Author: Serkadis

In his latest note, John Hussman ponders the inexorable connection between debt and inflation. And though he’s not calling for all-out hyperinflation he is… well, concerned:

In bonds, the Market Climate remained characterized last week by modestly unfavorable yield levels and hostile yield pressures. The Strategic Total Return Fund continues to carry a duration of about 4 years, mostly in intermediate term Treasury notes. My near-term concern continues to be the risk of fresh credit strains. As we observed in 2008 and early 2009, the likely outcome of such credit strains is a flight-to-safety toward default-free Treasury securities (a flight that tends to outweigh supply concerns over the near term), and a tendency toward dollar strength and commodity weakness. That said, the long-term implications of bailouts, tax shortfalls and lack of budget discipline is likely to be significant inflation pressure beginning about 4 years or so out, and continuing for the remainder of the decade.

The chart below provides an effective reminder of the situation. It should not escape investors that the rapid expansion of deficits during the 1970’s and into the early 1980’s was accompanied by a hostile inflation climate, while the fiscal discipline of the 1990’s produced a very pleasant period of low inflation pressures. Inflation is always and everywhere a fiscal phenomenon. Though hyperinflations are typically driven by the inevitable financing of fiscal deficits by money creation, you will not find sustained inflation without sustained fiscal irresponsibility. As Peter Bernholz notes in Monetary Regimes and Inflation, “there has never occurred a hyperinflation in history which was not caused by a huge deficit of the state.” While we certainly don’t anticipate anything on the order of hyperinflation, the expansion in deficit spending that we currently observe is beyond anything ever observed in the post-war era. I continue to anticipate a near doubling in the CPI over the course of about 10 years, focused primarily in the latter half of this decade.

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In 2008, Chrysler announced its intention to bring a Ram Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) to the U.S. market. However, after much consideration and evaluating the response to hybrid pickups in the marketplace, Chrysler said it could not formulate an appropriate business case and has decided to cancel development work on the 2011 Ram HEV.

In the meantime, Chrysler said it will be building a total of 140 Ram plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) for a three-year demonstration project after being selected for a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) grant of up to $48 million as part of a $2.4 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act DOE Vehicle Electrification program.

Click here to get prices on the 2010 Dodge Ram.

“This initiative represents how government, automotive industry, suppliers and key partners are reaching common goals and demonstrates how rapidly this type of advanced technology can be brought to market,” said Paolo Ferrero, Senior Vice President—Powertrain, Chrysler Group LLC. “DOE-support for domestic advanced technology is an important enabler for Chrysler Group and its key suppliers in order to understand and test customer acceptance and the capability of PHEV systems in a variety of real-world conditions.”

The Ram PHEV is powered by a 5.7L V8 mated to a two-mode hybrid system and a 12 KwHr lithium-ion battery. Chrysler said that the Ram PHEV is capable of up to 20 miles of pure-electric driving and is expected to improve fuel-economy by more than 65 percent.

– By: Omar Rana

No releases for Virtual Console on this batch, mostly just a few bites for the DSiWare. For only 200 DSiWare points apiece, you can get a Game & Watch title for your DSi, or if you’re feeling

It may not be ready in time for the launch of the iPad, but Amazon wants you to know that its Kindle app will be worth the wait. That’s why it’s created a special preview page of the upcoming software, dubbed “Kindle Apps for Tablet Computers” with “Including the iPad” in much smaller font beside that primary title.

So its clear that while Amazon wants to capitalize on the iPad’s hype and pre-release popularity, it also doesn’t want to go as far as helping Apple convey the impression that it’s the only tablet game in town. To me, the “Including the iPad” sounds like a begrudging admission of the “I was wrong and you were right” variety.

Of course, it might just be that Amazon would like to appeal to the widest group of potential customers possible, while at the same time acknowledging that Apple is likely to win the brand recognition fight in that particular category. Whatever the marketing logic, the actual software Amazon is previewing looks to be pretty fantastic, especially for those (like me) who are already hardware Kindle owners.

First, the Kindle tablet app will offer Whispersync services, which means you can pick up where you last left off reading, no matter which device you happened to be using. I can’t count how many times I’ve used this between my Kindle 2 and my iPhone, so I can’t imagine it being any less useful with my iPad when it finally graces these Canadian shores.

The app will also synch your notes and highlights and bookmarks across all compatible devices, including the recently released Kindle for Mac software, which can read notes and bookmarks, but not make new ones of its own as of yet.

Visually, the Kindle app looks like what you’d expect. Page turn animations are included, or you can turn them off if you’re not so crazy about mimicking a paper reading experience on your digital devices, which I most definitely am not. You can also change font size and color, and background color in order to make the reading experience more comfortable.

Kindle for tablets also supports full color images and graphics, which is great news not only for fans of comics and graphic novels, which haven’t really been a great option on the Kindle thus far, but also for textbooks, recipe books, and some more adventurous fiction that uses in text images and font color changes as narrative devices.

Finally, you’ll be able to shop in the Kindle store via a built-in web view, so you can indulge all those buying impulses on the fly instead of having to wait till you have access to a full computer. All-in-all, it sounds like it’ll give my Kindle 2 a run for its money, even with potentially eye-straining backlighting.

Filed under: Sedan, Government/Legal, BMW, Police/Emergency

Carbon Motors E7 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Back in 2007 when Carbon Motors announced it would build the first purpose-designed police vehicle, the spec sheet called for a twin-turbocharged inline-six cylinder diesel engine. As any existing automaker will tell you, certifying a diesel engine to meet current U.S. emissions regulations is no trivial matter, so Carbon Motors would likely have to find a supplier with an engine already certified. But the number of companies currently selling passenger car diesels in the U.S. can be counted on one hand with some fingers to spare.

At a press conference in Washington D.C. on Monday morning, BMW and Carbon Motors announced that the German automaker would supply its highly regarded 3.0-liter inline-six cylinder diesel for these new police vehicles. Carbon has placed an order for 240,000 units of the same diesel engine used in the BMW X5 35d and 335d. In current U.S. emissions legal form, the diesel produces 265 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque.

Powered by the BMW diesel, the Carbon E7 is expected to achieve up to a 40-percent reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions compared to current police vehicles. While this diesel-powered E7 will certainly be fuel efficient, it will also be substantially more expensive to buy than current police cruisers. Performance, however, should not be a problem and 0-60 miles per hour in the mid-six-second range should be easily achievable with all that torque. Based on our experience with the 335d, combined mileage in the upper 20-mpg range and highway mileage in the 30s should be easily achievable, making this a potentially very thrift highway patrol vehicle.

Between this, the new EcoBoost-powered Ford Police Interceptor, the Zeta-based Chevrolet Caprice and current Dodge Charger police offering, the cop car market is going to get very interesting in the next few years.

Check out our comparison chart of the upcoming police vehicle offerings here. We’ll add the Carbon Motors E7 once we know a few more of its specs.

[Source: Carbon Motors]

Continue reading Carbon Motors to use BMW diesel in new E7 police car

Carbon Motors to use BMW diesel in new E7 police car originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Namco Bandai showed us a rather cool-looking debut trailer (qjnet/nintendo-ds/another-nostalgic-look-at-son-gokus-childhood.html) for Dragon Ball: Origins 2 last month, so now it’s time to take a look at the gameplay. Fortunately, there’s two minutes worth of that in this

You probably didn’t know that today is World Water Day.

Americans care very little about water, because for most of our history water has been abundant and good. But problems with infrastructure and supply are growing.

Globally, the water crisis is much worse.

We are fast approaching a world in which the most hotly-contested resource for development and survival is not oil, but water.

This is also why investors have become crazy about it, pouring huge money into water rights, desalinization, and purification projects.

15 Facts About The Coming Water Crisis >

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Last week, we asked you which of the new cop cars you would like to be chased in – of course many of you answered the Carbon Motors E7 Police Car, which enters production early 2012. Well, it seems like there may be just one more reason that Carbon’s E7 might be strong seller when its comes to the police interceptor segment.

BMW announced today that it has received a major order consisting of 240,000 diesel engines from Carbon Motors. The agreement calls for delivery of inline 6-cylinder diesel engines complete with cooling and exhaust gas system and automatic transmission.

“We announced the expansion of our powertrain system sales business as part of the company’s Strategy Number ONE. Today’s agreement with Carbon Motors marks another important milestone along this route – with others to follow,” said Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing. “We are delighted to support Carbon Motors Corp. with our engine expertise. BMW Group diesel engines have a clear lead over the competition when it comes to fuel consumption, emissions and performance. In this way, we will also help reduce the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of more than 240,000 US law enforcement vehicles by up to 40 percent over the coming years.”

The diesel engine is the same twin-turbocharged unit used in the BMW X5 xDrive35d and the BMW 335d and is good for 265-hp and a maximum torque of 425 lb-ft.

Carbon Motors E7 Police Car:

– By: Kap Shah

We’re seeing more and more analysis of the summary judgment motions filed by both sides in the YouTube lawsuit between Google and Viacom. Unfortunately, many sites are basing their analysis on the out of context quotes Viacom pulled out of some emails — despite the fact that the evidence doesn’t actually support what it claims. One particularly laughable analysis was done by a group funded by the entertainment industry, which not only takes those quotes out of context and considers them proof, but then completely misinterprets Google’s filing as well. The writer, George Ou, seems to think that the point of Google’s filing is to show that since Viacom used YouTube, it shouldn’t file a lawsuit. But that’s not at all what Google’s motion said. The point wasn’t that Viacom used YouTube, but that it uploaded all sorts of content in secretive ways — ways that would make it impossible for Google to know what was and was not infringing. Furthermore, the arguments were about how Viacom set up a complex set of ever changing rules that confused even Viacom’s partner in issuing takedowns, and yet expected Google to be able to magically know what Viacom wished taken offline, and what should be left online. Oddly, Ou seems to have missed all of that, despite it being the central point to Google’s motion. He also falsely claims that Google is suggesting if Viacom uploaded some content, that means everyone should be able to do so. Google said no such thing. It’s merely pointing out that Google is in no position to know what Viacom is authorizing and what it is not — and according to the law, that means Google need not try to guess.

A much better analysis, that really cuts through the clutter and highlights the key point of the case, is the one by the EFF’s Fred von Lohmann, where he notes (as Eric Goldman did) that in a footnote, Viacom admits that it’s fine with all of YouTube’s actions after May of 2008, when it implemented its own filtering technology. Once you realize that, it becomes clear: Viacom is claiming that the DMCA requires filters. Yet, the DMCA is explicit that this is not true, and always has been. In fact, if I remember correctly, Paramount Pictures top lawyer (Paramount is a Viacom subsidiary) said in a discussion we wrote about last year, that he felt the current DMCA was deficient, in that it had a notice-and-takedown provision, rather than requiring proactive monitoring.

And yet, by Viacom’s own (indirect) admission in this lawsuit, it seems to believe that the DMCA requires proactive monitoring:

So what Viacom is asking for here is a radical re-write of the DMCA that, if accepted, would put all kinds of online service providers at risk of huge statutory damages for copyright infringement. Is eBay used to commit copyright infringement every day by some users? Sure. Do people use Microsoft’s Bing to find infringing materials? Check. Do online lockering services get used to store infringing materials? Do users send infringing email attachments? How about the “send file” features of every instant messaging system? The only reason these (and many other) online services exist is because the DMCA safe harbors give them rules to follow that are much clearer than the murky standards for “secondary liability.” If Viacom is right, then there are no clear rules to follow, except “beg permission from every copyright owner first.” And that’s a rule that would hobble innovation and competition online.

So please pay careful attention to the actual arguments being made here. No one is saying that copyright infringement should be allowed on YouTube. The only question is whether or not it should be YouTube’s responsibility to proactively monitor that content and stop it from being uploaded. The law is pretty clear that this is not required — and, as Google’s filing makes clear, even if it were required, given Viacom’s own actions, this would be impossible.

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It must feel good to be a shareholder of basically any hospital or healthcare provider. Why? Because Obama and Pelosi’s $940 billion health care reform bill will inject them with a lot of money from new customers.

Check out the gainers below:

Hospitals:

• SunLink Health systems Inc (SSY): $1.79 / +12.59%
• Health Management Associates (HMA): $8.82 / +8.49%
• Tenet Healthcare Corp (THC): $6.10 / +6.09%
• Community Health Systems Inc (CYH): $40.44 / +5.97%
• Universal Health Services Inc (UHS): $36.07 / +4.67%
• Dynacq Healthcare Inc (DYII): $3.06 / +4.57%
• Lifepoint Hospitals Inc (LPNT): $36.97 / +3.15%
• Select Medical Holdings Corp (SEM): $8.71 / +2.47%

Health Care Providers:

• AMERIGROUP Corp (AGP): $33.14 / +5.58%
• Molina Healthcare Inc (MOH): $25.68 / +4.18%
• WellCare Health Plans Inc (WCG): $31.47 / +2.44%
• Centene Corp (CNC): $22.35 / +2.40%
• Universal American Corp (UAM): $15.71 / +0.58%

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See Also:

• Check Out This Morning’s Worst Performing Healthcare Stocks
• 50 Depressing Facts About The Healthcare System That Will Make You Beg For Reform
• Chanos Is Done Shorting Healthcare, After Watching This Administration "Give Up All Its Principles"

IEA UniServ Intern Program

The purpose of this program is to provide an opportunity for IEA members, associate staff, and administrative assistants interested in securing professional staff positions an opportunity to experience UniServ professional staff work. All active members of the IEA, associate staff, and administrative assistants will be eligible; however, the IEA is committed to an affirmative action program so we are actively seeking minorities and women to apply. The program will function in a manner similar to a student-teacher program in that the intern will be assigned to work in a specific area, under the supervision of a selected UniServ Director. It will not be the intention of the UniServ Intern Program to replace staff positions. The UniServ Intern Program will be an on-the-job learning situation. The internship will begin on June 14, 2010 and conclude on June 13, 2011.

1. Download and read carefully the IEA UniServ Director Intern Program booklet
2. Download and read carefully the IEA UniServ Director Intern Program brochure
3. Download and fill out the electronic application form (must be filled out electronically)

Please note that handwritten application forms are not acceptable.

Application deadline is April 1, 2010

The Kick-Ass movie seems pretty funny from what I’ve seen so far, and judging by this trailer, WHA Entertainment seems to have captured the humor in its tie-in game, Kick-Ass: The Game. The vid also has a

Recently, I had the pleasure of communicating with Todd Norman, author of Ideas to Save the Planet. I put a few questions to him about the role of hydrogen. Here is the question and answer session:

HydroKevin (HK): What is your vision of a global conversion to a hydrogen economy especially concerning the building of an H2 transportation system?

Todd Norman (TN): My vision for global conversion to Hydrogen is similar to Roy McAlister’s. I’m advocating for his idea of converting existing cars to burn Hydrogen, because converted cars clean the pollution that is already in the air as you drive. I still like fuel cell cars, but I just agree that we should use what we have and not only stop polluting, but also clean up the old pollution. My ideas are for the current emission testing places to be converted to Hydrogen conversion centers, as well as for auto mechanics to be trained to convert cars, and for all trains, planes, and boats to be converted as well.

HK: How do you envision using hydrogen, solar and wind energy to complement one another to their full capacity?

TN: I see it as a triple back-up. If we all had Solar panels, Wind generators, a back-up Hydrogen fuel cell, and batteries in our homes, we would all be energy independent, energy abundant, and zero emission. If it’s not sunny, it’s usually windy, and it can be windy at night, and in the winter when it’s neither, you can use the fuel cell. We can generate our own Hydrogen with Solar, Wind, and Water and therefore the consistent Hydrogen fuel solves the inconsistency of Solar and Wind.

HK: What do you mean by Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars are the Real Deal Hybrids?

TN: Gasoline Hybrids still pollute. We need to stop being satisfied with Going Green and only “reducing emissions” and we have to go all the way and Go Clear, to 100-percent 0 emissions. As far as I know, Fuel Cell cars are electric cars with a Hydrogen fuel cell to supply electricity as you drive, and therefore they have a longer range. They are the Real Deal Hybrids because if you generated your own Hydrogen at home with Solar, Wind, and Water you could be saving thousands per year on fuel, travel further, and fully save the planet by being 100-percent zero emission and energy independent.

HK: Why would people be outraged if they were more educated about hydrogen?

TN: They would be outraged as I am if they knew that the fuel cell was 171 years old and getting Hydrogen from water with electricity is 206 years old. Because they would know that we wouldn’t have to have wars for Oil, or have Climate Change, or our children getting asthma from Coal emission, or pay high energy prices. They would know that all that is totally unnecessary, because every nation is near oceans of water and therefore everyone could have unlimited Hydrogen, and be developing and living well without polluting.

And if they had Solar, Wind and a Fuel Cell, and an electrolyzer they could be generating their own gas for their car and heating, and never have to pay for electricity, heat, or car fuel ever again, and thus save thousand per year. I am trying to convince people that living this way is the true defense of every nation to save the planet and it’s also the true defense of everyone’s budget. Also you would save more money generating your own car fuel with your extra Solar and Wind, and Water off your rain gutter, than the small amount of money you get back from the power company for it. I think that people would be outraged because all that is not already happening, and could be happening, and they would act on that outrage, demand it, and start living this way.

HK: How can people use hydrogen now to make a difference?

TN: They can get their car converted to burn Hydrogen or they can put in their order for a Fuel cell car, then buy them, then drive them. They can demand Universal Hydrogen, Solar, and Wind from their Governments. They can educate themselves about it, make using it a priority, and then use it. It has taken the Green movement 40 years to become main stream, and we are still only changing light bulbs and using Coal and Oil slightly more efficiently. We can’t wait another 40 years to Go Clear. We have to do it now. Hydrogen is the solution to many of the world’s problems and is the most abundant energy source on this planet. We all have to open our minds to Hydrogen, Solar, and Wind, be given the means to access the abundant energy that is all around us, and then pick up those tools that are lying at our feet and use them.

Many thanks to Mr. Norman for his time and perspective on the role of hydrogen in saving the planet. Mr. Norman also gave me permission to publish his email address and he can be reached at: [email protected]

How do you control what will and won’t appear on your brand new platform on launch day if you’re Apple, without outright banning apps in a way that might invite accusations of attempting to start a monopoly? If it’s the e-book market you’re after, apparently all you have to do is limit pre-release device access.

Amazon was not one of the select few companies that got access to pre-launch hardware with regards to iPad development. Neither was Barnes & Noble. That honor was reserved for others, like Major League Baseball, the New York Time and the Wall Street Journal. None of which, you’ll note, directly compete for dollars with anything Apple will be offering on the platform.

Since Amazon and Barnes & Noble won’t be able to test their e-reader apps on actual iPads prior to its launch, neither will be offering the software for download on launch day. Sure, they could use the virtual iPad development tool now included with the iPad SDK, but a smooth virtual experience doesn’t necessarily guarantee the effectiveness of the real thing. Accordingly, the booksellers will wait until they can check final versions on iPads, which will only happen after the street date, before submitting iPad-specific apps to Apple.

This will give Apple a valuable head-start when it comes to selling books on the iPad. There’s almost no question that its own iBookstore will be ready for the launch, though it will only be available as a download, and not pre-loaded on devices. The B&N and Amazon iPhone apps will be available, of course, and compatible with the iPad, but they probably won’t be that appealing running in the iPad software’s shoehorned compatibility modes.

Apple needs the time it will gain as the sole iPad-specific bookseller thanks to this shrewd move. The e-book market is one of the few where it will actually be playing catch-up. Amazon in particular will have a built-in user base at launch, as owners of its Kindle devices and those who’ve already built up a library on the iPhone and computer versions of its software could well be reluctant to start again with another seller, in the same way that Canon DSLR owners generally won’t switch to Nikon camera bodies since they lose the use of all their lenses.

My guess is that since Apple is launching iBooks in the U.S. only so far, its main concern isn’t really a customer-grab from Amazon and others already in the business. I’d say Cupertino is more interested in the extremely large potential marketshare that remains in the form of people who haven’t yet gotten on the e-book bandwagon. Just like with gaming, Apple will be looking to convert casuals who adopt its platform for other reasons, and I’d be surprised if we didn’t see them become an industry leading force overnight all over again in this new arena.

Durante alguns dias atrás, apareceram algumas notícias informando que a GM Brasileira iria lançar o Chevrolet Cruze em nosso país para substituir o antigo Vectra, que está com as vendas baixas no mercado.

E há algum tempo atrás apareceram imagens na internet de um sedan médio, que se parecia com um Buick, rodando nas ruas da Alemanha. Pelas imagens, ele se parecia no novo modelo do Astra VI, lançado na Europa. O que acontece é que esse modelo não é normalmente vendido na Europa sem que também seja incluso no BRIC, que é o bloco formado pelos mercados do Brasil, Russia, India e China, lugares onde carros desse porte são vendidos em grande escala.

Então fica ai a dúvida por enquanto. Será que esse modelo entrará em nosso mercado nos próximos meses? Vamos aguardar para saber maiores detalhes.

Imagens do possível novo modelo da GM Brasil

Via | Motor Pasion

Filed under: Classics, Auctions

Recession? What recession? You certainly wouldn’t know it from looking at the latest crop of results from the auction floor, where millions of dollars continue to change hands between collectors for some of the finest pieces of rolling artwork ever to grace tarmac. Especially when the vehicles in question trace their roots back to the Great Depression itself.

At RM’s recent Amelia Island event, a pair of early-30s Duesenbergs from the estate of one Mr. John O’Quinn brought in some big bucks. Both were Model Js with coachwork by Murphy and 265-horsepower 420-cubic-inch straight-eights with four valves per cylinder mated to three-speed transmissions.

The first, a 1930 saloon, eclipsed early estimates (which placed the hammer price between $1.2 and 1.5 million) by fetching an outstanding $1,705,000 at auction. The second, a 1932 convertible, fetched a still remarkable $800,000, closer to the bottom end of its pre-auction estimates which ranged from $800k to $1 million.

When, as RM points out, you consider that an average family sedan in that era cost about $500, the $20,000 sticker price on a new coachbuilt Duesenberg in its day equates to about a million today with inflation – think of it as the Bugatti of its time and you’re right on track. In fact, along with the likes of Rolls-Royce and Hispano-Suiza, that’s exactly who E.L. Cord had in mind when he acquired Duesenberg and added it to his empire that already included his namesake brand as well as Auburn and the Checker Cab, delivering the first customer Model Js just months before the stock market crashed. Follow the jump for more history on each of the models from the auctioneer.

[Source: RM Auctions]

Continue reading She’s a Real Duesy: 1930s Model J Duesenbergs fetch millions at RM Amelia Island

She’s a Real Duesy: 1930s Model J Duesenbergs fetch millions at RM Amelia Island originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Fiat 500 will be available in the North American market with a 1.4L Multiair engine in the fourth quarter of 2010. A 1.4L Multiair turbo is expected to arrive in the fourth-quarter of 2011. Chrysler Group LLC announced today that it will offer the U.S. a pure electric version of the Fiat 500 in 2012.

“Shown earlier this year at the 2010 North American International Auto Show, the Fiat 500EV demonstrates the immediate benefits of the alliance between Chrysler Group and the Fiat Group as well as the speed at which the two companies can work together on advanced vehicle programs,” Chrysler said in a statement.

“The alliance with Fiat presented new opportunities to merge Chrysler Group engineering knowledge with new platforms and the Fiat 500EV is an outstanding example of our efforts,” said Scott Kunselman, Senior Vice President Engineering—Chrysler Group LLC. “The Fiat 500 is a small, lightweight platform perfect for integrating electric-vehicle technology.”

The Fiat 500EV powertrain is made up of a high power electric powertrain module, advance lithium ion battery, and an EV control unit to manage power flows.

Starting 2012, Chrysler will manufacture the Fiat 500EV for the United States market. The Auburn Hills automaker said that all powertrain engineering and vehicle development will take place at its headquarters. It said that prices will be announced closer to launch, but expect them to be competitive with similar electric-cars in the market.

2010 Detroit: Fiat 500 BEV:

All Photos Copyright © 2010 Stephen Calogera – egmCarTech.

– By: Omar Rana

One very handy feature in Google Chrome, and most other modern web browsers, is the possibility to go ‘off the record’, or as Chrome calls it “Incognito mode.” Though the feature has gotten a bit of a bad rep, it’s clearly an important one to have, especially with the growing discussion centering around privacy. One caveat, though probably n… (read more)

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Europe, Bentley, Luxury

If we left the confines (and soft leather couch) of our west coast office (i.e. home) right now and drove at a reasonable pace, we could be in New York City within three days. We’d be exhausted, but we’d be there. And if the fine, love doing-stuff-by-hand folks in Crewe decided to start painting a new Bentley Mulsanne the day we decided to leave Los Angeles, they’d still be hard at work long after we’re chowing down on arepas at this little Venezuelan joint we know in the East Village.

It takes them four days – literally – to paint Bentley’s new biggie ultra-lux sedan. Why four days? Here’s a partial explanation, straight from the mouth of the directer of the Mulsanne’s bespoke paint shop, Dave Walton:

“Different colours have markedly different characteristics and your perception of a colour’s shade changes according to how deep the coat is. Then there’s the fact that no two expert sprayers would apply that colour basecoat in exactly the same way. You learn to trust each craftsman’s eyes and skills, not just the process. It takes many months of in-depth training for a quality control inspector to learn how to identify defects that an owner might never notice, yet each one will be rectified, even if this means sending it around the entire process again. We always operate way above customer expectations of quality.”

Sounds… exhausting. But you know what? If we were (able) to plop down $285,000 for a new Mulsanne, it had better damn well take four days to paint. At least! Press release packed with more luxurious, ridiculous and time consuming details after the jump.

Continue reading 28 Four Days Later: It takes 86 hours to paint the Bentley Mulsanne

28 Four Days Later: It takes 86 hours to paint the Bentley Mulsanne originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Mar 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In many past articles, we talked about the goods and bads of an Oracle – Sun merger and how that could affect MySQL’s development. In the mean time, MySQL’s original founder has gone forward with his personal projects and built upon a branch of MySQL a complete port of the database, based on the Maria storage engine.

After leaving Sun in February 2… (read more)