Earlier this year, we wrote about a company called Vision Media TV that was suing the operator of 800Notes.com, a site where users had complained about Vision Media. Vision Media, of course, has been criticized in the NY Times and other media publications for cold calling organizations, promising to put them on “public television,” but not making it clear that all it seemed to do was send the program it would put together (after the organization paid somewhere around $20,000) to various public television stations, with no promise that it would get on TV. Vision Media has been aggressive in trying to quiet any criticism, but with this latest lawsuit, not only is it getting some pushback, but others may be digging up some additional dirt on the company.
Paul Alan Levy, who is representing 800Notes, alerts us to the news that all of this attention has helped dig up other reports about the company, including the fact that similarly questionable pitches have come from other companies with different names (WJMK, United Media, Vision Media and Great America HD)… but the very same address as Vision Media. Rather than Hugh Downs, those other pitches involved media personalities like Walter Cronkite and Mike Douglas — both of whom ended up suing the company over being misled. This reminds me that we received a similar pitch ourselves a year or so ago, but I have no idea if it was from the same company (and tragically, I can’t find that voicemail any more).
Of course, none of this would be getting as much attention if the company wasn’t trying to silence 800Notes and its users from saying why they felt the pitches were questionable.
Final Fantasy XIII is a console role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix and is the thirteenth installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was released for the PlayStation 3 in Japan on December 17, 2009 and is due for release very soon in North America and PAL regions on March 9, 2010 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Final Fantasy XIII is the flagship title of the Fabula Nova Crystallis collection of Final Fantasy games and is the first game to utilize Square-Enix’s Crystal Tools engine. The game features both futuristic and natural elements; it is set between a land of wilderness and the high-tech world above it. Following the story of Lightning, Square-Enix describes the theme of the game as “those who resist the world.”
The game sold in excess of one million units on its first day of sale in Japan, and had sold 1,698,256 copies there at the end of 2009. Universal praise was given to the technical milestone for the series achieved by the game’s graphics and presentation. Electronic Theatre remarked that “there are very few moments when the visual and aural superiority fails to astound”, and Edge Magazine felt that Cocoon in particular was an “inspired setting […] blessed with a vibrancy and vivid color that often leaves you open-mouthed”. Art design also added to the positive reception of the graphics, being described as “magnificent”. Further praise was given to the CGI cutscenes, and the almost seamless transition of visual quality between these and the realtime gameplay. Many also appreciated the game’s soundtrack, with Masashi Hamauzu providing “a score with catchy hooks and blood-pumping battle melodies”
The game’s new battle system also received near-universal praise. The increased pace of battles was appreciated, several reviews describing it as “thrilling”; Edge Magazine’s description of the battle system summarized it as “among the genre’s finest”. The roles provided by the Paradigm Shift feature also added depth to the battle system and contributed to the fast pace, and having the AI automate the other two party members’ actions meant battles in the game “may be the most involving the series has ever seen”. The story, characters and voice acting were mostly received well. Wired remarked that the story was “a little more human and less esoteric than in previous games”. 1UP felt that the story was “hardly world-class writing”, but that the writers clearly knew the medium well and had attempted to avoid clichés.
Characters
Lightning – Former sergeant of the Guardian Corps, Lightning sought the Pulse fal’Cie, Anima, in order to ask it to save her sister Serah, whom the fal’Cie had turned into a l’Cie. However, much to her dismay, Lightning was turned into a l’Cie herself. Her l’Cie mark is in the center of her chest. Lightning has long pink hair and is 171 cm tall (5′7″). Originally named Éclair Farron, she discarded her birth name after her parents died in an attempt to emotionally reinforce herself so that she could protect Serah, although this only caused tensions to rise between them. Lightning is very independent and determined, but she is also shown to have a compassionate side. Lightning’s visual design was influenced by Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy VII, as Tetsuya Nomura was asked to design a female version of him to be the protagonist of Final Fantasy XIII. However, Yoshinori Kitase has contradicted this, saying the only similarities between the two are their pasts as soldiers, as Lightning has a more fragile side to her that Cloud does not.
Lightning wields a weapon called the Blaze Edge which is a combination of a gun and a sword (one collapsing into the other), similar to the gunblade wielded by Squall in Final Fantasy VIII. She can also manipulate gravity with a device on her thumb (though due to Sazh’s interference, this device becomes damaged). In battle, Lightning is very agile and uses acrobatic moves. As a l’Cie, she can summon the Eidolon Odin to fight by her side in battle, who can assume a horse-like form that she can ride on. While riding, Lightning dual wields Odin’s detachable sword. Her strongest unique special attack is called Scene Drive in the Japanese version and Army of One in the North American version.
Snow Villiers – Prior to becoming a l’Cie, Snow is the head of Team Nora, a resistance group fighting against the government of Cocoon. Standing at a massive 200 cm (6′5″), Snow is a large character and is capable of running full speed while carrying two people at once. He has light blonde hair and wears a black bandanna. He was nicknamed “Mr. 33 cm” by the development team of Final Fantasy XIII as a nod to his shoe size. He uses his fists to take down opponents, focusing on brute force compared to the fast and agile Lightning. Snow bears the mark of the l’Cie on his lower left arm, through which he has the power to summon the twin Shiva Sister Eidolons, Nix and Stiria, who can combine into a motorcycle form for Snow to ride while toting a large gun. Unlike most grapplers, Snow changes his runes on his coat rather than buying new gloves.
Oerba Dia Vanille – Vanille is a mysterious but upbeat young girl with red-brown hair worn in pigtails. Originally residing from Oerba Village located on Gran Pulse, Vanille is among those being exiled from Cocoon at the start of the game and is subsequently rescued by Team Nora. She has a childlike innocence and is shown to be very compassionate, but at times she can also be very stubborn. Vanille also serves as the game’s narrator. Her weapon is a form of foldable fishing rod with multiple lines that can be reeled and used to attack enemies. She has been a l’Cie for a long time, one of two l’Cie given the Focus to summon the Eidolon Ragnarok, and her l’Cie mark is located on her upper left thigh. In battle, Vanille excels at using magic based attacks from a distance. Her Eidolon is Hecatoncheir, a multiple-limbed, earth-elemental summon who can transform into a bipedal mech armed with machine guns that she can pilot.
Sazh Katzroy – A former airship pilot of the Military, Sazh wields dual pistols (which can be combined to form a collapsible rifle), and his strong point is striking enemies from a distance. His l’Cie mark is at the base of his neck. He has a six-year-old son named Dajh with whom he is very close. When Dajh inadvertently became a l’Cie and was taken by Sanctum, saving him became Sazh’s main motivation. Sazh has a pet baby chocobo that lives inside his afro. Sazh is described as having good judgment and moral discernment. He has a gentle personality and is easily moved to tears, and joins the party early in the game. His Eidolon is Brynhildr, a female fire-elemental knight who can transform into a race car. Tetsuya Nomura based Sazh’s appearance on Lionel Richie.
Hope Estheim – Hope is a fourteen-year-old boy with silvery-blonde hair and orange, yellow, and green clothing. He uses collapsible boomerangs in battle. During the Purge, his mother offers to help Snow and Team Nora fight off PSICOM. She dies during the battle, and though Snow honors her final request to protect her son, Hope nonetheless hates Snow in a grief-induced rage for his connection to his mother’s death. His Eidolon is the holy-elemental summon Alexander, which transforms into a fortress in Gestalt Mode, and is able to blast enemies from afar with multiple cannons.
Oerba Yun Fang – A raven-haired woman who comes from Oerba Village, donning clothing resembling the traditional Indian Sari adorned with tribal accessories, and bearing the mark of a l’Cie on her right shoulder. Though she is a l’Cie from Pulse, she originally works for the Cocoon Sanctum under Cid. It later turns out she is one of the two l’Cie given the focus to summon Ragnarok. She wields a spear that can transform into a sansetsukon in battle, and her Eidolon is Bahamut, who can take flight in his Gestalt-mode. As revealed by Tetsuya Nomura in an interview, during the early stages of development she was originally scripted to be a male character.
Combat
In battle, the player can only control one character at a time out of a party of up to three.
Multiple commands can be stacked into slots per turn and released at the same time to form a combo. The number of command slots increases as the characters grow in strength.These commands include series staples such as Attack, Fire, Blizzard and Cure, as well as new ones such as Ruin, Ruinaga, and Radial Strike. The difference between XIII’s battle system and the ATB gauge is that these commands can still be placed in the slots even though the bar has run out, and the actions will be executed once the required slots are filled up. The game does not make use of MP but introduces “cost points” for each command, which determine how many times the commands can be used per turn. Because magic cannot be used outside of battle, the Hit Point (HP) of the party is completely restored after each battle.
When engaging an enemy, the camera moves to another position and the battle menu appears, making the battle transitions nearly seamless. The after-battle victory screen in XIII holds information such as the time it took to finish the battle, the highest number of combos executed, the number of break attacks and the quality of battle which is determined by a ranking of one to five stars. The party will be able to purchase new weapons in the game for use in battle.
A “Break State” is one of the new features of the Final Fantasy XIII battle system. The breaks refer to the times an enemy enters a state of reduced retaliation. This occurs when a chain combo has been maintained for a certain period of time on an enemy, filling a bar to maximum. When a high level combo has been achieved, the enemy will glow red and enter this state, during which the player will be able to inflict high amounts of damage and knock some enemies high into the air. The chain bar will gradually deplete during this period; when it becomes empty, the break state ends.
The “Role” system exists in order to control what abilities are available to characters in battle. Rather than having all abilities available to characters as they are learned, abilities are restricted to certain Roles, similar to the Job system of previous installments. The Japanese version’s Roles are Attacker, Blaster, Defender, Enhancer, Jammer, and Healer, while the English localization calls them Commando, Ravager, Sentinel, Synergist, Saboteur and Medic, respectively. Commandos strike with physical, non-elemental attacks; Ravagers use elemental abilities like Frost Blow and Thundaga; Sentinels provoke and absorb enemy attacks, and dish out counterattacks; Synergists use buffs like Shell and Brave, while Saboteurs use debuffs like DeShell and Bio; and Medics exclusively heal, using abilities like Cura, Raise, and Esuna. Roles, with a specific purpose in mind for each, are the only means by which to direct ally AI.
Each character may only take on one role at a time, and each combination of three Roles for a given party is called a “Paradigm” (“Optima” in Japan). Up to six Paradigm combinations may be stored at any one time. During battle, players may switch between them on-the-fly, called a “Paradigm Shift” (“Optima Change” in Japan). Timing Paradigm Shifts correctly can fill the ATB gauges, making switching frequently in battle an advantage.
Story
The plot of Final Fantasy XIII takes place in a world known as Pulse and revolves around the story of the fal’Cie, mechanical beings with godlike power created by a being called the Marker. Each fal’Cie has crystals residing inside them. People who are marked by the fal’Cie are called l’Cie. Each l’Cie has a Focus, a goal the fal’Cie wants him or her to fulfill within a certain amount of time; however, the fal’Cie do not explicitly say what the goal is: l’Cie learn what their Focus is by interpreting visions that are given to them. L’Cie gain the ability to summon Eidolons (monsters who fight with the l’Cie), but this ability comes with a price: if a l’Cie dies before completing his or her Focus, fails to tame his or her Eidolon, or fails to complete his or her Focus within a set period of time, he or she becomes a monster known as a Cie’th. If a l’Cie does complete his or her Focus, the reward is not much better: permanent transformation into a crystal. For this reason, being chosen as a l’Cie is seen as a curse.
Some 1,300 years ago, a fal’Cie named Orphan constructed a paradise for humanity: the shell-like city of Cocoon, which floats high above the surface of Pulse. Then Orphan created life forms and machines for Cocoon’s inhabitants to use, and humanity flourished. A war was fought between the Pulse and Cocoon, and Cocoon prevailed. However, fear lingered in the hearts of the people of Cocoon, for the day another invasion might come from the world beneath again.
Although most Cocoon citizens have never seen Pulse with their own eyes, they have been told that it is a dangerous place that has strange effects on those who venture down to its surface. Consequently, anyone who is discovered to have visited Pulse is immediately subjected to quarantine and exile by the theocratic government of Cocoon, known as the Sanctum. The Sanctum enforces this policy with its strongest military branch, PSICOM.
As Snow leads the resistance group, Team Nora, in an attempt to stop the purging of civilians, the mysterious Lightning fights her way past PSICOM soldiers with the aid of Sazh to find a Pulse fal’Cie, Anima, who turned her sister, Serah (who is also Snow’s fiancée), into a l’Cie. Through a chain of events, these three, along with two exiles, Vanille and Hope, are forced by the fal’Cie of Pulse to become l’Cie, and with that became enemies of humanity with the Focus of bringing about the downfall of Orphan and Cocoon.
Leveling & Summons
The leveling system for the game is called the Crystarium System which resembles the Sphere Grid in Final Fantasy X. Instead of gaining experience points after winning a battle, characters gain CP (Crystal Points) which can then be spent in order to unlock abilities and increase attributes such as maximum HP. Every character has a Crystarium, and within it, different sections corresponding to each Role the character has available. The Crystarium is not initially available within the game, and only becomes available through story sequences. After that point, levels in the Crystarium become unlocked as the story progresses, essentially capping the amount of growth that can be achieved in the middle of the game. Every character initially specializes in up to three Roles, and the other Roles are not even available in their Crystariums until much later in the game.
The classic summoned creatures called Eidolons (as they were in Final Fantasy IV DS and Final Fantasy IX) return in Final Fantasy XIII. Each character possesses only one Eidolon that is summoned from a crystal that sprouts from the character’s mark of l’Cie. The Eidolons include series staples Odin, Shiva, Alexander, and Bahamut, and newcomers Hecatoncheir and Brynhildr. When summoned, the Eidolon stay in battle while the characters accompanying the summoner leaves the party. There is also a new feature called “Gestalt Mode” (known as “Driving Mode” in Japan), which when activated joins the summoned and its summoner; Snow can ride and steer the combined Shiva Sisters which is a motorcycle, Vanille’s Hecatoncheir can transform into a bipedal mech with machine gun turrets in which she can control, and Sazh can ride and steer Brynhildr as a race car. This changes the pace of the combat significantly. But not all summons turn into mechanical vehicles; Odin’s Gestalt Mode changes him into a horse for Lightning to ride on, Bahamut’s Gestalt Mode is a flight mode for Fang to ride on, while Alexander’s Gestalt Mode changes him into a large castle which surrounds the enemy and fires lasers at them from all sides. The summons play a major role in the game’s storyline as well, much like Final Fantasy VI, Final Fantasy VIII, Final Fantasy IX and Final Fantasy X.
Remember how the USTR and various lobbyists keep insisting that ACTA won’t change US law? Or even limit its flexibility in changing the law? Well, if you take the latest leak and the fact that the USTR is now admitting that it’s hoping ACTA will cover patents, and then look at the newly released patent reform bill, you’ll discover that, on the issue of damages, it certainly looks like the two are in conflict. This is pretty important, since the “damages” part of patent reform was the key stumbling block last year, with a lot of back and forth going into the development of the language. For the USTR to then come along and potentially screw that up with poorly thought out language in ACTA could be a big problem…
hmm, it seems after all the advances society has made, sometimes going back to the basics seems to solve our issues. Just late last year, we noticed some Koreans in the train showing off their newest technology. Well America had some slight envy for their high tech styluses, and they are now available in the US of A.
This new tech is available for $.99 cents, and with that you get the best universal capacitive stylus money can buy.If you have any thoughts of eating this, do not, the label there clearly states “Do not Consume,” but knowing me, I do not read labels.
This release just coincidentally comes right before T-mobile USA releases their version of the HD2. The styli works for the all capacitive devices, so I am sure this was made intentionally available right before the release, so we can thank T-mobile for working with the company to get this to us fast.
I will be the first in line come Wednesday the 25th to buy my HD2, lets just hope there is a sausage dispenser right by the entrance.
The official Battlefield blog has word that a new patch for the PlayStation 3 version of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be out today that will allow PS3 gamers to access the in-game store and some VIP
Mazda Kabura Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
Ikuo Maeda, Mazda‘s design overlord, designed the soon-to-be-Stateside Mazda2. He also penned the Mazda RX-8, following quite literally the path his father laid before him: Maeda’s father created the original Mazda RX-7. Now Maeda wants to bring the RX-7 back to life, saying “I do have a strong yearning to revive the RX-7 during my tenure.”
Even though many enthusiasts would like nothing more than for Mazda to tap that root, we have heard that other Mazda officials queried on the subject poo-pooed the idea, asking “Why go backwards?” If we were to answer, we’d say “Because things were awesome back then. Except for the warranty claims…” That latter point being another reason the last RX-7 is not exactly a fond memory for the Japanese brand.
For it to have any chance at all, though, Maeda said “… we need the U.S. economy to come back, first and foremost.” We hereby give you our permission to begin buying everything.
Lexus currently has no plans to offer a V8 ‘F’ version of the new Lexus IS C convertible, however, it will build 100 special-edition vehicles of the IS C with F-Sport Performance Accessories. Prices of the 2010 Lexus IS 350C F-Sport Special Edition will start at $57,500 (not including a delivery, processing and handling fee of $875).
“The F-Sport Special Edition builds on the IS 350C and takes the fun of the convertible up another notch,” said Mark Templin, Lexus Division group vice president and general manager. “The F-Sport accessories on this car were precision engineered specifically for this vehicle, allowing us to provide sport-tuned performance without sacrificing ride quality.”
Lexus will make the IS 350C F-Sport Special Edition in only two colors including Tungsten Pearl and Obsidian.
Hit the jump for the press release to see the full-list of accessories offered with the 2010 IS 350C F-Sport Special Edition.
Lexus F-Sport Performance Accessories for IS C Convertible:
Press Release:
Lexus Introduces 2010 IS 350C F-Sport Special Edition
– Only 100 Units Will Be Produced
– Features F-Sport Performance Accessories and Unique Grille
– Interior with Numbered Badging and Blue Contrast Stitching
TORRANCE, Calif. (March. 8, 2010) – Lexus today announced the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $57,500 for the 2010 IS 350C F-Sport Special Edition which will arrive at dealerships later this month. The MSRP does not include a delivery, processing and handling fee of $875.
This 2010 IS 350C Special Edition was designed to engage driving enthusiasts with the performance and styling enhancements from the F-Sport accessories line. This IS 350C, only available in two colors, Tungsten Pearl or Obsidian, can be distinguished from other IS convertibles by the following F-Sport equipment:
– Newly designed 19-inch forged alloy wheels with a wheel lock set and Michelin Pilot Sport 225/35ZR19 tires in the front and 255/35ZR19 tires in the rear;
– Front and rear brake upgrade for a firmer pedal feel and enhanced fade resistance;
– New and unique F-Sport grille not previously available;
– Shock set developed in cooperation with Bilstein®;
– Lowering springs that reduce the ride height approximately one-inch in the front and rear;
– Sway bar set that helps reduce body roll and provide flatter cornering;
– Embroidered floor mats with F-Sport logo;
– Leather-wrapped shift knob with F-Sport logo;
– And exterior badging and an individually numbered badge on the center console complete the uniqueness of this vehicle.
The IS 350C F-Sport Special Edition also comes with black leather-trimmed seats with sporty blue contrast stitching. Other Special Edition standard features include heated and ventilated front seats with wood trim; Bi-Xenon HID headlamps with Adaptive Front lighting System (AFS); headlamp washers; and Lexus Navigation. The hard disk drive (HDD) navigation system has a seven-inch VGA touch-screen, Bluetooth® phonebook download capabilities, a rear back-up camera, Voice Command casual-language voice recognition system, Lexus Enform, XM® NavTraffic, XM® NavWeather, and XM® Sports and Stocks. XM services include a complimentary 90-day trial subscription. It is also features the new telematics system Lexus Enform™ with Safety Connect™ (includes complimentary one-year trial subscription).
Last week Congress voted to encourage participation in the 2010 census. I voted “No” on this resolution for the simple, obvious reason that the census – like so many government programs – has grown far beyond what the framers of our Constitution intended. The invasive nature of the current census raises serious questions about how and why government will use the collected information. It also demonstrates how the federal bureaucracy consistently encourages citizens to think of themselves in terms of groups, rather than as individual Americans. The not so subtle implication is that each group, whether ethnic, religious, social, or geographic, should speak up and demand its “fair share” of federal largesse.
Article I, section 2 of the Constitution calls for an enumeration of citizens every ten years, for the purpose of apportioning congressional seats among the various states. In other words, the census should be nothing more than a headcount. It was never intended to serve as a vehicle for gathering personal information on citizens.
But our voracious federal government thrives on collecting information. In fact, to prepare for the 2010 census state employees recorded GPS coordinates for every front door in the United States so they could locate individuals with greater accuracy! Once duly located, individuals are asked detailed questions concerning their name, address, race, home ownership, and whether they periodically spend time in prison or a nursing home – just to name a few examples.
From a constitutional perspective, of course, the answer to each of these questions is: “None of your business.” But the bigger question is – why government is so intent on compiling this information in the first place?
The Census Bureau claims that collected information is not shared with any federal agency; but rather is kept under lock and key for 72 years. It also claims that no information provided to census takers can be used against you by the government.
However, these promises can and have been abused in the past. Census data has been used to locate men who had not registered for the draft. Census data also was used to find Japanese-Americans for internment camps during World War II. Furthermore, the IRS has applied census information to detect alleged tax evaders. Some local governments even have used census data to check for compliance with zoning regulations.
It is not hard to imagine that information compiled by the census could be used against people in the future, despite claims to the contrary and the best intentions of those currently in charge of the Census Bureau. The government can and does change its mind about these things, and people have a right to be skeptical about government promises.
Yet there are consequences for not submitting to the census and its intrusive questions. If the form is not mailed back in time, households will experience the “pleasure” of a visit by a government worker asking the questions in person. If the government still does not get the information it wants, it can issue a fine of up to $5000.
If the federal government really wants to increase compliance with the census, it should abide by the Constitution and limit its inquiry to one simple question: How many people live here?
Related posts:
Fool Me Once… In his latest column Ron Paul compares the new $825…
If you were following the news coming out of Infineon this weekend during the Sears Pointless 24 Hours of LeMons race, you might’ve heard about a nasty crash involving the ONSET Cavalier.
Going into turn 11 at about 1 PM on Saturday, the wagon – an easy top ten contender – squeezed through an opening on the back straight before being tapped on the left rear, sent into a wall and then flipped. The Cavalier slid well over 100 feet before coming to a rest mid-track and just as the driver was extracting himself from the car, the red wagon burst into flames.
Although he was able to remove his harnesses and wiggle his way out the window, the driver did suffer from a back injury resulting in two vertebrae surgeries carried out on Saturday and Sunday. We’ve gotten word from a close friend of Tyler that he’s recovering and doing well, and we wouldn’t be surprised to hear that LeMons could begin requiring HANS devices for future races.
After the jump we’ve got two videos of the wreck: One from inside the ONSET car and another from a vehicle traveling further back in the pack. Both are very telling and further proof that LeMons’ strict safety requirements work, even in $500 crap can racers.
Earlier this morning, Toyota held a webcast to demonstrate that the research conducted by David W. Gilbert, a professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, created a situation that they said is unrealistic in the real world.
Independent and Toyota engineers duplicated the demonstration referenced by Gilbert in his Congressional testimony. The point of the presentation was to show that the sequence and nature of manipulated faults in the Gilbert demonstration are completely unrealistic under real-world conditions and can easily be reproduced on a wide range of vehicles made by other manufacturers.
“Any circuit…can be reengineered and rewired to produce anything that you want it to do,” said Shukri Souri, an engineer for Exponent.
In his testimony to Congress, Gilbert said that it took him just 3½ hours to create a test in a Toyota vehicle that caused it to accelerate suddenly without recording an error by the computer.
A hybrid hatchback with a six-speed manual? Honda dealers have heard that story before and were less than thrilled when the automaker announced plans to bring the CR-Z to the States.
The ABC News report that set the public and lawmakers ablaze has been called into question and Toyota finally responses with its own in-depth analysis.
You may remember last summer that Amazon shut down its affiliate programs in North Carolina, Hawaii and Rhode Island in response to new laws being put in place in those states, which would effectively make any Amazon affiliate an “official” representative of the company in that state, thus requiring that Amazon start collecting sales tax. This followed a similar mess in New York the year before. This is really short-sighted on the part of the states, pushing for additional tax revenue (of course). But it stretches the definition of what it means to have a physical presence in a state to the point where someone who is running an ad for you (all that an affiliate really is) is treated as an employee.
It appears that some states still haven’t gotten the message. Michael Long sends over the email he received from Amazon, alerting him that Colorado has now passed a similar law, meaning that no one in Colorado can be an Amazon affiliate any more. Though Amazon is being a bit disingenuous in saying “no other state has similar rules,” when other states have, indeed, passed similar rules, and many others are considering similar rules as well.
Of course, this strategy does risk backfiring on Amazon, as it’s effectively using its affiliates as pawns in trying to get the state government to repeal this law. The alternative, of course, is that the affiliates just jump ship to another provider.
Daimler AG plans on doubling its investment in green technologies in the next two years for its Mercedes-Benz unit, which will roll out plug-in hybrids and fuel-cell vehicles in every segment over the next few years. The company plans on spending $1.4 billion in each of the next two years to develop batteries and fuel-efficient engines.
Thomas Weber, head of Daimler’s R&D department said that the company will create a “flexible architecture so we can install the right powertrain for each customer — plug-in hybrid or pure electric fuel cell.”
He said that Mercedes-Benz also has plans to add more fuel-efficient gasoline and diesel engines in expanding its electric options.
The new F800 Style Concept that made its debut in Geneva last week, showed a lot of upcoming green technologies from Mercedes-Benz.
It was reported last week that BMW will lease 700 units of the all-electric 1-Series ActiveE to customers residing in major cities around the world. Of the 700, 200 were reported to come to the United States. BMW just released a short statement today saying that “recent published reports have incorrectly stated that the size of the fleet of BMW ActiveEs that will be deployed during the BMW Group’s second-phase field trial in the US will be limited to 200 vehicles.”
BMW says that it is still deciding the exact size of the fleet but said it will be at least as large as the Mini E fleet, which is currently in operations. There are a total of 450 Mini E units on U.S. roads right now.
“I would hate for anyone to get the impression that we are backing away from our commitment to EV development or the Megacity Vehicle project. Let me reassure you that nothing could be further from the truth,” said Rich Steinberg, Manager – Electric Vehicle Operations and Strategy. “With one of the largest fleet of electric vehicles in operation today, we are learning a great deal. Those lessons have already been applied in our development work. One example is the liquid heating and cooling capability for the batteries in the upcoming BMW ActiveE. This will help to optimize operating range in conditions of extreme hot and cold climates. Others include the four-seat capacity of the BMW ActiveE and it seven cubic-feet of trunk space. More than anything we have been impressed with the dedication and enthusiasm that MINI E drivers have brought to this project.”
The field trails of the BMW ActiveE will begin in 2011. More information will be made available at the 2010 New York Auto Show at the end of this month.
Refresher: The BMW ActiveE is powered by a synchronous electric-motor making 170-hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. A full charge takes about 4.5 hours allowing a driving range of 100 miles.
With the release of God of War III just around the corner, Sony has also started sending out retail builds of the game to some lucky media outlet. techdude6693 was lucky enough to snag one and righfully
Ford’s 2010 Fusion and Fusion Hybrid are both continuing there momentum in 2010 with sales of both models bringing in a total of 60 percent of new buyers to the brand, up 54 percent from January and 49 percent from 2009. Ford Fusion Hybrid sales to new buyers increased to 82 percent last month from 70 percent in January and 63 percent in 2009.
Ford pointed out that the Fusion competes in a segment long dominated by some of the best-selling cars in the market, including Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima.
“It’s extraordinary that a car could set sales records and continue to excel in an environment where overall industry sales in the midsize segment are down 19 percent from a year ago,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president of Marketing and Sales and Service.
Since the new Ford Fusion went on sale in March 2009, the car has set monthly sales records for the nameplate in every month but one.
great chart – Who is Paying Taxes? – MINT.com – Mint has consistently good charts.
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Kohn exit could herald several years of easy money – By Martin Hutchinson – (AFX UK Focus) – Interactive Investor UK
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Dissent and Disagreements at Future FOMC Meetings? – by Asha Bangalore – Northern Trust
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Is the Fed Preparing for the Next Battle? – One Eyed Guide- … Unless the Fed unwinds as much as possible right now it will not have the necessary tools to use in the event of another major crisis. … – Seeking Alpha
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WHouse’s Romer says not in line for Fed job – White House advisor Christina Romer, considered a top candidate for the job of Federal Reserve Vice Chairman, said on Friday she wants to stay in her current role. – Reuters
good summary article – Even the Dead Cats Aren’t Bouncing – Michael Panzer – Those who are betting on an economic recovery — V-shaped or otherwise — seem to be counting on two things: the housing market is (or will soon be) on the mend and a growing number of employers are poised to take on more staff. If the following reports are anything to go by, the optimists might want to have a rethink. – Financial Armageddon
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40% of Older Workers Delaying Retirement by at Least 4 Years says Report – Reverse Mortgage Daily
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Unemployment: CHART OF THE DAY: The Scariest Job Chart Ever – Joe Weisenthal and Kamelia Angelova – Clusterstock at Business Insider
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Is a Big Global Risk Reversal At Hand? – Posted by: madhedgefundtrader – Something amazing is happening in the labor market. The aggregate payroll figures are meaningless. Many of the jobless are getting rehired very quickly. This is proof that the dying sectors of the US economy that are delivering the highest unemployment rates. US employment is really much better than it appears. Without the snow, the February number could have been as high as a positive 100,000. Alert: the markets don’t know this. – Zero Hedge
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good charts and thoughts – Is There Really Any Private Sector Job Growth? – Tom Lindmark – But Then What
Daimler rang in the new year with an online design contest called “Style your Smart.” Apparently, the idea of decorating a virtual Smart Fortwo appeals to a lot of people, since 50,000 design ideas we submitted by over 8,000 people from 100+ countries. The winner, pictured above, was submitted by Tamir Shefer from Jaffa, Israel. For his entry, Shefer will get €1,500 (about $2,000 USD) and had his car described on the contest website as:
The winner of the contest meets the philosophy of the brand perfectly and encourages the observer to open his mind. You cannot miss this car due to the artistically high level. It combines the joy of life, humanity and the spirit of the city in a modern, fresh and graphically convincing way. It is urban and human friendly at the same time and shows that cars and humans do belong together.
Not bad. Contest participants could also win cash awards for being active on the company’s website, and three other designs drove off with some prize money. All told, Daimler gave out just €5000 (@ $6,800 USD) and received a lot of fan exposure for the money. Well played.
