Tom Tancredo, insane xenophobic failed politician from Colorado, had harsh words for the angry Arizonan, shouting-at-the-clouds codger and the sociopathological grifter from Alaska:
Former Republican congressman Tom Tancredo was the opening speaker at the recent Tea Party conference with Sarah Palin. In an interview with NRC Handelsblad, he spoke his mind about Palin. “I really don’t have this feeling about her as being presidential.’’ He referred to John McCain as a “nasty, mean’’ and “peculiarly unstable’’ man.
Oh, snap! Who died and left Tancredo Heather Chandler’s red scrunchie? Dude sounds a bit like the protagonist of Prometheus Unbound, struggling to bring down the House of Zeus, only exponentially more batshit crazy, and without the impressive bloodline.
There is also something innately comical about the Political Flame-out King calling the likes of McCain and Palin “unprincipled politicians,” “not Presidential” material, and “unstable.” It’s like Imelda Marcos calling Carrie Bradshaw a shoe whore. Seriously, don a rain poncho and whisper the word “Mexican” in front of Tancredo, and watch as he foams at the mouth faster than a freshly-opened can of Scrubbing Bubbles™.
Moreover, the 15-watt keynote speaker at the Tea Party Convention proves he still doesn’t comprehend the way the interwebs work:
Do the Tea Party people realise that you supported the bailout?
“I don’t know.’’
And if they knew, wouldn’t they be angry with you?
“Yeah, I am sure that would take the lustre off.’’
Mijn god, doesn’t he understand that even the Dutch newspapers have online editions accessible around the world? Or is he so blinded by his own stupidity that he believes just because he doesn’t know how to use teh Google, his racist teabagger fans don’t know how, either?
I guess we’ll have to wait and see whether the Tea Party bestows the red scrunchie on someone more . . . politically pure.
Postscript: And on a somewhat related note, it is with great sadness that I have report the death of Harold Ford’s non-campaign campaign. Farewell, Count of Carpetbaggerton, Duke of Douchebaggery. I shall wrap myself in black and purple bunting and strew rose petals on the sidewalk outside the Hotel Regency, crying fat, salty tears all the while.
Of course, now Larry Kudlow can step up to the plate . . . assuming he’s not currently incapacitated, grinding his teeth down to the gums in a crackhouse somewhere on the Upper East Side.
It’s really tragic that this even seems like it’s worth a post at all, but we’ve seen so many ridiculous stories of people creating cool and useful apps for their cities or universities — only to have officials freak out that outsiders are somehow violating intellectual property laws, and only official city/university apps should be allowed. So, when we heard about a guy in Elgin, Illinois who created a simple iPhone app to help people avoid parking tickets, it just felt likely that city officials would be upset about it. But… instead, they actually seem happy about it:
He just start selling his Elgin Parking iPhone application last week, but already city officials are commending him. For a download price of $1.99, it helps people comply with the city’s odd/even parking law.
Hopefully, this means that common sense is making a bit of a comeback. I half expected officials to either be upset that he was “making money” by selling an app that helped people avoid parking tickets, or be upset that, with fewer parking tickets to give out, they’d have less revenue — but it’s great to see the city endorsing this sort of thing, where a citizen is free to help make life better for others in the city. And… since people sometimes complain that too many of the stories on Techdirt are negative, it seemed worth a post to give kudos to Elgin for not doing the stupid things that many other cities have done. In this day and age, that’s progress.
Rejoice! The PlayStation Network service is now fully restored! After a major meltdown yesterday, it looks like the outage yesterday has been resolved as promised. Sony has promised that a patch will be released come this morning,
Do you have branch offices in China? iSec has published a new report outlining the severity of the attacks on Google.cn, allegedly by the Chinese government, dubbed ‘Aurora’ attacks. Up to 100 companies were victims, and some are speculating that resistance to such attacks is futile. The report lays out the shape of the attacks — which were customized per-company based on installed vulnerable software and antivirus protection:
1. The attacker socially engineers a victim, often in an overseas office, to visit a malicious website.
2. This website uses a browser vulnerability to load custom malware on the initial victim’s machine.
3. The malware calls out to a control server, likely identified by a dynamic DNS address.
4. The attacker escalates his privilege on the corporate Windows network, using cached or local administrator credentials.
5. The attacker attempts to access an Active Directory server to obtain the password database, which can be cracked onsite or offsite.
6. The attacker uses cracked credentials to obtain VPN access, or creates a fake user in the VPN access server.
7. At this point, the attack varies based upon the victim. The attacker may steal administrator credentials to access production systems, obtain source code from a source repository, access data hosted at the victim, or explore Intranet sites for valuable intellectual property.’ The report also has pages of recommendations as well as lessons learned, which any systems administrator — even those inside the US — should read and take note of.
Now that EA DICE is working on the sequel of Faye’s wall-climbing, roofdeck-jumping adventures in Mirror’s Edge, it’s quite the apt time now to revisit the good old times they had making the first game. The whole
Forensic Technology Center of Excellence – NIJ solicits applications to inform its search for the knowledge and tools to guide policy and practice. NIJ seeks qualified applicants to establish and operate a Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (”the Center”) within the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) System to support its research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E) process in all areas of forensic science for criminal justice application. The Center will support the NIJ RDT&E process by providing scientific and technical support to NIJ’s research and development efforts; supporting the demonstration, transfer, and adoption of appropriate forensic technology into practice by crime laboratories, forensic service providers (supporting criminal justice applications), law enforcement, and other criminal justice agencies; assisting in the development and dissemination of technology guidelines and standards; and providing technology assistance, information, and support to the above law enforcement and other appropriate criminal justice agencies. Total Funding: $6.2M. Eligibility: All. Application Due Date: April 15, 2010.
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Ron Paul has continued to run his Congressional office in a frugal manner, and was able to return more than $100,000 from his allotted office budget to the Treasury this year, an increase over the $90,000 returned last year.
“Since my first year in Congress representing the 14th district I have managed my office in a frugal manner, instructing staff to provide the greatest possible service to the people of the 14th district at the least possible cost to taxpayers,” said Paul.
good charts and commentary – Outlook for mortgage rates – Scott Grannis – … This chart shows the 26-year relationship between Fannie Mae collateral and 10-yr Treasury yields, with the spread on the bottom. Note that the spread has averaged about 125 bps, and currently stands at about 70. The spread has rarely traded at less than 100 bps, which suggests that Fed purchases may have caused spreads to tighten by 30-55 bps. … – Calafia Beach Pundit
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end of MBS purchase program – How High Will Mortgage Rates Go? – by Paul Smalera – MoneyWatch at Bnet
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A Better Method of Detecting Housing Bubbles – Ironman at Political Calculations – .. We think we’ve developed a better method, which is in part based upon our observations of age and income driven spending. What we found is that personal spending for housing was a very strong function of personal income. … – Seeking Alpha ————
Housing Upturn Proves Elusive – By Ben Steverman – Despite some signs of improvement, pessimism abounds about the U.S. housing market. The top worry: the withdrawal of government stimulus in the next few months – BusinessWeek
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Freddie Mac Abandons Ship on Interest-Only Loans – By Nick Timiraos – Freddie Mac said on Friday that it would stop buying and securitizing interest-only loans in September because those mortgages have performed so poorly. – WSJ Blogs and Freddie Mac: Final Nail in the Coffin of Interest Only Mortgages? – … At last count, Freddie had $130 billion in unpaid principal on these IO loans or 7% of their overall portfolio. Of those loans, 18% of them are considered seriously delinquent or more than 90 days past due. Only at a government sponsored “zombie” would it take $23.4 billion in delinquencies to discover that the business should stop exposing itself to the same risks again and again. … – Ockham Research
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Guest Post: Mortgage Rates – Only One Way to Go – Submitted By Michael Panzner – … . Assuming it ends on March 31st as planned, the laws of supply-and-demand would seem to indicate that the MBS market is headed for a heap of trouble. Why? The Fed has been the biggest buyer of residential mortgage-backed securities by far over the past year or so. That means yields and/or spreads on mortgage-related borrowings have only one way to go. … – Zero Hedge
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Obama May Ban Foreclosures, Further Decrees To Follow – Tom Lindmark – Look, I’m not a card carrying member of the Tea Party and I’m not an uber-conservative, but who the Hell does Obama think he is? When did we mutate from a country of laws to one driven by government fiat. OK, I’m overreacting to this story. It’s from Bloomberg and it goes like this: … – But Then What Blog
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on FDIC proposal – Mortgage Principal Paydowns Possible? – In my previous post about the fundamentals of the housing market I suggested that the next thing to come from the government would be the paydown of mortgage principals to keep individuals from walking away. – Surly Trader
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What happens to house prices when the Fed stops buying MBS? – Felix Salmon – … What does this mean for house prices? Let’s say I have an $80,000 income and a $20,000 downpayment. According to this calculator, at 5% mortgage rates I can afford $279,075 of house. At 6%, that figure drops to $257,780 — a 7.6% fall. And at 6.5%, it’s $248,034 — a drop of more than 11%. And that’s assuming that I have no car or credit-card payments to make. … – Reuters Blogs ————
Some Thoughts on Fannie’s Horrible Year – by Bruce Krasting – … For those economists out there that are scratching their heads as to why they missed by a mile on their expectations of New and Existing home sales last month they need only look at this report for an explanation. It is harder to get a mortgage today than it was a year ago, It will be harder to get a mortgage in one month from today and even harder to get one six moths from today. For me the implications of this are very obvious. Broad RE values will have to go lower, high-end homes will suffer the most in percentage drops. Consider the following slide. … – Zero Hedge ————
Bump in one county’s home prices raises hope that market is stabilizing – By Paul Owers – South Florida’s troubled housing market finally is showing signs of hitting bottom. Or at least getting close. – S. Fla. Sun Sentinel ————
Many borrowers in default stay put as lenders delay evictions – By Alana Semuel – Despite being months behind, many strapped residents are hanging on to their homes, essentially living rent-free. Pressure on banks to modify loans and a glut of inventory are driving the trend. – LA Times Business
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FHFA Extends Refinance Program By One Year – Federal Housing Finance Agency Acting Director Ed DeMarco today announced the extension of the Home Affordable Refinance Program, (HARP), a refinancing program administered by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, to June 30, 2011. – FHFA Press Release
She made it through the first round of layoffs at G&D Integrated in Morton. But, when the second round came along a week later, 32-year-old administrative assistant Jody Wibben was out of a job.
Flash forward one year: Wibben still is out of work, thanks to the economy, though she has her name and application in at every temp agency, unemployment service and business she could find, she said Monday.
Now, thanks to a filibuster on the U.S. Senate floor, Wibben is among the thousands of Illinois residents expected to lose unemployment benefits in the coming weeks.
Previously, extensions were available, based on how long a person has been unemployed and what tier of unemployment the claimant was, according to Greg Rivara, spokesman for Illinois Department of Employment Security in Chicago.
But no more, thanks to U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., who won’t agree to legislation to extend unemployment benefits yet again until money to fund that extension can be found.
According to Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the situation is an “economic emergency.”
If legislation isn’t passed to extend unemployment benefits, about 15,000 of the state’s unemployed will lose their benefits in each of the coming weeks, Rivara said. That’s about 60,000 in Illinois within a month, he said.
There is no way available to break down the numbers to specific cities or regions, Rivara said.
There are about 550,000 people in Illinois currently receiving unemployment benefits. The unemployment rate (not adjusted for seasonal workers, or based on unemployment insurance) in Peoria in December was 11.2 percent. That’s up 5 percent since December 2008, according to Illinois Department of Employment Security data.
Wibben’s benefits are set to run out at the end of April.
“I’m desperate now,” Wibben said. “I’ve been applying my butt off. I’ve gone to every business and have applications in all over.”
Wibben also has gone back to school to increase her job skills and give her a boost in the job market. She’s currently enrolled in an administrative professionals program at Midstate College, working toward an associate’s degree.
“I’d never been to college before. The only good thing about losing my job is I’ve gone back to school. But, of course, now I have student loans to look forward to paying off,” she said.
There’s also good and bad in the fact she is single and has no dependents, she said.
“I make less money on unemployment than if I had dependents,” she said, adding her benefits now are $284 each week, which is less than half what she made while employed.
“It’s nothing compared to what I made before and not enough to live on. But, I don’t know what I’ll do when that’s gone, too.”
Donna Peters, owner of DPA Services Inc. in Peoria, said she expects to see more people who’ve lost unemployment benefits flooding into area employment agencies if Congress doesn’t find a way to extend benefits soon.
“Right now, a lot of people don’t realize their benefits could be affected, and at some point the extensions will end. A lot of people aren’t aware what’s happening in Congress,” Peters said.
However, Rivara said, claimants receive notification when their claim is about to expire. “If an individual hasn’t received a letter (their claim) isn’t about to expire.”
Wibben is going about her job search the right way, according to Rivara’s advice for job seekers.
“We continue to encourage people to honestly assess their skills and how their skills fit into the economy now. Look to education to bridge the gap, if there is one,” he said.
Rivara also suggests checking out the state Web site, www.ides.state.il.us, for links to potential help with health care, housing, food and other basic necessities.
Ruth Longoria Kingsland can be reached at 686-3196 or [email protected].
Marc Faber appeared on Bloomberg today to talk stocks and currencies. Not surprisingly, he’s negative on US equities, and though he thinks the euro could rebound in the short-term (because it’s so oversold) he says there’s nothing good about the currency and that it could fall a lot further.
Last year we noted that while it was amusing to see a lawsuit from someone angry that they had to pay to downgrade from Vista to XP on their computer, it was hard to see how it was an antitrust violation, as the lawsuit was alleging. As we joked, perhaps that could be Microsoft’s new business model: keep coming out with worse and worse operating systems, but charge people more and more to stick with the older systems. Either way, as we expected, that lawsuit didn’t last long and was recently thrown out. As the court found, there was no evidence that Microsoft actually benefited from users downgrading. It seems pretty clear that Microsoft has always wanted people to sign up for its latest operating systems, and it would greatly prefer that over anyone (paying or not) downgrading to older versions. It also turned out that the “fee” the woman who brought the lawsuit paid was not to Microsoft, but to the computer manufacturer (in that case, Lenovo). In fact, the court pointed out that, technically, Microsoft gave a “free” extra operating system with the deal, since the buyer received both Vista and XP, at no additional revenue to Microsoft.
So how do you differentiate God of War III from the first two games? Well, here’s a very informative interview with the series Senior Producer Steve Caterson as he talks about the developement process of the game,
At the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Porsche is showing its new Porsche 918 Spyder Concept, a plug-in hybrid open-top supercar with a mid-mounted V8. Porsche has just released a 2 minute video describing the story behind the concept.
Refresher: Power for the Porsche 918 Spyder Concept comes from a 3.4L mid-mounted V8 making 500-hp. The engine is mated to two electric-motors sitting on the front and rear axle with an additional output of 218-hp. Power is driven to the wheels by Porsche 7-speed Doppelkupplungsgetriebe PDK transmission, allowing the 918 Spyder Concept to go from 0-62 mph in 3.2 seconds with a top speed of 198 mph. Drivers are allowed to choose from four different driving modes including E-Drive, Hybrid, Sport Hybrid and Race Hybrid. The E-Drive mode let the 918 Spyder concept run on pure electricity with a range of 16 miles.
Friends and family knew Leonard Mlynarczyk as a teen who loved to ride ATVs and dirt bikes.
They knew him as a College of DuPage student who wanted to work in heating and air conditioning.
But they knew him best for being a wonderful friend.
“If you knew him, you would like him right away because he was such a positive person,” his father, Marion Mlynarczyk, said Monday. “Everybody liked him (because) he was always willing to help and always giving good advice.”
The 19-year-old Bloomingdale resident was killed Saturday when the ATV he was riding flipped and landed on top of him as he headed up a hill in Yorkville, police said.
Mlynarczyk was riding at 10:02 p.m. Saturday in Bristol Station Park near Faxon and Allendale roads when the ATV rolled over, Sgt. Larry Hilt said.
Hilt said Mlynarczyk was transported to Copley Medical Center in Aurora where he was pronounced dead later that evening.
Hilt said the accident remains under investigation. Police still are awaiting potential witness accounts to determine exactly what happened.
Marion Mlynarczyk said his son had experience riding both three- and four-wheel ATVs, as well as dirt bikes, which was his primary hobby. Even the main photo on his Facebook profile includes a photo of Mlynarczyk atop an ATV.
“He just loves it, it’s like he was born with that (passion),” his father said.
Now his parents, Marion and Maria, are grieving the loss of their youngest son, who grew up in Bloomingdale with four siblings and graduated last spring from Glenbard North High School. This year he was studying to become a heating, ventilation and air conditioning specialist, a profession some of his older friends also pursued.
“He was just looking forward to graduating and working as a union guy,” said Marion Mlynarczyk. “We are going to miss him tremendously and I don’t know we are going to fill the gap he left. I look at his pictures and he is so full of life and hope, and now he’s gone.”
Services for Leonard Mlynarczyk will begin at 8 a.m. Thursday at Salerno’s Rosedale Chapels, 450 W. Lake St., Roselle, proceeding to a Mass at 9 a.m. at St. Isidore Church, Army Trail Road and Gary Avenue, Bloomingdale. Interment will be in St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
The test stand Stentor II is a complete force measurement system, ready to be used. Designed with all the technology of our force gauge Centor Touch, it can perform force measurement in tension and compresion up to 1000 N. The Stentor II is designed to perform tests on various type of materials in production or quality labs when the speed of the test is specified or when the speed changes the results on the force measurement.
Thanks to its big color touchscreen, the Stentor II displays the curve of force vs. deflection. Its frendly-user graphics interface makes the tests easy to setup and the results easy to analyze and use.
All-in-one system, it is possible to use it as a standalone tester without any software or computer. Neverheless, it keeps all the features of a computerized stand : statistics, calculations, curve, memory for 100 results,… With its outputs, it is possible to connect the Stentor II to a computer or an automaton with USB, RS232 or TTL outputs.
The deflection, speed and stop of the test stand are setup by an integrated control panel. The test is launched with one button which tare the force and starts moving the crosshead. The Stentor II has the following features :
– speed setting between 10 to 300 mm/min, upwards and downwards
– stopping or reversal of movement when the crosshead reaches the limit switches
– stopping or reversal of movement based on a displacement value (digital limit switches)
– stopping or reversal of movement based on the force value
– number of working cycles.
PRECILEC is the worldwide leader manufacturer of direct current tachometer generators dedicated to lifts. Our products are also known under the brand-name of RADIO-ENERGIE.
If you are acting in the lift maintenance service, we give you the opportunity to get genuine tachometer generators directly from the manufacturer at bottom prices.
We supply tachometer generators and incremental encoders to KONE, OTIS, SCHINDLER, THYSSENKRUPP, WITTUR manufacturers.
The tachometer generator is mainly installed in the hoisting machinery. It is mounted on the traction sheave driving the lift cables. It is used as a speed sensor to get sure the lift will stop at the expected floor, strictly at the level of the floor.
The 2011 Toyota RAV4 has made its debut on the eve of the 2010 Geneva Motor Show press days. Completely redesigned for the 2011 model year, the RAV4 gets a more sophisticated, chrome-accented front end design, a wider stance and luxurious appeal.
Inside, the 2011 Toyota RAV4 gets the automaker’s Easy Flat seating system and keeps its practicality and flexibility for active lifestyle customers. The interior, which has been totally redesigned as well, gets better quality features with the availability of a leather/Alcantara seat upholstery.
The 2010 Toyota RAV4 will go on sale in Europe later this year with 2WD and 4WD variants and four grades including UP1, UP2, Leather/Alcantara and Premium – available with a wide choice of engines (one gasoline and two diesel units).
We’ll get more information the U.S.-spec 2011 Toyota RAV4 later this year.
2011 Toyota RAV4:
Press Release:
Since the first generation of Toyota RAV4 (Recreational Active Vehicle with 4 Wheel-Drive) was launched in Europe in 1994, over one million customers have come to appreciate its compactness, manoeuvrability and versatility, allied to the dependability of the most advanced four-wheel drive system in the segment.
Though the compact SUV share of the European market has remained steady at just below 5% of total vehicle sales, the segment has recently attracted a new group of customers for whom an SUV purchase represents a more emotional than rational proposition.
These customers still value the high driving position, interior roominess, versatility and sense of security a compact SUV provides, but have less requirement for 4WD. Rather, they place more emphasis on distinctive, sophisticated styling, premium quality interior design and fuel efficient, environmentally-friendly performance combined with an engaging driving experience. Making its European debut at this year’s Geneva motor show, the new, expanded Toyota RAV4 model range fulfils each of these demands while sacrificing none of the core values of Toyota’s compact SUV.
Instantly identifying it as the latest addition to the Toyota family, the Toyota RAV4 features a new, more sophisticated, chromeaccented front design, emphasising the vehicle’s wide track and stable stance.
Showcasing Toyota’s unique Easy Flat seating system, the Toyota RAV4 interior retains all the practical, flexible versatility its active lifestyle customers have come to expect from the compact SUV, while perceived quality is further improved by the availability of new leather/Alcantara seat upholstery.
Offering an expanded range of 2WD and 4WD variants, the entire Toyota RAV4 engine line-up benefits from Toyota Optimal Drive technologies, resulting in low emissions and fuel consumption. The 4WD variant returns class-leading emissions and fuel consumption, both for Multidrive S and manual transmission versions of the 2.0 litre Valvematic petrol engine, as well as manual and automatic 2.2 D-4D 150 diesel models.
The Toyota RAV4 range offers customers greater flexibility in selecting their ideal grade and powertrain combination. The four grades -UP1, UP2, Leather/Alcantara and Premium- are now available with a wider choice of engines.
Sophisticated exterior design with refined interior quality
Successive Toyota RAV4 generations have followed the same groundbreaking, ‘Modern Rugged’ design cues that created the compact SUV market with the launch of Toyota’s first RAV4 in 1994. The key attributes of compactness, manoeuvrability and versatility allied to the most advanced four-wheel drive system in its segment have earned the Toyota RAV4 a consistently high share of the European compact SUV market.
Sacrificing none of these core values, the Toyota RAV4 is designed to appeal to a new group of customers who further demand distinctive, sophisticated styling with refined, premium-quality interior design.
Exterior design
The latest generation of Toyota’s dynamic, compact SUV features an all new, more sophisticated front design which combines stylish, urban-chic aesthetics with the image of durability expected from a vehicle with its class-leading four-wheel drive credentials.
A new wider, horizontal bar-type radiator grille design reminiscent of the Verso and Avensis instantly identifies the Toyota RAV4 as the latest addition to the Toyota family. It is framed by new headlights, incorporating projector-type low beam lamps, which are integrated into a new bonnet and front wing design which emphasis the car’s wide track and dynamic posture.
A new, full-width, aerodynamically styled front bumper accentuates the compact SUV’s stable stance. The addition of chrome accents to the radiator grille, bonnet moulding and fog lamp surrounds reinforce the premium quality of the new design.
In profile, the Toyota RAV4 inherits the combination of spaceefficient packaging, rising belt-line and distinctive silhouette that has hallmarked successive generations of Toyota’s compact SUV. To the rear, flanked by prominent, high-visibility Light Emitting Diodes (LED) lamp clusters, the side hung back door is deeply indented into the rear bumper, providing a practical, flat and level access step to the interior loadspace. The back door features an integral roof spoiler which houses the high-mounted, LED stop light.
The Toyota RAV4 will be available in a choice of ten body colours, including three new to the model range: Pearl White, Dark Steel and Regency Red.
Interior design
The crisp precision of the Toyota RAV4’s interior reinforces the premium quality of Toyota’s compact SUV. The elimination of any break lines, the tight panel gaps and the matching of surface levels highlight its engineering excellence and contribute to the perceived quality of the design.
And the perceived quality of the Toyota RAV4’s interior is further improved by the availability of new leather/Alcantara seat upholstery.
Thanks to Toyota’s unique, Easy Flat seating system, the Toyota RAV4 retains all the practical, flexible versatility its active lifestyle customers have come to expect from the compact SUV. Using one of two one-touch levers, easily accessible from the back door, the rear seats can be folded down flush with the loadspace floor without the need to remove any seat cushions or headrests.
Toyota Optimal Drive Applied to the entire engine line-up
Sports Utility Vehicles are under increasing pressure to improve their environmental performance. Reinforcing Toyota’s lead in environmentally-friendly, sustainable mobility, the entire Toyota RAV4 engine line-up benefits from Toyota Optimal Drive, a range of technologies introduced at the 2008 Paris motor show.
Toyota Optimal Drive showcases a combination of wide-ranging advanced technologies and internal improvement programmes designed to optimise the balance of performance and driving enjoyment with fuel economy and low emissions.
These diverse core technologies focus on three key aspects of powertrain development: firstly, the reduction of powertrain weight through the use of super-lightweight and highly compact engine components and transmissions; secondly, the minimisation of friction and mechanical losses; and thirdly, the maximisation of combustion efficiency.
Equipped with Toyota Optimal Drive, the Toyota RAV4 engine range offers an unmatched balance between outstanding, front- and fourwheel drive performance and class-leading CO2 emissions in both petrol and diesel variants.
2.0 litre Valvematic petrol engine
Available in 2WD with a six-speed manual gearbox, and with Toyota’s 4WD Integrated Active Drive System mated to six-speed manual or Multidrive S transmissions, the 1987cc, 4-cylinder Valvematic engine develops 158 DIN hp/116 kW at 6200 rpm and 198 Nm of torque at 4400 rpm.
When equipped with 2WD and manual transmission, the unit delivers a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 10.2 seconds and a maximum speed of 185 km/h.
Mated to 4WD and manual transmission, the engine offers 0-100 km/h acceleration in 10.5 seconds and a maximum speed of 185 km/h. Multidrive S transmission delivers 0-100 km/h acceleration in 11.0 seconds.
Both when mated through manual transmission and Multidrive S, the 4WD version returns class-leading fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
Multidrive S transmission
The 2.0 litre Valvematic engine can be equipped with the Multidrive S, Toyota’s highly-advanced Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) system. Delivering an infinite number of ratios through two cone-shaped pulleys and a high-strength steel belt, Multidrive S offers an incredibly smooth, seamless driving experience.
Because the CVT system maintains the most efficient engine rpm at any given vehicle speed, it combines low cruising-speed noise with high CO2 and fuel efficiency, yet can also maintain the ideal ratio to deliver peak engine power for maximum performance.
A ‘Sport’ button selects a more responsive, power-maximising ratio, delivering a more engaging driving experience. Multidrive S also features a sequential, manual seven-speed mode, with gear selection performed either by the gear shift lever or steering wheel-mounted paddle shifts.
2.2 litre D-4D 150 diesel engine
Mated to the six-speed manual transmission, the 2.2 D-4D 150 is available with 2WD or the 4WD Integrated Active Drive System. The 2231cc unit develops 150 DIN hp/110 kW at 3600 rpm and 340 Nm of torque at 2000-2800 rpm. With a maximum speed of 190 km/h, the engine delivers a 2WD 0-100km/h acceleration time of 10.0 seconds, and 10.2 seconds with 4WD.
When mated to the six-speed automatic transmission and 4WD, the 2.2 D-4D 150 unit further benefits from Toyota’s Diesel-Clean Advanced Technology (Toyota D-CAT), which incorporates a Diesel Particulate and NOx Reduction filter (DPNR). Thus equipped, the 2.2 D-4D 150 offers performance of 0-100 km/h in 10.8 seconds and a maximum speed of 185 km/h.
When mated to 4WD, the unit returns class-leading CO2 emissions, for both the manual and the automatic transmission.
Six-speed automatic transmission
The 2.2 D-4D 150’s six-speed automatic transmission provides a fast, smooth response while maintaining an impressive level of comfort by eliminating harsh shift shocks. A ‘Sport’ mode offers a more aggressive shift pattern using AI-SHIFT Control (Artificial Intelligence Shift Control).
The new transmission also features a newly developed, 6-speed Sports Direct Shift manual override control, with gear selection in M-mode performed either by the gear shift lever or steering wheelmounted paddle shifts. M-mode offers a more sporting driving experience, with a lock-up function used from 2nd to 6th gears for as wide a range of gear ratios as possible.
6-speed Sports Direct Shift also incorporates an automatic, throttle ‘blipping’ function to optimise the speed and smoothness of downchanges. As with the Multidrive S transmission, drivers can also use the paddle shifts to temporarily override the automatic mode.
2.2 litre D-4D 180 diesel engine
Also equipped with Toyota’s D-CAT technology and mated to a six-speed manual transmission with the 4WD Integrated Active Drive System, the powerful 2.2 D-4D 180 unit develops 177 DIN hp/130 kW at 3600 rpm and 400Nm of torque at 2000-2800 rpm. The engine delivers a performance of 0-100 km/h in 9.3 seconds and a maximum speed of 200 km/h.
Integrated Active Drive System
The Toyota RAV4 is available with either 2WD front-wheel drive or Toyota’s advanced 4WD Integrated Active Drive System (IADS). IADS is a sophisticated, high-speed interactive management system which -via sensors located throughout the vehicleintegrates the Toyota RAV4’s Active Torque Control 4WD, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Electric Power Steering (EPS) systems to enhance the Toyota RAV4’s performance, handling and safety.
The key element of IADS, the Active Torque Control 4WD system continuously monitors and controls the torque transfer between the front and rear wheels via an electromagnetically controlled coupling positioned in front of the rear differential, optimising traction and vehicle stability under all driving conditions.
Front to rear torque distribution can vary from 100:0 to 55:45, with front-wheel drive (100:0) automatically engaged under normal driving conditions to improve fuel consumption. The system incorporates a 4WD Lock button, allowing the driver to lock torque distribution in a 55:45 ratio for maximum off-road traction.
IADS coordinates the operation of the Active Torque Control 4WD system with the Toyota RAV4’s VSC and EPS to not only control individual wheel speeds (as in a conventional VSC system), but also to adjust torque transfer between the front and rear wheels and add steering torque assistance to help the driver control a skid.
Political gridlock in the Senate triggered a legal requirement Monday for a 21 percent cut in Medicare fees to doctors, who warned they may have to limit care for seniors unless the reductions are reversed.
Hoping the Senate will act soon to stave off the cuts, the Obama administration directed Medicare billing contractors to hold off processing claims for 10 business days. Medicare normally takes 14 days to pay doctors, so there would be no reduction in reimbursement if lawmakers move quickly.
“Our No. 1 goal is to avoid disrupting payments to physicians during this time,” said Jonathan Blum, who directs the Medicare division that handles payments to providers.
But the American Medical Association assailed lawmakers for allowing the cuts to go through, saying it shows the political system is failing to address manageable problems with health care, let alone big challenges like covering the uninsured and trying to slow rising costs.
“Our message to the U.S. Senate is to stop playing games with Medicare patients and the physicians who care for them,” said Dr. James Rohack, president of the doctors’ group.
Funding to temporarily stave off the cuts was part of a bill passed last week by the House. But the Senate failed to act on the one-month fix because Republican Sen. Jim Bunning of Kentucky objected that the $10 billion measure would add to the deficit.
The Medicare cuts are the consequence of a 1990s deficit reduction measure that Congress has routinely waived for years. But every time the cuts are postponed, they only get bigger in percentage terms, making a permanent fix more costly and difficult.
Republican leaders in Congress have pledged to help pass legislation to temporarily restore the funding. But there’s no consensus on a long-term solution. The Obama administration and most Democrats favor repealing the 1990s law that called for the cuts to doctors, arguing that it never worked in the first place.
The AMA’s Rohack said the instability is damaging the popular health insurance program for seniors – and is a harbinger of bigger problems, if Congress fails to act this year on a health care overhaul. The doctor cuts are a prime example of why postponing action won’t work when it comes to medical costs and the uninsured.
Coincidentally, the Medicare cuts come as the doctors’ group opens a major issue advocacy conference in Washington this week. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is scheduled to address the AMA on Tuesday.
Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that it will launch its first diesel-electric hybrid at the end of 2010 with the Mercedes-Benz E300 BlueTec Hybrid.
The Mercedes-Benz E300 BlueTec Hybrid will be powered by a 2.2L 4-cylinder twin-turbocharged diesel engine from the E250 CDI and will be capable of returning more than 56 mpg (47 mpg in U.S. terms). Reports say it will share many of its hybrid technology, including the lithium-ion batteries and electric-motor, with the S400 hHybrid.
Sales of the Mercedes-Benz E300 BlueTec Hybrid are scheduled to start in early 2011.
Tom Tancredo, insane xenophobic failed politician from Colorado, had harsh words for the angry Arizonan, shouting-at-the-clouds codger and the sociopathological grifter from Alaska:
Forensic Technology Center of Excellence – NIJ solicits applications to inform its search for the knowledge and tools to guide policy and practice. NIJ seeks qualified applicants to establish and operate a Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (”the Center”) within the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC) System to support its research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E) process in all areas of forensic science for criminal justice application. The Center will support the NIJ RDT&E process by providing scientific and technical support to NIJ’s research and development efforts; supporting the demonstration, transfer, and adoption of appropriate forensic technology into practice by crime laboratories, forensic service providers (supporting criminal justice applications), law enforcement, and other criminal justice agencies; assisting in the development and dissemination of technology guidelines and standards; and providing technology assistance, information, and support to the above law enforcement and other appropriate criminal justice agencies. Total Funding: $6.2M. Eligibility: All. Application Due Date: April 15, 2010.
