The Oscar winning movie “The Hurt Locker” didn’t only portray the Iraq war in a dark mood and as a place where death hangs around any corner. One of the subtlest clues shows the story of a US soldier trying to rescue the life of a little boy which he befriended while buying pirated DVDs.
That isn’t very far from the truth. Decla… (read more)
A-Power Systems, the Chinese wind turbine supplier that is partnering with other Chinese and U.S. companies to build a 600 megawatts wind farm in West Texas, is traveling to Dallas next week for the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) annual conference.
A-Power Systems and its project partners, which include the Shenyang Power Group and U.S. private equity firm United States Renewable Energy Group have been on the radar screen of some powerful U.S. senators, from the moment they announced plans to build their Texas wind farm, the first Chinese-backed U.S. wind project.
Leading the charge is Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who doesn’t like that the $1.5 billion facility, which is seeking U.S. government funding, will end up creating some 300, mostly temporary, jobs in the U.S. but more than 2,000 high-paying manufacturing jobs in China. His stance has put him on a collision course with the Obama administration, including Matt Rogers’s the DOE’s man in charge of disbursing the billion in stimulus money, who earlier this year told G.E.R. that Schumer’s concerns were a “none-issue.”
The Obama administration is walking a fine line. It’s a taker for any green dollars that will help make the “green economy” a reality, but at the same time wants as much of that “new, new economy” to stay in the U.S.-made and not be outsourced to China or India.
On attending the AWEA conference A-Power Systems said: “The windpower Conference Program offers a platform to discuss perspectives, methods and strategies for maintaining and increasing profitability of wind energy businesses.” A-Power is looking for backers and the AWEA conference is the place for them to forge alliances that could be helpful crucial as it moves ahead and develops the project.
Besides cheap, Chinese-made turbines, another advantage for A-Power, are its relationships with Chinese banks, which these days, unlike their Western counterparts are flush with cash and eager to lend.
On Schumer’s concern A-Power and its U.S. partners have said that a minimum of 70 percent of each turbine powering the project would be U.S.-made.
Image: Istockphoto
UFC President Dana White believes the Internet is the future of television, so this Roku deal makes all kinds of sense. Beginning with next week’s pay-per-view, UFC 114, Roku owners will be able to stream live UFC events right to their TV. It’s in HD, too. Nothing but the best for you guys!
In addition to being able to stream pay-per-view events, Roku owners will also be given access to the UFC Vault, an on-demand network where you can find more fights than you’d probably ever want to see.
As stated, the deal goes into effect starting with UFC 114, the May 29 pay-per-view event headlined by Rampage Jackson v. Rashad Evans. You’ll recall that these two guys were the trainers on The Ultimate Fighter 10 last fall. They don’t like each other, if we’re to believe the Spike TV specials that have been airing.
“What’s Roku?” I’m glad you asked. It’s a tiny box, a little smaller than your average cable box, that you plug into your network to stream video content over the Internet. Prices start at $79. There’s no PC required, so don’t worry about having to dive into your Registry just to be able to turn the damn thing on. You’ll need a broadband connection, of course, and the company recommends 3.0 mbps (or higher) downstream to stream video effectively. In addition to UFC, you can use Roku to stream Netflix, Amazon Videos on Demand, and MLB.TV.
Not bad, no.
O que você acha de um esportivo que conta com uma potência original de 661 cavalos, capaz de fazer de 0 a 100 km/h em 3,6 segundos? Com certeza a maioria dos seres humanos se espantariam com tal potência. Contudo, não podemos falar o mesmo da Brabus, que preparou uma versão mais apimentada do Mercedes SL 65 AMG Black, o veiculo mais potente produzido em serie pela Mercedes-Benz.
Chamado de T65 RS, o superesportivo cupê possui uma potencia de 788 cavalos disponíveis a 5.500 rpm e um descomunal torque de 144,8 kgfm a 2.100 rpm, que foi reduzido eletronicamente para 112,2 kgfm, para que o mesmo não “destruísse” componentes do carro, devido a sua força fora do comum. Com isso, o T65 RS pode fazer de 0 a 200 km/h em 9,8 segundos e atingir a velocidade máxima de 330 km/h, limitada eletronicamente.
O acréscimo de sua potencia veio através de um sistema de sobrealimentação no motor, composto de duas turbinas de alto desempenho, escapamento totalmente redimensionado e confeccionado pela Brabus, sistema de refrigeração com quatro intercoolers e uma reprogramação em seu sistema de injeção eletrônica. Além disso, de acordo com a Brabus, o superesportivo T65 RS esta de acordo com as ultimas exigência dos limites de emissão de poluentes Euro IV.
Por fora, o Mercedes-Benz anabolizado recebeu algumas modificações como um novo capô e sua pintura personalizada em preto fosco, mostrando sua personalidade “bad boy”. Enquanto isso, seu interior tambvem oferece mais requinte com novo acabamento em couro Alcântara em seus bancos e revestimentos, costurados em linha vermelha, além de um painel de instrumento exclusivo.
Fonte: PistonHeads
Anyone who hoped manufacturing would be the key to the jobs recovery won’t be pleased with today’s news. The New York Federal Reserve’s Empire State Index of manufacturing for May was 19.1. That’s a significant decline in activity from April, when it stood at 31.9. But this isn’t as bad as it looks: any measure above zero means additional gains in manufacturing for the New York area. Still, that’s a pretty steep drop.
First, here’s a chart from the Fed showing the index since 2003:
Even though this index only measures manufacturing in one region it’s generally believed to serve as an early indicator for broader U.S. manufacturing. As you can see, during the recession the manufacturing industry got battered. But it also recovered far more steeply than it fell. It has remained above zero for 10 consecutive months.
There’s no doubt that more manufacturing is helping the labor market. The report’s index for employees rose for the fifth straight month, to the highest mark since 2004. But May’s big drop comes as a disappointment. Economists expected it to barely fall, to 30.
At this point, the index is not that far from its average since 2001 of 10.6. As it nears that mark, job growth in manufacturing will slow to normal levels, instead of the steep job growth that could help make a more significant dent in unemployment, which remains near 10%. If the index’s downward trend continues, then manufacturing isn’t likely the answer to the labor market problems.
New York – United States – Federal Reserve System – Manufacturing – Employment
Did you walk away from the last Indiana Jones feature feeling a bit underwhelmed? You’re not alone — the movie also gets a big fat thumbs down from Indy 4 star Shia LaBeouf. And you’ll never guess who the chatty curly-topped star is calling out for directing the disappointing stinker — legendary lensman Steven Spielberg!
“I feel like I dropped the ball on the legacy that people loved and cherished… You can blame it on the writer and you can blame it on Steven (Spielberg). But the actor’s job is to make it come alive and make it work, and I couldn’t do it,” he explains.
The former Disney star joined the cast as Indy’s adult son when Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford brought the beloved adventurer back to the big screen for a fourth installment in 2008’s Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Released 19 years after the last movie hit cinemas in 1989, the box office hit was a blockbuster across the globe, but still failed to measure up to the expectations of critics and fans.
Shia was disappointed too, the star tells The Los Angeles Times. LaBeouf says his high opinion of the film turned to mush the moment he saw the finished product — and he believes everyone involved with the feature, namely director Steven Spielberg, should apologize for botching the effort.
“I think the audience is pretty intelligent. I think they know when you’ve made (a bad film)… And I think if you don’t acknowledge it, then why do they trust you the next time you’re promoting a movie…..”
LaBeouf claims Indy 4 was a dreadful piece of movie that even Harrison Ford hated.
“We (Ford and LaBeouf) had major discussions. He wasn’t happy with it either. Look, the movie could have been updated. There was a reason it wasn’t universally accepted,” Shia says matter-of factly.
And the Transformers actor has no qualms about spilling the tea on the feature, although his candid comments could land him in hot water with Hollywood heavyweight Spielberg.
“I’ll probably get a call. But he needs to hear this. I love him. I love Steven. I have a relationship with Steven that supersedes our business work. And believe me, I talk to him often enough to know that I’m not out of line. And I would never disrespect the man. I think he’s a genius, and he’s given me my whole life. He’s done so much great work that there’s no need for him to feel vulnerable about one film. But when you drop the ball you drop the ball.”
Guest blogger Jerome Ringo has worked as chairman of the National Wildlife Federation and President of the Apollo Alliance. Prior to that he spent 22 years in the petrochemical industry. This is a repost.
As someone who worked for more than 20 years in Louisiana’s oil fields and petrochemical industry, I am sad to say I was not surprised by the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
During my youth, I saw bayous contaminated by toxic chemicals that destroyed the fish and other wildlife that should have been living there.
As an adult, I saw the health of my fellow workers and community members jeopardized by polluted air and water.
Now, as more than 200,000 gallons of crude oil pour into the Gulf of Mexico each day, I see the jobs that will be lost, the families and communities that will suffer and the impending devastation of our $2 billion seafood industry.
Think about the fishermen, the truck drivers, the restaurant owners and so many others who depend on this industry. Think also about the fish, birds, sea turtles and other marine life whose ecosystem has just been turned on its head.
There is a better way: clean energy.
While many countries have already embraced clean energy and adopted national policies to increase energy efficiency and the use of renewables, the United States continues to suffer from a reactive, outdated energy strategy. It’s been nearly a year since the U.S. House of Representatives passed its energy and climate bill (the American Clean Energy and Security Act), but the Senate has yet to begin serious debate on its own legislation.
Our policymakers are fiddling while Rome burns – or rather, while oil rigs burn and pollute our oceans and coasts.
Not only is America’s refusal to embrace clean energy endangering human health and wildlife, it is also costing us jobs, which are precious commodities in this time of economic hardship. Several energy companies, including GE and BP Solar, recently announced plans to invest millions of dollars to develop and expand clean energy facilities – not in the United States, where such investments and the jobs they bring are desperately needed – but in Europe and China. We need incentives for green energy jobs here at home.
Now is the time for the Senate to act. With photos of the oil spill on the front pages of newspapers across the country, Americans are starting to grasp the dangers of our country’s dependence on oil and other dirty sources of energy, and this awareness is being transformed into support for a new energy direction for our country.
What is happening in the Gulf of Mexico is a tragedy, plain and simple. But it will be even more tragic if we fail to learn from the oil spill and if we refuse to adopt new energy policies that will increase public health and safety while creating a new generation of clean energy jobs.
Let’s not wait for the death of another oil worker or the image of one more oil-drenched bird or the announcement of one more business shutting its doors before we commit to making the United States a clean energy leader.
Jerome Ringo, former president and current board member of the Apollo Alliance, is senior executive for global strategies for Green Port, a private company that focuses on establishing sustainable green ports around the world. He wrote this for Progressive Media Project.
Via Prison Planet.com » Prison Planet
CNN
May 17, 2010
Police in Detroit, Michigan, on Sunday expressed “profound sorrow” at the fatal shooting of a 7-year-old girl in a police raid.
Aiyana Jones was shot and killed by police executing a search warrant as part of a homicide investigation, Assistant Chief Ralph Godbee said in a statement.
“This is any parent’s worst nightmare,” Godbee said. “It also is any police officer’s worst nightmare. And today, it is all too real.”
The warrant was executed about 12:40 a.m. ET Sunday at a home on the city’s east side, Godbee said. Authorities believed the suspect in the Friday shooting death of 17-year-old high school student Jarean Blake was hiding out at the home. Blake was gunned down in front of a store as his girlfriend watched, Godbee said.
Preliminary information indicates that members of the Detroit Police Special Response Team approached the house and announced themselves as police, Godbee said, citing the officers and at least one independent witness.
Ryan McBride wrote:
Cambridge Endoscopic Devices, a developer of laparoscopic instruments, has raised $3 million of a $7.5 million round of equity funding, according to an SEC filing. The filing says there was one investor in the round, but the filing does not identify the name of the investor. The Framingham, MA-based company, formed in 2004, has developed a hand-held endoscope with a distal tip that a surgeon can rotate at any angle, according to the company’s website. The firm’s products are designed for minimally invasive procedures.
UNDERWRITERS AND PARTNERS
Via Prison Planet.com » Prison Planet
Jason Lewis
UK Daily Mail
May 17, 2010
Police secretly investigated the travel habits, family, friends and backgrounds of 47,000 innocent people last year after they bought plane tickets to fly into and out of Britain.
The intrusiveness has provoked fury among civil liberties campaigners and now may be stopped by Britain’s new coalition Government.
The flyers were singled out by the ‘terrorist detector’ database, introduced by Labour, monitoring millions of British tourists and other travellers.
Checks included scrutiny of the police national computer, financial records and analysis of ‘known associates’ before people were cleared for travel.
 |
 |
[JURIST] Pakistan’s Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday ordered the principal secretary for President Asif Ali Zardari [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] principle secretary to appear before the court in order to explain how Zardari is able to effectively serve as president while also leading the country’s ruling party. The petition was filed [Reuters report] by the Pakistan Lawyers Forum, which agreed with the secretary’s representation of Zardari due to security reasons. Zardari’s control of these two offices does not violate Pakistan’s Constitution [text], but the high court has previously barred officials from holding dual offices. After winning the presidency in September 2008, Zardari continued to serve as chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) [official website], which won the plurality of seats in the 2008 election and currently heads the ruling coalition. The principal secretary is set to appear before the court on May 25.
Zardari gained control of the presidency after former military leader Pervez Musharraf [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] resigned amid impeachment pressure. In April, Zardari signed into law [JURIST report] the 18th Amendment bill [text, PDF], limiting presidential powers expanded under Musharraf. Under the amendment, which effectively reduces the role of the president to a figurehead, the vast majority of the president’s powers will be transferred [AFP report] to the office of the prime minister [official website]. The introduction of the bill came amid controversy over reopening corruption investigations against Zardari. Weeks earlier, Pakistan’s attorney general Anwar Mansoor announced his resignation over controversy surrounding a Supreme Court order to investigate corruption allegations [JURIST reports]. Last month, Swiss authorities denied a request [JURIST report] from Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau [official website], refusing to reopen a corruption investigation against Zardari. Aides to Zardari believe that presidential immunity protects him from prosecution, even after the Supreme Court overturned an amnesty law [JURIST report] implemented by Musharraf.
It’s no great secret that Cox (as in Cox Cable) is working on on its own wireless service. And low and behold, it appears that Cox may have been using at least one Android phone for what likely is network testing, but maybe more.
Behold, an unbranded CDMA HTC Hero (of the Sprint design variety), purchased off Craigslist for $230. It features a Cox boot screen, which isn’t necessarily strange on a test device, though it’s an interesting detail to add for something that’s not public. It’s running on 1xRTT (our source says he couldn’t get EV-DO working), and it the network’s clearly labeled as "Cox."
Yes, we know this is all stuff that’s easily replicated, so we all need to take this with a little grain of salt. There are more pictures and video after the break for your disbelieving eyes. Thanks, S!
Do solar charging stations for electric cars and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles make sense?
The idea was discussed at a recent Congressional briefing “Reducing Oil Dependence through Energy and Climate Policy,” presented by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI). Guest blogger and former CAP staffer Alexandra Kougentakis has the story.
Solar energy and hybrid electric vehicles would be effective in achieving emission reductions both from transportation AND electricity generation. Solar-powered charging stations for cars that run on electricity are already popping up around the country. With hybrid vehicles becoming ever more popular, and even all-electric cars entering the market, transportation-related oil usage will be reduced. To avoid replacing gasoline carbon dioxide emissions with conventional electricity carbon dioxide emissions, an electric or hybrid car battery could utilize solar electricity .The conventional wisdom likely to raise objections against solar electricity charging stations is that solar energy is just too expensive. Yet photovoltaic (PV) technology prices have been falling since 2008 at extraordinary rates, with module prices dropping by 37.8%, wafer prices by 50% and polysilicon prices by 80%.
The capital investment for a carport structure topped with PV panels together with the actual charging unit may still exceed that of a conventional filling station. The high initial cost can be completely eliminated for the station owner, however, through an arrangement known as a solar power purchase agreement (SPPA). Under an SPPA, the PV system is financed and owned by a solar project developer, and a property owner serves as a “host” for the array, purchasing all of the power that is produced at rates that are usually below local utility rates. Tax credits, grants and sales of solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) make it possible for the project developer to finance and profit from such a contract. This way, not only can solar electricity be used to charge hybrid and electric cars, but the electricity can be sold at rates competitive with that of oil, whose price will only keep getting higher. Notably, the 14-mW solar array at the Nellis US Air Force Base in Nevada employs an SPPA.
A carbon price for the transportation sector is a priority that Congress should include in any comprehensive climate change legislation, and by helping to stimulate renewable energy growth will result in substantial emission reductions. Further, a plan to more comprehensively integrate solar energy into the developing national infrastructure for electric vehicles would generate and support thousands of green jobs, both in the solar sector and in electric vehicle technology development. The economic growth that would result from the expansion of electric cars and the solar industry, and the gains that would come from saving billions of dollars every year on foreign oil, serve as strong arguments for a twin approach of solar powered charging stations for electric cars and a carbon fee for transportation.
Guest blogger Alexandra Kougentakis is a former CAP staffer and now regulatory analyst at Distributed Sun LLC, a Washington DC-based solar project developer.
Related Posts:
Via Prison Planet.com » Sci Tech
Kate Kelland
Reuters
May 17, 2010
Experts who studied almost 13,000 cell phone users over 10 years, hoping to find out whether the mobile devices cause brain tumors, said on Sunday their research gave no clear answer.
A study by the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the largest ever to look at possible links between mobile phones and brain cancer, threw up inconclusive results but researchers said suggestions of a possible link demanded deeper examination.
“The results really don’t allow us to conclude that there is any risk associated with mobile phone use, but… it is also premature to say that there is no risk associated with it,” the IARC’s director Christopher Wild told Reuters.
The results of the study have been keenly awaited by mobile phone companies and by campaign groups who have raised concerns about whether mobile phones cause brain tumors.
Years of research have failed to establish a connection.
More than 1,700 members of Case Western Reserve University’s Class of 2010 received headline advice from news anchor Katie Couric during yesterday’s commencement convocation.
The anchor of CBS Evening News with Katie Couric infused her commencement address with bits of humor and references to local hangouts such as the Jolly Scholar and Tommy’s while encouraging the newly-minted graduates to work hard, take chances and persevere at the things they felt were important.
“You’ve spent four long years, and in some cases even more, pouring your hearts into your studies, squirreled away in one of those little cubicles at KSL or the law or med school libraries cramming for that big test,” Couric reminded the graduates, along with their families and friends, of how much effort they’d put into their studies.
Couric said it was “not exactly a news flash” that the job outlook was still less than rosy. “The good news is you’re graduating from a truly outstanding institution and are well equipped to face the world.”
For those still looking for career opportunities, Couric told them to have business cards ready to hand out to potential contacts, and to set up a professional email account and answering machine message. “No, ‘yo, what’s up dude?’” she told the audience as they laughed.
Couric stressed the importance of networking and having the “chutzpah you need to do something that impresses.” She shared the story of her first major break in television news, where she talked her way into meeting an executive producer by explaining how their family members knew each other. Although he was flummoxed by her bold move, the producer moved her resume to the top of the pile.
She also encouraged the Class of 2010 to be realistic. “I’m not a subscriber to the helicopter parent refrain of ‘honey, you can do whatever you want to do.’ I really don’t think you can. You have to take a good, hard look at your strengths, your weaknesses, your skills and your shortcomings. But most of all, your passions.”
Although hard work and perseverance might bring material success, those traits “won’t bring you a life that is truly rich,” Couric explained. “For that, you have to believe in a higher purpose.” She found hers when her late husband, Jay Monahan, was diagnosed with stage-four colon cancer in 1997. His battle inspired Couric to use her position in broadcast news to help millions. She demystified colonoscopies by having the procedure done live on television; the result was a significant increase in the number of people getting colonoscopies, dubbed the Couric effect.
Couric has since created the Stand Up 2 Cancer initiative, which has committed $85 million to fund scientific collaborations. In addition, she helped launch the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance has raised awareness and funding for colon cancer research, including research conducted by Sanford Markowitz, professor and researcher of cancer and genetics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
She toured Markowitz’s lab on Saturday to learn more about his groundbreaking research.
Couric also contacted people she admired to share ideas with Case Western Reserve’s Class of 2010. Some of them offered the following advice:
Former Vice President Al Gore: “Choose the hard right over the easy wrong.”
Michael J. Fox: “As much as we can, it’s helpful to be in a in place of gratitude. None of us is entitled to anything. We get what we get, not because we want it or we deserve it, but because we earn it, we respect it, and only if we share it, do we keep it.”
Queen Rania of Jordan: “If you’re too big for a small job, you’re too small for a big one.”
Twitter co-founder Biz Stone: “Think about what is valuable before thinking about what is profitable. And know that there’s compound interest in helping others. Start early.”
General Ray Odierno, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq: “I have learned that greatness is never found in possessions, power, position or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service and character.”
Prior to her commencement speech, which received a standing ovation, Couric earned a special recognition from the university.
Case Western Reserve President Barbara R. Snyder presented Couric, along with humanitarian and scholar M. Cherif Bassiouni, and the Grammy-award winning Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, with honorary degrees. President Snyder also presented philanthropists Milton and Tamar Maltz with the President’s Award for Visionary Achievement.
More than 1,925 degrees were conferred at ceremonies held throughout the day.
Being a day-two customer of the G1, I know the plight of slide-out QWERTY Android-lovers well. WHERE ARE OUR GODDAMN SLIDEY-ANDROIDS, HTC?! More »
QWERTY – Android – Handhelds – Business and Economy – Telecommunications
Apple recently started offering a new beta of the web Mail application portion of its MobileMe software suite. As a longtime MobileMe subscriber, I’d say it was high time it updated that particular app, which has been more or less broken since launch.
Maybe ‘broken’ is too harsh a word, but it definitely hasn’t made for a pleasant web-based email user experience. As someone who also maintains a Gmail account for back-up purposes, there really is no comparing the two experiences. One is pleasant and intuitive, and the other has been, till now, awkward and uncomfortable.
The new MobileMe Mail Beta makes a number of changes that, though small, completely change the look and feel of using the web app. Here’s a rundown of what’s new and different.
MobileMe Mail’s physical layout can now be switched between three different views, including Widescreen, Compact and Classic. each offers unique advantages and suits different monitor setups or screen arrangements. For example, I generally keep my mail open on a secondary monitor that’s oriented in portrait mode. Either Compact or Classic represents a better look for this type of setup, because you can see more information in a narrower space. Widescreen is great for when I have my second display flipped in landscape mode, since it resembles Mail on the iPad.
MobileMe Mail looks a lot different in the new beta. In fact, it no longer shares the design elements of its other MobileMe web apps, like the iPhone-inspired icon bar at the top and the black top bar. Instead the theme is blue and white, with a single button that sends you back out to your Contacts web app, which still has the old navigation bar.
The search bar is located above your inbox instead of on the far right side, which is a much more intuitive place for it to be, and in keeping with how message search works on both the iPhone and iPad platform. Things like that and the icon choices for your common mail actions (Delete, Archive, Move, etc.) seem to indicate that Apple is really trying to tie the MobileMe web-based product to the iPhone platform.
The changes really do bring a sense of uniformity across Apple’s platforms. All we need now is a new version of desktop Mail on the Mac that also borrows design cues from the iPhone and we’ll have true product continuity.
Hitting the compose button now results in a completely different experience, compared to the original Mail web app. The interface is clean and sparse, but still presents you with a much larger selection of composition options via the new formatting toolbar.
14 font options, a color picker, list formatting button, link insertion and tab control mean that using webmail is now a lot more like using Mail via a desktop client. You can personalize your email completely now, and drafts are autosaved with considerable frequency to prevent losing messages, something which happened often in my previous experience with MobileMe on the web.
You can now create rules in MobileMe web mail that will apply across your inboxes, on all devices associated with your MobileMe account. What makes this so great is that doing so using the web-based interface is far simpler than creating rules using desktop Mail.app. Just click the settings icon, then in the ‘Rules’ tab add and edit any rule you want. On the desktop it takes a bit more hunting around to find these features.
The little things really make MobileMe better. It feels snappier and more responsive, and seems to function much better in terms of composing and reading email, both areas which always seemed buggy in the old version. And little touches like the one-click archiving button, inbox refresh button, and quick folder addition intuitively located next to the “Folder” menu item instead of tucked away at the bottom of the interface all combine to make this beta a winner.
According to the latest reports, it appears that Volkswagen is currently working on a new compact crossover dubbed Rocktan which will be build with some help from Suzuki. Volkswagen bought few months ago a 19.9% stake in Suzuki and is planning to use the Japanese technology to take on the popular Nissan Qashqai.
It seems that the German car will be based on the Suzuki SX4 and the reason Volkswagen wants to build this car is that the Qashqai registered very good sales and can hardly keep up with the demand. Of course, Volkwagen already has the CrossGolf, CrossPolo, but these are just niche models with little success and the Rocktan would be a better choice. Regarding the engines, the new car will use the 1.4 TSI, 1.6 TDI and the more powerful 2.0 TDI engine which delivers 140 hp.
[via diariomotor]
Source: Car news, Car reviews, Spy shots
Privacy is different for everyone. Robert Scoble is happy sharing, while I would hate showing off pictures of my daughter to my Twitter followers or even checking into a grocery store on Gowalla or Foursquare. Add the conflicting goals of a site like Facebook — which wants to make money from people’s data — to the disparity between people’s tolerance for sharing, and we’re faced with labyrinthine privacy policies and confused messaging as big services try to please a huge section of users, most of whom who don’t want to sit down and go through 170 options to change their privacy settings.
Now even Congress is getting involved — but wireless analyst Chetan Sharma proposed an interesting idea last night in his first quarter wireless data analysis. The analysis is worth checking out, (Verizon edged past Japan’s NTTDoCoMo for the first time to become the carrier making the most money selling wireless data) but his suggestion for dealing with privacy is worth sharing with those outside of the wireless industry who might otherwise miss it:
If people are really serious about tackling privacy, OEMs and carriers should build a physical/soft privacy button on the device with 3-5 levels (just like for the ringer volume) that allows users to open/close privacy across all applications and services with the touch of a button. All apps and services should adhere to the principle via APIs. The other mistake companies make about privacy is by treating everyone the same. Privacy is about the perception of control and transparency. If it is given back to the consumer, they are likely to engage more and have a more positive impact on revenue streams that are likely to flow.
Clearly there are issues with this, including the fact that it would only work on mobiles, and that most people have different settings for different apps. Implementing such a thing would also require the carriers or handset makers to work together with app developers without trying to hijack standards or access to the information. But the idea of a privacy middleware layer or a service is intriguing, be it on a handset or as another layer in the cloud. What do you think? Let me know in the comments.
Related GigaOM Pro Content (sub req’d): Could Prrivacy Be Facebook’s Waterloo?
Who can forget good ol’ Ape Escape? Sony sure hasn’t, which is why an Ape Escape title was included in a preliminary list of PlayStation Move games. Earlier, Sony followed it up over Twitter, saying that Europe
