Author: Serkadis

  • Water Treatment Facility Disguised as a Park


    Waterfront Toronto, the innovative and ambitious plan to revitalize Toronto’s old harbour, has led to the development of Sherbourne Park, a new $28 million storm water treatment facility that will also function as an accessible public park. It’s a prime example of green infrastructure in action. The Star writes: “The idea that everything we build in a city should do double- (even triple-) duty is one whose time has come.” 

    In a recent interview, Ken Smith, ASLA, a leading landscape architect, argued that green, multi-use infrastructure results from interdisciplinary teams. “If the problem in the past was having a single profession make a single-purpose infrastructure, then I think the solution in the future is really a multidisciplinary team of people who bring multiple interests and multiple functions to that infrastructure. I think we’re starting to see that more and more — it’s engineers, architects, landscape architects, and ecologists working together on a piece of infrastructure. That’s how you bring the green to the infrastructure and incorporate it into the infrastructure.”

    Greg Smallenberg, ASLA, a principal with Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg, the design firm which won the international competition for the park / water treatment facility, agrees and is bringing this approach to Sherbourne Park: “The days of the singular perspective are over. We’re getting more collaborative. I would say that as a profession, landscape architecture has become much more aware of these issues of rationalization of capital costs. This is becoming more popular now. The truth is we’ve been thinking along these lines a long time. You see this in the blurring of roles; it’s an indication that the professions realize we have to rely on each other. We now have road engineers calling us to collaborate on road design. Twenty years ago that would have been unthinkable.”

    Sherbourne park will be designed to ”reveal, even celebrate” the process of storm water purification. By making the water infrastructure visible, the designers also believe that they will demonstrate the system’s complexity (and its value) to an indifferent public. ”At a time when Canada’s infrastructure deficit stands at $123 billion, such exposure couldn’t be more welcome. These are the systems, usually out of sight and out of mind, that provide the basic urban functions we take for granted but can no longer afford to do so.”

    The $28.7 million park budget will largely go into the intricate ultra-violet (UV) water treatment equipment. ”Beneath a pavilion designed by Toronto architect Stephen Teeple, water will undergo UV treatment. It then flows into the channel through three sculptures that rise nine metres above ground. The channel, which will figure prominently in the stormwater management system for the entire East Bayfront stretching from Yonge to Parliament Sts., also includes a biofiltration bed for further cleansing.”

    The project is expected to launch in the fall.

    Read the article and see more images of the facility.

    The New York Times reports that increased financing is desperately needed to replace outdated water and sewage management systems across the U.S.. “Today, a significant water line bursts on average every two minutes somewhere in the country, according to a New York Times analysis of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data.” Additionally, EPA studies show that $335 billion is needed to simply maintain existing water tap systems. Municipal water systems in New York alone will need $36 billion over 20 years. 

    In Washington, D.C., the cost of replacing 100-year old pipes may be finally filtering down to residents. There are plans to raise average water rates by 17 percent, which would mean average households would pay $60 per month, with fees rising to $100 per month in a few years. With the extra funds, the city could replace all pipes in 100 years instead of three centuries.

    Image credit: Waterfront Toronto

  • GM studies new head-up display system, can project info on entire windshield

    If you’re someone that knows cars and hears the words “head-up display” you automatically think of a little projector that magically shows your speed limit and other information directly on small area of your windshield. Well, General Motors R&D is taking it a step further and is studying a new system that would be able to gather data from vehicle sensors and cameras and project images generated by ultra violet lasers onto the entire surface of the windshield.

    What’s so new about this new head-up display technology? Imagine you’re driving in heavy rain or fog and can barely see the road. The new system can use compact lasers and the lane detection system to project a virtual road edge onto the full windshield to help driver’s stay on the road.

    Combined with night vision technology, the new head-up display can also highlight objects, such as deer, for the driver – helping prevent potential accidents.

    How long before GM implements this revolutionary head-up display system into production models? Nothing confirmed yet but the Detroit automaker says “it’s not far away.”

    Follow the jump for the press release.

    GM’s New Head-Up Display System:

    Press Release:

    GM Reimagines Head-Up Display Technology

    – GM’s next-generation head-up technology will make driving safer.
    – Research conducted in conjunction with leading universities.

    Warren, Mich. — Imagine a fog-shrouded morning when you cannot see the end of your driveway let alone the road you’re about to drive. Wouldn’t it be great if the sides of the road could magically appear on your windshield?

    It’s not magic, and it’s not far away either.

    General Motors R&D and several universities are working on a system that would use data gathered from an array of vehicle sensors and cameras and project images generated by compact ultra violet lasers directly onto the entire surface of the windshield,

    “We’re looking to create enhanced vision systems,” says Thomas Seder, group lab manager-GM R&D. His team is working with Carnegie Mellon University and The University of Southern California, as well as other institutions, to create a full windshield head-up system leveraging night vision, navigation and camera-based sensor technologies to improve driver visibility and object detection ability.

    “Let’s say you’re driving in fog, we could use the vehicle’s infrared cameras to identify where the edge of the road is and the lasers could ‘paint’ the edge of the road onto the windshield so the driver knows where the edge of the road is,” Seder said.

    Enhanced vision systems are a 21st Century take on Head up display technology that GM was the first to market in 1988. Designed to help keep driver attention on the road ahead by displaying important information such as vehicle speed, lane change indicator status and vehicle warning messages directly into the driver’s field of vision, head-up display systems are currently available on the GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Corvette, Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac STS.

    Scientists and lab technicians at GM’s global research and development in Warren, MI, are now developing next-generation head-up systems that could transform the everyday windshield into a device that can make driving even safer. While the full windshield head-up system has not yet been identified for a future GM vehicle program, Seder says some of the supporting technologies could end up in GM vehicles in the near-term future.

    Coated with a series of transparent phosphors which emit visible light when excited by a light beam—in this case from a compact laser—the windshield becomes a large area transparent display, instead of current HUD systems that use only a small portion of the windshield.

    The ability to use such an expansive surface enables the system to alert drivers of potential dangers that may exist outside of the normal field of vision—including children playing or motorcycles passing.

    On that foggy day, maybe worsened by sleet or snow, the enhanced vision system could combine night vision with the head-up system to identify and highlight the precise location of animals roaming along the side of the road that could have avoided recognition with the naked eye.

    “This design is superior to traditional head down display-based night vision systems, which require a user to read information from a traditional display, create a mental model and imagine the threat’s precise location in space,” Seder said

    As an added safety feature, the head-up system can be combined with automated sign reading technology, similar to the Opel Eye system that debuted on the 2009 Opel Insignia, to alert the driver if they are driving over the posted speed limit or if there’s impending construction or other potential problems ahead. Additionally, the system can use navigation system data to alert the driver of their desired exit by reading overhead traffic signs.

    “We have done testing on a number of drivers and their performance is better relative to head-down systems that are commonly used in vehicles today,” Seder said. “It’s a compelling design.”

    – By: Omar Rana


  • Canon Applies for .canon Generic Top Level Domain

    Canon, the well-known Japanese manufacturer of imaging and optical devices, is on its way to becoming the first company to apply for a customized, top-level domain name. The company is saying it has begun the acquisition process of the generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) .canon, though it may be at least a year until it could launch any new site usin… (read more)

  • This Morning’s Biggest Movers On The S&P

    As the market continues to rally, stocks are enjoying decent gains thanks to the Fed’s decision not to hike rates. Let’s take a look at today’s biggest movers in the S&P 500:

    Gainers:

    • LSI Corporation (LSI): $6.41 / +10.14%
    • Massey Energy Co (MEE): $53.15 / +5.83%
    • Hartford Financial Services Group Inc (HIG): $28.55 / +4.73%
    • Zions Bancorp (ZION): $23.19 / +4.37%
    • Lincoln National Corp (LNC): $29.69 / +4.25%

    Losers:

    • Citrix Systems Inc (CTXS): $47.76 / -2.44%
    • Unitedhealth Group Inc (UNH): $32.34 / -2.15%
    • Harley-Davidson Inc (HOG): $27.98 / -1.31%
    • Coventry Health Care Inc (CVH): $24.83 / -1.27%
    • St. Jude Medical Inc (STJ): $39.86 / -1.26%

    Join the conversation about this story »

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  • Gartman: Commodity Markets Have Gone “Mad” Since Yesterday’s FOMC Decision

    dennisgartmancnbc.png

    Dennis Gartman may be taking a day off to spend time with his family, but that still didn’t stop him from shipping out this morning’s Gartman Letter which focused on the FOMC decision.

    His view is that  the commodities market has gone “mad” since the Fed’s decision not to hike rates. Speculators are getting way to confident of a weak dollar and inflation.

    Crude oil and natural gas are up significantly this week and investors seemingly can’t get enough of it. Oil is currently at $82.39, up $0.69 and well above the critical $80 a barrel level.

    Gartman believes the madness will continue for some time to come.

    Join the conversation about this story »

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  • GM Readies Production Intent Fuel Cell for FCVs in 2015

    Even through bankruptcy proceedings, General Motors did not abandon its fuel cell vehicle (FCV) program. And now that the overall company is back on track, more progress is being announced inside of Project Driveway. There was a hint of this as last week I received an email saying there would be a big Project Driveway announcement this week.

    The big announcement is that GM has come up with a next generation hydrogen fuel cell for FCVs that is supposed to be “production-intent”. This new fuel cell is 220 lbs lighter than the previous fuel cell and uses 1/3 less platinum.

    So far in the Project Driveway program, GM has built 119 of the 200 promised Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell vehicles, logging over 1.3 million miles. One of the sticking points that GM has not addressed however, is the life expectancy of the new fuel cell.

    The fuel cell used in current and previous versions of the Chevy Equinox Fuel Cell had a life expectancy of around 50,000 miles, which is far short of the 150,000 to 200,000 mile life expectancy for which many hydrogen car producers are striving.

    The projected 2015 price tag on the new generation production intent fuel cell has not been disclosed. But, it would be a safe bet to say that changing out this fuel cell is going to be more expensive than swapping out an internal combustion engine, or a lithium ion battery pack on a hybrid car.

    So, what GM needs to do with its fuel cells within this next 5 years, is lower costs, use less or no platinum, extend the life expectance to at least 150,000 miles or above and continue to push for more H2 refueling infrastructure to be built by 2015 to support the production of its FCVs.

    If the research and development achieved in the last 5 years is any indicator, then these goals are very do-able.

  • Ask a question about the Chevrolet Cruze, star in a GM video

    At the 2010 New York Auto Show, press days of which kick off on March 31, GM will hold a special press conference about the new 2011 Chevrolet Cruze (we’re guessing, hoping that they are going to announce pricing details).

    Either way, to help kick off the press conference in New York, GM is giving its Twitter followers, YouTube subscribers and Facebook fans an opportunity to star in Chevrolet’s official event video. To be considered, all you have to do is submit a question about the 2011 Cruze in the comments section on this page by Friday, March 19th. You can also Tweet your question with the hashtag #cruzeNYC, post a text or video question in response to GM’s YouTube invitation or add your question to the comments on the NYC tab at the Chevy Cruze Facebook page.

    Hint: Maybe you’ll want to ask how much the Cruze will cost.

    Good luck on getting your 2 seconds of fame.

    Click here for more news on the Chevrolet Cruze.

    Refresher: The 2011 Chevrolet Cruze’s base LS model is powered by a 136-hp 1.8L 4-cylinder engine, while the LT and LTZ model get a 1.4L turbo Ecotec engine with 138-hp and a maximum torque of 148 lb-ft. All 2011 Cruze models will be available with a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. The 1.4L turbo modes are expected to have a cruising range of more than 500 miles and are expected to get an EPA fuel-economy rating of 40 mpg on the highway.

    2011 Chevrolet Cruze:

    2011 Chevrolet Cruze 2011 Chevrolet Cruze 2011 Chevrolet Cruze 2011 Chevrolet Cruze

    – By: Kap Shah

    Source: GM FastLane Blog


  • Fed’s lack of surprise helps markets; FHLB SF sues dealers; Applications increasing

     

    pipeline-press

    rob-chrisman-daily

    Father Murphy waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend.
    The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him.
    Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump.
    “Father,” said the young man, “I’m so sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip.”
    The priest laughed, “I know what you mean. It’s the same in my business.”

    Markets don’t wait until the last minute, since they are usually driven by fear and greed.Yesterday’s Fed announcement, although it was nothing new and left overnight rates unchanged, caused an immediate improvement in stocks and bonds. In mortgages, with originators selling and the Fed, hedge funds, Asian investors, and money managers buying, rates improved and caused several investors to improve prices. One interesting thing to note is that Ginnie Mae securities, made mostly up of FHA and VA loans, are seeing continued interest from domestic and overseas banks for their reinvestment money (from buy backs) adding support to those prices.

    The FOMC’s statement didn’t surprise anyone. Since markets don’t like surprises, and there were none, things improved. “Economic activity has continued to strengthen and the labor market is stabilizing…Household spending is expanding at a moderate rate but remains constrained by high unemployment, modest income growth, lower housing wealth, and tight credit…investment in nonresidential structures is declining, housing starts have been flat at a depressed level, and employers remain reluctant to add to payrolls. While bank lending continues to contract, financial market conditions remain supportive of economic growth. Although the pace of economic recovery is likely to be moderate for a time, the Committee anticipates a gradual return to higher levels of resource utilization in a context of price stability…inflation is likely to be subdued for some time.”

    In the mortgage markets, as expected, “To provide support to mortgage lending and housing markets and to improve overall conditions in private credit markets, the Federal Reserve has been purchasing $1.25 trillion of agency mortgage-backed securities and about $175 billion of agency debt; those purchases are nearing completion, and the remaining transactions will be executed by the end of this month. The Committee will continue to monitor the economic outlook and financial developments and will employ its policy tools as necessary to promote economic recovery and price stability. In light of improved functioning of financial markets, the Federal Reserve has been closing the special liquidity facilities that it created to support markets during the crisis. The only remaining such program, the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility, is scheduled to close on June 30 for loans backed by new-issue commercial mortgage-backed securities and on March 31 for loans backed by all other types of collateral.”

    The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco sued nine securities dealers alleging they misled it about the credit quality and risks of loans behind $19.1 billion in private-label residential mortgage-backed securities. Among several dealers, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase, and Bank of America were named as defendants. The FHLB is seeking to rescind its purchases of the securities, which were rated AAA “based on the information provided by the securities dealers… the dealers made untrue or misleading statements about the characteristics of the mortgage loans underlying the securities…failed to disclose that appraisals were biased upward on properties that secured mortgage loans, that underwriting guidelines were ignored by originators and that loan to property value ratios were exaggerated. The Federal Home Loan Banks of Seattle and Pittsburgh last year sued banks including JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs Group. You can check it out for yourself: http://www.fhlbsf.com/

    CitiMortgage, heavily rumored to be undergoing another downsizing on an undetermined scale, worked with nearly 128,000 borrowers last quarter to avoid foreclosure on almost $19 billion in mortgage loans. According to Citi, its loan modifications in the distressed asset portfolios outpaced both foreclosures and delinquencies. Modifications increased 17% in Q409 from the previous quarter. For the entire year of 2009, Citi loan modifications increased 47% from 2008. The US Treasury’s HAMP (Home Affordable Modification Program) began a year ago, and Citi rolled it out a month later.

    Risk and pricing engines out there continue to react to investor changes. ChaseCorrespondent updated its Conventional products product lines. Flagstar’s correspondent channel updated its Fannie & Freddie fixed-rate product lines and Guaranteed Rural Housing product. US Bank National Correspondent updated its VA product line. ING revised several of their submission forms. Plaza Mortgage offering Home Path, Fannie’s fixed-rate, fully amortizing loan that provides financing for properties owned by Fannie Mae through foreclosure or a deed-in-lieu. Caliber told clients originating loans in Texas that “If the property is the borrower’s rural homestead,” it must meet additional requirements.

    Some mortgage security traders believe that we will all be better off with the Fed out of the MBS business, and that overseas investors and banks are expected to be key new buyers of Agency MBS, thus providing confidence to other investor groups to follow suit. A growing trade deficit and persistently steep yield curve may lead overseas investors and banks to increase MBS holdings. In a related issue, “foreclosure to REO transition rates” rose modestly this month across all sectors after falling for two years or more in most cases, as the foreclosure process has been stalled. REO pipelines have grown mildly lately after shrinking in 2009. As homes get pushed through loan modification evaluation, look for a change. Any increase in home prices would be positive, and as most folks in the business know lower priced homes have been performing better than higher ones, a partial cause for the slight improvement in subprime default rates.

    In fact, many analysts believe that the entire yield curve, short term rates relative to long term rates, to do very little in the next three months. Of course, crystal balls don’t work so well farther out, and in the 6-and 12-month horizons most believe that yields will begin to rise sharply. Not only because the economy is beginning to heat up, but we will have the Fed’s balance sheet contracting quite a bit over the coming 12 month horizon on a combination of pay downs,
    redemptions, and buyouts.

    For this morning’s market, ahead of the Producer Price Index, rates were down and stock market futures were pointing to yet another improvement. The February PPI was -.6%, mostly due to energy costs; ex-food and energy the core rate was +.1% (as expected). The year-over-year numbers were also satisfactory, and overall it does appear that inflation is not a big deal. After the numbers we find the yield on the 10-yr at 3.63% and both 5-yr Treasury and mortgage prices a shade worse.

    Lastly, this morning’s report from the Mortgage Bankers Association of America (MBAA) showed that its application index rose last week by .5%. It is nice to see that purchases outpaced refinances +5.7% versus -1.5%.

    Paddy was driving down the street in a sweat because he had an important meeting and couldn’t find a parking place. Looking up to heaven he said, “Lord take pity on me. If you find me a parking place I will go to Mass every Sunday for the rest of me life and give up me Irish whiskey!”
    Miraculously, a parking place appeared.
    Paddy looked up again and said, “Never mind, I found one.”

    Walking into the bar, Mike said to Charlie the bartender, “Pour me a stiff one – just had another fight with the little woman.”
    “Oh yeah?” said Charlie, “And how did this one end?”
    “When it was over,” Mike replied, “She came to me on her hands and knees.”
    “Really,” said Charles, “Now that’s a switch! What did she say?”
    She said, “Come out from under the bed, you little chicken.”

    Rob

    (Check out http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/channels/pipelinepress/default.aspx. For archived commentaries, check www.robchrisman.com )

  • BOUNCE BACK TIP: Be a Forward Thinker!

    forward
    Whenever you’re tempted to dwell in the past, repeat this single word: forward.
    Brainstorm one positive thought and action to use to keep you moving forward.
    When you’re tempted to indulge in a negative, regressive behavior, swap it for one that will move you forward.

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  • Desperate times for ObamaCare camp?

    03.16.10 11:47 AM posted by Drew McKissick

    Given that there is so much news coming from all different directions about just how far along (or not) Pelosi and the House leadership is to wrangling up the votes to pass ObamaCare, it’s sometimes hard to know just where things stand.

    But today, (just like the last few days), I get an email from BarackObama.com, (join the list, it’s always good for a laugh), asking for people to target Louisiana Republican Representative Joseph Cao and pressure him to vote "yes".

    Of course, Cao was the only Republican in the House that voted for the House version of ObamaCare last fall, but he has since changed to a "no" vote. And while I understand that he’s not exactly sitting in a Republican district (it’s the district he won after the criminal fall from grace by the former Dem Rep. William Jefferson), it still doesn’t make much since to dedicate an entire daily blast to your email list encouraging people from all over the country, (I’m in SC for goodness sakes), to target this guy.

    In short, it smacks of desperation.

    If it’s really down to trying to turn a Republican, rather than just focusing on getting 216 out of the 257 Democrats that are in the House to support it, then things aren’t going so well. read more »

    http://www.conservativeoutpost.com/d…obamacare_camp

  • Obama Manipulates States Into Adopting Standardized Academic Curriculum

    03.16.10 02:58 PM posted by FMeekins

    The Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association, with prodding by the Obama administration, have agreed to a framework essentially nationalizing what is to be taught in America’s schools.Coverage in the media makes it sound like these standards will apply only to English and Math.The problem arises in that English encompasses literature, which can play a major role in shaping the worldviews of students.This is especially true since many leftwing academics think students should feast their minds on a steady diet of works that undermine the values preferred by parents.For example, will students be required to read Harry Potter, which some parents might object to while others might not have so much of a problem with? Even worse is what will happen in regards to works that advocating additional sundry debaucheries such as fornication and suicide?And though these standards are supposedly for public schools, what will happen to students in private schools that wish to maintain their academic independence?by Frederick Meekins read more »

    http://www.conservativeoutpost.com/o…mic_curriculum

  • BMW M division cranks out a human-powered bike

    Filed under: ,


    BMW M Bike – Click above for high-res image

    There aren’t a lot of automakers also making motorcycles. Honda, Suzuki, Peugeot, BMW… along with Triumph once upon a time and Yamaha dabbling in the automotive consultancy business. That just about covers it. But there are plenty churning out branded bicycles, and Bimmer’s M division is the latest.

    The 28-pound cycle is based on a sleek aluminum frame, available in three sizes and coated in matte anthracite paint. It’s topped by a leather fi’zi:k saddle with a red inlay and fitted with a Manitou Match front suspension fork, Shimano SLX gear system – what, no dual-clutch transmission? – and disc brakes front and rear.

    The BMW M Bike will only be made in limited quantities starting in June from select dealership and www.bmw-shop.com. Just don’t expect dealers to begin giving them away free with the purchase of a new X3 like Volkswagen did with Trek. Details in the press release after the jump.

    [Source: BMW]

    Continue reading BMW M division cranks out a human-powered bike

    BMW M division cranks out a human-powered bike originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Suzuki doesn’t want to ditch safety, quality to offer cheap Nano rival

    Suzuki’s boss says that the company isn’t going to build a cheap car to rival the Tata Nano in developing countries, despite facing a big threat in one of its largest markets. The Tata Nano is offering Indian car shoppers a cheaper option other than Suzuki and its partner Maruti, who together control 50 percent of the market.

    Company boss Osamu Suzuki says that a cheaper car than the models it currently offers “wouldn’t be a car any more”.

    Suzuki said he is worried about losing the safety and comfort standards in a super-cheap model.

    Suzuki will soon offer hybrids, diesels and electric cars in emerging markets with its new partner, Volkswagen.

    – By: Kap Shah

    Source: AutoCar


  • UK: Animal Rights Summer Gathering, 27-30 August 2010

    from ar, 16 March 2010: “Having barely recovered from an exhausting but exhilarating Spring Gathering in Nottingham, this year’s Summer Gathering has been announced for Friday 27th August to Monday 30th August 2010. It is still early in the planning process, but this announcement is mainly to minimise the need for clashes of dates at the summer gathering season unfolds, allowing more efficient use of shared resources…” more

  • Now This Is BLATANT Manipulation Of The Healthcare Market

    We noticed this earlier, but didn’t quite process it.

    The opening trade on the Intrade healthcare market this morning was around 35, well below what the bid/ask are at (around 50).

    As a reader points out, someone obviously attempted a MAJOR selling attack today, to shift the sentiment — and we actually buy this, since even now CNBC is quoting the contract during the day. Right now the bid is back above 50, but if you want evidence that there’s manipulation

    chart

    Join the conversation about this story »

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  • RE game designer wants a horror game in 3D

    3D is steadily making its way into gaming right now, with more and more games coming with some form of 3D support. For Resident Evil game designer Shinji Mikami, that’d be great news since he’d finally be

  • 12 Things You Absolutely Must Know About Investing Right Now

    Investor Confidence Feb 2009-Feb 2010Investor confidence is right back to where it was almost a year ago, when the markets were recovering from the worst bearish streak in recent memories.

    Many investors are worried that the rally came too far, too fast. Those who sat out the rally think they might already be too late.

    But this approach is wrong-headed. Both assume that you should only invest if you can correctly time the market. If that were true, pretty much no one would ever be able to prudently invest. There’s a word for people who buy at the lows and sell at the highs: Liars.

    If you are thinking about getting back into the markets, now might be the perfect time to avoid many of the errors that trap investors and eat away at any gains in their portfolios. In short, this time you have the opportunity to do it right. So here is our guide to investing wisely. Twelve tips that will help you avoid some of the most common mistakes.

    See 12 tips for investing >

    Join the conversation about this story »

  • Federal Gov’t Mostly Ignoring Obama Directive To Be More Transparent

    One of the first things that President Obama did upon taking office was promise a much more open and transparent administration from what came before. He issued a “directive” to federal agencies to start with the assumption of openness and only back down from it with good reason. And yet, as we’ve seen over and over again, federal agencies have been anything but transparent — and a new study supports that. The AP looked at Freedom of Information Act requests and found that agencies are turning down FOIA requests at a much greater rate than the last administration, and doing so using a “deliberative process” exemption — which Obama specifically told agencies to avoid if possible. Amusingly, the AP notes that the administration still hasn’t responded to its own FOIA request about the gov’t’s new transparency plans.

    Along those lines, rather than waiting for the government to just be proactive in being transparent, why not help them along? You may recall last year that Jim Harper set up a system to crowdsource a comprehensive collection of earmark data that was required to be released — but which was released in a variety of different and confusing ways. Now that the feds are finally moving towards standardizing how earmark data is released, Harper along with Jerry Brito are trying to make sure that the standardized format is as useful as possible. They’ve set up EarmarkData.org to try to help create a standardized format that will actually capture and present the data in the most useful way.

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  • Eventos pelo mundo: Confiram fotos das gatinhas e carrões do ‘4Tuning Days’

    Imagens dos carros e das gatas do evento

    Acontecem tantos eventos interessantes ao redor do mundo que merecem uma atenção especial, como o caso desse que rolou na Romênia, chamado de 4Tuning Days. Se trata de um importante show de tuning cujo nível de grandeza se equipara ao “SEMA“, “Essen Motor Show” e o “Tokyo Auto Salon“.

    Eventos com carros bonitos e mulheres bonitas sempre são bem vindos, não é verdade? No decorrer do ano, vamos publicando algumas imagens desses lugares. Sem mais demora, conheçam um pouco do que aconteceu na Romênia, com as belas imagens dos carros e é claro, das gatinhas que sempre ficam ao lado!

    Imagens dos carros e das gatas do evento
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    Via | Carscoop


  • Hublot presents the F1 King, official timepiece of Formula One

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    Hublot F1 King – Click above for high-res image gallery

    There’s seemingly no limit to the extent of commercial partnerships taking place every day in the fast-paced world of Formula One racing. But while the teams, and sometimes even the races themselves, have been the beneficiaries of such consideration, the series itself has largely stayed out of it. That’s all changing now, however, as Bernie Ecclestone is taking a page out of the NASCAR playbook in bringing aboard various commercial partners for the series. LG, for example, was one of the first, and now the series has announced a new partnership with Swiss watchmakers Hublot as the sport’s official timekeeper.

    Replacing the previous arrangement with Jacques LeMans, the Hublot deal promises to bring a series of specially-branded timepieces to market. And this is the first. Called the F1 King, it’s the opposite of the kind of flashy, bling-tastic jewelry you might have associated with the series. Instead, as you can see from the image above, the F1 King is all decked out in matte black, from the microblasted ceramic bezel and PVD-coated titanium fittings to the tungsten-carbide and black chrome mechanical components inside.

    Follow the jump for full details in the press release and browse the images from the announcement this past weekend in Bahrain.

    Gallery: Hublot F1 King

    [Source: Hublot]

    Continue reading Hublot presents the F1 King, official timepiece of Formula One

    Hublot presents the F1 King, official timepiece of Formula One originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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