The Bufori Geneva – Click above for high-res image gallery
During their press conference, Bufori founder and owner Anthony Khouri mentioned that he and his two brothers George and Gerry had so fallen in love with Geneva that they decided to name their new sedan after the fine, Swiss city. An honor for sure, though speaking honestly before they yanked the cover off, we were set to dismiss the newest Bufori as what would happen to your Morgan if you parked it inside a Krispy Kreme for the weekend.
However, and maybe we were swayed by the presentation, but there’s more to the Bufori Geneva than meets the eye. Under the hood you’ll find the same 6.1-liter Hemi V8 found in SRT-model Chryslers, though for Geneva duty it’s tuned to 430 horsepower (instead of 420 hp). If you like, Bufori will be more than happy to slap a supercharger on that puppy, bumping the output to “nearly 600 hp.” The Geneva also rides on adjustable air suspension atop a four-wheel multi-link suspension system.
The Geneva also has a full range of modern electronic bells and whistles including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and night vision. More importantly, the body is made out of a blend of Kevlar and carbon fiber, the first such “hybrid” body ever to cover a four-door sedan. As far as the looks go, we can state emphatically that the Geneva is the best looking Bufori ever made. You can debate the specifics of the design amongst yourselves.
The big news is inside the handmade Australian luxo-barge, specifically in the backseat that you enter through suicide doors. Like other luxury rides such as the big Maybachs, there’s a mini bar, a champagne fridge, integrated champagne flutes and fully adjustable rear seats. But the Geneva takes it to the next level. There’s a locking cash box for all of your loose, ill-gotten gains and the Geneva’s pièce de résistance, an integrated tea set featuring an instant boiling water tap. No, really.
While Bufori claims they have the capacity to produce 300 Genevas per anum, they are limiting the yearly total to just 60 cars. Hey, there’s no substitute for exclusivity. There’s also no word on price but we’ll take a guess: a lot. In case you’re wondering, we won’t be seeing the Bufori Geneva in the States. Instead, Bufori will focus their sales in and around Southeast Asia, the Middle East, China and India.
The body of a man was found floating in the Calumet River on the far South Side Tuesday morning.
The Police Marine Unit responded to 126th and Stony Island Avenue on a report of a body in the Calumet River, police News Affairs Sgt. Patrick Donahue said. The discovery was reported about 11:30 a.m.
A Cook County medical examiner’s office spokesman confirmed a man’s body was found floating in the river, but could not provide further information early Tuesday evening.
Mansory Rolls-Royce Ghost – Click above for high-res image gallery
We previously mentioned in our coverage of the 2010 Geneva Motor Show that a blue and yellow color combination was a potential recipe for disaster. As proof, we present to you the Mansory Rolls-Royce Ghost. Ok, so it’s technically blue and gold, but that just might make it worse. The Swiss tuner has long been known for its controversial styling, and this vehicle follows a long line of shocking cars like the Bentley Vitesse Rose that debuted at Frankfurt. That’s not to say we haven’t liked anything produced by Mansory. We very much dug the Linea Vincero that appeared at this show last year.
Is there anything we like about the blue baby Rolls? We can perhaps appreciate the larger turbochargers and upgraded exhaust system that boost horsepower to 720. Other than that we wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole. What Mansory calls “self assured coloring” we simply call garish, and the “styling interior refinements” are anything but. Thanks, but no thanks. We’ll keep our Rolls-Royce Ghost as is.
We’ve written a few times about politicians trying to fix Peter Mandelson’s Digital Economy Bill, but now it appears some politicians are trying to make it worse. One of the proposed amendments would let the government designate websites to be blocked at the ISP level. This is blatant censorship, of the kind that Australia is now trying to implement, and which China already uses. Basically, if a court determines that, via any website, a “substantial” amount of infringing content can be accessed, the court could order ISPs to block that site. The idea here, obviously, is to get ISPs to block sites like The Pirate Bay and to stifle new technologies. If this had been a couple decades ago, they would be passing laws to ban the VCR.
Peugeot SR1 Concept – click above for high-res image gallery
When we first saw the Peugeot SR1 Concept, we were less than impressed. Why? The press photos just didn’t do the car any justice. But here in person at the Geneva Motor Show, the SR1 Concept has us drooling. First of all, the proportions are spectacular. Long hood, short deck, wide, low – just a great, potent stance coupled to classic proportions. Also, this here Peugeot is one of the rare convertibles that looks just as good top on or off.
There’s a boat load of fancy tech that comes with this concept car (all of which you can read about here). The long story told short is the SR1 Concept is a turbo-diesel hybrid that makes 313 total horsepower and gets 48 miles per gallon. It also has a four-wheel-drive, through-the-road HYbrid4 tech, The plastic roof uses sailboat technology and the instruments are displayed via crystal tubes. But as most of the SR1 Concept’s bells and whistles won’t ever see production, we’ll just go ahead and enjoy this stunning show car for what it is: beautiful.
Bentley has finally released the details specifications of the new 2010 Mulsanne, its new flagship that weighs in at an outstanding 5,700 pounds.
To push around that 5,700 pounds, Bentley has opted to use a 6.75 litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine making 505-hp with a peak torque of 752 lb-ft. Mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with electronic shift interface, sport mode and steering-wheel mounted paddle-shifters – the Bentley Mulsanne goes from 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds with a top speed of 184 mph. Fuel-economy is estimated at a combined 14 mpg.
The Bentley Mulsanne also gets a new Drive Dynamics Control system, operated by a rotary switch mounted next to the gearshift. It allows the drive to pick from three different modes including Bentley (yes it’s called Bentley), Sport and Comfort. Each setting offers calibration of suspension and steering control systems.
Click through to view the updated high-res image gallery.
2010 Bentley Mulsanne:
Press Release:
BENTLEY ANNOUNCES DETAILED SPECIFICATION OF NEW MULSANNE
“The new Mulsanne is a thoroughly modern flagship that captures the essence of the Bentley marque. It is elegant yet distinctly sporting in character, delivering effortless performance while within its sumptuous cabin, advanced technology sits discreetly with handcrafted luxury.” Bentley Motors Chairman and Chief Executive, Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen
While paying homage to past Bentley greats, the brief for the new Mulsanne’s design and engineering teams was to create a Bentley that represents the pinnacle of British luxury motoring.
The new Mulsanne, designed and engineered at Crewe from the ground-up, reaffirms the marque’s intent to create a new flagship Bentley with refined performance, unparalleled levels of interior luxury and coach building skills to the fore.
The return of the Mulsanne name underlines Bentley’s sporting heritage and passion for power and speed. Nothing reflects that prowess better than the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours race. Bentley has enjoyed success on six occasions at Le Mans, where its powerful and reliable race cars have thundered down the long straight into the famous Mulsanne corner, from which the new model takes its name.
A pure expression of Bentley design
The design of the new Mulsanne is a unique fusion of sportiness, coachbuilt elegance and solidity. Echoing the Bentley S -Type of the 1950s, the Mulsanne features a bold frontal design dominated by the traditional Bentley matrix grille and highly prominent, classic round inner headlamps with chrome surrounds, flanked by two, smaller outboard lamp clusters, all featuring the latest in lighting technology. The iconic ‘Flying B’ retractable radiator mascot is available as an option.
The long bonnet, short front overhang and long rear overhang help to convey a sense of power and movement, reinforced by muscular haunches and sharply sculptured lines which flow gracefully from the front wings to the rear. Uniquely designed 20-inch (and optional 21-inch) wheels reinforce the Mulsanne’s powerful, sporting stance.
Design Director Dirk van Braeckel explains the inspiration behind the Mulsanne’s distinctive appearance:
“The opportunity to design a new flagship Bentley is something afforded to very few designers. The team set out to create a sculpted form that blended classic Bentley heritage cues with modern lines.”
The body is produced in a new manufacturing facility at Bentley’s headquarters in Crewe where traditional metalworking skills, developed over six decades, are still used extensively during the nine-week build process. It is the very opposite of volume-production car-building… but the very epitome of Bentley.
The rear screen, for example is fully enveloped by the coachwork. This provides a flowing, flawless line to the rear of the car, complementing the exquisitely formed D-pillars – whose complex curves can only be created by skilled coach-builders. The complex form of the aluminium front wings, impossible to achieve with normal pressing techniques, is created using superforming, a technology usually reserved for the aerospace industry. This also makes the wings lighter, stiffer and provides superb surface definition. New construction techniques meant the designers could also incorporate details such as the ‘floating’ elliptical LED tail lights, which uniquely echo the shape of the exhaust tailpipes.
To accentuate the beauty of the bodywork, the Mulsanne features ‘brightware’ exclusively in polished stainless steel, including sill treadplates and matrix grilles. Bentley is the only manufacturer in the world to do this.
The door handles incorporate the traditional Bentley ‘knurling’ to their inboard surface for enhanced grip, reflecting the company’s typical attention to detail, while .the sporting character of the Mulsanne is reinforced by front wing vents and wide oval tailpipe finishers.
Bentley customers have a world of infinite choice when commissioning their cars. There are over 100 paint colours in the range that include everything from unusual heritage colours, special satin and pearlescent finishes and duo-tone combinations. But the choice does not end there. Through the bespoke world of Bentley Mulliner, unique colours can exactly match a customer’s vision and taste.
Sumptuous interior meets advanced technology
The latest in-car technologies are discreetly placed within the Mulsanne’s sumptuous interior. A multimedia system with 60GB hard disc drives satellite navigation, audio/video, personal data, telephone and Bluetooth® connectivity. The upper dashboard houses an 8-inch multimedia screen, positioned unobtrusively behind an electrically operated veneered door, while below sits a stylish, leather-lined media player stowage drawer with connectors for iPod, USB, Mini USB and 3.5mm aux.
A state-of-the-art 14-speaker audio system with Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and 6-CD autochanger is provided as standard while the Naim for Bentley premium audio system may be specified as an option. This forging of two British luxury brands provides customers with the world’s most powerful production in-car amplifier with 2200 Watts, eight dedicated DSP modes and 20 custom-made speakers, delivering an unparalleled sound quality.
A personalised keyless entry system allows multiple pre-programmed configurations and automatically sets radio stations, phone book, seat (including ventilation and massage modes, both front and rear), steering column and seatbelt settings and even the electrically operated rear-seat blinds for side and rear windows. The keyless system operates with the chrome door handles which incorporate touch points to initiate communication with the key for verification and entry. The Mulsanne also features keyless start, having a stop/start button on the centre console.
The Bentley interior design team has continued to develop and evolve the luxurious interiors for which their cars are renowned, based on a large-scale, research programme to identify the classic signature features that have defined Bentleys from the 1920s to the present day.
Armed with this invaluable resource, the Mulsanne’s design team set itself highly challenging targets for key interior characteristics such as material design, smell, colour harmony and handcrafting. Similar targets were set for the operational refinement and robustness of all control mechanisms. The result is a hand-crafted interior that fully reflects traditional Bentley values, executed to the highest possible standards.
As Head of Interior Design, Robin Page says: “Over 170 hours – almost half the entire build process – goes into crafting the interior of the new Mulsanne. At Crewe, Bentley’s way of working is the opposite of mass production – we start where others stop.”
The use of wood and leather hides has increased significantly to create an even more refined and luxurious cabin. While classic design features such as bulls-eye air vents (now also fitted in the rear compartment), high-quality mirror-matched wood veneers, leather hides and hand-finished stainless steel are retained, they are mixed with new touches such as beautiful ‘glass’ switches.
The entire cabin is encased within a ‘ring of wood’ waistrail with an unbroken panel of wood gracing the Mulsanne’s dashboard. Inverted dial needles within the instrument cluster are evocative of early Bentleys while the entire dashboard and console design is a subtle reminder of the Bentley wings motif.
Customers may select from an extensive range of premium quality veneers, unbleached for a natural appearance, and two marquetry options: picture frame and contemporary crossbanding. True to the Bentley ethos, customers may also select from a virtually unlimited palette of leather hides, including 24 ‘standard’ colours, of which three are new for Bentley. This unrivalled choice of veneers, leather hides and paint colours ensures that the needs of all customers can be matched perfectly.
Following detailed customer feedback, a traditional tanning process has been re-instated to match the rich, worn leather smell that is so evocative of vintage Bentleys. Only a very few hide suppliers worldwide have the capability to do this.
The carpet of the Mulsanne is unique to Bentley, its increased fibre depth, density and feel enhancing cabin quality. It is available in a range of colours to complement each individual hide. Pure wool, deep pile Wilton-weave over mats can add a further touch of comfort and luxury.
These exquisite materials are fashioned by craftsmen and women with up to 40 years’ experience. Each steering wheel, for example, can take 15 hours to hand-stitch while stainless steel brightware gleams so perfectly thanks to an intensive 10-hour finishing process. A wood veneer takes five weeks to turn from a rough root ball into a full set of mirror-matched, fine-polished leaves.
Re-engineered V8 engine and new chassis: power, refinement and efficiency
The Bentley powertrain engineers were set three objectives for the Mulsanne:
1) To produce the effortless torque from extremely low revs that customers expect of a grand Bentley
2) To maintain the highest levels of refinement
3) To satisfy strict current and future environmental standards through improved engine efficiency
While other powertrain configurations were considered early on in the project, it soon became clear that these targets could best be achieved with a totally revised version of the 6¾-litre V8 engine – the very configuration that had been used so successfully in the past. However for the new Mulsanne, all the major building blocks of the engine would be comprehensively re-engineered to integrate the very latest technologies.
Dr Ulrich Eichhorn, Bentley Motors’ Director of Engineering, explains the reasons behind the Mulsanne’s V8:
“Using our V8 guaranteed the immense power at low revs and unstressed performance that are the hallmarks of a flagship Bentley. But we also set our engineers the challenge of maintaining high levels of refinement at any speed and, equally important, improving efficiency.”
To achieve a significant reduction in fuel consumption and CO2. emissions, the Mulsanne V8 sees the introduction of two new control systems: cam phasing and, a first for the ultra-luxury sector, variable displacement.
The pioneering use of these two technologies in combination allows the Mulsanne’s engine management system not only to adjust the V8’s breathing for improved engine idle quality and torque delivery, but also to close the valves of four of the eight cylinders for maximum fuel economy when cruising.
New lightweight componentry including pistons, connecting rods and forged crankshaft reduce reciprocating mass and internal friction for improved engine response.
In the new Mulsanne, the 6¾-litre V8 develops 512 PS (505 bhp/377 kW) while the massive torque (1020 Nm / 752 lb ft) is now delivered even earlier at 1750 rev/min. This dramatic improvement in torque delivery from just above idle and right across the rev range ensures that with a mere tap of the accelerator the driver is immediately rewarded with that characteristic deep, muffled V8 burble and phenomenal acceleration.
These new technologies are complemented by the new eight-speed automatic transmission which, for the first time on a flagship Bentley, comes with steering-wheel mounted paddleshift.
Overall, CO2 emissions and fuel consumption are reduced by more than 15 percent, in line with Bentley’s environmental commitment.
Prodigious power and torque are complemented by an all-new chassis, unique to the new Mulsanne. Both lighter and stiffer than previous flagship Bentleys, the new chassis benefits both ride and handling.
A new Drive Dynamics Control system, operated by a rotary switch mounted next to the gearshift selector, can be used to choose from three standard modes – Bentley, Sport and Comfort – offering precise calibration of suspension and steering control systems.
A fourth mode, ‘Custom’, allows the driver to select bespoke settings via the multimedia system to ‘tune’ the Mulsanne to a preferred driving style.
A new air suspension system with Continuous Damping Control (CDC) creates an even more refined and comfortable ride at lower speeds, yet can reduce the Mulsanne’s ride height automatically at high speeds to reduce lift and improve aerodynamic stability. With 20-inch alloy wheels and 265/45 ZR 20 tyres as standard, dynamic handling is assured. Customers may also opt for 21-inch wheels, available in two styles, fitted with 265/40 ZR 21 tyres.
Summary
While the all-new Bentley Mulsanne pays respect to the past, it is a thoroughly modern luxury car that offers the world’s most exclusive driving experience – a unique fusion of power, refinement and elegance.
Bentley Motors Chairman and Chief Executive Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen says:
“No other car maker can offer such a blend of performance and refinement in a single vehicle. The new Mulsanne is a car that evokes the Bentley philosophy of building the best luxury grand tourers in the world.”
Engine
Type: Twin-turbocharged V8
Installation: Front, longitudinal, rear-wheel drive
Construction: Alloy heads and block
Capacity: 6750cc
Power: 512PS / 505bhp / 377kW at 4200 rev/min
Torque: 1020Nm / 752 lb ft at 1750 rev/min
Performance & Economy
0-60 mph in 5.1 secs (0-100 km/h in 5.3s)
0-100 mph in 11.6 secs (0-160 km/h in 11.5s)
Max Speed: 184 mph (296 km/h)
Economy: 16.7 mpg (16.9 l/100km) Combined EU Cycle (figures are provisional and subject to Type Approval)
US EPA Cycle (fuel consumption figures will be advised following Certification)
CO2 emission: 393 g/km (figure is provisional and subject to Type Approval)
Body & Chassis
Length: 5575mm (219.49in)
Width (mirrors folded): 1926mm (75.80in)
Height: 1521mm (59.88in)
Wheelbase: 3266mm (128.60in)
Front Track: 1615mm (63.58in)
Rear Track: 1652mm (65.03in)
Wheels / tyres (standard): 9J x 20in. with 265/45 ZR 20 tyres
(option): 9J x 21in. with 265/40 ZR 21 tyres
Kerb weight: 2585 kg (5700 lb)
Bentley Mulsanne – Standard Feature Specification
Drivetrain
* 6.75 litre twin-turbocharged V8
o 512PS / 505bhp / 377kW at 4200 rev/min
o 1020 Nm/752lbs ft at 1750 rev/min
o Cam phasing and variable displacement – a first for the ultra-luxury sector
o EU5 and LEVII emissions compliant
* 8-speed automatic transmission with electronic shift interface, sport mode and steering-wheel mounted paddleshift
* Rear-wheel drive
Chassis
* Mulsanne 20″ light-alloy wheels with 265 x 45 x ZR20 tyres
* Double wishbone front suspension
* Multilink rear suspension with toe and brake reaction control. Uniquely developed for Mulsanne to handle extreme torque
* Electronically-controlled air springs with Continuous Damping Control (CDC) to continuously monitor and adjust the vehicle’s damping, ensuring optimum control
o Automatic ride height control sensitive to speed and load
* Servotronic speed-sensitive power steering with two settings selectable by Drive Dynamics Control
* Drive Dynamics Control – four driver-selectable settings for CDC and power steering
o Three standard modes: Bentley, Sport and Comfort
o A fourth mode, Custom allows driver to ‘tune’ system to a preferred driving style
* Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with ABS, traction control, hydraulic brake assist, electronic brake prefill and automatic hill-hold control
* Twin-booster braking system with ventilated discs and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD)
o “Bentley” branded front brake calipers
o Front brake discs: Two-piece assembly with 400mm diameter x 38mm thick iron disc and lightweight aluminium hub
o Rear brake discs: 370mm diameter x 30mm thick iron disc with lightweight aluminium hub
o Electronic Parking Brake with drive-away assist and hill hold feature.
* Choice of tyre repair/inflation kit or spacesaver spare wheel & toolkit
Body & Exterior
* Steel monocoque body structure with front and rear energy-absorbing crumple zones
* Aluminium closures
o Superformed aluminium front wings
o Aluminium bonnet
o Aluminium doors with superformed structure and extruded aluminium side impact beams
* Composite polymer bootlid housing fully concealed antennae systems
* Painted radiator shell with bright stainless steel matrix grille and 2-D Bentley winged “B” badge
* Paintwork applied and polished by hand to a mirror-finish
o Choice of 28 paint colours especially selected for Mulsanne.
* Black matrix grille to lower bumper apertures
* Front wing vents with black matrix grille
* Polished stainless steel brightware to glass surrounds
* Polished stainless steel embellishers to doors and bumpers
* Door pillar finishers in steel with gloss black painted finish
* Polished stainless steel “Mulsanne” treadplates and commissioning plates
* Twin bi-xenon projector headlamps with LED halo for supplementary main beam, light-sensing auto operation, daytime running light signature and integrated washer jets
* Floating-ellipse style, LED rear light clusters and discreet high-level stop lamp to rear screen
* Colour-keyed, electronically adjustable door mirrors with heating, power folding, reverse-dip, two memory positions, electrochromatic dimming and integrated puddle lamps
* Keyless entry system with chromed metal door handles and engine start button
* Soft close power latching to all doors for easy entry / exit
* Power boot lid operation with emergency releases inside boot and under rear seat
* Park distance control to front and rear with audible signal and graphics displayed via infotainment screen
Interior
* Hand-selected leather to all trimmed surfaces including seating, fascia, console, door panels, door pillars, parcel shelf, cantrails, headlining, sunvisors, all stowage compartments and glovebox
o 24 ‘standard’ colours in single tone or duo-tone combinations in four different styles (colour splits) allowing the customer to choose not just the colour scheme but the mood of the interior – from very elegant to sporty
* Specially developed, flat-cut and leather-bound carpet. Choice of 21 colours to match interior hide
o Set of four carpet overmats to match cabin carpet, leather bound and with polished stainless steel fixings
* Choice of 23 seatbelt colours with buckles colour-matched to interior hides
* Veneer to fascia, continuous “Ring of wood” waistrails, centre console, rear centre armrest, and front & rear roof consoles in burr walnut, dark-stained burr walnut or piano black. Six further veneer species are available
* Bright finish interior fittings in polished stainless steel
* Unique, glass-effect switchgear
* Driver’s instrument panel featuring inverted, aviation-style dials for vehicle and engine speed; Supplementary colour screen displaying a driver-configurable choice of navigation prompts, compass, infotainment, vehicle or trip information
* Minor gauges panel in centre fascia with fuel gauge, analogue clock with “Bentley Motors” inscription and coolant temperature gauge
* Concealed passenger-side map lamp
* Boot trimmed in leather and carpeted to match interior cabin with polished stainless steel sill plate
Comfort & Convenience
* Front seats with 12-way electrical adjustment, including lumbar support, two memory positions, easy entry/exit function and adjustable heating
o Front passenger seat – full adjustment from rear cabin. Controls housed in rear centre armrest
o Two-plus-one rear seat configuration with 8-way electrical adjustment to outboard seats, including lumbar support, two memory positions and adjustable heating
* Four-zone air conditioning including additional rear cabin A/C unit with front and rear controls for fan speed and temperature
* Traditional, polished stainless steel bullseye air vents & organ stop controls
* Four-spoke, hide trimmed, multi-function steering wheel with electric adjustment for tilt and reach with two memory positions, easy-entry function and paddle shift
* Twin front centre armrests with hide-lined storage and cordless telephone handset. (Telephone handset not available in North America and Japan)
* Electrical height adjustment for front seatbelts with two memory positions
* Cruise control
* Electrochromatic auto dimming interior rear view mirror with on/off button
* Remote-controlled three-button garage door opener integrated in roof console (Standard in North America, cost option in rest of world)
* Rain sensing windscreen wipers
* Sentinel headlamp functions
* Folding rear centre armrest console with controls for seating and air conditioning and leather-lined stowage compartment with 12V socket
* Remote control with dedicated stowage in centre console for rear-seat control of main infotainment system including Navigation
* Power windows with one-touch operation and anti-trap protection
* Acoustic glazing with infra red reflective interlayer (except front screen to allow use of mobile communications and toll readers)
* Electrically operated privacy blinds for rear windows and rear screen, controlled from front or rear cabin with one-shot operation and anti-trap
* Twin adjustable front cupholders
* Twin hand-crafted rear cupholders with dedicated stowage
* Front and rear cabin cigar lighters and solid metal ashcans in rear doors
* Hide-lined glovebox with illumination and 12V power socket
* Leather-bound owner’s handbook housed in dedicated stowage shelf within glovebox
* Document stowage compartments to front seatbacks
Infotainment
* 8″ high-resolution colour screen to display infotainment and vehicle systems information. Automatically concealed behind veneered panel when not in use
* Central Multi Media Interface (MMI) rotary controller with convenience keys for instant access to main system menus of: Navigation, Telephone, Radio, Media (Including TV when fitted), Tone, Information and Car systems
* 60GB hard disc drive unit fitted in glovebox with 20GB of personal storage space, single slot DVD drive and 2 x SD card readers. Includes inbuilt Gracenote database that displays artist/album/song names from CD’s
* 6 x CD changer fitted in glovebox
* Voice control for all major systems and operations
* Satellite navigation system integrated in vehicle’s hard disc, ensuring fast route calculation
o Six-digit post code destination entry, active traffic information (market dependent)
o Four map configurations including 3-D topographical maps and city views and day/night display modes
* Mulsanne audio system with 14 speakers
o Two subwoofers, powered through six channels with digital sound processing
o Full iPod® and MP3 player compatibility including full-colour album art display
* Digital radio (DAB) or satellite radio (SDARS) depending on market
* Unique, hide-lined iPod® drawer, with integrated connector, designed for storage and connection of multimedia devices. Supplied with four different fly-leads as standard with connectors for
o iPod® / iPhone®
o USB for portable hard drives
o Mini USB for Blackberrys, digital cameras and video cameras
o 3.5mm auxiliary for other MP3 player
* Telephone system with Bluetooth wireless connectivity
* Cordless telephone and cradle mounted in front armrest with SIM card reader in hard drive unit (rSAP). (Except North America or Japan)
Safety, Security & Charging
* Intelligent driver’s and front passenger air bag with front passenger air bag deactivation facility
* Head and thorax airbags fitted to front and rear seats
o Fitting to seats rather than car body ensures optimum positioning relative to occupants at all times as the airbag moves with you as you adjust the seat position
* 3-point seat belts to front seats with electric height adjustment and memory function, pyrotechnic pre-tensioners and force limiters
* 3-point seat belts to outer and centre rear seats with pyrotechnic pre-tensioners and force limiters to outer seats
* Rear seat ISOFIX child seat fixings with top tether points
* Direct tyre pressure monitoring system with provision for speed related warning
* Vehicle Immobiliser
* Interior volumetric alarm system
* Battery conditioner with magnetic trickle charging point concealed in rear registration plate recess
* 12V power sockets located in glovebox, rear centre armrest and boot in addition to cigar lighter sockets in front and rear cabin
Bentley Mulsanne Optional Feature Specification
* Wheels & Tyres
o 20″ Mulsanne Alloy Wheel – Chromed
o 21″ Classic Alloy Wheel – Painted
o 21″ Classic Alloy Wheel – Polished
o 21″ Two Piece 5 Spoke Alloy Wheel – Painted
o 21″ Two Piece 5 Spoke Alloy Wheel – Polished
o Space Saving Spare Wheel – NCO
o (standard in Turkey, Bahrain, India, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia & UAE)
* Exterior Fittings
o Flying ‘B’ Radiator Mascot
o Chromed Radiator Shell with Bright Stainless Steel Matrix Grille
o Bright Stainless Steel Matrix to Lower Bumper Apertures & Front Wing Vents
o Jewel Fuel Filler Cap
o Bright Stainless Steel Door Pillar Finisher
* Exterior Colours
o Extended Range including heritage, special satin and pearlescent finishes
o Duo Tone Range
o Single Thin Fine Lines
o Twin Thin Fine Lines
o Thin Over Thick Fine Lines
o Thick Over Thin Fine Lines
o Personal Commission – Solid & Metallic Paint Technologies
o Personal Commission – Pearlescent/3 Coat Technologies
o Personal Commission – Satin Paint
o Personal Commission – Fine Line Colour
* Glass
o Shade Band to Tinted Windscreen
o Privacy Glass to Rear Passenger Compartment
* Seating
o Contrast Stitching
o Cross Stitching
o Embroidered Bentley Emblems to All Seats
o Seat Piping
o Seat Ventilation & Massage Function to Front & Rear Seats
* Steering Wheels & Driver Controls
o Veneered Rim Steering Wheel (4 Spoke)
(available with Burr Oak, Burr Walnut, Piano Black, Birds Eye Maple &
Dark Stained Burr Walnut veneers)
o Heated Single Tone Hide Trimmed Steering Wheel (4 Spoke)
o Duo-Tone Hide Trimmed Steering Wheel (4 Spoke) – NCO
o Veneered Gear Lever
o Drilled Alloy Sports Foot Pedals
* Veneers
o Dark Stained Burr Walnut
o Piano Black
o Burr Oak
o Bird’s Eye Maple
o Vavona
o Dark Stained Vavona
o Olive Ash
o Sapelli Pommele
* Woodwork & Inlays
* Contemporary Style Cross-Banding & Inlay to Fascia & Waistrails
(available on Burr Oak & Burr Walnut)
* Picture Frame Style Inlay to Waistrails (not available with Piano Black)
* Bentley Wing Badge to Waistrails and Fascia
* Bentley Wing Badge & Chrome Inlay Strips to Waistrails & Badge to Fascia
* Veneered Picnic Tables
* Veneered Picnic Tables with Contemporary Style Cross-Branding & Inlay
* Veneer iPod Drawer & Minor Gauges Panel
* Veneer Door Panels
* Rear Quarter Companion Mirrors with Veneer Surround
* Mats & Rugs
* Lambswool Rugs for Front & Rear (in addition to standard overmats)
* Deep Pile Wilton Carpet Mats to Front & Rear
* Audio / Video
* ‘Naim for Bentley’ Premium Audio System
* Six Disc DVD Player
* Rear Seat Entertainment Package with twin 8” screens to headrests
* TV Tuner (in addition to DAB radio)
(applicable to UK, EU, Australia NZ, Singapore, India,South Africa)
* TV Tuner
(applicable to Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand)
* DAB Radio
(applicable to India & South Africa)
* Convenience
* Twin Fold-Down Vanity Mirrors to Rear Cabin Headlining
* Remote-Controlled Garage Door Opener (Eurolink/Homelink)
* Valet Key
* Rear View Camera
* Side View Camera
* Adaptive Cruise Control System (P09 – matrix to bumper & vents must also be ordered)
* Vehicle Tracking System – Preparation Only
* Vehicle Tracking System – Full Fitment
* Ambient Interior Mood Lighting
* Additional Cradle to Rear for Telephone Privacy Handset
* First Aid Kit in Addition to Warning Triangle (market specific availability)
* Mulliner Catalogue
* Personalised Embroidery to all Four Headrests
* Personalised Embroidery to Rear Headrests
* Personalised Plaques to all Four Treadplates – Level 1 (Text Only)
* Personalised Plaques to all Four Treadplates – Level 2 (Text & Graphics)
Published Feb. 26, 2010 By Annette Cary, Tri-City Herald
Bill Wiley is continuing to inspire new generations to follow the advice relatives gave him — “stand tall, stay black and speak loudly.”
Thursday, a 12-minute video tribute to him was unveiled just before one of the scientists he had encouraged, Wayne Martin, was given the 2010 Community Stewardship Award by the Black History Month Committee at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Maurice Foxworth, left, Wayne Martin, John Brooks Slaughter and Novella Bridges discuss Thursday the past, present and future of blacks in science, as well as the state of science and math education in the U.S. as part of the Pacific Northwest Laboratory’s Black History Month Celebration.
Martin hadn’t planned to return to school after he earned a bachelor’s degree and started working at the national lab in Richland. But that was before Wiley, who was director of the lab from 1984 until two years before his death in 1996, took an interest in Martin.
“He convinced me to do things that I never would have done,” said Martin, who now holds a doctorate in environmental science and acts as mentor to graduate students at the lab.
The video, created by the National Visionary Leadership Project, will be used nationwide to inspire students, including black students, to consider a career in science.
Much has changed since Wiley earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1954 at a time when his choice of schools in Mississippi was limited to those that accepted blacks.
But the need for black scientists to “reach back and grab those behind them” remains as strong as ever, said panelists at a Black History Month celebration Thursday at PNNL.
“There are thousands of Bill Wileys out there to be developed,” said John Slaughter, the first black director of the National Science Foundation from 1980-82. He now is professor of education and engineering at the University of Southern California.
Students of all races need to be encouraged to stick with math and science, Martin said. Too few U.S. citizens are entering technical fields, he said.
The problem stems from high school when it’s easy for students to opt out of challenging science and math classes if they don’t have families who encourage them to take the courses and do the work, he said.
“If we do not get them early, they are lost to these particular disciplines,” he said.
The percentage of minority students studying math and science in high school that’s needed to pursue math and science higher education is particularly low, Slaughter said.
“They opt out because in many cases they are taught by teachers who do not have a minor or major in math or science,” he said.
Institutions such as national labs can help ensure diversity by recruiting at smaller universities and colleges that have strong programs in specialized scientific areas, Martin said.
Labs need to be not just innovative, but also increase their rate of innovation, he said.
“The only way to do that is with people of diverse backgrounds,” he said.
The panel, led by moderator Rufus Friday, publisher of the Tri-City Herald, also discussed what might amaze Wiley if he could see the changes that had come to the national lab.
His vision was behind the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, which does molecular research on the environment across a range of scientific disciplines, including chemistry and biology.
A belief in integration of sciences and disciplines to solve tough problems is common today, panelists said.
Wiley would have been amazed by new ways to communicate, such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, said Novella Bridges, a senior research chemist at the national lab. And he would have enjoyed and made full use of them, panelists agreed.
Maurice Foxworth, an attorney who worked at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, said Wiley would be surprised at his continuing influence.
Slaughter agreed. But Wiley also would be disappointed in how little progress has been made in the United States to involve all its people in science and technology fields, he said.
Wayne Martin, Ph.D. has been a Columbia Basin College Trustee since 2000.
Additional news stories can be accessed online at the Tri-City Herald.
PASCO, Wash– Solar panels are the newest gadgets to hit the CBC campus. They help power the newest building, the ‘B’ building. The building just opened up last September and just taking one walk down the hallway you can see how up-to-date it really is.
But it’s what you don’t see that really separates this building from the rest. Solar panels gather energy and heat large amounts of water– enough to continuously provide hot water.
Computer panels in the hallway illustrate the energy cycle. And school leaders say it’s a huge money saver.
“We know that we’re converting a lot of our sunshine into free energy, which in fact makes hot water. Hot water is probably one of the most expensive things you use in your home, aside from maybe heating during a cold winter,” says Bill Saraceno, senior vice president of administration for the college. “That’s just constant churning on your meters–you can watch your meters spin like crazy when your hot water meter turns on.”
Saraceno says the school will be able to fully see the money saved this coming September; that’s when they’ll look at the annual cost and compare it to the previous year.
In the meantime, they plan to use similar technology as they continue to expand.
Warren Buffet’s shareholder letter was released Feb. 27 – always a must read – Berkshire Hathaway.com
————
read all of this – A Dark Day for the Mortgage Industry – by PAUL JACKSON - … MBA president and CEO John Courson used the show’s opening remarks to announce that the trade organization was backing what it called a “Bridge to HAMP” proposal for unemployed borrowers. … my comment is this: this proposal represents a dark day indeed for the mortgage industry, because it brings with it the distinct possibility of nationalizing our housing stock. … - tells why - HousingWire
also
most excellent – Who, in the End, Will Strategically Default? – by LINDA LOWELL – Two different research teams look at the question from two different sides. Let’s start with the dark side: the borrowers who ruthlessly put the house back to the servicer. Then we’ll move on to some researchers we don’t hear from often enough, who start by trying to quantify the bright side: the borrowers who won’t drive away from the house. – HousingWire
————
good primer – Lender-Directed Short Sales: Rare, But Not Extinct – BY LYNN EFFINGER & BOB ZACHMEIER – MortgageOrb
————
always worth reading – Bill Gross: PIMCO’s March 2010 Investment Outlook, "Don’t Care" by Bill Gross, is now available at PIMCO – (read the big paragraph in the middle)
4 week t-bill auction: Something VERY Strange Is Happening With Treasuries – Written by Graham Summers – Gains, Pains, & Capital
————
The systemic risk of the repo system – Felix Salmon – Tyler Cowen has a copy of Gary Gorton’s new paper, and likes it. The excerpt he gives us raises a serious point about fragilities in the banking system: banks fund themselves in the repo market so much that they need about $12 trillion of collateral just to keep ticking over. So if you implement a 20% haircut on repos, banks would need to raise $2 trillion, which is impossible … – Reuters Blogs
————
Concerns grow over China’s sale of US bonds – By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard – Evidence is mounting that Chinese sales of US Treasury bonds over recent months are intended as a warning shot to Washington over escalating political disputes rather than being part of a routine portfolio shift as thought at first. – Telegraph.co.uk
————
Why China’s Rumored IMF Gold Purchase, If True, Would Be of Huge Significance Submitted by smartknowledgeu – Zero Hedge
————
Big Hedge Funds Team Up To Bet Against Euro, Predict It Will Fall To Parity With The Greenback – Joe Weisenthal – … But then, you already know that anti-Euro sentiment has hid a wild extreme, and European leaders would love nothing more than to pull a surprise stunt that just crushes these guys. We know it’s coming. The question though is what it will be and when. … – Clusterstock at Business Insider
————
has list – Montier: Was it all just a bad dream? Or, ten lessons not learnt – Posted by Prieur du Plessis – Investment Postcards From Capetown
————
Debt: The Big Hangover Has Only Just Begun – By Frank Aquila - More than $1 trillion of high-yield debt will come due between now and 2015—a big potential weight on the U.S. economic recovery – BusinessWeek ————
excellent interview – Dennis Gartman: The Euro Is ‘Doomed’ – Written by Lara Crigger – IndexUniverse
A Senate committee today stalled a measure that would allow Peoria residents to give concealed carry of handguns a test run, all but dooming it this year.
The Senate Public Health Committee voted 9-0 to move the bill, sponsored by Peoria Republican Sen. Dale Risinger, to a subcommittee on “special issues.”
Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis testified that the bill would let law-abiding residents to carry a concealed gun once they completed specific firearms training sessions.
Risinger said while the legislation was most likely “done for this session,” it would be brought up again next year.
Illinois is one of only two states without a concealed carry permit. That’s one of several gun ownership measures long stalled in Springfield because of differences between downstaters and Chicago lawmakers.
For Bradley guard Sam Maniscalco, receiving second-team all-Missouri Valley Conference honors Tuesday was a result of getting healthy from chronically sore ankles and putting in the hours to make himself better.
Said BU coach Jim Les: “Sammy put the work in and had an unbelievable season. I can’t say enough about what he’s meant to our team. He’s a first-team all-conference player in my eyes, but I’m sure I’m biased. This is a guy who does it the right way academically and between the lines.”
The only other Brave honored was guard Andrew Warren, the Valley’s fourth-leading scorer at 14.4 points per game. Warren was selected honorable mention all-MVC.
The post office is renewing its drive to drop Saturday delivery — and plans a rate increase — in an effort to fend off a projected $7 billion loss this year.
Without drastic action the agency could face a cumulative loss of $238 billion over 10 years, Postmaster General John Potter said in releasing a series of consultant reports on agency operations and its outlook.
“The projections going forward are not bright,” Potter told reporters in a briefing. But, he added, “all is not lost … we can right this ship.”
Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., chairman of the Senate subcommittee with oversight authority over the Postal Service, called on Congress to give the post office the flexibility to deal with its future needs.
“In light of the serious financial challenges facing the Postal Service, postal management must be allowed to make the business decisions they need to stay competitive and viable in the years to come. As we have seen, it is not productive for Congress to act like a 535-member board of directors and constantly second-guess these necessary changes,” Carper said in a statement.
Frederic V. Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, also urged Congress to provide the post office with “financial breathing room,” but he opposed eliminating one day of delivery.
“I do not believe that weakening our commitment of six-day service to the public will enhance the long-term position of the Postal Service as a critical element in our nation’s economic infrastructure,” Rolando said.”
As Americans turn more and more from paper to electronic communications, the number of items handled by the post office fell from 213 billion in 2006 to 177 billion last year. Volume is expected to shrink to 150 billion by 2020.
At the same time, the type of material sent is shifting from first-class mail to the less lucrative standard mail, such as advertising.
And as people set up new homes and businesses, the number of places mail must be delivered is constantly increasing.
The agency has asked Congress for permission to reduce delivery days and has previously discussed the need for other changes such as closing some offices.
Cutting back Saturday home delivery, however, does not mean post offices would close that day.
There seemed to be concern on the part of Congress that officials had not looked at all possible options, Potter said, adding that was part of the reason for the three consultant studies.
Potter said he would like to see mail delivery cut to five days a week starting next year.
Later this month, he said, the Postal Service will ask the independent Postal Regulatory Commission to review its plans for the service reduction.
Under the law, the agency is not supposed to raise rates more than the amount of inflation, but there is a loophole allowing for higher increases in extraordinary situations such as the current recession and drop in mail volume.
“We intend to use that tool,” Potter said.
He said the USPS’s governing board is engaged in lively discussions of rate increases, though he declined to speculate on a new price. Currently, first-class stamps cost 44 cents. Rates for other classes vary.
“We need to walk slowly and very, very careful” in raising prices, Potter said, noting that increases can also drive business away.
A proposal before the Postal Regulatory Commission has estimated that increases of 3 percent this year and 10 percent next year would be needed to get the agency back to break-even.
While suggestions to close local post offices always draw complaints, Potter said the current system could be improved by opening more postal facilities in places like convenience stores and supermarkets. A few Office Depot stores are already doing this, he said.
The average post office has 600 patrons a week, Potter said, while the average supermarket brings in 20,000 people each week and is open longer hours and more days.
Only after such new facilities were available would a local post office close, he said.
Money-saving ideas considered and dismissed by the consultants included reducing the efficiency of mail delivery, Potter said.
Currently, the standard is to deliver first-class mail in one-to-three days, depending on the distance traveled. Reducing this to two-to-five days could save money by allowing more use of ground transport, but Potter said it would also reduce the value of mail use, especially to businesses.
Another possibility would be to ask Congress for a subsidy, but noting the current financial conditions Potter said “we do not plan to pursue that.” The post office has not received taxpayer subsidies for its operations since the early 1980s.
Potter said the agency is looking to new types of mail services to offer but will not seek to get into other types of business, such as banking, which are offered by many foreign postal services.
The agency has cut its work force from a peak of 800,000 career employees to currently about 600,000, and Potter said it wants to use more part-time people in the future. Over the next 10 years some 300,000 postal workers will become eligible to retire and that will offer an opportunity to make this change, he said.
A major problem for the agency is a new requirement for an annual payment of $5.5 billion to prepay expected medical benefits for retirees. Most businesses handle that cost on a pay-as-you-go basis and Potter said he is seeking congressional approval for the post office to go back to that standard.
The consultant reports, costing a total of $4.9 million, involved volume and revenue forecasts prepared by the Boston Consulting Group, revenue research by Accenture and a combined business forecast prepared by McKinsey & Company.
Microsoft is working on a mobile Surface system based on projectors, smartphones and project natal-type sensors. This seems like a pretty cool thing that could be a part of windows phones, or enhance the experience we get out of our devices. I am liking the work Microsoft has been putting into their touch technology and even their mobile technology, and I am sure we will see much more of this technology in upcoming versions of Windows Phone.
Romeo & Giulietta. The names go together like gin and tonic. And now, finally, after a quarter century, the star-crossed nameplate has returned. We just got our first look up close here at the Geneva Motor Show, and it’s left us hoping – nay, praying – that the sumptuous new hatchback makes it Stateside.
Fortunately there’s a glimmer of hope to hold on to. While Fiat/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne weighs the brand’s future, the Giulietta – Italy’s assault on the likes of the Audi A3 and BMW 1 Series, but crucially priced closer to a Golf or Focus – may very well be Alfa‘s last new product for the next while at least. But whether it’s meant to tide us over or whet our pallets – or better yet, drive us around our daily grind – the Giulietta looks stylishly up to the task. But don’t take our word for it, just ask the leggy redhead swooning alongside take a look in our high-res gallery of live shots from the show floor.
At the 2010 Geneva Motor Show today, Brabus displayed the new E V12 Coupe – describing it as the world’s fastest Gran Turismo.
Based on the new 2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe, power for the E V12 Coupe comes from a SV12 R Biturbo 800 V12 engine making 788-hp with a maximum torque of 1,047 lb-ft. The basis for this engine is the 12-cylinder twin-turbo engine from the latest Mercedes 600 models. Displacement of the engine was increased from 5.5 to 6.3 liters with the help of a special crankshaft, larger cylinder bore and correspondingly larger pistons. Both three-valve cylinder heads are optimized for mixture flow, and fitted with sport camshafts.
After all is said and done, the E V12 Coupe runs from 0-62 mph in just 3.7 seconds and 0-124 mph in 9.9 seconds. Without the limiter the E V12 Coupe is capable of a top speed in excess of 230 mph.
To keep the performance of the E V12 in check, Brabus also added some aerodynamic upgrades. Designers hit the wind tunnel to develop a body conversion kit made from high-strength, lightweight carbon fiber.
Brabus E V12 Coupe (2010 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe):
The long-puzzling death of a Schaumburg woman found burned in an office building parking garage has been ruled a suicide by investigators.
Shefali Bhagwanjee, 32, was found near her vehicle in a parking garage at 1600 McConnor Parkway in Schaumburg at about 9:40 a.m. Nov. 30.
For three months, Schaumburg police maintained that the initial evidence found at the scene made it difficult to make a determination between suicide and murder.
But Schaumburg police Sgt. John Nebl said Tuesday that both the police department and Cook County medical examiner’s office had closed the case with a final ruling of suicide.
Friends said that Bhagwanjee had moved to the U.S. around 2004 and worked in real estate. She was born in India and she and her husband had two sons, a toddler and a newborn.
The only “Egyptian” pyramid in Europe and the legendary tomb of Remus
Egyptomania gripped Rome in the wake of the conquest of Egypt in 30 BC. Both massive original artifacts and inspired copies cropped up all over the city, but only two actual pyramids were known to have been built, and only one remains.
The Pyramid of Cestius was most likely built between 18 and 12 BC. The 36 meter (about 120 feet) high pyramid was built as a tomb for a wealthy Roman under the sway of all things Egyptian. Little is known about the man who may have once been buried here, since the tomb was long ago ransacked and the land around it has changed dramatically over the centuries. Now at the edge of a busy traffic intersection near a major train stop, originally the pyramid was well outside of the center of the city, surrounded by stately columns and two bronze figures (now in the Musei Capitolini).
The pyramid rises at a much sharper angle than the famous pyramids in Egypt. This may have been due to incorrect information on the Egyptian front, innovation on the part of the Roman builders who, using concrete as a building material, were able to more steeply, or they may have been inspired by the steeper Nubian pyramids near Jebel Barkal, now in Sudan. In any event, the unusual proportions of this pyramid close to home has been credited as the source of oddly proportioned pyramids in European art supposedly depicting the Egyptian originals.
During this craze for all things Egyptian the famous obelisks began to appear in the city. Two of them dating from this period still stand – one in the Piazza del Popolo, and the second in the Piazza di Montecitorio (though neither one stands in its original location). In addition to obelisks and other Egyptian imports there was actually another, larger pyramid in Rome, known as the “Pyramid of Romulus” near the Castel Sant’Angelo. This pyramid did not survive the building crazes of later generations, and its marble was used in the building of the stairs at St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Pyramid of Cestius is constructed of brick and cement, covered in white marble. Originally the interior of his tomb was decorated with lively frescoes, described in detail by early travelers, but now gone. Between 271 and 275 it was built into the fortifications of the Aurelian walls, which likely helped it survive the centuries.
The inscription on the southeast side of the pyramid reads: Gaius Cestius Epulo, son of Lucius, of the Poblilian district, praetor, tribune of the people, official of the public banquets. ccording to his will, this work was completed in three hundred and thirty days; it was executed by his heirs L. Pontus Mela, son of Publius, of the Claudian district, and his freedman Pothus”
By the middle ages, stories about the two pyramids named them as the tombs of the legendary founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus. The actual tomb and inscriptions were not (re)discovered until tunnel builders found it in the 1600s. It was restored first in the 1600s, and again in 1999. It is the only pyramid of its kind in Europe. Today the tomb can only be accessed by special permission.
For a view of the pyramid with less traffic, go inside the Aurelian walls to the Protestant Cemetery to the northwest side.
Tim writes in to let us know of a proposal in the state legislature in Utah (known for passing some bizarre internet related legislation in the past) that would grant prosecutors stunning freedom to spy on internet users without much oversight. Specifically, the bill would let prosecutors in the Attorney General’s office demand names, addresses, phone numbers, and bank information from mobile phone operators and ISPs — without a judge reviewing the request. Last year, apparently, the legislature passed a similar law that was just limited to sex-related crimes — and prosecutors are now requesting info under that law approximately once per day, which seems like a pretty high number. The new law was originally intended to cover all crimes, but was limited to felonies as well as cyberstalking and cyberharassment claims (which, again, seem broad). It seems quite likely that such a law would be greatly abused.
Of course, the politicians supporting this claim that it’s necessary to keep people safe:
“If we charge our law-enforcement folks with trying to protect us and trying to catch these people,” [sponsor of the bill, Rep. Brad] Daw said, “we need to always be trying to review the capabilities these criminals have and the tools technology gives to them and make sure we have adequate tools in place.”
Except that makes no sense. Prosecutors could get a judge to grant a subpoena already. Why do they need to do this with no judicial review? This isn’t about protecting people and catching criminals. You already had a process to do that. It’s just that it had oversight. So what’s the excuse for taking away the oversight?
