Author: Serkadis

The introduction of two-player co-op in F.E.A.R. 3 was one of the main highlights from last week’s game announcement. Thanks to game Informer, we now know a bit more about what “divergent co-op” means.

Even the man at the top has to pay Uncle Sam.

Obama paid a whopping $1.8 million income tax, which means his income is much higher than the $400,000 they talk about in civics class. That’s because this guy is a best-selling author.

We’ve found all kinds of somewhat interesting details in the president’s tax return.

Here’s The Tax Return Highlights >

Barack Obama earned $5.5 million last year… most of it from book sales

He wrote off $866 in office expenses for his book project

Obama paid $59 thousand to foreign governments! (Taxes on book sales)

He also earned money from a diversified portfolio

Obama inherited several hundred thousand dollars from his grandmother… on which he paid around 33% in taxes

They still get their taxes done by a Chicago firm

Obama received $1.4 million from the Nobel Committee… and gave it all to charity

Obama gave 6% of his income to charity (not counting Nobel Prize money), while most people give only 3.3%

Source: Fox Business

Obama gives disproportionately (25%) to charities located in Chicago

Assuming a 32% rate, Obama will pay 1.79 million in income tax

He also paid $160,000 in state income tax to Illinois

Illinois Governor Patt Quinn

Source: MSNBC

Don’t miss…

Image: davitydave on flickr

20 Tax Facts That Will Make Your Head Explode

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On April 23, The Chronicle of Higher Education will feature an article by Dr. Jill Biden about the significance of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 investments in community colleges.

As a community college instructor and former teacher, Dr. Biden has “seen firsthand the power of community colleges to change lives.” She discusses the commitment of the Administration to shine a spotlight on community colleges, which she refers to as “the best-kept secrets of higher education.”

»Read the entire blog entry at www.whitehouse.gov.

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Ford, Racing

Ford‘s got a rich history of competing against European machinery on their own home turf. But while the GT40 (and the more recent reborn GT) and the Cobra cut their teeth on the old continent, the Mustang is another story. Ford wants the Mustang to compete overseas, and now a Belgian-Canadian joint effort is preparing to oblige.

Canada’s Multimatic racing garage has prepared this new Mustang for the Marc VDS Racing Team, a competition outfit that also fields a pair of Ford GTs in the GT1 championship, as well as teams in Moto2 and rally raids. They’ll be taking this Mustang to the FIA GT3 European Championship, where it will take on the best that the likes of Porsche, Alpina, Mercedes and countless others have to throw at it on some of Europe’s finest racing circuits. It’s already undergoing testing at Ford’s Bedfordshire test facility (curiously not Lommel Proving Grounds in the team’s home country) and will be piloted by a team of Belgian and Canadian drivers.

Will the VDS Mustang GT3 prove its mettle against Europe’s finest? No telling just yet, but it sure looks the business. Check it out for yourself in the gallery below and the press release after the jump.

[Source: Marc VDS Racing Team via JonSibal.com]

Continue reading Competition-spec Ford Mustang to take on FIA GT3 European Championship

Competition-spec Ford Mustang to take on FIA GT3 European Championship originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember how in the film American Beauty the young boy appreciates the beauty of an ordinary plastic bag blowing in the wind? He had  what Bertrand Russell, author of The Conquest of Happiness, calls “the habit of zest.”

People who cultivate the habit of zest are those who regularly take a lively interest in the most mundane of everyday moments and see the extraordinary in the ordinary.

Nobel Prize winner and scientist Daniel Kahneman says we experience about 20,000 individual moments in a day, each “moment” lasting only a few seconds.

In my layman opinion, whenever you retain a memory, it’s because you were appreciating that single moment in time—and were able to freeze-frame it. And…I also believe the more memories you have, the more you are “living in the NOW.” And the fewer memories you have, the more you are fast-forwarding through life.

Bounce Back Assignment:

Cultivate the habit of zest. Purposefully seek out the beauty in the seemingly trivial. Walt Whitman saw a world of beauty “in a leaf of grass.” Notice the colors and shapes of the foods you eat. The shadows a vase makes on the table. The interesting faces of the people on the bus with you. Not only will you experience a richer present, but a month from now you will be able to look back and have more happy memories to appreciate.

THE ABOVE IS A FREEBIE EXCERPT FROM MY ANTHONY ROBBINS’ PRAISED BOOK: THE BOUNCE BACK BOOK – which has a symbolic red rubber cover on the outside, and inside lots of resliency psychology techniques to empower you to be happy – not matter what your challenges! For more about this book (now in its 4th printing!) clicking this paragraph here, right here, right NOW!

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By Barbara Kessler
Green Right Now

There’s a big disconnect when it comes to climate change in the U.S. It seems that we’re too busy arguing along partisan political lines or trying to dig our way out of the recession to notice that the world… as we know it… is melting.

Let’s look at some of the recent headlines from a few credible news sources.

Massive Arctic Ice Cap Is Shrinking, Study Shows; Rate Accelerating Since 1985 — This story from Science Daily posted Tuesday documents how the Devon Island Ice Cap in the Canadian Arctic is losing mass because of warmer overall summer temperatures.

Glaciers Shrinking at Montana’s Glacier National Park — Come to find out, the park named for its many glaciers is now down two, with 25 to go. The story gets full treatment in Audubon Magazine online this week. The reason the park has lost two glaciers: Oh…warmer summers, on average for the last decade or so. See when it’s warmer the ice melts, and then one day, poof, it’s gone.

So, um, what’s not to get here?

Oh yeah. It wasn’t we humans who caused all this. This is just a normal cycle of cool, warm, cool, warm phases that the Earth goes through. Check that. And this particular phase just happens to be on steroids, happening within a vastly shorter span of time than ever before, concurrent with rising carbon in the air since the onset of the industrial age (circa 1850), because it’s, it’s, it’s — perhaps caused by humans burning fossil fuels?

Yet, despite headlines like those above, a Gallup Poll in March found that fewer Americans today (50 percent) believe the “effects of global warming are already occurring” than did two years ago (61 percent).

And among self-described political conservatives, only 30 percent believe the effects of global warming are already happening.

I’m wondering what Americans are thinking. Could this skepticism be part of a belief that, yes, we know there’s climate change but we aren’t so very worried because someone will be able to fix it? Does our doubt about the imminent threat of climate change reflect a lack of confidence in our scientists, media and government — all of whom are the message bearers here?

It certainly reflects a rift with what scientists say about tipping points, those junctures at which ecosystems are so changed that a cascade of events inevitably follows, which is why so many climate experts are urging quick action and talking about a three to five year window in which to begin reducing carbon emissions. (A good book to read more about tipping points in nature ecosystems is the recent release Last Chance by Larry J. Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation.) But then, you can’t even get to a discussion of tipping points with someone who doesn’t believe climate change is happening, even though glaciers are melting before their eyes.

Is this denial a part of the Tea Party “revolt”? Sarah Palin is cheered when she jeers about climate change and a significant segment of the population seems to delight in thumbing their noses at experts. But there’s nothing really new about that. There are always nose-thumbers. Besides, the Tea Partiers seem more unified on the issue of slowing federal spending.

Perhaps the deniers are a segment of a larger pool of Americans who are just railing mad about the Obama Administration’s “liberal agenda”  (which I put in quotes because, personally, I see unemployment benefits and regulated health care as nonpartisan) and part of the Obama plan includes fighting climate change. Or so it seems on most days.

Looking at the components, though, that doesn’t quite add up. Are people upset that the EPA is poised to regulate carbon? Clearly, but I’m not sure they could tell you why, exactly. Are people worried that the Department of Transportation and the EPA are raising fuel economy standards? Maybe. But then they’d be against lower gasoline bills?

Are climate skeptics worried that taxing or auctioning carbon credits or whatever it comes down to — if Congress ever steps in and passes a climate bill — will raise their electricity costs?  Is that what drives climate denial, Americans’ fear of higher utility bills — when so much else is at stake?

It’s certainly concerning that our electric bills could rise in this turgid economy, but estimates put these potential increases within the budgets of most families. So the equation Higher Electric Bills vs. The Collapse of Eco-systems, the Loss of Coastal Cities, Billions in Storm Damage and later, the Collapse of Economic Systems, seems a little absurd.

On the other hand, if climate change does devastate economies, isn’t that what many conservatives –  I’m thinking of the 70 percent who don’t believe climate change is happening now — are concerned about, overspending and economic collapse?

So if the loss of pika and polar bears aren’t high on your list of concerns, you could chalk up your support of climate change action to concern about the economy. Many corporations already do. Those that are pursuing genuine sustainability plans see the writing on the wall. That’s why dozens of Fortune 500 corporations are trying to lower their carbon footprint. Some for show, but others because it makes fiscal sense.

Yet a large piece of the public seems to be running behind this curve. If we’re to believe Gallup.

Maybe Gallup needs to ask a different question, say, “Would you be in favor of drilling in the Arctic and continued reliance on fossil fuels if it meant your grandchildren would swept away in catastrophic flooding or frizzled in relentless heatwaves?

Maybe that’s the question to ask.

I think, in the end, the denier phenomenon boils down to two natural human tendencies. The first, the tendency to bristle at authority. That’s probably a good instinct. (In a democracy anyway.) The second, to aim for stasis. We want things to continue as they are. But that’s not always adaptive. If you told people there would be an earthquake tomorrow in their neighborhood, would all of them leave, or would a few remain behind? Some just wouldn’t believe it.

(Next week, the Earth Day Week: GRN will feature a story on what you can do to seriously and effectively fight climate change, from your own back porch. And we’re not talking about turning off the water while you brush your teeth. You already do that, right?)

Copyright © 2010 Green Right Now | Distributed by GRN Network

After a short preview yesterday, FoMoCo today released official details and pictures of its new “intelligent four-wheel-drive (4WD) control system,” that will debut on the 2011 Ford Explorer.

“Talking with customers told us that flexibility and freedom to tackle any road, anytime is important to them,” said Explorer Chief Nameplate Engineer Jim Holland. “We saw the opportunity to eliminate a compromise by adding an intuitive and efficient terrain management system that can demystify four-wheel-drive control and enable the driver to properly match 4WD traction to the situations and road conditions they encounter.”

Click here to get prices on the 2010 Ford Flex.

The 2011 Ford Explorer’s intelligent 4WD and terrain management system will allow drivers to pick from various conditions including:

• Snow: For snow and slippery conditions. Limits torque to wheels to prevent
• Sand: For deep sand and rutted conditions. Optimizes torque for increased traction
• Mud: For slippery, muddy conditions. Allows wheel spin for momentum build
• Hill Descent: For Creeping down steep inclines, without using the brake pedal
• Normal: For all regular driving under normal road conditions.

The 2011 Ford Explorer will make its debut later this year.

Make the jump for the press release for more details.

2011 Ford Explorer Terrain Management System:

Press Release:

ALL-NEW FORD EXPLORER TERRAIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEM MAKES CAPABILITY, TRACTION USER-FRIENDLY

* The all-new Ford Explorer features an intelligent four-wheel-drive (4WD) control system that optimizes vehicle capability to specific situations
* The Ford terrain management system integrates powertrain and braking controls to provide appropriate traction for any driving conditions the roads and climate present
* Terrain management is activated by a console-mounted, switchable knob, enabling 4WD control through an intuitive choice of settings for various conditions
* Terrain management helps Explorer deliver increased fuel economy by eliminating heavy transfer case and driveline components, while making 4WD capabilities more accessible

DEARBORN, Mich., April 15, 2010 – When the all-new Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle goes in to production later this year, it will offer an advanced terrain management system that takes the mystery out of four-wheel drive by optimizing powertrain behavior for specific situations and road conditions.

Anecdotal customer feedback indicated the potential for driver confusion with previous systems as to the best use of 4×4 high- and low-range engagement.

Ford Explorer with intelligent 4WD and terrain management eliminates guesswork, using simple icons to help drivers choose the correct setting at the simple turn of a dial for the climate or surface situation they may be driving. The icons depict the various settings to best suit driving conditions:

Snow: For snow and slippery conditions. Limits torque to wheels to prevent
Sand: For deep sand and rutted conditions. Optimizes torque for increased traction
Mud: For slippery, muddy conditions. Allows wheel spin for momentum build
Hill Descent: For Creeping down steep inclines, without using the brake pedal
Normal: For all regular driving under normal road conditions.

“One of our goals with the new Explorer is to deliver four-wheel-drive capability with easier and intuitively operated control,” said Holland. “The selectable settings are contingent upon weather and conditions, so the system is easily operated and understood. Ford terrain management makes it easier for SUV veterans, while making confidence-building Explorer capability even more accessible to segment newcomers.”

Employment of intelligent 4WD with Ford terrain management allowed Explorer engineers to deliver the “any road, anytime” capabilities that SUV buyers expect, while eliminating weight.

Less driveline mass helps the new Explorer with V-6 power deliver an estimated 25 percent better fuel economy than the 2010 model.

“Intelligent 4WD with terrain management works by optimizing Explorer powertrain and braking systems to best suit a variety of situations, allowing vehicle behavior characteristics to provide appropriate traction and driver control,” said Holland. “We anticipate the system will really be a stress-reducer and confidence-builder, especially when driving in adverse conditions.”

The re-engineered Ford Explorer goes in to production later this year.

– By: Omar Rana

Marrow is great and all, but what about the bones that aren’t blessed enough to bear the sacred gel in easily extractable amounts? We can’t forget about those. Chicken backs, beef knuckles, ham hocks, chicken feet, lamb necks, hooves and any other animal-derived matrices of calcium phosphate and collagen fibers are all worth saving, cooking, and perhaps even eating. Hell, I bet elk antlers would make a fine, mineral-rich soup. The best part is that bones, feet, hooves, heads, and connective tissues are all pretty inexpensive, sometimes even free, parts of the animal. They also represent an entirely different realm of nutritional content than basic muscle meat, being complex organs playing multiple roles in the body.

You see, bone is living tissue, rather than inert structure. It is rigid, true, but it’s actually an organ, in fact, placing it squarely in the nutritional all-star camp of liver, heart, brain, kidney, and sweetbreads. Bone is also slightly elastic, owing to the collagen, which combines with the calcium phosphate to lend “elastic rigidity.” (If it weren’t for the collagen, bones would simply be hard with no give, and thus brittle.) Bone is full of minerals, mostly calcium and phosphorus (seeing as how the “bone” part of bone is calcium phosphate, this is no surprise), along with sodium, magnesium, and other trace minerals. If the connective tissue – and most animal scraps and bones you use will have tendons, ligaments, and cartilage – is still attached, bones also include stuff like chondroitin and glucosamine, popular joint supplements that are the raw materials for bone and cartilage formation.

Let’s do a quick rundown of all the other good stuff found in bones and, therefore, well-made bone stock:

• Bone marrow – We went over this last week, but I’ll say it again: bone marrow is one of the first “superfoods” (for lack of a better term – I actually slightly cringe using it) our ancestors enjoyed. It’s fatty, with a bit of protein and loads of minerals. Even if you’re cooking spindly chicken bones, there’s going to be marrow, and that marrow will make it into your stock.
• Collagen and gelatin – Most commercial gelatin comes from animal collagen already, so why not cut out the middle man and get your gelatin directly from bone and cartilage? The more collagen your bones have, the more gelatinous, rich, and viscous your stock will be – important qualities, especially if you intend to reduce your stock into sauces. Gelatin may even reduce joint pain in athletes, as one (admittedly small) study appeared to show. Another showed benefits for ulcer patients.
• Glycine – Although our bodies already produce plenty of glycine, rendering it a non-essential amino acid, there’s some evidence that supplementation can help mitigate free-radical oxidative damage in rats with alcohol-induced hepatotoxicity. Bone broth is rich in glycine. It probably doesn’t mean much, but it can’t hurt. And hey – it may even improve sleep quality, as one Japanese study showed in human subjects. Drink a warm cup of broth before bed, perhaps?
• Proline – Proline is another non-essential amino acid found in bone stock, but supplementation has shown promise in patients suffering from vision loss due to gyrate atrophy. It’s also an important precursor for the formation of collagen, though it’s not clear whether eating proline has any affect on the body’s ability to make collagen.
• Hyaluronic acid – Hyaluronic acid, also known as hyaluronan, is one of cartilage’s three glycosaminoglycans. It helps broth gel, and it’s been used for years to treat race horses with osteoarthritis, usually as an intra-articular injection or IV fluid. Recent studies on oral administration have been promising, though, meaning oral administration of quality bone stock (as opposed to, um, what other method of administration?) might help us with our joint issues, too. According to Wikipedia, human studies are underway and showing promise, but I wasn’t able to dig up much beyond this small study. Still, it’s compelling, and I’ll continue to drink broth regardless.
• Chondroitin sulfate – Chondroitin sulfate is another glycosaminoglycan present in bone stock. It’s also a popular supplement for the treatment of osteoarthritis the efficacy of which has come under question. One recent review concludes that chondroitin sulfate “may interfere with progression of osteoarthritis”. I’d say it’s worth a shot.
• Calcium – I’ve downplayed the importance of large amounts of supplementary calcium in the past, but that doesn’t mean it’s not important. It’s the raw material for bone production and fortification, and bone stock might be one of the best sources of calcium around, especially for those who avoid dairy and don’t eat enough leafy greens.
• Phosphorus – There’s also a good amount of phosphorus in bone stock, though I doubt Primal eaters lack adequate dietary phosphorus (there’s plenty in meat). Still, it’s a nice buffer.
• Magnesium – Magnesium is pretty lacking in the modern diet. Fatty fish like mackerel offer good amounts, as do leafy greens, nuts, and seeds, but most people, Primal folks included, could stand to take in more magnesium. Dr. Michael Eades says if he had to recommend just one supplement, it’d be magnesium; Dr. Stephan Guyenet over at Whole Health Source recently posted a couple great pieces, one on magnesium and insulin sensitivity (short version: the former improves the latter) and another on magnesium and vitamin D metabolism (short version: the former affects the latter). Bone stock is just another way to obtain this valuable mineral.
• Sulfur, potassium, and sodium – Stock has these minerals in mostly trace amounts, but they’re all important for health. Sodium isn’t really an issue for most people, but potassium is undoubtedly important and often lacking. Both are crucial electrolytes (bone broth – possible new sports drink?). Sulfur is the “S” in MSM, or methylsulfonylmethane, the popular joint supplement that has shown some promising results in humans.

The best way to extract all that boney goodness from the bones is to cook with them, and that means making stock (or broth; from here on out, I’ll just say stock, but the two are pretty similar, with broth technically being derived from meat and bones, and stock from just bones). I mentioned a basic chicken stock recipe last year, but we can do better than that. Besides, different bones require different considerations. A few tips:

• Add a couple shots of apple cider vinegar to your stock. This aids in the extraction of minerals without really altering the flavor.
• Roast your bones beforehand. This adds color and flavor. For big bones like beef, 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes usually works. For chicken, just use roasted carcasses.
• Don’t throw bones away. Even if you just ate a couple bone-in chicken thighs, save those measly little bones! Freeze them and keep adding to your collection until you’ve got a respectable amount.
• Don’t be afraid to simmer long and slow. Smaller animals require less cooking time to extract nutrients, so chicken can probably go for twenty hours and produce a quality stock, but beef or lamb bones can go for several days, provided you keep the heat low and watch the water level to prevent burning.
• Add feet, especially chicken feet, for added collagen – and more gelatin.
• If it’s a delicious joint supplement you’re after, look for actual animal joints to throw in. Knuckles, especially, have tons of cartilaginous material and snappy ligament that will break down in the water.
• When dealing with the bigger bones from ungulates, sometimes the heat and the water need a little assistance. To really get the good stuff, stick the bones in a sturdy bag and smash them with your sledgehammer (you do have a sledgehammer, right?). Then put the shards in the stockpot. Native Americans used to do this to buffalo bones to get at the little grease pockets lurking within the bone latticework; why shouldn’t we do the same? Another option is to remove the bones after half a day or so and go to work with a smaller hammer, a chef’s knife, or even the food processor. They’ll have softened considerably, and you’ll be able to chop them up into bits for quicker, more thorough extraction. Last week, I took a 10-inch chef’s knife to some cow knuckles and cow necks that’d been simmering for a day and returned the pieces for another few hours of cooking. That stock was the thickest, richest, most gelatinized stock I’ve ever made. Correlation, causation? I lean toward the latter. In fact, going forward, I plan on doing this every single time I make stock. The difference was just that huge.
• You can eat bone, technically. Now, if you’ve made a proper stock and gotten all you can out of your bones, eating them may not confer many benefits. Still, it’s an interesting thought. Chicken bones in particular become pretty delectable after a day of stewing, and I’ll confess to sifting through the stock solids for snacks. I haven’t eaten an entire carcass or anything (yet), but I may try a few of the smaller, softer bones as an experiment. Anyone else?
• Once your stock has cooled in the fridge, only skim the fat if you’re prepared to store or use the stock right away. That layer of fat is protecting your broth from adulterants, whether they’re random fridge flavors or bacteria.
• Speaking of fat, I’d toss poultry fat. It’s a relatively high-PUFA animal fat, and a day of simmering has probably damaged it beyond repair. If you’re stewing bones with more saturated animal fat, though, you should absolutely save the fat layer.
• Veggies are optional, but tasty. They add flavor, and the classic mirepoix blend of carrots, onions, and celery is always a welcome addition. Herbs work well, too. I’m partial to thyme, bay leaf, and whole peppercorns, with maybe a sprig or two of rosemary added. If you’re doing herbs and veggies, add them toward the end of cooking, especially if you’re doing a marathon two-day stock making session.

Divining the nutritional details of traditional foods like bone stock and bone marrow is difficult, if not impossible altogether. We know stock contains gelatin, calcium, phosphate, magnesium, glucosamine, chondroitin, and other trace minerals, but what are the numbers? We’re a numbers generation; we expect to have accurate info at the tips of our fingers at all times, but that’s unrealistic. Bone composition isn’t set in stone. What the animal ate, how it lived, where it lived, the mineral content of whatever it ate, the nutrient density of whatever it ate – these all factor into the composition and content of the bones, joints, and cartilage. The nutrition facts of commercial bone meal marketed as a calcium supplement gives us a general idea of the mineral content (900 mg calcium, 360 mg phosphorus, 9 mg magnesium per serving) of bone stock. That stuff comes from powdered “cattle raised in the United States,” which undoubtedly means corn-fed, nutritionally-deficient cows. We don’t know exactly how an animal’s diet affects its bone composition, but we know that it matters. Diet plays a huge role in everything, and I’d bet that grass-fed (again, as always) results in better, more nutritious stock. Regardless of the numbers, bone stock is good for you, damn good, and being somewhat in the dark about the precise nutrient count shouldn’t dissuade you from making and using your own bone stock on a regular basis.

Even if you don’t (or are unable to) seek out bones specifically for cooking, you’ll end up with plenty as leftovers. In fact, I’d suggest opting for whole animals or bone-in segments; the meat tastes better, it stays fresher longer, and you get some cooking bones when it’s all done. When you roast a chicken, you’ve got an entire skeleton to work with. When you cook a bone-in leg of lamb on the barbecue, you’ve got a big femur left over. What does a skinless breast offer after it’s been eaten, or an endless parade of steaks? I love a good steak as much as the next man, but a Primal eater shouldn’t live on muscle meat alone. I highly recommend giving homemade stock a try. If you eat animals, you should have access to their bones, and you should never throw those bones away.

Have I missed anything? Anyone have any good stock-making tips?

Lori NY Flickr Photo (CC)

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Related posts:

1. Dear Mark: Cooking Omegas
2. Smart Fuel: Swiss Chard
3. How to Make a Rockin’ Chicken Stock

BMW announced today that it will offer all-wheel-drive capability on its new 2011 BMW 5-Series xDrive Gran Turismo.

“First, starting in June 2010, customers will have the choice of two versions of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo featuring BMW xDrive all-wheel-drive technology,” BMW said in a statement. “In both the BMW 530d xDrive Gran Turismo and the BMW 550i xDrive Gran Turismo, permanent, electronically masterminded all-wheel drive ensures the appropriate distribution of drive power front-to-rear in every situation.”

Click here to get prices on the 2010 BMW 550i Gran Turismo.

Starting September 2010, BMW will offer the 535d xDrive Gran Turismo and the 535i xDrive Gran Turismo to round off the engine range.

Hit the jump for the press release.

2011 BMW 5-Series xDrive Gran Turismo:

Press Release:

BMW xDrive on All Engine Variants of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo and the BMW 740d.

Munich. BMW, the world’s leading manufacturer of premium cars, is consistently enlarging its wide range of all-wheel-drive models. Starting in June and, respectively, September 2010, all engine variants of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo will also be available with intelligent BMW xDrive all-wheel-drive technology. And also starting in September, the BMW 740d xDrive will become the top diesel in the luxury sedan class to feature this innovative drive system.

The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo combines elegance, spaciousness, comfort and variability in a truly unique car concept – and now this combination offering supreme motoring comfort is becoming even more thrilling and overwhelming

Making its debut in April at Auto China Beijing 2010, the BMW 550i xDrive Gran Turismo is powered by a supreme V8 boasting BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and High Precision Injection. Displacing 4.4 litres, this outstanding eight-cylinder delivers maximum output of 300 kW/407 hp all the way from 5,500 – 6,400 rpm as well as peak torque of 600 Newton-metres/442 lb-ft maintained consistently between 1,750 and 4,500 rpm.

This superior torque coming in at an early point and maintained throughout a broad speed range is now converted into supreme driving dynamics even more precisely and in even more superior style through BMW xDrive technology, accelerating the car to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds. Top speed is cut off by the engine’s electronic control unit at 250 km/h or 155 mph. Average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle, finally, is 11.8 litres/100 km, equal to 23.9 mpg imp, with CO2 emissions amounting to 275 grams per kilometre.

The BMW 550i xDrive Gran Turismo is the first model to combine such intelligent all-wheel drive with the supreme driving dynamics, motoring comfort and efficiency of an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The straight-six diesel engine in the BMW 530d xDrive Gran Turismo likewise represents the latest state-of-the-art in BMW engine development. Displacing 3.0 litres, the engine comes with an all-aluminium crankcase, its turbocharger system featuring variable intake geometry ensuring a superior surge of power and performance tailored harmoniously to all kinds of driving conditions.

Fuel is delivered by the latest generation of piezo-injectors operating at a maximum pressure of 1,800 bar. This gives the engine maximum peak output of 180 kW/245 hp at 4,000 rpm, with torque reaching its peak of 540 Newton-metres/398 lb-ft at just 1,750 rpm.

Benefiting from this kind of power, the BMW 530d xDrive Gran Turismo accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 235 km/h or 146 mph.

At the same time the car combines this sporting performance with average fuel consumption of 6.9 litres/100 kilometres, equal to 40.9 mpg imp, in the EU test cycle. The CO2 rating, finally, is 183 grams per kilometre.

The BMW 535d xDrive Gran Turismo features a second even more powerful representative of the new generation of straight-six BMW diesels. Boasting BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and common rail direct fuel injection, the all-aluminium power unit in this equally outstanding model develops maximum output of 220 kW/300 hp at 4,400 rpm as well as peak torque of 600 Newton-metres/442 lb-ft maintained consistently between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm.

The straight-six gasoline power unit in the BMW 535i xDrive Gran Turismo combines turbocharging, High Precision Injection and variable VALVETRONIC valve management with one another. This unique combination gives the BMW TwinPower Turbo an extremely spontaneous and direct response to the gas pedal. This outstanding response is then further optimised by VALVETRONIC valve management as well as the turbocharger system applying the twin-scroll principle both in the exhaust manifold and the turbocharger to separate the ducts and flow channels of three cylinders at a time.

With its high-tech injection nozzles, High Precision Injection doses fuel with maximum precision, delivering the fuel required into the combustion chambers at a pressure of up to 200 bar.

Displacing 3.0 litres, this outstanding six-cylinder delivers maximum output of 225 kW/306 hp at 5,800 rpm. Peak torque of 400 Newton metres/295 lb-ft, in turn, comes between 1,200 and 5,000 rpm.
With the top-of-the-range BMW 750i xDrive and BMW 750Li xDrive already introducing BMW’s intelligent all-wheel-drive system in the 2010 model year in the 7 Series, the BMW 740d xDrive is making its appearance in September.

With its all-aluminium power unit, the BMW 740d xDrive boasts BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology as well as common-rail direct fuel injection with its piezo-injectors operating at a pressure of up to 2,000 bar. Maximum output, as a result, is 225 kW/306 hp, with peak torque of 600 Newton-metres/442 lb-ft maintained consistently between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm.

Permanent, electronically controlled all-wheel drive ensures exactly the right distribution of engine power under all driving conditions. Precise and quick drive power control, finally, gives this supreme luxury sedan absolutely safe and incomparable driving behaviour at all times.

Originally BMW’s intelligent xDrive all-wheel-drive technology was conceived for the BMW X models, then being introduced step-by-step in the BMW 5 Series, the BMW 3 Series, and the BMW 7 Series. The big forte of this superior technology is its uniquely precise control and engine management helping to optimise traction on rough surfaces and at the same time deliver supreme driving dynamics to the road.

The system stands out as a particularly intelligent all-wheel-drive technology by distributing drive power through a power divider with an electronically controlled multiple-plate clutch in exactly the right way and properly dosed to the correct axle and wheels with optimum road contact at any given point in time.

Featuring this superior system, BMW xDrive enhances driving stability also in dynamic bends by recognising even the slightest tendency to over- and understeer at an early point and taking appropriate counter-action right away.

– By: Kap Shah

Nintendo has released the first batch of screenshots from the next pair of Pokemon games, Pokemon Black and Pokemon White. No new info yet, however. Check ’em out after the jump.

Google is introducing an interesting, new feature in Gmail that enables users to insert an event with an email they’re sending. They’ll be able to check the schedule of their friends, if they share their calendar, to see if they’re available at a certain point and then send out invitations to all of them. The event is then added to all of their … (read more)

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Audi, Quick Spin, Racing

There is only one Audi TT RS in the entire United States right now. And here we are, hurling the black coupe down the front straight at Willow Springs Raceway at 132 mph. We’ve been invited out to the sunny California desert on a pristine day to flog the hottest-ever Audi TT back-to-back against its TTS sibling, along with a few stints in the all-new S4 and R8 V10 for good measure.

The TT RS isn’t simply another upgraded model in the automaker’s diversified lineup. The TTS (and the other standard performance models) come from the Audi AG Sport division, while the TT RS was incubated and hatched by Quattro GmbH – the team who brought us the nefarious R8, RS4 and RS6. And while we’ve seen the TT on our shores with four- and six-cylinder powerplants, the new five-cylinder engine marks a significant departure for the front-engine coupe and convertible (even as it pays homage to the original 1980s-era Audi Sport Quattro).

So what makes the TT RS special and how does it fit into the current TT lineup? More importantly, how does the enthusiast-tuned package work under demanding track conditions? We intend to find out while answering a very important question for Audi: Should it bring the TT RS to the States?

Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Quick Spin: 2010 Audi TT RS performs, assuming Audi AG decides to deliver

Quick Spin: 2010 Audi TT RS performs, assuming Audi AG decides to deliver originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A companhia chinesa JAC, que recentemente anunciou a sua chegada aqui no Brasil, mostrou as primeiras imagens de seu conceito Vision IV. Como podemos reparar, ele foi baseado nas formas dos compactos Toyota iQ e Smart ForTwo.

Além do diferencial de ser equipado com uma propulsão hibrida com a adoção dos motores elétrico/combustão, um de seus maiores destaques fica por conta de seu visual moderno e de linhas bem resolvidas. Elas foram criadas pelo estúdio da companhia situada na Itália. Suas portas possuem dimensões avantajadas, facilitando o acesso dos ocupantes e sua dianteira apresenta uma entrada de ar em forma de “u”.

O estúdio da companhia teve um custo de cerca de 1,5 milhão de euros e além da missão básica de projetar novos carros, uma das incumbências do estúdio sera de desenvolver nova técnicas de engenharia. A apresentação do conceito hibrido JAC Vision IV está marcada para acontecer no Salão do Automóvel de Pequim, que iniciará no próximo dia 25, e onde iremos descobrir mais detalhes do conceito.

JAC Vision IV Concept

Fonte: 4WheelsNews

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Bugatti, Specialty, Design/Style, Luxury

There was time in the late ’70s and early ’80s in America when a few misguided industrious souls decided to recreate some of the most iconic shapes in motoring history. Kit cars with shapes emulating classic Bugatti, Delahaye, Auburn, Pierce-Arrow, Mercedes, Bentley and Rolls-Royce designs flourished, many poorly made and based on cars like the Buick Regal or Lincoln Town Car. With the originals selling for six, seven or even eight figures, it wasn’t surprising that anyone would want a budget alternative, but the offerings were generally more of an insult to the originals than a tribute.

Flash forward a few decades and you’ll now find companies like Delahaye USA taking up a similar charge. Rather than offering unfortunate fiberglass bodies for existing vehicles, however, the NJ company is building modern interpretations of some of those classic designs, with the intent to show what those legendary designers of yore might be building today. Take their “Bella Figura” Bugnotti Coupe above, for instance. Inspired by the 1937 Bugatti Type 57S, it’s said to be a tribute to Ettore Bugatti’s son, Jean. At least as it shows in these renderings, we think it is beyond gorgeous.

The company has been showing off a 1/4-scale model of the project at certain shows and concours recently, but will have a full-size version to display for the first time this Fall. The full-scale carbon fiber body is set to debut at Retro Auto Aug. 13-15, in Pebble Beach, during the annual classic car festivities in Northern California. Delahaye USA plans to offer a turnkey version of the coupe on a custom chassis with an alloy body for $450,000, while a clear-coated or painted carbon fiber version will sell for around $250,000. Plans are to make a targa-style roof and drophead version as well. Check out the small gallery below and be sure to click over to the Delahaye USA site to see some of their other beautiful projects.

[Source: Delahaye USA | Renderings: Steve Wilkonski]

Delahaye USA to debut “Bella Figura” Bugnotti Coupe at Pebble Beach originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dando continuidade aos posts relacionados às gatas que chamam a atenção em eventos da indústria automobilística, dessa vez vamos mostrar as garotas que estiveram no Salão de Detroit 2010.

Ok, o evento aconteceu no começo do ano, mas relembrar é sempre bom. Afinal, não é só de carros bonitos que bons eventos são feitos, mas também de belas “booth babes”, não é mesmo? Sem mais demoras, confiram a seguir algumas das beldades que estavam na feira.

Imagens das Booth Babes do evento

Via | Carscoop

Scott Walker points us to a fascinating paper by Carliss Y. Baldwin and Eric von Hippel, suggesting that some of the most basic theories on which the patent system is based are wrong, and because of that, the patent system might hinder innovation. Obviously, we’ve pointed to numerous other research papers and case studies that suggest that the patent system quite frequently hinders innovation, but this one approaches it from a different angle than ones we’ve seen before, and is actually quite convincing. It looks at the putative theory that innovation comes from a direct profit motive of a single corporation looking to sell the good in market, and for that to work, the company needs to take the initial invention and get temporary monopoly protection to keep out competitors in order to recoup the cost of research and development.

The problem is that while this is certainly true sometimes, in many, many, many other cases — it’s not the way it works at all. Instead, the paper goes through a whole bunch of studies suggesting that quite frequently innovation happens through a very different process: either individuals or companies directly trying to solve a problem they themselves have (i.e., the initial motive is not to profit directly from sales, but to help them in something they were doing) or through a much more collaborative process, whereby multiple parties all contribute to the process of innovation, somewhat openly, recognizing that as each contributes some, everyone benefits. As the report notes:

This result hinges on the fact that the innovative design itself is a
non-rival good: each participant in a collaborative effort gets the value of the whole design, but
incurs only a fraction of the design cost.

But, of course, patents are designed to make that sort of thing more difficult, because it assumes that the initial act of invention is the key point, rather than all the incremental innovations built on top of it that all parties can benefit from. In fact, the report points to numerous studies that show, when given the chance, many companies freely share their ideas with others, recognizing the direct benefit they get. This flies in the face of (unsubstantiated) claims by patent system supporters that the patent system is needed to disclose and share inventions. In fact, the evidence suggests that in many cases, firms will willingly share that information anyway (for a variety of reasons detailed in the report) without requiring the “prize” of a monopoly right to do so.

Even more importantly, the paper finds that due to technological advances and the ability to more rapidly and easily communicate and collaborate widely, these forms of innovation (innovation for direct use as well as collaborative innovation) are becoming more and more viable across a variety of industries, which in the past may have relied more on the old way of innovating (single company innovative for the profit of selling that product). And, in fact, because of the ease of communication and collaboration these days, there’s tremendous incentive for those companies that innovate for their own use to collaborate with others, since the benefit from others improving as well help improve their own uses. Thus, the overall incentives are to move much more to a collaborative form of innovation in the market. That has huge implications for a patent system designed to help the “old model” of innovation (producer inventing for the market) and not the increasingly regular one (collaborative innovation for usage).

Of course, no one is saying that producer-based innovation (company inventing to sell on the market) doesn’t occur or won’t continue to occur. But it is an open policy question as to whether or not our innovation policies should favor that model over other models — when evidence suggests that a significant amount of innovation occurs in these other ways — and that amount is growing rapidly.

The paper points out that the “devil’s bargain” of granting monopoly rights in order to create incentives for producer-driven innovation makes less and less sense:

The work in this paper and that of many others, suggests that this traditionally-struck
‘devil’s bargain’ may not be beneficial. First, there is increasing evidence that intellectual
property protection does not increase innovation. As we saw in section 2.2, studies carried out
over 40 years do not find that firm managers are inclined to increase their innovation
investments due to the availability of patent grant protections. There are also many examples in
which strong intellectual property rights may have impeded subsequent progress (Dosi,
Marengo and Pasquali, 2006; Merges and Nelson, 1994). Indeed, recent empirical work has
actually shown a negative relationship between patenting and subsequent progress in both
biotechnology (Murray and Stern 2007) and software (Bessen and Meurer 2008). Second, the
ascendent user and open collaborative innovation models that we have discussed in this paper
mean that alternatives that are open by participants’ free choice — and to the economic benefit of
those participants — are now ascendent alternatives to the traditional, closed producer
innovation model. And openness, as we noted above, increases social welfare, other things
equal.

The paper concludes with some policy recommendations, seeking to have the government look for ways to encourage more collaborative and open innovation, such as by supporting more open licensing programs directly (such as open source licenses), though I’m not sure what specific support the government really needs to do there. It also suggests that net neutrality actually plays into this as well — as one of the reasons why there is greater collaboration is that a neutral network infrastructure made that possible. Removing network neutrality could limit the ability to collaborate, and because of that, the social benefit found from such collaborative projects. Again, I’m not convinced that any ISP would go so far as to restrict communication to that level, but it is an interesting note.

Either way, it’s yet another study that suggests our patent system is tremendously obsolete in terms of actually promoting the progress, and is set up in a way that favors a concept of innovation and invention that may not be how the world actually works.

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Below is a position available with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) – a residential, team-based, community service-learning program for 18-24 year olds. AmeriCorps NCCC is a program of the Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS), a federal agency who strives to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.

More information on CNCS & NCCC can be found at www.nationalservice.org

• The Unit Leader is responsible for the supervision of seven subordinate teams composed of twelve Corps members each, who provide service through a team-based, residential program.
• Service learning projects are typically performed at geographically dispersed locations for extended periods of time and focused in the areas of natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, energy conservation and urban and rural development.
• Responsible for the development of the team leaders as well as the day-to-day management and supervision of the team leaders in the performance of their duties in the execution of service learning projects and development of Corps Members.
• The Unit Leader works with the Program Office to ensure project implementation to include logistical planning.
• Must collaborate effectively with other Unit Leaders in maintaining consistency in the application of policies and procedures across the entire Corps.
• Provides leadership to 7-8 Team Leaders in the development, delivery, and execution of service learning projects for 70-85 Corps members.
• Coordinates planning and accomplishment of in-service training, safety, and project logistics.
• Provides instruction or conducts workshops with Corps members to address team building, interpersonal communications, assertiveness training, and conflict resolution and group dynamics.
• Works with the Program Department to develop and implement team-based service learning plans.
• Conducts outreach to community organizations and potential project sponsors.
• Evaluates, guides and counsels team leaders.
• Reviews all team leader reports, project portfolios and team publications.
• Works closely with project sponsors to oversee progress and quality of work and the achievement of service learning objectives.
• Oversees the conduct of the units’ physical training program.
• Verifies direct and indirect service hours performed by Corps members.
• Takes appropriate action in adverse situations involving injury, health or safety of personnel.
• Provides guidance on standards of conduct to be followed by Corps members.
• Oversees disciplinary procedures and actions to ensure compliance with campus as well as national standards and requirements.

Salary: 57,408.00 – 62,408.00 USD/year

To apply (or for more information). please visit:
http://ow.ly/1xEJn

You must apply online.

The first wave of 3D titles for the PS3 will launch in June, Sony UK has announced. They’re not totally new, but you do get them for free if you buy their HX803 3D TV (and if

Finally revealing how many people use Twitter and how big the third-party ecosystem is is nice, but most people expected Twitter to announce some new technology or feature at its first developer conference, Chirp. And Twitter delivered, with a couple of quite interesting, new features it plans to launch in the future, Places and A… (read more)