Author: Serkadis

It’s really stunning to see people who obviously should know better continually insisting that content can’t possibly be free to consumers. We’ve been seeing a lot of it in the news business lately, as newspaper execs who have built up an ad business for many years seem oblivious to the fact that consumers have almost never paid directly for news. And now that same sort of ridiculous thinking is showing up in the video market. Christopher Schneider points us to an article written by Dan Rayburn, who apparently is an analyst at Frost & Sullivan, but who appears to be wholly unfamiliar with network TV in claiming that video content can’t possibly be free:

Frankly, I don’t see where this idea of “free” comes from. Video content costs money to produce, to distribute and to consume. Yet even with those costs, many seem hell-bent on the idea that business models can somehow survive based on the consumption of free video content supported solely by an ad model. But in reality, that simply can’t happen.

It comes from basic economics, Dan, combined with knowledge of how network TV has worked for many decades. In some businesses consumers pay for stuff. In others, third parties do it. In network TV, advertisers have always paid the freight. You would think that a big-time analyst would be familiar with that. But, of course, it looks like Dan doesn’t get the economics right either:

If people are not willing to pay a content owner for their content, then it’s not worth anything. That’s the bottom line.

Dan, how much did you pay for the air you breathe? Ok. How much is it worth? Your “bottom line” is flat-out wrong. Value and price are two different things. Value plays into the demand curve, but price is set by the intersection of supply and demand. If something is priced at zero, it doesn’t mean it’s valued at zero.

In the comments, after people point out Dan’s seeming blindspot for the largest distributor of video content for the past seven decades, Dan tries to redeem himself by pointing out that networks today get additional money from MSOs (cable/satellite providers) to get carried (you may have heard the recent battles over some of these). Of course, that’s a recent phenomenon. For years, network TV was very much for free to users, despite the fact that “video content cost money to product, to distribute and to consume” and even as people were not willing to pay the content owner for it — but it was still worth quite a bit to them.

And, of course, even in the case with cable and satellite fees, Dan’s still wrong. People don’t pay their cable provider for access to network TV (they can already get that for free). They pay for the bundle of channels, of which the network channels are not very important to most users, since those are accessible over the air (and, yes, in some cases people have trouble getting local stations). Hell, if we want to go by analogy, let’s be direct: sure, people pay for cable TV, but they also pay for their ISP bill (sometimes to the same company).

Furthermore, Dan’s analysis of YouTube’s profitably seems woefully confused as well. He uses Viacom’s filings in the YouTube case, which have already been shown to take statements out of context, and whose comments all refer back to a few years back rather than today. Yet, recent studies have suggested that YouTube may actually be profitable, or at least getting pretty close to it. Even Google has hinted at YouTube’s profitability — and some have pointed out that Google’s dark fiber ownership could mean that its bandwidth bill is a lot lower than some analysts think.

Basically, there’s proof that free-to-the-consumer video has worked in the past, and can work again. On top of that, there’s growing evidence that Google is at least close to profitability with free-to-the-consumer video online, and the models that are working there are only likely to continue to grow. These are the sorts of points and trends you would expect an analyst following this market to know, so it’s a bit surprising that this particular analysis seems to be lacking them. And people wonder why companies are looking to dump their analyst spend budgets lately…

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We actually learned something new today – there is an Atlanta Auto Show. Moving on, Kia today unveiled its new 2011 Sorento SX trim at the 2010 Atlanta Auto Show following the official grand opening of its first U.S.-based manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia.

“Receiving critical and consumer acclaim, Sorento has surpassed all expectations in only its first two months on the market, leading both January and February sales and helping achieve record-breaking sales for Kia Motors America,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing of KMA. “The addition of the 2011 Sorento to the Kia lineup has helped bring new and more affluent customers into our showrooms. And with the addition of the new SX trim we hope to expand Sorento’s appeal to even more consumers looking for a comfortable, sophisticated and well-equipped vehicle.”

Click here to get prices on the 2011 Kia Sorento.

The 2011 Kia Sorento is already available in two trim levels, LX and EX – SX now adds enhanced dimension to the Sorento giving it a more muscular stance with a revised front and rear fascias, added chrome to the exhaust outlet, LED tail lamps and 18-inch alloy wheels with a hyper silver paint finish. It also adds a bunch of luxury, convenience and technology features like leather-trimmed heated front seats, electrochromatic mirror with Homelink and voice-activated navigation system with a rear back-up camera. The Sorento SX also comes standard with an Infinity Audio surround sound system with 10 speakers.

The 2011 Kia Sorento SX comes standard with the Sorento’s most powerful engine – 276-hp 3.5L V6. Prices will be announced closer to launch.

2011 Kia Sorento:

Press Release:

KIA MOTORS UNVEILS SORENTO SX TRIM AT ATLANTA AUTO SHOW

New Trim Level Conveys a More Athletic, Luxurious Side to All-New CUV

– The first vehicle built1 at KMMG adds new trim level to an already successful line
– New SX trim will offer a bolder, more sophisticated exterior design with additional standard convenience, comfort and technology features

ATLANTA, March 19, 2010 – Following the official grand opening ceremony of Kia’s first U.S.-based manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia, Kia Motors America (KMA) today debuted the new 2011 Sorento SX crossover during a press conference at the 2010 Atlanta Auto Show. The all-new Sorento has exceeded expectations since going on sale in early January, and now the new SX brings the CUV to new levels of comfort, convenience, technology and design and will arrive in dealerships later this summer. The first vehicle to roll off the line at Kia Motors’ recently opened state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia, the 2011 Sorento is a true symbol of Kia Motors’ $1 billion commitment to both the state of Georgia, the United States and North America.

With a streamlined and attractive look, the 2011 Sorento represents a modern CUV that is just the right size for today’s consumer. With swept-back lines and angled windows, large flared-back headlamps and prominent fog lamps, the view from the front conveys strength and power. From the rear, the rounded back and tail lamps set prominently within the lift gate express the same forceful attitude and strength. Offering a more muscular stance, the SX receives revised front and rear fascias to exude additional authority while added chrome to the exhaust outlet, LED tail lamps and redesigned 18-inch alloy wheels with a hyper silver paint finish increase its luxurious exterior appeal.

Originally available in two trim levels, LX and EX, SX adds an enhanced dimension to Sorento with styling that adds an edgier attitude and comes standard with a host of luxury, convenience and technology features throughout. In addition to the smart key with push button start, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, telescopic steering wheel, heated side mirrors, automatic up/down driver-side windows and privacy glass found standard on all EX models, upgrading to the new SX trim will further spoil its occupants. Driver and passengers will benefit from leather-trimmed seats, heated front seats, electrochromatic mirror with Homelink® and a voice-activated navigation system with back-up camera.

In addition to the impressive array of standard technology features found on all Sorento models, including an AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with SIRIUS Satellite Radio capabilities, auxiliary and USB audio input jacks for connecting personal MP3 players, and Bluetooth®2 connectivity with steering wheel-mounted voice activation controls to enable hands-free operation for all compatible mobile phones, the SX also comes standard with an Infinity® Audio surround sound system with 10 speakers for a truly enhanced listening experience.

Raising the level of refinement and sophistication further, the SX interior benefits from a unique metallic gauge cluster with a stitched meter housing, accent interior illumination and stainless steel pedals. Chrome-finished roof rails, a metallic accent along the greenhouse and front and rear stainless skid plates on the outside complete the look. A panoramic sunroof also is available to enhance the feeling of spaciousness and adds to Sorento’s modern appearance.

Without sacrificing the space, comfort and ride that the current Sorento already offers, Sorento SX will employ the same unibody design with the ability to comfortably fit up to seven passengers. An overall length of 183.9 inches and overall width of 74.2 inches with substantial headroom, legroom and cargo capacity effortlessly accommodates both passenger and cargo needs for all drivers. Sorento SX will, however, be nearly half of an inch lower to the ground for a subtly sportier appearance while the lower center of gravity allows improved handling and aerodynamics.

The Sorento SX also features DFD (Dual Flow Damper) shock absorbers typically found on more expensive vehicles. The DFD shocks, which have been specially matched to Sorento’s MacPherson strut front suspension and the fully independent mulit-link rear suspension, provide excellent handling characteristics without the harsh ride qualities typically associated with sport-tuned suspensions.

The SX comes mated to Sorento’s more powerful 3.5-liter V6 engine, providing best-in-class 276 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque, more powerful than the Ford Edge and Chevrolet Equinox V63. Coupled to a new six-speed automatic transmission, the V6 offers ample power and improved fuel efficiency. This all-new six-speed automatic transmission is a proprietary design for Kia Motors that was designed, engineered and built specifically for Kia vehicles, making the brand one of only three manufacturers to employ such a transmission.

To further meet consumer needs, the engine can be mated to either front- or all-wheel-drive configurations, the latter coming with a locking center differential to evenly distribute power to all wheels while operating the vehicle at low speeds during more severe weather conditions. Drivers also will benefit from a standard Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Hill Start Assist (HAS) and Downhill Brake Control (DBC), offered on all Sorento trims.

Industry-Leading Warranty

The 2011 Sorento SX is covered by Kia’s comprehensive warranty program, which offers unprecedented consumer protection. Included in this program are a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty, a five-year/60,000-mile limited basic warranty and a five-year/100,000-mile anti-perforation warranty. A five-year/60,000-mile roadside assistance plan also is part of the comprehensive vehicle coverage.

Kia Motors is in the midst of a dramatic, design-led transformation, which has been delivering dynamically styled vehicles in several important segments at exactly the right time, contributing to the brand’s continued gains in U.S. market share. With two new vehicle introductions and several other key initiatives planned for 2010, Kia is poised to continue its momentum and will continue to build the brand through design innovation, quality, value, safety features and with new technology such as UVO powered by Microsoft®4 infotainment system (to be available in select Kia models in the U.S. beginning in summer 2010). The launch of the all-new 2011 Sorento CUV, the official vehicle of the NBA, further enhances the lineup and is now in dealerships.

– By: Kap Shah

What do you get that hard-to-buy-for person on your list who already has everything? Well if they already have an iPhone, which is likely since we’ve already established they’ve got everything worth having, then you can now buy them iPhone apps, directly from the iTunes Store.

It’s been a long time coming, but Apple has finally given the greenlight to app gifting, meaning you no longer have to limit your ridiculous, spontaneous impulse buys of games you will only play once and then never again to just yourself.  You can find the new “Gift This App” option alongside the “Add To Wishlist” and “Share Via Facebook” menu items in the dropdown that appears next to the price of any app.

It’s nice to be able to give someone a specific app instead of just an iTunes gift card that they then might waste on absolute and utter crap by accident or through ignorance. I’ll also probably make use of app gifting to get other iPhone-owning friends on board with multiplayer games and multi-user apps that I haven’t been able to sell them on buying through extremely convincing rhetoric alone.

Why did Apple finally decide to turn on iPhone app gifting, at this late juncture? It’s been absent since the launch of the App Store, which took place almost two full years ago. My guess is that Apple flipped the switch in order to have it up and running, bug-free, in time for the iPad’s launch in early April in the U.S., and late April in many other parts of the world.

Gifting apps will be a great way for Apple to take advantage of its existing App Store user base to spread the love and help new iPad owners become immersed in the experience. I’m sure it’ll also have a positive effect on those people who get an iPod touch or an iPhone and never even open the App Store, let alone download any third-party programs, a group whose size continues to surprise me at this late stage.

It’s also good news for developers, who might find the limited number of promo codes Apple provides to be somewhat limiting in terms of getting their products out there to the reviewer community. Maybe we’ll be lucky enough to see giveaways and other types of promotional freebies climb now that gifting is an option. Blogs, for instance, could offer apps as prizes pretty quickly and easily now. Mind you, this isn’t a coy hint about our plans for the future, so don’t hold your breath.

There are some restrictions, of course. You can’t buy in-app purchases or recurring subscriptions for others, nor can you use your iTunes gift cards to give apps. Still, it’s one more option on the low-priced gift ideas list, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Michelle Oakes has developed a new instrument to more accurately measure a dangerous air pollutant: Iron (II).
Oakes, an EPA STAR grantee and scientist at the Georgia Institute of Technology, presented the new instrument Monday at the 2010 AAAR conference on air pollution and health.

Iron (II) is commonly emitted by sources like biomass burning and coal-fired power plants and is associated with the production of harmful reactive oxygen species in the body. Oakes’ device, called a Particle-to-Liquid Sampler, measures the dangerous trace metal significantly better than previous methods ever have.

“People usually use a filter that works over 24 hours to measure Iron (II),” Oakes explained.
“But what we found is that the filters underestimate Iron (II) by a lot.”

She reported that in some cases, the Particle-to-Liquid Sampler measured Iron (II) levels twice as high as those measured by the filters—a very significant difference.

Because the Sampler conducts automated measurements every 12 minutes, it does a better job than 24-hour filters at capturing changes in Iron (II) levels throughout the day.

As wind speeds change, it is common for Iron (II) levels to fluctuate, producing what Oakes calls “transient events,” or periods of time where iron levels oscillate strongly from high to low.

The average daily Iron (II) measurements produced from the filters tend to mask these fluctuations.
Oakes explained that her device and its ability to more accurately reflect Iron (II) variations over time could significantly benefit the public health community.

“From a health standpoint,” Oakes said, “you need something that’s reliable…you want to be able to see the times of day when it’s most dangerous for people to be outdoors.”

But there are additional advantages to the “totally new” device.
“Not only does it do a better job measuring variations, but it’s also much less labor intensive than using filters which require lots of hours and work,” Oakes pointed out.

Once adapted to become more easily deployable, the sampler could potentially help States measure trace metals more easily.
Oakes presented the work during Monday’s AAAR poster session and seemed pleased to share the new technology.
“I really enjoy working on this,” Oakes said smiling, “it’s a way to do chemistry, be outdoors, and make an impact.”

About the Author: Becky Fried is a science writer with EPA’s National Center for Environmental Research. Her OnAir posts are a regular “Science Wednesday” feature.

Filed under: Motorsports, Mercedes-Benz, Racing

AMG has been producing racing versions of Mercedes-Benz cars and high performance street machines for over four decades. That tradition continues with the unveiling today in Mexico of a GT3 spec version of the new SLS gullwing coupe. Sales will start this fall and AMG hopes to have the homologation process completed in time for the 2011 race season.

The GT3 SLS will use the same 6.3-liter V8 as the road car, but the FIA will determine its final output for racing. The aerodynamic enhancements are the big news here, with changes to the bodywork evident all over. The front end features a deep carbon fiber splitter that’s only bested by the large rear wing out back. The hood sports a large cooling event and there are air intakes for brake cooling in the side skirts and cooling vents in the fenders behind the front wheels as well. Other race-spec features include a smooth underbody, rear diffuser, central-locking wheels and fuel filler pipes in the C-pillar.

Given the racing heritage of the original SL from the 1950s, seeing a gullwing back racing on the track will be the best kind of déjà vu for fans of the three-pointed star. Follow the jump for the official press release from AMG and Mercedes-Benz that includes a few more specifics.

Live photos by Chris Paukert / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Mercedes-Benz]

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz and AMG unveil SLS GT3 customer race car

Mercedes-Benz and AMG unveil SLS GT3 customer race car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ING asked investors who they trust and where they get their investing advice.

Apparently people trust themselves a lot, but then after that it’s blogs and financial websites.

Brokers: not so much. (via Abnormal Returns)

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Joining the launch of the very popular Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, Mercedes-Benz today unveiled the SLS AMG GT3. The new racing model is built to comply with the GT3 specifications of the FIA and is designed as a racing sports car for customers competing in sprints and long-distance races.

“Thanks to uncompromising lightweight construction and superior handling dynamics, the SLS AMG provides an outstanding basis for a highly competitive racing car,” said Volker Mornhinweg, Chairman of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. This exciting GT3 version is our response to strong customer demand for a car designed for these attractive motor sports series. Once again, it demonstrates AMG’s huge experience gained in more than 40 years of motor sports, and its great expertise in the development of unique high-performance cars.”

Click here to get prices on the 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

While the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 will be powered by the same 6.3L AMG V8 as the production model, the FIA will determine the race cars maximum output to ensure that all the racing cars taking part have an equal chance.

Sales of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 will start later this fall and AMG plans to have the homologation of the GT3 variant completed in time for the 2011 racing season.

Click here for more news on the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG.

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3:

Press Release:

Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3

Spectacular racing car for the sporting customer
Puebla (Mexico) – Coinciding with the market launch of the SLS AMG on 27 March 2010, Mercedes-AMG is presenting a GT3 variant. This racing version of the gullwing model stands out with its spectacular design and thoroughbred motor sports technology. Developed to comply with the GT3 specifications of the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), the SLS AMG GT3 is designed as a racing sports car for customers competing in sprints and long-distance races. These race series for near-series GT cars are noted for their very varied participants and great excitement. Not least because of their comparatively favourable cost structure, they are enjoying increasing worldwide popularity.

AMG, the performance brand within Mercedes-Benz, is entering a new business sector with the new SLS AMG GT3: the development, production and marketing of sports racing cars intended for customer use. Sales of these customer cars are expected to commence in autumn 2010, and homologation of the GT3 variant will be completed in time for the 2011 racing season.

The new SLS AMG GT3 is an emphatic continuation of AMG’s commitment to motor sports. AMG has been a pioneer in the motor sports world ever since its foundation in 1967. The new racing version of the SLS AMG is developed and produced by AMG in close cooperation with HWA AG. HWA is responsible for the DTM racing team on behalf of Mercedes-Benz Motorsports. The HWA team is one of the most successful in international motor sports, as witness nine driver championships in the DTM and ITC, as well as two championship titles in the FIA GT Championships.

The SLS AMG GT3 is set to write another chapter in this success story, and harks back to the 300 SL racing sports car of 1952 which first established the “gullwing” legend. Its historic victory in the “Carrera Panamericana” long-distance race also made Mercedes-Benz a household name in North and Central America, and demonstrated the know-how and expertise of the Stuttgart-based automobile company.

Spectacular racing car looks and top-class performance
The new SLS AMG GT3 is wide, flat and has spectacular racing car looks. The main focus when modifying the body of this gullwing model was on aerodynamic performance – as is seen not only in the new front apron with a splitter, the bonnet with its central cooling air vent and the wider front and rear wings, but also in the the side wheel arch air vents, the sideskirts with cooling ducts for the rear brakes, the smooth underbody with a rear diffuser and the adjustable rear aerofoil. All these features ensure a low drag coefficient and maximum downforce – while guaranteeing effective cooling of thermally highly stressed components. The C-pillars accommodate the standardised filler pipes for the fast-refuel system.

The FIA will determine the maximum output of the AMG 6.3-litre V8 front-mid engine with dry sump lubrication on the “Balance of Performance” principle. This is intended to ensure that all the racing cars taking part have an equal chance. The classification process, during which the kerb weight is also determined, will be completed in 2010. Power transmission in the GT3 variant is by a sequential six-speed racing transmission with steering wheel shift paddles and an integrated multi-disc locking differential. As in the standard SLS AMG, the transmission is located at the rear axle: the engine and transmission are connected by a torque tube within which a carbon-fibre shaft rotates at the engine speed, as in the roadgoing version.

The wheels are located by a double-wishbone suspension of forged aluminium at the front and rear. Adjustment facilities for the springs and shock absorbers, the suspension height, the stabilisers, the track width and camber allow an individual setup for the racetrack. Rack-and-pinion steering with a more direct ratio and speed-sensitive servo assistance make for extremely agile handling. Behind the central-locking AMG light-alloy wheels, a composite steel racing braking system with racing ABS ensures outstanding deceleration.

Functional racing car atmosphere in the interior
The interior of the SLS AMG GT3 is dominated by a functional racing car atmosphere: the steel rollover cage not only ensures the driver’s safety, but also adds additional reinforcement to the aluminium spaceframe. Another eye-catching feature is the racing buucket seat with a six-point seat belt and HANS system (Head and Neck Support). The central display is perfectly positioned in the driver’s field of vision, and shows all the relevant information such as speed, engine rpm, operating temperatures, lap times and the selected gear. The open-top racing steering wheel with gearshift paddles makes perfect vehicle control possible.

Additional controls are located on the centre console. This is where the driver can not only start the AMG V8 engine or adjust the traction control, but also select reverse gear or – if the worst comes to the worst – activate the integrated fire extinguisher system. The adjustment control for the brake balance is located on the torque tube tunnel.

– By: Omar Rana

A pair of Japanese publications have printed some unconfirmed details regarding Nintendo’s brand new 3DS handheld. More past the jump.

vegetarian vitamin b12

The Different Causes of Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency is a common problem throughout the world, especially for the elderly. Vitamin B12 deficiency can present itself as hematologic vitamin B12 deficiency or hide itself as asymptomatic vitamin B12 deficiency.

Sources of Vitamin B12

The human body needs vitamin B12 or cobalamin for it to function properly. The human body needs vitamin B12 for the formation of red blood cell. Vitamin B12 is also vital in keeping a healthy nervous system. Any B12 deficiency can lead to serious impairment and health issues.

Vitamin B12 is most readily found in animal proteins such as those found in red meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy. Plants and vegetables contain only smaller amounts of vitamin B12 derived from microorganisms. Ovalactovegetarians and lactovegetarians get vitamin B12 in their milk and eggs. However, strict vegetarians and vegans have few sources of naturally occurring vitamin B12 and are advised to include in their diet foods that are fortified with vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 Absorption

The body has a complex method of absorbing and recycling vitamin B12. Any defect in the absorption process can lead to vitamin B12 deficiency.

One place where absorption takes place is in the stomach. The gastric acid and pepsin in the stomach help remove vitamin B12 from animal proteins. The reason it is important to masticate food well is that vitamin B12 binds readily with salivary R protein for absorption.

In addition, pancreatic enzymes or an alkaline pH will react with vitamin B12 to increase its rate of absorption by the body. These help to break down the R protein-cobalamin complex. Then, prior to absorption by the body, vitamin B12 binds to intrinsic factor (IF) to form an IF-cobalamin complex.

Conditions Affecting the Body’s Absorption of Vitamin B12

If you have a medical condition that affects your body’s vitamin B12 absorption, it is important to consume extra vitamin B12. However, if you do not have a medical condition affecting vitamin B12 absorption and you simply do not consume a lot of vitamin B12 in your diet for a variety of reasons (e.g., if you are a vegan), then taking supplements is necessary to prevent vitamin B12 deficiency.

Any health condition that might decrease the body’s ability to digest food proteins properly can be a cause of vitamin B12 deficiency. One common cause of this kind of health condition is failure of the body to release adequate gastric acid. This itself is a symptom that can be attributed to a number of other possible underlying health conditions.

If you have a condition such as pernicious anemia or if you have had a gastrectomy, you may be at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency. As mentioned previously, vitamin B12 absorption is a complex bodily process that can be hampered if any necessary compounds and bodily functions are not present. Vitamin B12 absorption happens when salivary R protein binds with intrinsic factors in the small intestine. If these intrinsic factors are not present, the absorption of vitamin B12 will fail. The natural result is vitamin B12 deficiency.

About the Author

By Paul Ghossain
Get more information on the
benefits and risks of vitamin b
and other related topics at
http://www.vitaminsect.com/vitamin-b.html

Vitamin B12 and vegetarianism?

I’m really sorry to hear of your mother’s deficiency. She may have problems absorbing and utilising the vitamin. I know meat eaters who have low levels of B12, it’s not a deficiency that only us veg*ns get.

The good news is that a lack of B12 can be alleviated with a B12 shot every 3 months. (See a medical professional about this).

Algae, seaweed and spirulina are NOT reliable sources of B12. The importance of this vitamin should never be underestimated because as you probably know, a deficiency can cause a whole host of problems, most notably neurological (nerve) damage.

Vegetarians CAN get plenty of vitamin B12 from cheese, milk, eggs, yogurt, enriched dairy free milks (like soya, oat, rice), and fortified breakfast cereals. Maybe your mother should see a nutritionist- she most probably needs B12 supplementation.

Good luck! :]

Factory Farming

Vegetarian Vitamin B12 is a post from the Vegetarian Vitamins Guide blog where you can find suggestions and advice from vegetarians and vegans on vegetarian diets, supplements, vitamins and overall nutrition.

Related Vegetarian Vitamins Posts:

1. What Vitamin Deficiency Will Pure Vegetarian Most Likely Suffer From? Before Vitamin B12, Scientists stated that most vegetarians have no…
2. Are All Vegetarians/vegans One Day Going To Be Wiped Out Due To Lack Of Nutrition? Protein from animal sources (meat, fish, dairy products, egg white)…
3. Know Where To Get Quality Vegetarian Vitamin Supplement Facts In this modern world, there are more and more…
4. Vitamin B12 Deficiency, Often Seen in Vegans, Causes Low Energy Vitamin B12 contains cobalt, and hence it’s other name,…
5. Why Vegetarian Eating Is Healthier? Vegetarianism is a healthy alternative, but only if you…

President’s Day written by Anne Rockwell and illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell is a good book for teaching students about why we have a day dedicated to our former presidents and the contributions they made to our country.  It highlights the lives of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt.  This book follows the activities of a class as they prepare for a school assembly about President’s Day and provides ideas for class projects about the subject.

Curriculum Connections
President’s Day provides insight into why George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were important to the development of America (2.11). This book also illustrates a classroom model of the voting process and how it works (2.10b).  President’s Day is very easy to read and does not have a large amount of text.  It can be used to reinforce the values on which our country was founded and provides insight into past struggles.

Additional Resources

• Activities, Worksheets and Crafts for President’s Day this site provides different activities and crafts that can be part of a President’s Day lesson.
• President’s Day this site lets you make your own President’s Day word scramble.
• Congress in the Classroom lesson plan about turning a classroom into a session of Congress.

Book: President’s Day
Author: Anne Rockwell
Illustrator: Lizzy Rockwell
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 17
Grade Range: 1-3
ISBN: 0-06-050194-4

To Our Clients, Colleagues and Friends,  

• What’s one of the most important things to look at during Due Diligence on an acquisition target?  Investor scorecards have a huge amount of information on the mortgage banks that sell them loans, and these scorecards may be the one, best way to get a quick, broad picture the company. They don’t preclude the need for full Due Diligence, but they’re a good start.
• Since we started Garrett, Watts in 2003, and prior to that as bankers, we always said that you can’t manage it if you can’t measure it, and one of the many things to concentrate on this year is better reporting.  It didn’t matter as much last year.  Everyone made tons of money, regardless of how good or bad their reporting was.  With profitability much tougher this year, now is the time to slice and dice your business in all the ways that allow you to make better decisions.              
  
  A key part of our FOCIS-plus Review is to provide companies templates of reports that allow you to understand more about your business than simply how much volume you did and how much money you made.  So remember two things (1) You can’t manage it if you can’t measure it, and (2) You’ll make better decisions with better data.
   
• What’s really frustrating for us is related to Game Theory, the academic discipline having to do with how organizations and people make decisions based on incomplete information. What really bothers us is that mortgage bankers have all the data somewhere in their systems needed to make better decisions, and very few take advantage of this.  It’s all about extracting it from your systems (DataTrac, Point, Encompass, PC Lender etc.)  and presenting it in a way where you can spot trends, anomalies, and red flags.  The templates we mention above are one way of solving this problem.
   
• After years of being on the Board of Directors of banks or working with them, we’re fully aware that Boards can be very much like a cat who sits on a hot stove.  As Mark Twain wrote, the cat will never again sit on a hot stove, but neither will it ever sit on a cold stove again.  In this vein, we spoke recently to an East Coast bank-owned mortgage company which had tried switching to mandatory, took some initial losses, and went back to best efforts. A little probing made us fairly convinced that it wasn’t bad hedging but was actually weak controls and poor pipeline management.  We also got the sense that the Board’s attitude was not to investigate what happened but to take the attitude that they will never try selling mandatory ever again.  Secondary marketing forensics is not easy, but it can be done, and this Board should have investigated what really happened.
  
• A commercial banker whose bank we recently advised on setting up a Mortgage Warehouse Lending told us:  “We’re sure as hell not going to do any construction lending, and my Chief Credit Officer would have a heart attack if I brought him a commercial real estate loan, I don’t care how good it is.  There’s hardly any good C&I loans anymore, and if there’s some company out there making money, Wells Fargo’ll be all over them in a minute with better terms than we can ever dream about, so what am I left with?  I’m left with Zip, that’s what I’m left with, and after all these years, that’s a helluva note. ”
  That’s why this banker now loves Warehouse Lending: “Hell, these damn mortgage bankers are the only decent credits left for a little guy like us. They made loads of money last year, they’re flush with cash, and the damn lines are secured by loans that’ve already been sold, for Pete’s sake.  I love it, I just love it, and my Board thinks I’m a damn genius.”  Take a look at the attachment to learn how your bank might get into Warehouse Lending.
  
• Grammar alert!  Grammar alert!  When our friendly banker said “There’s hardly any good C&I loans anymore” that was his language, not ours.   
• By the way, we gave out free subscription extensions on this newsletter to 26 Honorary Grammar Policepersons. The poor grammar last week was when we wrote “We were speaking to a company in the Pacific Northwest which plans to build their own software.”  It should have been“…which plans to build its own software.”
  
  Strunk & White is a book on grammar that we used in 9^th grade back in, gasp, 1963, and it’s still a great book that all writers should have.  In 1967, there was even a San Francisco band named Elements of Style.
  
• We just read on article in The Atlantic on Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, and his background is interesting.  He was born in Brooklyn, but when he was very young, his father joined the State Department and young Geithner grew up in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Thailand and India. He returned to the states, went to Dartmouth (go Indians!), and got a graduate degree at Johns Hopkins.
  
  Remember when it was called The Atlantic Monthly? They dropped the word monthly when they cut back to only ten issues a year. It’s now justThe Atlantic .
  
• We came across the attached servicing growth announcement from 1992, and aside from 1^st California Mortgage, the Sequel, are any of these companies still in business?
• We wrote last week of a Pacific Northwest company that was developing its own software, and we got this response from a mortgage industry veteran we know and respect:  “I think companies who think they have to build their own software have overpowering CTOs in place who speak big and deliver slow…. and once the company has dumped millions into the software development, they can’t back out of the commitment.  I’ve seen a number of companies roll out their new software only to regret it within a short period of time.  Without a doubt one of the biggest wastes of time and money I have personally seen. Crazy.”
• If you own stock in Raiffeisen International Bank, you just got an e-mail noting that they’re merging with another Austrian  bank and that they’ve retained Deloitte Auditrei Wirtschaftsprüfung GmbH.  That’s one mouthful. By the way, Raiffeisen has banks in, Romania , Bulgaria , Poland , Hungary , Czech Republic , Slovakia , Croatia , Bosnia , Ukraine , Serbia , Russia , Belarus , Moldavia , Kosovo, Slovenia and Albania . It’s a single-stock way to participate in the growth of all of Eastern Europe .

We went to their Investor Conference in Kiev a few years ago and about 20 of us had dinner with the Chairman. About every three minutes he insisted that everyone have another shot of vodka. Their website is actually pretty interesting http://www.ri.co.at/index.php?id=261&L=1  and this photo is of their executive team, with Dr. Stepic, the guy who kept pouring the vodka, 2^nd from the right. 

Three things: (1) Did you notice all the women in their senior ranks, and (2) check out their suits.  Doesn’t it look like most of them are wearing pants a few inches too long? And (3) Doesn’t it also look like the two guys who showed up without red ties were positioned as the bookends?

• Saturday classes seem not to have been an only-at-Dartmouth barbarism, as we heard from people who remember them at Vanderbilt and Randolph Mason College . By the way, does anyone remember parietals, lock-outs, and in loco parentis ?     

• And what’s the deal with holiday-only foods?  Why can’t we have eggnog in any month other than December? And what about yams with semi-burnt marshmallows on top?  Why only on Thanksgiving, on just one day of the year?  Curious minds want to know.
  

· Watching tiny Saint Mary’s College (28-5) knock off Big East powerhouse Villanova had us jumping up and down and shouting at the TV.  Sports writers will probably make this a Cinderella story, a cute, little team that found magic and wakes up to find itself deep into the NCAA Tournament. This isn’t just luck, and Villanova coach Jay Wright said “The Gaels can play with anybody in the Big East. There’s no doubt.”  The Wall Street Journal wrote that Saint Mary’s is a “….California school that has five Australians on its roster, some of whom look like they just walked out an East Village bar.”   We first watched The Gaels (a Gael, is an Irish warrior) in 1958 when they had All American Tom Meschery.  We were too young to know what was going on, but we’ve followed them ever since, and in some ways rooted for them more than Cal .

· Although the Jason Kidd-Lamond Murray teams were fun to watch, Cal ’s basketball teams have disappointed more often than not.  Our senior year at Cal featured a team with three future NBA stars, yet they went only 14-15.
Since we’re currently all excited by Saint Mary’s College, a bit of fun trivia is that the actor who played Duke onHawaii Five-O  was Herman Wedemeyer, an All- American running back at Saint Mary’s in the 1940’s.  His ability to avoid tacklers earned him the nickname Squirmin’ Herman.  Book’ em, Danno.

• Ferris Bueller 48?  Yes, Mathew Broderick turned 48 last week.
  

This is one of the all-time best laugh-hard, feel-good movies, and while it’s not quite a coming-of-age movie, it’s probably among the top 5-6 movies about life as an American High Schooler.  French social critic Jacques Barzan once wrote that you cannot understand America unless you understand the American high school experience, and this movie capture it perfectly.

• We have a great idea for someone whose son or daughter is looking for a good senior thesis.  It would be to study the accuracy of Congressional Budget Office projections. A year or so ago, we read an article, possibly in Barrons, where the CBO had really missed the mark on the cost of two programs and how those programs really came in much lower.  One was the Medicare program to pay for drugs, and they just really overestimated what it would cost the government.  Anyway, someone could take all CBO projections from, say 1990 – 2005 and compare them to what really occurred.
• Financial historians will probably debate TARP for years to come, but one positive that might have come out of it is that TARP money seemed to give investors the confidence to invest in banks.  Perhaps this table demonstrates the point.

                                                   *       *

At the beginning of this newsletter we wrote about Due Diligence and investor scorecards. We’ve done Due Diligence on very small companies being acquired where it took only one of us two days, and we’ve also done it on much bigger transactions, some of which had servicing departments, where it took three of us a full week.  Not always, but usually, we uncover things that the buyer had no clue about. And when the acquiring company is a bank or thrift, we try to pay particular attention to those areas we know the regulators will look at.

Cheers!

Garrett, Watts & Co. 

Helping lenders increase revenues, control costs, and better manage risk.

• Mike McAuley   ([email protected] )
• Corky Watts      ([email protected]) 
• Joe Garrett      ([email protected] )

Just last week the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it had received complaints from 105 drivers complaining that their vehicles were still experiencing unintended acceleration issues after they took their vehicle in for a recall fix.

Toyota has now told its dealers that it will provide a replacement accelerator pedal to owners who are unsatisfied with their repairs.

Toyota sent out a memo today, obtained by the Associated Press, stating that if customers are still unhappy with with the feel of the accelerator after being repaired, the dealer can provide them a replacement pedal at no additional charge.

“A replacement pedal should only be offered to a customer after the reinforcement bar has been installed and the customer has expressed dissatisfaction with the operation and/or feel of the pedal,” Toyota said in the memo to dealers.

“If a customer is not satisfied with the operation and/or the feel of the accelerator pedal after the reinforcement bar has been installed, please assist us by assuring a replacement pedal is provided at no charge to these customers,” the memo said.

The memo addresses eight Toyota vehicles including:

• 2005-2010 Avalon
• 2007-2010 Camry
• 2007-2010 Tundra
• 2009-2010 Corolla, Matrix
• 2009-2010 Toyota RAV4
• 2008-2010 Sequoia
• 2008-2010 Highlander.

– By: Omar Rana

Source: MSNBC

Starting next month, Fiat SpA will start taking over sales and service for Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge brand vehicles in 11 European countries in a process that will begin in Italy and take a total of two years to complete. Fiat will slowly replace Chrysler’s former partner, Daimler AG, in providing support services for Chrysler vehicles.

The company’s financial arm has already replaced Daimler in providing financial services for Chryslers in Europe.

Within the next 18 months, activities and employees of the Chrysler’s national sales companies across Europe will be transferred to Fiat’s national sales companies.

“About 400 Chrysler European employees will move over time to Fiat,” a Chrysler spokesman told Automotive News Europe.

Fiat will eventually become the sole distributor of Chrysler brands in Europe. It will announce plans to integrate Chrysler’s European dealers to its own distribution network on April 21.

– By: Stephen Calogera

Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required)

The Dow is currently up 40 points to 10,825. Clearly an 11,000 DJIA is in investor’s sights.

The NASDAQ Composite Index is currently right at 2400, up 4.5 points. The S&P 500 is struggling to hold its gains and is currently at 1167.

Crude oil is up $0.09 at $81.69 a barrel.

Gold is back above the $1100 an ounce mark, currently at $1105 an ounce, up $5.50. Silver is up $0.14 to $17.08 an ounce.

Stock futures remain flat. Metals are posting minimal gains while meats are falling downward. Softs are mixed, with OJ and sugar down and cocoa and coffee up. Grains see corn and oats falling and soybeans rising.

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Morgan Stanley has put out an excellent strategy deck going over the firm’s outlook for emerging markets, Japan, and commodities.

Definitely worth a quick spin-through to get a feel for these markets >

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Filed under: Performance, Hatchback, Subaru, First Drive

For the better part of two decades, those of us in the U.S. have looked longingly across the oceans as Subaru released a slew of special edition Imprezas in Japan and the UK. When the WRX finally made the trek to the States in 2002, followed by the STI two years later, our thirst for rally-bred performance was satisfied – to a point.

While the WRX and STI (and by extension, the Mitsubishi Evolution) kept our turbocharged, all-wheel-drive lust at bay, a never-ending string of factory-fettled variants continued to come out of Fuji Heavy Industries. Names like Spec C, Type RA, Type RAR, S202, S203, S204, WR1, Spec D and RB320 all begged the question: Why not here?

Well, ask and ye shall receive. After countless caffeine-fueled late nights at Subaru of America HQ, we’ve finally got a hyped-up STI of our own. And it’s not only better than the standard model, it’s less expensive to boot.

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

Continue reading First Drive: 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition is the hatch to have

First Drive: 2010 Subaru Impreza WRX STI Special Edition is the hatch to have originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One of the more controversial posts we’ve had recently concerned the discussion about whether or not jurors should be allowed to use the internet to do research related to a case they are hearing. It seems like most folks here were very much against it, though I think it’s something worth exploring in more detail. But, let’s take this question a few steps across the courtroom. What about judges? In a recent appeals court ruling, it was found that it’s okay for a judge to use Google to “confirm his intuition.”

The case involved a bank robber, and a question over whether or not he violated the terms of his release by (you guessed it) robbing another bank. There was a question over what the robber wore that resulted in the Googling:

Chin reviewed several pieces of evidence, including a bank surveillance video showing a robber who wore a yellow rain hat. A yellow rain hat was found in the garage of [Anthony] Bari’s landlord.

Noting similarities between the hats, Chin at a hearing said he resorted to Google Inc’s search engine for help. “We did a Google search,” and “one can Google yellow rain hats and find lots of different yellow rain hats,” he said.

While that single point seems to favor the suspect, in providing some bit of reasonable doubt that the yellow rain hat alone proves who it was, the judge, Denny Chin, felt that there was enough overall evidence, and sentenced the guy to three years in jail. However, because of that Google search, Bari appealed, saying this violated federal rules of evidence. However, the appeals court had no problem with it:

In its decision, the appeals court said most federal evidence rules “do not apply with their full force” in proceedings to revoke supervised releases.

Using this “relaxed” standard, it endorsed Chin’s effort to confirm his “common sense supposition” that more than one yellow rain hat is available for sale.

But it went further, saying improved broadband speeds and Internet search engines cut the cost of confirming intuitions.

The court said that 20 years ago. “a trial judge may have needed to travel to a local department store to survey the rain hats on offer.

“Today, however, a judge need only take a few moments to confirm his intuition by conducting a basic Internet search,” it added. “As the cost of confirming one’s intuition decreases, we would expect to see more judges doing just that.”

I’m curious to see if the same people, who were horrified at my suggestion that Google searches for juries might not be such a horrible thing, feel the same way in the case of a judge. Because one of the key points raised in the discussion here was that “rules of evidence” were concrete and could never be messed with — and even suggesting that the concept might be due for an update was pure blasphemy. Yet, here it seems that an appeals court recognizes that modern technology may change how rules of evidence can work.

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