Author: Serkadis

Qriocity is a streaming video on demand service (e.g. no download) partially introduced by Sony earlier this year during CES, and was set to debut on 2010 Sony BRAVIA TV’s, Blu-ray players, and several home theater systems in February. The service wasn’t activated until yesterday for the aforementioned devices and the related website is now live. It’s significance is so strong that it is a main icon on the XMB and as a button on many 2010 Sony remote controls that belong to networked TV’s and Blu-ray players.

Qriocity has hundreds of HD ($5.99) and SD ($3.99) movies initially available, with titles from 20th Century 20th Century Fox, Disney, Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, The Weinstein Company, Lionsgate, Warner Brothers, Universal, MGM, and of course Sony Pictures. You can view on the Qriocity website which movie titles are available.

According to several of my sources, the catalog will receive consistent, healthy updates to make it attractive to consumers. The interface was very quick, and is aesthetically pleasing – miles beyond what the traditional consumer is probably using with cable or satellite on-demand services. Every movie has a trailer.

I’ve already watched a HD movie trailer on Qriocity, and with the wireless connection the TV was using (an EX series BRAVIA with the included UWA-BR100 Wi-Fi adapter on a 802.11g connection) the results were pretty good – somewhere around 720p-1080i. Qriocity judges your Internet connection and plays a bandwidth optimized version. With higher bandwidth connections (very easy in many markets), it could be that kind of solid 720p/1080i that leaves you satisfied. I would definitely love to see what the picture quality looks like in a 802.11n environment, or hardwired through ethernet.

What’s also interesting is that the PlayStation Network Terms of Service was altered yesterday with specific mention of Qriocity, which basically reveals that Qriocity is also coming to the PS3 (and possibly PSP):

To access Sony Online Services, you must create an appropriate Sony Online Service account (either a PSN account or Qriocity account). Through Qriocity’s Video on Demand service (“VOD”), you may purchase and view content using selected BRAVIA televisions or Sony Blu-ray Disc players (“VOD Devices”). Through PSN, you may purchase content and services offered on either PSN or Qriocity, such as new levels for your favorite games, comics, movies, television shows or original programs. You may view your content using SCEA-authorized devices, including a PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, PSP (PlayStation Portable) systems, personal computers and VOD Devices. You will also be able to participate in SCEA’s online community in PSN and PlayStation Home, (including chatting via voice and video with your friends) and play games online. Existing PSN accounts will not have to create a separate Qriocity account to enjoy the benefits of Qriocity. If you’ve created a Qriocity account, you may transition that account to a PSN account. Sony Online Services may not be available, or may not be supported, in some countries and some languages.

How to enable Qriocity now –

Connect your BRAVIA, Blu-ray Disc Player or home theater system to the Internet.

Use your remote control to navigate to the Qriocity icon on the XMB (XrossMediaBar) and select ‘Link an Account’. Here you will find your device activation code needed. Go to the Qriocity website and sign into your account (you can use your PSN ID, or create a new account). Select your device and click the “Activate” button. Follow the instructions. It’s very easy, and after trading a few letters around I was watching a trailer quickly.

* – If you already purchased a 2010 BRAVIA TV, Blu-ray Player or home theater system and the Qriocity service is not active, go to Settings > Network > Refresh Internet Content. Run the update, and then return to the XMB – several new Qriocity options should be available on the far right.

Today is Earth Day, as you might have known. And if you didn’t, you were going to find out anyway. Plenty of web companies are doing something to mark the occasion and Google is no different. It’s running an Earth Day doodle, as expected, but it’s also celebrating it at its offices worldwide.

Google Doodles have been… (read more)

For years, the Nigerian government has insisted that it’s cracking down on the notorious advance fee 419 scammers out there, but the scams continue. And, yes, they come from places other than Nigeria, but it really has become something of an industry in parts of Nigeria. There are even songs mocking dumb Americans who fall for the scams, and Nigerian officials have also been known to blame the victims of such scams. Indeed, many (though, not all) of these scams do play on the victim’s own greed, so there’s some element of questioning just how much of a “victim” they really are. But what’s amazing is how totally taken in by these scams most victims are. In fact, there are stories of the victims of these scams who — despite being told that it’s a complete scam — still believe that they’re just one step away from getting the stolen money owed to them.

So it’s interesting to see that the US gov’t has now convicted a Nigerian citizen of running such a scam. Apparently, he used a single email address for over ten years ([email protected]) and was able to convince lots of strangers to simply hand over money to him, promising to get them a fortune in return. What’s amazing isn’t just the convincing part, but the fact that he was able to use that one email address for so long so effectively.

Every time we see stories about people falling for Nigerian 419 scams — including Harvard professors and Ronald Reagan’s neuroscientist — we’re amazed that there are still people who fall for these types of scams. However, it seems these sorts of scams have worked for generations. There’s a fantastic book called Drake’s Fortune, that covers an almost identical scam that was massively successful for a small group of scammers about a century ago. Somehow, it seems likely that we’ll still see people falling for these scams in another century as well.

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Today’s performance notwithstanding Dennis Gartman remains optimistic about the price of stocks over time.

Shares will rise for “very long while into the future.” Thank liquidity programs from central banks like the Fed for this wild Bull market. Dow 13,000 is impossible.

But the days of so-called “market leader” stocks like Goldman Sachs and Apple may be coming to an end. Gartman notes that while Apple’s earnings the other day were enough to light the stock on fire, it did not sufficiently move the market as a whole.

Bears should realize that “fighting the tape has proven ill-advised” and if you can’t beat the market, join it.

Join the conversation about this story »

No this is not another Audi A1 concept, in fact this is a Ford. At the 2010 Beijing Motor Show, FoMoCo unveiled the new Ford Start Concept – the first concept put together by the Dearborn automaker in more than three years.

“Our ambition with the Ford Start Concept was to design a car that goes beyond the practical realities of commuting in these mega cities, to go beyond just dressing the technology. We wanted to design a car you would also love,” explained Freeman Thomas, Design Director, FoMoCo.

Besides the crisp, smooth exterior shell constructed with lightweight composite body panels that snap-fit on an aluminum structure and the innovative interior (put together by Ford’s Irvine, California Strategic Concepts Group Studios), the model features a 3-cylinder EcoBoost. Power for the Ford Start Concept comes from a 1.0L 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine that delivers power and torque that comparable to a normally-aspirated I-4 powerplant.

We have no tech specs nor do we have any fuel-economy figures, but we’re guessing this concept hints at Ford’s future expansion of the EcoBoost engine range along with hints at subcompact cars for emerging markets (seeing as it debuted in China).

Check out the press release and high-res gallery after the jump.

Ford Start Concept:

Press Release:

The Ford Start Concept Shows the Newest EcoBoostTM Engine

The Ford Start Concept is the first concept car created by Ford in more than three years. The car made its debut April 22, 2010, at the Beijing International Auto Show, also marking the first time Ford has unveiled an all-new concept vehicle a China show. The Start Concept is more than simply a design study. It previews a fuel-efficient three-cylinder EcoBoost engine with 1.0 liter of displacement and the power of a larger I-4 engine.

The Ford Start Concept was inspired in part by a growing global trend toward mass urbanization. The world’s top 20 mega-cities are home to consumers whose needs, attitudes and expectations may have more in common with mega-city dwellers in other nations than with their own countrymen. While these consumers share the challenges of living in an urban society, they also increasingly seek out product solutions that bring the best the world has to offer.

Today, more than 50 percent of the world’s population lives in an urban area. By 2050, that number is expected to skyrocket to more than 70 percent. Already, congested highways, space for parking, concerns over fuel efficiency as well as the availability and price of fuel are driving automakers to look at vehicles and personal transportation more differently than ever before.

Living in a mega city poses unique challenges and inspires unique lifestyles and attitudes. Just as traffic congestion issues are common in these geographic areas, the answers to solve the issues of a new generation of future small cars for these urban markets may also be found in the Ford Start Concept.

Powertrain

Ford powertrain engineers previewed something very real and close to being reality under the hood of the Ford Start Concept car. It’s an all-new and compact addition to the advanced Ford EcoBoost engine family. Consistent with Ford’s long-range goals to provide more power though sophisticated turbocharging and spark-ignited, direct-injection fuel management systems, the 1.0-liter Ford EcoBoost engine delivers power and torque comparable to a normally-aspirated I-4 powerplant. It is expected to have CO2 emissions under the 100 gm/km threshold.

This engine is coupled with a six-speed manual transmission which permits gear spacing to deliver performance without sacrificing fuel economy. The transmission easily handles the higher torque levels of the 1.0-liter Ford EcoBoost engine and together with the sporty handling of the Ford Start Concept, delivers the fun-to-drive characteristics that are at the core of the Ford brand DNA.

Connectivity

Located at the top of the console is a port to connect to the MyFord Mobile concept technology, which provides a seamless driver interface conducive to safe driving practices with personal handheld devices.

Without a smart phone, car-related functions including heating, ventilation and air conditioning, engine diagnostics and passenger airbag on/off function can be easily viewed and adjusted while driving through either voice activation or toggle and scroll controls located on the console. A wide, six-inch screen provides visuals.

As an added feature, when the driver inserts a smart phone in the docking station when the vehicle is in motion, access is available via the MyFord Mobile Concept to phone contacts and navigation tools through voice activation, as are all messaging, direction and communication features.

If the smart phone device is docked and the vehicle is parked and powered off, both the vehicle functions and icons from the user’s device are available via the MyFord Mobile Concept. Icons are displayed on the large screen through Bluetooth transfer. Car functions and the speaker system also are controlled through voice activation.

MyFord Mobile Concept restricts certain functions, such as texting, while driving.

Design

“With the Ford Start Concept, we didn’t set out to design some sort of utilitarian concept to save the world, nor were we interested in following the competitive trend toward an overly noisy design language. What we did set out to do was design a personality driven car that exudes warmth, charm and aspiration…to design a car worth bonding with,” said J Mays, Group Vice President Design and Chief Creative Officer, Ford Motor Company.

Crisp highlights are incorporated into a smooth exterior shell constructed with lightweight composite body panels that snap-fit on an aluminum structure.

Ford’s trademark kinetic trapezoidal grill moves upward onto the rounded, sleek form, reducing the number of prominent openings from two to one and creating a face that’s both sporting and efficient. The entire exterior surface of the Ford Start Concept has been designed with flush-mounted aerodynamic features designed to cheat the wind – providing a minimal amount of drag while achieving maximum fuel efficiency.

The innovative hybrid aluminum, high-strength steel body construction features a lightweight aluminum safety cell that provides a rigid attachment structure for the glass and roof, as well as housing side curtain air bags. All exterior body panels are made from deformable, pre-colored recyclable composites.

Slim, laser-cut LED headlamps provide high-intensity light through trapezoid tubes. Two sets of running lamps, including a pair located in the headlamp design and a pair of lower running lamps, provide nighttime illumination.

Created by a global team of designers working at Ford’s Irvine (Calif.) Strategic Concepts Group Studios, this sporty, futuristic concept combines near-production Ford EcoBoost engine technology, slick aerodynamics and low weight in an environmentally friendly package with reduced greenhouse emissions, all wrapped in an exciting design.

– By: Omar Rana

Do you love your PS3? Do you also love baseball? You’ll be able to enjoy those two together thanks to a new PS3 app that’s going live on the PlayStation Store today.

If President Bush has any virtues, surely none of them rhyme with fiscal responsibility. But that’s exactly the argument David Brooks makes in this conversation with fellow New York Times columnist Gail Collins.

David Brooks: It has become common on the right to
blast Bush for being a big government conservative. It’s true the
prescription drug bill was unpaid for, though I would mention the
market elements in that reform have proven to be fantastically
successful. Beyond that (and the small matter of the tax cuts, which
Republicans are not complaining about) his administration was
reasonably tight on spending. Deficits until the recession hit were
less than 2 percent of G.D.P., not in the double digits as now. [My emphasis]

In other words: “Besides that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?”

There are two problems with the last two sentences. First, the tax cuts are no “small matter.” They are fundamental to our long-term deficit crisis. In the next 10 years their yearly impact on the deficit is projected to grow from about $350 billion to $700 billion.

Second, Brooks compares Bush deficits to Obama deficits as though each president was handed a blank slate and a piece of chalk and instructed to write down whatever deficit-GDP ratio he felt comfortable with. That is not how things work. The “Obama deficit” is basically a Bush deficit, with about $200 billion in counter-cyclical stimulus on top. There’s an argument to be had about whether that money was spent prudently, but even a President McCain (or Bush) would have passed some sort of deficit-widening stimulus.

Where did our deficit come from? The Bush tax cuts accounted for about $350 billion of our deficit in 2009, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; depressed tax revenue hit another $500 billion; the bailout fund shepherded by Sec. Hank Paulson and other mandatory spending contributed another few hundred billion. So right there, Obama’s deficit was $1 trillion even before it’s technically Obama’s.

It’s one thing to pretend that Bush has nothing to do with the 2009 deficit. It’s another to compare the 2009 deficit to the 2004 deficit for the purpose of making Bush look like a fiscal conservative. It’s a bit like a mother who, after watching her son break a vase and hand the shattered shards to his sister, praises him for being so very careful around all the house’s glassware. David Brooks is smarter than that mom, so why is he making that argument?

______

This graph (via the New York Times) is illustrative.

BMW Group announced today that it will be bringing its first series-production electric-drive model to the market with the launch if its Megacity Vehicle in 2013.

“With this innovative vehicle, designed from the ground up, we will be creating new benchmarks for electric mobility from 2013 on,” said Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. “Our Megacity Vehicle will be significantly lighter than conventional cars and, in terms of sustainability, will set a new standard across the entire value-added chain.”

The Megacity Vehicle will be a zero-emission urban vehicle for the world’s metropolitan areas and is currently being developed as a part of Project i and will be available under a sub-brand of BMW.

BMW said that when producing the Megacity Vehicle it focused a lot of its attention on the choice of materials used to produce the electric-car since weight plays a pivotal role in the range achievable by electrically driven vehicles. The ultra-light yet high-strength composite CFRP (carbon fiber-reinforced plastic) plays a significant part in the materials mix, BMW said.

“This vehicle will radically alter the motor industry as we know it. The BMW Group is currently the only company that will be launching a volume-production vehicle on the market that features carbon fibre-reinforced material,” explained Reithofer. “We were among the first manufacturers to pick up on the trend towards electric mobility and to act accordingly. More and more people around the globe are very keen on electric driving. Research shows, moreover, that more than half of the population around the world already live in conurbations.”

BMW Concept ActiveE:

– By: Omar Rana

Search suggestions can be a time saver and they’ve certainly improved the searching experience on the main Google site since they’ve been introduced. Google is now working on making suggestions available in a wider set of products. It has recently rolled out better suggestions on its mobile apps and is now making them available in Google Maps for … (read more)

The good news: after declining for three months, existing home sales rose in March. The bad news: the home buyer credit has had a much weaker influence this spring than it did last fall when it was facing expiration.

Existing home sales were an annualized 5.35 million in March on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). That’s up by 340,000 from February, an increase of 6.8%. NAR’s chief economist Lawrence Yun says that the rise is mostly due to the home buyer credit, set to expire at the end of April. It hadn’t done much over the past few months, however, as sales had been declining. But with consumers anticipating the credit’s expiration, buying ramped up.

Here’s a chart showing home sales since September 2008:

As you can see, March saw a healthy increase, but home sales are still lagging below December’s level of 5.44 million.

This begins to show that the credit, while likely increasing home sales, wasn’t nearly as successful this time around as it was last fall. At that time, it was set to expire in November. Interestingly, a month prior — in October — there was also an identical 6.8% month-over-month rise in home sales. Yet, the activity leading up to October was much more impressive. The following chart demonstrates this point:

As you can see, the 2-month change the month prior to the credit’s expiration was vastly more in the fall than it’s been this spring. October also had 630,000 more homes sold than March.

This is a little bit surprising. When the credit was renewed last November, it was also broadened to apply to all home buyers — not just first-time buyers. That should have encouraged even more sales, as it opened the credit up to a vastly larger universe of potential consumers. Yet the sales have actually been weaker. This could indicate that home buying demand is feeling some fatigue. While sales may rise again in April as a response to the credit, after that time, they may very well sag to annualized levels below 500,000.

The median price of an existing home also increased in March to $170,700 from $164,600 in February. That breaks a two-month trend of price declines. March’s price was nearly flat to that a year earlier of $170,000.

Home inventory level appears to be forming a worrying trend, however. It has been increasing for the past two months, after declining for six straight months through January. In March it increased by 1.5% to 3.6 million. This could have something to do with increasing foreclosures. Here’s how inventory looks since the start of 2009:

Though it’s an important aspect of the Primal Blueprint, the concept of play doesn’t get enough attention around here. I guess by virtue of its very nature this is to be expected. Play should be spontaneous and freeing, and the regimentation of our leisure time is what we’re trying to avoid! Still, given the time-sucking realities of adult responsibility, maybe we all need a few suggestions for new ways to play. I’m not talking about making play dates or anything, but a few concrete examples could really help. You know, something that’s free, that you can share with friends and family, and that’s fun. How about dancing?

Dancing? Bear with me, here.

Until now, almost everything I’ve suggested in the past as Primal play activities has had an overt physical fitness slant. Pickup basketball, Ultimate Frisbee, hikes, walks with the spouse, random play with dogs/kids/wilderness – these are all great, enjoyable activities, but it’s difficult for some people to separate them from the concept of exercise. Most people see a guy on a hike and think “workout.”

Dancing is different. It can be an awesome workout, sure, but people generally don’t hit up the gym, grab that hairy guy off the elliptical, head to the full length mirror, and bust out the Kid ‘n’ Play routine from “House Party.” I kind of wish that super hairy, extremely gregarious dude at my gym who can’t seem to ever find his pants in the locker room would, just for the comedy of it all. Maybe he’s even got a mean running man in him. I wouldn’t know.

Anyway: dancing is definitely different. It takes skill and athleticism, if you’re talking about advanced techniques or styles, but anyone can dance. Not everyone can be a professional or street performer, but anyone can enjoy dancing, and that’s the whole point of it, in the end. If you’re able to give yourself to it fully (“dance like nobody’s watching”), dancing can actually be extremely rewarding.

Dancing does no harm. Dancing is fun, it’s sexual, and, like singing and music, it is universal. Dance itself can be described as an exposition of human movement patterns; dancers explore the full range of human movements through three-dimensional space, by leaping, contorting, falling, twisting, rotating, spinning. Dance can be rigid and regimented, and it can also be free and fluid. Why not take a dip?

Well, for some people, dancing is a frightening prospect. It may not be quite so dire a situation as that small town in “Footloose,” where dancing was actually banned, but people are definitely somewhat restrained when it comes to dancing. It takes guts to let yourself go, I mean really go, and do so with a smile on your face. Dancing renders the dancer completely vulnerable, to outside criticism and prying eyes, but mostly to his or her own thoughts about what’s expected of a normal adult. Unless the alcohol is flowing, the lights are dimmed, and someone’s daughter is getting married, we’re not supposed to be dancing like wild men and women. We’re supposed to be composed, to – at the most – maintain a polite, inoffensive sway, preferably on beat, or at least adjacent to it. We’re rational, higher animals! We are above the frenzy of the ecstatic or the emotive… aren’t we?

Absolutely not. If we were, life would be incredibly boring and reptilian. Dancing itself is Primal – there’s certainly strong precedent for its inclusion in the human experience. Look at basically every traditional culture and you’ll find dance, along with music. In fact, the two are never really separated. You dance to music, after all. And since music is present in every culture, it’s a safe bet that Homo sapiens were banging on drums or singing chants since at least 50,000 years ago, which is roughly when the widespread dispersal of man out of Africa occurred. Some archaeologists even suggest dance has been around for over a 1.5 million years, perhaps manifesting as a literal “mating dance” between potential partners looking for the right mate. Anyone who’s ever been to a nightclub has seen this phenomenon in action – nothing really changes, huh? Regardless, a musical tradition had been established which spread as man spanned the world, and dance with it.

Even if dancing was useless and purely frivolous – that is, it conferred no concrete physiological benefits – it would still be worth doing, because frivolity is part of what makes us human. We do things for the hell of it. We’ll sing nonsensical songs, make strange noises when we’re alone, twiddle our thumbs, play with our hair, think of distant jokes and laugh all over again. Do we need a reason? No. We just do it to amuse ourselves and occupy our minds.

Dancing should serve the same purpose in our lives. Like other forms of play, it can reduce stress, get us moving, help us spend quality time with loved ones and friends, and improve our coordination, mobility, and flexibility. If you’re learning a particularly complex set of steps or moves, dancing requires concentration and memorization. If you’re dancing with a partner, your brain has to anticipate the other’s movements and respond accordingly. This all works out to exercise for your brain and your body. In potential dementia patients, dancing even reduced the incidence of dementia, better than other leisure activities.  And hey, if you’re good enough, dancing can make you pretty damn attractive – talk about the conferment of an evolutionary advantage.

Now, I’m not suggesting that you necessarily incorporate bi-weekly dance sessions, but they can’t hurt. Just think of dance as a potential tool in your bag of tricks. Take your wife or husband to salsa lessons. Turn off the TV and blast some music one night, and just let loose. Gather some friends and do the bonfire/drum circle thing at the beach or in the woods somewhere. Pass around a bottle of wine, if you have to, and dance. It might even be enough to just bob your head when a favorite song comes on, or dance with your upperbody while at a stoplight. You may look silly, but who cares? You’ve got to get over that stuff, especially when it stands in the way of you truly enjoying life and all it has to offer. Recall the last person you saw rocking out behind the wheel; did you laugh at and pity him, or were you slightly envious of his obvious joy? Exactly.

Dance is many things, simple being foremost among all other characteristics. It doesn’t have to be deep or overly technical. Just dance for fun. It should come naturally, ideally. This last bit of advice might be the toughest to follow, but it’s also the most crucial.

What do you think about dance? Does it have a playful place in the Primal lifestyle? Do you let go every now and again? Share your thoughts in the comment board and Grok on!

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Related posts:

1. The Definitive Guide to Play
2. 10 Primal Exercises for Elder Apples

Last week, Ford announced details on its new “intelligent four-wheel-drive (4WD) control system,” that will debut on the 2011 Ford Explorer. Known as the Terrain Management System, the feature allows drivers to pick from various conditions including: Snow, Sand, Mud, Hill Descent and Normal.

Well, Land Rover is reminding Ford (and all of us) where the actual system was originally invented.

“Naturally we’re flattered that our friends at Ford are planning to mimic Land Rover’s award-winning Terrain Response system for their upcoming 2011 Ford Explorer,” Andrew Polsinelli, General Manager of Product Planning, Land Rover North America, wrote at the company’s blog.

Polsinelli also takes a little shot at the system saying that “while appearing to be similar in concept… it won’t have the six years of sophistication and refinements of Land Rover’s Terrain Response system.” He ended his piece by saying “We wish our friends the best of luck with their new vehicle.”

Click here for our original post on the 2011 Ford Explorer Terrain Management System.

2011 Ford Explorer Terrain Management System:

–  By: Omar Rana

Source: Land Rover (via AutoBlog)

Filed under: Etc., Recalls

Ever since Toyota issued the largest recall in U.S. history late last year for faulty floor mats and subsequently found itself under the gun for more issues involving sudden unintended acceleration (click here to read all about that mess), it seems the number of recalls issued by automakers has risen sharply. It could be just that we’re paying attention to recalls more now, or it could be that other automakers are taking advantage of the cover offered by Toyota’s troubles to issue their own recalls under the radar.

Either way, recalls have been around since 1966 and some 390 million vehicles have been called back for repairs because of this tool designed to protect consumers from mistakes in manufacturing and design that could be dangerous. Follow the jump for our latest infographic that offers some interesting facts about recalls big and small.

[Source: Auto Insurance for Autoblog.com]

Continue reading 390 million vehicles recalled since 1966… and other fun recall facts

390 million vehicles recalled since 1966… and other fun recall facts originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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German developer Spellbound has revealed Ravensdale, a new fantasy action game in development for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. Its the usual fantasy game with orcs and such, only the orcs here are lugging around steam-powered gatling guns.

12:17: And that’s it. Nothing too radical.

12:16: “I ask you to join me, not only because it’s in the interest of your industry, but because it’s in the interest of your country.”

12:15: Obama quotes from a Time Magazine 1933 article.

“Through the great banking houses of Manhattan last week ran wild-eyed alarm.  Big bankers stared at one another in anger and astonishment.  A bill just passed … would rivet upon their institutions what they considered a monstrous system…  Such a system, they felt, would not only rob them of their pride of profession but would reduce all U.S. banking to its lowest level.”  That appeared in Time Magazine – in June of 1933.  The system that caused so much concern and consternation?  The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – the FDIC – an institution that has successfully secured the deposits of generations of Americans.

12:12: Always tension between laissez-faire  desires and need for rules.

12:11: Closing comments… I have laid out a set of reforms. Let’s face it, we also need reform in Washington.

12:09: Final key: say on pay, limting bonuses.

12:09: “Unless your business model depends on bilking people, there’s little to fear from these new ruls.” (Good line)

12:07: “This bill would enact the strongest consumer protections ever.”

12:06: Good sign. Things are moving forward.

12:05: There is a legitimate role of derivatives. References airline fuel hedging. He’s okay with the vanilla stuff.

12:04: Reform will bring new transparency. Many practices were so complex, people inside the firm didn’t understand.

12:02: The bill will enact the Volcker rule. Calls out “tall guy” siting in the front row.

12:02: “What’s not legitimate is to propose that the legislation is going to encourage future bailouts.”

12:01: Talking Lehman fallout and collateral damage.

11:58: Calls out lobbyists and financial sector workers in the audience.

11:57: Some on Wall Street forgot that behind every dollar traded, there’s a family looking to buy a house…

11:56: “I believe in a strong financial sector… a free market was never meant to be a free license to take whatever you can get.”

11:55: Financial crisis was a major contributor to the recession.

11:53: America is adding jobs again. But we haven’t truly recovered yet.

11:53: “Our country has been through a terrible trial.”

11:52: It’s good to be back in Manhattan, a few blocks from Wall Street.

11:51: He’s staring early and thanking attendees.

————

We’ll be covering the speech LIVE at 11:55.

Right now it’s just an empty podium.

Join the conversation about this story »

Greenwire: Twenty-five states, local governments and nonprofits will split $452 million to retrofit energy-inefficient homes and office buildings, Vice President Joe Biden will announce this afternoon.The money comes as part of the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which President Obama signed into law 16 months ago. The stimulus package earmarked roughly $80 billion for clean-energy and energy-efficiency projects.

The so-called “Retrofit Ramp-Up” funding commitments to be announced today at the White House will help the 25 states, local governments and nonprofits swap out building insulation, windows and lights, among other things. Grantees will offer building owners low- or no-interest loans for retrofits that may be repaid through property tax or utility bills.

The Energy Department will use the program’s financing and retrofit models to develop best-practice guides that other cities could adopt. Replicating such efforts nationally could save homes and businesses about $100 million in utility bills annually, as well as leverage about $2.8 billion in from the private sector and create about 30,000 jobs during the next three years, administration officials claim.

“This investment in some of the most innovative energy-efficiency projects across the country will not only help homeowners and businesses make cost-cutting retrofit improvements but create jobs right here in America,” Biden notes in prepared remarks.

The 25 grantees and their grant amounts: Austin, Texas ($10 million); Boulder County, Colo. ($25 million); Camden, N.J. ($5 million); Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning ($25 million); Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance ($17 million); Greensboro, N.C. ($5 million); Indianapolis ($10 million); Kansas City, Mo. ($20 million); Los Angeles County, Calif. ($30 million); Lowell, Mass. ($5 million); state of Maine ($30 million); state of Maryland ($20 million); state of Michigan ($30 million); state of Missouri ($5 million); Omaha, Neb. ($10 million); state of New Hampshire ($10 million); New York State Research and Development Authority ($40 million); Philadelphia ($25 million); Phoenix ($25 million); Portland, Ore. ($20 million); San Antonio ($10 million); Seattle ($20 million); Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance ($20 million); Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority ($15 million); and Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corp. ($20 million).

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From Green Right Now Reports

Looking to move that aging game equipment out of the garage?

The recycling service, Reconnect, set up by Dell and Goodwill Industries, is expanding with the help of Microsoft to collect more than PCs and computers.

Now the free collection service, available at nearly 2,000 Goodwill locations, also will accept Microsoft entertainment products like Xbox, Zune and their accessories, Round Rock, Texas-based Dell announced today.

Microsoft will be participating and contributing to the program to help consumers recycle more easily.

“The world consumes more electronic products every year, so it’s important to dispose of or recycle these items responsibly,” said Brian Tobey, corporate vice president at Microsoft, in a statement.

“Recycling of our consumer hardware products is a major part of Microsoft’s commitment to minimizing our environmental impact and that of our customers.

Reconnect has diverted more than 96 million pounds of e-waste from landfills and created about 250 green jobs since its launch in 2004, according to Dell and Goodwill.

Goodwill employees disassemble the computers and equipment, selling the component parts. Some equipment is reburbished and resold. The program supports Goodwill’s job training mission and employs people with employment challenges.

“Electronics recycling needs more awareness and more industry participation,” said Mike Watson, senior manager of Dell Global Recycling Services. “The Reconnect program exemplifies what sustainability practices can mean to our communities – extended life for technology and a successful life for our citizens. We’re glad to have Microsoft’s support.”

To find a Goodwill electronics recycling center and check the list of equipment accepted see  the Reconnect website.

When it comes to Internet connections, the future is bright. As in, it’s made of light, fiber optics, to be exact. But fiber optics is still pretty expensive and if there’s one thing that telecommunications companies hate, it is spending any of their hard earned money. Why fix it if it’s not broken is the motto, which is why a lot of pe… (read more)

Filed under: Government/Legal, GM

Wednesday was a busy day for General Motors CEO Ed Whitacre by anyone’s definition. He started the day with a trip to The General’s Fairfax plant in Kansas to tell the world that GM was paying off the remaining $5.8 billion in government loans five years ahead of schedule and to announce a $257 million investment for a pair of plants. After the announcement came a trip to Washington to meet with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Michigan delegation from Congress.

There was no way for Whitacre to rock a Chevy Malibu from Kansas to Washington in a couple hours, so Big Ed instead chartered a flight to our nation’s capitol. You may remember what happened the last time an automaker CEO flew into Washington. It wasn’t pretty. So instead of using a private jet on company funds, The Detroit News reports that Whitacre busted out the check book and paid for the flight to Washington on his own dime. Given the fact that Big Ed received a $158 million retirement package from AT&T (and part-time use of a private plane), we’re guessing the trip isn’t going to break the bank.

We’re a long way away from knowing whether Whitacre is as good an automotive CEO as he was a telecommunications chief executive, but the early returns show that the burly Texan at least pays attention to history.

[Source: The Detroit News | Image: Steve Fecht/General Motors]

GM CEO Whitacre paid for own charter flight to D.C. originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Just a couple quick updates before I publish the regularly scheduled article for the day…

Live Blogging Updates from PrimalCon

1. We are less than 24 hours from the inaugural PrimalCon – the ultimate Primal Blueprint experience! I wish the entire Mark’s Daily Apple community could make it out, but for those that can’t you’ll be able to get a taste of PrimalCon through MDA. The Worker Bees and I will be live blogging the entire weekend so check back tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday for text, photo and (maybe) video updates straight from the conference.

If you aren’t coming to PrimalCon 2010 start making plans from PrimalCon 2011 now. We’ll be announcing details later this year!

The Primal Blueprint Cookbook Offer Set to Expire

2. The Primal Blueprint Cookbook 72-hour special offer is coming to a close in a little over an hour and a half (expires at 10 am PST).

This is your final chance to take advantage of the 20% discount, so if you haven’t grabbed a copy for and your friends act fast!

An enormous thanks to everyone that has pre-ordered a book. Self-publishing is no easy task, but the support from this community makes it much easier. Grok on!

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1. PrimalCon 2010 Announcement: Sit, Stand and Walk Like Grok
2. Top Ten Reasons to Pre-Order The Primal Blueprint Cookbook
3. Announcement: New Recipe Theme for the Cookbook Contest