paint provides a contemporary appeal, while the dual skylight panels and 19-inch Volt-inspired wheels build the Volt MPV5 concept’s sporty credentials.
The Volt MPV5 concept’s dimensions provide added passenger comfort. While the 2,760-mm wheelbase of the Volt MPV5 concept is a mere 15 mm longer than the wheelbase of the Chevrolet Volt, its body is 181 mm longer (4,585 mm), 73 mm wider (1,871 mm) and 182 mm taller (1,612 mm) than the Volt.
Inside, the Volt MPV5 concept adopts the Volt’s center stack and gauge cluster along with its striking two-tone leather seats. Thanks to the Volt MPV5 concept’s size, passenger comfort doesn’t take a backseat. Typical for Chevrolet crossovers, the Volt MPV5 concept’s seating position allows for maximum comfort and flexibility, including improved entry and egress.
When it comes to cargo, the Volt MPV5 concept carries on the crossover tradition thanks to its flip-and-fold second row seating, which provides up to 1,764.1 liters of cargo space with the seats folded and 863.7 liters of space behind the second row.
Voltec Power Boosts Green Credentials
The Volt MPV5 concept utilizes the same Voltec propulsion system found in the Chevrolet Volt, including the added capability of an engine generator to extend the driving range and eliminate “range anxiety.” A 16-kWh T-shaped lithium-ion battery pack powers the electric drive unit.
The flexibility of the Voltec system enables the Volt MPV5 concept to meet full vehicle speed and acceleration requirements while driving the vehicle and its five occupants up to 51.5 km on pure electric propulsion. This is double what the average urban commuter in China travels each day. When the battery is depleted, a 1.4-liter engine generator sustains the battery charge and provides up to 482 km of electric propulsion.
“The Volt MPV5 concept demonstrates the flexibility of the Voltec propulsion system, which can produce enough electric power to propel a range of vehicles. from a compact sedan like the Volt to a crossover like the Volt MPV5 concept,” said Doug Parks, Global Vehicle Line Executive and Global Vehicle Chief Engineer for Electric Vehicles at GM.
“Rapidly growing demand for personal transportation across China is creating new environmental and energy security challenges,” said Kevin Wale, President and Managing Director of the GM China Group. “GM is committed to finding and adopting solutions, which include the electrification of the automobile. The world premiere of the Volt MPV5 concept in Beijing demonstrates GM’s desire to make China a global focus of its advanced technology strategy.”
GM continues to advance electrification in China through research and development. It has launched the China Automotive Energy Research Center (CAERC) in Beijing. The venture with SAIC and Tsinghua University is developing a comprehensive automotive energy strategy for China. The GM China Science Lab, which opened last November, is carrying out advanced automotive-related research, including battery development. In March, GM introduced the EN-V (Electric Networked-Vehicle) concepts in Shanghai. A centerpiece of the SAIC-GM Pavilion at World Expo 2010 Shanghai, EN-V embodies GM’s vision for personal urban mobility in 2030. In addition, GM is supporting its Shanghai GM joint venture’s “Drive to Green” strategy, which is focused on developing green products, supporting green manufacturing and undertaking a green responsibility.
(This blog by Frances Beinecke, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, is re-posted here with permission.)
By Frances Beinecke
I don’t remember exactly what I did on the first Earth Day 40 years ago, but I rememberexactly how I felt: deeply relieved.
Frances Beinecke
You have to realize, the spring of 1970 was a tumultuous time. I was a junior at Yale, but most of us were essentially on strike. We never went to class, because we were far too embroiled in the political upheaval around us.Students were up in arms about the draft. Protests against the escalation in Vietnam had reached a fevered pitch–indeed four students would be shot dead by National Guardsmen at Kent State that May. Meanwhile the National Guard had descended on the streets of New Haven because Bobby Seale, the co-founder of the Black Panthers, was on trial downtown.It was a tense, stressful time.
And in the midst of this came Earth Day. It was the opposite of all the chaos surrounding us. Instead of war and killing, Earth Day was about peace, love, and optimism.
It was a spontaneous eruption of idealism. Sure, we could all see the planet was going to hell, but here was a group of people who believed we could turn it around and make a real, lasting difference.
The spirit of Earth Day was like a positive lifeline for many of us who were feeling overwhelmed by those turbulent days. Here is a picture of my from that time.
I hadn’t yet started to call myself an environmentalist then. I was majoring in Urban Studies, and it wasn’t until later that summer when I was working for the New York City Health Department on lead poisoning that I started seeing the connections between what I cared about and the state of the environment. Within a few years, I would be working at NRDC, which also started in 1970.
But I was first moved by the optimism of that first Earth Day. There was an idealism about it that resonates with me still.
Of course, Earth Day has changed over the years, but the fact that is has reached its 40th anniversary is a testament to its enduring values. Earth Day began as a happening, a burst of conviction, but there were a lot of those back in 1970. Most died down after awhile.
Earth Day remains. Its power no longer resides on the Mall in Washington, but instead is spread out across the nation, in communities, schools, businesses, and every day lives. It has morphed into an annual reminder of our commitment to the environment.
It is a time for people to take environmental action on the ground where they live. It is also a time when journalists, CEO’s, and elected officials are called on to take stock of environmental actions. Granted plenty of green-washing goes on every April, but I am still grateful for the way Earth Day brings the environment into the forefront of public consciousness.
Because the only way to sustain Earth Day’s values is to make them the mandate of everyone, not just the environmental community.
Whatever shape your environmental commitment takes, use Earth Day to bring it to the next level. Remember, studies show that many small actions add up to enormous change. Then friend me on Facebook and tell me what you will be doing this Earth Day.
I have already started thinking about my Earth Day Resolutions (here is a post about past resolutions). I will soon be planting my garden, and this year I will try to make it more abundant. I am also exploring ways to make my home greener and to solve some of the challenges of retrofitting a 120-year-old house. I am also helping my daughter plan her wedding, and we hope to make it as green as possible, from using paperless, recycled or bamboo invitations to serving local Hudson Valley food and identifying the public transit options available in New York City.
And of course I will continue to push the Senate to pass clean energy and climate legislation later this spring. It will be a tough fight, but as the first Earth Day demonstrated, people taking positive action really can make a difference.
Hoy se a liberado la Release Candidate de Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx y podemos afirmar que no tendrá mas cambios significativos hasta dentro de unos días cuando se libera la versión final. Razón por la cual a muchos ya se nos presenta como una oportunidad para actualizar nuestro ubuntu 9.10 antes que todo el mundo y tener problemas de velocidad (ya que el día de la liberación todos lo van a bajar y actualizar).
Para actualizar ahora o cuando salga la versión final lo que debemos hacer es introducir el siguiente comando en el terminal:
sudo update-manager -d
Luego nos ejecutara el gestor de actualizaciones con una leyenda en la parte superior como la de la siguiente imagen:
Hacemos clic en actualizar, después nos saldra la nota de versión de Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx, nuevamente pulsamos en actualizar y el gestor comenzara a realizar las tareas necesarias para la actualización.
Mientras que se descargan los paquetes de la nueva versión podremos seguir usando nuestro ubuntu sin ningún problema.
2011 Audi RS5 – Click above for high-res image gallery
With European deliveries set to begin in just a couple of months, reports indicate that the Audi RS5 will, in the end, make it to the North American market, 444-horsepower V8 and all. But it could take a little while.
The first RS5s will begin arriving in customers’ hands in Germany this coming June with a sticker price pegged at €65,300, representing a 32.4 percent price hike over the existing S5 coupe. Inside Line calculates that translates to about $88k by straight conversion, but applied to the U.S. market price for the S5, the 32.4% increase comes out closer to $69,500. Audi, however, doesn’t anticipate selling many of the super-coupes Stateside, and is therefore planning on bringing every RS5 over fully equipped, with the sport differential, Dynamic Ride Control system and Boysen sport exhaust.
So equipped, sources peg the American price for a loaded RS5 at around $75,000. But Audi reportedly warns not to start counting the days just yet, as first North American deliveries likely won’t begin before August or September 2011.
Just because L’Cie are unwelcome in Cocoon, doesn’t mean that the feeling is shared in PlayStation Home. In fact, walking around the virtual world dressed like Snow or Lightning might even fetch you a few comments
At the 2010 Beijing Motor Show, Daimler unveiled the new facelift 2011 Maybach. This may be the last ever Maybachs coming out of Daimler because it seems like the executives refuse to sign off development on new models.
The Maybach 57 and 62 are still powered by a V12 542-hp engine with better fuel-economy. The 2011 Maybach 57S and the 62S get an extra 18-hp for a total of 630.
There are some styling changes to the exterior including a chrome radiator grille, which is different in style between the standard 57 and 62 models and the S versions, a redesigned bonnet, a reshaped front bumper, modified side-view mirrors and a new rear light design.
Designers also added 11mm to the car’s length and 17mm to its width.
