Lindsay Lohan wasn’t pulling our legs when she told a Los Angeles judge she had a movie lined up in Texas and therefore couldn’t afford to be fitted with a SCRAM bracelet and relegated to the confines of LA — the hard-partying starlet is in negotiations to star alongside music legend Willie Nelson.
Nelson and actor Kerry Wallum recently launched their own production company, Luck Films, and are eager to get Lohan on board for the firm’s first film, The Dry Gulch Kid, Wallum told WENN Wednesday.
“We are in negotiations with Lindsay and look forward to possibly working with her. The Dry Gulch Kid is a really good story and the film will feature myself, Willie Nelson and a host of other well-known names.”
In court on Monday, Lohan’s lawyer Shawn Chapman Holley objected to strict restrictions placed on the actress by hardnosed judge Marsha Revel. Not only is Lohan prohibited from leaving the Los Angeles area, she must submit to random drug and alcohol testing, and keep a alcohol-detecting bracelet around her ankle at all times.
Arizona Superintendent: It?s A Big Problem If Teachers Have Accents And Pronounce ?Comma? As ?COH-ma? Late last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Arizona Department of Education “recently began telling school districts that teachers whose spoken English it deems to be heavily accented or ungrammatical must be removed from classes for students still learning English”: State education officials say the move is intended to ensure that students with limited […]
Late last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Arizona Department of Education “recently began telling school districts that teachers whose spoken English it deems to be heavily accented or ungrammatical must be removed from classes for students still learning English”:
State education officials say the move is intended to ensure that students with limited English have teachers who speak the language flawlessly. But some school principals and administrators say the department is imposing arbitrary fluency standards that could undermine students by thinning the ranks of experienced educators. […]
“This is just one more indication of the incredible anti-immigrant sentiment in the state,” said Bruce Merrill, a professor emeritus at Arizona State University who conducts public-opinion research.
At one school, for example, state auditors complained that teachers pronounced “words such as violet as ‘biolet,’ think as ‘tink’ and swallow the ending sounds of words, as they sometimes do in Spanish.” The principal at that school acknowledged that teachers “should speak grammatically correct English” but said they shouldn’t be punished for having an accent.
The man in charge of this project, far-right Arizona superintendent Tom Horne — who is running for attorney general — has been going on national media in recent days to defend his policies. Yesterday he went on Hannity, and this morning he went on Fox and Friends. Yesterday he was also on CNN and argued that he isn’t targeting teachers with accents — just people who use “faulty English.” However, the “faulty English” he cited was an example of someone having an accent:
HORNE: We’re not going after any accents, including Spanish accents. It has to be faulty English. If students are being taught English, and they’re going to refer to a “comma” as a “COH-ma,” people are going to misunderstand them.
Watch it:
Horne is the same person who has taken an active role in ridding the state of ethnic studies classes, saying that they encourage “ethnic chauvanism.” Earlier this year, he took heat from Arizona Latinos for referring to venerated civil rights leader Dolores Huerta as a “former girlfriend” of Mexican American labor leader Cesar Chávez — even though she was actually his sister-in-law.
Steve Ballmer has re-iterated their intent not to shoehorn Windows Phone 7 on tablets in the near future.
Speaking at the Imagination Cup awards in Singapore he reportedly said:
We’re focused on putting Windows Phone 7 in phones, no plans for tablets.
He claimed that Microsoft’s current strategies went far enough in responding to market pressures and competition at present:
Every Windows phone, every Kin, is Microsoft branded. It’s not Microsoft produced, it’s not priced by Microsoft, the Kin is actually manufactured, produced by Sharp. But it’s advertised by Microsoft, it’s branded by Microsoft. Will we go further than that? No plans at this time.
In many ways releasing Windows Phone 7 on large format devices may be seen as a missed opportunity, given the “panoramic” user interface paradigm which implies a view into an application already presented on a big screen.
Of course just because Microsoft is not planning to use Windows Phone 7 does not mean multiple other companies are not planning to use the Windows CE base to do the same job, but of course this will lead to multiple user interfaces, the lack of a cohesive market place, and no access to the music and media features which has been the major hallmark of most successful consumer computing devices recently.
Maryland governor candidates hope to win big with casinos PERRYVILLE, MD. — Gov. Martin O’Malley strode Tuesday into a shell of a building here in Maryland’s northeastern corner that, if all goes according to plan, will be transformed into the state’s first slots casino just a few weeks before Election Day.
Obama, GOP adversaries to meet in closed-door session President Obama will submit to a polite but pointed grilling from his Republican Senate adversaries in the Capitol’s LBJ room Tuesday afternoon, a rare show of bipartisanship in an increasingly hostile city.
Popular benefit of health-care law excludes military families By the time Congress passed the national health-care overhaul, anxiety about it was so widespread that Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates issued a statement reassuring military families. The legislation, Gates said, “will not negatively impact the TRICARE medical insurance program” for members of …
Renault/Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn with Daimler AG CEO Dieter Zetsche
Speaking at a luncheon at the Detroit Economic Club at the Cobo Center yesterday, Renault and Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said that size matters when it comes to an automaker’s survival in the industry. He said that to cope with rising cost, a successful automaker must be able to compete in every market, segment and technology.
“No 3 million-unit carmaker can make it,” Ghosn said, talking about his companies (Renault-Nissan) recently announced alliance with Daimler AG. “You also must be in every market — and it’s not just Japan, Europe and the United States anymore but also Brazil, Russia, China and India. And you better be in Indonesia, too.”
Ghosn said that every large automaker must be able to simultaneously develop gasoline, diesel, hybrid and electric-vehicle technology since it is difficult to predict which one of those will take center-stage in the future.
Foxconn has gone into serious damage control this week, with CEO Guo Tai-ming inviting 100 members of the press to view the facilities today. Even Apple and Dell, two companies whose products are produced in Foxconn’s factories, have spoken out. More »
Tras los cientos de rumores que afirmaban la creación de un posible circuito urbano en Nueva York, la noticia se ha confirmado a medias. La Fórmula 1 regresará a Estados Unidos en el año 2012 pero no lo hará en la ciudad de Nueva York, sino en Austin (Texas).
Además, no será un circuito urbano, se construirá un circuito permanente tal y como ha declarado Bernie Ecclestone hace cuestión de unas horas:
Por primera vez en la historia de la Fórmula 1 en los Estados Unidos, una instalación de clase mundial será construida especialmente para acoger el evento. Fue hace treinta años cuando se celebró el GP de Estados Unidos de Fórmula 1 por última vez en un circuito permanente en Watkins Glen, NY (1961-1980), que tuvo un gran éxito. Desde entonces, la Fórmula Uno ha sido organizada en Long Beach, Las Vegas, Detroit, Dallas y Phoenix todos circuitos callejeros temporales. Indianápolis se unió a las filas de las ciudades sede en 2000 cuando se agregó un circuito dentro en el famoso óvalo. Lewis Hamilton ganó el último GP de Estados Unidos en 2007, marcando el fin a ocho años en el Indianápolis Motor Speedway. Sin embarogo, será la primera vez que se construya una instalación desde cero específicamente para la Fórmula 1 en los EE.UU.
Por el momento desconocemos cualquier característica de este nuevo trazado aunque si hacen un buen trabajo, podría ser una parada permanente del campeonato de la máxima categoría del motor.
27 years of civil war have affected Angola in many ways. Richard Casson finds out how peace is making recovery possible.
A market along the Luena to Kuito Highway. Photo: Michael Bingham/Oxfam
The Luena to Kuito Highway is the main route between the province of Bie in central Angola and the rural eastern province of Moxico. It’s a 400km road that, by European standards, can barely even be called a road. Crater-ridden, stomach-churning, suspension-busting dirt-trail is about as close as I can describe it. It’s a road where tropical rains appear out of nowhere and quickly turn the dusty track into a raging torrent of water, and a toilet stop is a quick squat behind the nearest eucalyptus tree. It’s a journey that should only be attempted in a 4×4 or a Russian Kamaz truck – and one that I endured when we visited Oxfam’s project work in Angola this February.
The 12-hour drive from Luena to Kuito was an incredible experience for me, not only because of the bruises and bumps it left me with, but also because it was a lesson in the impact of war.
The road lies in an area of Angola locally referred to as The Corridor – a passage of land that cuts through some of the most remote and isolated parts of the country. Many of the towns and villages here experienced ferocious fighting during Angola’s 27-year civil war.
Few Europeans have travelled this route, and those that do must either know the tracks off by heart or be accompanied by someone who does. When I made the journey I was lucky enough to be accompanied by two staff from Oxfam’s office in Angola: Titus, Oxfam’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Co-ordinator; and Joao, our driver, a man with the finest collection of laid-back Portuguese driving music I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to.
Broken infrastructure
A tank along the Luena to Kuito Highway. Much of Angola’s land remains uncultivated because of landmines. Photo: Michael Bingham/Oxfam
Titus has worked on humanitarian projects across Africa and knows well that recovery from long-term conflict takes decades. As we drove past broken railway lines and burned-out train stations, he waved toward the destroyed infrastructure and described how until war began in the mid-1970s, the trip from Luena to Kuito could be made by train. “When war broke out, everything changed,” Titus explained. “Both sides ripped up the train tracks to prevent the other from gaining control of the area.”
As war raged on, Angola’s rail network was replaced with a web of poverty that still cripples many rural areas to this day – eight years after peace was officially declared. The lack of a decent infrastructure means farming communities, most of whom live far outside the nearest town, remain unable to get their crops to market. The little food that does make it through is expensive because of transport costs. High food prices mean that few people are able to afford a balanced diet. And the lack of good food means that nutrition is poor and people become sick more often.
Sparsely populated villages spring up every 20km or so along the road between Luena and Kuito. Many of the people that live in these earth-red, mud-brick-walled homes are subsistence farmers who make their living from the land. Though the people living here pick fresh mangoes, bananas and pineapples from the trees nearby, vast areas of Angola’s land remain uncultivated because of landmines, so the profits available from farming are limited. Since the war ended, the Angolan government and a number of international organisations have invested lots of resources to clearing the mines, but still no one knows how many are left – estimates range from hundreds of thousands right up to several million.
Angola is gradually recovering
Despite still facing many problems, some parts of Angola are recovering. Peace has led to greater freedom of movement, and it is now possible for Oxfam and other development agencies to carry out work in areas of the country that were impossible to access during the war. Water pumps are gradually being installed in remote villages. Hygiene and sanitation education programmes are helping to limit the outbreak of deadly diseases such as cholera. And in Luanda, the capital city, some people are profiting from Angola’s massive oil, iron and diamond reserves.
Having taken the road from Luena to Kuito, it’s clear to me that there is still much to be done before Angola fully recovers. Factories must still be rebuilt, and decent homes built for much of the population. And the railway lines are yet to be replaced. But an end to war is gradually making this possible. As Joao said as we slowly coasted through a bustling town at one stage during our trip: “peace is everything.”
Blooming singer, Britney Spears, has announced that she would want her body to be frozen after she dies. The lady is reported to be working out a deal to get herself frozen after her death. The move is being made to bring her back to life, sources revealed her view. The singer who is famous of rocking the stage while performing wants her body to be preserved in liquid nitrogen, a process more known as ‘cryogenic’ freezing.
Spears interest grew after she heard of rumors that Walt Disney was preserved in the same way. She is expecting that the process keeps the body preserved and can be brought back to life when someone wishes. A close source further revealed that the lady was only waiting for an approval from her father, after which she would sign the draft.
The ‘Alcor Life Extension Foundation’, a company based in Arizona specializes in Cryogenics, which is being tagged as the company responsible for preserving her body. Spears even wishes to invest in the company and promote this new fashion.
She knows that no one can be brought back to life but is thinking of the time in future when some sort of technology is made and it is possible to bring her back to rock the world.
Alcor Life’s website stated:
“Using ultra-cold temperature to preserve human life with the intent of restoring good health when technology becomes available to do so.”
“Dancing With the Stars“ winner 2010 is Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and her partner Derek Hough. “Dancing With the Stars” 2010 has came to an end, a show that pairs up celebrities to dance with proffesional ballroom dancers in a competition.
This week all the pairs have chosen Argentine Tango. The competition was tough, but Nicole and Derek always positioned among the favorites, not only because of the great dancing skills shown by the pussycat dolls singer but the chemistry between Scherzinger and Hough made their Argentine Tango exceptional.
Nicole Scherzinger was competing in the final of “Dancing With the Stars” against Van Evan Lysacek and his partner Anna Trebunskaya, and Erin Andrews and her partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
The Nicole Scherzinger, Derek Hough couple won the competition with a perfect scoring for their jive, so they took the Mirror Ball trophy.
Sandra Bullock has been keeping an almost non-existent profile since finding herself entangled in estranged husband Jesse James’ far-reaching infidelity scandal in March, but the blogosphere is abuzz with reports that the new mom may be forging a comeback at next month’s MTV Movie Awards.
E! Online Gossip Guys Ted Casablanca and John Boone claim the Oscar winner “is prepping to make return to the red carpet” at the event – where she nominated for a litany of roles for her box office hit The Blind Side. In fact, we hear Sandra’s stylist is already rounding up dresses for Sandra to select from “should she” decide to hit the red carpet.
The 2010 MTV Movie Awards — hosted by Aziz Ansari — will air live from Los Angeles on June 6.
Google recently introduced a new documents editor for Google Docs. It’s still in a beta of sorts and not enabled by default, but it’s getting better and already receiving new features. They’ve been introduced gradually and Google is now making a round-up of the latest bigger additions to the new documents editor. A new, simpler &… (read more)
There’s no dominant story on a stupid bloody Tuesday but we’ve got a lot of little ones. Bulleted content will follow.
• Are you in or are you out on Anibal Sanchez(notes)? He’s quietly won three games in a row, with the latest coming Tuesday against the Braves (6.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 6 K), and he’s still out there in about 85 percent of Yahoo leagues. Let’s take a look under the hood.
A 3.23 ERA over nine starts sounds decent, but the underlying stats don’t jump out at you: he’s only striking out 6.79 batters per nine innings; his strikeout/walk rate is barely over two; he’s getting by with a ridiculous 1.6 HR/FB rate, an obvious fluke. Sanchez’s fastball hasn’t been a plus pitch for him so far, but he’s getting a lot of mileage out of an improved slider. You can start Sanchez on the weekend against Philadelphia if you like; I’m not going to recommend it.
• Don’t look now but the Cardinals aren’t doing much on offense; they’ve only scored 196 runs for the year (tied for ninth in the National League) and they were shut out in San Diego Tuesday by Jon Garland(notes) and Company. Adam Wainwright(notes) was the hard-luck loser in Southern California, despite a one-run effort and 12 strikeouts.
•Jon Lester(notes) threw six bagels at the Rays, allowing just one hit and striking out nine. He was helped by Bob Davidson’s cushy strike zone, much to the dismay of Carl Crawford(notes) (ejected) and Joe Maddon (ejected). Crawford made mild (and accidental) contact with Davidson and might be looking at a suspension.
•Chris Iannetta(notes) is back in Colorado, hopefully with his confidence restored – he posted a .349/.447/.698 line in 17 minor-league games, along with five homers. Meanwhile, Miguel Olivo(notes) has kept things afloat, with a .281 average and eight homers.
• The Padres have made a lot of things happen on the bases this year and they’re adding another speedster to the mix: outfielder Luis Durango(notes) was recalled Tuesday and is expected to start Wednesday. Durango posted a .305/.384/.318 line at Triple-A Portland, and he was eager on the bases, with mixed results (stealing 18 bases on 28 attempts).
• Maybe the Phillies simply can’t do it against knuckleballers. On Sunday they were baffled by Boston veteran Tim Wakefield(notes), and Tuesday night it was R.A. Dickey(notes) doing the trick, skating around 10 baserunners (6 IP, 0 R, 7 K). "You are used to guys who have everyday stuff, but it’s rare that you see a knuckleballer," Ryan Howard(notes) said. "Two in a row is even rarer – like Halley’s Comet." Eventually someone is going to pay for this mini-slump the Phillies offense is in, but they get a tricky assignment Wednesday against unorthodox left-hander Hisanori Takahashi(notes).
Kings of Pain: Fred Lewis(notes) (foot) was a late scratch at Anaheim . . . Grady Sizemore(notes) was in Colorado Tuesday, getting his knee looked at . . . Brett Anderson(notes) (forearm) will throw in the bullpen Wednesday and might be ready to pitch as soon as this weekend . . . Jacoby Ellsbury(notes) was held out of Tuesday’s game due to a sore left side . . . Dallas Braden’s(notes) sore ankle abbreviated his turn at Baltimore . . . Coco Crisp(notes) has a sore chest muscle and might need to go back on the disabled list . . . Luke Scott(notes) has a strained shoulder and couldn’t go Tuesday . . . Aramis Ramirez(notes) is still dealing with a sore thumb.
Handshakes: Heath Bell(notes) allowed a seeing-eye single and a walk and needed 28 pitches against St. Louis, but ultimately he got the job done . . . David Aardsma(notes) went 1-2-3 against the Tigers . . . Carlos Marmol(notes) shut down the Dodgers and keeps piling up the strikeouts (46 whiffs in 23.2 innings) . . . Raul Valdes(notes) got a rogue save in back of Dickey, working three scoreless innings and striking out four . . . Neftali Feliz(notes) worked a perfect inning at Kansas City and is now 13-for-15 on saves . . . Brian Wilson’s(notes) facial hair scares me, and it apparently does the same to the Nationals (three strikeouts in the ninth) . . . Jonathan Papelbon(notes) needed just 13 pitches in Tampa, and amen to that – he’s one of the slowest workers in the majors. Daniel Bard(notes) (2.16 ERA, 0.92 WHIP) set up with a perfect eighth and looks like a stud closer-in-waiting if the Red Sox don’t re-sign Papelbon . . . Octavio Dotel(notes) has rallied nicely in May (10 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 14 K) . . . Manny Corpas retired three of four Diamondbacks and hasn’t allowed a run over eight appearances.
Speed Round: So much for Cleveland being a safe haven for Jake Peavy(notes) – the Indians knocked him around pretty good (6 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 2 HR). He struck out five, but the Indians laced plenty of frozen ropes as well. He gets the Rays on the weekend . . . Clayton Kershaw(notes) allowed just one unearned run over six innings in Chicago, but Ryan Dempster(notes) was even better (8 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K). He’s got a 3.31 ERA and a nifty 1.03 WHIP, but only a 3-4 record to show for it . . . Mike Leake(notes) still hasn’t had a bad turn – he got a no-decision after allowing one run over seven innings against the Pirates. Leake worked around 10 hits and one walk, and struck out just three, but there’s plenty of moxie in this kid . . . The Astros can’t hit and Randy Wolf(notes) was happy to take advantage (7 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K). You can’t blame Roy Oswalt(notes) for wanting out of this mess . . . The Blue Jays did their usual bit (three homers), but otherwise it was a winning night for underrated Ervin Santana(notes) (CG, 4 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 10 K). Ricky Romero(notes) got touched up for 11 hits and seven runs on the other side, though he also struck out eight . . . It’s a shame this squirrel can’t hit, because he’s got great wheels.
2011 Porsche Cayenne Individualization Options by TechArt
It was only a matter of time before popular Porsche tuner TechArt got their hands on the new 2011 Cayenne SUV. Before the tuner goes ahead and offers aerodynamic and performance upgrades for the new Cayenne, it is offering new individualization options for the exterior, engine area and the interior along with light alloy and forged wheels.
For those looking to enhance the look of their new 2011 Porsche Cayenne from the outside, TechArt is offering pillar trims, window frame trims, wiper covers, engine styling package with a carbon cover and sport stainless steel tailpipes. Interior mods include high quality leather trim in new color options, a TechArt Rear-Seat-Entertainment system, 3-spokes sport steering wheel and much more.
The 2011 Porsche Cayenne by TechArt also gets Formula I, Formula II and Formula III light alloy wheels ranging from 20 to 23 inches.
Make the jump for the press release for more details.
Refresher: Prices for the base 300-hp 2011 Porsche Cayenne start at $46,700. The 400-hp 2011 Cayenne S will have a starting price of $63,700, while the Cayenne S Hybrid will start at $67,700. The range-topping 500-hp 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo will start at $104,800. Big news for 2011 is the 2011 Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid, which is powered by a 333-hp 3.0L supercharged V6 gasoline engine mated to a 47-hp electric-motor. The system allows the SUV to produce 380-hp and a maximum torque of 427 b-ft. Porsche says that that allows the same performance level of a V8 engine while increasing fuel-economy by 20 percent.
2011 Porsche Cayenne Individualization Options by TechArt:
TECHART Individualization for the new Porsche Cayenne
Followed by great interest the new generation of the Porsche Cayenne was presented at the Geneva Motor-Show a few weeks ago. Now TECHART offers its customers the chance to give the new Cayenne models a bit more of their own personality and character. The new TECHART Individualization options for the exterior, the engine area and the interior of the SUV as well as TECHART light alloy and forged wheels give the TECHART customers countless possibilities for individualization.
The TECHART wheels embody consistent design and inimitable style. For the new Porsche Cayenne models TECHART offers Formula and Formula II light alloy wheels as well as Formula III forged light alloy wheels in dimensions of 20- to 23-inch. Besides attractive standard color variants, all TECHART wheels are available in individually matched custom colors.
The TECHART options for the interior of the SUV allow unrestricted freedom regarding the realization of the customer wishes. High quality full leather interior in new color options and a unique design as well as the TECHART Rear-Seat-Entertainment options are just two highlights for the new Cayenne generation. A maximum of driving pleasure plus quick shifting and perfect handling enable the TECHART 3-spoke sport steering wheels with the paddle shifters. The TECHART paddle shifters have unlimited individualization options and are available for all Porsche sport steering wheels and multifunction steering wheels with PDK gearshift switches as well as all TECHART sport steering wheels.
Also in the exterior TECHART offers a number of refining options to give the Porsche Cayenne a unique character – the character of its driver. The TECHART optic packages give the sporty and elegant design of the SUV a personal touch. Trims, painted in custom color or in carbon fibre, make the Cayenne an individual piece.
The TECHART engine styling package with carbon cover as well as the TECHART sport tailpipes in polished stainless steel, which are available in a few weeks, complete the first TECHART Individualization options for the new Cayenne.
Technical Details
TECHART Individualization for the new Porsche Cayenne
Exterior
TECHART optic packages in custom color or carbon
a. o. consisting of
* Pillar trims
* Window frame trims
* Wiper cover
Engine and Drive
TECHART engine styling package with carbon cover
TECHART sport tailpipes
dual oval tube, in polished stainless steel, with embossed TECHART logotype
Wheels
TECHART Formula 5-spoke light alloy wheel in 20-, 21-, 22- and 23-inch
TECHART Formula II 5-spoke light alloy wheel in 22- and 23-inch
TECHART Formula III forged 5-spoke light alloy wheel in 21- and 22-inch
Interior
TECHART full leather interior in custom color
TECHART decorative stitching in custom color
TECHART trims in custom color, carbon or precious wood
TECHART 3-spokes PDK sport steering wheel with paddle shifters in custom color
TECHART Instrument dials in custom color
TECHART Floor mats in custom color and TECHART logotype
TECHART Aluminum sport pedals
TECHART Aluminum foot rest
TECHART Illuminated door entry guards with illuminated TECHART logotype
TECHART Rear-Seat-Entertainment
TECHART Rear fold-away tables
TECHART Center console
TECHART loadspace floor mat in custom color and TECHART logotype
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has counted 89 deaths since 2000 that are linked to crashes over unintended acceleration incidents involving Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles.
The NHTSA responded to Bloomberg News’ request for information and went over its records that span from 2000 up to May 20. The agency revealed that deaths were recorded in 71 crashes, a sharp increase from the 43 reported last March. It said that it has gotten 6,200 complaints related to unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles in the cited period, a marked increase from the 2,600 complaints reported last March. At a May 20 House hearing, NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said that US regulators have yet to find evidence that would justify a new defect investigation. Strickland made this comment after speaking to 100 car owners who filed sudden acceleration complaints after Toyota had recalled and repaired their vehicles. At the hearing, Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc. President James Lentz said that the company has examined over 2,000 vehicles but so far, it has yet to find any electronic defects. For Toyota’s new models starting in 2011, Toyota will install advanced brake-override systems. Seven current models will also be retrofitted with a software fix, which slows a vehicle if it simultaneously gets signals to accelerate and brake.
COPY EDITOR CYNTHIA L. OROSCO: I was impressed in my quick overnight with the Sonata. The exterior lines are sleek and sporty looking. The ride is fun, with plenty of power as soon as you step on the pedal, no hesitation. Entering the expressway and passing are done smoothly; no jerking when you need that extra boost. The interior is quite nice with good materials all around, even the hard plastics. The seats are comfy, and all of the controls are super-easy to find and use.
For our monthly grocery trip, which was one of the biggest we’ve done in some time, the Sonata’s huge trunk swallowed up more than a dozen bags and there was still room to spare. I think this car, along with the sporty and fun Genesis, could start to change people’s perceptions of Hyundai’s cars.
SENIOR EDITOR FOR NEWS BOB GRITZINGER: Look out Toyota Camry and beware Honda Accord–the latest Korean competition is in town, and it’s loaded for bear. Not only is the 2011 Sonata one of the sharpest-looking midsizers on the market, but this four-cylinder test car packaged a bevy of standard features, along with the high-end options such as navigation and upscale audio system. Inside, everything is well placed and the surroundings are quite pleasing and quiet.
Though the four-cylinder sometimes sounds as if it is laboring under heavy acceleration, the gearing is such that the car is peppy off the line and responsive in most driving situations. It won’t blow anyone’s doors off, but if you’re buying a midsize sedan to go street racing, you may need to examine what you really want in a car.
Between the stylish packing and standard features for the price–and the quiet ride, reasonable powertrain and solid build quality–the 2011 Sonata lives up to its strong reviews.
EDITOR WES RAYNAL: You buy a Hyundai because it’s cheap. People buy them on price. There is no reason to buy a Hyundai unless you can get a hell of a deal on one. That is, until now perhaps. This is a darn-fine midsize sedan and could well be the first car Hyundai could actually sell on something other than a cheap sticker.
While I don’t think anybody should have to pay near $30,000 for any four-cylinder midsize sedan, this is probably the closest thing I’ve driven to being worth it. The sheetmetal looks terrific (as long as you like the Mercedes-Benz CLS, which this copies closely), road manners are good and the interior is pretty good. The back seat lacks a bit of headroom but it’s not too bad.
Hyundai has really upped its game with this car. Will it be the car that breaks Hyundai from the cheap-wheels stigma? Let’s see how it plays in Dubuque.
SENIOR WEB REPORTER GREG MIGLIORE: I think the styling and smooth powertrain make this Hyundai a winner and a serious competitor for the Camry and the Accord.
For a guy who notices such things, it’s nice to see a midsize sedan that has a striking look (even if that look is rather Mercedes-like). The beltline and the lights do an impressive job of distinguishing this Hyundai from other entries in the segment.
The I4 is smooth and offers plenty of acceleration for a four-banger. It works well with the six-speed; very well calibrated. The inside is a pleasant setting, and the gauges are almost luxurylike in appearance.
The last Sonata was a nice car. This one is a real competitor. Look out.
Options: Navigation package including high-resolution touch display, satellite traffic and weather and sports, premium sound with subwoofer, backup camera ($2,100); carpeted floor mats ($100)
The OECD came out this morning and raised its growth forecast for the global economy.
Along with that, the organization has put together a presentation on the nature of the rebound, as well as some of the risks that remain: these risks include weak bank lending, sovereign debt, and the lack of jobs.
Some people say the first mistake was to create the Transportation Security Administration — it doesn’t really stop terrorism, makes flying an even more unpleasant experience, and created a bureaucracy that will live on far past the initial threat. Not sure I’d agree with all of that. But I will say that we made a fundamental mistake allowing the TSA to unionize. That makes about as much sense as unionizing the military.
Our 50 states are to be the United States of America. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. And, to continue the freedoms we enjoy, our nation must be secured, protected from potential enemies and threats from within—and—without. Quite frankly, those lofty yet pragmatic goals and ideals are not possible without a secure border.
There is no national security without a secure border. Every military strategist knows that. I introduced legislation onto the House floor to secure our borders by relocating troops from overseas to our borders. My legislation provided 10,000 soldiers to be strategically placed and assigned to all our borders, both north and south.
My legislation was vehemently opposed by the Democratic Party. I was labeled a bigot, a racist, every name you can imagine.
I successfully passed the amendment in the House—but the “party” and the Senate killed it every year.
The truth is, the security of our borders was not politically expedient as much as the catering to and solicitation of a growing minority Hispanic vote. Both parties want to recruit this new political base, another minority vote, this time even bigger than the black vote. In fact, black Americans are once again pushed to the back of the bus.
Politics won out ever national security. Now Arizona is the target of all the “nobles” who claim to abhor the actions of Arizona.
What a bunch of phonies and hypocrites. I titled this column “The United States of Arizona” because Arizona is doing what the United States of America should be doing. Shame on you, Congress. Legislators should hide their faces. Americans are under attack and are being killed on our borders, and our government has not only turned its back, but is encouraging it by the failure to respond. Let’s get off this immigration lingo, the key word here is “illegal”—not “immigration.”
Who are these illegals? Are they simply “poor people” looking for a better life? Or are they drug smugglers, robbers, terrorists and freeloaders? The facts are clear: They are all of these. However, there’s no way of knowing exactly who and what they are, because our border is wide open.
My God, America could be systematically penetrated by a sophisticated, powerful entity before we even knew it. This is insane and absolutely dangerous. Thank God Arizona has acted. I hope the officials there stand their ground. Arizona is helping the American people in every state, in spite of the scorn and ridicule it is facing.
Let’s look at the facts that support the actions of Arizona:
There have been millions of illegals crossing our borders with little or no interdiction. Narcotics have flooded our borders. American landowners have faced costly damages and death.
The people who live within 75 miles of the Mexican border have been terrorized for years. They have pleaded with the federal government to help protect their lives and property, to no avail.
One rancher testified that “up to 1,200 illegal immigrants” go across his ranch every day. They steal his vehicles. They destroy his fences. They leave trash and destruction. He testified that he had “found 17 dead bodies,” and nobody helped him.
Another land owner testified that drugs are daily shipped across his ranch in a sort of “military-type operation.” He stated there’s a “point man” with a machine gun in front with guards fully armed a half-mile behind guarding their rear. He stated that these “narcos” are violent and will kill anyone who gets in their way.
Another testified that two illegals came on his property who were forced to carry drugs. One was shot in the arm, but escaped after delivery. His “associate” wasn’t as lucky—he was killed. These drug smugglers force “runners” to carry the drugs across the border, then often kill them to avoid detection.
It’s gotten so bad that federal prisons are bulging with over 40 percent illegal immigrants. Think about it: Who’s paying to feed them, clothe them, provide medical care? Are we crazy?
Some 80 percent of our law enforcement who are murdered are killed by illegal immigrants. These are violent terrorists. Get back at me!
“Dancing With the Stars“ winner 2010 is Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and her partner Derek Hough. “Dancing With the Stars” 2010 has came to an end, a show that pairs up celebrities to dance with proffesional ballroom dancers in a competition.
Google recently introduced a new documents editor for Google Docs. It’s still in a beta of sorts and not enabled by default, but it’s getting better and already receiving new features. They’ve been introduced gradually and Google is now making a round-up of the latest bigger additions to the new documents editor. A new, simpler &… (
There’s no dominant story on a stupid bloody Tuesday but we’ve got a lot of little ones. Bulleted content will follow.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has counted 89 deaths since 2000 that are linked to crashes over unintended acceleration incidents involving Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles.
